Zhaixing Pavilion study.
Summoned by a servant, Yuling was already waiting before the desk.
Zuoxing Chen sat squarely at the writing desk, holding a brush and writing calligraphy. His strokes were vigorous and unconstrained, carrying a distinct air of a Taoist immortal.
She held her breath and remained silent, careful not to break the peace and elegance of the Lord Sovereign while he practiced his writing.
The man finally spoke, his voice slightly low, laced with a trace of undisguised impatience and displeasure: "I hear that lately you frequently run off to the Mortal Realm. Have you run into something rare and unusual? Why don't you tell me about it?"
His pitch-black, brilliant eyes fixed on her like a leopard. Yuling felt a tightness in her throat, withdrew her gaze, lowered her eyes, and said, "I am merely passing the time to cure boredom. Why trouble the Lord Sovereign to care?"
That cool, melodious voice sounded, its tone still as sweet and pleasing as ever, yet her manner remained detached and indifferent.
"What is the story behind that jade *huang* at your waist?" His eyes remained fixed without a flicker on that fragment of jade carved with orchids, lingering there deliberately for a long time without looking away.
"A gift from a friend."
"What person? Is it a man?" His tone involuntarily took on a trace of anger.
"When Yuling makes friends, it is solely based on shared interests; I have never considered gender. If personalities match, naturally we become friends. It is just like how I treat the Lord Sovereign—always respectful, with no distinction between man and woman."
Her words neatly distanced herself from him completely. At the same time, did this mean she wanted nothing to do with him whatsoever?
For a moment, the atmosphere grew tense and stagnant.
"Reporting to the Lord Sovereign, the daughter of the Chimei Island Master..." A servant came to report, but before he could finish, he was interrupted by a loud, bold, womanly voice.
"I haven't seen you in days, and Hongling has come personally to visit Big Brother Chen. Surely you won't refuse to grant even this bit of face?"
A woman dressed in blood-red silk strode across the threshold of the study, putting on the airs of a mistress of the house. She walked straight toward the man of her own accord, planted one hand on the desk, and casually draped her other hand over the man's left shoulder. Smiling brightly, she turned her head to shoot Yuling a sideways glance, her eyes carrying a fierce and provocative arrogance.
It was nothing less than a blatant declaration of ownership.
Yuling wore a proper, poised smile on her serene face, standing quietly without a word, her gaze lowered in a calm and untroubled manner.
Hongling's dress was adorned with countless tiny, blood-red coral beads, which emitted a crisp, rounded, clinking sound as they brushed against one another with her movements.
Without a change in expression, the man brushed her hand off his shoulder, poured a cup of tea himself, and handed it to her. Only then did his expression soften as he said: "How could I dare break an appointment with Younger Sister Hongling? It is simply that recently, island affairs have been so numerous that I genuinely cannot spare the time."
"Do you have time right now? It is a rare occasion for me to visit your island; surely you don't mean to claim you haven't even the space of a cup of tea, and have the heart to leave me standing aside?"
"Zhuiyun!" Seeing the dark-robed attendant appear at the door in response, the man feigned helplessness. "Why not have Zhuiyun take you for a stroll around the island? It is nearly noon; I shall order the kitchen to prepare a fine feast for you immediately, how about that?"
"I'm afraid that won't do..."
Her eyes darted around a few times before turning back to Yuling. Deliberately leaning close to his ear, she spoke in a coy voice loud enough for everyone in the room to hear: "Yesterday, the Great Elder of Xingyu Island went to Chimei Island to pay respects to my father. Over drinks and laughter, the two of them settled our marriage that very night. I have no objections myself. Once the former Island Master's dying wish is fulfilled two years from now, and once you have cleared the realm of rebellious demons, our wedding can take place then. I will wait for you always, Chen."
Zuoxing Chen's expression darkened noticeably. He remained silent, taking it as tacit agreement.
A faint smile touched the corner of Yuling's lips: "Then I must truly congratulate the Lord Sovereign and the future Sovereign's Lady! In advance, I wish the two of you a harmonious union and a lifetime together."
With that, she turned to withdraw, leaving the private space to the two future newlyweds.
Just before she reached the door, the deep, resonant voice of the man sounded from behind her: "Recently, demonic bandits have been running rampant in the southeast of the Mortal Realm. Hand your gate-pass token back to Liucai. For the next year, all female residents of the island are forbidden to leave without authorization."
Feigning deafness, she acknowledged the order offhandedly and stepped out of the study.
***
That night, the night was cool as water.
Having finished her daytime studies, Yuling practiced her swordplay in the peach grove behind the peak. Moonlight cast streams of clear brilliance. Clad in garments of moonlight, she set a flurry of icy sword glints into motion. Wielding her cold blade, wherever her sword Qi pointed, leaves and branches parted. The green leaves in the forest drifted down in a flutter, yet not a single tree branch suffered the slightest damage.
With his back to the moonlight, the man stood leaning against an ancient tree in the distance.
After a long silence, the sound of the sword ceased.
The woman's cool voice rang out: "If the Lord Sovereign has anything to say, please speak plainly. It is only a pity that the night is already deep, and it is likely too late to boil tea or warm wine. For any shortcomings in hospitality, I trust the Lord Sovereign will be forgiving."
Zuoxing Chen stepped out from beneath the tree, revealing himself.
His eyes were webbed with bloodshot veins. After a long, bleak silence, he said: "The marriage alliance with the Chimei Island Master's daughter was not my intention. Cleansing the demonic bandits is my lifelong mission, and there can be not the slightest room for error. Only through this alliance can I borrow the full military force of Chimei Island, giving us a greater margin of victory in the great battle two years from now."
