The rooms at First Grade Residence were arranged with great character—elegant and tranquil, with landscape paintings hanging on the walls, rosewood tables and chairs arranged neatly, and the four treasures of the study properly placed upon them. A small tree of unknown name sat in the window corner, blooming with clusters of rice-white flowers in a swaying, passionate display.
In summary, the entire room matched the name “First Grade Residence” and was indeed a place suitable for scholars to study diligently.
But at this moment, the room seemed as if enchanting incense had been lit, the atmosphere in the air becoming alluring and deep, until Su You’s injured palm pressed heavily against the desk, five fingers spread, revealing the fine meridians beneath flesh and skin, nearly woven into an impenetrable net.
At some moment, this hand lifted slightly, pushing over a cup of cool tea at the desk’s edge in a dazed and intoxicated manner.
The crisp sound of shattering echoed.
Su You wore Yedu’s official robes, the cuffs embroidered with complex overlapping patterns in deep ink-green. Now, a section at his right chest was pushed into wrinkles, and the inviolable dignity of a first-rank official was instantly destroyed without a trace.
“…” He turned his head to look at the fragments on the ground, his eye corners gazing down from above like a demon nourished with alluring charm: “Ah Yu.”
“Click.”
The moment his words fell, Xue Yu pressed two fingers simultaneously on the protruding gemstone of his waist sash. That belt embedded with gold and jade—both a symbol of official status and a valuable spiritual object—was slowly drawn out like a colored ribbon, falling to the ground with a clatter.
As if unexpectedly, Su You suddenly turned back, immediately seeing the different emotions floating in Xue Yu’s eyes, more direct than ordinary people, and more honest.
Her pupils, usually cold and clean as frozen snow, were covered with a thin layer of water vapor, as if saying that in this intimate entanglement, she wasn’t the only one falling.
“Untied.” Xue Yu pushed him away, creating a distance of two or three steps, her red lips moving slightly, words spoken that made blood surge: “Let me see.”
The wide official robe fell off, landing in a pile on the ground, followed by the smooth outer garment sliding down from his shoulders.
Finally, the inner robe.
Without the restraint of the waist sash, this handsome and upright figure bloomed like flower petals before her eyes, layer by layer in brilliant display.
He stood in place, his waist lean and strong, shoulder lines flowing smooth as a blade, his proportions stunning. Looking slender and refined, he possessed an extremely strong deceptive quality.
Xue Yu narrowed her eyes, her gaze changing from slight fascination to naked appreciation.
When the last inner garment silently fell from his shoulders, Su You reached out to press it down, so half his shoulder was draped with thin fabric while the other half was exposed to the air, revealing a loose and lazy attitude.
Xue Yu stepped forward two paces, looking at his cold white skin exposed to the air across the short distance, the deeply sunken hollow of his neck, and the slightly protruding shoulder bone, finally settling on the finger joints pressing his collar, carefully examining his eyes: “What is it?”
“Won’t let me look?”
Su You had never imagined that one day he would be asked such a question.
He bent down to embrace Xue Yu. Under his tall and burning body, she appeared particularly delicate. In such a position, Xue Yu replaced his fingers—if she just stepped back slightly, that inner garment would completely fall.
Everything inside would be unreservedly displayed before her.
Su You steadied his breathing, seriously telling her word by word: “In matters between men and women, it’s the woman who suffers loss.”
Xue Yu tilted her head slightly.
Seeing this, Su You reached out to touch her flushed cheek, lingering and caressing like touching precious porcelain, his eyes seeming to roll with boiling water, stepping on the edge of being unable to control his emotions, bit by bit indulging himself: “Ah Yu, if you want—”
He grasped Xue Yu’s fingers, holding the piece of clothing hanging on his shoulder, his movements slow as if giving her final time to think, yet carrying some kind of bewitching rhythm: “It’s all up to you.”
Through his eyes, Xue Yu seemed to see his attitude—
Advance or retreat, all within her control.
Su You as a person—Xue Yu didn’t understand him.
