The Queen helped Mo Qi up, her eyes moist. "It's good that you're back. Alas, returning might not be for the best!"
She knew that now that he was alive, his next fate was sacrifice.
The Saintess, sensing her worry, coughed lightly. "Don't worry. Since I'm back, he won't be the one to be sacrificed next time."
Her implication was that she would step forward again for the next sacrifice.
Mo Qi, however, looked at the Saintess with resolute eyes. "Since I've appeared, I won't let you risk yourself again."
The Saintess's eyes flashed slightly, then her pretty face blushed. She immediately turned to the Queen. "Xiao Cui, tell me what happened. Why did you want to kill them?"
The Queen replied respectfully, "They broke the rule of the Light World where love is forbidden. They were caught in a private affair, and I intended to execute them according to the rules."
The Saintess said coldly, "If we were to follow the rules, shouldn't I have killed you back then?"
The Queen trembled, looking at the Saintess in surprise. She never expected that this Saintess, who had previously abhorred romance, would act this way today. Had she eaten something wrong?
The Queen coughed lightly. "Master, wasn't I punished back then? Moreover, the current rules were established after that. And didn't you say you wouldn't bring up those past events?"
"You made a mistake yourself, and now you're lecturing me?" the Saintess roared.
The Queen was startled and looked at her master in fear, falling silent.
Mo Qi suddenly coughed.
The Saintess looked at the Queen and said, "That rule, let's abolish it from now on."
The Queen, however, said, "How can rules be changed so casually?"
The Saintess looked at the Queen with utter astonishment, scarcely believing her ears.
Her disciple had always been well-behaved and obedient to her. What was happening today?
As for the Queen, she naturally had her own thoughts. From the moment Mo Qi entered, she had been observing. She noticed that the Saintess's makeup had undergone a drastic change compared to before. At this moment, she was dressed elegantly and plainly, her hair unbound and cascading freely, looking like a young girl. And the way she looked at her son... there was something there!
Did something improper happen between them when they came out of the Sun Star together?
Furthermore, the rule that people in the Light World could not engage in romance, with death as the penalty, was a creed she had upheld for years. How could it be changed immediately after they emerged from the Sun Star?
The more the Queen thought about it, the more terrifying it seemed. At that moment, her fear surpassed the joy of seeing her son.
Mo Qi coughed again. "Xiao Cui, are you getting a bit arrogant? Unreasonable rules should be corrected. What are you clinging to?"
Xiao Cui? He was actually calling her Xiao Cui?
The Queen trembled with anger, pointing at Mo Qi. "You little brat, are you trying to defy heaven?"
The Saintess shot a cold glare. "Wicked disciple, are you trying to defy heaven?"
The Queen immediately lowered her head. "Master, you speak too harshly. I wouldn't dare."
The Saintess sighed. "As Ye Yun said, some rules are unreasonable or outdated and should be changed promptly. Why should we reject something that everyone welcomes? Let's have everyone in the hall vote. Those who agree to change this rule and wish to engage in romance, raise your hands."
Having said that, she raised her own hand first.
Mo Qi also raised his hand in cooperation, and then others followed suit.
In the end, seeing that she was the only one not raising her hand, Xiao Cui raised hers to avoid embarrassment.
The Saintess nodded with satisfaction.
Ji Zhuo and Weng Jing, having survived the ordeal and now able to be together openly, were immensely grateful to the Saintess and the Queen, bowing repeatedly as they departed.
The Queen said, "Since Master has returned, my role as acting Queen should also come to an end. Please take the throne, Master."
The Saintess remained motionless. "The throne is only passed down, not up. Since I passed it to you, it is yours. I have my own matters to attend to."
The Queen insisted, but the Saintess waved her hand. "I am a bit tired and don't want to worry about these things anymore. You all may leave. We can discuss anything later."
Everyone slowly retreated.
Mo Qi also followed the crowd out of the hall.
The Saintess suddenly called out, "Ye Yun, stay."
Mo Qi stopped. The Queen turned and glared fiercely at Mo Qi before leaving indignantly.
Seeing that everyone had left, Mo Qi relaxed inwardly and walked up to the Saintess with a smile. "Your attire today has made you look eighty million years younger!"
The Saintess pouted. "Why did you lie to me?"
Although the words were abrupt, Mo Qi understood her meaning. "I didn't lie to you; I just didn't tell you in advance. I was afraid you wouldn't accept it. And I don't think this is a big deal."
"This isn't a big deal? She's your mother, and also my disciple. What are you to me?" the Saintess asked, her almond eyes wide.
"Husband," Mo Qi said, gathering his courage.
"Get lost!" The Saintess gave him a displeased look. "Tell me, is this the only thing you've deceived me about?"
Mo Qi coughed dryly, watching her cautiously. "Which one are you referring to?"
"Good, so there's more than one!" The Saintess stomped her foot in anger, revealing a girlish demeanor.
"No," Mo Qi felt very innocent, yet inexplicably guilty. "I really don't know what you're talking about. Perhaps, there's nothing at all."
Could it be about the pregnancy? That would be terrible.
"Perhaps?" the Saintess snorted coldly. "Why do you say 'perhaps'? Can you be more certain?"
Mo Qi could only say mournfully, "I dare not."
"Then you truly have something to hide from me?" The Saintess immediately stood tall, her posture seeming to elevate. "Tell me, what is it?"
Mo Qi felt breathless, almost suffocating. "It's just that, actually, you haven't..."
Just then, the Queen burst in again. "Son, I think Xue Ying and Shui Han are both good matches. How about we arrange your weddings together soon?"
Alas, it was truly a case of misfortune piling upon misfortune!
Mother, what play are you putting on now?
Seeing that the Saintess had kept Mo Qi behind, she assumed the Saintess intended to discuss marriage with him, so she decided to strike first, hoping to make the Saintess retreat.
Mo Qi turned and frowned. "Mother, isn't that too impolite? Your master is still here, why did you barge in without announcing yourself?"
The Saintess also looked at her with a darkened expression.
The Queen immediately felt awkward, looking at the Saintess and stammering, "Master, I apologize. When I thought of such happy news, I didn't consider your feelings."
The Saintess waved her hand. "It's not important. It's just that what you just said is not feasible. With a great enemy at our doorstep, and the Jinhe World poised to invade at any moment, how can we have the leisure to arrange such events?"
The Queen refused to back down. "It doesn't require a grand ceremony; a simple bow to heaven and earth will suffice. If that's not possible, you can directly enter the bridal chamber, and elders like myself and Master can be witnesses."
She deliberately emphasized the word "elders."
In a flash of thought, Mo Qi suddenly remembered something. The Saintess had witnessed his embraces with Shui Han and Xue Ying. She must have her suspicions.
So, could the deception she spoke of be related to this?
At this moment, the Saintess stated firmly, "Ye Yun is destined for sacrifice at any time. You are still arranging for other girls to marry him. By doing this, aren't you harming those girls?"
The Queen was stunned.
What was she clinging to? He was about to sacrifice himself for the common people. Before his death, was it necessary for her to interfere in his personal life?
Shouldn't her attitude be that as long as he was happy, that's all that mattered?
Yes, as long as he was happy.
Moreover, even in normal times, him marrying his master, not his master, was each to their own. This wouldn't be too much of a violation of moral principles, would it?
The Queen's thoughts took a complete 180-degree turn. She looked at the Saintess and said, "Yes, Master. With the great tribulation approaching, no one knows if there will be a tomorrow. If one can enjoy themselves, they should seize the moment. How about I help arrange your marriage with Yun'er as well?"