Surrounded by mountains and enveloped in immortal aura, Emperor of the Eastern Peak, who had been slumbering in the Grand Dusk Palace, finally awakened after a century.
A hundred years—an entire lifetime for mortals—was but a single nap for deities like them.
Princess Long Chuyao pushed open the door and gracefully approached, holding a bowl of porridge.
Dong Yue squinted, lips pressed tightly as he watched the princess. “If I recall correctly, a century ago you were supposed to return to your Nine Heavens, not appear before me in my Grand Dusk Palace now.”
Long Chuyao acted as if she hadn’t heard, setting the bowl down and seating herself at Dong Yue’s bedside, preparing to feed him.
“You’ve just woken up. Drink this porridge quickly to replenish your vitality.”
Seeing Long Chuyao evade his question, Dong Yue grew increasingly irritated, his expression turning colder. “The poison you were afflicted with has been cleansed by me. You should return to your Nine Heavens—there’s no need to linger here any longer.”
“Indeed, I haven’t yet thanked Your Majesty for saving me…”
“No need for that. Just leave sooner rather than later!” Dong Yue cut her off mercilessly before she could finish.
Tears welled in Long Chuyao’s eyes. “Your Majesty, after all I’ve done, are you not moved in the slightest? Must you be so heartless to me?”
Dong Yue rose from the bed and stood by the window, looking down upon every flower, plant, pavilion, and hall within the palace grounds.
“I’ve told you before—I have no room for sentiment now, nor will I ever. This applies to you as it does to everyone else. Don’t waste your time on me. Leave quickly.”
“What if I refuse?”
“You may try. I’ve heard the rules in your Nine Heavens are exceedingly strict. Could it be your mentors failed to teach you the most fundamental principle of boundaries between men and women? Or is this simply the custom in your celestial realm? If so, it seems I must personally visit the Nine Heavens to give you all a lesson.”
Throughout the Four Seas and Eight Desolations, it was well-known that Dong Yue of the Netherworld was infamous for his heartlessness.
Once, a princess of the Spirit Fox Clan expressed her affection for him.
He callously retorted, “Too ugly. Not interested.”
Had the princess truly been unattractive, it might have been understandable. Yet across the Four Seas and Eight Desolations, everyone knew her beauty was unparalleled.
She lacked the demonic allure of the demon clan nor the restraint of the Nine Heavens; instead, she possessed the playful, spirited, and audacious temperament characteristic of the fox clan.
Even so, she failed to evoke an ounce of Dong Yue’s compassion.
Seeing the Spirit Fox Princess persist in her infatuation, Dong Yue felt utterly exasperated.
Dong Yue said, “Since you crave affection so desperately, I shall send you to the mortal realm to experience love firsthand. Of course, there’s no need to thank me.”
As the princess tearfully proclaimed the depths of her devotion, she secretly relished the sensation of being held in Dong Yue’s embrace.
Upon reaching Meng Po, Dong Yue specifically requested three large bowls of the Soup of Oblivion and forcibly poured them down her throat.
Then, without a shred of pity, he proceeded to the Reincarnation Platform and unceremoniously tossed the princess over the edge—a seamless act performed without any regard for the fact that he was handling the princess of the Spirit Fox Clan.
When the Spirit Fox King learned that his beloved daughter had been cast into the mortal realm by Dong Yue, he was filled with rage but dared not speak out.
In terms of power, he was no match; in status, there was no comparison. All beings in the world, after death, fell under Dong Yue’s jurisdiction—even the Spirit Fox Clan could not escape the Emperor’s judgment upon their demise. Thus, the matter was ultimately dropped.
It was later heard that the princess endured immense suffering in the mortal world.After returning to the Spirit Fox Clan, I hastily married a fellow clansman and never dared mention the matter again. That incident was considered earth-shattering at the time, and even now many still whisper about it privately.
