Normally, Shen Xin would put on an act, repeatedly declaring “I love you” without any burden or awkwardness, because she had long regarded herself as an actress performing a role.
After all, having grown up immersed in such environments and frequently engaging in battles of wits with her father the emperor, she effortlessly mastered the arts of acting and disguise.
Yet at this moment, merely because of his teasing words, Shen Xin’s face burned as if about to catch fire, and her heartbeat quickened relentlessly.
She hardly dared to look at him, averting her gaze to focus on his hair.
To make matters worse, the Love Brain in her Divine Sense was screaming: 【The host must truly be in love, ahhh! So sweet, ahhh! I could ship this forever, ahhh~】
Shen Xin, “…”
The mechanical voice paired with such words made it incredibly hard to believe it was genuinely sweet.
She retorted internally, “Love your head! This isn’t love—it’s just a momentary infatuation with a face. No, wait, it’s infatuation with the high ponytail I styled myself.”
After a pause, she nodded to herself, affirming her judgment. “It’s still my fault for making the hairstyle too attractive.”
Qin Weiji, seeing her continuously nodding while staring at his hair, couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow lightly again. “Is it really that good-looking?”
Shen Xin snapped back to reality. “Huh?”
As soon as she spoke, she saw a small Crystal Mirror appear in his hand.
Holding her with one arm, he used his other hand to hold the Crystal Mirror, tilting his head to look at his reflection.
The moment he saw the person in the mirror, he froze momentarily, his brow slightly furrowing, his eyes filled with confusion.
Shen Xin grew somewhat uneasy and asked softly, “What’s wrong? Don’t you like it?”
Perhaps Qin Weiji was used to leaving his hair loose and felt uncomfortable with it tied up?
He didn’t answer, only tilted his head again, examining it left and right for a long while.
Though unfamiliar at first glance, the longer he looked, the more he found it genuinely appealing. His brow relaxed, and he let out a proud, light chuckle. “This lord possesses celestial grace—naturally, any style suits me. No wonder you fell in love at first sight.”
Shen Xin, “…”
She suddenly recalled that when they first met, he had said something similar.
Claiming he had celestial grace, while she had taken a fancy to a green-skinned toad.
Oh, and he also called her a toad.
She twitched the corner of her mouth, then noticed Qin Weiji scrutinizing himself left and right in the Crystal Mirror, belatedly realizing that he seemed to possess a narcissistic streak.
But then again, most good-looking people are somewhat narcissistic.
Including herself.
Her eyes curved into sweet, obedient smiles. “If my husband likes it, shall I style your hair for you every day from now on?”
Only then did Qin Weiji shift his gaze back to her, appearing as though he was in a dilemma, but ultimately sighing in resignation. “Since Yao Yao likes it so much, this lord can hardly refuse.”
Shen Xin, “…”
She continued to smile sweetly. “Then it’s settled.”
Qin Weiji’s eyes lingered on her smiling, curved brows for a few moments before he lightly nodded and uttered an “Mm.”
Shen Xin then gently tugged at his loose robe, sounding slightly exasperated. “And what about this robe of yours? Doesn’t it have a belt?”
It was so wide it could fit two of her.
Qin Weiji’s brow furrowed. “It does.”
But he couldn’t be bothered to tie it.
He spent years in secluded cultivation, and with a simple Magic incantation, he could cleanse himself—things like styling hair or dressing were always done haphazardly.
Shen Xin, however, clearly cared a great deal. She held out her hand, palm up, quite domineeringly. “Give it to me.”
Qin Weiji’s brow furrowed even deeper, but he still retrieved a belt from his Divine Sense Space and placed it in Shen Xin’s hand.
The belt was also silver, clearly not made of ordinary silk fabric. Shen Xin didn’t recognize the materials of this celestial world, only knowing it felt incredibly comfortable—smooth and soft like an infant’s skin. The dress she wore was of the same material.
After running her fingers over it, she pulled him up to stand together with her.
When fastening his belt, she raised her arms and reached around from behind him, almost as if embracing him.
