Chapter 102: All Good Things Are Taken by Force
The second question followed close behind.
Where on earth was this place?
The Nether Lord stepped forward twice and pinched Lu Changyuan’s cheek. “A spirit of the human race? The elders truly weren’t wrong back then. Perhaps I really lack the Spirit Clan’s innate gifts.”
She looked no more than a young girl, dressed in a simple black dress. Her long, dark hair fell to her waist, and her tall, slender legs ended in bare, tender feet. As she stepped on the ground, the soft soil bore delicate imprints that belonged solely to a maiden.
“How curious, there’s warmth.”
The Nether Lord seed intrigued. She pinched Lu Changyuan’s cheek again, then stretched it a little.
It was very elastic.
“Could it be that the spirits of the human race are all like this?”
The Nether Lord seed to regard Lu Changyuan as her possession. Her curious eyes road left and right before she began to rub and knead along his jawline.
It tickled.
Lu Changyuan finally ca back to his senses. “Wait, wait a mont.”
Feeling utterly uncomfortable under her touch, and noticing that the girl looked as though she intended to strip his clothes to see how well-developed he was, Lu Changyuan quickly slapped her hand away.
The Nether Lord froze for a mont, then actually smiled. “Not bad. Since you’re my guardian spirit, you should have so personality.”
Lu Changyuan forcibly turned his gaze away from the girl’s face and looked up at the sky.
He wanted to confirm the current ti.
As long as this was still the cultivation world—
Whether in the White Domain or the Black Domain—he should be able to see Sword Solitary Sun’s strike.
Yet now, the azure sky above was completely empty.
If this was not an illusion, then only one possibility remained.
This was not the sa point in ti Lu Changyuan had been in—it must be at least five thousand years before Sword Solitary Sun unleashed that sword strike.
Where the hell did I end up!?
He had long wondered why, though the Nether Lord was said to be a figure from three thousand years ago, the broken remnants of the Nether Palace were engraved with even older characters and symbols.
Now, Lu Changyuan understood—the Nether Lord was far more ancient than what common knowledge of the cultivation world claid.
Indeed.
Three thousand years ago was when the Nether Kingdom appeared, but no one could ever say for sure when this cultivator known as the Nether Lord had first embarked on the path of cultivation.
Think of Xia Lianxue.
She entered the cultivation world eighteen hundred years ago, yet the first recorded ntion of her was during the upheaval five hundred years ago, when she suddenly erged, unmatched.
Thus, records in the cultivation world also described Xia Lianxue’s years of cultivation as “unknown”—debuting at the peak. How similar that was to the Nether Lord.
Just how many ancient monsters were hiding in this world!?
Every now and then, one would pop out to give Lu Changyuan a fright of a lifeti.
A breeze blew past, lifting the hair on the young girl’s shoulders.
The Nether Lord patted Lu Changyuan’s shoulder. “Let’s go, it’s ti to return to the clan.”
The girl stretched lazily, her graceful figure completely on display. Compared to Qiu Yuehan, she seed far more talkative.
Lu Changyuan turned around. “What clan?”
“The Spirit Clan, of course.”
All around were lush forests, the air thick with a primal aura.
A colossal spirit rose slowly from between the mountains, lowering its head toward the Nether Lord. The girl took Lu Changyuan’s hand, leapt up, and landed upon the spirit’s back.
Sensing Lu Changyuan’s confusion, the Nether Lord explained, “Curious, aren’t you? This is the inherent ability of our Spirit Clan—to summon and command the dead spirits.”
Lu Changyuan’s pupils shrank sharply.
Since when did the Spirit Clan possess such power?
In the current cultivation world, the Spirit Clan had nothing like this—only rare individuals like i Zhao Zhao possessed a Spirit-Communing Body, the ability to speak with departed souls.
Just what kind of Spirit Clan was this?
Choosing his words carefully, Lu Changyuan looked toward the smiling Nether Lord. The girl in the wind was as alluring and unfathomable as a black butterfly fluttering in the breeze.
And under that very sa breeze, he caught sight of her delicate ears.
Those were not human ears—they were pointed, adorably so.
