Yan Chaosheng had said he would come to accompany her when he had time, but several days passed, and he still hadn’t appeared.

Instead, his attendant Su Lun came. Su Lun’s true form was a brown-furred fox. When he arrived, he brought a box of peach blossom pastries, smiling as he said: “My Lady, I trust you’ve been well. Look at the gift this servant has brought you. Do you like it?”

The fox clan was naturally born with good looks, but Su Lun was an exception. His appearance was ordinary, completely lacking the alluring charm of the fox clan.

He was born with eight chambers in his heart, and while his other skills were unremarkable, his ability to read people’s minds and please them was second to none. Whenever he accompanied Yan Chaosheng on his travels, he never forgot to bring some gifts for Liu Shuang.

“Thank you, Su Lun,” Liu Shuang accepted the gift. “Why did this campaign take so long? Wasn’t it said that the six realms had already established treaties? And who severely injured the Demon Lord?”

Su Lun’s eyes flickered briefly before he smiled and said: “It shouldn’t have taken this long, but while the Demon Lord was guarding the Ghost Realm, those old fellows in the Demon Realm had treacherous thoughts. The Demon Lord spent some time dealing with them.”

Liu Shuang said, “After such a long journey, Lord Su Lun must be tired as well.”

“There’s another matter for my visit today. My Lady’s constitution must be uncomfortable living in the Ghost Realm. Would you like this servant to escort you back to the Demon Realm to live?”

Liu Shuang took a small bite of the peach blossom pastry, her movements pausing slightly: “Is this your idea, or… his?”

Her clear eyes, like spring water, looked at him, and even the silver-tongued Su Lun felt somewhat guilty.

“My Lady thinks too much. Of course it’s not the Demon Lord’s idea,” Su Lun said. “The Demon Lord can’t bear to be separated from My Lady. It’s just that I fear My Lady’s immortal body cannot withstand the pervasive ghost energy. Now that the wars have ended, the Demon Lord and My Lady have many days ahead, and My Lady should take care of her health.”

Liu Shuang’s tone was gentle and soft: “It’s all right. I’m fine.”

Su Lun smiled and didn’t bring it up again. He chatted with her about several amusing incidents before taking his leave. As he walked out of Liu Shuang’s courtyard, the smile in his eyes disappeared.

“Lord Su Lun, how did it go?”

Su Lun curved his lips and said: “My Lady still refuses to go to the Demon Realm. No matter what, as long as she doesn’t like walking around the Ghost Realm, she shouldn’t discover anything for now. Report this to the Demon Lord.”

“Yes.”

Su Lun opened his fan and shook his head. He had deliberately told a lie, giving His Majesty the Demon Lord one more chance to choose.

The lady inside was sincere and pure. During the first few decades, he had found it easy to lie to such a pitiful little darling, but now, even with his thick skin, he was beginning to feel uncomfortable.

In all Eight Wildernesses, surrounded by people with black and evil hearts like them, only she could still live so happily.

After Su Lun left, Yan Chaosheng’s figure was still nowhere to be seen in the Ghost Realm.

Even the ghost butterflies, thinking the Demon Lord was not in the Ghost Realm, began to dance around Liu Shuang’s swing again. Liu Shuang felt dejected for several days when she noticed her long-treasured Double Fish Jade Pendant had begun developing strange cracks.

This jade pendant was a gift from Shao You when he left. Why had it started to crack now?

She sat under the phoenix tree, her fingertips emitting tender green spiritual energy. The energy, like fireflies, covered the Double Fish Pendant in fine threads as she tried to repair it. The phoenix tree swayed its leaves, with large red flowers falling silently, as if weeping with sorrow, spreading a patch of red at her feet.

The ugly cracks on the jade pendant remained, and her spiritual energy had no effect at all!

Chang Huan stood at the doorway for a while, saw her distracted state, and quickly entered: “My Lady?”

“Has the Demon Lord returned?” Liu Shuang’s eyes brightened as she asked.

Chang Huan hesitated, then finally shook her head: “This servant came to ask what you would like to eat this evening.”

Liu Shuang put away the jade pendant. Normally, when Yan Chaosheng returned to the Ghost Realm, although he was busy, because of her clinginess, he would always set aside time to accompany her. This time, she hadn’t even caught a glimpse of him.

