Chapter 824: A Woman I Love

Zhao Changhe’s reaction left Cui Yuanyang torn between satisfaction and disappointment.

She was pleased because his hesitation upon “switching partners” showed he was not especially excited by the sudden appearance of another woman. At least this meant that not just any other woman could surpass Cui Yuanyang in his heart.

On the other hand, she was disappointed because, with such hesitation, perhaps her plan would not achieve its intended effect.

She saw Zhao Changhe pause, muttering apologetically, “I’m sorry... I didn’t expect you to suddenly appear. I think it would be better if you just switched back out with Yangyang for now.”

Cui Yuanyang had no choice but to continue her act. “Can’t you just control yourself?”

Zhao Changhe groaned helplessly. “Big Sister, I’m still deep in my inner demon state right now, not the calm, controlled state of everyday life. It’s already hard enough for me to pause and talk right now! Either bring Yangyang back out or just knock me out already!”

Feigning anger, Cui Yuanyang retorted, “And what if I refuse to do either?”

“Suit yourself then! Hit me or don’t, I’ll continue either way!” At this point, Zhao Changhe’s rationality was utterly consumed by lust, and he simply did not have the mental space to wonder why she would not just knock him out. Lowering his head stubbornly, he resumed his passionate advance.

Whatever Cui Yuanyang wanted to say was immediately swept away, her eyes rolling back helplessly.

Meanwhile, there was another soul rolling her eyes furiously.

Awakened abruptly by the overwhelming stimulation, Piaomiao heard Cui Yuanyang impersonating her.

Why is she... Wait. Doesn’t this mean that Zhao Changhe thinks he is sleeping with me?!

I should never have allowed this crafty little rabbit to regain control! Whenever she’s in control, trouble follows!

Now, she had a real problem. Even killing Zhao Changhe would not change the fact that he now believed he had been intimate with her, and he wasn’t even entirely wrong, considering she was now wide awake. She could feel every single thing! Worst of all, she was rendered utterly helpless by the overwhelming intensity. Her desperate attempts at resistance were crushed beneath Zhao Changhe’s relentless, overpowering advance.

Piaomiao was so infuriated she nearly fainted again, yet tragically found herself unable even to pass out. She had to bear every torturous second.

“Cui Yuanyang!” In the brief instant when she managed to seize control of her voice, Piaomiao spat out a venomous, succinct threat, “Just you wait!”

Cui Yuanyang was left helplessly responding with indistinct, breathless gasps, though she dearly wished to laugh. Piaomiao’s first instinct upon regaining speech was actually not to clarify things to Zhao Changhe...

Was it because clarifying was useless anyway and it would only confirm she was awake?

What an absurd situation...

Caught between moaning and laughing, Cui Yuanyang’s expression twisted comically.

Completely absorbed in releasing his pent-up desires, Zhao Changhe remained oblivious to the drama unfolding within the brain of his favorite bunny. He genuinely sensed his inner demon rapidly dissipating and thus redoubled his efforts.

Indeed, his inner demon naturally receded. After all, its original cause was Zhao Changhe’s suppressed desire for Piaomiao, amplified by Papiyas. Now, having obtained what he subconsciously desired, the inner demon faded away. It wasn’t that Piaomiao’s earlier assessment hadn’t been accurate; normally, indulging this desire would have led him deeper into corruption. But the monks had not exaggerated either. Their Buddhist methods, combined precisely with this resolution, effectively quelled the inner demon.

Once thoroughly spent, Zhao Changhe felt the residual inner demon fading away, assisted by the golden Buddhist scriptures. Aside from feeling profoundly exhausted, as though he were gravely injured, everything else had returned to normal.

Weary beyond measure, Zhao Changhe glanced at the beauty in his arms. She had fainted, both souls having succumbed to unconsciousness.

After quickly confirming there were no lasting issues with them and that they had merely fainted from the intensity of the treatment, Zhao Changhe finally breathed a relieved sigh. He summoned Dragon Bird and River of Stars as temporary sentries around him, and, cradling his wife gently, abandoned all other thoughts and fell swiftly into deep, restful slumber.

“It looks like he’s truly gone back to normal. He even remembered to bring us out to protect him,” Dragon Bird mused. Then, it turned to River of Stars and asked, “Do you think he suspects the monks? They seem harmless to me.”

“One must always remain cautious, especially after experiencing the Heavenly Demon Illusion Realm. His caution is only natural,” River of Stars mused. “But perhaps his main concern is still Papiyas. After all, Dad said the chain only confines his main body.”

“Staying in that place too long would drive anyone mad. I couldn’t recognize any of those illusions clearly. Before this, I really believed that my sensitivity to killing intent was flawless. But now that we’ve come across those illusions that can hide killing intent completely, I feel like I’m becoming useless.”