Lu Changyuan took a deep breath. “What is a guardian spirit?”
“You.”
I know it’s … Lu Changyuan was montarily at a loss for words.
The Nether Lord lifted his chin with a slender, fair finger.
“You are my possession and my guardian spirit. Every royal has one. I simply hadn’t summoned you before now.”
Lu Changyuan then carefully sensed the aura emanating from her.
Roughly Sixth Realm, Dawning Sun.
Not yet at Jade Radiance.
So he had been forcibly pulled into the past—through ti traced by the Moon Dial, drawn by resonance—to the period when the Nether Lord was still cultivating… and beca her guardian spirit?
How could Heaven’s Dao allow such a thing?
The Nether Lord suddenly placed her foot in Lu Changyuan’s lap. “Warm my feet, guardian.”
Lu Changyuan wanted to swat away the jade-like foot, but after a thought—since the situation was uncertain—he decided to endure it for now.
The soft arch of her foot felt like fine, warm jade in his hands. Though she wore no anklet, sothing about the sight felt incomplete.
The girl seed ticklish, gently rubbing her foot yet not pulling it away. Her lodious voice sounded, “A guardian spirit is a new life born from the union of death’s thought and royal blood.”
That did match the rules of the Nether Kingdom.
So—
Should I be calling her mother, then…? What nonsense.
The Nether Lord seed to guess his thoughts and hooked his chin again. “The contract between you and is the strongest bond in this world. You must protect . If I die, you die too.”
This scene felt oddly familiar.
Hadn’t I said those exact words before?
Damn it.
What goes around, cos around.
The Nether Lord suddenly leaned close, her delicate nose quivering slightly, her pointed ears twitching faintly.
So close.
Close enough that their noses nearly touched.
With curiosity, she murmured, “There’s sothing strange inside your body—powerful, yet still weak. That shouldn’t be. The spirit I summon couldn’t possibly be weak.”
Lu Changyuan did his best to digest everything.
All he wanted now was to figure out how to return.
Once he did, he’d pin Qiu Yuehan down and question her properly—what in the world had she done.
Lu Changyuan asked, “We’re heading back to your clan now—what for?”
Hearing this, the Nether Lord turned her head and gave him a dazzling smile.
It was an expression Qiu Yuehan would never show—yet on this girl’s face, it blood like a bewitching otherworldly flower, breathtakingly beautiful.
The Nether Lord said, “To kill.”
“This is where we part ways.”
At the shore of the Sea of Nothingness, i Zhao Zhao spoke softly.
The demoness of the Pleasure Sect still looked shaken. So many had entered the Nether Kingdom, yet in the end, only the three—no, only the two of them—had made it out alive.
Su Youwan silently nodded, removing her lotus crown. It expanded with the wind, transforming into a lotus platform.
i Zhao Zhao asked curiously, “Are you heading back to the Black Domain?”
“I’m going to the Dao Sect.”
The Sun Dial was still in Su Youwan’s hand—naturally, she had to make a trip to the Dao Sect to deliver it to Xia Lianxue.
“Then farewell.”
i Zhao Zhao waved without the slightest hesitation and flew off into the distance.
But after a while, she circled back. Seeing that Su Youwan had yet to leave, she added, “Um… if that Lu fellow is still alive when you see him next ti, tell him he owes a favor.”
Su Youwan nodded but replied, “It’s you who owes him. If not for him, you would’ve died in the Nether Kingdom.”
“You—!”
i Zhao Zhao turned and stord off.
It wasn’t that she wanted Lu Changyuan to owe her.
She rely wanted Su Youwan to remind him—that he still knew soone nad i Zhao Zhao.
The demoness of the Pleasure Sect had already decided that Lu Changyuan was not only absurdly powerful but also far too soft-hearted.
And soft-hearted n could never resist won.
A little coquettish act, a gentle body leaning close—and such a man would do anything for you.
Su Youwan had no idea what i Zhao Zhao was thinking. Even if she did, she probably wouldn’t have cared.
She sat upon the lotus platform and headed toward the White Domain.
She no longer needed to carry a birdcage.
