Chapter Eighty-Four: Gu Yuena Answers His Questions

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The Marquis of Li’s Residence

As the faint sound of a whip drifted through the air, the maidservants serving in the courtyard all flushed scarlet and kept well away from the shadowy compound.

“Darling Yu, I’m so bored! Is there anything fun we can do to pass the time?” Tide Moon’s bewitching voice echoed beside Li Yu’s ear, stirring his entire body.

“My lady, could we play something else? For example, perhaps I could tie you up?” Li Yu suggested.

Tide Moon held a leather whip in her hand. She wore an alluring black dress of translucent gauze, while her snow-white legs were veiled in hazy black stockings. The indistinct sight was enough to set one’s heart racing.

Li Yu had known the demoness Tide Moon for quite some time, yet every encounter with her still left him shaken.

“Darling Yu, are you planning to bully your wife?” Tide Moon let her soft, seductive hair spill across her chest. She knew exactly what Li Yu liked: excitement.

“I’m not bullying you. It’s called romance!” Li Yu explained.

“Why don’t you try being romantic with Flame Consort?” Tide Moon replied with eyes like silken threads as she straddled Li Yu.

“You two are different!” Li Yu protested, turning his face aside.

“Oh? Do you think I’m easy to bully?” Tide Moon drew out a jade hairpin and pressed it lightly against Li Yu’s chest, teasing him with its cool touch.

“When have you ever not been the one bullying me?” Li Yu said helplessly.

“Does my husband want to bully me?” Tide Moon’s tempting voice came from below.

“Yes!” Li Yu answered without hesitation.

“Then why did you take that little enchantress, Flame Spirit, to Baiyue instead of me?” Tide Moon finally revealed her true grievance.

“Next time, I’ll take you overseas,” Li Yu offered.

“Overseas?” A spark flashed through Tide Moon’s beautiful eyes. As the jade hairpin slipped away, Li Yu was finally freed from his restraints.

He turned and pressed Tide Moon beneath him.

“You won’t be getting any sleep tonight!” Li Yu declared fiercely, his eyes reddening.

“I’m so frightened,” Tide Moon murmured, though her expression was filled with seductive delight.

…

With Jing Ni’s successful delivery, Liu Feixu and Lady Zhao’s approaching births were also placed on the agenda.

Everyone in the courtyard was one of Li Yu’s women. He had concealed nothing from them. When they learned that Lady Zhao had hidden herself in the Great Zheng Palace to give birth to her husband’s child, they were just as astonished as Flame Consort and the others had been.

All the women stared at Li Yu with exasperation. What, exactly, was there that this man dared not do?

“This world has a pleasant atmosphere,” said a delicate and gentle voice, breaking the silence of the courtyard.

“Who are you?” Flame Consort was the first to react, preparing to strike at the three extraordinary women standing behind Li Yu.

Li Yu turned around and immediately took a step back.

“Gu Yuena? How did you get out? And how did you come to Earth?” he asked in disbelief.

“You know them?” Violet Girl stepped forward curiously.

“Yes. You know how one of my incarnations went to another world? These three are from that world.” Li Yu explained.

He then introduced everyone to Gu Yuena one by one.

Bi Ji stepped forward, looking at Li Yu teasingly. “Yu, I never knew you had so many wives.”

Zi Ji, meanwhile, studied all of Li Yu’s women with interest.

Li Yu proceeded to introduce Gu Yuena and the others in greater detail.

“These three are my beloved companions from the Douluo Continent.”

He pointed to Gu Yuena.

“This is Gu Yuena, the co-ruler of the soul beasts in the Star Dou Great Forest.”

Then he pointed to Zi Ji.

“This is my wife from the Douluo Continent. Her true form is a dragon.”

“A dragon?” All the women were stunned.

“Yes, a dragon. In fact, Gu Yuena’s true form is also a dragon.”

Upon hearing this, Duanmu Rong instinctively drew back.

Unlike Duanmu Rong, the innocent little Red Lotus stepped forward and examined Zi Ji.

