[Even if you’ve taken a liking to him, you should pursue him slowly. Why did you have to tell him outright? Good heavens, you’ve only met him once on the palace path, and today you come to confess!]
[He’s definitely going to think you’re only interested in his looks and not sincere at all! You’re bound to fail in the future!]
[It’s over, it’s over. Don’t even think about this person anymore. He definitely won’t like you. You’ll absolutely never succeed!]
In the Void Space, the Celestial Beast’s little mouth kept chattering nonstop.
Meanwhile, in the courtyard.
Jun Qi’s fingers beneath his sleeves froze in place, and the smile at the corner of his lips came to a halt.
With his head lowered, the long shadows cast by his eyelashes obscured his eyes, making it difficult to see his expression clearly.
However, in just a moment, he returned to his usual self. He raised his head, the gentle smile on his face unchanged, still humble, mild-mannered, and elegant in demeanor.
“Your Highness must be joking.”
“The wind is strong here, and Your Highness’s health is delicate. Please return to the Moon Embracing Palace early.”
Gu Xi turned her head to look at Jun Qi, her brows and eyes relaxed, and the dimples at the corners of her lips faintly visible.
“Young Master Qi, I am serious.”
The surroundings fell into another prolonged silence.
It was unclear how much time had passed until a bitingly cold gust of wind blew through.
Gu Xi covered her mouth with a handkerchief and coughed a few times, breaking the stillness. “Then I shall heed Young Master Qi’s advice and return to the Moon Embracing Palace first. Young Master Qi, please focus on recovering from your injuries. I will visit you again another day.”
From the moment Gu Xi left and returned to the Moon Embracing Palace, the Celestial Beast’s little mouth never stopped chattering along the way.
It also failed to notice that, just as Gu Xi boarded the sedan chair and departed, the gentle and refined smile on Jun Qi’s face and the radiant smile on Gu Xi’s face both vanished simultaneously.
If the Celestial Beast had seen this, it would likely have exclaimed in astonishment once more—not only was Gu Xi a master of changing expressions, but even the male lead it regarded as the Light of the Heavenly Dao was also a master of changing expressions.
At this moment, in the Moon Embracing Palace.
Gu Xi was swaying a round fan, reclining on a chaise lounge while eating grapes.
In the Void Space, the Celestial Beast shook its head and kept chattering: [You were just rejected, weren’t you? I told you so! Who confesses right off the bat like that?]
[If it weren’t for the male lead’s politeness, anyone else would have kicked you out long ago!]
[You, the Great Demon King of the Netherworld, do you even know how to pursue someone? This divine beast must lecture you now…]
Gu Xi shot it a cold glance and kicked it in the butt.
[Ouch!] The Celestial Beast yelped in pain, clutching its buttocks and hopping up.
Gu Xi tried to kick its butt again, but the Celestial Beast shrieked and dodged away, cursing under its breath.
Gu Xi smiled: [Who said I was confessing?]
The Celestial Beast clutched its buttocks and grumbled: [Then what were you doing?]
Gu Xi stroked the round fan in her hand, curling her lips as she answered nonchalantly: [I was merely informing him that I’ve taken a liking to him.]
[As for whether he likes me or not, what does that have to do with me? I’ve said it before—when the time comes to return to the Netherworld, I’ll just snatch him away and tie him up in the Netherworld. Simple as that.]
The light, airy phrase “tie him up,” coupled with the deepening curve of Gu Xi’s lips, gave the Celestial Beast an inexplicable sense of eerie, sinister foreboding.
The Celestial Beast released its grip on its buttocks: [You’re serious? You, you, you…]
Gu Xi raised an eyebrow and glanced at it: [Me what? Haven’t I already told you long ago?]
Thinking of the Blood Pact on itself, the inwardly cursing Celestial Beast didn’t know what to say anymore. Finally, it mustered its courage and blurted out ten words: This is robbery! Banditry!
Mm. Gu Xi paid no mind, continuing to peel grapes. I’ve already said, I’m not a good person. I commit every evil deed—murder, arson, looting, and plundering. As for kidnapping someone, it suits me perfectly.
This was the first time the Celestial Beast had encountered someone who was so unapologetically wicked.
It struggled for a long time but couldn’t come up with a single word.
Seeing that Gu Xi had finished the grapes and was now toying with a small porcelain bottle, it exclaimed in surprise:
That seems to be mine…
The Celestial Beast panicked and hurriedly rummaged through the Void Space, only to find that the small treasure trove it had brought from the Celestial Realm was completely empty.
The Little Beast was so angry it could barely speak: Wh-wh-where are my pills? My ten-thousand-year-old lingzhi? My treasures?
Gu Xi’s voice was light and airy: Oh, those? I took them all while you were talking bad about me just now.
The Little Beast gritted its teeth: When did I ever speak ill of you?
Gu Xi tapped the small porcelain bottle twice, continuing to toy with it leisurely as she repeated those eight words: Robbery, banditry.
I have to live up to the reputation, or it wouldn’t be good to be wrongfully accused.
Once again, the Little Beast was left speechless with anger: …
After who knows how long, the Little Beast forced out a flattering smile: Great Demon… no, no, no, no, Your Majesty, I was wrong. Can I have my treasures back now…
Gu Xi slowly uttered a few more words: I’m a robber, I’m a bandit, I don’t deserve them.
Celestial Beast: … Petty, really holds a grudge.
At this moment, the Celestial Beast saw no trace of the obedience Gu Xi had shown before Emperor Chu or the innocence she had displayed in front of Jun Qi. She was nothing but a demon wearing an angel’s skin.
Several hours later.
In a secluded palace beside the Cold Palace.
Some eunuchs and palace maids, following Gu Xi’s instructions, busily arranged the interior of the hall, replacing all the old tables with new ones and meticulously cleaning every corner.
The weeds in the courtyard had long since been cleared away.
In the inner hall, in a corner where no one approached.
Black Shadow knelt on the ground, sensing the commotion of cleaning outside the hall. “Master, what is Princess Yun Xi’s intention in sending these people here?”
“Intention?”
Jun Qi’s pitch-black eyes glanced at a black chess piece in his palm, and a faint, ambiguous laugh escaped from deep in his throat.
“Han Qi, she says she fancies me. Do you believe it?”
The one called “Han Qi” trembled in fear.
His hands shook as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. It took him a long time to calm down.
This Princess Yun Xi must have a death wish.
Who did she say she fancies? His master?
Han Qi stole a glance at his master’s expression and made a throat-slitting gesture. “Master, should we… deal with Princess Yun Xi…”