Someone was practically engraving the words “guilty conscience” on their face. Ling Ye remained expressionless: “Are you sure it’s about discussing the wedding, and not about calling it off?”
Yan Yue feigned confusion: “Why would we call it off when everything is fine?”
Ling Ye spoke word by word: “I thought some people would rather die than marry.”
The person being referred to pretended not to hear and continued to play dead.
“Who? Who would rather die than marry?” Yan Yue looked innocently at Nanshan.
Nanshan widened her eyes, also pretending to be innocent: “Yeah, who?”
Ling Ye suddenly stood up, causing both Nanshan and Yan Yue to tense up. In the next moment, he simply walked away.
The study, which had just been occupied by three people, was now left with only the two of them.
Nanshan and Yan Yue exchanged glances for a long time before suddenly worrying: “He just left like that? Without any resistance?”
“Maybe… he’s resigned to his fate?” Yan Yue guessed.
Nanshan: “…He doesn’t seem like the type to easily resign to his fate.”
Yan Yue thought so too, but still comforted her: “Don’t worry, I know my son best. He may seem bad-tempered, but he’s actually very soft-hearted. He wouldn’t do anything outrageous.”
…What do you know? You don’t even know that he can kill a monster with just a flick of his finger!
Nanshan’s heart pounded as she finally asked: “Are you sure he won’t kill me?”
Yan Yue paused, then said seriously: “I’m sure.”
Nanshan: “…..” If she hadn’t seen him hesitate, she might have actually believed him.
In any case, what’s done is done, and they could only leave it to fate.
Nanshan walked heavily back to the bedroom she had been staying in.
As soon as she entered, she was hit by a strong aroma.
She was momentarily stunned, and her eyes lit up when she saw the table full of delicious food.
“These are prepared by the Underworld Lord…”
“Ah!”
Nanshan screamed and jumped back, clutching the bead bracelet on her right hand, only to meet a pair of pitch-black eyes and two massive ox horns.
The visitor seemed completely unaware of how terrifying his face was and continued to speak in a ghostly tone: “These are mortal delicacies specially prepared by the Underworld Lord. Please enjoy them, Miss Sun.”
With that, he floated out like a wandering spirit.
Nanshan silently swallowed her saliva, making sure the person was far away before she looked down and carefully hid the bead bracelet in her sleeve.
Once she was sure it was out of sight, she ran to the table full of food.
There was a large pork knuckle, a big chicken leg, braised pork, and several dishes she had never seen before.
Nanshan had never eaten so many good things, even during New Year celebrations.
She lost all restraint and didn’t put down her chopsticks until she was completely stuffed.
When the person with ox horns floated in again, she was struggling to stuff the last piece of braised pork into her mouth, muttering: “I can’t eat anymore, I’ll throw up if I eat more…”
The corner of the person’s mouth twitched: “Are you full, miss?”
Nanshan reluctantly put down her chopsticks, indicating that she was indeed full.
“Then I’ll throw the rest away,” the person said.
Nanshan was stunned: “Throw it away?”
“Throw it away,” the person repeated.
Seeing Nanshan’s incredulous expression, he added, “This is mortal food. Besides the Young Master, only you need it.”
The implication was that they couldn’t let their Young Master eat leftovers.
“That’s such a waste…” Nanshan didn’t think much of it, but she really wanted some oil paper to pack the food for her parents.
However, it was just a thought.
She couldn’t even return home herself, let alone send the food back.
She sighed and tried to negotiate, “How about this? Don’t throw it away. I’ll reheat it and eat it tomorrow, okay?”
The person paused: “There will be new food tomorrow…”
“No need, no need,” Nanshan waved her hand, “I’ll eat these. They’re untouched.”
The person seemed puzzled by her request and tilted his head to look at the table.
He noticed that all the parts of the dishes that had been touched were eaten, while the untouched parts remained neatly arranged.
“Then I’ll reheat them for you tomorrow,” the person said with a snap of his fingers, and the dishes on the table vanished into thin air.
“I could actually do it myself…”
Before she could finish her sentence, the person had already floated out.
Nanshan touched her nose and began to examine the bedroom.
Previously, she had been too preoccupied with thoughts of escaping to pay much attention to her surroundings.
Now, she realized how large and beautiful the room was.
The furniture, including the chairs, table, and wardrobe, was brand new, with a luxurious finish she had never seen before.
The tiles on the floor and the gauze curtains on the bed were all exquisite and elegant.
“This is indeed a celestial’s residence. Even the guest room is so beautiful,” Nanshan thought.
She remembered how Er Pang from the village, who was related to the county clerk, had once boasted about the county magistrate’s house after visiting it.
As she touched the bronze candlestick, she thought that when she returned, she would definitely brag to Er Pang.
Compared to a celestial’s residence, what was the county magistrate’s house?
Thinking of Er Pang’s provincial attitude, Nanshan suddenly felt a bit excited. But the next moment, she bumped into a wall.
Since when was there a wall in the middle of the room?
She turned around in confusion and saw Ling Ye standing three steps away, staring at her with a cold expression.
“…When did the celestial arrive? You should have informed me earlier so I could have greeted you properly,” Nanshan forced a laugh and instinctively touched her sleeve.
Ling Ye remained expressionless, his sharp gaze still fixed on her. When he noticed the grease stains on her collar, his brows slightly furrowed.
So dirty.
Seeing that he remained silent, Nanshan had no choice but to kneel on the ground with a bitter expression: “Celestial, you are wise. I didn’t mean to go back on my word!”
Ling Ye snapped out of his thoughts and spoke in a cold voice: “Is that so?”