“Are you really a dragon, big sister?”

Zi Ji took a liking to the pure-hearted Red Lotus and nodded gently.

Li Yu then spent a long time explaining the structure of the Douluo Continent and the legends of the divine realm.

“So there really are gods? Can we go there?”

“We can, but there is no need. There is already a Tree of Life within me. Once my world takes shape, it will be even more stable than the divine realm of Douluo. In the end, the Douluo world is merely a stable space created by several supreme gods in their pursuit of immortality. But they found the world unbearably dull and could not endure the loneliness, so they chose reincarnation.”

Gu Yuena rarely spoke at such length. Li Yu did not interrupt her and waited until she had finished before asking, “Then why can’t they leave?”

Gu Yuena shook her head.

“They cannot. The space was not created through their own strength. Its power came from the God of Creation, Pangu.”

Li Yu was startled.

“Who did you say?”

Gu Yuena looked at him in puzzlement.

“Pangu. He has many names. Another famous one is Chaos. For reasons unknown, several of Douluo’s supreme gods obtained a fragment of Chaos’s origin power and used it to imprison this space. They cannot leave either. It is easy for outsiders to enter, but once they do, they cannot get out.”

She looked toward Li Yu.

“But you can.”

“I can? How?”

“Have I not already come out?” Gu Yuena looked at him strangely, as though he were a fool.

“You mean this place does not belong to that space?” Li Yu asked.

Gu Yuena nodded.

“And the space within you does not belong to the Douluo world either.”

“I see.”

Tide Moon stepped forward.

“How can my husband’s world become stable and mature?”

Li Yu also turned toward Gu Yuena. A knowledgeable expert had finally appeared, and he naturally intended to learn everything he could.

Gu Yuena frowned slightly and looked at the women with an odd expression, much like the one she had given Li Yu moments earlier.

Tide Moon narrowed her eyes, a vein appearing on her brow. Seeing this, Li Yu quickly pulled her into his arms and smiled at Gu Yuena.

“Nana, could you enlighten us?”

“It is precisely what you are doing now. All things in the world are divided into yin and yang. Every woman possesses a seed of gestation. These seeds are formed naturally, and only someone with particular conditions can draw them out, such as through your current cultivation method. They gather and take root within your body, eventually forming a female Tree of Life. That is when your world will become stable.”

Gu Yuena seemed to be recovering exceptionally well inside Li Yu’s body, for she was in unusually good spirits that day.

“Then how many women are needed?” Violet Girl asked, reaching the heart of the matter.

The other women were equally concerned.

“I do not know,” Gu Yuena replied, shaking her graceful hair.

Li Yu suddenly thought of something.

“Why did you appear here?”

“Your physical body has separated, but there is only one Tree of Life.”

Li Yu shook his head.

“I mean, why did you appear on Earth instead of the Douluo Continent?”

“I sensed that this planet was extraordinary. Though small, it is filled with profound mysteries, as if everything had been arranged in advance. I came to take a look.”

“I see. Then you should stay for a while and experience the customs and atmosphere of this place. You’ll find it interesting,” Li Yu invited her.

“All right.” Gu Yuena nodded.

Unlike Li Yu’s warm and peaceful residence, the outside world had already descended into chaos.

The Yin-Yang School.

Eastern Emperor Taiyi gazed solemnly at the clouds above.

“A golden-scaled fish is no ordinary creature of the pond. Once it encounters wind and clouds, it transforms into a dragon.”

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The Celestial Sect.

Master Bei Ming looked directly toward Xianyang City.

In Chu, an old man with unsteady steps stood among the crowds, his brows tightly furrowed as his murky eyes gazed northward.

In an ancient kingdom hidden within the deserts of the western regions, a young girl clutched a tear-shaped gemstone and stared into the distance. At her feet, a tiny beast growled softly, as though frightened by something.

The girl lifted the little beast and comforted it.

Li Yu suddenly thought of something amusing and turned to Gu Yuena.

“Can you bring things from Douluo into this world?”