Long Chuyao naturally understood what Dong Yue meant. Staring at his retreating figure with resentful eyes, she said, “Fine, Dong Yue, I’ll leave. This time I won’t return after I go. But before I depart, I want to know – is there someone you love in your heart? Or is the person in your heart Ni Chang, isn’t that right!”
Ni Chang? A subconscious smile tugged at the corners of Dong Yue’s mouth as he stood with his back to the princess, his expression softening considerably.
The princess waited long without receiving the Emperor’s reply, biting her lip bitterly with a sorrowful expression.
“Dong Yue, you’ll regret this!”
Tears welling in her eyes, the princess screamed at Dong Yue’s back before rushing out the door in tears.
Bei Yin saw Long Chuyao running toward him with her face covered, sobbing. His gaze involuntarily turned toward Dong Yue’s bedchamber.
Seeing the princess in such a state, Bei Yin closed his fan and quickened his pace, heading straight to Dong Yue’s quarters to check on the situation.
“You woke up so soon? Earlier than I expected.”
Bei Yin’s voice came from behind Dong Yue.
“Just ordinary poison, nothing worth mentioning. During my slumber, has anything happened in the Netherworld?”
Bei Yin pondered whether to tell Dong Yue about Ni Chang, but then thought Dong Yue couldn’t possibly have feelings for her – otherwise why would he have been so cruel as to demand her blood tears back then.
He couldn’t help recalling those days when he himself had hidden selfish intentions toward Ni Chang.
To make her give up on Dong Yue and accept him instead, Bei Yin had no choice but to conceal a monumental lie from Ni Chang, never telling her about Dong Yue’s true circumstances.
He wondered how she would react in the future when she learned she had sacrificed her Heart’s Flesh for nothing?
Dong Yue rarely saw Bei Yin so distracted and grew quite curious. “Are you hiding something from me?”
Bei Yin broke into a cold sweat internally. Had the Emperor already noticed something?
“Of course not! What could I possibly hide? Who are you? Who could ever deceive you?” Bei Yin fake-smiled while waving his fan.
Dong Yue didn’t want to waste words with him. He pushed open the door, preparing to go out for a walk.
“Where are you going?” Bei Yin blurted out without thinking.
Dong Yue observed that today’s Bei Yin was indeed different from usual, though he couldn’t pinpoint exactly how.
“I’m going to the Side Hall to check on Ni Chang. What? Do you want to come?” Dong Yue said.
Upon hearing this, Bei Yin’s mind screamed “Trouble, trouble!” – Dong Yue still didn’t know Ni Chang had returned to the mortal world.
But then again, what exactly were Dong Yue’s feelings toward Ni Chang? No, he had to clarify this today.
“So, Dong Yue, what exactly are your thoughts about Ni Chang?”
Dong Yue turned to look at Bei Yin. The question stumped him momentarily.
For the first time, he didn’t know how to answer.
Until now, he’d simply found her quite interesting – beyond that, he hadn’t really given it much thought.
“Dong Yue, if you truly have no feelings for her, then I’ll speak plainly. I like her. I hope she’ll accept me. But I don’t want you to become an obstacle between us.” Bei Yin rarely spoke so seriously, staring intently at Dong Yue.
Dong Yue never expected that during his years of slumber, something must have happened between Bei Yin and Ni Chang – something that could make the usually flirtatious Bei Yin develop such genuine feelings for her.For some reason, Dong Yue felt an immediate displeasure, thinking of Ni Chang’s previous attitude toward him, and found himself somewhat at a loss.
He could only find her first, then gradually unravel the knots in Ni Chang’s heart, making her understand his difficulties. Perhaps this could dissolve the resentment in her heart.
With this thought, his footsteps unconsciously quickened.
“Dong Yue, don’t go. Ni Chang… she’s gone.”
Dong Yue halted, unable to believe what Bei Yin had said. What did he mean by “she’s gone”? Where did she go? Why did she leave? When did she leave? Too many questions flooded Dong Yue’s mind.