She used to keep it, thinking that as a woman, she might need it after marriage soday. But now… her emotions had been devoured.
So what should she do?
Su Youwan couldn’t think of an answer for now. She would take it one step at a ti.
Would Young Master Lu, after consuming her emotions, beco filled only with thoughts of her?
That matter would have to wait.
For now, there was one more question.
Who exactly was she?
Su Youwan had hardly ever considered that. She was born in the Glazed Dynasty, her father an emperor, her mother a consort. Her father had died of illness, and her mother had long perished in childbirth.
Everything seed so clear.
She was without a doubt human—just born slightly different from others.
Su Youwan had always believed so, yet the scene she witnessed in the Nether Kingdom changed that belief.
That flash of sword light—and the Heaven’s Dao that had been severed.
Just what was her true origin?
The lotus platform continued to fly swiftly through the air.
Her wounds had yet to heal, but Su Youwan could no longer afford to care. She had to find her master and ask for an answer.
At an incredible speed, the lotus platform streaked across the sky. A few days later, Su Youwan once again arrived before the Cihang Temple outside the Glazed Dynasty.
The dilapidated Cihang Temple remained unrepaired.
With a few steps, the silver-haired girl entered the temple. Inside, thick with dust, the Thousand-Hand Cihang Statue still appeared as horrifying as before.
Compared to her last visit, the cobwebs within were even worse this ti. The dense layers of webs seed to have made the temple their ho, making the place eerily unsettling.
Su Youwan furrowed her brows and sighed softly.
A thought she had never once entertained rose suddenly in her heart. Raising her hand, she sent a gust of wind sweeping through the entire Cihang Temple, carrying the dust away with it.
Only then did Su Youwan’s brows relax.
“Master.”
She stood before the Buddha statue, circulating her Dao. Through the connection, the statue once again seed to co alive, faintly glowing with light.
The girl raised her head and spoke each word clearly, “Who am I?”
After a long silence—
She nodded slightly.
Her master had only replied with one line: You are the human race’s Destined Heavenly Dao.
Before, she had taken those words rely as her master’s encouragent to cultivate diligently and quickly enter the Jade Radiance Realm, to shoulder Cihang Palace’s future. But hearing them now, the words carried an entirely different aning.
“Master, my emotions were devoured by Lu Changyuan… no, to be precise, they were swallowed by him after I was possessed by the Desire Demon.”
The girl lowered her eyes, then seed sowhat surprised.
Her master had just asked her—did she have soone she wished to marry now?
“No… or perhaps not exactly. It’s just that I still don’t quite understand what it ans to like and to love… I will understand soday?”
Su Youwan cut off her connection to the statue.
Her master’s condition was not good; it was best not to trouble her any further.
The girl left Cihang Temple, yet the confusion in her heart did not lessen—it only grew deeper.
Perhaps she should go ho and take a look.
The thought arose suddenly in her heart—sothing she had never once considered before.
With a quiet sigh, Su Youwan decided to rest a few days in the Glazed Dynasty before heading to the Dao Sect, taking the ti to heal and ditate.
Winter was drawing near.
The people of the dynasty had already donned thickened clothing.
From the sky, Su Youwan glanced down at herself—her pale blue Daoist robe was the sa as always, unchanged through all seasons.
Cultivators felt neither heat nor cold. She bore none of the airs of a young maiden either.
So be it.
Suppressing her tangled thoughts, the girl soon descended before the imperial palace. A new emperor, a new era—the Fourth Prince, Su Luo Qiu, had spent the past half-year tirelessly restoring order in the Upper Jade Capital. He had stabilized the situation remarkably well. Compared to the Second Prince, he undoubtedly held greater favor among the people.
It was near sunset when Su Youwan t Su Luo Qiu.
The Fourth Prince, weary in his study, was startled at the sight of her. “Elder Sister, why have you suddenly returned?”
Su Youwan said calmly, “Passing by, I thought I’d take a look. Seeing that you’ve handled matters decently, that’s enough.”
Su Luo Qiu, still shaken, replied, “I only did what had to be done. The citizens of Upper Jade Capital can now spend this winter in peace and enjoy a good new year.”