Many times, he was more like a crazy whirlpool. He was the one deliberately bewitching her, the one wanting to pull her into falling and sinking, but when it came to crucial moments, he was also the one deliberately restraining himself, suddenly stopping and pulling her to halt.
Looking at his slightly reddened eye corners at this moment, the force gripping her fingers, and the heat pressing tightly against her—to say there was no desire, no impulse, not to mention others, even Xue Yu herself wouldn’t believe it.
Xue Yu looked at his left hand, festering and stretched straight, then slowly lifted his collar back into place, saying quietly: “Wait until your injury heals.”
She circled halfway behind him, helping him put the inner robe back on, finally lifting the collar, just catching sight of his shoulder blades opening and sliding on both sides.
Xue Yu’s movements paused.
At this moment, she felt that being pure-hearted and having few desires seemed false—she had inherited more of the Yedu Lord’s romantic nature.
After a while, she hastily completed this action.
Su You lowered his eyes, bending to pick up the court robes from the ground. They were splashed with tea and glass fragments and couldn’t be worn again, so he took out a new set from his spirit ring to put on.
Through this process, that alluring state gradually transformed into a proper and dignified gentleman. With a “click,” he fastened his waist sash and extended his palm toward Xue Yu, slowly responding to what she had said earlier: “Good.”
Just then, two knocks suddenly came from outside the door, not sounding like a servant’s cautious approach. Soon, Sui Yu’s low voice after drinking came through: “Your Highness Yedu, sorry to disturb you, I’m looking for Nineteen.”
Ever since learning about those past events, Su You’s attitude toward the Sui family had already changed somewhat in his heart. At least at times like this, he didn’t show frost-like coldness. He squeezed Xue Yu’s fingers: “I’ll go out for a while.”
His affairs, and his matters with the Sui family—Xue Yu wouldn’t interfere. She trusted his handling and judgment.
“Go ahead.”
As the Sui family’s most capable thinker, Sui Yu didn’t find another private room to sit and talk with Su You. The two stood shoulder to shoulder on the terrace facing the window on the second floor. After carefully observing the remaining traces of spring emotion in Su You’s eyes, Sui Yu wanted to pour himself some wine.
Fine, they had indeed found the person, but his heart wasn’t here.
He already belonged to another family.
He slowly exhaled: “Together with Xue Yu?”
A certain tone.
Su You nodded.
Getting the expected answer, Sui Yu pulled at his lips and handed him the paper he had bought at high price from Chen Longzhi: “Establishing Yedu’s Hundred Mountains, treating all equally, handling cases justly—Xue Yu is indeed an excellent Sacred Land heir.”
Whether this was sincere or not, as long as Su You liked hearing it, Sui Yu’s purpose was achieved.
“If I’m not mistaken, her establishment of redress arrays and attitude toward demons and ghosts is meant to change the current situation in the mortal world.” Sui Yu extracted the most crucial point, looking at Su You: “Actually, her efforts have indeed been successful. At least among the Sacred Land heirs, there’s no more unequal treatment between humans and demons. Those who used to call themselves ancient immortals and go out arrogantly have all died down. But this is only the Sacred Lands.”
“Nineteen, you’re an auspicious beast. Whether it’s future complete imbalance between humans, demons, and Sacred Lands falling into chaos, or that warning from the Fusang Tree in Flying Cloud Peak—both could happen.”
“The violent collision among the three realms isn’t rooted in the Sacred Lands.”
“This task is too arduous. Even if Xue Yu becomes Yedu’s Female Emperor in the future, it will be difficult to change anything.” Sui Yu changed his phrasing: “Or rather, such matters simply can’t be changed by one person’s strength.”
“She’s just a Sacred Land heir after all, and what’s likely to erupt is conflict between the human and demon races.”
Imagine if that time really came—with the identity of Sacred Land Lord, which side could Xue Yu stand on? Both human and demon races have their own monarchs, and she couldn’t intervene to restrain either side. Acting rashly might instead intensify conflicts.
Sui Yu felt he would use up a year’s worth of words today.
“Taking a step back, let’s not discuss those vague future matters. Just talking about the present—does the Yedu Lord know about you and Xue Yu?” Sui Yu squinted at the person who had paused his movements: “What are your plans?”