“Yes,” Gu Yuena replied with a nod.

“Can people go there as well?” Li Yu asked again.

“Yes. As time and space become more stable, you will gain increasing control over the world within you. By then, even I will not be able to enter and leave freely. I will need your permission.”

“Are all these things part of your inherited memories?” Li Yu asked curiously.

Gu Yuena nodded.

“It is getting late. Let us eat first,” Violet Girl suggested when she saw that the conversation was going nowhere.

Li Yu lifted Tide Moon into his arms and stood.

“Come on, let’s eat. You can taste the specialties of Great Qin.”

Gu Yuena nodded.

“All right.”

Zi Ji looked at Tide Moon in Li Yu’s arms with a trace of envy. After all, she could not do the same.

Bi Ji glanced at Zi Ji and smiled faintly.

…

Chu, Shouchun.

The Drunken Dream Pavilion.

For seven consecutive days, Li Yu had treated Flower Shadow with perfect courtesy, discussing poetry, music, and literature with her.

They had shared their hearts, but never spoken of desire.

This nearly drove Flower Shadow to despair. She even began to wonder whether Li Yu truly had some problem in that regard.

Seeing that the time was ripe, Li Yu smiled at the melancholy Flower Shadow.

“Fate binds people together across a thousand miles by a single thread. The bond between us is indeed mysterious. May I ask whether you would be willing to become my wife?”

“Sir, please do not jest. I might take you seriously.” Flower Shadow had met too many guests like him. They all made beautiful promises, then left after satisfying themselves, cold and heartless.

Li Yu merely shook his head, opened his folding fan, and walked toward the door.

Seeing this, tears began to fall from the corners of Flower Shadow’s eyes. During their days together, her affection for Li Yu had steadily deepened. She had only hoped they might become lovers for a brief time, leaving no regrets behind.

She had never imagined that he would refuse even such a modest wish. Why had he toyed with her heart if he despised her so much?

The deeper the affection, the more painful the wound.

Supporting herself beside the ancient zither, Flower Shadow began to play a sorrowful melody that echoed throughout the room.

Following the music, she sang a mournful song of Chu.

When the final, heart-rending note faded, Li Yu applauded from behind her.

“Miss Flower Shadow, your voice is like a skylark in the mountains—beautiful beyond compare. I have been utterly captivated.”

“You did not leave?” Flower Shadow cried out in delight, only to sink into misery the next moment. “Why must you continue teasing me? Why did you come back?”

Li Yu took out a contract and placed it before her.

“Please look. Do you know what this is?”

Flower Shadow picked up the document from the table and froze. It was her contract of servitude.

“What does this mean?” she asked, bewildered.

Li Yu took the contract from her hands and placed it in the candle flame. As the fire slowly consumed it, the document vanished into the air.

“You are free now. What do you intend to do from this day forward?” Li Yu asked with a smile.

“What does this mean?” Flower Shadow repeated, her thoughts in turmoil.

“I wish to marry you. Will you agree to become my wife?”

“Are you serious?” Flower Shadow stared at him in astonishment.

Li Yu folded away his fan and nodded solemnly.

Flower Shadow threw herself into his arms. At that moment, she wanted nothing but to become his woman.

Li Yu held her close and kissed the lips she had longed for.

Their garments slipped away, and the room filled with tender intimacy.

Passersby gathered in the street, gazing upward as violet light drifted mysteriously through the air.

An hour later, the violet radiance gradually faded.

Li Yu held Flower Shadow against his chest.

“My wife, come home with me.”

“Yes.” Flower Shadow still felt as though she were dreaming.

As he embraced her, Li Yu thought of the Flower Shadow from the original story, who had met such a tragic end.

After spending so many days together, he had also fallen in love with this selfless young woman, who was always willing to consider the needs of others.

…

The royal city of Heaven Dou.

Princess Xue Ke rested her chin in her hand and gazed at the bright moon outside the window. Slowly, Li Yu’s face seemed to appear upon its surface.

A gentle smile gradually spread across the princess’s face.

