On his arm was his blood-drenched robe. Hua Qiyue silently took them. “Let me wash it for you. Have a good rest.”

A blissful smile unfolded on Tianpi’s pale face. “Haha, lass, you’re so understanding. Thank you.”

Hua Qiyue rolled her eyes at him. They were already at their wits’ end and yet he had the gall to joke with her.

After washing his robe, she lay it out to dry in the sun. Then she went into the kitchen to heat up the tonic he had yet to finish and brought it to him.

Tianpi had not yet fallen asleep. He was sitting cross-legged silently on his bed.

When he heard the noise, Tianpi opened his eyes. He found Hua Qiyue had already brought him the soup. Pursing his lips, he gave a light smile. “Lass, you’re more and more virtuous. Why don’t we get married? After all, you won’t accept Yun Shimo.”

It was a joke but it made Hua Qiyue crease her brows softly. She gave no answer, serving him the soup instead. Tianpi obediently took the soup and drank it.

Tianci was already outside calling for Hua Qiyue. The boy was so bored that he wanted to go out for a stroll. Hua Qiyue agreed, so Tianci took his two pets out of Ice Palace.

When she came back to herself, she found Tianpi had already finished the soup. Watching Tianpi’s ashen face, Hua Qiyue tightly furrowed her brows, worry clouded them.

“Master, there seems to be no other way to clear the demonic energy inside you. Must we… really get married?”

“What do you say? Anyway, since you’re unwilling to marry Yun Shimo, you might as well marry me. I’m not too bad you know! Look, such a handsome and young Qi Artist… such diabolically handsome features. Many girls will drool over me!”

Tianpi was chuckling. His mood seemed totally unaffected by thoughts of the demonic energy.

Hua Qiyue stared fixedly at that frivolous face. This man was more diabolical than Yun Shimo but also a little more handsome. Standing by his side, Yun Shimo resembled a king and Tianpi an evildoer.

Hua Qiyue was inwardly vexed. Although it was Tianpi before her eyes, she could not help but think of Yun Shimo.

There was no other way to save him but for them to get married. Hua Qiyue gritted her teeth. “Master, let’s get married then!”

Tianpi was immediately shocked by Hua Qiyue’s solemn tone. He sized her up from head to toes. “Hua Qiyue, do you have a screw loose?”

“No!”

“No? Then I will treat your words as a joke.” Tianpi tittered. But there was only bitterness in his heart. If it weren’t for Yun Shimo, he would surely have been together with Hua Qiyue.

Other than Yun Shimo, he was the only one deserving of her.

Hua Qiyue watched Tianpi’s serious face and retracted her gaze. “I will think about it for a few days.”

Tianpi lay down lazily, fiddling Hua Qiyue’s Drunken Flower Fan. The fan had once belonged to Tao Xian’er and was melded for her by Tianpi.

Yes, Tianpi was not only a rune artist but also a weapon smith. He was also an array master. Such awe-inspiring talents had attracted Tao Xian’er to him.

Hua Qiyue could not imagine how deeply Tianpi must have loved Tao Xian’er. When he woke up and found himself to have killed his most beloved woman, it must have been an inconceivable torment.

“Lass, I was joking with you just now. You won’t take it for real, will you? Hahaha, Hua Qiyue, you’re running a fever. Get out now. I need to rest. You’re a girl and staying here, you will smear my good name.”

Tianpi grinned and waved his hand, gesturing for Hua Qiyue to leave. Hua Qiyue silently carried the empty bowl out of his bedroom.

The moment she came out, she saw Yun Shimo standing by the door.

Hua Qiyue swept him a glance and said nothing. She headed out of the palace without a word.

After leaving the Ice Palace, Yun Shimo called out for her to stop. “Qiyue, are you really… thinking of marrying him?”

Hua Qiyue turned her head back with a sarcastic smile. “You mean I ought to marry you instead of him?”

Yun Shimo stared earnestly at her. “Qiyue, please follow the wishes of your heart.”

Hua Qiyue became somewhat agitated. She remembered the morning after her wedding in her previous life, when she woke up with aches all over her body. She had unsightly bruises everywhere and had thought they were made by Zhou Zhicheng. She had felt abashed then.

