Starting as a stray dog, I embarked on a journey of cultivation.

"Like a human?"

Upon hearing this, Gou An gave an awkward, self-deprecating laugh.

"Exactly."

Hongyue raised her slender, white fingers and gently stroked Gou An's cheek. Her fingertips brushed against the remaining fine dog hair, bringing a tingling, itchy sensation.

Gou An felt a surge of warmth in his heart and immediately activated his demonic power to enhance his transformation. Large patches of fluffy dog ​​hair on his face disappeared, and although a few light gray downy hairs remained on his head, the outline had already become close to human form.

"Then I'll refine it a bit more, to make it look more human."

As he spoke, he leaned down slightly, intending to kiss the beauty in his arms, but Hongyue gently pressed her slender index finger against his lips, stopping him.

"Don't rush, you haven't guessed which side of this demonic gold on the table is yet," Hongyue gently reminded her.

Gou An's gaze fell on the golden demon lying flat on the table. Instead of answering immediately, he turned his head and asked with a smile, "I wonder which side you prefer, young lady? I'll choose according to your opinion!"

Hongyue smiled gently, her eyes crinkling, and casually said, "I guess it's the side with the animal claw pattern engraved on it."

As soon as she finished speaking, Gou An raised his hand and firmly pressed down on her right hand, which was resting on the table, and calmly said, "Then I'll bet on the smooth side."

"Hmm? You were just going along with what I said..." Before Hongyue could finish speaking, Gou An had already released his hand from hers.

The two looked down together and saw that the side of the table with the demonic gold facing up was the smooth side.

Guess it right!

Gou An was overjoyed, but said nothing more. He simply picked up Hong Yue in his arms and strode toward the spacious bed on the inside.

"Wait," Hongyue called softly.

Gou An stopped in his tracks, looking down at the person in his arms: "Is there anything else, my little beauty?"

"Why were you so sure you chose the smooth side just now? Could it be that you can see the demonic gold underneath through my palm?" Red Moon's eyes were full of doubt.

"Of course I can't see through it; it's just a mental deduction," Gou An replied calmly.

"Then why choose the smooth side?" Hongyue persisted, pressing for an answer.

"The logic is simple!" Gou An lowered his head, his gaze gently falling on her face, and slowly explained, "I can't tell which side it is, but you're the one who tossed the demon gold to determine the outcome, so you definitely know which side of the demon gold is facing up!"

"I first asked you your choice as a test."

"If the young lady just casually told me the truth, it means she intends to help me take things further."

Even if I deliberately chose the wrong option, you would definitely give me another chance.

"But if you deliberately give the wrong answer, and I choose the truth, then according to the rules you set, you must also fulfill your promise to go further with me."

After hearing this detailed explanation of her thoughts, Hongyue couldn't help but chuckle, her eyes filled with admiration: "Fellow Daoist, you are meticulous and incredibly clever."

Gou An carried her to the bedside, and with a slight exertion of his arm, tossed her into the center of the large, soft bed.

Hongyue couldn't help but let out a soft moan.

The pent-up frustration could no longer be contained, and the theories accumulated over two lifetimes of peace and tranquility were finally put into practice.

The curtains are drawn gently, and the show begins.

Unfortunately, such a beautiful view is blocked by a barrier and cannot be seen.

The wind could be heard, but no rain fell.

By the time the clouds dispersed and the rain stopped, it was already well past midnight.

Gou An leaned against the headboard, his chest heaving as he gasped for breath, his agitated blood and qi still turbulent.

Is this what it feels like to be completely drained? Although exhausted, it leaves a lasting impression.

Hongyue nestled beside him, quietly observing him for a long while before finally speaking out her doubts: "The more I spend time with you, the more I feel that you are not like an ordinary demon, at least not a demon who grew up alone in the Demon Beast Mountain Range from childhood."

"What do you mean?" Gou An came to his senses and turned to look at her.

"You are literate, so you must have read books and classics." Hongyue slowly sorted out her doubts: "But the monsters that grow naturally in the Monster Mountain Range are all illiterate."

"The riddles I posed earlier were tricky and convoluted, yet you were able to quickly grasp the logic and come up with unique answers. This kind of thinking and vision is something that crude and wild demons simply do not possess."

"Moreover, you know how to be tactful and thorough in your dealings with others, unlike other demons who are straightforward in everything. It's as if you've been taught human etiquette and manners."

Hongyue poured out all her doubts and turned her head to wait quietly for Gou An's explanation.

After a moment's thought, Gou An casually made up a half-true, half-false explanation: "It's because I once studied under a human cultivator in my younger days."

Hongyue immediately became interested, her eyes lighting up: "Oh? Tell me the details."

"Here's what happened," Gou An said, pretending to recall the past while quickly recounting his story. "A few years ago, I was wandering on the outskirts of the mountains when I was captured by a hunter who specialized in hunting demons and had some cultivation. I managed to escape by chance and encountered a human cultivator along the way, who saved me."

"And then?" Hongyue asked eagerly, her ears filled with fascination.

"That cultivator, whose Taoist name was Fuhai Zhenren, saw that I had already awakened my spiritual awareness and wisdom, so he took me under his wing as his disciple." Gou An continued to weave the past: "He not only taught me to read and write, but also taught me the methods of alchemy."

"With my master's guidance, my cultivation level steadily increased, and I gradually mastered the transformation technique I have now."

"Unfortunately, before I could fully learn all his skills, my master was ambushed by villains and unexpectedly perished..."

At this point, Gou An deliberately lowered his eyes and sighed, putting on a sorrowful expression.

"After my master was killed, I was alone and uneasy, so I hid all the way back to the depths of the Demon Beast Mountain Range. Later, I heard about the City of Ten Thousand Demons by chance, and that's how I found my way here."

These words were a mixture of truth and falsehood, and the details were complete. Hongyue listened without the slightest doubt, and instead felt genuinely moved.

"Master Fuhai... Just by hearing this title, one can tell that he is a benevolent cultivator who is compassionate and cherishes all living beings."

Gou An quickly chimed in, "That's right, that's right. My master is indeed compassionate and kind to all living beings."

"He was just a carefree cultivator, yet he had taken in twenty or thirty disciples. Every time he refined pills, he would share them with his disciples without hesitation to help us break through in our cultivation. The disciples and their master were deeply devoted to each other and did not want to be separated for even a moment."

Hongyue felt a pang of regret: "Then your master's sudden passing must have caused immense grief to all his disciples."

"Yes," Gou An nodded emphatically, "almost everyone was utterly despondent."

Seeing that this matter seemed to be a lingering worry in Gou An's heart, Hong Yue stopped asking about the past and only sighed softly, "No wonder I always felt that you were different from other demon cultivators. It turns out that you were carefully taught by a famous teacher."

Gou An nodded slightly and said no more.

Too much talk leads to mistakes. Now that Hongyue is completely convinced by this argument, further elaboration would only expose flaws. It is best to stop here.

"It's almost dawn!" Hongyue turned to look out the window and sighed.

Gou An saw that this was indeed the case, so he threw off the covers and said, "Then let's hurry up and do it again!"

The storm is brewing again, and I will not sleep all night.