After returning to his room, Tian Chenyu dropped the scrolls on the floor and went straight to his bed.
He laid down and proceeded to stare at the ceiling with a blank look on his face.
‘Why can’t I be honest whenever I am with her? What’s wrong with me?’ He sighed inwardly as Ai Rong’s face appeared inside his head.
He eventually fell asleep on his bed thinking about his day with Ai Rong, and while he slept, he would continue to dream of their time together.
A week later, Tian Chenyu left his house early to take the scholar examination.
While Ai Rong wanted to become a cultivator, Tian Chenyu wanted to follow his father’s path as a scholar.
Of course, Ai Rong has tried to convince Tian Chenyu to become a cultivator with her, but he did not like violence, and with cultivators being symbolic of violence in his era, it was near impossible to convince him to become a cultivator.
Once he arrived at the site of the examination, Tian Chenyu went inside and immediately began his examination.
The examination consisted of many complicated and philosophical questions that could take six hours to complete even for talented individuals.
However, when Tian Chenyu took the examination, it took him less than an hour to finish, shocking everyone there.
“That was Tian Aowei’s son, Tian Chenyu, right? I have heard about his talents, but I didn’t think he would be this crazy…”
“Looks like his father will finally have a rival.”
Tian Chenyu immediately returned home after finishing his examinations.
“You’re back already?” Tian Aowei, his father, was surprised to see him back so soon.
“Yes, the examination was much easier than anticipated.”
“Now that you’re done with the examination, you’ll have plenty of time to spend with Lady Ai Rong.” His mother began to tease him.
“I-I don’t even like—”
“Who do you think you’re trying to fool? My 16 years of experience as your mother isn’t for naught, Chenyu.”
“Anyway, Lady Ai Rong is currently busy with her cultivation, but when she is finished, I want you to go see her. It’s always Lady Ai Rong who visits you, so you’re going to be the one to visit her this time, and I won’t take no for an answer.”
“Do you understand what I just said?”
“I understand…” Tian Chenyu nodded while sighing inwardly.
“Good.”
Tian Chenyu returned to his room shortly after, but he quickly became bored.
‘Although it can get quite annoying with her around, it’s also incredibly boring without her…’ He sighed.
‘What am I going to do for the next three weeks? The examinations are over, and I don’t feel like studying anymore.’
He suddenly turned to look at a certain object hanging behind his door.
That object was a sword. It was given to him by his parents just in case he needed to protect himself, but he has never used it before.
‘Why would she want to become a cultivator? Cultivators are violent in nature, and they are at higher risk of being targeted by demons because their bodies absorb spiritual energy, so they are tastier than mortals who are without any spiritual energy to demons. I really don’t understand her…’
‘Fortunately for us, demons rarely come to this area, and when they do, they will eat a few dozen people before leaving us alone.’
Sometime later, Tian Chenyu sat before his study table and began flipping through pages of a book.
However, this book doesn’t contain information that he would normally study.
‘So this is what a demon looks like… I have never seen one before…’ Tian Chenyu mumbled to himself as he read about demons.
‘They are immortal beings that cannot be killed even if their heads and brains are crushed. You can cut their bodies in half and tear off all their limbs, but they will regenerate everything like nothing had even happened… Heavens… How do you even fight these monsters if they’re so powerful?’
The more Tian Chengyu studied about demons the more intrigued and fascinated he became about their species, and it would quickly become his hobby to study about demons.
For the next three weeks, Tian Chenyu would study nonstop about demons until he read every book and scroll that existed within the city, and when he had nothing new to read, he would read through everything for a second and even third time.
After studying so much about demons, Tian Chenyu felt like he knew everything about demons. However, no matter how much he read about them, there was one thing that he could not understand.
‘What is it like to encounter a demon?’ He wondered.
Regardless how knowledgeable he was on demons, he could not understand what it would feel like to encounter a real demon.
*Knock* *Knock*
“Chenyu, are you awake?” His mother suddenly knocked on the door.
“Yes, I am.”
“I just received news from the Ai Family that Lady Ai Rong will finish her cultivation lessons today. Do you remember what I told you three weeks ago?”
“Yes, I remember…” Tian Chenyu responded with a bittersweet smile on his face.
“Good, then go and fulfill your duties as her fiance and as a man.”
“I will.”
Tian Chenyu said, and he left his room after cleaning his desk.
Right as he reached the doors, his mother showed up again and handed him a wooden basket, “Enjoy this food with the Ai Family.”
“Okay.”
“One more thing. Rumor has it that someone had spotted a demon near our city three days ago, so don’t stay out too late. After all, if you encounter a demon, you are almost guaranteed to die.”
“I know.” Tian Chenyu accepted the basket and began making his way towards the Ai Family that was about an hour walk from his house.
About half way there, Tian Chenyu stopped walking when he heard someone shouting in a hysterical voice, “R-Run! A demon has appeared on the east side of the city, and it is going through houses, eating the families inside!”
‘The east side…? That’s where the Ai Family is located! Ai Rong!’
Upon realizing this fact, Tian Chenyu dropped the basket in his grasp and began running, but he was not going back home. Instead, he continued to make his way towards the Ai Family.
‘Please be safe, Ai Rong!’ He constantly prayed in his heart as he ran, tumbling to the ground multiple times on his way there.
