In the God of the Underworld Palace, Shen Yi sat slumped on the ground.
Her voice had long been hoarse from crying and she could no longer make a sound. At this moment, she just sat there in a daze, her eyes vacant as if she had lost her soul.
Just a few steps away from her, a fire fox lay on the ground, its condition unknown.
Beside the fire fox, another mottled fox was circling around it, occasionally lowering its head to lick the fire fox’s fur.
When Shen Xin emerged from her sea of consciousness, this was the scene that greeted her.
She twitched her lips. It seemed this mottled fox really liked the fire fox.
Shen Xin couldn’t help but whisper to Qin Weiji, “Is this fox male or female?”
Qin Weiji glanced at her, his eyes filled with intense dissatisfaction, though his tone remained calm. “Male.”
Shen Xin, “?”
Qin Weiji was even more ruthless than her!
Truly worthy of being the villain in the book, he had what it takes to become a great Demon lord.
Noticing her expression, Qin Weiji chuckled lightly, “Feeling sorry for it?”
Shen Xin, “…Not at all.”
She tilted her head to look at Qin Weiji, smiling faintly with her head cocked. “Why would I feel sorry for it? I just think that my husband and I are truly kindred spirits.”
After all, earlier she had only glanced at him, and he already knew what mischief she wanted him to help her with—even taking it a step further.
Moreover, logically speaking, this ordinary mottled fox should have been too intimidated by bloodline suppression to approach the fire fox that Gu Luoyuan had transformed into. Clearly, Qin Weiji had tampered with it somehow.
Shen Xin increasingly felt that Qin Weiji’s corruption index must already be quite high.
And his favorability rating kept rising too—completing her mission was just around the corner!
Their voices snapped Shen Yi out of her despondent state.
Widening her eyes at the two foxes before her, Shen Yi finally realized the barrier had disappeared. She frantically lunged forward, grabbing the mottled fox by the neck and squeezing hard.
After a few pitiful whimpers, the mottled fox’s neck snapped in Shen Yi’s hands, and it stopped breathing.
Shen Yi flung it away forcefully, then trembling, picked up the unconscious fire fox again. Tears pattered onto the fire fox’s fur. “Brother Luoyuan…”
Shen Xin watched coldly, only raising an eyebrow slightly when Shen Yi killed the mottled fox without hesitation.
Indeed, the female lead wasn’t some pure, naive fool.
She could be quite ruthless when necessary.
It was then that Shen Yi turned to look at Shen Xin, smiling bitterly. “Are you happy now, sister?”
Shen Xin feigned innocence. “I didn’t see anything. Why would I be happy?”
Shen Yi’s tears fell faster and faster, crying and laughing simultaneously. “I actually thought before that you cared for me, sister.”
Her red-rimmed eyes fixed on Shen Xin, filled with obvious hatred. “They were right—I was too foolish and naive. You never really saw me as your sister, did you? You’re just like everyone else, bullying me because my cultivation is destroyed, thinking I’m weak and stupid, aren’t you?”
Shen Xin fell silent, realizing that being the villain wasn’t so easy after all.
At least right now, seeing Shen Yi’s pitiful, miserable state, she felt a twinge of sympathy.
But Shen Xin had known since childhood that the rules of the world are always set by the strong.
If she didn’t strike first against the main characters, they wouldn’t spare her either.
In the end, she’d only earn a line from the female lead: “Though I feel some guilt, she brought this upon herself.”
Now, she was merely transforming herself from the weak into the strong—simply striking first.
“To be honest, you were never truly my sister to begin with.”
Shen Xin looked down at Shen Yi with a cold sneer, her voice dripping with disdain. “My mother was born into the Secret Realm Sky Clan, while yours was merely a fox demon who cultivated into an ordinary loose immortal. What right do you have to call yourself my sister?”
Shen Yi’s face twisted with grief as she cried, her teeth clenched tightly. “So this has been your true opinion all along, sister?”
Shen Xin shrugged noncommittally.
Though she actually had no strong feelings about it—after all, she wasn’t the original owner of this body—her only goal was to complete her mission.
