The clash between Lin Luo and the God of Destiny didn't last long; he was routed after just two rounds and beat the retreat. After listening to the maid's report, he turned back to look at the God of Destiny, who had been recalled into the Heaven-Sealing Bottle, his fighting spirit flaring. He spoke coldly, "I will return. Next time, I'll cut off that duck!" With that, he turned and walked out of the training room.

The maid stood there for a moment, staring at the empty room, her face blank. Where was the duck?

"Master, where is the duck?" the maid hurried over and asked Lin Luo.

Lin Luo glanced at the young girl named c.c, paused for a moment, then exuded an aura of unmatched poetic solitude and said somberly, "The duck is in the ends of the world!"

The little maid tilted her head in thought for a long time, unable to figure out why a duck would be at the ends of the world. Finally, she could only conclude: The Master had been beaten by Destiny a few times and had become eccentric again. What a pity. She must serve her Master well.

In a garden on the west side of the Sky City, the green foliage rippled like the sea under the caress of the breeze, granting a sense of refreshing serenity to anyone who beheld it. A young woman stood upon the garden grounds, resting her hands on the railing. A breeze lifted her shoulder-length green hair, and her golden eyes gazed upon the vast ocean thousands of meters away.

The maiden possessed delicate features, presenting a doll-like face that nevertheless carried an air of authority. Her slender and graceful figure evoked tender pity, and her skin, crystalline as snow, seemed finer than jade. She wore a form-fitting black dress that sculpted her perfect curves, exuding a breathtaking charm.

"Sister c.c, your pizza has arrived," said Wei, the Head Servant, as she approached the maiden and presented a plate of fragrant delicacies.

c.c turned and smiled, "Thank you." After c.c accepted the plate of pizza, Wei continued, "I have already sent the maid to notify the Master. He will be here shortly. Please wait a moment."

"No matter, you may attend to your duties," c.c nodded, taking a slice of pizza from the plate and biting into it gently.

"Then I shall take my leave." Wei gave a slight bow and started toward the courtyard exit. However, after only a few steps, she suddenly cried out, "Ah! Master?!" Lin Luo nodded to her, speaking as he walked, "Is seeing me really that surprising? Aren't you busy with supervising matters?"

"Oh, right." Wei stuck out her tongue, instinctively glancing toward c.c before giving Lin Luo a knowing look. "Then I won't disturb the Master."

With that, she hurried out.

Lin Luo smiled and shook his head, then walked toward c.c.

c.c seemed unaware of his approach, her gaze still fixed on the distant sea.

Lin Luo reached her back, extended his arms, and wrapped them around her slender waist, resting his chin on her shoulder, asking in a low voice, "What has captured your attention so intently?"

"Making such an intimate gesture out of the blue is truly vexing, man," c.c murmured, slightly turning her gaze, betraying a hint of helplessness.

"You don't like it?" Lin Luo gave a carefree smile, tightening his hold on her.

"Don't you think it's too abrupt?" c.c countered.

"You are the undying witch; if I don't act like an overbearing Demon King, how can I win your favor? Hesitation is not the way of a Demon King." As he spoke, Lin Luo's right hand moved upward, caressing her chest, tilting her chin up. "Don't you agree, Witch-Lover?"

c.c set the pizza down, turned in Lin Luo's embrace, and placed her non-greasy hands on his face, the corners of her mouth curving into an enigmatic smile. "A truly cunning man. You so easily abandoned your oath, and now you are so unrestrained. Isn't that a bit too shameless?"

"What oath did I abandon?"

"Have you forgotten so quickly? You said that until I found the true meaning of life, my existence would be the meaning of yours. You, who once gave up on life, didn't you abandon your oath then?"

"Of course, I haven't forgotten those words, but I also said that if I died, you would have to resurrect my life. So, whether I live or die, I never abandoned my oath." Lin Luo laughed, his right hand pressing against her chest. "That's how the contract was established back then, do you recall?"

c.c glanced at the hand resting on her chest, then looked back at Lin Luo, teasingly saying, "I know the terms of the contract have changed now. Is what you're doing now considered taking advantage of me?"

"It certainly is," Lin Luo admitted without hesitation, not blushing in the least. He laughed, "Every man wants to take advantage of a woman, especially one he likes. Does a Demon King need to observe formalities before engaging with a Witch?"

c.c tilted her head slightly, bringing her lips close to Lin Luo's, exhaling like a gentle perfume, "Is it just liking, and not love?"

"Love is not something to be spoken lightly. At least, as far as I am concerned, I am not qualified to say I love someone wholeheartedly, but this feeling of liking is entirely genuine." Lin Luo's left arm circled her slender waist, holding her so tightly it seemed he might lift her. His lips were almost touching hers as he asked with a smile, "What I want to know now is, c.c, have you fallen for me?"

