She remained silent, lowering her head slightly, a hint of coldness in her brow, her pale knuckles tensing. "What does 'obedient' mean?"
Bi Lian merely stared at her with an intense gaze.
Shen Yue could keenly feel his eyes upon her.
They were cold, domineering.
The white-robed immortal descended from his lap, her wide, soft sleeves concealing half of her fingertips, her expression humble and detached.
"What do you take me for?"
A bed warmer, a lover, or something else entirely?
The window was open, light streaming in. A gilded bronze tripod with carved floral reliefs was bathed in golden light, sandalwood wafting, smoke curling ethereally.
After a long pause, Bi Lian stopped looking at Shen Yue. He closed his eyes and said softly, "Leave."
—
A five-colored heron lotus treasure, a dazzling jade pendant, smooth white jade, precious jewels like pearls, coral prayer beads… Countless treasures worth fortunes flashed before her eyes, all carried to Shen Yue's palace.
There was also a box of exquisite books, all by famous authors. This single box was enough for her to read for a long time.
All of it was sent by Bi Lian.
Gems and precious metals, a dazzling array.
Shen Yue understood that these were Bi Lian's gifts to appease her, as their disagreement yesterday had not been minor.
However, these gold and silver treasures were of no use to Shen Yue. She had never liked them, and Bi Lian's gifts were no different from stones to her.
She did not feel any sincerity from Bi Lian.
Shen Yue stood by the window, feeling the cool breeze, her eyes closed as she retreated into herself, appearing out of place in this world.
Footsteps sounded, and Shen Yue identified the person by the lightness of their tread.
Xiao Die brought the steaming medicinal soup to Shen Yue, her head bowed, not looking at the white figure.
"Immortal Lord, it's time to drink your medicine."
Shen Yue turned her head slowly, her clear, elegant brows and eyes like a dream, her pale red eyes gazing out from the darkness. A layer of film seemed to cover those eyes, like a lake at night. Though she was in the deepest darkness, it could not conceal the cold, sacred purity.
Her expression was devoid of joy or sorrow, yet she was truly beautiful, pure and serene, indifferent and lifeless.
Just as any color in this world would not stain that pure white.
She seemed to curve her lips, a subtle arc, as if the arrival of the other person was special, making one feel unexpectedly honored.
"Xiao Die."
After her amnesia, she had become a little willful. "Can I not drink it?"
Xiao Die paused. She guessed that the Immortal Lord might be in a slightly bad mood, as people disliked drinking bitter things when they were unhappy.
Hesitating, Xiao Die conjured a small packet of preserved fruit and said, "There are preserved fruits here."
Then it wouldn't be bitter.
Shen Yue paused, her lips pressing together. "Alright."
As before, she downed the bowl of thick soup in one gulp, her movements swift and elegant. The bitter taste had barely spread in her mouth before she was given a preserved fruit. The fruit was very sweet, instantly masking the lingering bitterness.
After finishing the preserved fruit, Shen Yue said to Xiao Die.
"I have many things here. If there's anything you like, feel free to take it."
How could Xiao Die dare to covet those gold and silver treasures? She quickly shook her head.
"This servant dare not."
Shen Yue knew Xiao Die would say this, so she didn't insist. Instead, she reached out and picked up a jade pendant. It was crystal clear and spirited, lustrous and smooth, with a warm, jade-green sheen, incredibly beautiful.
Transparent and flawless, seen from both sides, like warm, soft jade pleasing to the eye.
She personally placed the jade pendant into Xiao Die's palm. Fearing rejection, she said softly.
"Consider it a gift."
Xiao Die had no choice but to accept it.
Shen Yue liked this quiet maid. Being with Xiao Die gave her a sense of ease she had never experienced before.
Everything here made her feel somewhat unaccustomed.
She actually harbored considerable doubt about Bi Lian's words, but she also knew that even if she asked Bi Lian, he might not speak the truth.
Therefore, she decided it was better to let things be and refrained from asking further questions.
"Do you know about my relationship with Bi Lian?"
She asked the maid beside her softly.
Xiao Die had not expected Shen Yue to suddenly bring this up, especially with Shen Yue's cold, indifferent face, making her appear entirely out of place in the Demon Realm.
She was simply asking a maid of the Demon Realm.
Would Shen Yue believe whatever she said?
Or did Shen Yue ask her because she trusted her more?
She looked at Shen Yue, her heart in turmoil.
Shen Yue simply needed a witness to confirm whether Bi Lian's words were true.
"Bi Lian said he is my husband."
Bi Lian had indeed told her so, but Shen Yue didn't feel she liked Bi Lian. She didn't know if it was because she couldn't remember her past that she felt this way.
But to be honest, she even felt a slight aversion to Bi Lian, as if it were an unconscious reaction.
Shen Yue felt that these were not the emotions between a husband and wife.
Shen Yue might not understand love, but it didn't mean she was as easily fooled as an idiot. Given enough time, many flaws would be exposed.
She waited quietly for the maid's answer.
Xiao Die's lips moved. "No."
She emphasized it again, firmly and without hesitation.
"Your Exalted One is not your husband."
It was as if it was both expected and unexpected.
Shen Yue did not feel disbelief or shock, but rather a sense of "as expected."
She sighed softly, her plain white robes and serene brows making her appear even more pure and detached, her eyes like a tranquil lake.
Her voice was somewhat ethereal and distant.
"Then who am I?"
She seemed somewhat lost.
The wind blowing in from the window brushed past, her silver hair gently parting on her face. She closed her eyes.
That indifferent face was like a fleeting illusion in a dream, unreachable.
Her eyes were too clean; no one could be reflected in them.
Her voice was cold and clear, always giving a fleeting illusion of gentle warmth.
