Chapter 7

Xing Luo sat naked in the bath, her long black hair cascading over her shoulders and down her body, hiding just enough so that Ye Lixiao couldn’t see what he shouldn’t.
Her figure was graceful and enticing; the skin that peeked through was pale and flawless, almost glowing.
Any other man would have been unable to look away from her body. But Ye Lixiao’s gaze was fixed solely on her face, unwavering, deep, and unreadable.
Before Xing Luo could react, a surge of dark demonic energy, familiar yet powerful, swept around her. In the next instant, her body lifted out of the bath and was pulled straight into Ye Lixiao’s arms.
His large hand gripped her shoulders tightly, his eyes locking onto her delicate face.
“Your Highness?” Xing Luo blinked, confusion flickering in her eyes.
“…” Within Ye Lixiao’s gaze, pain, longing, and disappointment tangled together.
The woman before him, her looks, her figure, even her voice, was far too similar to her.
But resemblance was all it was.
Ye Lixiao knew very well that she was gone. The woman in his arms was merely a small cat who had just taken human form, not the one he once yearned for.
If it truly were that person, the moment she saw him, she would’ve greeted him with sharp words and mocking disdain, she had always hated him that much.
Was it because he missed her too deeply that this little cat’s transformation had taken on such a familiar face?
So be it. Since they looked alike, perhaps he could use this resemblance. as a small comfort.
Suppressing the emotions in his eyes, Ye Lixiao picked up a clean robe from the rack and draped it over Xing Luo’s shoulders, wrapping her completely.
There weren’t any women’s clothes in his palace, so his own would have to do for now.
The oversized garment hung loosely on her slender frame, making her look like a child trying on an adult’s clothes, adorable and pitiable at once.
After dressing her, Ye Lixiao spoke in a low voice, “You are Luo’er, correct?”
He could sense the cat’s familiar aura within her. It must have been the sacred spring’s power that pushed her to the level of transformation, allowing her to take human form so suddenly.
Xing Luo nodded obediently.
Though she now had a human body, Ye Lixiao was still her provider, the one feeding, sheltering, and protecting her. Until she reached a level strong enough to stand on her own, she had no choice but to rely on him.
“…” Ye Lixiao wasn’t surprised. He reached out and patted her head lightly. “From now on, stay by my side as an attendant.”
An attendant, meaning wherever Ye Lixiao went, she was to follow and serve.
“Alright~” Xing Luo rubbed her head against his palm, acting perfectly docile.
Ye Lixiao withdrew his hand.
Sure enough, no matter how much she resembled her, she could never truly be her.
The real one would never behave so meekly in front of him.
Turning away, Ye Lixiao strode out of the side hall, with Xing Luo trotting obediently behind.
“You’ve only just taken form. You know nothing of the world. Tomorrow, I’ll have someone arrange for you to attend school,” he said coldly.
Though the little cat had been intelligent enough to understand speech even before transforming, she was still just a fledgling demon, untrained, uninformed, and in need of proper cultivation instruction.
“Do I have to?” Xing Luo sighed. She could recite that kind of knowledge backwards; going to school sounded utterly boring.
She moved closer, looping her arms around his. “I want to stay with you”
“…” Ye Lixiao frowned and swiftly pulled his arm free. “Do not touch this lord without permission. There will not be a next time.”