When Will the Great King Unite the Demon Realm?

Shang Lin had been a Divine Lord for tens of thousands of years, and he was thoroughly sick of it.

So he simply retired, dusting off his hands as he left. To keep those annoying people from the Divine Realm from finding him, he plunged into the most chaotic corner of the Demon Realm and decided to lie flat.

Life spent lying flat was peaceful and comfortable.

Unexpectedly, one day he was picked up by a filthy little demon, covered in wounds.

Seeing the dazzling radiance around him, the little demon's eyes shone alarmingly bright. "You must be someone important, right?"

Bored out of his mind, Shang Lin lazily made something up. "Mm. I'm a high-ranking official in the Demon Realm, traveling incognito to compete for the throne."

The little demon believed him. He led a group of old, weak, sick, and disabled folks in bowing to Shang Lin, then went around every day wielding a homemade spiked club to seize territory for him.

"Your Majesty! We beat the evil spirit on West Street into submission!"

"Your Majesty! The demon in East Alley cried and begged for mercy!"

Shang Lin munched on the fruit Ning Li had snatched for him and casually humored him. "Good work. Once I become king, you'll get the credit for the greatest achievement."

Praised by his king, Ning Li was delighted, his eyes curving into a smile.

Every day, Ning Li looked forward to his king uniting the Demon Realm as soon as possible.

But he waited and waited, and his king seemed to take no action at all.

Whenever he asked, the answer was, "Soon, soon."

Spring passed, and autumn came again. Ning Li had nearly cleared out this whole corner, and at last he couldn't hold back. Crouching by his king's feet, he tilted his face up and asked earnestly for the umpteenth time, "Your Majesty, when exactly will you unite the Demon Realm?"

Looking at the bruised, swollen eye of the little demon, Shang Lin seriously considered the question for the first time.

It was not until the day the Divine soldiers and generals surrounded the Demon Realm that it happened.

The little demon, covered in blood, stood in front of him. "Who dares lay a hand on our king!"

Shang Lin sighed, took the little demon's hand, and tucked him behind himself.

Then, rather uncertainly, he proposed, "How about we put uniting the Demon Realm on hold? Would you be okay with me taking charge of the Divine Realm first?"

P.S.

1. A carefree, unruly Divine Lord gong x a serious, fierce, silly-sweet little demon shou

2. Gong-focused, a sweet little story. Blurb dated 2025.5.30

Theme: Don't just lie flat in life. Have some ambition.