The dual cultivation plan of Nan Shan came to an abrupt halt—because Yan Yue had returned.
His return was so sudden that just as Nan Shan stepped out of the illusionary realm of the Cultivation Platform, she ran straight into him.
Her mind momentarily went blank.
“What’s this? Just a few days apart, and you’ve already forgotten your celestial father?”
Yan Yue deliberately put on a stern face.
Nan Shan snapped back to her senses, eyes wide with shock.
“Why did you suddenly return?”
Though he had been away for a while, he hadn’t cut off all communication.
At the very least, he kept in touch with Ling Ye.
Just two days ago, he had asked Ling Ye to bring her a message—he had found a beauty-enhancing elixir that young girls would surely love and had someone send it to her.
But before the elixir could even arrive, he himself had returned.
“Weren’t you supposed to be gone for a while longer?”
Nan Shan’s emotions were complicated.
On one hand, she was relieved to see him return safely, but on the other, her thoughts drifted to that strange man named Xi Yuan.
Yan Yue didn’t notice anything unusual in her expression.
He merely smiled and said, “Forget it. I was supposed to help the Kunlun Patriarch search for a while longer, but yesterday, we suddenly found a fragment of the Ten Thousand Life Cauldron. It seems the cauldron has already been destroyed, so there was no point in continuing the search.”
That man had just told her that her celestial father would return to dispel the tracking spell on her.
And now, the Ten Thousand Life Cauldron was destroyed, and her celestial father had indeed come back.
This couldn’t just be a coincidence, could it?
Nan Shan’s heart grew heavy, but on the surface, she had to pretend everything was normal.
As they spoke, Ling Ye emerged from the courtyard.
Upon seeing him, Yan Yue’s face lit up with a smile.
“Ah, my good son! Have you eaten?”
“Father,” Ling Ye nodded.
“What did you eat?”
“Spring noodles.”
“So plain? How many bowls?”
“Three.”
Ling Ye glanced at Nan Shan after speaking, yet she seemed distracted—neither surprised by his appetite nor regretful for missing the meal with him.
Yan Yue remained cheerful.
“Three bowls? Impressive!”
Nan Shan finally came back to herself and couldn’t help but laugh.
“Even eating a lot deserves praise now?”
As soon as the words left her mouth, Ling Ye shot her a look.
She immediately corrected herself.
“I mean—it’s worth praising! Amazing.”
An Unexpected Marriage Discussion
With Yan Yue’s sudden return, Nan Shan completely forgot about her dual cultivation plans.
Instead, she and Ling Ye sat with him in the courtyard of the Sleepless Pavilion, catching up on recent events.
When Ling Ye mentioned that he had been teaching Nan Shan techniques, Yan Yue looked surprised.
“She has the power to slay a Seven-Legged Serpent, and she still needs you to teach her?”
Nan Shan immediately put on an innocent face and turned to Ling Ye for help.
Ling Ye remained composed.
“She only managed that by relying on her innate spirit bone, unleashing power in a life-or-death moment. But fundamentally, she is still an untrained mortal.”
Nan Shan went from pretending to be clueless to genuinely admiring him.
The way he could effortlessly spin the truth into something else—his skills were truly remarkable.
Ling Ye lowered his gaze and, under the cover of the table, subtly tapped her hand, signaling her to restrain herself from looking too attached in front of an elder.
Nan Shan was baffled.
Yan Yue, oblivious to the silent exchange between the two, nodded thoughtfully.
“I had initially thought that your marriage was some kind of shady deal rather than a genuine union. But now, it seems I was mistaken.”
Nan Shan, oblivious to the deeper meaning in Yan Yue’s words, merely sighed at her own incompetence.
“I really am slow—I just can’t seem to learn anything properly.”
“You have a natural spirit bone. You are one of the most suitable people in the world for cultivation. You just haven’t found the right method yet. No need to worry,” Yan Yue reassured her.
Nan Shan smiled mischievously.
“But if I don’t learn quickly, how will I protect Ling Ye?”
“No rush. You’ll get there in time. Besides, you have me.”
Yan Yue laughed heartily.
“I may be getting old, but I can still protect you two for a while yet.”
“I don’t need your protection,” Ling Ye said flatly.
Yan Yue snorted.
“Stubborn as ever.”
Nan Shan: “… No, really, he’s not being stubborn.”
Then, as if remembering something, Yan Yue continued, “This trip wasn’t entirely fruitless. While I didn’t recover the Ten Thousand Life Cauldron, I did manage to secure a favor from Kunlun. The Kunlun Patriarch personally divined your wedding date.”
Since the fall of the True God of the Eastern Yi Kingdom, the world had been left with diviners but no celestial prophets.
Among diviners, the Kunlun Patriarch was considered one of the best.
Having him set the wedding date was quite a blessing for the two of them.
“When is it?”
Ling Ye asked immediately.
Yan Yue shot him a sidelong glance.
“He didn’t say an exact date—just that the sooner, the better. Otherwise, things may change.”