His words were well-spoken, and since he truly had done well, Su Youwan saw no need to argue.
As long as the people lived without worry, even a change of emperor would not shake the Glazed Dynasty’s foundation.
Su Youwan turned to leave. “I’ll rest in my chambers tonight and depart at dawn.”
The emperor suddenly spoke, “Elder Sister, do you know where our eldest brother went?”
The Crown Prince had yet to return. It was odd… though perhaps not that odd. The Fourth Prince had simply been lucky to seize the throne, and of course, he ant to hold it tightly.
In just a short ti, many of the court officials had already been replaced. Su Luo Qiu now held firm control over the governnt.
Naturally, the Crown Prince dared not return.
But the strange part was—Su Luo Qiu had sent many to search for him, yet not a single trace of the Crown Prince could be found.
Even if he dared not return, there should have been so sign.
Where had he vanished? Who was the last to see him? There should have been so explanation—but the Crown Prince had simply disappeared without a trace.
Su Youwan shook her head, not interested in the touching family tales of brotherly affection.
“Don’t bother . I’m going to rest.”
Su Luo Qiu gave a wry smile, an idea flashing through his mind.
He said, “Elder Sister, when will you and that Young Master Lu marry? As your family, though you two probably look down on mortal customs, we should at least show so gesture.”
The silver-haired girl paused mid-step.
She turned back thoughtfully. “Why do you think I will marry Young Master Lu?”
Su Luo Qiu looked puzzled. “Isn’t it obvious? Elder Sister and that man’s temperants are identical. In my opinion, you two are a perfect match. Could it be you don’t like him?”
Su Youwan shook her head, then nodded slightly. “I don’t know what liking feels like.”
Only then did Su Luo Qiu recall how utterly emotionless his sister was—colder even than true monastics.
“These days, no couples truly have feelings for each other. Love cos after marriage.”
That wasn’t entirely wrong.
Parents’ orders, matchmakers’ words—thus two strangers beca a couple.
Su Luo Qiu smiled bitterly. “For most people, finding soone they love to marry is nearly impossible. Besides, even if you love soone, can you be sure that feeling never changes? Emotions are the most fragile thing in this world. Liking soone for a year or two is fine, but forever? Impossible.”
Liking was only temporary.
In the end, it always turned into habit.
And habit was the most terrifying thing in existence.
“Even Prince Pingyang and his wife never t before marriage, yet they live in harmony. You’ve at least t that Young Master Lu once. Besides, Elder Sister… you’re not getting any younger.”
Who was this Prince Pingyang? Su Youwan had no recollection of such a person.
For a cultivator, she was still nothing more than a novice girl, but as an imperial princess, she was indeed of marrying age.
Su Youwan’s gaze suddenly turned sharp. “Fourth Brother?”
“Nothing, nothing.” Su Luo Qiu forced a laugh. “I just think you and Young Master Lu would make a fine pair.”
Her voice turned cold. “Restrain your sches.”
His intent was plain as day. This sister’s backing could not be borrowed—Cihang Palace stood above mortal affairs, secluded within the Black Domain. Even borrowed prestige couldn’t reach it.
But if Lu Changyuan beca his brother-in-law, then, for the sake of that bond, his throne would be far more secure.
Su Luo Qiu had seen with his own eyes when Lu Changyuan slew Su Wu Xiang with a single sword strike. Having such a terrifyingly strong brother-in-law could only be to his advantage.
Su Youwan’s expression remained unreadable. “You still haven’t told what liking feels like.”
Su Luo Qiu pulled a bitter face.
How would he know what liking felt like?
As a prince, he had no ti for won—his days were spent plotting how to curse his elder brothers to death.
So he gave the most formulaic answer he could think of.
“It’s probably when everyone else seems ordinary, yet that one person you notice feels different. That’s what it ans to like soone.”
It was an answer that said both everything and nothing—but it made Su Youwan fall into deep thought.
After a while—
This aloof celestial woman asked a question that shook heaven and earth.
“But what if the person you like already has wives and concubines?”
Su Luo Qiu froze.
Then replied, without hesitation:
“Take him. All good things are taken by force.”
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