“I lived with my parents and elder brother in the mountains outside the city since childhood. Though I am a demon, I have never dared to harm even half a human life. I lived like this for nearly a hundred years, until one day, I met you…”

　　“Me?” Mr. Miller was taken aback.

　　“That’s right, it was you.” Mrs. Miller looked at him tenderly. “Of course you wouldn’t remember—who would recall saving a little wildcat twenty years ago?”

　　“Ah, that was you!” Mr. Miller exclaimed.

　　“Yes. At that time, my cultivation was incomplete. I encountered a vicious wolf in the mountains and nearly lost my life. Fleeing into a forest, I was caught in a hunter’s trap. Then, a young boy happened to pass by and rescued me.” Mrs. Miller said gently.

　　“I was very young back then. One day, I truly had no heart for studying, so I snuck out of the academy to play in the mountains and saved an extremely adorable little wildcat… I remember!” Mr. Miller nodded repeatedly. “I even wanted to bring you home to nurse you back to health, but as soon as you escaped, you ran off.”

　　“After that, I cultivated diligently. Another ten years passed before I mastered the art of transforming into human form.” Mrs. Miller gazed at her husband. “I didn’t even dare tell my elder brother. I couldn’t wait to descend the mountain and enter the city for fun. Unexpectedly, I ran into you again right away. You had grown up, but you were still the same.”

　　“I thought that was our first meeting, but it turns out… it was the second.” Mr. Miller said in realization.

　　“Yes, after that I fell in love with you, married you—everything felt like a dream. I could hardly believe that living as a human could be so happy.” Mrs. Miller smiled bitterly. “Until that day, when I became pregnant.”

　　“Madam, you… you can become pregnant?” Mr. Miller was shocked again.

　　“Of course I can, but I didn’t dare…” Mrs. Miller said, “Because I could never truly attain the Dao and transform, what I carried was a demon fetus. As soon as the child was born, my identity would be immediately exposed… So I told you I was returning to my parents’ home, but in truth… I secretly went to the mountains to get rid of the child.”

　　“Madam, you…” Mr. Miller held her hand, tears streaming down his face. “So what if you are a demon? All these years, our love has been deep and true—how could it become false just because of what we are?”

　　“To think, our child turned into a vengeful spirit…” Mrs. Miller said sorrowfully. “Because of this, my identity was exposed. I suppose it’s retribution.”

　　“No!” Mr. Miller cried, “What wrong have you done? If there is retribution, it should fall on me!”

　　“To have ten years of fate with you in this life, I am already content.” Mrs. Miller looked at Liam Carter. “If you must kill or punish, let it be me.”

　　“No, no!” Mr. Miller suddenly knelt on the ground, grabbing Liam Carter. “Young hero Chu! I am willing to give you all my family’s wealth in exchange for you sparing our lives. I beg you! Please spare my wife!”

　　Liam Carter looked at the deeply devoted couple before him, his gaze profound.

　　If he were to slay Mrs. Miller with a single sword, it would be entirely reasonable to others. Demons living in a human city are, after all, not tolerated by the world.

　　He could even receive a reward from within the White Tower.

　　But if he let her go and left with Mr. Miller’s fortune… that wouldn’t be a bad choice either. Even for a mortal wealthy family, the assets accumulated over generations are not easily obtained.

　　Either way, it would be a huge gain.

　　But…

　　Liam Carter shook his head without hesitation.

　　Just as the couple’s eyes were filled with despair, he continued, “If Mrs. Miller truly has never harmed anyone, then the two of you will come with me to the sect. Perhaps… I can request a decree for Mrs. Miller.”

Chapter 007: The Seven-Star Gazette

　　“Madam, you don’t wish for Mr. Miller to lose everything with you, do you?”

　　Liam Carter looked at Mrs. Miller, who was bound with a red rope, and spoke.

　　“Young hero Chu, you’re willing to request a decree for me?”

　　Hearing his intention, Mr. Miller might not have understood, but Mrs. Miller was greatly surprised. She hadn’t expected this young man before her to be willing to help her in such a way.

　　She immediately wanted to kneel together with Mr. Miller, but Liam Carter quickly removed the demon-binding rope from her, otherwise the scene would have looked rather odd.

　　To request a decree.

　　This was not the ancient method of legitimizing a demon, but rather seeking an official edict for a benevolent demon, allowing it to live freely in the cities of the human dynasty—essentially granting it a household registration.

　　A demon without such a decree is like a “black household”; if it sneaks into a human city and is discovered by cultivators, it can be slain on the spot at any time. This is why Mrs. Miller had always lived in such fear—afraid her demon identity would be discovered.

　　And the power to grant such a decree lies solely with the human dynasty and the Nine Heavens Immortal Sect. Even the next tier, the Ten Earthly Immortal Sects, do not have this authority. For a demon, obtaining such a decree is an almost impossible task.

　　The current feudal dynasty is called the “Yu Dynasty,” which has ruled for over six hundred years and is in a time of great peace. Yet every demon living in a human city could be a hidden danger to this peace. As the saying goes, “Those who are not of our kind must have different hearts”—how much more so for demons?

　　Whether it’s the imperial court or the Nine Heavens Immortal Sect, granting such a decree is tantamount to vouching for the demon. If the demon causes trouble in the future, whoever granted the decree will bear the responsibility.