Ling Ye’s brows furrowed.
“What does that mean?”
“How should I know? He’s a diviner, not a celestial prophet. It’s already impressive that he could calculate this much.”
Yan Yue waved it off.
Meanwhile, Nan Shan had zoned out, her mind elsewhere.
Yan Yue snapped his fingers, making her jump.
Yan Yue burst into laughter, while Ling Ye glanced at her.
She cleared her throat awkwardly.
“So… what now?”
Yan Yue smiled.
“What else? If you two have no objections, we can proceed with the wedding soon. How about the second day of next month?”
Nan Shan, still preoccupied with the unresolved issue of Xi Yuan’s poison, was caught off guard by the sudden wedding discussion.
She didn’t know what to say.
Unexpectedly, Ling Ye spoke up.
“Today is the tenth. The second of next month is over twenty days away.”
Yan Yue hesitated.
“Too soon? Then perhaps—”
“Ten days from now,” Ling Ye interrupted coolly.
“The twenty-second sounds good.”
Yan Yue choked slightly, then turned to Nan Shan.
Ling Ye also looked at her.
Nan Shan let out a dry laugh.
“I… I’m fine with it.”
Ling Ye seemed satisfied.
The corners of his lips lifted slightly.
“Although it’s a bit rushed, the wedding won’t be sloppy. Don’t worry, you won’t be wronged.”
Yan Yue raised an eyebrow.
His usually stiff son was suddenly saying such considerate things?
Interesting.
Meanwhile, Nan Shan forced a smile, her mind already racing with thoughts of how to deal with the poison Xi Yuan had placed on her.
The conversation stretched on for nearly an hour before Ling Ye insisted it was time for bed and chased them away.
As Yan Yue turned toward the grand gates of the Sleepless Pavilion, he grumbled, “That stubborn brat… Even when the sky is falling, he insists on sleeping and eating on time.”
Nan Shan recalled a small version of Ling Ye dining with the Queen of the Underworld, a rare warmth settling in her gaze.
“Maybe he’s just used to it.”
Yan Yue chuckled softly and walked alongside her.
The night in the Underworld was cold, the mist in the sky hazy.
Nan Shan glanced up briefly before sneaking a look at Yan Yue.
After a long silence, she asked in a quiet voice, “Celestial Father… why did you let the Queen of the Underworld reincarnate?”
Yan Yue was surprised.
“He told you about that?”
Nan Shan blinked.
“Zhi Can mentioned it.”
“That little rascal talks too much.”
Yan Yue smiled faintly.
“Because it wasn’t necessary.”
“Not necessary?”
Nan Shan was confused.
“All living beings have their destinies. This life may be good, but the next might be even better. Let nature take its course. You’ll understand when you’re older.”
He paused, then chuckled.
“Of course, if you never understand, that’s a blessing too.”
By then, they had reached Nan Shan’s courtyard.
“Alright, go get some rest.”
As she stepped inside, Yan Yue pulled out a small storage pouch.
“Here, this is for you.”
Nan Shan peeked inside—and gasped.
It was filled with sugar figurines and toys
The flickering candlelight cast long shadows across the dimly lit room. |
Xi Yuan tilted his head slightly, his mesmerizing eyes shimmering like rippling water.
“You’d better keep your word.”
His voice was low, but each syllable carried weight.
“I sacrificed a piece of the Wan Sheng Ding to lure Yan Yue back early. You know exactly what I’m planning.”
Nan Shan met his gaze, her expression unwavering.
“Give me ten more days.”
“Three.”
“Seven.”
“I’ll be here by tomorrow evening.”
Nan Shan exhaled slowly, tension tightening her shoulders.
Before she could protest, Xi Yuan reached out, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
His fingers brushed against her jaw, a fleeting touch that sent an inexplicable shiver down her spine.
“Still want to bargain?” he murmured, his lips curving into a dangerous smile.
Nan Shan clenched her fists, taking a deep breath.
“…Three days, then.”
Xi Yuan chuckled softly, a sound both amused and chilling.
“You’re the most interesting mortal I’ve ever met.”
A breath caught in Nan Shan’s throat, her body tensing.
She dared not move.
“Tomorrow, at the hour of Wei, I will come for you.”
With that, Xi Yuan turned on his heel, his silhouette blending into the night.
“Wait—” Nan Shan quickly raised the small jade-like stone in her hand.
“Your ding, you forgot to take it!”
“Keep it safe.”
Xi Yuan cast a glance over his shoulder, his lips curling at the corners.
“Make sure you don’t lose it. Or else…”
Nan Shan shuddered at the unspoken threat.
Forcing a laugh, she nodded hastily.
“I won’t hand it over to anyone.”
Xi Yuan let out a quiet hum of approval before vanishing into the darkness.
Nan Shan stood there for a long while, ensuring he was truly gone before she slumped to the ground.
She turned the object over in her hands, studying its smooth, jade-like surface.
“Why call it a ‘ding’ when it looks like a jade stone…?”
