Chapter 2: Why Me?

Chapter 2: Why Me?

Ruo’er was kidnapped, and not just by anyone, but by a demon lord.

However, she wasn’t concerned about her own safety at the moment; her thoughts were solely focused on Lin Nuo’s well-being.

Because Lin Nuo already had a crime against him. If he could find some remote place to hide, perhaps he could evade everyone’s notice and gradually fade from view.

But having taken her away, he only added to his sins. The Xuanyun Sect would naturally hate him even more, making things far more difficult.

So right now, Lin Nuo was in peril.

As for Lin Nuo’s professed feelings for her, she suspected it was nothing more than a lie to dupe her. After all, he had no real reason to like her.

They were merely master and servant. If that were truly the case, then their marriage would have been a natural occurrence, given that Xia Hanmo had practically treated her like a child bride.

But Lin Nuo hadn’t thought that way back then. Now, after two or three years apart and living in different worlds, it seemed even less likely.

Perhaps Lin Nuo intended to use her as a hostage, hoping to escape unscathed.

If that were the case, it made sense, considering Lin Nuo’s serious injuries; using her as leverage was indeed a sound strategy.

And she was willing to cooperate since she had already planned to let Lin Nuo go.

Ruo’er didn’t struggle at all as Lin Nuo carried her away, and during their escape, she even tended to his injuries.

Her healing arts were primarily celestial techniques, but thankfully she still knew some basic medical skills; otherwise, it could backfire.

Admittedly, her regular medical skills acted slowly, but having something was certainly better than nothing.

Noticing Ruo’er didn’t make any effort to resist, Lin Nuo found it strange. Shouldn’t she at least show some reaction?

Not that she needed to shout for help; it would only worsen his predicament, which would be the rational response.

Was she willingly going home with him?

It didn’t seem like it.

Yet there were no trackers following them; nobody was using geolocation, and Ruo’er had no reason to pursue such actions.

“Why aren’t you resisting?” Lin Nuo couldn’t help but ask her.

“Master plans to use me as a hostage, so naturally, I’ll cooperate,” Ruo’er replied.

“Oh, so that’s how you see it. That’s a good idea.”

Lin Nuo nodded; this way, she was cooperating voluntarily.

As long as they left safely together, he could then persuade her to join him.

And even if his persuasion failed, she had been taken as a hostage, so she wouldn’t be guilty of trying to escape like before.

“How have you been at Zifeng Valley?” Lin Nuo continued to ask.

“Not bad. The seniors in Zifeng Valley value me highly and have taught me a lot of celestial techniques,” Ruo’er responded, feeling either mistaken or not, but Lin Nuo seemed significantly more pleasant than before, almost approachable.

If one didn’t know his identity, they’d think he was just a chatty older brother upon their first conversation.

“Master, actually…”

Ruo’er seemed hesitant, her heart filled with countless questions, yet she couldn’t bring herself to voice them.

“Were you going to ask why I turned to demonic practices?”

“Ah? I…”

This was indeed a question Ruo’er wanted to ask, but she felt that Lin Nuo would be unwilling to answer her.

“This was a necessity. If I had a choice, who would wish to tread this irreversible path?”

Lin Nuo replied lightly, his mannerisms and speech completely different from before, making it hard for Ruo’er to believe this was the infamous demon lord everyone mocked.

“Is it because things didn’t go well in the Xuanyun Sect? So you sought another path?” Ruo’er cautiously inquired.

“Do you think the Demon Spirit inside me was mine?”

“Me? I don’t think so, but…”

“But everyone is convinced it was, so what else can I do? They surely believe a person like me can’t stir up much trouble, so they shoved the blame onto me. So now, do you understand why I chose this path? If I didn’t, I’d be wrongfully executed.”

Lin Nuo spoke calmly, if not for Zhang Yuanxu hosting the Demon Spirit inside him, would he really have thought of turning to darkness?

“Purity is its own blessing. Since it’s not your fault, I believe your innocence will be proven.”

“That’s useless. Those who wronged you are the ones who know you’re innocent better than anyone. You should already know how the Xuanyun Sect is now, right?” Lin Nuo continued.

“Um… I’ve heard that Master Zhao is in seclusion now, and everything is being run by Zhang Yuanxu.”

“Is he genuinely in seclusion? Or is he just lying low while he pulls the strings?”

Lin Nuo chuckled coldly; Ruo’er was still too naive, just as Su Kexin was, not suspecting Zhang Yuanxu at all.

“Then Master, are you implying that your Demon Spirit came from…?”

“That’s right; it was him. Don’t you find it suspicious that he stirred up trouble so soon after returning to the Xuanyun Sect? To put it frankly, my constitution allows for a Demon Spirit to reside within me, and this spirit was born from his forbidden cultivation, so he needed a scapegoat.”

Lin Nuo spoke seriously, not intending to clear himself but wanting the naive Ruo’er to know more of the truth. Otherwise, she might just end up being sold out.

Oh well, one shouldn’t worry about the plight of those already doomed.

“Of course, believe it or not, it truly is hard to swallow. You probably don’t believe me either.”

“No, I believe you, Master.”

Ruo’er’s tone was firm; she had always held onto a glimmer of hope that Lin Nuo still possessed some conscience and that everything was just a misunderstanding.

“You have a true understanding of others. There’s really no need for you to agree with me; after all, such mystical matters just aren’t realistic.”

“No, I think what you said explains everything. Right now, both the Xuanyun Sect and Zifeng Valley feel oppressive, and everyone isn’t as united as it seems.”

Ruo’er’s words carried a hint of sadness; she had originally just wanted to be a maid and do her job well, but now, by chance stepping onto the immortal path, she was facing many brutal realities. The once lively and cheerful her had also become more pensive.

“You’ve noticed it; it truly isn’t so united. But I don’t think you’d easily believe the words of a demon lord.”

Lin Nuo stated as they quickly moved away from the deep valley and arrived at the edge of a small stream.

Given their current attire and appearance, they stood out too much—a demon and a celestial together on the street, it’d be a miracle if no one alerted the authorities.

“Are you planning to leave? After all, no celestial would want to stay with a demon lord.”

Lin Nuo crouched by the stream, tending to his wounds a bit before cleaning himself up; his self-healing art could restore his injured body.

“No, Master still needs me as a hostage; I willingly remain here.”

“Actually, I never intended to hold you as a hostage. What I said before wasn’t a deception. I genuinely want to marry you and find a place to live in seclusion. You’ll surely find it hard to believe, but it’s okay. If you don’t completely loathe me yet, I hope you can give me a chance to pursue you.”

Lin Nuo turned to look at Ruo’er; everyone said demon lords were cunning, while she was innocent and easily deceived. Yet in this moment, she could faintly see the deep affection in Lin Nuo’s eyes.

“W-why, then? Master, I’m just an inconspicuous girl…?”

“Because when the whole world stands against me, you are willing to stand by my side, even if just for a fleeting moment.”

Lin Nuo spoke deeply, leaving Ruo’er confused, but she felt Lin Nuo was worth trusting.