Chapter 140: Morning Service! Sect Master, your morning Qi is a bit strong!

Early the next morning, just as the sky was faintly bright.

Gu Lan, sporting two faint dark circles under his eyes, appeared on time outside the main gates of the Zhaixing Tower.

Although he slept well last night, his dreams were entirely filled with the shadow of that Female Demon Lord.

One moment she made him scrub her back, and the next she had him warm her bed, tossing him about until he was utterly exhausted even in his dreams.

"Lord Gu! You've finally arrived!"

As soon as he reached the entrance, several maidservants of the Demon Palace responsible for serving swarmed over like they had seen their savior, their complexions deathly pale and their entire bodies trembling.

"What is going on here?" Gu Lan was momentarily stunned.

"The Venerable One… The Venerable One has woken up."

The leading maidservant pulled a long, mournful face and pointed at the tightly shut palace doors.

"But the Venerable One doesn't seem to be in a good mood… Just now, the sister who went in to deliver the washing water was blasted out just because her footsteps were slightly heavy."

"Half of the things inside have already been smashed, and we maidservants truly dare not go in anymore!"

Gu Lan: "…"

Morning Qi?

As a dignified Demon Lord, she actually had this kind of Mortal flaw?

"Alright, leave it to me."

Gu Lan sighed, tidied his clothes, put on a tragic and heroic expression of 'if I don't enter Hell, who will', and pushed open those heavy doors.

"Clang—"

The moment he stepped inside, an exquisite jade pillow flew past grazing his scalp, smashing into pieces against the doorframe.

Immediately followed by a lazy yet irritable angry shout:

"Get lost! This Eminence has said, no one is to be seen!"

The interior of the hall was in complete disarray.

The priceless shark-pearl curtains were torn apart, all sorts of gold, silver, and jade artifacts were scattered across the floor, and that purple-gold grand bed was even more messy than a chicken coop.

And our Female Demon Lord, Ye Hongzhuang, was currently sitting disheveled in front of the dressing table, wearing only a thin dudou and undergarments, loosely draped in a black gauze outer robe, with her two long legs resting unseemly on the table.

In her hand, she held a broken comb, her gaze as ferocious as if she wanted to eat someone.

"Venerable One, it's me."

Gu Lan's eyelids twitched, and he hurriedly closed the door with his backhand, cutting off the view from outside.

Just kidding.

If the Female Demon Lord in this state were seen by others, people would truly die—the person who looked would die, and he who failed to stop it would also die.

"Gu Lan?"

Hearing the familiar voice, the Killing Intent in Ye Hongzhuang's eyes restrained slightly, but she still glared at him unpleasantly.

"What are you here for? To watch this Eminence make a fool of yourself?"

"How would this subordinate dare."

Gu Lan carefully skirted around the debris on the ground and walked behind her.

"This subordinate is here to fulfill his duties."

"I heard that the Venerable One is summoning the Elders of various departments to discuss matters today, so this subordinate has specifically come… to serve the Venerable One in changing clothes."

"Changing clothes?"

Ye Hongzhuang sneered, slamming the broken comb onto the table.

"Change what clothes? My hair can't even be combed straight! This Eminence is infuriated to death!"

"This damn hair, I might as well just cut it off!"

As she spoke, her palm flipped, and Devilish Qi condensed into a blade in her palm, actually intending to truly slice off that head of lustrous black long hair.

"Don't, don't, don't! You mustn't!"

Gu Lan was startled and hurriedly grabbed her wrist.

"Such pretty hair, how much of a pity would it be to cut it!"

"If the Venerable One trusts this subordinate, how about letting this subordinate try?"

Ye Hongzhuang's movements paused, and she squinted at him, her gaze filled with suspicion.

"You?"

"You know how to comb hair?"

"Slightly, slightly."

Gu Lan smiled modestly.

Just kidding, back during those years in Nuanxiang Pavilion, in order to coax those Senior Sisters into happiness, he had specially practiced this skill!

"Fine then."

Ye Hongzhuang dispersed the demonic blade in her hand, sat back down properly, and tilted her head back, resting right against Gu Lan's lower abdomen.

"If a single strand of hair is pulled out, this Eminence will break a finger of yours."

"…Yes."

Gu Lan felt the pressure was mountain-high.

He took out a purple sandalwood comb imbued with Spiritual Qi from his storage ring (this was also prepared previously to please his Senior Sister), and began carefully helping Ye Hongzhuang comb through her messy long hair.

It must be said that Ye Hongzhuang's hair texture was extremely good, as smooth as silk, and it only tangled because her sleeping posture was too poor.