Shen Yi, however, had clearly grown to hate her. With venom in her eyes, she spat out a threat, “Since you care nothing for sisterly bonds, I won’t sit idly by. One day, I will make you pay a hundredfold for what you’ve done to Brother Qiyuan and Brother Luoyuan today.”
Shen Xin frowned slightly, but before she could respond, a golden light suddenly enveloped Shen Yi. In an instant, both she and the unconscious Gu Luoyuan she held vanished without a trace.
Shen Xin was momentarily stunned.
Shen Yi currently possessed no cultivation base, yet her departure was as silent and untraceable as her arrival.
Unable to contain her curiosity, she turned to Qin Weiji, who had remained quietly by her side, and asked, “What was that golden light? How did she do it? Who’s helping her?”
Qin Weiji’s expression remained remarkably calm as he replied indifferently, “The Heavenly Dao.”
Shen Xin, “?”
Was this the so-called protagonist’s luck bestowed by the Heavenly Dao?
Pursing her lips in thought, she was interrupted when Qin Weiji lifted his eyelids to study her for a moment before adding, “Gu Luoyuan is the young master of the fox clan.”
Shen Xin blinked. “I know that.”
According to the original plot, he would eventually become the Demon King.
Qin Weiji continued, “Shen Yi’s threat wasn’t empty. If the fox clan learns of today’s events, they won’t let you off—or rather, the entire Demon Clan will come after you.”
Widening her eyes, Shen Xin asked, “Is my husband afraid of the Demon Clan?”
Having grown accustomed to her feigned innocence, Qin Weiji curled his lips into a cold smile. “I am the ruler of the Six Realms. Do you think I fear them?”
Shen Xin pressed her lips together. “You may be the ruler of the Six Realms, but I’ve noticed they don’t seem all that respectful toward you.”
She counted on her fingers, “Whether it’s Qiyuan or Gu Luoyuan, none of them truly regard you with deference.”
She refrained from mentioning the other men from the original female lead’s harem who hadn’t yet appeared, but each one of them held little reverence for Qin Weiji.
Sighing at the thought, she said, “It’s only because you’re too lenient with them, husband, that they don’t know their place. In my opinion, you shouldn’t be so kindhearted in the future, lest they think my husband is easy to bully.”
Qin Weiji gazed deeply at her. “Then what does Yao Yao suggest we do?”
Shen Xin lifted her chin slightly, a haughty smirk playing on her lips. “Throughout the Six Realms, anyone who dares defy my husband shall be executed without mercy.”
Yan Jun and the judge, who had retreated outside the hall but could still clearly hear the conversation, exchanged silent glances.
Their new God of the Underworld was indeed ruthless and merciless.
Meanwhile, Shen Xin tirelessly continued her brainwashing campaign, attempting to push Qin Weiji toward early corruption and demonic transformation.
“Good deeds go unrewarded—so why be good? Wouldn’t it be better to be a carefree villain?”
Qin Weiji’s expression remained impassive. “So, if the Heavenly Dao tries to control you, you’ll kill it?”
These were the words Shen Xin had just said to Gu Luoyuan. Shen Xin didn’t deny it, merely blinking as she asked, “I just wonder, is the Heavenly Dao that easy to kill?”
Qin Weiji, “…”
He curled his lips mockingly. “With your uselessness, of course you can’t kill it.”
Shen Xin naturally didn’t believe she could kill the Heavenly Dao either. She had said that to Gu Luoyuan purely to appear more arrogant—after all, that’s how villains acted in novels.
She just pursed her lips and tentatively asked, “Then… what about you, husband?”
Qin Weiji’s gaze shifted slightly, focusing on her, but his mind conjured the portrait he had seen earlier in her sea of consciousness.
The man in the portrait whom she called Dad…
He narrowed his eyes slightly, turned, and sat back in his chair. “In this realm, no one can control me.”
Shen Xin was curious. “Really?”
So confident.
Qin Weiji lazily leaned back in his chair, glancing at her without speaking.
