"Xiao Lu, you said eight years ago that you would secure a spot for me, allowing me to cultivate to at least a Rank 5 demon, but why hasn't it been settled yet?" Zhou Hong asked Hei Xiao Lu after they finished.
"I'm sorry, it's because my father hasn't come out of his cultivation room."
"So, you mean getting me the spot still depends on your father."
"Of course, it's a spot for a Rank 5 demon after all."
"Then it's fine, I'll go find your father myself later."
Two days later, the Great Demon King Hei Lan returned to the mansion. Zhou Hong was already waiting for him in his study.
"You're back. How did things go?" Zhou Hong asked.
"Hmph, including the City Lord, the other nine demon kings of Wumeng City have all started cultivating the Eight Divisions of Futu," Demon King Hei Lan grunted.
"Very good, I hope they succeed soon. By the way, quickly help me secure a cultivation spot for demonic cultivation, whatever level you can manage."
The Great Demon King Hei Lan was displeased with Zhou Hong's ordering him around, but he was helpless.
"I can help you secure a spot, but with my current connections, I can at most help you reach Rank 3 Demon Master."
"It's okay, I can approach the City Lord for the rest later."
The Great Demon King Hei Lan said nothing further, and Zhou Hong didn't linger, turning to leave.
Indeed, two days later, a voice sounded in Zhou Hong's mind: "Your application for a demonic cultivation spot has been approved. You can cultivate up to Rank 3 Demon Master."
"Excellent!" Zhou Hong was thrilled and immediately began to cultivate.
He had accumulated eight years of effort, and now he could break through to his heart's content.
Three months later.
Zhou Hong opened his eyes in the cultivation room.
Zhou Hong's realm had broken through from Rank 1 Demon Person to Rank 5 Demon Person.
With no spot limitations, Zhou Hong had broken through to Rank 5 in just three months.
"Phew! I've reached my limit now and can't advance even a fraction," Zhou Hong said to himself. The reason he could break through to Rank 5 was mainly due to the sub-world, but the sub-world couldn't continuously provide him with energy.
Zhou Hong went to Hei Xiao Lu's residence. Hei Xiao Lu was also cultivating.
"Eh, your realm?" Hei Xiao Lu felt the change in Zhou Hong and looked at him with confusion.
"I am now a Rank 5 Demon Person."
"No way, you broke through to Rank 5 in just three months?" Hei Xiao Lu was greatly surprised.
"Yes."
"My heavens, your talent is too formidable!"
"Heh, this is just the beginning. I feel like I'm running out of steam afterwards," Zhou Hong smiled humbly.
"It seems I'm no longer worthy of you. I'm still a Rank 3 Demon Person, and I don't know when I'll break through to Rank 4. With my father's help, my current spot has reached Rank 5 Demon Master, but I'm not living up to it."
Zhou Hong comforted her, "Don't worry, you'll break through eventually. Even if you stay here forever, it doesn't matter, as long as my strength keeps growing. Stand behind me, and I'll shield you from all storms."
Hei Xiao Lu looked at Zhou Hong with a face full of emotion, then threw herself into his arms. They embraced and went into the room. Further proceedings are omitted.
An hour later, Zhou Hong and Hei Xiao Lu were lying on the bed.
"Zhou Hong, be honest, what exactly happened between you and my father in the basement these past eight years? Why do I feel like my father is acting strange now?" Hei Xiao Lu asked, full of questions.
"Nothing really happened, don't worry about it."
"Oh." Seeing that Zhou Hong wasn't telling the truth, Hei Xiao Lu didn't press further.
"Xiao Lu, I've broken through to Rank 5 Demon Person, but I can't seem to advance any further. It's like I've suddenly lost my direction. What should I do now?" Zhou Hong asked.
"I don't know either, I've been at Rank 3 Demon Person for a longer time. I've been constantly seeking experience and taking all sorts of elixirs and potent medicines over the years, but I still don't feel anything," Hei Xiao Lu said with some distress. She even suspected that this was her limit for this lifetime.
Zhou Hong seemed to understand. To cultivate further, he needed to seek experience, take elixirs, and so on.
"You mean I can't stay at home now and must go out."
"Of course, staying at home every day is useless. Go out and explore more. Only by doing so can you constantly find inspiration for cultivation. This inspiration cannot be given by others, as everyone is different."
"Oh, oh! You have a point. But I don't know where to go for experience now," Zhou Hong said with a frown.
"It's not necessarily about seeking experience. What I mean is to try and get out more, interact with different people, experience different things, etc. In the process, you might encounter a chance to break through. If you always stay in a familiar environment, you'll never find that chance."
"Alright, let's go out for a walk now."
"Mmm, then let's go shopping."
Zhou Hong and Hei Xiao Lu held hands and walked out of the house, arriving at the streets of Wumeng City.
Passersby saw them holding hands and felt puzzled. After all, in this place, two women holding hands so intimately, unless they were mother and daughter or sisters, would arouse suspicion. And Zhou Hong and Hei Xiao Lu's attire clearly suggested a mistress and maid relationship.
However, Zhou Hong paid no mind to the onlookers and continued strolling through the streets.
"Hei Xiao Lu!" After only a few hours of shopping, a man suddenly appeared on the street and stopped her when he saw her.
"Wang Guihua, what are you doing?" Hei Xiao Lu frowned at the man.
The man specifically glanced at the hands Zhou Hong and Hei Xiao Lu were holding, then coldly snorted, "I used to think it was just a rumor, but I didn't expect it to be true."
"What's true or false?"
"You don't like men and like women, how disgusting," the man said mockingly, but beneath his gaze, there was a hint of faint regret.
"Yes, so what if I like women?" Hei Xiao Lu admitted boldly without hesitation, and even kissed Zhou Hong on the lips in front of him.
"Hmph, losing me, you'll regret it one day," the young man said with arrogance in his eyes.
"Tch, who would regret it," Hei Xiao Lu scoffed disdainfully.
"I'll show you whether you'll regret it," the young man said and left.
After the man left, Zhou Hong asked, "Who is he? He's quite arrogant."
"His name is Wang Guihua. His grandfather is also one of the demon kings of Wumeng City, a Rank 2 Demon King. Wang Guihua used to pursue me as well."
"Why did he say you would regret it?"
"Because he's a renowned genius in Wumeng City."