In the silent, quiet environment, this sound came loud and abrupt.

Chao Nian, holding the album, hesitantly turned to look over. Seeing his expression was wrong, he quickly took three steps, approaching the desk piled high with documents, pressing his finger to his throat and speaking properly: “Young Master, I’ve memorized all two hundred key points.”

Su You’s elongated spine pressed straight against the chair back. Under the lamplight, his expression was inscrutable. After a while, he pointed at the album in his hand, his voice slightly hoarse: “What is it?”

Seeing he wasn’t conducting a spot check, Chao Nian’s heart relaxed considerably. He breathed a sigh of relief, spread the album flat before him: “Your Highness didn’t say, but from what I can see, it looks like husband candidates the lord has selected for Your Highness.”

The flickering flame rose high then low, casting orange light that fell on Su You’s hand, making his skin appear transparently bright and thin.

His gaze circled and fixed on that album.

It must be said that the artist working for the Yedu Lord had considerable skill. Or perhaps the lord, who had once been romantic and carefree, smiling as he wandered through the mortal world, wouldn’t compromise even slightly when it came to his daughter.

The same eyes and noses, when presented as portraits, showed distinctly different spirits. Those faces – some youthfully spirited and heroic, others gentle and bashful, refined and elegant – in any case, none of those worthy of being painted were ugly.

Su You casually scanned them, his gaze resting on the task introductions below.

From front to back, left to right, all were from prominent families that had stood firm for over a thousand years. Every word and sentence showed confidence, filled with the glory of noble houses.

Su You frowned as he flipped through page by page. At some point, as if losing interest, he snapped the album shut with disinterest: “Your Highness’s royal husband will be chosen from these?”

The vast Palace Guard Command now held only the two of them, discussing romantic matters between men and women. Chao Nian lowered his voice, analyzing methodically: “How to choose a royal husband, from which family – that depends on Your Highness herself. But Your Highness, like you, is famously devoted only to cultivation and political affairs at her desk. In this regard, she probably has no particular thoughts.”

“So in the end, she should analyze pros and cons and choose the most suitable family.” Speaking of this, Chao Nian had much to say. He opened the album, flipped to the first page, pointing at the person to introduce to Su You: “Second Young Master He.”

After speaking, he flipped to the second page: “This is Young Master Xu.”

The He and Xu families were both wealthy houses outside the Sacred Lands that had weathered thousands of years of change and were currently thriving. They even had the strength to compete with Shenyu Pavilion.

Either of these two, when brought out, would be highly sought-after treasures. But in Yedu, in the Yedu Lord’s eyes, they became the ones being selected from.

“I asked Chao Hua about it. If nothing unexpected happens, Your Highness’s future royal husband will be one of these two.” Chao Nian thought for a moment, then glanced down and pondered briefly before adding: “Of course, if Your Highness finds both acceptable, taking them all wouldn’t be impossible either.”

As they say, the speaker was unintentional, but the listener took it to heart.

Su You pressed his fingertip against the side of his wrist bone, remaining silent for a long while.

He had to admit that compared to these ancient houses that had stood for countless years, he truly had only an empty Young Master position, truly alone without support or backing.

But he also had to admit.

He couldn’t bear hearing such words – not a single sentence.

Forget royal husbands, attendant lords, and secondary lords – if any man approached Xue Yu showing intimate intentions, he couldn’t control himself, couldn’t tolerate it.

“You’re quite imaginative.”

At some unknown time, Xue Yu had silently appeared behind the back door passage of the Palace Guard Command. With snow-white skin and black hair, her slender, graceful figure held several snow-white silk threads wound between her beautiful fingers, swaying loosely with her movements like delicate vines hanging down.

She walked over, stopping three to five steps away, her gaze falling on Chao Nian, who had been caught red-handed and was guiltily looking around: “What nonsense are you spouting to your Young Master?”

Chao Nian had been with her long enough that, compared to others, he was proper when he should be proper, but also more presumptuous when he could be. Seeing she wasn’t angry, he boldly asked with curiosity: “Your Highness, among these people, do you have anyone you fancy?”

Su You looked over as well, his eyes clear and profound.

He silently gripped his ink brush tightly, both nervous and anxious.

