Xia Lun had never expected to receive such an answer from Aise.
A goddess…
Regarding that existence, Xia Lun was well aware that his initial attitude toward her had been one of reverence and gratitude, nothing more. He had never entertained any extra thoughts, let alone considered anything involving romantic feelings between a man and a woman.
So when facing Aina, he could remain open and upright, with a clear conscience.
But he had truly never considered that the goddess might harbor such forbidden emotions toward him.
It wasn’t merely liking—it was love…
Aise’s words struck the calm lake of his heart like a pebble, stirring ripples of doubt.
Xia Lun wasn’t entirely sure what Aise meant by love—whether it was the compassion a deity feels for a devotee, or something closer to the burning passion of the mortal world.
But one thing he could be certain of was that the emotions the goddess held for him were far more complicated than he had assumed.
Yet all of that was in the past now. The goddess was gone.
“Aina,” Xia Lun said softly, taking hold of Aina’s somewhat cold hand.
Aina, of course, knew that the real Aise had already fled, and that the person before them now was the innocent Mian. She should not take out her anger on him.
She let out an unwilling, cold snort, then waved her hand. The deadly icy spears dissolved instantly, crumbling into a shower of crystalline ice dust that drifted down and vanished into nothing.
Only then did Mian dare to take a deep breath. The back of his clothes was soaked with cold sweat, pressed against the icy wall. The ice spears, so close to him moments ago, carried the stench of death, leaving him trembling from the depths of his soul.
“Sorry, I scared you,” Xia Lun said, reaching out a hand to help Mian, who had slumped against the wall, to his feet.
“Are you alright?” Xia Lun looked at the boy’s still-pale face, his tone filled with genuine apology. He cast a slightly reproachful glance at his wife, who turned her head away, sticking out her tongue.
“What… just happened?” Mian asked instinctively, his voice still trembling. He knew that whatever the presence inside him had said must have turned the atmosphere so hostile.
“Uh… forget I said anything,” Mian quickly added, shrinking back again. He suddenly realized that now was hardly the time to probe further.
Xia Lun sighed inwardly at Mian’s cautious demeanor. The boy should have been living an ordinary life, yet here he was, dragged into their tangled affairs.
“It’s going to be tough on you from now on, too. If that thing inside you shows any signs of trouble, tell me immediately,” Xia Lun said, patting Mian on the shoulder.
Mian was momentarily stunned. The legendary hero was patting him on the shoulder, encouraging him…
“Yes, Sir Hero!” Mian suddenly became excited, his breathing quickening, his eyes blazing with determination. “I will definitely be of help!”
Xia Lun hadn’t expected his encouragement to be this effective.
Before this, Mian hadn’t truly grasped the weight of Xia Lun’s identity. But after spending these days at the manor, he had slowly calmed down.
Moreover, through his interactions with Musen and his conversations with Aise, Mian had learned more about Xia Lun.
The man standing before him was indeed the legendary hero who had ended the chaos a thousand years ago and sealed away the Demon King.
Like most boys, Mian had grown up hearing stories of Xia Lun… Even though in their childhood games of playing hero, he always ended up being the villain, it hadn’t stopped him from wanting to become someone like the hero one day.
Now, the living legend stood before him—not only needing his help but also acknowledging him… To Mian, this was more powerful than any reward.
“I’ve perfected the formation in the estate. You don’t have to stay in that room anymore—you can walk around outside,” Aina said flatly, her face as cold as frost when it came to outsiders. “But don’t go outside the estate.”
“Yes, Lady Aina,” Mian replied seriously.
He had already guessed her identity. As the hero’s wife, Aina must be the powerful vampire mage from the hero’s party.
That was someone who had fought alongside the hero against the evil gods in the early days—her strength was unfathomable.
Tales of Aina were also widely told among the people. Many scholars and bar-goers passionately debated who was stronger at their peak—the hero or this vampire mage—often arguing until red-faced without reaching a conclusion.
Only a man like Xia Lun could have won the heart of such an extraordinary woman.
The prevailing opinion was that during the campaign against the Demon King, the hero was stronger, because he had not brought his wife along. It was assumed that even the vampire mage could not intervene in the battle between the hero and the Demon King…
Of course, no one knew the truth. All anyone knew was that right after sealing the Demon King, the hero quickly married his vampire wife.
This marriage itself laid a delicate foundation for the relatively peaceful relations between humans and demons that followed…
Mian reined in his wandering thoughts.
In any case, the two people before him were both legends.
The hero’s descendants… Mian had heard that Xia Lun once had a son, but he died young due to illness, leaving no further bloodline.
Now it seemed that behind Aise’s situation was clearly a secret far more complex and weighty than “sudden death from illness.”
Though curious, Mian knew this was not something an outsider like him should pry into.
“Mian… after we take care of the threat inside you, Aina will erase your memories, and you can return to your old life,” Xia Lun said, looking into Mian’s eyes with the same steadfast seriousness as a rock. “Trust me—I will save you.”