“Anything is fine, just keep it light,” Liu Shuang remembered something and smiled. “Chang Huan, when you have time, find me some silkworm silk in brighter colors.”

“What does My Lady need it for? Approximately how much?”

“My husband’s birthday is coming. I’ll make a hairband,” Liu Shuang said. Every time she prepared a birthday gift for him, it was truly difficult. Almost everything she had was given by him. If she hadn’t absorbed the Demon Lord’s blood, she would still be a small celestial grass unable to take human form.

For a hundred years, she had carefully tended to his daily life. She sewed battle robes for him, embroidered waistbands, and even the fierce beasts on his clothes were personally stitched by her with gold thread, strand by strand.

Although she had little talent in cultivation, she was quite clever in this regard. Knowing his distinguished status, she became increasingly skillful, making garments and ornaments that were exquisite, with an unrestrained elegance.

Although Yan Chaosheng might not care about these things, Liu Shuang firmly believed that when he and Chi Yuan were campaigning outside, wearing items she had made gave him a sense of her companionship.

Chang Huan opened her mouth, then finally said: “Yes, this servant will go find them for My Lady today.”

The sky of the Ghost Realm always seemed covered with a layer of blood mist, making it difficult to tell the time. Instead, the ghost crows in the branches became the timekeepers.

After Chang Huan left, Liu Shuang realized that Yan Chaosheng’s campaign had been unprecedentedly long, and his battle robe would likely need to be replaced.

Although the Eight Wildernesses had now stabilized, she was accustomed to preparing in advance. Otherwise, if something happened next time, she wouldn’t be ready.

Liu Shuang ran out: “Chang Huan!”

Outside the palace, Chang Huan’s figure had already disappeared. Ghost cultivators naturally moved with incredible speed. Chang Huan, having spent several decades with her, had seemingly sensed that this timid celestial grass was somewhat afraid of “ghosts,” so she never floated around in front of Liu Shuang, nor did she, like other ghost cultivators, casually detach an arm to use for scratching.

Chang Huan had been raised by her to resemble more of a “mortal,” walking in embroidered shoes and even learning without guidance how to use powder to cover her deathly pale face.

But when facing away from her, the ghost cultivator’s natural tendency was to move as comfortably as possible, instantly vanishing from sight.

Liu Shuang walked out and saw countless handmaidens with lowered heads passing by outside the palace.

Their lower bodies were ethereal, like a layer of black mist, and they carried exquisite jade trays in their hands. The items on the trays made Liu Shuang extremely curious.

She went closer to look. As an immortal body, just standing nearby, she could sense that the treasures inside must be extraordinary, even diminishing her discomfort from the Ghost Realm.

“What are these? Where are you going?”

“In response to My Lady, these are soul-pacifying immortal medicines,” a ghost cultivator turned her head, her voice flat. “This servant is taking these items to the Xiang Ze Palace.”

Hearing the words “Xiang Ze Palace,” Liu Shuang was taken aback. The Xiang Ze Palace had been uninhabited.

She remembered that several decades ago, when she first arrived at the Ghost Realm, Yan Chaosheng had said that apart from the Wuqing Palace, which would harm her, she could go anywhere else, except for the Xiang Ze Palace. She was not allowed to go there, nor was anyone else.

For long decades, the Xiang Ze Palace had been a forbidden area in the Ghost Realm.

Once, Liu Shuang had lost her way and almost stumbled into it by mistake, only to be caught by the collar by Yan Chaosheng, who had instantly appeared before her.

That time, he had coldly looked at her, and, for the half year he had been away fighting, not a single word was sent back.

Since then, Liu Shuang has never set foot in that place again. Originally, Liu Shuang’s curiosity wasn’t strong, and the matter gradually passed. Until one day, when great demons from the Demon Realm came to celebrate Yan Chaosheng’s birthday, Liu Shuang heard a rumor.

They said that a female immortal had once lived in the Xiang Ze Palace, and that immortal had a deep relationship with Yan Chaosheng, almost becoming the Demon Lord’s fiancée. If the immortal hadn’t entered the Celestial Palace to become the Heaven Lord’s consort, who knows who the Demon Empress would be now?

Liu Shuang didn’t believe it. Although she was just a small celestial grass of only a hundred years, she knew that her husband had never had another woman.