"No," c.c replied without hesitation. "I am also unqualified to speak of love right now, but I don't dislike even this level of intimacy at all, and..." Here, she wrapped her arms around Lin Luo's neck, a captivating light shining in her eyes. "I do not possess the ability to resurrect people. If you died, it would cause me great trouble. Since you want me to exist for you, then live well. Perhaps one day, I truly will fall in love with you... my Demon King!"

With those words, c.c pressed her lips to his.

"Heart Contract activated, initiating Covenant Mode."

At this moment, time seemed to halt, and space appeared to lose all meaning. Only c.c's green hair shimmered with brilliant, wave-like ripples. The static space came alive with these undulations—a spectacle that language could not adequately describe. "Covenant complete. Current Covenant Master and Covenant Subject have achieved parity. Current Covenant Master obtains the Proof of Restraint—The Demon King's Sigh. Current Covenant Subject obtains the Proof of Restraint... The Witch's Wisdom."

Covenant Master Lin Luo: Traveler (Lv3) Physical Strength: S Mental Fortitude: S Comprehensive Power: Spirit Rank Peak. Level up requirement: Must complete one more covenant.

Covenant Subject: c.c Physical Strength: SS Mental Fortitude: SS Comprehensive Power: Earth Rank High. Proof of Restraint: The Witch's Wisdom. Seal of Protection: Goddess of Wisdom. Heart of the World: Heart of Wisdom (Number Thirteen, Form: Annihilation Reincarnation, Merged Heart).

Just like last time, although the contract was complete, Lin Luo did not release his hold. Instead, he pulled c.c even tighter, fiercely kissing her cherry lips, plundering the sweet nectar from her mouth. His right hand, through the thin fabric, boldly invaded her high chest.

c.c responded passionately, as if determined to release all the emotions she had long suppressed. Their lips and tongues intertwined, and she clung entirely to Lin Luo.

This passionate scene only subsided much later. Though they hadn't shared the ultimate intimacy, it was enough to leave them lost in ecstasy.

When their lips finally parted, c.c slightly adjusted her disheveled clothes and then laughed suggestively, "That was so intense just now. Have you been holding out for a long time?"

"Don't be so explicit; it might get censored," Lin Luo replied sheepishly, instinctively trying to change the subject. Recalling the Seal of Protection displayed on c.c's status bar, he asked with curiosity, "Is your Goddess of Wisdom Athena?" Lin Luo wouldn't have jumped to conclusions arbitrarily, but since Icarus had the Heart of Light, and her Seal of Protection was similar to the Heavenly Maiden Beast associated with the Light Emblem, it was highly probable that c.c, who held the Heart of Wisdom, had Athena as her Goddess of Protection.

"What do you think?" c.c smiled without answering, asking in return.

"I naturally assume my guess is correct, but only you can reveal the truth."

"It doesn't matter which one my Seal of Protection is. You should worry about other things instead of this," c.c said mysteriously, abruptly changing the subject. "A grand drama is about to unfold. I am not the main character in it. If you don't prepare thoroughly, that drama could cost you your life."

"Hmm?" Lin Luo was momentarily stunned. "What do you mean?"

c.c seemed unwilling to elaborate. She waved her hand and walked forward on her own, saying without looking back, "It will be revealed soon. Just wait patiently. Also, two other people are about to emerge. Prepare to welcome them. You don't need to worry about me."

"..." Hearing c.c's cryptic words, Lin Luo's mind was filled with questions. However, if what she said was true, the sense of foreboding he felt from Kuroiwa not long ago did indeed seem connected to trouble.

On the other side, after leaving Lin Luo, c.c returned directly to her room. Almost the instant she closed the door, a graceful figure appeared beside her.

"Saori, it seems your fame precedes you," c.c said with a smile to the figure.

The girl called Saori wore a floor-length white dress and held a golden scepter. Her purple hair flowed without wind. Though not particularly tall, her stunning beauty was enough to captivate anyone, exuding an aura of wisdom and serenity.

"It's not surprising that the Goddess of Wisdom is Athena," Saori said calmly.

"Well, let's leave that aside for now. How is the divination on that matter progressing?" c.c asked with a light smile, then turned serious.

Speaking of which, Saori’s expression also grew grave. "The level is too high; I cannot see further. With the combined wisdom of you and me, we could only deduce eight characters."

"Which eight characters?"

"Winds from Eight Directions Move, Rivers of Stars Shatter!"

"Oh, that truly sounds like high intensity..." c.c's expression tightened.

"Do you intend to intervene?"

"Let's forget it," c.c gave a wry smile. "You said it yourself; the level of that drama is too high. We should just stay put. The protagonists will be handled by peak figures."