“Haven’t looked.” Xue Yu’s answer was so blunt that it seemed almost heartless.

Chao Nian opened the album to the first page, subtly pushing it toward her: “Your Highness, why don’t you take a few glances? Otherwise, when the lord starts pressing, it won’t be easy to explain.”

Su You’s expression imperceptibly darkened. He thought two hundred key points were still too few for Chao Nian.

But at the same time, he knew in his heart that what Chao Nian said was correct.

This matter couldn’t be avoided by hiding.

Xue Yu glanced at the album of moderate thickness but didn’t pick it up for a look. Instead, she casually took a memorial from the pile on Su You’s desk, saying softly: “With Feiyun Peak’s opening imminent, the lord won’t ask about such things.”

In reality, with the world in chaos hundreds of years later and even Sacred Lands in turbulent crisis, plus Song Heng’s recent drama, not a fraction of Xue Yu’s thoughts were on such matters.

Under the glazed lamp, light gathered into a concentrated mass that didn’t disperse. With Chao Nian’s few words of interference and Xue Yu’s rare cooperation, the atmosphere became unusually gentle.

Chao Nian couldn’t keep his mouth shut or hold back his words. After hearing Xue Yu’s perfunctory response, he immediately understood the meaning.

He propped his arm on Chao Hua’s desk, speaking mischievously: “Two days ago, when Chao Hua asked me about Shanzhou’s progress and chatted with Chou Li about the Nine Phoenix family, she said that Your Highness’s future royal husband – forget about family background and such – the first requirement is having a tolerant nature, not quarreling with Your Highness over small matters.”

Su You’s gaze flickered rapidly, feeling every word Chao Nian spoke tonight was stabbing into his chest.

Magnanimous, tolerant nature.

Everything else was manageable, but regarding these two qualities, he had self-awareness – he didn’t possess them.

Xue Yu turned sideways, cleared about half the space on Su You’s desk, took a brush, and quickly wrote several characters on white paper. Hearing Chao Nian’s words, she rarely curved her mouth corners: “Your sister’s heart is completely biased toward me. Her words can’t be trusted.”

Chao Nian agreed with this. His eyes rolled as he looked toward Su You. Finding courage from somewhere, he blurted out: “What about you, Young Master? Do you have a girl you like?”

Hearing this, Xue Yu’s newly raised brush paused mid-air, as if also intrigued by this question, deliberately waiting for an answer.

If only Chao Nian were present at this moment, Su You, looking at that grinning face, had hundreds and thousands of ways to deny or brush it off. He could even smile with worldly cynicism and fool Chao Nian into revealing all his secrets.

But she was here.

Right beside him, at arm’s reach.

That “no” stuck in his throat like a fishbone – he couldn’t swallow it, couldn’t spit it out.

All around fell quiet, leaving only the rising and falling breathing sounds of several people.

Su You gripped his palm forcefully. After a long while, as if resigned to fate, he made an acknowledging sound, saying hoarsely: “Yes.”

It wasn’t that he couldn’t deny it or lie, but with Xue Yu’s personality, if he didn’t speak, she would never think in that direction.

He also wanted to be unhurried, not impulsive, to proceed gradually and naturally, waiting until he stood at a sufficiently high position with enough confidence before taking one step, then another.

However, Xue Yu was already considering marriage.

Chao Nian hadn’t expected to pry open this mouth, much less extract something real. Suddenly energized, he asked repeatedly: “There is someone? Where is that girl from? How did you meet her, Young Master?”

After asking, as if remembering something, he slapped his thigh with sudden realization: “Did you meet her during the hundred years after leaving the Xuan family? That would make her an old acquaintance.”

Su You’s expression grew stern: “Chao Nian, are you interrogating a criminal?”

Chao Nian couldn’t help but shrink his neck. After a while, he fearlessly asked again: “Young Master, I’m just curious, really curious. I can’t imagine what kind of girl you’d like.”

What kind of girl did he like?

This question was probably one that all young men who had experienced youth had pondered – quiet ones, gentle ones, or lively and playful ones. Everyone had different thoughts; it was a tender, beautiful dream.

Su You was an exception. At that time, he couldn’t even protect his own life, let alone have thoughts about anything else.