River of Stars replied calmly, “If you can’t tell real from fake, just cut everything down. Only those with vulnerabilities can be exploited. If you have none, you become invulnerable to intrusion.”

“No way. If those were really my aunts, I couldn’t bear cutting them down. I share Dad’s emotions, you know? It can’t be that you’re willing to do so, right? Are you?”

“Why wouldn’t I be willing to do so? I’ve no special attachment to them,” River of Stars replied nonchalantly, though inwardly recalling Ye Wuming’s sudden appearance amidst the illusions.

Every other illusion River of Stars had been able to see through, except that one. It had believed that scene was real, secretly hoping the two might finally confront each other face-to-face, shattering their strained silence.

But everything had been fake.

A rare wave of disappointment washed over Little Starry, along with resentment aimed squarely at Papiyas. Liars like him deserved nothing but death by the blade.

Indeed, beneath its outwardly indifferent demeanor, River of Stars did actually have a vulnerability, and it was Ye Wuming.

Using what one cherishes most as a weapon to harm them is absolutely detestable.

Pouting irritably to itself, Little Starry stewed in silent frustration. Meanwhile, Dragon Bird, oblivious to the turmoil beside it, continued cheerfully, “Who would’ve thought posing as Piaomiao would really cure the inner demon? Dad now thinks he’s actually slept with Piaomiao. I wonder how that’ll play out?”

Finally losing patience, River of Stars snapped, “You talk too mu—”

Before she even finished speaking, River of Stars’ gaze suddenly sharpened, its sword qi exploding outward. At the same instant, Dragon Bird’s blade shimmered, dispersing a faint shadowy presence lingering in the air, which was clearly another stealth attack from Papiyas. With the two blade spirits standing guard, the weakened Heavenly Demon Illusion Realm had no chance to infiltrate their master again.

Outside the door came Yuan Cheng’s respectful voice, “We’ve just used our secret technique to suppress Papiyas’s main body temporarily and removed the chains. We’ve come to return them to King Zhao. Some demonic qi might have escaped during extraction. Has King Zhao suffered any disturbances?”

An image of a girl with twin ponytails bounced from the room. “Give it here!”

Yuan Cheng stared blankly. “?”

Where did this girl come from?

Before he could react, the cheerful little girl snatched the chains and excitedly rushed back inside, calling out behind her, “You can leave now. My dad’s sleeping!”

Dad? Is she referring to... King Zhao?

Yuan Cheng was dumbfounded. Zhao Changhe himself was still so young; how could he possibly have such a grown daughter? How playful!

Dragon Bird burst excitedly into River of Stars. “Little Starry! Tie me up with this! It looks so fun!”

“Get lost.” River of Stars promptly kicked Dragon Bird straight out.

Meanwhile, Zhao Changhe was dreaming.

He had not dreamed for a long time. Previously, what he had thought were dreams about Ye Wuming were actually genuine interactions in his spiritual sea. Even the brutal dreams of combat he had experienced before transmigrating turned out to be illusions woven by Ye Wuming, used as trials to select the person she sought.

But this time, it felt genuinely like a dream. In the dream, he was in the midst of a sensual encounter with the ancient Piaomiao, seemingly set just after she had bathed in the water. When Zhao Changhe finally woke, the memories had become blurry. This was a typical feature of ordinary dreams but incredibly strange given the current level of Zhao Changhe’s spirit and soul.

Opening his eyes, he found daylight already brightening the room.

He turned his head slightly, finding Cui Yuanyang nestled softly against his shoulder. As his gaze fell upon her, she awoke, and their eyes met intimately at close range.

Immediately, the tenderness in her eyes transformed into murderous fury, and an overwhelming demonic intent erupted violently.

Zhao Changhe’s first reaction was surprisingly to stabilize the bed frame, fearing it would collapse beneath her fury.

Piaomiao instantly seized him by the throat. “Listen carefully! Last night was not me!”

Upon reflection, Zhao Changhe realized it had indeed seemed suspicious when she had refused to knock him out midway. But in his mind, Cui Yuanyang simply could not mimic Piaomiao’s uniquely fierce and overwhelming presence. The difference in aura and tone was too stark. Besides, he had felt her struggling beneath him later, although subdued... Yangyang was not that strong.

All things considered, Zhao Changhe still firmly believed it had genuinely been Piaomiao. After all, she had clearly implied using herself to cure his inner demon from the beginning. Denying it now was merely a matter of pride.

Since she insisted on preserving her dignity, Zhao Changhe quickly surrendered, trying to soothe her. “Fine, fine, it wasn’t you. But right now...”

