Ye Ziling rubbed her sore neck and sighed. Rather than relying on others to survive, it was better to seize power herself.
She extended her hand, glanced at the military tally, hardened her heart, gritted her teeth, and clenched it in her hand.
Outside the window, the sun shone brightly, filtering through the paper and into the room.
She stood up and walked towards the window.
She wondered if she would ever get to see this beautiful scenery again.
Just then, a figure suddenly flashed into her vision.
A shadow leaped past, transforming into human form.
“Ye Ziling? You’ve really been imprisoned?” Mu Heng’s face was filled with anxiety. He quickly walked to Ye Ziling’s side, looking her up and down, and said hesitantly, “This isn’t like you. Is there anyone in the Heavenly Realm besides the Heavenly Emperor you can’t defeat?”
He thought this demoness should have fought to the death, not be imprisoned here like a pet.
“Never mind that. I’m suppressed by the barrier here and can’t use any immortal power.”
“Go check for me, see if Shen Yueru is alive or dead… She has to be alive to clear my name.”
Mu Heng nodded slightly, raising an eyebrow, “Alright.”
After saying that, he leaped out the window, then suddenly returned, his dark eyes shining. “Hey, what do you want to eat? I’ll bring something later.”
Mu Heng knew that nothing in heaven was edible; it was tasteless. Ye Ziling was human now and naturally couldn’t get used to this food that even dogs wouldn’t eat.
Ye Ziling raised an eyebrow and smiled, “Just a few of the usual dishes served in the palace will do.”
Mu Heng made a strange gesture and leaped out the window.
After the person disappeared, Ye Ziling leisurely sat back in her chair and, out of boredom, opened the Heavenly History records on the table.
She crossed her legs and read through the pages, and before she knew it, it was time for dinner.
She hadn’t expected to re-read her own gossip history.
That year, she was fifteen and mistook Qingbai for her savior.
In her youthful ignorance, she mistook gratitude for affection and fell in love with Qingbai.
“Someone, prepare a bath,” Ye Ziling put down the book and ordered the immortal maids waiting outside the hall.
Soon, the maids brought clean clothes and placed the incense-scented clothes nearby.
Flower petals soaked in the bathtub, mist filled the air, and the fragrance was rich.
Ye Ziling leaned her head against the side of the tub, closing her eyes and thinking, picking up a handful of petals with some annoyance.
Mu Heng had been gone for so long without returning. Had he been captured by the heavenly soldiers? Logically, he should have returned by now after checking on someone.
Ye Ziling couldn’t help but worry. He handled matters in his own palace well, but when it came to her, he often faltered.
At this moment, the window was blown open by a cold wind, the temperature in the room plummeted, the lanterns and candles instantly extinguished, and darkness enveloped the surroundings.
“Someone, light the lamps.”
After a long while, there was no response.
“Hmm?”
It was silent outside, not a sound to be heard.
Soon, a commotion erupted. The footsteps outside the door were like a stampede, all in disarray.
“Someone… a demon has infiltrated the palace!”
“Someone set a fire in the front courtyard. Some people stay here, the rest follow me to put it out!”
…
“…A demon?”
Could it be Mu Heng?
Ye Ziling was confused.
But if it were Mu Heng, it wouldn’t have caused such a commotion.
A black shadow flashed past the window, and Ye Ziling’s peripheral vision caught it. She confirmed that the demon was not Mu Heng and nervously tightened her fists.
Now she couldn’t get out, couldn’t use her immortal arts here, and… she wasn’t wearing any clothes.
“Creak—”
The door was pushed open, whether by someone or the wind.
Ye Ziling remained still, holding her breath and listening intently to the movements outside the door.
Accompanied by footsteps and the occasional sound of biting wind, she fumbled around on the floor for her clothes.
But she couldn’t find anything.
The black shadow outside the window and the footsteps outside the door pressed closer, making her movements faster.
Damn it.
She clearly remembered the immortal maids placing the clothes here, so why couldn’t she find anything?
Please, if I have to die, let me die with dignity. To be discovered naked, even if I, a dignified goddess, killed the emperor or killed without blinking, I still need to preserve my dignity!