“Really, really, I had no choice,” Nanshan quickly explained, leaving out the part about the five marriage threads but telling him everything else.
After she finished, the room fell silent.
…She had said so much, and he wasn’t going to say anything? Nanshan peeked up and accidentally met Ling Ye’s gaze.
She immediately tensed up and forced a laugh: “The celestial uncle said that as long as I marry you, I’ll become the Young Mistress, and no one will dare to trouble my parents again.”
Yan Yue’s exact words were: “The Underworld governs life and death. Within the three realms and the five elements, all souls will eventually cross the bridge. Although a natural spirit bone is rare, it’s not worth offending the Underworld for it.”
Nanshan didn’t fully understand, but she got the gist of it.
“Only by agreeing to this marriage can I protect my parents,” Nanshan reiterated.
Ling Ye’s tone was indifferent: “If you call off the marriage, I will protect them.”
“No.”
The celestial uncle had already told her that this man had been severely injured many years ago, and although he was much stronger than mortals, he was very weak among celestials.
Moreover, he couldn’t stay by her parents’ side every day.
To ensure her parents’ safety, they still needed the deterrent of the Underworld Lord’s authority.
Hearing her refusal, Ling Ye seemed somewhat angry, but he kept his emotions in check: “If you don’t agree, I’ll kill them.”
“…The celestial uncle said that if you dare to do that, he’ll be angry,” Nanshan weakly invoked Yan Yue’s name.
Yan Yue had told her that if he used her parents to threaten her, she should say this….. Although it sounded unreliable, she had no other choice but to try.
As soon as she finished speaking, Ling Ye frowned and indeed dropped the subject.
“Celestial… no, Young Master,” Nanshan, seeing that he was somewhat reasonable, continued to persuade him gently, “Young Master, I know you don’t like this marriage. I promise that even if we get married, I won’t bother you.
You can do whatever you want, just like before we were married. As for me, I’ll focus on cultivation and protect you in the future.”
Ling Ye paused: “You? Protect me?”
“Yes, you don’t know this yet, but I have a natural spirit bone. I’m a once-in-a-millennium cultivation prodigy!” Nanshan straightened her back, “As long as I cultivate diligently, I’ll become stronger than everyone else in no time.
When you ascend to the throne of the Underworld King, I’ll be your enforcer. Whoever dares to oppose you, I’ll beat them up.”
Hearing this, a hint of mockery flashed in Ling Ye’s eyes: “The position of Underworld King changes every seven thousand years.
The next succession ceremony is in a hundred years. Even with a natural spirit bone, you can’t surpass everyone in a hundred years.”
Nanshan was stunned: “But the celestial uncle said I could.”
Ling Ye leaned down expressionlessly: “Do you know why he said that?”
“Why?” Nanshan looked at his handsome face, which was now magnified in front of her, and instinctively asked.
Ling Ye looked coldly into her eyes: “Because as long as you find another natural spirit bone to dual cultivate with, your cultivation will be twice as effective.”
Nanshan blinked slowly: “What’s dual cultivation?”
Ling Ye’s gaze grew even colder.
Nanshan silently swallowed her saliva and asked with feigned maturity: “So where should I find another natural spirit bone? What should I do after finding them? What if they don’t want to be my cultivation furnace…..”
Before she could finish, her hand suddenly turned into hard stone. Nanshan’s breathing slowed as she looked at the man in horror.
“I have no patience to waste on you,” Ling Ye’s voice was icy, “Now, go to the Heavenly Hall and tell Yan Yue you’re calling off the marriage.”
“I won’t…” Nanshan opened her mouth to refuse, but in an instant, her entire arm turned to stone, and the rest of her body began to stiffen.
“Call. Off. The. Marriage.” Ling Ye’s words were laced with threat.
“I won’t…” Her neck began to turn to stone, and Nanshan found it hard to breathe.
Waves of suffocation washed over her, and Nanshan’s mind went blank.
She instinctively clawed at her throat.
Seeing her stubborn refusal to call off the marriage, a hint of irritation flashed in Ling Ye’s eyes.
Just as he was about to apply more pressure, Nanshan’s struggles revealed her pale wrist, on which hung a string of coral beads, red as blood.
Ling Ye suddenly stopped.
Her body returned to normal, and a flood of air rushed into her throat. Nanshan coughed violently a few times before completely losing consciousness.
When she woke up again, she faintly heard Yan Yue’s angry voice.
She struggled to open her eyes and saw Ling Ye leaning against the table with an expressionless face.
“I told you the injuries on her neck were self-inflicted. Why don’t you believe me?” he argued coldly.
Yan Yue was even angrier: “If it wasn’t you, then who did it? Attacking a weak mortal—is this how I taught you to behave?!”
“I told you it wasn’t me,” Ling Ye said, then suddenly met her gaze, his eyes becoming oppressive, “If you don’t believe me, ask her yourself.”
Yan Yue instinctively turned around and saw that Nanshan was awake. He quickly asked: “Nanshan, are you okay?”
Nanshan touched her neck and was about to speak when she heard Ling Ye slowly say: “Tell him yourself how the injuries on your neck happened.”
“Is that the point?” Yan Yue roared, “The point is why you would bully the weak!”
“I didn’t,” Ling Ye said calmly, “If you don’t believe me, ask her.”
As he spoke, he looked at Nanshan, his eyes carrying a faint threat.
Nanshan felt the situation was somewhat absurd, but she was currently living under someone else’s roof and had to rely on them.
Reason told her it was best not to provoke Ling Ye, but…
“Celestial uncle, he tried to turn me into stone and wanted to kill me!” Nanshan tearfully accused.
Yan Yue glared at Ling Ye.
Ling Ye: “…”