In the harem of the Red Demon Lord lived his maternal half-sister, Princess Ji Heng. She was the daughter of the previous Red Demon Lord's wife and Menghao.
At that moment, Ji Heng was playing happily, picking a couple of fruits from this tree and that, and handing them to her guard, Min Su.
Min Su advised her, "Though the Princess cultivates water-element arts, these fruits are excessively yin and cold. You had better not eat too many."
With a haughty expression, Ji Heng said, "Since you say I shouldn't, then I won't."
Min Su said, "The Demon Lord has given an order to see you."
Ji Heng asked, "Brother? Why is my brother suddenly summoning me?"
Min Su shook her head and replied, "The soldier who brought the message said it was urgent."
Ji Heng said, "Very well, I'll go to the Chihong Hall."
Meanwhile, Yan Chiwu was on his way to find Ji Heng, pondering along the way how to win her heart in one fell swoop. The consequence of not paying attention while walking was that he crashed right into Nie Chuyin around a corner. Nie Chuyin informed Yan Chiwu that Ji Heng was not in her quarters but had gone to the Chihong Hall, so Yan Chiwu changed course and headed for the Chihong Hall.
Inside the Chihong Hall, the Red Demon Lord was deep in thought. The incident where Feng Jiu had accidentally broken into the Demon Tribe Forbidden Land, coupled with the fact that Emperor Donghua had happened to appear there, was simply too coincidental. Over the past few years, Emperor Donghua had spent his idle time staying at Taichen Palace in the Nine Heavens, keeping the Four Seas and Eight Desolates in awe, and rarely wandered about. How could he have so coincidentally passed by the Demon Tribe Forbidden Land on that exact day? Oh no, could it be that someone hadn't just broken into the forbidden land that day, but rather that the Demon Lord sealed within the forbidden land had made some moves that affected the seal, which was why the Emperor had come to investigate? Could it be that the seal of the Demon Tribe was already failing to suppress the Demon Lord? Yet, after coming out that day, Donghua hadn't said a single word to warn the Demon Tribe to be extra cautious. Perhaps the seal was fine and he was just overthinking it... But Donghua had come after all, and whatever could make him leave Taichen Palace must be a major matter. Just in case, to prevent the seal from truly failing to suppress the Demon Lord in the future, he still needed to make more preparations and leave himself a way out.
While the Red Demon Lord was deep in thought, Ji Heng arrived before him and said, "Brother, did you want to see me?"
The Red Demon Lord asked, "Heng'er, do you know of Emperor Donghua?"
Ji Heng replied, "Emperor Donghua? Who doesn't know him, who hasn't heard of him? Why are you bringing him up, Brother?"
The Red Demon Lord said, "I want you to marry Emperor Donghua." Indeed, this was the alternative path the Red Demon Lord had found for the Demon Tribe. By having his sister enter into a political marriage with Emperor Donghua, they would forge a deeper relationship with the Celestial Clan, so that even if trouble arose in the future, they could enlist more allies to help.
Yan Chiwu exclaimed, "What did you say?! You want Ji Heng to marry that Donghua?!"
In truth, the Red Demon Lord did care deeply for his sister. He was using her, but Emperor Donghua truly was an exceptional man, and he believed the Emperor would treat his sister well. He said to Ji Heng, "Heng'er, this matter is of grave importance. It concerns both the future of the Demon Tribe and your own lifelong happiness. You may consider it carefully before giving me your answer. After all, only a husband of such noble status is worthy of matching my sister."
Upon hearing these words from her brother Xuyang, Ji Heng was first shocked, and finally left the Chihong Hall with a heart as dead as ashes.
Yan Chiwu, however, grew frantic. He grabbed the Red Demon Lord Xuyang and said, "Xuyang, you can actually sacrifice your own biological sister's lifelong happiness!"
Xuyang replied, "Xiao Yan, I know how you feel about Ji Heng, and I originally favored you as well. But some things have happened recently that I cannot explain to you in detail right now. Let's just leave this matter as it is for the moment."
Hearing Xuyang say that he favored him, a smile had just appeared on Yan Chiwu's face, but then hearing Xuyang say he wouldn't change his mind and that there might be hidden circumstances behind the matter, he could only leave in dejection.