“Where did she go?” Dong Yue asked, suppressing his anxiety.
Bei Yin looked at the Side Hall just ahead and said helplessly, “She left. While you were in deep slumber, she left. She departed from the Grand Dusk Palace to be reincarnated as a mortal in the human world.”
Dong Yue turned abruptly, staring at Bei Yin, trying to detect any hint of falsehood in his eyes. Unfortunately, Bei Yin’s gaze showed no trace of deceit. Pushing Bei Yin aside, Dong Yue hurriedly quickened his pace toward the Side Hall.
Pushing open the door of the Side Hall, he found the ground littered with withered branches, desolate and bleak. The once-blooming mandrakes in the garden now appeared withered and ruined.
Clearly, no one had lived here for a long time—there was not a trace of vitality. Indeed, Bei Yin had not deceived him.
“Where did you say she went?” Dong Yue asked again, seeking confirmation.
Seeing the gloom in Dong Yue’s expression, Bei Yin sensed that something was amiss. Could it be that Dong Yue had developed mortal feelings? Disdaining the princess of the Nine Heavens, only to fall for a mere mortal soul?
“I ask you again—where did she go?”
Summoning his courage and suppressing his unease, Bei Yin replied, “She went to the mortal world, unwilling to return. Thus, I implore the Emperor to allow me to seek her in the mortal world.”
Dong Yue fell into deep contemplation.
Recalling the scene of Ni Chang digging out her heart, Bei Yin grew even more convinced that only he could bring Ni Chang happiness. Dong Yue was utterly unsuitable for her.
“Leave. I wish to be alone here for a while.”
After kowtowing, Bei Yin silently withdrew, intending to return and urgently consult with King Yama to devise a plan—one that must not arouse the suspicion of the Emperor of the Eastern Peak.
After Bei Yin left, Dong Yue gazed at the empty, lifeless Side Hall, his heart filled with indescribable sorrow and reluctance.
This feeling was so unfamiliar. Could it be true, as Long Chuyao had said, that he had truly fallen for her?
Thinking of Bei Yin’s words earlier, Dong Yue suddenly felt surrounded by crises. Bei Yin’s intentions had been made clear to him, but what about Ni Chang? Had she also developed feelings for Bei Yin?
The thought agitated Dong Yue. He glanced up at the sky and immediately set off for the Hall of King Yama.
Back then, he had genuinely believed the princess was afflicted with the Autumn Chill Poison and that only Ni Chang’s blood could counteract it.
It wasn’t until the princess demanded to consume Ni Chang’s Heart’s Flesh to be cured that Dong Yue began to understand—the princess wasn’t ill; she was using him as a tool for murder.
That day, he outright refused the princess’s request, disregarding propriety between men and women, and stepped forward to check her pulse himself.
Under his repeated insistence, the truth finally came to light—he discovered he had been deceived by this seemingly harmless princess of the Celestial Dynasty.
Throughout the heavens and the earth, no one had ever dared to humiliate him to his face, yet this princess of the Nine Heavens had managed to do so.
She had never been afflicted with the so-called Autumn Chill Poison—it was merely an ordinary toxin.
Although this poison was ordinary, when it erupted, it would deplete a great deal of one’s cultivation. The princess had limited cultivation and certainly wouldn’t survive it.
After much deliberation, he finally reached an agreement with the princess. He would help transfer the poison to himself, but in return, the princess must not remain in the Grand Dusk Palace and was forbidden from returning in the future.
The princess readily agreed on the spot.
He had thought that after curing her poison, Long Chuyao would have no reason to forcibly stay in the Netherworld.
Unexpectedly, during his unconsciousness, she was still here. What was even more infuriating was that Ni Chang had run off without waiting for his explanation. The mere thought of it filled Dong Yue with immense frustration.
In the mortal realm, across countless reincarnations, which lifetime had Ni Chang gone to? It seemed he would have to summon King Yama to investigate and clarify this matter.