Though she tried to sound casual, her mind was a tangled mess.
No matter how she turned the situation over, she couldn’t see a way out.
The more she thought, the more she felt like she was suffocating.
Her gaze drifted toward the lacquered wine jar on her dressing table.
“A drunken night dissolves a thousand worries,” her father always said.
Nan Shan sat in silence, deliberating.
She was already trapped.
No amount of brooding would change that.
If she was doomed to sleepless nights, she might as well drink herself into oblivion and deal with tomorrow when it came.
After all, her father always slept soundly after drinking.
Making up her mind, she reached for the wine.
By the time Ling Ye failed to fall asleep for the eighth time, he admitted defeat.
He found himself wandering to Nan Shan’s courtyard.
As expected, the gate was unlocked.
It always was.
Unchallenged, he made his way to her door.
He hesitated, hand raised, lowering it once—twice—before finally knocking.
A brief silence.
Then, a slightly muffled response:
“Who is it?”
Her voice was groggy, like she had just woken up—or hadn’t slept at all.
Ling Ye’s lips quirked.
So, she couldn’t sleep either.
Understandable.
After all, in ten days, she was supposed to marry the man she had admired for years.
Who wouldn’t be too excited to sleep?
“It’s me.”
Suddenly, there was a loud crash from inside.
Ling Ye frowned.
A pang of unease coiled in his chest.
He resisted the urge to use spiritual energy to peer inside.
After some frantic shuffling, Nan Shan yanked open the door, breathless.
“Y-You? Why are you here?”
Ling Ye studied her, brows drawing together.
“I couldn’t sleep. I came to talk about the wedding.”
Nan Shan’s face burned. “…Weren’t you the one who said you wanted to sleep earlier?”
Ling Ye was about to respond when a distinct scent of wine hit him.
His expression darkened.
“You’ve been drinking.”
Nan Shan shrugged, retreating into her room.
“Just a little.”
She waved him in casually.
“No wonder my father always drinks when he’s upset. It really does make everything feel better. I won’t scold him for it anymore.”
She retrieved another ceramic cup, filling it to the brim before handing it to him expectantly.
Ling Ye took the cup, watching her with an unreadable gaze before drinking.
The warmth spread through his throat, leaving a lingering sweetness.
He nodded slightly.
“Not bad.”
“Right?”
Nan Shan beamed and poured another.
Ling Ye had intended to discuss the wedding, yet somehow, he ended up drinking with her instead.
By the time he put down his second cup, she had already filled a third.
“Drink,” she urged.
Ling Ye hesitated.
This isn’t good…
Nan Shan’s cheeks were flushed, her expression utterly content.
“Now I understand why people enjoy convincing others to drink. It’s… fun.”
“Convincing people to drink is not a good habit,” Ling Ye said pointedly.
“I know,” Nan Shan grinned.
“But I’m not convincing just anyone.”
…Was he not just anyone?
Ling Ye felt something stir in his chest, something unfamiliar.
Before he could analyze it, Nan Shan suddenly leaned closer.
“It’s so hot…” she murmured.
Ling Ye tensed.
Something inside him shifted—a small ripple, an unfamiliar surge of restlessness.
He frowned.
“What kind of wine is this?”
Nan Shan blinked lazily.
“The one the Zhu Yue Lou owner gave me.”
Ling Ye stiffened.
Zhu Yue Lou’s wines… always had something extra.
“…Ling Ye.”
Nan Shan suddenly straightened, closing the distance between them.
Her breath brushed against his skin.
Their faces were so close—so dangerously close—that Ling Ye found himself gripping the fabric of his sleeve just to keep still.
His breath hitched.
“…What?”
His voice was hoarse.
Nan Shan smiled.
“Can you… dual cultivate with me?”
Ling Ye froze.
His mind blanked, his body stiffened—his very soul seemed to shatter.
Dual cultivation.
Nan Shan was still speaking, but the words were lost in the haze.
Her reasoning, her intentions—none of it registered.
All he saw was her—flushed cheeks, dazed expression, lips slightly parted, eyes filled with unfiltered emotion.
His hands twitched, and before he could stop himself, he reached for her.
Their skin brushed.
Nan Shan suddenly toppled forward—
Ling Ye caught her—
But in doing so, her lips grazed his nose, then slid down, pressing lightly against his cheek.
“You smell… nice…” she murmured.
Ling Ye’s grip tightened.
Something snapped inside him.
The spiritual energy in his veins roared, spiraling out of control.
He fought to suppress it, but the more he resisted, the more violent it became.
He needed to push her away.
Needed to stop.
But when he reached for the back of her neck, about to knock her unconscious—
He hesitated.
Zhu Yue Lou’s wines were potent.
She was mortal.
If he left her like this… the heat in her body would continue to build.
If it wasn’t released, it could cause irreparable harm.
Nan Shan shifted, her lips parting slightly.
“…Ling Ye,” she whispered.
Ling Ye exhaled sharply, his resolve crumbling.
This night was far from over.
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