"Can you tell me?"
No one could refuse her request.
She appeared somewhat naive, like a lost child unable to find direction.
She should be pure, not imprisoned here, confined to this small space, treated like a forbidden object. She should be radiant and noble.
That was what she had always thought.
Xiao Die was not one to lie; she was always somber and rigid.
"You are the Immortal Lord of Qingyun Sect, and this is the Soul Severing Hall of the Demon Realm." Xiao Die heard her own voice, hoarse and dry. "Do you wish to return to Qingyun Sect? I can help you."
Even the mud on the ground, the sewage in the ditches, still yearned for the stars and moon in the sky.
—
Xiao Die said she wanted to help her, but Shen Yue didn't quite believe it, because she knew Xiao Die was just an ordinary maid, ordinary without any distinctive features or characteristics. For such a person, surviving in the Demon Realm was already difficult; how could she help her?
One day, Xiao Die brought the medicinal soup again. After Shen Yue drank it, she, as usual, silently placed a preserved fruit into Shen Yue's mouth.
Xiao Die did not retreat as usual but suddenly spoke.
"Three days from now, at midnight, I will take you away."
Shen Yue froze, then flatly refused, "No."
How could she allow Xiao Die to venture alone into such a dangerous abyss?
Xiao Die seemed to smile. Indeed, she was amused by the obvious concern on Shen Yue's face.
She said, "Immortal Lord, trust me."
Shen Yue couldn't bring herself to believe, but Xiao Die didn't say more and withdrew.
—
Bi Lian noticed that Shen Yue had been somewhat absent-minded these past few days.
His fingers slowly stroked Shen Yue's soft, silken silver hair, smoothing it down inch by inch, the pressure just right, feeling exceptionally comfortable. Shen Yue lowered her eyelashes, concealing her thoughts.
Shen Yue: [Will that maid surely die?]
System: [That's right, the plot is like this. You might change some variations, but you cannot change their endings. Every character has their own destined end.]
In the original plot, Xiao Die met a tragic death, also because of Shen Yue. Although Xiao Die was in the Demon Realm, she had no trace of malevolence. At times, she was even more like an ordinary person without any magical power, plain and silent.
It was already difficult for such a person to survive in the Demon Realm, and Shen Yue's arrival made her already arduous life even more difficult and painful.
After watching Shen Yue for a while without any reaction, Bi Lian suddenly asked, "Who are you thinking about?"
Shen Yue's eyelashes fluttered. Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted, and she pursed her lips tightly, her voice flat, with an imperceptible hint of distance.
"It's nothing."
Bi Lian lowered his gaze and unceremoniously gripped Shen Yue's waist, slowly tightening his hold. He lowered his head slightly, exuding a dangerous aura.
Shen Yue felt the pressure on her waist but didn't react much.
It was difficult for most people to remain calm when they realized they had been deceived, let alone so outrageously.
Shen Yue wondered if Bi Lian's actions were purely to humiliate her.
If that was indeed his purpose, then he had succeeded.
Shen Yue knew that now was not the time to fall out with him. She was in a disadvantaged position; as long as Bi Lian wished it, he could do whatever he pleased without reservation.
However, Shen Yue could not face him with the same attitude as before.
Bi Lian's expression was calm, his exquisite, beautiful face marked by dark pupils. "Why are you lost in thought so deeply?"
Shen Yue was truly unsuitable for lying; she was extremely poor at it, almost transparent at a glance.
Bi Lian's fingers slid upwards, pinching Shen Yue's delicate, slender chin. Their breaths mingled. Seeing Shen Yue's uncontrollably reddening eyes, he softened his tone. "You've been very cold to me recently."
More than cold; it was practically indifferent.
He knew that Shen Yue had been close to a maid named Xiao Die recently.
He couldn't understand why Shen Yue could be gentle with such a lowly, insignificant servant girl, yet always maintain a cold face towards him, as if unwilling to spare him even a glance.
If he hadn't enjoyed Shen Yue's previous gentleness and intimacy, he might not have felt this emotion.
But once Shen Yue withdrew that tenderness, it became extraordinarily unbearable, even causing a gnawing itch.
Seeing Shen Yue remain silent, Bi Lian's eyes gradually turned red, his expression cold and icy. "Yueyue, why aren't you speaking?"
He curved his lips, but without any hint of a smile, his brows and eyes dark and gloomy. "Are you unwilling to speak, or simply unwilling to speak to me?"
He didn't know why he was saying these words, like a jealous husband, but he felt very angry and agitated.
Shen Yue's pale red, vacant eyes were still, gazing at him quietly, focused as if only he could be seen in her eyes and heart.
Yet he was clearly unable to see.
Shen Yue's expression was blank. At such close proximity, those beautiful, jewel-like eyes were like a deep pool on a spring night, reflecting no trace of him. She said indifferently, "No."
Her frosty white eyelashes trembled slightly. She was still lying on Bi Lian's lap, the corners of her eyes tinged with a vibrant red that softened the fatal indifference.
Her voice was light and cool.
"I have never thought that way."
Bi Lian's hand, which had been pinching Shen Yue, suddenly loosened.
He looked at Shen Yue. She seemed to sense his gaze, and her vacant eyes looked back. Her snow-white, clear face and her eyes appeared clear and naive.
Faintly, it seemed to reflect his figure.
Like a madman, like a demon.
It was a look even he himself didn't recognize.
Bi Lian suddenly felt a bone-chilling cold. He clenched his fist abruptly, and for some reason, his heart felt a desperate panic.
He averted his gaze almost shamefully.
"Get, get out."
He closed his eyes, as if unwilling to look any further, unwilling to look at Shen Yue again.
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