“Yes, Sir Hero…”
Mian’s eyes dimmed. Erase the memories? It would be such a pity to have such a thrilling experience wiped from his mind…
No, he shouldn’t trouble the hero any further… Mian shook his head again.
“Just call me by my name from now on,” Xia Lun said with a wave of his hand. “Besides, I’m no longer a hero. I’m just a nameless adventurer.”
Xia Lun took Aina’s hand and slowly walked away, leaving behind a somewhat lonely silhouette.
Indeed, a true hero never calls himself a hero… What makes a hero is not the goddess’s blessing, but the recognition of the people.
Mian watched Xia Lun’s retreating back, his eyes once again filled with reverence, and a faint glimmer of crimson.
pression Bureau] Transported to a fantasy world overrun by demons and monsters, Gu Qingfeng becomes a jailer in the Demon Suppression Prison of the Great Yan Dynasty's Demon Suppression Bureau. From this point on, bizarre cases frequently occur in the Demon Suppression Prison, once known as hell on earth and infamous for its gloomy, terrifying atmosphere! Why do the demons and monsters in the prison wail miserably every night? Why has the corpse demon, capable of transforming into various beauties, donned black stockings and switched careers to become a foot massage therapist? Why has the eye demon, expert in soul-snatching and illusions, turned into a VR headset? Why is the fox spirit performing otaku dances? Are all these occurrences a twisted expression of demonic nature, or a descent into moral depravity? After peeling away layer upon layer of mystery, all clues ultimately point to a jailer named Gu Qingfeng. Gu Qingfeng: "Hehehe... My dear demons and monsters, whose card shall we flip today?"
ions, keeping it grounded and realistic】 After quitting his job, office worker Su Yang accidentally binds with the "Enjoy Life System." As the name suggests, simply by indulging in life's pleasures, he can earn random rewards from the system—no need to spend money on beautiful women or grovel before anyone. Just enjoy, and the money follows, making it all about effortless fun. The system comes with a scanning feature, allowing him to establish a favorability bond with women rated 85 points or above. Every 20-point increase in favorability unlocks additional rewards. After suffering through over twenty years of hardship, Su Yang trembles with excitement, his dull eyes suddenly gleaming with newfound hope. "Enjoy life? How hard could that be?"
e bizarre and supernatural had descended. The previous emperor was a thoroughgoing tyrant; no longer satisfied with human women, he had set his sights on a stunningly beautiful supernatural entity. He met his end in his bedchamber, drained of all his vital essence. As the legitimate eldest son and crown prince, Wang Hao was thus hastily enthroned, becoming the young emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. No sooner had he awakened the "Imperial Sign-In Intelligence System" than he was assassinated by a Son of Destiny—a classic villain's opening. The Great Zhou, ravaged by the former emperor's excesses, was in national decline. The great families within its borders harbored their own treacherous schemes, martial sects began to defy the imperial court's decrees, and border armies, their pay and provisions in arrears, grumbled incessantly against the central government. Fortunately, the central capital was still held secure by the half-million Imperial Guards and fifty thousand Imperial Forest Army who obeyed the court's orders, along with the royal family's hidden reserves of power, barely managing to suppress the realm. As the Great Zhou's finances worsened and supernatural activities grew ever more frequent, the court sat atop a volcano. Ambitious plotters everywhere dreamed of overthrowing the dynasty, and even some reclusive ancient powers emerged, attempting to sway the tides of the world. At the first grand court assembly, the civil and military officials nearly came to blows, fighting tooth and nail over the allocation of fifty million taels of silver from the summer tax revenues. The spectacle opened Wang Hao's eyes—the Great Zhou's bureaucracy was not only corrupt but also martially proficient, a cabinet of all-rounders. Some officials even had the audacity to suggest the emperor release funds from the imperial privy purse to address the emergency. Wang Hao suddenly felt weary. Let it all burn.
y came from. The chests contained supplies, currency, class-change scrolls, skills, talents… and even godhood! The laws of the world were completely rewritten. This became a world where everyone gambled with their fate! Some people, despite having nothing, opened a divine artifact and rose to the top, eventually ruling the world. Others went bankrupt, opened nothing but worthless junk, and leaped from skyscrapers in despair. Lin Ye arrived in this world from another reality, utterly bewildered. “What is going on? Why is everyone a gambling addict?!” “Opening chests? No way. I refuse to gamble. I’ll start with myself!” Until— On his first chest, he obtained a Mythic Talent: Void Incarnation! He could become completely intangible, pass through all things, and reduce everything to nothingness! … On his fiftieth chest, he obtained a Mythic Weapon: Blade of Karma! With a single slash, karma shattered, twisting the universe and overturning the myriad phenomena of creation! … On his ninety-ninth chest, he obtained a Mythic Divine Treasure: Primordial Purple Energy! It could split open the heavens and earth, create all things, and evolve countless worlds with a single thought! Lin Ye: “Now that I think about it… shouldn’t someone have told me that every chest is guaranteed to contain something Mythic?!”