He pushed the pile of documents in front of him, using his peripheral vision to gauge Xue Yu’s reaction, pausing for a long while before saying: “Never thought about it.”

“After falling in love, I feel she’s wonderful in every way.”

Good in every way.

As soon as these words came out, not only Chao Nian but even Xue Yu was stunned.

She had seen him decisive and authoritative outside, holding power over life and death. She had also seen him elegant and gentle when slightly drunk, squinting his eyes. But she had never heard such a tone from him, never seen him speak of someone with such fond reminiscence and smiles.

If she hadn’t seen his memories through Xuanji, and known he had no deep-rooted old acquaintances or entangled romantic connections.

She might have almost believed it was true.

Time passed hurriedly. In the blink of an eye, Yedu had its first snowfall. Under the Sun-Moon Wheel, countless pavilions in the air were built, densely packed and scattered like stars, extending beyond sight.

With only one day left until Feiyun Peak opened, outside Yedu was many times livelier than inside.

Shenyu Pavilion’s branch completed construction right on schedule, a few days prior – a seven-story pagoda towering into the clouds. Having done business for countless years, they knew exactly what to offer when. Various healing pills, life-saving medicines, protective treasures, and other specialized magical items were often sold out as soon as they appeared.

These noble families spent money with surprising generosity.

Xue Yu had met Chen Longzhi several times. The latter was so busy his feet barely touched the ground, but his face showed complete satisfaction, obviously reaping substantial rewards.

At night, those earth-shaking commotions instead quieted down. Leading seniors from sects and noble families repeatedly asked and checked their disciples’ Tianji Books. Those instructions and precautions that should be remembered were repeated over and over.

Even Sacred Lands were no exception.

The demon capital made its grand entrance at this time.

Led by Nine Phoenix’s group, they boldly passed through the Tianji Book scroll detection empty-handed. When encountering that blocking barrier, she coldly raised her eyelids, slightly opened her five fingers, and a rippling spirit ring opened accordingly.

Countless spirit stones poured down like a waterfall before everyone’s eyes.

Crash.

Crash.

Within hundreds of meters, all ears heard this crisp, resounding rhythm.

“Tsk.” Ji Tingxi, watching this scene, couldn’t help shaking his head, turning to chat with Xue Yu: “See that? The demon capital is wealthy beyond measure, not diluted one bit.”

“If nothing unexpected happens, we shouldn’t encounter them in the secret realm’s outer areas, but once we enter the Abyss of Secret Realms, competing for opportunities, that’s uncertain.”

Xue Yu’s lips moved: “Ownerless objects belong to whoever has the ability.”

“That’s what we say, but I fear they won’t play fair.” Ji Tingxi became serious, glancing left and right before saying quietly: “Speaking of which, you’ve heard about that mysterious second noble family that squeezed out the Wen family in the demon capital, right?”

“I’ve heard something.”

“They’re sick.” Ji Tingxi, mindful of the setting, held back his anger but spoke frankly to Xue Yu: “They’ve been investigating Xihe recently.”

Xue Yu frowned and looked over, about to speak, when she saw Su You approaching.

He stood to one side, upright and dignified, his long sword resting against a pile of withered yellow grass covered with light snow. His features were clear and handsome, standing out remarkably in the crowd.

“I know you have good feelings for your Young Master, but listen to me finish first.” Ji Tingxi persisted: “I’m halfway through speaking. Xue Yu, look at me and let me finish.”

Xue Yu impatiently pressed her lip corners. Su You bowed to Ji Tingxi unhurriedly, as if pleased by some term, saying with exceptional good temper: “Please continue, Holy Son.”

“They brazenly knocked out five or six Xihe officials, using some chaotic methods to extract their memories. Besides that, they’re investigating every single case Xihe has handled in the past twenty, even thirty years.”

“Every single one.” Ji Tingxi made a gesture of submission: “Big and small, they investigate them all.”

—

Author’s Note:

Good night.

Seeing many readers concerned, I thought I’d explain – there won’t be any melodramatic love triangles, one dead one injured BE white moonlight plots, etc. Don’t worry.

TN: A “white moonlight” is typically the first love, unrequited love, or idealized romantic interest who remains pure, untouchable, and perfect in someone’s memory.