Su You had no plans.
He could say any sweet words, make any gestures, but this one thing—something Xue Yu never mentioned—he couldn’t ask about.
Sui Yu gauged his expression, fingers resting on the terrace edge, hanging loosely in mid-air: “The Yedu Young Master stands alone, but behind the demon capital’s Sui family is powerful support. Xue Yu’s status isn’t low. When you follow her to face the Yedu Lord, you can’t just rely on the Young Master title she personally granted.”
“Sixth Uncle.” Su You stood tall and jade-like against the background of mourning banners throughout the city, his voice normal, revealing no joy or anger: “If you have something to say, speak directly.”
This address of “Sixth Uncle” wasn’t warm, even seemed somewhat polite, but it sounded much more pleasant than the dozen other calls, even stirring an absurd sense of emotion in Sui Yu.
Probably had too much to drink, making his brain a bit abnormal.
“What I mean is, would you consider returning to the Sui family and, together with Jiu Feng in the future, take over the Demon Capital and become the demon race’s ruler.” As if fearing rejection, Sui Yu pressed his twitching eyelid and continued: “The Demon Capital values bloodline and strength. You have the purest bloodline of the Tianpin clan. Just demonstrate once at the Three Lands Grand Assembly, then have the Sui family release news of recognizing you, and it will be legitimate.”
“Only when people stand on high ground can they personally change anything.” Sui Yu gave him an example: “Take the Jiu Feng clan—they don’t intend to change the original situation, not because they’re truly indifferent to the current state of demons in the mortal world, but because intervening requires taking on too much responsibility. Everyone sweeping only their own doorstep, with matters unrelated to themselves—no one has the determination to make major changes.”
Sui Yu felt very desolate and sad. He truly never imagined that asking his own nephew to return and inherit the family head position would require using a woman as an excuse at every turn, persuading him to consider it.
But there was no choice.
Not just him—now the entire Sui family, whoever learned the news, felt gratitude toward Xue Yu that words couldn’t fully express.
After a long silence, Su You glanced toward the door at the end: “I’ll think about it.”
Not immediately refusing was a good sign. Sui Yu patted Su You’s shoulder: “Alright, make a decision quickly. Before the Three Lands Grand Assembly, your other uncles and I will open the ancestral land and send you in.”
When Su You returned to the room, Xue Yu was curled up on the bed, dozing intermittently—a rare tired appearance.
“What’s wrong?” He sat on the bed’s edge, asking with some concern.
Xue Yu lifted her eyelids slightly, frowning in slight displeasure, saying quietly: “It’s because of the ancestral land.”
That ancestor who suddenly appeared, saying she was too tense, unknown which Yedu ruler—her gentle push seemed like a spell. When the body reached a certain point, it would forcibly begin feeling drowsy, wanting to lie down and rest.
“Don’t be busy today.” Su You stroked her water-like black hair, then glanced at the desk: “I’ll ask Chao Hua about the remaining matters to handle.”
Xue Yu made a noncommittal sound. After a while, she patted the space beside her: “Come closer.”
Su You smiled and moved closer.
“The Sui family matter, the truth about the past—have you figured it all out?”
Su You leaned half his shoulder against the bedpost, the shoulder bone supported by a hard and cold point. In this position, he related bit by bit what Sui Yu had told him about the past.
Xue Yu listened carefully. Finally, she turned to look at him: “What are your plans now?”
“Might go back to see.” One sentence, spoken low and deep, like some rhythmic music.
Xue Yu nodded: “In such circumstances, you should go back and meet your family and parents.”
After speaking, her gaze fell on his perfectly shaped palm, her eyelashes moving once, like some kind of satisfied scrutiny: “Our Nineteen should indeed be loved by everyone.”
Our Nineteen.
Su You seemed bewitched, leaning over to kiss her eyes. After a while, as if feeling it wasn’t enough, he continued downward, speaking in shortened breath: “In the future, we might have to be separated for a while.”