Qin Weiji stood quietly, lowering his gaze to watch the person in front of him.
Her long lashes were cast downward, her movements focused and… gentle as she fastened his belt.
When the word “gentle” surfaced in his mind, Qin Weiji’s eyes flickered slightly. He was pretending to be gentle with her due to his career-oriented advisor’s suggestion, yet she—out of love for him—was genuinely gentle toward him.
Shen Yaoyao was so obedient, so sweet, and so gentle.
It truly made one somewhat reluctant to abandon her.
Keeping her here to help him with his hair and clothing didn’t seem like a bad idea.
Shen Xin had never handled an ancient man’s belt before and studied it carefully for a while before finally securing the jade clasp.
She let out a soft sigh of relief. “Done.”
As she spoke, she looked up at him, her eyes shimmering like a child seeking praise for accomplishing something remarkable.
Qin Weiji watched her luminous eyes, his Adam’s apple bobbing slightly. He leaned down, his thin lips gently brushing against hers in a soft peck before pulling back just enough to murmur with a low chuckle, “Your reward.”
Shen Xin’s lashes fluttered, her heartbeat suddenly accelerating again, as if a little rabbit were hopping wildly in her chest.
She desperately wanted to press it down to stop its frantic beating, but the more she tried, the more it struggled and leaped.
Even when he had kissed her deeply before, it hadn’t raced like this. Yet now, with just this fleeting kiss and an offhanded word of reward, it had gone completely wild.
Shen Xin hardly dared meet his eyes, letting her gaze fall back onto him instead.
With the belt fastened, his perfect physique was accentuated.
He was lean but not frail, radiating strength at first glance.
Broad shoulders, narrow waist, upright posture, black hair tied high…
The little rabbit in Shen Xin’s chest hopped even more joyfully, and a line of poetry suddenly surfaced in her mind: Whose young master is this on the road, vibrant robes and spirited steed, tinged with youthful audacity?
She couldn’t resist asking him, “Husband, how old are you?”
She began to suspect her earlier assumptions about Qin Weiji were mistaken—could he actually be younger than her?
Qin Weiji replied airily, “If counting from when I came into existence, then thirty thousand years old.”
Although for the first twenty thousand years, he hadn’t taken human form. His transformation coincided roughly with Shen Xin’s own birth.
He still remembered how he hadn’t originally wanted to assume human form, but the Heavenly Dao had simply found him a wife, forcing him to transform into a man.
Shen Xin was stunned for a moment, and the little rabbit in her heart finally quieted down.
Okay then. What young master? This was the ancient, ancient, ancient… ancestor of young masters.
Seeing her silence, Qin Weiji asked, “What’s wrong?”
Shen Xin shook her head and changed the subject. “Should we go take a look at the Gates of Hell?”
After all this delay, she felt that as the new God of the Underworld, she ought to investigate and see who exactly had broken the Gates of Hell’s seal.
However, Qin Weiji just lazily sat back down, his eyelids lifting to regard her with restored indolence. “Why should this lord go?”
Shen Xin: “?”
Qin Weiji: “This lord is not the God of the Underworld.”
Shen·God of the Underworld·Xin: “Then… should I go alone?”
Qin Weiji’s brow lowered slightly as he watched her without speaking.
Shen Xin didn’t understand him either and asked tentatively, “Then, would my husband like to wait here for a while or return first?”
Qin Weiji answered without hesitation, “This Lord naturally returns to the Cloud Sea Mirror.”
He had only come here because of the inexplicable pain in his heart. Now that it no longer hurt, he naturally wouldn’t stay.
Shen Xin gazed at him for a moment, ultimately saying nothing but letting out a soft “Oh” with a slight pout. “Alright then, you may return. I’ll go check the Gates of Hell first.”
Having said that, she turned and left without looking back.
Yet as she took her first step, she began counting silently in her heart: “One, two, three…”
Meanwhile, Qin Weiji frowned at her retreating figure.
Was she really leaving just like that? Couldn’t she at least try to coax him into staying?
