Heart of the White-haired Demon

As the night wore on, Lian's eyelids began to droop, his exhaustion finally catching up with him. He sat down beside the bed, his back against the intricately carved wooden frame. Before he knew it, his head nodded forward, and he fell into a deep sleep.

Bai Ye opened his eyes, a soft smile spreading across his face as he gazed at Lian. He shook his head, amused by the young man's feisty spirit. With a gentle touch, Bai Ye picked up Lian and laid him down on the bed, smoothing out his robes.

Bai Ye then lay down beside Lian, his movements economical and precise. As he settled in, he couldn't help but steal another glance at Lian, his heart filled with a strange sense of warmth and contentment.

The moon cast its silvery glow over the room, illuminating the delicate patterns on the silk bedding and the intricately carved wooden furniture. The air was filled with the sweet scent of incense and the soft rustling of the wind through the courtyard's bamboo plants.

As the night deepened, Bai Ye's eyes drifted shut, his breathing slowing as he fell into a peaceful slumber, Lian by his side.

*****

Lian woke up to the warm rays of the morning sun, stretching languidly on the bed. As he turned to his right, his eyes widened in surprise to see Bai Ye sitting up in a cross-legged style, his eyes fixed on Lian.

"What are you doing on the bed?" Lian asked, his voice tinged with accusation.

Bai Ye's expression remained serene. "I just woke up. What do you mean, what am I doing on the bed?"

Lian's face flushed with embarrassment as he cast a suspicious glance at Bai Ye. He crossed his arms around his chest, his voice firm. "You didn't take advantage of me, right?"

Bai Ye's eyes sparkled with amusement, but he said nothing. He simply stood up from the bed, his movements fluid and elegant.

As Bai Ye walked towards the door, Lian's eyes followed him, a hint of unease in his chest. Bai Ye paused at the doorway, turning back to Lian with an enigmatic smile.

"The moment I leave this place, the entire house will disappear," he said, his voice low and mysterious.

Lian's eyes widened in confusion. "What do you mean the house is going to disappear?"

Bai Ye turned around, his gaze meeting Lian's. "I built this place with magic. Obviously, if I withdraw my magic, it will disappear."

Before Lian could respond, Bai Ye turned and walked away. Lian quickly followed, his feet pounding against the ground. As they stepped out of the courtyard, the entire house vanished into thin air, leaving behind only a faint shimmer of magic.

Lian's jaw dropped in amazement. "Wow, that's so cool!" He turned to Bai Ye, a wide grin spreading across his face. "Old monster, you're amazing!"

Bai Ye's expression remained impassive, his eyes fixed on some point in the distance. Lian's grin faltered for a moment, but he quickly recovered. He ran after Bai Ye, catching up to him in a few strides.

As they walked, Lian reached out and pinched a fold of Bai Ye's robes, using two fingers to tug gently at the fabric. Bai Ye stopped and turned around, a questioning look on his face.

Lian smiled up at him, his eyes shining with excitement. "Can you teach me magic? I want to learn how to do things like you. I want to become immortal."

Bai Ye's expression turned thoughtful, his eyes narrowing as he considered Lian's request. After a moment, he shook his head. "No."

Lian's face scrunched up in a pout as he continued to tug on Bai Ye's robes. "Come on, teach me magic! I'll be your disciple, I'll do anything!" He batted his eyelashes, hoping his cute charms would win Bai Ye over.

But Bai Ye remained unmoved, his expression stern. "No."

Lian's face fell, but he refused to give up. He kept tugging on Bai Ye's robes, stumbling along behind him as they walked through the forest.

Finally, Lian's distracted self got the better of him, and he tripped over a stone, nearly falling to the ground. Bai Ye's serious expression cracked, and he let out a low, rumbling laugh.

Lian's eyes widened in surprise. "Hold on, you do laugh! Oh my god!" He stared at Bai Ye, who was still chuckling, his eyes crinkled at the corners.

But as quickly as it had appeared, Bai Ye's smile vanished, replaced by his usual stoic expression. Lian's face fell, but he refused to give up.

As they walked, the trees began to thin out, and Lian realized they were approaching the edge of the Jade Forest. He ran up to Bai Ye, tugging on his robes once more.

"Hey, where are we going?" Lian asked, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.

Bai Ye sighed, his expression long-suffering. "We're going to Bailao City."

Lian's eyes lit up. "Bailao City? What are we going to do there?"

Bai Ye's expression turned bland, his voice flat. "I have something to do there."

Lian's face scrunched up in disappointment. "Oh, okay. Whatever."

Bai Ye raised an eyebrow, his expression skeptical. Lian just shrugged, his eyes fixed on the path ahead.

As they emerged from the forest, the city of Bailao spread out before them, its buildings a maze of wooden temples and tiled roofs. Lian's eyes widened in awe, but Bai Ye just kept walking, his expression unreadable.

Lian's eyes widened as he gazed out at the unfamiliar cityscape of Bailao. "Wait, old monster, are we in Bailao?" he asked, tugging on Bai Ye's shirt for what felt like the hundredth time that day.

Bai Ye turned around, his expression a mixture of amusement and exasperation. "Yes, we are in Bailao," he replied, his voice dry.

Lian's brow furrowed in confusion. "But why can't we access Bailao from the Jade Forest? I thought it was only Chenglian that we could access from the Jade Forest."

Bai Ye sighed, his eyes glinting with a hint of mischief. "You're journeying with a demon and an immortal, Lian. Anything is possible."

Lian nodded, though his expression remained skeptical. "Okay, but seriously, old monster, you seem a bit... normal for a demon."

Bai Ye's eyebrows rose, his expression puzzled. "What do you mean?"

Lian hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "I mean, don't get me wrong, but according to what we were taught growing up, demons are ugly and cruel. They kill people without hesitation. But you... you don't seem like that."

Bai Ye's expression turned thoughtful, his eyes narrowing as he considered Lian's words. "So, you think I don't have the intent to kill you?" he asked, his voice low and even.

Lian's eyes darted up to meet Bai Ye's, a shiver running down his spine as he realized the implications of Bai Ye's words.