Shen Xin wanted to ask more when Xiao Ai in her divine sense suddenly spoke up. 【Host, I think I know why you managed to easily defeat the male lead and even kill the supporting male character Qiyuan so effortlessly. I just checked the data—the most likely explanation is that the Heavenly Dao of this world has already disappeared.】
Shen Xin was startled. “Disappeared?”
Xiao Ai: 【Yes, the Heavenly Dao is incomplete. The male and female leads, along with supporting characters like Qiyuan who were blessed by its fortune, have naturally lost that luck.】
Shen Xin grew more puzzled. “Then why did Qin Weiji just say the Heavenly Dao was helping Shen Yi?”
Xiao Ai: 【That’s merely residual fortune from the Heavenly Dao lingering on the female lead. After all, she’s a Mary Sue protagonist—the heavenly fortune on her is naturally stronger.】
It let out a conspiratorial chuckle: 【Don’t worry, Host. With the Heavenly Dao gone, the residual fortune will gradually fade too. It won’t be able to protect the female lead for much longer.】
Shen Xin suddenly understood.
Shen Yi still carried remnants of the Heavenly Dao’s fortune, so when the male lead’s life was in danger, that residual fortune transported her to his side.
Then, it whisked her away from the dangerous situation.
But when did the Heavenly Dao disappear? Where did it go?
And judging by Qin Weiji’s demeanor, he seemed to know about this too.
However, Shen Xin quickly stopped dwelling on it and even felt somewhat happy.
Without the Heavenly Dao, things were better—no one could control her now.
Once the fortune on Shen Yi completely dissipated, she could roam freely across the Six Realms!
Qin Weiji had been watching her all along. He saw her suddenly stop questioning him, standing there alone as her expression shifted repeatedly, finally settling into a silly grin.
He raised an eyebrow. “What are you grinning foolishly about?”
Shen Xin snapped back to reality and quickly shook her head. “Nothing, I was just wondering… why do you always wear your hair down, husband?”
She said this partly to change the subject, but she was genuinely curious too.
Although he was handsome—devastatingly so even with disheveled hair—she couldn’t help wondering how he would look with his hair tied up in a jade crown.
He’d definitely be even more handsome.
Qin Weiji’s expression shifted slightly, unusually awkward.
After a moment of silence, he averted his eyes and snorted coldly. “I can’t be bothered to tie it up.”
Shen Xin fluttered her eyelashes. “Can’t be bothered… or don’t know how to?”
Clearly struck where it hurt, Qin Weiji’s face darkened further. “Shen Yaoyao—”
Before he could finish, she tilted her head and smiled sweetly. “How about… I help you tie your hair up?”
The unspoken word “presumptuous” lodged in Qin Weiji’s throat. After a moment of silence, he narrowed his eyes. “You want to comb my hair for me?”
“Exactly.”
Shen Xin approached him. “Let me style your hair, husband. I guarantee you’ll look so handsome you’ll stun all Six Realms.”
“Handsome?”
Qin Weiji clearly didn’t understand the term. Shen Xin clasped her hands behind her back, leaned close to him with a beaming smile, and explained, “It means good-looking.”
Then she blinked. “May I?”
Qin Weiji’s expression remained cold, his frost-like gaze lingering on her flower-like radiant face. After a pause, he slowly uttered, “Hmm.”
He had agreed.
Delighted, Shen Xin retrieved a sandalwood comb from her Divine Sense Space and moved behind Qin Weiji.
As the sandalwood comb touched Qin Weiji’s black hair, she gently smoothed it with her fingers, her movements light and careful.
Secretly, she thought: So this lofty Divine Lord actually has weaknesses too—like not even knowing how to tie his own hair. If this got out, it would probably become a joke throughout the Six Realms.
Her eyes curved into smiles as she smugly giggled where he couldn’t see.
To make a man fall for her completely, she first needed to become an indispensable habit.
Though he couldn’t see her, Qin Weiji could clearly feel her slender fingers lightly brushing against his scalp—soft and lingering.
Her scent carried a faint sandalwood fragrance, calming and soothing, making Qin Weiji unconsciously relax further as he leaned lazily against the chair back.
He closed his eyes, suddenly struck by a strange feeling.
