30: You would never like this kind of punishment.

"Didn't you say you didn't look?"

Ji Li was fuming with anger.

"I..."

Chen Qingxuan was dumbfounded.

He especially felt the icy jade hand on his neck, like a sharp blade hanging at his throat.

It wasn't gentle at all.

She really wanted to kill him!

In this moment of crisis, Chen Qingxuan had a sudden flash of inspiration: "If you kill me... who will help her awaken her Bloodline? Madam... you wouldn't want your daughter to miss the chance to awaken the Demon Emperor Bloodline, would you?"

"Hmm?"

Hearing this, Ji Li's beautiful expression shifted instantly.

Clearly, she hadn't expected Chen Qingxuan's fabricated claim about needing to awaken the Bloodline; she had assumed that when the time was right, her daughter would naturally awaken the Demon Emperor Bloodline.

The reason she wanted to kill Chen Qingxuan wasn't just because of his repeated peeking, but because once she confirmed her daughter possessed the Demon Emperor Bloodline, her reason told her to silence the witness.

After all, the Demon Emperor Bloodline involved far too much; it was no longer just an internal matter of the Western Regions. If the news leaked, even with her status as the Revered Master of the Demon Emperor Palace... it would be difficult to protect her daughter's peaceful growth.

Now that she learned the Demon Emperor Bloodline still needed to be awakened, although Ji Li remained skeptical, she couldn't just kill Chen Qingxuan.

Killing Chen Qingxuan was a small matter, but letting her daughter miss the Bloodline Awakening was a major one.

After a brief silence, Ji Li chose to let go. "I was just joking with you."

A joke?

The corner of Chen Qingxuan's mouth twitched slightly... Do you really take me for a fool?

Unfortunately, with his current strength, even when faced with such a contemptuous excuse, he couldn't do anything to her.

"How do you plan to help Qian You awaken the Demon Emperor Bloodline?" Ji Li didn't waste words and got straight to the point.

"You were just about to kill me, and you expect me to obediently tell you?" Chen Qingxuan said with a look of displeasure.

As the saying goes, even a clay man has three points of fire. She was just strangling his neck a moment ago... and the next second she wants special service?

Is she freaking bullying an honest man?

"..."

Ji Li's ruby-like eyes stared quietly at Chen Qingxuan.

If it were anyone else who dared to have this attitude, they would have been decapitated long ago. Only Chen Qingxuan... could make her rely on deep breaths to calm her mood.

Setting aside the fact that before Chen Qingxuan appeared, she hadn't even realized her daughter possessed the Demon Emperor Bloodline, now that he claimed he could help her daughter awaken it... even Ji Li had to compromise and back down.

Ji Li changed the subject and asked, "How many people know you came to the Demon Emperor Palace? And how many people know that the Demon Emperor Bloodline is about to appear in the Demon Emperor Palace?"

Hearing the implication in her words, Chen Qingxuan cleverly gave Ji Li the answer she wanted. "The Demon God Valley always acts alone. Since I was the one who calculated that the Demon Emperor Bloodline was about to emerge, naturally, I am the only one who knows."

"Good!"

Sure enough, in the next moment, Ji Li's brow relaxed. "This Venerable One can promise that as long as you stay within my Demon Emperor Palace from now on, I will never discard you once your use is served."

"Anyone can say that... you almost killed me just now... how can I believe you?"

Chen Qingxuan expressed his concern.

In reality, after hearing these words, he knew his plan was on the right track, and he was one step closer to contracting the talent.

Ji Li frowned slightly. "Then tell me, what will it take for you to believe me?"

"If you're asking me..."

Chen Qingxuan rubbed his chin in thought, not immediately stating the idea he already had.

After a moment, he feigned a sudden realization. "I can see you are a good mother... If you want me to trust you, we must at least create a layer of connection between us... How about this: let your daughter take me as her Revered Master. Even for your daughter's sake, I believe you wouldn't easily kill your own daughter's Revered Master."

"What?"

Ji Li's brow furrowed instantly.

