Han Li walked towards Li Yao's room with a faint smile on his face and a warmth in his eyes that hadn't been there before. No matter how foreign the illusion had seemed from himself, in the end, it was his own heart's reflection.

In the deepest core of his heart, he knew Liyue and Li Yao would only add to the weight on his back as he climbed this mountain of life to reach that far-away peak. And he had naturally only kept the budding affections in his heart distant.

He didn't want more weight instinctively. But now here, his heart was a different one from the one he had yesterday. His heart of cultivation had changed — It had broken through.

Previously, his Heart of Cultivation was based on two things: Protecting his mother and reaching a level of might where life and death are under his control. It was an extremely solid Heart based on the demonic path. In this path, to achieve those two goals, he could sacrifice anything else. He could kill infants, burn the world down, or sacrifice anything else in existence. It was the epitome of demonism. A man going at his goals.

But that sacrifice included his own happiness and his own everything. He would not let himself feel love for others, he wouldn't let himself do anything that Is in any way detrimental to this goal. But after the reflection, it had changed, and deep inside, Han Li knew it had changed.

Now, his heart was the same, but it also had one more goal — to live a human life that also gave his own human desires some space. As he stood outside Li Yao's room, Han Li stopped for a second and thought of it.

In this life, he wanted to live like a human. He wanted to do good for all of the women he had cut off from his past life. There had been some people whom he had betrayed in his past life.

Even now, he could remember his beloved Meiying's face as clearly as the day she died for him. The girl had loved him so deeply, she cut her own tongue off instead of revealing his whereabouts. She had been surrounded by the righteous scums who were in search of him, but for his goals, he abandoned her with the same cold gaze he had adorned for years.

He was cruel. Ruthless. Ruthless to others but far more Ruthless to himself. He had actually loved her just as much. He would have been ready to throw his head away from her without a blink. But no, his goals were more important. That was the more logical step to take. If Meiying was saved and he died, that would be the end. But if he successfully ended up achieving his goal, he could revive his mother, the dying Meiying, and everyone he cares about who ends up dying.

So, he had cruelly abandoned her as she looked on with a soft gaze as he hid just above her in a hidden corner. He had witnessed her being killed right infront of him with lips bit and blood flowing.

He had been far too weak to fight against the righteous group then. That was the day he began to cut off affection before it could take root in his heart. Many came after who loved him just as much as Meiying, but never again had he loved them back.

He always cut off the bud of affection right at the beginning. "But no more." Han Li muttered in his mind. No more will he let the world walk over him as he waits to achieve his goals one day, he will not allow a situation where he is not under control to happen.

He will let himself do whatever he wants. No longer will he bind his own heart in chains. He will let it roam free and live to its content, and this time, no one will surround him. This time, he will be the one who knocks — he will be the danger. And to put a start to this, he would let himself love Liyue. He would let himself care for Li Yao. He wouldn't mind having affection for them. Most True Demons let their heart lead the way no matter how hard the path seems, their bare greed would let them walk through thorns and nails. But he was different from those ordinary true demons.

Their hearts are based on their desires, if they felt greedy, they steal, if they felt lustful, they rape, and if they felt sloth, they sleep. But he was not like that, he was above his base emotions — he didn't mind losing worthless things like satisfaction.

As their hearts were based on desires, their desires controlled them. But he wouldn't let himself easily fall for such

He will kill, only if it benefits him. He will have sex, only if it actually makes him feel fulfilled or if it is useful. He won't just follow his instincts like a dumb idiot. He will be a true demon who will sacrifice anything for 3 things now.

To be under control of his own life and death. To protect his loved ones. To protect his own Heart of cultivation.

'My heart of cultivation became much more complex, but I should be much more powerful when I Transcend. Far more powerful than I previously was.'

Transcendence mainly focused on the heart after all.

Spark Acquiring, Awakening, Evolution, Power Birth, Transcendence, Demi-Sacred, and Sacred. The seven stages of cultivation were so, and at his peak, Han Li had looked down on all below Transcendance like ants.

And he himself?

He was one of the strongest people on this continent. A Transcendent. And not merely that, he had complete Mastery of the Sword at the Transcendent Stage.

His eyes brightened like a torch as he entered Li Yao's room. Yes, he was accumulating more burdens on his path to the top. But he was sure he would be able to carry it. He was confident.

Unlike his past life, he had experience. And once he transcends, it will only be more profitable. And he didn't want there to be another situation like Meiying.

...

He smiled warmly as Li Yao's eyelashes fluttered open in confusion. She had made it a habit to doze off around this time to make her crippled life less lonely when her Yue'er or someone else was not around. She blinked as Han Li's face came into her sight. He smilingly came beside her and asked, "Liyue told me you were awake and I came here to see you, how's the pain?"

Li Yao instinctively held her hand out for him and Han Li took it. "My pain flared for around a minute yesterday night, but it wasn't as severe as it used to be and it was not the major flaring."

Han Li sat on the bed and started massaging her hands. He didn't speak and just kept massaging. It was the usual massage but with a smile, Han Li decided to make it a bit more sensual.

His hands glided smoothly through her skin and she could feel her heartbeat rising. But she didn't think anything about it and just closed her eyes like she did usually. A while later, Han Li put her hands down and put his hand above her stomach.

She opened her eyes. "Mother-in-law, I found a way to cure you," he said, gently caressing her stomach in a way that wasn't uncomfortable.

Li Yao blinked. "Cure?"

"Yes, cure. A one-time thing that will solve your issue once and for all," Han Li said, emphasizing one-time.

"What is it?" she asked, half curious and half disbelieving.

"I want you to let me do whatever I want to do with your body for once. And I will surely heal you. And believe me, it's done with pure intentions."

Li Yao looked at him with wide eyes. Her first instinct was to believe Han Li was after her body but she quickly scrubbed that off. He hadn't even done anything with Liyue who had already shown her willingness.

He was not such a lustful man.

"What will you do?" she asked, filled with misgivings. Han Li kept petting her stomach slowly as he spoke. "Not something bad. It will heal you."

Li Yao looked at him with a puzzled gaze. "If it was just pleasure that you wanted, I am pretty sure your mother or Liyue would do it for you. Yue'er might not have noticed but I know you guys have a deeper relationship."

Han Li smiled awkwardly.

"…So, it can really heal me, and you won't do something really bad?"

"Yes." He could see she had misgivings and he also knew how to get rid of them. "We can get Liyue's permission if you want."

Li Yao hesitated but nodded, saying with a confused tone, "If Liyue allows you, you can do anything you want with me."

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