It was the coldest part of winter, and though charcoal burned in the room, it could hardly be called warm. How much pain must he endure to break out in such a sweat? Yet he remained utterly silent.

She had no choice but to bring a basin of hot water to wipe his body. At this moment, even looking at his perfectly defined abdominal muscles didn’t evoke any amorous thoughts: “Have you had this heart condition since birth?” It would be difficult to treat if it was a congenital inherited disease.

He kept his eyes half-closed, his lips finally showing a hint of color: “No, this was inflicted by someone.” He placed his hand over his heart, “That blade nearly split my heart in two.”

Feng Miao Jun felt a chill in her own heart and down her spine. If only that person had been a bit more ruthless back then. If Yun didn’t exist in this world, she wouldn’t be feeling such anxiety today.

His heartbeat was exceptionally slow. Previously, when applying medicine to him, Feng Miao Jun could barely feel a single heartbeat even after finishing her work. She had thought that powerful cultivators naturally had prolonged breaths and especially slow heartbeats, but his condition seemed more complex: “This person’s skill must have been extraordinary.”

The State Preceptor, being the pinnacle of cultivators, possessed tremendous vitality, no less than the mightiest beasts. Ordinary injuries would heal in a matter of days. Mo Tizhun had recovered completely within twenty hours after employing secret techniques, despite suffering such serious wounds. Yet Yun’s heart affliction showed no signs of improvement. Just how formidable was the person who injured him back then?

A mocking smile appeared at the corner of his mouth: “Indeed.”

So it was indeed a “person.” She wondered whether it was male or female, old or young. Her gaze flickered, hoping to learn more while his guard was down: “Is he (she) still alive?”

“Long dead.”

She sighed with relief: “That’s good.” Otherwise, such a powerful individual existing in the world would remain a threat to Yun’s life, and she would have to live in constant fear.

Yun’s eyes were half-open, half-closed as he glanced at her, his expression inscrutable.

“Did you kill him?” Perhaps they had severely wounded each other, with Yun killing his opponent while sustaining grave injuries himself?

“I was still young then, without the abilities I possess now,” he murmured with closed eyes. “He brought about his destruction and couldn’t continue living. Heaven claimed him.”

Feng Miao Jun didn’t understand what “Heaven claimed him” meant. Apart from natural disasters, she had never witnessed Heaven itself taking a life. Was this opponent truly so evil? In her mind, Yun was already at the level of a demon, so how terrifyingly powerful must someone be for even Yun to describe them as self-destructive?

Yun saw through her thoughts and chuckled lightly: “Do you know that before the current era, cultivators who wished to ascend to the immortal realm had to face the trial of Heavenly Tribulation?”

“I’ve heard of it.”

“If one’s sins were too great, they couldn’t survive their tribulation and would be reduced to nothing. This is one way Heaven deals with people.”

Feng Miao Jun blinked: “But Heavenly Tribulation disappeared long ago.” She continued putting on fresh undergarments for him.

“It was just an analogy,” he said, then fell silent.

Feng Miao Jun was still confused, vaguely understanding that his opponent had not only died but probably died miserably.

But what kind of injury could plague him for so many years? “Your heart condition…” she hesitated for a moment before bringing up her greatest question of the past few years, “Is it fatal?”

A cold light flashed in his eyes: “Those who want me dead won’t find it so easy.”

On this point, she deeply agreed: “Then, can it be cured?”

Her tone was full of hope, causing even Yun to take notice: “It’s difficult, but—”

He stated with absolute certainty:

“It can be!”

His will to live was no less than her own. Feng Miao Jun felt strangely reassured.

Indeed, he too wanted to live and would go to any extreme to survive.

If they both continued to live well, they could surely live to a hundred years.

They looked at each other in silence for a long while.

Yun was still recovering from his serious illness and needed rest. Feng Miao Jun lowered the bed curtains for him and turned toward the door.

Before she could touch the door, Yun’s voice suddenly drifted over: “I saved her.”

Feng Miao Jun didn’t understand and paused: “Who?”

“Tan Qing Shuang.” He said casually, “Many years ago, I saved her life.”

So? Feng Miao Jun stood in place waiting for a long time, but no further explanation came. She found it perplexing: “And then?”

“And then you can leave now!”

His anger came without warning. Feng Miao Jun found it inexplicable but quickly walked out, turning to close the door behind her.

This fellow’s emotions were more unpredictable than a woman’s. But what did he mean by those last few sentences?

Was he deliberately explaining something to her?

Feng Miao Jun immediately laughed at her thought.

A few days later, the Imperial City of Yin Zi welcomed a grand occasion: the Jin alliance marriage.

After the Cliff Mountain passage was destroyed, Princess Hanyu of the Jin Kingdom still crossed mountains and rivers to marry into the Kingdom. This had become a beautiful story told by the citizens of Yin Zi City and the noble guests who came from all directions.

This was a demonstration by the two powerful nations to all allies and enemies that they would stand together, never separating or abandoning each other.

After months of preparation, Yin Zi City was ready for this grand ceremony. On this clear morning, the couple went separately to the Sun Lake Temple in the northern suburbs and the Moon Lake Temple in the southern suburbs of Yin Zi to worship and bathe. Afterward, the groom returned to the Yin Zi Royal Palace via a path paved with red carpets, waiting for the divine bird to bring the bride.

Envoys from various countries had seats in the luxuriously decorated viewing platform. The seating arrangement revealed the current world order. The Langyu Kingdom was arranged on the left side of the viewing platform, not far from the edge, sitting with envoys from many small countries and sectarian forces.

Yun remained as composed as ever, while Feng Miao Jun didn’t mind at all, just widening her eyes to take in the spectacle.

This was the first national-level grand wedding ceremony she had experienced, quite different from the weddings she had attended in her previous life.

Cheers came from afar, indicating that the royal family of the Kingdom was beloved by its citizens. Soon after, she saw Prince Miao Feng Xian, the second prince of the Kingdom, ascending the steps and appearing in the center of the main hall of the sacrificial temple.

He came in full ceremonial attire today—a fiery red robe with a golden belt, complementing his handsome appearance and towering mountain-like stature, displaying magnificent grandeur. Feng Miao Jun heard the envoys beside her praising him, calling the prince of the Kingdom a fine figure of a man. The royal family of the Kingdom was rare in its fraternal harmony and unity. As the saying goes, brothers united can cut through metal. If the Kingdom could overcome its current difficulties, why worry about not achieving national prosperity in the future?

Prince Miao Feng Xian’s red robe was embroidered with gold thread depicting a beast with a dragon’s head and a horse’s body, showing fierceness amidst the joyous atmosphere. Feng Miao Jun recognized it as the “Zhongshan God.” This creature had no relation to dragons. It was said that when the ancestors of the Kingdom traveled to this land, they were only able to settle down with the permission of the local deity, the Zhongshan God. Since then, they have multiplied and prospered. To this day, the Zhongshan God remains the sacred beast venerated by the Kingdom.

The current Miao Feng Xian appeared dignified, steady, magnificent, and even somewhat cold, no longer the nervous young man who had wanted to marry Feng Miao Jun in Jin Kingdom’s Caixin City.