Piaomiao froze, suddenly aware she was lying naked in a man’s embrace.

There was no explaining this. This was undeniably Piaomiao herself, completely exposed in a man’s arms.

Driven by genuine murderous rage, Piaomiao gathered her qi for a strike.

Zhao Changhe shifted instinctively.

Her qi instantly dissipated as her face flushed crimson.

Not only was she in his embrace, they were still intimately joined and had never separated.

“Zhao Changhe, you!”

“It’s definitely you now, isn’t it?”

Piaomiao’s mind short-circuited briefly, entirely unable to comprehend how things had devolved to this. Had this always been inevitable since she began sharing a body with Cui Yuanyang?

Most absurdly, it happened while she was in a state of full corruption, brimming with violent fury. It was while in this state that she had actually been taken advantage of.

When she regained her wits, the madness returned in full force. She furiously struck Zhao Changhe with reckless abandon, fists and palms raining blows. Realizing he could no longer restrain her by strength alone, Zhao Changhe suddenly noticed the chain in his grasp. Without pausing to think, he quickly drove it into Piaomiao’s spiritual platform, binding her tightly once again.

At the same moment, Piaomiao’s palm slammed hard against Zhao Changhe’s chest, causing him to cough out a mouthful of blood. Thankfully, he had bound her just in time. Exhaling shakily, Zhao Changhe asked breathlessly, “Where did this chain come from?”

Dragon Bird quickly replied, “The old monks delivered it last night. They said Papiyas had been temporarily suppressed.”

“Temporarily...” Zhao Changhe frowned, hesitated briefly, and decided his priority was addressing Piaomiao’s condition. Without delay, he dove swiftly into her spiritual sea.

Inside was precisely as he had last seen. Piaomiao and Cui Yuanyang were both bound tightly together. Cui Yuanyang clearly remained unconscious, while Piaomiao’s soul and spirit were engulfed in darkness, the demonic qi pervading her even more severe than before.

Zhao Changhe felt a dull ache throbbing in his temples.

Why does she seem like someone who just got violated? Was she truly not in control of their body last night?

Seeing him enter her spiritual sea, Piaomiao struggled fiercely. “Kill me!”

“Impossible.” Zhao Changhe crouched cautiously in front of her, gently reaching out to caress her face. “Perhaps there was some misunderstanding earlier... If I were to pursue you properly, would you grant me that chance?”

Piaomiao glared at him furiously. “Now is your best chance to kill me and save your precious Cui Yuanyang! With me corrupted, distinguishing between us is simplest. There would be no chance of error. Why keep up this hypocritical act?”

“Why would I kill a woman I love?”

“Love? Do you even know whether it’s lust or love?”

“You previously accused me of treating Yangyang tenderly while teasing you about teaching you lessons. You thought that was a clear sign of which one I preferred.” Zhao Changhe’s voice softened to a whisper. “But what about now?”

As his words faded, he gently leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to Piaomiao’s forehead.

Her soul, wreathed in dark mist and twisted in agony, offered nothing of beauty, yet his kiss was tender, without the slightest hesitation or aversion.

As their souls briefly touched, Piaomiao trembled slightly, rendered speechless.

Zhao Changhe murmured softly, “If this were mere lust, then it’d be terribly unjust to me. After all, right now, you’re hardly appealing.”

Piaomiao: “...”

“Even before, I hardly saw you in your true form. Most times, you spoke to me with Yangyang’s face. I even admitted your original appearance felt unfamiliar. When I barely remember your face, how could it merely be lust? To be brutally honest, before witnessing Ye Jiuyou bathing, I had completely forgotten about seeing you bathe. I only remembered because seeing that scene with her brought the scene with you back to mind.”

“You bastard!”

“I admit I’m somewhat lustful, but in this matter, lust is just... not the point. Toward the ancient Piaomiao who forged four divine swords to stabilize the land, I have respect. Toward the Piaomiao who protected the land but was betrayed and slain, I have compassion. And toward the Piaomiao who returned with hatred yet refrained from harming Yangyang due to kindness, my feelings are complicated. Had anyone else possessed Yangyang’s body, I would have slain them without hesitation, but when it comes to you, I can’t even bear to speak too harshly.”

“You’ve done nothing but speak harshly!” Piaomiao sneered coldly.

“Because we were truly unfamiliar at first. Did you expect me to suddenly spout those flirtatious words I’ve used recently? That would’ve been absurd.”

Piaomiao snapped and said, “Do you think these past two days have made us that much closer?”

“Our time together was short, yes, but we fought side by side and protected each other. To me, that’s already a bond forged in life and death. At the moment when I risked my life to remove the chains restraining you to fight Papiyas and you didn’t harm me, that was already enough to prove to me that I could trust you with my back.”