"That is naturally a joyous occasion that satisfies all parties." Her tone remained as detached and lukewarm as before.
A surge of anger rose within his heart, burning until his heart, liver, and lungs felt as though they were being torn apart. Without having touched a single drop of wine, he felt entirely as if he were already drunk.
His hands tightly gripped her shoulders, pressing into the tender flesh of her shoulders with a force bordering on a loss of control, yet still he dared not profane her in the slightest.
In the depths of his eyes lay an unfathomable pool of water. Once, she had thought it held the mystery she wished to explore; now, looking at it, it was nothing more than a pitch-black, bottomless void.
Tears welled up in the corners of his eyes, only for him to hastily wipe them away.
"The night is deep. The Lord Sovereign should return early to rest."
Shoving him aside, she turned to leave.
With red-rimmed eyes, he watched her retreating figure, still unwilling to give up without asking. A tone bordering on despair spilled from his throat: "That man who gave you the jade *huang*—do you like him?"
"That young gentleman is very good." Yuling smiled, a trace of cruelty leaking through her sweet, detached tone. Having given this non-answer, the woman fluttered away.
Leaving Zuoxing Chen standing alone in place, guarding the pitch-black night and a solitary, lonely hooked moon.
As the night grew deeper, from deep within the grass of the courtyard came the endless sound of cicadas—mournful, piercing, and incessant. It only served to make one feel all the more vexed.
Dieyi, wearing a thin gown of plain white gauze and carrying a bowl of red date and lotus seed soup, arrived before the door of the Lord Sovereign Zuoxing Chen. "Dong, dong, dong"—she knocked for a long time with no response. She called out her name, but listening closely, there was still no reply from within.
Feeling disheartened, she was about to leave when she heard several sounds of "Bang! Bang, bang!" from inside, as if vessels were being smashed against the floor.
She tried pushing the door, and to her surprise, it was only pulled shut loosely. Pushing it open, she saw that Zuoxing Chen, sitting at the desk, was already dead drunk and still murmuring something unintelligible. He looked to be in a wretched mood, with over a dozen wine jars smashed to pieces on the floor—a truly gruesome sight.
Treading on tiptoe to avoid the ceramic shards of the wine jars on the floor, she placed the soup on the table and prepared to slip away quietly.
Before she had even turned around, her arm was grabbed by a pair of large hands.
A thrill went through her heart as she was spun around and pulled straight into a powerful, muscular embrace. The man's palm clamped tightly around her waist, pressing her against his chest.
Though a wave of overpowering alcohol washed over her, Dieyi realized this was a rare opportunity.
The man's consciousness was somewhat scattered, and he was murmuring the name "Yuling" under his breath. His cheeks rubbed against her like a small beast's, as if searching for some form of comfort.
Her tender lips kissed his face, her voice laced with a hint of seduction: "I am Yuling. As long as you are willing, I am your Yuling and yours alone..."
The man's lips finally descended eagerly upon hers, and she passively endured his rough kiss.
A night of intimacy.
Early the next morning, Zuoxing Chen stood fully dressed by the window as the beauty on the bed gradually stirred awake.
He spoke, his voice chillingly detached and aloof: "Speak. What do you want?"
Wrapped in a silk quilt, the woman on the bed sat up halfway. Composed and calm as she dressed, she weighed her words and replied: "Dieyi has long admired the Lord Sovereign. Seeing you in low spirits last night, I originally only intended to bring you a bowl of soup, never imagining..."
The woman began to weep softly, making the man's heart all the more restless.
Having finished dressing, the woman's delicate body hugged him from behind, and she said word for word: "If I have any selfish motives, it is simply to be your confidante and share your burdens."
"Oh? And how do you propose to share my burdens? Let's hear it."
He turned around, a rough palm pinching the woman's tender chin without a shred of tenderness. Fixing his eagle-like eyes directly on her, he said word for word: "Tell me the truth."
Meeting his gaze, a trace of candor finally appeared in her eyes: "Yuling..."
A flicker of looseness appeared in the man's eyes, and he released her.
The woman's eyes were slightly red: "Though I do not know her background or origins, she is able to casually buy herself expensive new clothes of fine silk and satin every few days. The staggering scale of her spending suggests she must have grown up in a wealthy family in the Mortal Realm, where she was surely showered with every kind of affection by her family. How could she compare to an orphan of the Mortal Realm like me, born in poverty and tasting the coldness of human relationships since childhood?"
The man's brow was already furrowed.
She had no choice but to return to the main point: "Having grown up pampered, her personality is inevitably somewhat arrogant. If the Lord Sovereign wishes to win her over, you must do the exact opposite."
Zuoxing Chen looked into her eyes, signaling her to continue.
"For instance, you must make her experience setbacks and hardships to wear down her arrogance. Once all her haughtiness is ground away, you will be the only warm bonfire in her dark life."
"So, what would you have me do?" His interest was piqued.
"The position of Head Disciple under Mistress Qinghui..."
His lips kissed her tender lips, yet his eyes remained bone-chillingly cold: "What else do you want?"
"As for the Great Elder, I ask that you introduce me to him."
Having received all his answers, he released her immediately and spoke only after a long pause: "The Great Elder caught a chill a few days ago and currently lacks a personal attendant to care for his side. From now on, the task of going to the pharmacy every day to brew medicine and deliver soup for the old man is yours. I imagine you will handle it with ease."
"Thank you for your favor, Lord Sovereign."