Only a few days had passed from Yedu to the imperial city, and he already found it somewhat unacceptable. After that, Su You couldn’t quite imagine the scene.
In Xue Yu’s eyes, common people came first, Yedu second—he could probably only rank fourth or fifth.
But in Su You’s heart, Xue Yu always held the advantage, occupying first place.
The person before him knew none of this.
“I know.” Xue Yu looked at him seriously, as if wanting to paint this face, this appearance in her heart to remember, yet still could calmly analyze: “Sui Yu is right. For you, this is a good thing.”
Look, even in such circumstances, Xue Yu could always, always remain so clear-headed. Su You immediately felt restless irritation rise in his heart. Dissatisfied, he used his index finger to lift Xue Yu’s chin, their gazes meeting without obstruction.
“Ah Yu.” He suddenly made a restraint yet forceful demand: “Say you like me.”
Contrary to this domineering tone was his expression—from Xue Yu’s angle, it carried a wronged obedience.
He was indeed obedient, so much so that before her, he often presented an illusion of being easily bullied. But not to mention his former personality, just the inherent fierceness in Tianpin bones was destined to contradict this submissive obedience with his inner nature.
“Mm. I like you.”
Xue Yu slowly repeated those few words. She liked him—this was indeed fact, nothing to hesitate or delay about.
Su You remained silent. After a while, he asked quietly: “Will it only be the two of us?”
By the time he reached the last syllable, his lips had already fallen to Xue Yu’s ear, his voice deliberately suppressed and burning: “In the future, will you only like me alone?”
He truly couldn’t feel at ease.
Xue Yu had never said words like “it must be you,” nor was she someone who couldn’t live without anyone. In other words, she could soberly accept everyone’s departure.
He wasn’t sure if she would meet gentle, lovely, satisfactory young masters in the future, wasn’t sure if she would experience exclusive devotion and heart-pounding surges with another person, and didn’t know—
Whether she, as Yedu’s Female Emperor, would follow the Yedu Lord’s arrangements and, without blinking, take in whoever was sent to her rear courtyard.
Or even worse, because of long separations, she might simply lose interest in him and say words of complete severance without looking back.
“Mm?” Xue Yu found a comfortable position leaning against his shoulder, her voice rarely carrying inquiring meaning: “What are you thinking about?”
Indeed.
He was the one holding back when the arrow was on the string, and he was also the one worrying about gains and losses.
“Practice well after returning.” Xue Yu moved her fingers slightly. The vine section connecting them was thinly pulled, revealing its form. She formed hand seals and used her fingertip to pinch the tender vine in the middle. Instantly, a strange binding sensation of heart-to-heart connection disappeared from Su You.
“Your cultivation is now profound. Entering the ancestral land will improve it further. At the Three Lands Grand Assembly, you’ll probably be able to match Jiu Feng.”
She smiled: “Top three on the Heavenly Pride Ranking—quite good.”
Su You looked at the broken section of Thousand Vine Guide that quickly withered to just a wilted green leaf, his eyelashes casting shadows. After a long time, he knowingly asked following her words: “Who’s first?”
Perhaps drowsiness was taking over. Xue Yu lazily propped up her head, looking at him with her black hair hanging down, the curve at her eye corners not yet completely faded, making her words carry half-real, half-joking meaning: “Wanting to fight me once isn’t impossible.”
“Nineteen.” Despite the joking, after her words fell, she casually played with his index finger, channeling her spiritual power into it to compete with the Emperor’s lock injury, her eyes full of brilliant seriousness: “You temporarily can’t match me yet. Don’t be stubborn, and don’t get hurt.”
Yes.
So it also meant that in this relationship, if she ever had thoughts of retreat, he couldn’t even force her to stay.
Amber-like pupils gradually accumulated melancholy. He looked at Xue Yu’s delicate features, mesmerized as he captured her breath, murmuring: “The Fusang Tree says the Tianpin clan has the world’s strongest cage. If one day Your Highness finds new love—” His words gradually lowered again, fishing through her flowing hair, watching them compete to overflow between his fingers: “…I’m already like this, Ah Yu, don’t bully me.”