“What has the princess thinking so happily?”

A familiar voice sounded beside Xue Ke’s ear. She continued gazing at the beloved figure in the moonlight, believing that she must be imagining things.

“Yu, I have missed you so much.” As she spoke, Xue Ke touched her lips, recalling the warmth of Li Yu’s kiss.

“How much have you missed me?”

Xue Ke suddenly realized something was wrong. She sprang to her feet and turned around in astonishment.

The beloved figure was standing right behind her.

Xue Ke covered her lips in shock and stared at Li Yu.

He wore the same familiar, warm smile.

“What is it? Has the princess forgotten me?”

“Yu, how did you get in?” Xue Ke asked incredulously.

“I missed you, so I came.”

Li Yu took two steps forward, wrapped an arm around her graceful waist, and gently caressed her delicate cheek.

Xue Ke felt as though she were dreaming. Her thoughts remained hazy until Li Yu’s familiar warmth reached her lips, convincing her that this was no dream.

Young hearts were easily moved.

At that moment, Xue Ke could think of nothing but being held in Li Yu’s arms.

When Li Yu’s hand began to wander, Xue Ke looked into his eyes with a mixture of shyness, fear, and an indescribable anticipation. Her heartbeat seemed loud enough to hear.

“I’m afraid.”

Li Yu gazed at her flushed face and gently stroked her shining silver hair.

“Do not be afraid. I love you.”

He kissed her again, and the room gradually fell into silence.

The imperial palace had always been a place of indulgence.

Within the purple mists of the secluded palace, a red-haired youth knelt like a dog, licking the moisture from a pair of crystal high-heeled shoes.

“Mother, please do not push your son away. I will serve you well.”

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The high heel lifted, revealing a pair of long, jade-white legs. The woman kicked the red-haired youth away.

“Get out! You do this every time. Do not come again!”

She strode away in her crystal shoes and lay down upon the luxurious bed in disappointment.

“Mother?” The boy lowered his head and looked toward the glamorous young woman on the bed, who paid him no attention.

After putting on her formal robes, she left.

“Mysterious stranger, who are you really?” Her golden hair fell across her face as her legs shifted restlessly, trying to ease the torment in her heart.

“Has the queen begun thinking of me again?”

The familiar voice sounded once more.

Then that familiar warmth covered the beautiful woman’s face.

Upon the grand European-style bed, the glamorous young queen trembled uncontrollably at the sound of his voice. Instinctively, she opened herself to him.

…

At dawn, sunlight bathed the courtyard, and the green bamboo shone with fresh color.

The little cat, Zhu Zhuqing, watched Li Yu perform an unknown palm technique, at times swift and at times slow, as graceful as an immortal dancing through the clouds.

The force he released stirred waves of wind, enveloping the entire courtyard in a thin mist. When the chaotic gusts passed through, they disordered Zhu Zhuqing’s long hair.

Zhu Zhuyun also stood nearby, gazing at Li Yu’s otherworldly bearing with an unreadable fascination in her eyes.

After an hour, Li Yu stopped practicing and regulated his breathing.

With the air of someone presenting a treasured gift, he came before Zhu Zhuqing.

“My wife, what do you think of this technique? Would you like to learn it?”

Zhu Zhuqing turned her pretty face away with an aloof expression, her feline pride unmistakable.

Clearly, she was still angry about Li Yu’s presumptuous behavior the previous day.

The misunderstanding was difficult to explain. He could hardly tell her that her sister, Zhu Zhuyun, had flirted with him beneath the banquet table, which was what had caused everything to be misunderstood.

Thinking of Zhu Zhuyun reminded him of that unforgettable softness.

The sensation had been overwhelming enough to leave him light-headed at the time, and even now, recalling it made his heart race.

“Achoo!”

Not far away, Zhu Zhuyun sneezed.

“Is someone cursing me?”

She rubbed the tip of her elegant nose and cast a complicated glance at Li Yu’s back.

After what had happened the previous night, she felt that something unusual now existed between them.

It was a feeling difficult to put into words.

