....
Morning dawned pale and cold over the Demon Palace. The great hall was filled with generals and envoys — all kneeling as Sima Jiao entered, his black robes sweeping the marble floor. His presence was still formidable, but those who had served him long could sense it: the once-terrifying aura around him flickered, weaker than before.
Whispers spread through the ranks.
"They say the Demon Lord's wounds haven't healed."
"Could it be true… that the human girl drained his strength?"
When the murmurs grew too loud, Sima Jiao's voice cut through the air like a blade. "If you have something to say, say it aloud."
One bold general raised his head. "My Lord, your power is fading. The bond with that mortal woman—"
Before he could finish, black fire ignited beneath him. His scream was short, echoing once before silence swallowed the hall. The smell of scorched air lingered as the Demon Lord's crimson eyes swept across the others.
"Anyone else?" he asked softly. No one dared move.
He turned and left without another word, his footsteps echoing in the stunned quiet.
---
Later, in the private hall, Sima Jiao sat by the window, the world outside hidden behind drifting fog. His hand trembled slightly — proof of the strain his injuries left.
The door creaked open. "You shouldn't move," said a familiar voice.
He didn't turn. "You disobeyed my order again."
Liao Tingyan walked closer, setting a small bowl of medicine on the table beside him. "You can kill me later. For now, drink this."
He gave a dry laugh. "You think herbs can mend what divine fire broke?"
She looked at him quietly. "If you stop caring, maybe nothing can."
That silence stretched between them until he finally glanced up. Her eyes were calm, but there was no fear — only determination.
"You don't understand," he said. "Every time you stay near me, the bond grows stronger. If it breaks, we both die."
"Then I'll die with you," she said simply.
He froze, the faintest flicker of shock in his eyes. "You would give up the human world so easily?"
Tingyan smiled faintly. "There's nothing left there for me. But here… at least I chose it."
---
Thunder cracked outside. The palace trembled — a rift opening in the northern sky.
A guard rushed in, kneeling. "My Lord! The Heaven Realm has sent their envoys! They demand your surrender!"
Sima Jiao rose slowly, dark energy rippling around him. "They dare step into my domain again?"
He turned toward Tingyan. "Stay here."
"No." She met his eyes. "If this bond ties us together, then let me stand beside you."
His gaze lingered on her — torn between fury and something deeper. Finally, he extended his hand. "Then come. But know this, Liao Tingyan: once you step forward, there is no return."
She took his hand without hesitation. Their fingers intertwined, and at that moment, black and golden light burst across the sky. The bond mark on her wrist burned bright — not as a curse, but as a vow.
Together, they stepped out into the storm, the Demon Lord and his chosen mortal, ready to face heaven's wrath.
---
End of Episode 20 — "The Demon Lord's Weakness"