First of all, we have Feng Qingyun, a little spiritual plant turned sword cultivator, living his very honest and serious life inside the no. 1 cultivation sect in the Righteous Path. He's quite a mellow man in the beginning, hopelessly in love with his Senior Brother and Sect Leader, Mu Hanyang. However, his brother is in love with a woman, so their relationship is doomed right from the start. He's loyal and caring, he never complains not even when he's mistreated, and is happy to hug any little crumb of affection his beloved brother throws his way. During the events of his first life, he obediently follows Mu Hanyang for 600 years, accepting to be his nominal Dao companion even when no one respects him as such, not even his fellow disciples. Frankly speaking, it's quite infuriating in the beginning, and I'm sure everyone will be happy when he finally grows ballsy enough to slap back. And ballsy he grows 🤣 Of course, there is quite a bit of mystery that leads to the entire world ending, an event that triggers Feng Qingyun's rebirth, right on the eve of his Dao ceremony. It's just that the second time around, he quickly blooms into a confident and beautiful flower, someone who takes no sh*t from anyone, is strong and not afraid of showing it, while also continuing to be loyal and caring, but only toward those who truly deserve it.

Here enters our ML, Long Yin, the Demon Lord/Demon Emperor since both titles are used alternatively throughout the novel. He's a very suave man, someone who likes to playfully bully his partner but still very carefully cares for them, a man who would gladly die if it was beneficial for the one he loved. There's a lot to say about their relationship as they are linked throughout the events of their first life, and it's even revealed that he's Feng Qingyun's first husband, forging a relationship with him way before his Dao ceremony with Mu Hanyang. Post rebirth, he initially doesn't remember what happened before, but even without his full memories, he's still hopelessly attracted to Feng Qingyun, acting in ways and choosing to follow the same path as the past "him".

As for Mu Hanyang, he's the archetype of the hero in any cultivation novel. A prideful man who's considered the leader of the cultivation world, the type of hero who would sacrifice even his love if it meant saving the so-called "common people". He's ruthless in his rightfulness, abandoning anyone for the good of the world, and then acting like a martyr. He professes his love for his lost wife to anyone who has ears to hear, but he never hesitates to push "her" to death when it is time to save his village, even if he claims to do so with tears in his eyes. It also doesn't help that "her" turned out to be Feng Qingyun, a possibility that never crossed his mind despite the similarities between the two. Instead, he spend hundreds of years telling Feng Qingyun he would never be as good as "her", acting as if he sacrificed himself by betraying his true love and becoming his Dao companion just to humor his little brother.