Their first time together had been when he was drunk, and he had been somewhat rough, not at all like a natural union. Only later, finding pleasure in it, did he relax his brow.

She was certain she was the only romance in his long life. How could her husband possibly love someone else? If he loved someone else, why would he marry her?

But she was born too late. By the time she had transformed into human form, he was already renowned, a Demon Lord whom no one in the world dared to provoke lightly. Could it be that hundreds of years ago, he had someone he cherished deeply?

So many demons spoke with great enthusiasm, swearing it was true. These old demons had lived much longer than she had, and indeed, she had not been part of his youth.

Her distraction was noticed by him, and she simply couldn’t help but ask if he had ever had such a relationship.

He pinched her chin, coldly looking into her eyes: “What do you think?”

Looking at his cold eyes, for some reason, she trembled from the bottom of her heart. Everyone knew that the Demon Lord disliked anyone discussing his past.

It was said that in his youth, his life had been difficult. Cultivating the righteous path with a demon body, he had been discriminated against in numerous ways, his path fraught with hardships.

She looked at his pitch-black eyes, as if infused with ice. Suddenly, she realized that questioning him was wrong. Why didn’t she trust him? Liu Shuang thought, if he had doubted her relationship with Shao You, she would certainly be angry too.

So she rubbed her reddened eyes, and without pursuing the matter further, said: “Husband, when the summer thunder is frequent, will you accompany me back to Azure Lake for a few days?” If he would go back for just a few days, it would save countless members of her kind at Azure Lake.

He looked at her for a long time, then gave a soft agreement.

This verbal promise fell upon her heart, as sweet as honey.

She beamed with joy, and from then on never inquired about the Xiang Ze Palace again. After all, it was just a palace. The person belonged to her, his heart was hers, and no cold, lifeless courtyard could steal them away. That female immortal was already the Heaven Lord’s consort. Immortals should all be good people and would certainly not compete with her for Yan Chaosheng.

But after that day, she vaguely understood that between her and him, it wasn’t just status, but also the span of seven hundred years.

His difficult past—she had never shared his wind and frost, rain and dew. She didn’t even know anything about that past.

Now, hearing about the Xiang Ze Palace from the ghost cultivators’ mouths again, for some reason, she felt a sense of discomfort rising from her heart.

Perhaps every girl naturally possesses the ability to sense a crisis. Why had the long-sealed Xiang Ze Palace suddenly opened, with countless ghost cultivators delivering soul-pacifying treasures inside?

Why had her husband, after returning from his campaign in the Immortal Realm, having pacified the Eight Wildernesses and with major matters that could be handled slowly, no longer shared her bed?

It was as if… he was keeping himself for someone.

Though his emotions weren’t intense, Liu Shuang knew that when he faced her, he wasn’t indifferent. When he was deeply moved, she could place her little foot on his shoulder, and he wouldn’t reproach her, only expressionlessly pinch her face: “Insolence, how dare you.”

He was majestic and cold, but he also indulged her mischief.

Liu Shuang thought again of the night he returned and asked her for the Ming Xi Pearl. When she affectionately embraced his neck, he pushed her hands away. Something in her heart was sprouting and growing into a monster, opening its bloody maw at her, cackling.

She formed a guess that made her tremble all over, one she dared not contemplate.

Chang Huan returned with the fabric and saw her standing blankly on the small path of the Ghost Realm palace. She hurried over: “My Lady, what’s wrong?”

“Chang Huan, they say someone is living in the Xiang Ze Palace. Do you think the Demon Lord hasn’t returned these past days because he’s staying in the Xiang Ze Palace?”

Chang Huan’s fingers trembled. Seeing the fragile, nervous emotion in her eyes, she calmly said: “My Lady, what are you thinking? The Demon Lord was so severely injured this time. I asked Brother Fu Hang a few days ago, and he said the Demon Lord spends his nights healing in the Wuqing Palace.”

Liu Shuang bit her lip and reluctantly nodded.

Chang Huan quickly showed Liu Shuang what she had brought: “I’ve found the material My Lady requested. The Demon Lord’s birthday is approaching. If we don’t hurry, I’m afraid we won’t be ready in time.”

“Mm.” Her husband was the Demon Lord, also the Ghost King. As the ruler of two realms, he dealt with major matters daily, far beyond these romantic feelings in her heart.