Gu Lan dared not use force, and could only input a trace of gentle spiritual power to slowly untangle those hair knots.

His movements were gentle and focused, his fingertips occasionally touching Ye Hongzhuang's scalp, bringing a trace of numb current.

Gradually.

Ye Hongzhuang's tightly knitted brows relaxed, and her originally irritable Qi also calmed down.

She closed her eyes, enjoying the comfort transmitted from her scalp, and let out a satisfied soft hum from her mouth.

"Mmm… Not bad."

"Much better than those clumsy maidservants."

"The Venerable One flatters me."

Gu Lan breathed a sigh of relief, but his hand movements did not dare to stop.

Having combed the hair smooth, he then skillfully coiled up a few hair buns, inserting that black-gold Phoenix hairpin symbolizing the identity of the sect leader.

"Alright."

Gu Lan took a step back, looking at the beauty in the mirror.

Although still wearing pajamas, the majestic and domineering image of the Female Demon Lord had already taken initial shape.

"Mmm, the craftsmanship is passable."

Ye Hongzhuang looked at herself in the mirror and nodded with satisfaction.

She stood up, opened her arms, and the black gauze nightgown smoothly slipped down, revealing a large expanse of snow-white skin inside and that set of black close-fitting inner wear embroidered with dark patterns.

Gu Lan hurriedly turned his head to the side, not looking at what shouldn't be looked at.

"What are you dodging for?"

Ye Hongzhuang's teasing voice came over.

"Didn't you touch it all last night? What upright gentleman are you acting like now?"

"Come over and dress this Eminence."

"Yes…"

Gu Lan bit the bullet and walked over, picking up the incomparably complex black-gold flowing cloud Phoenix robe on the rack beside.

This clothing looked imposing, but wearing it was extremely troublesome.

Three layers inside, three layers outside, various buttons and ties, as complex as a maze.

Gu Lan stood before Ye Hongzhuang, lowering his head, trying hard not to look at places that shouldn't be looked at, clumsily helping her tie her waistband.

Because he was too nervous, his hands trembled slightly.

His fingertips accidentally brushed past Ye Hongzhuang's willow-like waist.

"Hiss—"

Ye Hongzhuang's body trembled slightly, and she suddenly reached out, grabbing Gu Lan's wrist.

"What is it?"

She leaned close to Gu Lan, her peach blossom eyes rippling with water, her voice carrying a trace of unperceived hoarseness.

"Your hand is shaking like this?"

"Is this Eminence too terrifying? Or…"

She purposefully puffed out her chest, making Gu Lan's gaze inevitably fall upon certain breathtaking curves.

"Is this Eminence too beautiful, making you unable to hold yourself back?"

Gu Lan felt a heat in his nose and almost broke his composure.

Where was this morning Qi?

This was clearly morning exercise after getting up!

"Venerable One… is naturally endowed with beauty, this subordinate… this subordinate is terrified."

Gu Lan stuttered, desperately wanting to pull his hand out.

"Terrified?"

Ye Hongzhuang chuckled softly, not only not letting go, but instead taking advantage of the force to step forward, her entire body nearly pressing against Gu Lan.

"This Eminence feels that your guts were quite big last night."

"How did you turn so cowardly today?"

"Would you like… this Eminence to help boost your courage?"

Her hand slid down Gu Lan's arm, about to explore certain dangerous places.

"Report—!!!"

Right at this critical moment of imminent peril.

An untimely shout suddenly came from outside the door.

"Reporting to the Venerable One! The Elders of various departments are already waiting in the Heavenly Demon Hall! Please move your carriage, Venerable One!"

Ye Hongzhuang's movements paused, the allure in her eyes instantly dissipating, replaced by a trace of icy Killing Intent.

"These old things, are they rushing for their lives?"

She let go of Gu Lan, turned around and walked toward the mirror, quickly tying up the remaining buttons in a few strokes.

When she turned around again.

That lazy, enchanting, and subordinate-teasing little woman was gone.

Replaced by that high-and-mighty, ruthless, and ten-thousand-demon-ruling Empress, Ye Hongzhuang!

"Let's go."

She waved her sleeve and strode outward.

"Sword-Wielding Envoy, keep up."

"Don't lose face for this Eminence."

"Yes!"

Gu Lan felt immensely relieved, hurriedly picked up the soul-devouring sword, and closely followed behind her.

Walking out of Zhaixing Tower.

The sunlight outside was somewhat dazzling.

Gu Lan looked at the domineering black silhouette ahead, touching his heart that was still beating wildly.

"This bodyguard's job…"

"Truly isn't something humans do."

"Not only must one guard against assassins, one must also guard against the employer… It's too hard!"