Shen Yaoyao didn’t seem to be lying to him—she seemed to genuinely love him…
If he followed through with what the career-focused part of him suggested—using her and then discarding her—wouldn’t that be too cruel?
Qin Weiji frowned, suddenly feeling conflicted.
Finally, he resigned himself: Since she truly loved him this much, he didn’t necessarily have to abandon her. Keeping her by his side would be acceptable, as long as he didn’t fall for her, nothing would be affected.
Both had their own thoughts, but from the perspective of Yan Jun and the judge outside the hall, the scene appeared exceptionally warm.
But was this warmth perhaps ill-timed?
Yan Jun and the judge had witnessed everything that happened earlier—from Gu Luoyuan’s appearance to Shen Yi carrying Gu Luoyuan away. They had allowed a wild fox to defile the fox clan’s young master as if it were the most ordinary matter.
And now they had the mood to intimately style hair here?
Yan Jun and the judge exchanged glances, communicating through Divine Sense.
Yan Jun: “Should we still discuss the matters concerning the God of the Underworld? What about the broken seal on the Gates of Hell? So why did they even come here?”
The judge glanced at the pair in the hall, hesitating. “Using recent mortal slang, they probably came here just to show off and flaunt their affection?”
Yan Jun asked curiously, “That’s popular in the mortal realm now?”
The judge nodded. “A ghost I collected a few days ago told me.”
Yan Jun didn’t inquire further, but looked into the hall again, troubled. “Though the new God of the Underworld possesses formidable divine power, with her arrogant temperament, she’ll likely make countless enemies. I fear the Netherworld will suffer for it.”
The judge sighed. “But she’s the Divine Lord’s wife. If we must choose sides, the Netherworld has no choice but to stand with them.”
Yan Jun frowned slightly, thinking of the previous God of the Underworld who had inexplicably reincarnated. He sighed deeply. “The Six Realms are heading toward chaos. These days, increase patrols and guard the Gates of Hell closely. We cannot afford any more mistakes.”
The judge acknowledged the order, then glanced at the two figures in the hall. Uncertain how much longer they would continue displaying affection, he turned to attend to his duties first.
Only Yan Jun remained behind to wait.
Inside the hall, Shen Xin finally finished tying Qin Weiji’s hair into a sleek… high ponytail.
Naturally, Shen Xin knew nothing about ancient men’s hairstyles—she only knew how to make the simplest ponytail.
Initially lacking confidence, she circled around to face Qin Weiji after finishing. But when she saw his appearance clearly, she froze abruptly.
Qin Weiji happened to look up at her, narrowing his eyes slightly at her reaction. “What?”
Shen Xin’s delicate face suddenly flushed. She couldn’t explain why—perhaps because Qin Weiji looked overwhelmingly handsome at this moment.
She never expected that tying his black hair into a high ponytail would make him radiate such youthful charm.
With his fair skin, crimson thin lips, upturned eye corners, and seductive tear mole…
He perfectly embodied the dashing young noble she’d once imagined—the kind who’d ride spirited horses through Chang’an streets in vibrant robes.
Shen Xin heard her own heartbeat—strangely rapid, almost as fast as when he kissed her.
Qin Weiji’s gaze settled on her rosy cheeks. His eyes paused briefly before he suddenly chuckled, “Shen Yaoyao…”
She made a confused sound, meeting his gaze blankly.
He tilted his head slightly, black hair swaying with the movement. A smug smile curled his lips as he asked with inexplicable pride, “Good-looking?”
Shen Xin’s heartbeat grew more erratic. Her eyes darted away, somehow unable to look at him further. Turning her face aside, she softly murmured, “Mhmm.”
His laughter grew more languid as he raised a hand to grasp her wrist, gently pulling her into his embrace.
Shen Xin’s breath hitched. She turned her head, their eyes meeting again.
They were extremely close—she sat on his lap, and when he glanced sideways, their breaths nearly intertwined, creating an intimate, lingering atmosphere.
His slender fingers brushed past her lips as she heard him tease tenderly by her ear, “Shen Yaoyao, you really do love me so much~”