Liu Shuang sighed, remembering the jealousy she had felt twenty years ago that had become a joke: Yan Chaosheng had been locked in the main hall with someone for three days and nights, not emerging.

She had thought her husband no longer wanted her, but the person conferring with her husband in the hall turned out to be a bearded male demon. When he walked, the ground trembled.

Realizing what she had misunderstood, Yan Chaosheng’s face had darkened at the time.

This time, she couldn’t let her imagination run wild and misunderstand him again. She accepted the silkworm silk and slowly walked back to the hall.

Chang Huan watched her retreating figure, biting her lip tightly as she silently followed.

Night fell, and the ghost crow cawed three times, marking the third watch of the night.

Liu Shuang, pillowing her arm, could not sleep, watching the light dance in the crystal lamp. Beside her lay the cut silkworm silk. For some reason, she gradually thought of the cracks on the Double Fish Pendant.

The Double Fish Pendant and the Ming Xi Pearl were the two items Shao You had given her before he left.

She still remembered that day, with its gentle breeze and warm air. He was dressed in white, as gentle as jade: “I ask you one last time, are you willing to leave with me, to travel the mountains and rivers, to go to the Jiangnan Prefecture I once mentioned to you?”

She had smiled and shaken her head, her eyes bright: “I like being with him.”

Shao You’s eyes had dimmed: “Then keep these two items as my wedding gifts to you. Don’t lose the Double Fish Pendant. As long as it remains intact, stay by his side. If it… begins to crack, leave his side immediately, whether back to Azure Lake or to the mortal realm.”

“As for the Ming Xi Pearl, your spiritual power is weak, and your side is not suitable for your cultivation. When you face your bloodline tribulation, it might help shield you from some of the tribulation lightning.”

After that, Shao You had dropped these two items and never returned, not even attending her wedding. She didn’t understand the value of these items, but since they were from Shao You, they must be good. Shao You was a descendant of the ancient peachwood clan, which made him somewhat related to her true form.

He was born skilled in healing and divination, modest in nature, and gentle in temperament. She met him in the mortal realm shortly after taking human form, and followed him across the mundane rivers and roads, naively learning many things from him.

To Liu Shuang, Shao You was both a good teacher and a close friend. She had once placed her hands together above her forehead, ready to kneel respectfully, calling him “Master” in a crisp voice.

Shao You had pressed his lips together, binding her knees with peachwood: “I will not be your master.”

Because of this, she thought she was too foolish and had been rejected by Shao You, feeling heartbroken for quite some time.

Now, the Double Fish Pendant that Shao You had given her was spontaneously beginning to crack. Why would a perfectly good piece of jade crack? She remembered his divination skills were unmatched in the world, and clutched her brocade quilt, feeling uneasy.

After pondering for a long time, Liu Shuang dressed herself and walked outside.

Surely it was because her spiritual power was too weak that she couldn’t repair the jade. She couldn’t, but her husband certainly could. With his vast powers, it would not be difficult for him. Shao You must have been wrong. She didn’t believe such an inauspicious prophecy. She wanted to accompany him for a long, long time, to be with him for the rest of his life.

She carried the crystal lamp, passing through the Ghost Realm with its howling ghost winds at night, finally stopping at a palace built of jade stone.

This was the main hall of the Ghost Territory, where Yan Chaosheng handled major affairs. He was warlike by nature, fond of killing, harboring grand strategies, fearless and dauntless. He had single-handedly transformed the prosperous era of the Immortal Realm into an age where humans, immortals, demons, and ghosts all stood as equals.

According to the history books, seven hundred years ago, immortals were revered, while demon descendants lived worse than livestock. She had never seen such scenes. By the time she was born, demons already had dignity.

Although she shouldn’t disturb him, she couldn’t consider much else now.

“My Lady, why have you come?” A servant outside the hall stopped her: “The night is deep. Please return, My Lady.”

“I’ve come to find the Demon Lord.”

“The Demon Lord is not here.”

She looked at the towering black palace, which indeed didn’t seem occupied. If not here, where could he be?

A voice seemed to definitively name a location.

Liu Shuang’s palms grew sweaty as she gripped the cracked jade and walked toward the Xiang Ze Palace.