Unclear, inexplicable.

In any case, she found herself growing increasingly curious about Li Yu.

“Your hands are cold. Let me warm them for you.”

Li Yu grinned and took Zhu Zhuqing’s delicate hand between his palms, gently feeling its softness.

Zhu Zhuyun watched the affectionate pair before her and immediately regretted coming so early merely to witness their romance. With an alluring sway, she left the courtyard.

“Qing’er, shall we visit the auction house later?” Li Yu suggested.

Zhu Zhuqing blinked her violet eyes and looked at him in confusion.

“What for?”

“A date.”

Li Yu winked at the little cat, took her smooth hand, and led her out of the courtyard.

The Star Luo Empire truly deserved its reputation as the foremost empire. Its auction house was far larger than the one in the Heaven Dou Empire.

Li Yu led Zhu Zhuqing inside after producing the purple-gold card that represented his status and wealth.

Zhu Zhuqing stared at the card in his hand, feeling as though she were meeting Li Yu for the first time. A hint of curiosity appeared in her eyes.

As he leafed through the catalog, Li Yu quickly found what he wanted.

“Spirit-Controlling Purple Crystal! Mined from the deep-sea purple crystal deposits. It can calm the mind and aid cultivation. The opening bid is ten thousand gold soul coins!”

As soon as the auctioneer finished speaking, Li Yu raised his hand.

“Twelve thousand.”

“Twelve thousand. Does anyone bid higher? Twelve thousand.”

Before the auctioneer could continue, someone else called out.

“Thirteen thousand.”

“Thirteen thousand from this lady. Does anyone wish to raise the bid? Thirteen thousand!”

Li Yu raised his offer again.

“Fifteen thousand.”

The little cat beside him tugged at his sleeve. Li Yu patted her hand reassuringly.

“Fifteen thousand! This gentleman bids fifteen thousand! Does anyone wish to continue? Fifteen thousand, once. Fifteen thousand, twice. Any further bids? Fifteen thousand, three times. Congratulations to this gentleman on securing the Spirit-Controlling Purple Crystal for fifteen thousand!”

With the fall of the hammer, Li Yu obtained the crystal pendant he had wanted.

Once they left the auction house, Li Yu was in an excellent mood. He took the carefully wrapped pendant from its case.

“Qing’er, this is my gift to you.”

He reached out to place it around Zhu Zhuqing’s neck himself.

She took a step back.

“No! It is far too precious.”

Li Yu smiled.

“You are my wife. What belongs to you belongs to me. There is no need for us to distinguish between them.”

He slipped an arm around her and, taking in the faint fragrance of lavender, fastened the pendant around her delicate neck.

The violet pendant complemented her violet eyes perfectly.

“Thank you,” Zhu Zhuqing said.

“It is only what I should do.” Li Yu looked at her tenderly.

“I am not thanking you for this. I am thanking you for rescuing me from the imperial family. Because of you, my sister and I no longer have to kill each other. Our mother died when we were young, and after I turned six, my sister was the one who cared for me. Our relationship only began to deteriorate after I became engaged to a member of the imperial family.”

“I understand.”

Li Yu gently embraced Zhu Zhuqing.

“Do not. There are too many people here.”

“Then let us go home.”

Li Yu took her hand and led her back.

As they passed through a small grove, Li Yu sensed something and extended his spiritual perception outward.

A catlike figure lay crouched upon a tree branch nearby. She had a full, shapely figure, a slender waist, and striking curves barely contained by her close-fitting leather clothing.

It was a woman.

From a distance, her figure resembled Zhu Zhuqing’s, only fuller and more mature.

It was none other than Zhu Zhuyun.

Her unmistakable silhouette was one of the most impressive in the entire Star Luo Empire.

Zhu Zhuyun remained perfectly still, concealed among the branches and leaves.

Clearly, she had been watching them in secret.

Li Yu nearly laughed aloud.

He had never expected Zhu Zhuyun to have such an unusual hobby.

A meaningful smile appeared at the corner of his lips.