Sometimes, a strong aura alone isn't enough to intimidate the opponent. The South End Demon Lord sneered disdainfully.
"You've got spirit, but it's not up to you."
He wasn't here to negotiate with Su Luo; he was here to take what he wanted by force.
"Confirm again, which one is the person you want?" the South End Demon Lord asked. With enough spirit stones, the service would naturally be thorough.
"It's her," Lu Xiezi pointed at Yun.
"I said I refuse," Su Luo declared.
"And I said I'm not asking for your opinion," the South End Demon Lord retorted.
With his immense power, the South End Demon Lord didn't need to bother with trivialities like etiquette or diplomacy.
He had worked hard to reach this position so that others would show him respect, not the other way around.
Since that was the case, there was nothing more to discuss. Su Luo raised his sword and pointed it at the South End Demon Lord.
"Young man, not everyone can be pointed at with a sword," the South End Demon Lord said, not minding the idea of teaching Su Luo a lesson. It would be a trivial matter, requiring little effort.
"South End Demon Lord, stop this," Jiang Ningshu appeared before them, removing her hat to reveal her face.
Her expression was cold, her piercing gaze seemingly able to penetrate one's soul. An overwhelming aura emanated from her, suffocating those around her.
The Demon Lord!
Lu Xiezi and the South End Demon Lord were undoubtedly shocked. Why was the Demon Lord here?
Lu Xiezi's puppets all bowed their heads. "Greetings, Demon Lord."
The South End Demon Lord also offered a greeting, though without much ceremony. In the past, he would have shown more respect, but the current Demon Lord? Well, that was another story.
Jiang Ningshu spoke emotionlessly, "Let this matter end here. Don't cause any more trouble."
"Yes," Lu Xiezi immediately agreed. Even if he was unwilling, he couldn't show it in front of the Demon Lord.
The South End Demon Lord, however, looked at the Demon Lord with slight surprise. Her performance was quite convincing this time, full of confidence, unlike the hollow bravado of before. It seemed her acting had improved significantly in such a short time.
The Demon Lord was impressive, indeed.
After a moment of thought, the South End Demon Lord also agreed, "Yes."
If the employer had given up, there was no point in pressing further. Although he looked down on the Demon Lord, who had lost her cultivation, he still had to maintain a facade of respect to survive in the Heavenly Demon Sect.
"Go back now," the Demon Lord commanded.
Her words were absolute, at least on the surface.
Without further questions, they left.
Outside, the South End Demon Lord turned to Lu Xiezi. "What do you think is the relationship between the Demon Lord and this Su Luo?"
"..." Lu Xiezi remained silent.
The South End Demon Lord continued, "It's quite fascinating. But this information will surely be valuable. It could fetch a good price."
Lu Xiezi still didn't respond. He didn't dare to discuss matters concerning the Demon Lord, especially not so close to her.
"By the way, I expect my payment in full," the South End Demon Lord said with a smile, though his tone made it clear he wasn't joking. Even though the mission had failed, he still demanded his reward.
"Of course, it will be delivered to your residence shortly," Lu Xiezi replied, not daring to provoke the South End Demon Lord.
"Good," the South End Demon Lord said, satisfied, before leaving.
The puppets remained motionless, as Lu Xiezi temporarily stopped controlling them, lost in thought.
There was nothing more to say about the failed mission. With the Demon Lord's intervention, what else could they do?
Now, he was curious. What was the relationship between the Demon Lord and Su Luo?
Why was the Demon Lord here?
It felt like there was a huge secret waiting to be uncovered. This Su Luo was truly extraordinary.
In that case, it would be best to build a good relationship with Su Luo in the future.
Lu Xiezi made up his mind. Once the Demon Lord left, he would talk to Su Luo. If necessary, he wouldn't mind apologizing.
A true man knows when to bend and when to stand firm.
Inside, Su Luo turned to Jiang Ningshu. "Thank you."
The Demon Lord shook her head. "This time, I might not have helped you. In fact, it might have made your situation worse."
Su Luo understood, but he still said, "We'll deal with the future later. For now, thank you."
"If you can't resolve it, call me anytime," Jiang Ningshu said seriously.
After all, it was because of Su Luo that she had regained her strength.
With a little more time, she would complete the second stage of her recovery. By then, she wouldn't have much to fear.
"Alright," Su Luo agreed, though he didn't plan to rely on the Demon Lord's help unless absolutely necessary.
"I'll head back now," Jiang Ningshu said, then left.
After what had happened, she no longer felt like taking a stroll. It was better to return and focus on restoring her strength.
Su Luo escorted her out briefly before returning.
"Is she really the Demon Lord?" Little Yu asked, watching Jiang Ningshu's retreating figure.
"Yes, what do you think?"
"She seems impressive, and so powerful and commanding."
"Of course, she wouldn't be the Demon Lord if she weren't strong."
Since she had just helped him, Su Luo naturally defended her image. Besides, once she fully regained her strength, she would indeed be formidable.
Yun then spoke up, "Su Luo, I had no idea she was the Demon Lord. When did you become so close to her?"
From the diary, Yun had a rough idea. Su Luo had given the Demon Lord a method to restore her strength, but wasn't that a watered-down version? Was the Demon Lord really satisfied with that?
Poor Demon Lord, being manipulated by Su Luo and still thanking him.
Nangong Xiyun felt a strange sense of superiority. Thank goodness she had the diary; otherwise, she would be just as clueless.
She might have ended up in the same pitiful state as the Demon Lord, and that would have been embarrassing.
Su Luo replied to Yun, "She just happened to be passing by. Our relationship is still just that of the Demon Lord and her unknown subordinate, nothing more."
"Really? I don't believe it. The Demon Lord said you could call her for help. How can you still call yourself unknown? Did something happen between you and the Demon Lord? Tell me," Yun said, her tone full of curiosity.
"Nothing happened. There are plenty of outstanding people in the Heavenly Demon Sect. The Demon Lord wouldn't take notice of me."
"That's not true. Su Luo is very talented," Little Yu chimed in.
"Right? I think so too, but the Demon Lord wouldn't see it that way."
This was also part of the general direction of the story. No matter what Su Luo did for the Demon Lord, she never truly acknowledged him.
Yun thought Su Luo was talking nonsense, but it didn't matter. Perhaps it would appear in the diary later.
For now, she would just take Su Luo's word for it.
"Even if the Demon Lord doesn't recognize your worth, I'll always stand by you, Su Luo! You've always been exceptional, and I'm sure you'll achieve great things in the future. The Demon Lord will regret underestimating you..." Yun habitually flattered Su Luo, trying to comfort him.
Though to Su Luo, it just sounded like awkward praise.
After a brief chat, Su Luo activated the formation.
It was time to get back to business. The people outside had been waiting long enough.