“Demon, come out.”
A magnetic voice sounded. The person who walked in from outside the door said in a deep voice.
His narrow eyes swept around. He heard a splash from the pool and saw a black shadow outside the window.
She was here?
Jun Lan pulled aside a curtain, and a gauze curtain flew towards the screen, quickly wrapping around Ye Ziling’s body and rolling her towards the edge of the pool.
With a dizzying spin, Ye Ziling crashed heavily into a wall of flesh. Then she saw blood splattering on the paper window, and the black shadow instantly fell, motionless.
“Don’t move, it’s me.” A pair of large hands gripped her waist, he said in a deep voice.
Jun Lan extended his other hand, condensed a stream of light, and with a wave, the candlelight was lit, instantly illuminating the surroundings as if it were daylight.
Ye Ziling struggled and retreated, grasping the gauze curtain at her chest, trying her best to prevent it from falling.
“Why hide? We’ve seen it before.” The man glanced suspiciously at the scenery on her, appraising her without restraint.
Seen it before?
Ye Ziling was stunned, “What…?”
Realizing he had let it slip, Jun Lan reacted, his chest feeling a little hot. He then averted his gaze, “…When we were at the wolf demon’s cave.”
Ye Ziling understood.
This was… when she was suffering from the poison. Wait, at that time, Ling Xi was also in the cave?
Ye Ziling’s face turned hot. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
“It’s just that I don’t know… if you had any feelings for me back then?” Jun Lan’s thoughts were in disarray, his gaze fixed on her. His usually cold and arrogant eyes were now filled with an unprecedented glimmer of light.
Instantly, several bright lamps floated up outside the window. The candlelight flickered, matching the scenes in her mind.
Their gazes fell on the window outside.
A layer of warm mist rose from the pool. The two looked at each other, the atmosphere particularly heated.
“Do you think it’s appropriate for us to talk like this?” Ye Ziling stood aside and said calmly.
Catching sight of her hazy silhouette and her wet hair, the man turned around, walked outside the screen, picked up a cup of tea from the table, and drank it down, trying to suppress the fire in his belly.
Ye Ziling put on her clothes and walked out to see Jun Lan waiting outside. She walked to the table.
“I will not give you the military tally,” Ye Ziling said firmly, her attitude unquestionable.
Seeing Jun Lan still leisurely drinking tea, Ye Ziling looked up and added, “No matter how much time you take to consider, my attitude will be the same. If you want the military tally, you’ll have to kill me first.”
A smile appeared in the man’s eyes. He chuckled, “Answer my first question first.”
“You said yourself… it was all a fleeting dream, so why ask?” Ye Ziling said softly, taking a slow sip of tea.
It didn’t matter; no matter what happened, she could handle it with her words.
The man’s expression gradually darkened, and the hand in his sleeve clenched into a fist.
So all his past lives were to atone for someone without a heart.
Whether it was Ling Xi or Jun Lan, in the end, he couldn’t win her true affection.
Forget it, consider it penance for a dog.
Jun Lan stood up, regaining his usual composure, and turned to walk out the door.
“However, Scholar Ling, you will always be in my heart,” Ye Ziling’s eyes trembled slightly as she stared at the familiar yet unfamiliar back, her voice carrying a hint of seriousness and deep affection.
She had indeed been moved by Ling Xi, to the point where reason couldn’t control it.
At that time, she was proud and declared she wouldn’t be bound by love.
All along, what held her back was her troublesome pride.
Perhaps she had stood too high, fallen too hard, and felt inferior, unworthy of his good intentions, unworthy of his repeated rescues, and his blatant favoritism and protection.
She wasn’t worth it.
Having been in darkness for so long, how could she not recognize it when a blazing light shone upon her?
Ye Ziling looked at the teacup in her hand and smiled bitterly. After scheming for so long, she couldn’t break her suspicious nature.
Jun Lan paused slightly, did not look back, and strode out the door.
Outside, everything returned to peace.
Jun Lan’s eyes were complex. He looked up at the night sky, his heart heavy, and murmured to himself, “Unless I die… you’re willing to hand over the military tally. What if I say it’s for you?”