Realizing what he was thinking, Qin Weiji’s brow furrowed deeper. Why should he care about this? Even if she tried to coax him, would he really stay?
Nothing could compare to closed-door cultivation and opening the Void Gate!
Having given the Mermaid Pearl to Shen Xin, he needed to find another method to enhance his cultivation sooner.
As for Shen Xin, she probably wouldn’t face any immediate danger here.
Thinking this, he prepared to leave and return to the Cloud Sea Mirror, but as he stood up, his expression changed abruptly.
The familiar, sharp pain in his heart struck again, as if pierced by ten thousand strands of Sword Qi from the god-slaying sword. A metallic sweetness surged up his throat.
Qin Weiji clutched his chest and looked up toward the red figure who had already reached the palace entrance.
She stood outside the hall, her back to him as she spoke with Yan Jun. The distance between them was merely a hundred steps.
What in the world was happening?
Qin Weiji closed his eyes to steady his breathing, but the pain in his heart didn’t lessen in the slightest—instead, it grew increasingly intense.
Swallowing hard, he instinctively took a step toward her.
With just that single step forward, the pain in his chest suddenly vanished.
Qin Weiji’s pupils contracted slightly. Remembering something, he expressionlessly stepped back.
Sure enough, with that step back, his heart wrenched with sharp pain!
After testing this back and forth twice, Qin Weiji closed his eyes, his face pale, and understood.
The hundred-step distance between them was the restriction she had placed upon him.
He never believed in coincidences in this world—it could only be that she had tampered with him. Even the so-called demonic corruption was likely because of her.
Trying to become his inner demon… Hah.
Qin Weiji slowly opened his eyes, his gaze icy as he stared at her figure outside the hall. Step by step, he walked toward her, his expression cold as frozen ice.
Even if he had softened earlier because of her gentle obedience, thinking of keeping her by his side just like that…
At this moment, he coldly thought: he could not keep her.
Even if she truly loved him, he would never allow anyone to attempt to control him.
No one could—including her!
The career-focused part of him panicked: [Divine Lord, you must not! The Divine Maiden still has use. You absolutely cannot kill her now. If you kill her, no one will be able to suppress your demonic nature.]
Qin Weiji let out a faint, mocking laugh. “Heh…”
The God of the Underworld Palace was vast—exiting the main hall took precisely about a hundred steps.
The effect of the previous Heartbreak Card lasted one month, meaning for this entire month, Qin Weiji could not leave Shen Xin’s side beyond a hundred steps.
Shen Xin knew well that Qin Weiji couldn’t possibly return unless he was unafraid of heart-wrenching pain.
Without looking back, she inquired with Yan Jun about matters concerning the Gates of Hell. Just as Yan Jun was speaking, he suddenly noticed Qin Weiji approaching them.
His demeanor was leisurely, as if strolling through a garden, but his expression was colder than the waters of the River of Oblivion.
Yan Jun’s heart trembled, sensing danger intuitively. He hurriedly whispered very softly to Shen Xin, “Divine Maiden.”
Shen Xin raised an eyebrow. “What’s wrong?”
Yan Jun trembled with fear, his voice growing even softer. “The Divine Lord is coming.”
Shen Xin smiled. “I know.”
Yan Jun urgently reminded her, “The Divine Lord looks furious.”
It wasn’t just furious—it was practically murderous.
He could already feel the oppressive weight of divine power, making his entire body stiff and his chest ache with suffocating pain.
Yet Shen Xin’s smile only grew sweeter, showing no concern at all as she nodded. “Understood.”
Yan Jun grew increasingly anxious. What did “understood” even mean?
What should they do? Should they flee?
But Qin Weiji was already very close to them.
He was so paralyzed with fear he couldn’t even move—how could he possibly escape?
Yan Jun’s already pale face turned even whiter. As soon as Shen Xin finished speaking, she sensed Qin Weiji had approached to within ten steps behind her.
She closed her eyes, silently counted “one, two, three,” then suddenly turned around. With a radiant smile, she took a few quick steps forward and flew into his embrace like a butterfly.