Ten Years with the Great Demon

Cheng Ruomu spent the first sixteen years of his life striving to live to the age of twenty-nine.

Once that wish was more or less fulfilled, Cheng Ruomu's plans for the rest of his life were simple:

Occasionally go down the mountain to exterminate some demons, so his studies in arrays wouldn't go to waste. Spend the rest of his time on Kaiyang Peak enjoying the affection of his master, senior brothers, senior sisters, and junior sister, then live a leisurely, happy little life of his own.

But heaven never seems willing to grant people their wishes. The first time Cheng Ruomu went down the mountain, Kaiyang Peak was empty. The second time, the world had fallen into chaos.

Cheng Ruomu wanted to return after surviving his tribulation, before the flames of war reached him. As it turned out, he was helping a bird survive its tribulation, and nearly ended up in the underworld himself. His already short life was shortened further, and the bird not only had no plans to repay him, but acted as if Cheng Ruomu had seduced it and then abandoned it.

Bird: In ten years, your life will be mine.

Cheng Ruomu: ...Maybe you won't have to wait that long. Sob...

Sure enough, first foreign enemies reached his doorstep, and then his father announced that he was going to raise an army.

Swept along by the tide of events, Cheng Ruomu took on the responsibility himself.

Ten years later, Cheng Ruomu had become a god of war in the army, and his body was on the verge of giving out.

Cheng Ruomu: I didn't think you could really hold out for ten years.

Bird: I don't want to!

Cheng Ruomu: ...Something doesn't seem quite right.

Cheng Ruomu (bottom): Human. He stays optimistic in the face of any hardship.

Feng Jiang (top): Demon. Actually, very well-behaved.

P.S. An alternate world loosely modeled on the Sui and Tang dynasties.

Theme: Strive to live a rich and satisfying life, no matter the time or circumstances.