Before she could open her mouth to refuse, Chen Qingxuan added, "Anyway, I'll be guiding her on how to awaken the Demon Emperor Bloodline next. This is what a Revered Master should do. Letting her take me as her Revered Master might make her more accepting of my guidance. This is a win-win solution."

Ji Li fell into silence.

Clearly, she was somewhat unwilling to let her daughter take Chen Qingxuan as a Revered Master.

"What? Are you afraid I'll play tricks? Right now, I'm the one who doesn't trust you... After all, you're the one who wanted to kill me, despite my kindness in coming to tell you she has the Demon Emperor Bloodline."

Chen Qingxuan began to apply pressure.

Becoming a master and disciple pair with Ji Qianyou was the only way he could think of to get close to her.

Otherwise, he'd be out of options.

Fortunately, under his repeated pressure, Ji Li finally chose to back down.

As long as they were within the Demon Emperor Palace, with the trump cards she had prepared for her daughter, she wasn't afraid of Chen Qingxuan playing tricks to harm her.

Awakening the Demon Emperor Bloodline was the priority now!

And so, after reaching an agreement, the two set off to find Ji Qianyou... "Mother?"

Sensing her mother's aura, Ji Qianyou opened a pair of similarly ruby-like eyes, but upon seeing Chen Qingxuan, she furrowed her small brow in surprise.

"Who is he?"

"Qian You, this is the Revered Master I found for you." Ji Li glanced at Chen Qingxuan and explained gently to her daughter, "From now on, he will guide your Cultivation, understand?"

Hearing Ji Li's soft, sweet voice, Chen Qingxuan clicked his tongue. "She's quite the actress."

"?"

Ji Li cast a suspicious look over.

Chen Qingxuan cleared his throat and hurriedly said, "Qian You, come, kneel and acknowledge me as your Revered Master."

Ji Li's willow-like brows furrowed, and a secret transmission entered Chen Qingxuan's ear: "Don't go too far!"

"I don't want to!"

Ji Qianyou also refused flatly and looked up at Ji Li. "Mother, it's enough for you to teach me Cultivation. Why do you have to find me a Revered Master? He doesn't look powerful at all."

Before Ji Li could speak;

Chen Qingxuan spoke first, "That's where you're wrong. As the saying goes, a mountain's fame comes from the immortals who live there, not its height. Don't let your Revered Master's young age fool you; my strength already exceeds your mother's."

"..."

Hearing this, Ji Li was completely speechless.

Especially seeing Chen Qingxuan's shameless appearance, if her daughter weren't present, she would have pulled out her whip to let Chen Qingxuan understand... who the Revered Master really was.

"I don't believe you!" Ji Qianyou was also quite spirited. "If you have the ability, fight my mother. If you win, I'll take you as my Revered Master."

"That's enough, Qian You." Ji Li interrupted the farce. "Starting tomorrow, you must follow his arrangements for Cultivation. Don't let Mother down, okay?"

"Emm..."

Ji Qianyou bit her small lip.

Although she looked down on Chen Qingxuan, she didn't say anything more.

"You, come with me."

Afterward, Ji Li irritably led Chen Qingxuan away.

Before long, the two arrived in front of a sleeping palace, and Ji Li pushed open the door and walked in.

Chen Qingxuan looked around and followed her in quietly.

"This will be your residence from now on. You are not allowed to leave without my permission. Even moving around the Demon Emperor Palace requires my approval."

Ji Li said in an indisputable tone.

Facing this house-arrest-like treatment, Chen Qingxuan knew he had no choice. "Fine, Madam."

"Don't call me Madam." Ji Li's chest heaved with anger, wishing she could slap Chen Qingxuan to death. "Either call me Demon Lord, or don't call me anything at all."

"...No problem."

Chen Qingxuan sensibly agreed.

"Also."

Before leaving, Ji Li thought of something and turned back. "If in the future... you dare to speak recklessly and talk nonsense in front of Qian You like you just did..."

Snap—

As she spoke, Ji Li pulled out a black-and-red leather whip, which made a crisp sound in the air.

"This Venerable One guarantees that you will definitely not like this punishment!"

There's another chapter tomorrow~