Piaomiao fell silent.

Truthfully, there had not been mutual protection. It had been nothing but Zhao Changhe shielding her repeatedly. Later, she had claimed she was protecting him in turn, but in reality, she had hardly done anything significant besides viciously beating an already defeated Papiyas. It was embarrassing to admit.

Zhao Changhe continued quietly, “To be honest, my relationship with Ye Wuming is special. She uses me, even enrages me, but she’s never crossed the line completely. Moreover, she’s helped and taught me a great deal. We are simultaneously teacher and student, as well as friends and enemies. We’ve interacted closely for almost three years. You’d develop some affection even for a rock if you held it for three years, let alone a living, breathing person.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“I want you to know that allying with Ye Jiuyou against Ye Wuming was partly out of spite. If a true conflict arises, I’m not even sure whose side I’d take. But partnering with you is different. I genuinely believe Ye Wuming wronged you. In this matter, I would unwaveringly stand with you.”

“That is merely King Zhao’s justice; it doesn’t signify anything else.”

“In Papiyas’s illusions, Ye Wuming played a crucial role. Her appearance became a cornerstone of my inner demon, a testament to her importance to me. Another illusion was Sisi, my wife.” Zhao Changhe paused briefly, his voice lowering further. “Yet another illusion was you, Piaomiao. It was ultimately your image that triggered my inner demon, nearly breaking me completely. Papiyas may be an enemy, but the illusions he creates force the heart to reveal its truth, and there’s no deceit in that. Everything said under the influence of my inner demons was genuine, the hidden truths within me.”

At a loss, Piaomiao retorted awkwardly, “The things you’re saying now aren’t any better!”

“When I bound you earlier, it was because you’d become dangerously impulsive. I had no choice but to restrain you temporarily. Now that I’ve spoken clearly, I’ll remove the chains. Kill me or spare me; do as you will.” Finishing, Zhao Changhe released the chains, allowing Piaomiao, shrouded in thick darkness, to rise freely before him.

Caught off guard by her sudden freedom, Piaomiao found it almost incomprehensible. “Are you truly unafraid of death?”

“If last night was truly an accident, then I took advantage without your consent. Whatever punishment you see fit, I’ll accept without protest.”

Piaomiao stood dazed for a long while, unsure how to respond. Strictly speaking, she could not genuinely accuse Zhao Changhe of forcing her against her will. At most, this was an unfortunate entanglement, and if blame were to be assigned, it should rightfully land on Cui Yuanyang, not him.

Most importantly, unless she was trapped in a state of violent impulsivity, she truly could not bring herself to kill him.

Perhaps... I really have begun to care for him...

Her anger stemmed merely from the fact that everything had unfolded without her consent, leaving her frustrated and deeply irritated. But now that he had earnestly confessed and made his intentions clear, was there still reason to be upset?

Never had Piaomiao imagined that a being like herself would fall into matters of mortal romance. Yet, if such a thing was possible, she knew deep within it could only ever be with the chosen one of the mountains and rivers. Her favor inherently carried dual meanings—the divine and the feminine had to agree.

After a long silence, she finally muttered three stiff words, “Get out now!”

Obediently, Zhao Changhe withdrew from her spiritual sea, leaving the two of them once again naked, entangled, and staring at each other.

Piaomiao wanted nothing more than to bury her face in her hands.

How did things end up this way...?

Yet, Zhao Changhe refrained from teasing her further. Instead, he swiftly rose, wrapped himself in his robes, and brought in a basin of fresh water from the courtyard. “Wash yourself up. Let’s go check on Papiyas. If breaking free from your corrupted state requires killing Ye Wuming, you might have to accept the possibility of never succeeding. I believe eliminating Papiyas might suffice.”

Unexpectedly, Piaomiao found herself softly asking, “Would it bother you if I remained in this corrupted state indefinitely?”

Zhao Changhe wrung out a warm towel, gently wiping her face and body. Calmly, he replied, “I already told you, I actually rather like this side of you. But I also know you yourself disapprove of it, and that means it isn’t truly you.”

“You keep saying you’ve told me this and that, as if I should believe you just because you said it.”

“You can trust that every word I’ve said to you is sincere.” Zhao Changhe smiled softly, adding with quiet conviction, “Including when I said that you’re a woman I love.”

The warm towel gently brushed against her skin, soothing over last night’s bruises and the lingering traces of fierce affection. A pleasant warmth enveloped her as sunlight filtered through the window panes, illuminating Zhao Changhe’s serious expression. Piaomiao watched him silently, unmoving, allowing him to care for her without another word.