The next day.
An ethereal, transcendent beauty—a holy radiance belonging to a deity, impossible to look directly at.
Deep within her sky-blue pupils, a faint golden light flickered.
It was a beauty where every cell was steeped in vibrant vitality.
Smoother than the finest silk, holy, majestic, inviolable.
Golden divine runes on her skirt flickered with each movement.
From today onward, everything will be different.
She changed into a pure white dress, the fabric woven from divine power, its texture exquisite.
Su Nian walked to the giant floor-to-ceiling mirror.
The girl reflected there possessed a peerless visage.
Divine power flowed quietly within her, like a gentle stream.
Every inch of her body was filled with unprecedented lightness and strength.
Su Nian opened her eyes and sat up.
‘Good.’
At this moment, the Horned Demon Bastard who had once imprisoned her in a cage and dominated her at will was now locked away by the divine seal she had personally set, confined in the bedroom at the highest point of the castle—her prisoner.
Heaven had transformed into the sweetest fruit.
All the endurance, all the humiliation, all the scheming—it had all ended yesterday.
She had won.
This thought arose in her mind but failed to bring the expected ecstasy.
A strange, untimely heat crept onto her cheeks.
The absurd illusion realm from last night, those uncontrollable images, lingered deep in her memories.
As a goddess, she had actually knelt in her own created illusion, hands bound behind her back, offering herself to that man’s phantom.
Su Nian’s fingertips curled slightly.
‘Just an illusion. That was just… a harmless secret belonging to her, a newly ascended goddess.’ She forced herself to suppress that sense of shame.
The following day.
Su Nian began to patrol her territory with the poise of the castle’s mistress.
She announced to everyone that Chu Tian had matters to attend to and his return date was uncertain.
From today on, she would take over all castle affairs.
Wearing high heels, she strolled through the castle, inspecting her “spoils.”
On the walls hung priceless paintings by famous masters.
When she passed, servants would stop their work well in advance, press themselves against the walls, lower their heads, and hold their breath.
Only after the cold, fragrant silhouette had completely disappeared would they dare to exhale slowly, sneak a look, and gaze with awe and curiosity at that back that seemed like a deity descending to the mortal world.
She headed straight for the castle’s treasury.
Guarding the treasury entrance was Chu Tian’s most loyal subordinate.
But when he saw her, he did not stop her and allowed her to enter.
‘Hmph. So the Horned Demon Bastard’s treasury is open to me.’
‘Hmph. That guy is generous in this regard—he knows what’s good for him. But of course, it’s because she was his possession, so he spared no expense.’
‘Hmph.’
She pushed open the door and entered the castle’s treasury.
A thick air mixed with metal and magical energy rushed toward her.
Gold coins were piled like mountains, reflecting dazzling light under the magical lamps.
All kinds of magical gems, rare ores, and magic beast cores were casually stored in huge chests, glittering with enchanting brilliance.
Now they lay quietly here, at her disposal and the wealth was enough to rival a nation!
Su Nian reached out and let the cold coins slip through her fingers, producing a pleasant jingling sound.
‘I’m rich.’ This thought surfaced in her mind, yet she felt little joy.
The castle was huge.
Su Nian did not use her divine power to scan it; instead, she used the most primitive method—walking step by step to measure her territory.
She traversed every room, every corridor.
In the afternoon, she left the castle and went to the village that was beginning to take shape on the outskirts.
The bustle of the town came to an abrupt halt the moment she appeared.
Merchants in the middle of haggling fell silent; children playing on the streets instantly quieted down, hiding behind their mothers, stealing glances with curious and fearful eyes.
Everyone automatically cleared a path for her.
At dusk.
The blood-red setting sun dyed the sky a magnificent orange-red.
Su Nian stood alone at the top of the castle’s highest tower.
Her waterfall of golden hair and white dress fluttered loudly in the wind.
A cold gale howled from the distant Monster Forest, blowing her hair.
She gripped the cold stone railing and looked down.
The village with its curling smoke, the distant Monster Forest shrouded in mist, and this vast, boundless land.
Everything here belonged to her now.
Territory.
Spoils.
Authority, wealth, power.
She had obtained everything she had dreamed of.
This thought echoed in her mind but stirred no ripples.
Instead, it made her chest feel stifled.
The feeling of ecstasy she had imagined was not there.
The taste of victory was—surprisingly—so bland.
Compared to the days when she was imprisoned and bullied by the Horn Demon Master, she did not seem… happier.
Instead, having lost her original goal, she felt somewhat… lost.
She didn’t quite know what to do now.
Su Nian retracted the divine majesty that naturally emanated from her and returned to the warm, bright dining room.
Her parents were already waiting at the long table.
When they saw her, they immediately showed loving smiles.
A sumptuous dinner, exquisite tableware, servants standing silently by—everything displayed the prestige of the castle’s new mistress.
“Nian Nian, come quickly, try this. The kitchen roasted a new ham today.”
Her mother enthusiastically served her food, her tone full of affection.
During the meal, the warm atmosphere was repeatedly broken by a name.
“Speaking of which, that Chu Tian kid—it’s really something, leaving without a word.”
Her father put down his knife and fork, frowning, his tone carrying a hint of regret.
“Yeah, when he was here, he took such good care of us, kept the castle running smoothly.”
Her mother chimed in, looking at Su Nian.
“Nian Nian, where did he go? Did he say when he’d be back? Shouldn’t we start preparing for the wedding?”
The clink of cutlery against plates rang out crisply.
Su Nian paused for a moment.
She could clearly sense the aroma of the food and see the genuine concern on her parents’ faces.
But that concern felt like fine needles pricking her heart.
She couldn’t tell them that the gentle, considerate “future son-in-law” they spoke of was the Horned Demon Bastard who had imprisoned and tormented her for months.
Even less could she tell them that the man was now sealed in the bedroom at the top of the castle by her divine power, reduced to a prisoner.
Su Nian lowered her eyes, her voice betraying no emotion, “He had to go somewhere very far. No set return date. He had urgent business.”
She finished dinner hastily, fleeing the suffocating warmth, and returned to her private room.
The heavy door shut out the outside world.
The castle fell into complete silence.
Su Nian lit a magical lamp, picked up a thick volume of magical scripture, and tried to immerse herself in the ocean of knowledge.
She recognized every ancient rune on the pages, but together they failed to form any meaning in her mind.
Her gaze had no focus.
Time ticked by.
Deep within her body, that familiar, detestable restlessness surged again uncontrollably.
A hot undercurrent quietly sprouted from the depths of her divine core, spreading tyrannically through her limbs and bones, igniting a craving under every inch of her skin.
Irritated, Su Nian closed the book.
In the end, she couldn’t resist.
Golden divine power, born from her shame and anger, slowly flowed from her fingertips.
Once again, she entered the illusion.