At that time, Zhou Zhicheng’s face was so black that it was ghastly. She did not know why he was so angry. Thinking back now, she became enraged.

“I just want to marry him. Yun Shimo, are you going to intervene again? Do you have the right to?” Hua Qiyue sneered. She angrily swept away the snowflakes on her shoulder. “Don’t appear before my sight again. I don’t wish to see you!”

With these words, Hua Qiyue strode to the Evil Beasts Forest.

Yun Shimo watched her determined back, dazed. Snowflakes landed on his forehead and became attached to a few wisps of his hair. They melted and nipped his face with cold.

In the past few days, Tianci had been extremely happy. He had discovered a few fun spots in the Evil Beasts Forest which held not only precious herbs but also a few spirit animals.

Tianci could even communicate with these small spirit animals. His talents must have far surpassed Hua Qiyue’s.

Hua Zun was feeling exceptionally dejected over the past few days. Tianpi’s demonic energy was getting harder and harder to control.

On this day, Tianpi had forcefully suppressed the demonic energy inside his body using his anima energy. He had no more spiritual energy left. So he took two Rejuvenating Pellets to recover his anima energy.

Hua Qiyue was very anxious. If this continued, Tianpi would surely be demonized by the demonic energy. Then, they would relive Tao Xian’er’s tragedy.

On this evening, Hua Qiyue was upset and unhappy. She did not eat much for supper. After supper, she left with Tianpi for his bedroom, staying there for two hours. When she came out, Yun Shimo stopped her again.

“Qiyue, do you really intend to marry him?” Yun Shimo standing outside the bedroom had overheard their conversation. Hua Qiyue had decided to consummate her marriage with Tianpi the following day.

Hua Qiyue’s expression was cold and impassive. She stared coldly at Yun Shimo. “Yes, I do. After all, he is my Master. I can’t bear to see him die or turn into a devil.”

Yun Shimo’s face instantly turned ashen white. He felt all the energy in his body to have drained away. “Qiyue…”

He called her name, and yet felt himself totally helpless. He could do nothing.

Hua Qiyue lowered her long eyelashes and fondly caressed that green jade gourd. “Master is my reborn parent. If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t have survived. Because of him, my meridians have healed and were unblocked. I also learned Qi Art and thus survived the schemings of Second Madame and Hua Mengshi.”

She was a little surprised she had said so much. Ever since Yun Shimo located her, she had been too lazy to talk to him. Now, she had said so much in one go. Was she trying to win his understanding?

Yun Shimo was shocked and enraged. He realized that he was helpless in the face of his beloved marrying another man. “Qiyue! Must you really do this? But you… you don’t really want to marry him!”

He, Yun Shimo, was the man she wanted to marry! Yet she could do something so contrary to her wishes right now!

Hua Qiyue mockingly curled up the corners of her lips. “If I don’t marry him, should I marry you? Yun Shimo, things have already come to a head. Don’t do anything pointless. It’s impossible… between us.”

Hua Qiyue felt a pang in her heart. Things had already come to this. She needed to speak heartlessly.

Consummating her relationship with Tianpi would mean marrying the man. She would not marry Yun Shimo and would not have anything more to do with him.

When she thought of this, she mercilessly turned back her head and raced to her bedroom. Yun Shimo went after her hastily, madly pursuing and embracing her from behind.

“Qiyue…”

Hua Qiyue was panting. His breaths were behind her, scorching her on the skin. Hua Qiyue violently parted his hands and screamed. “Keep your dirty hands off me! Don’t touch me!”

Yun Shimo was dumbfounded. It was the first time he had seen such a waspish Hua Qiyue. When he recovered, Hua Qiyue had run away. She left him standing there silently in a daze.

Yun Shimo turned around and walked noiselessly to outside the palace. Tianpi was standing quietly by the window, watching this scene silently.

How could he ignore those painful expressions on Hua Qiyue and Yun Shimo’s faces?

Hua Qiyue was not willing to marry him. And yet she could not bear to see him die…

Tianpi wearily stretched out his hand and rubbed his eyebrows. If he had known, he would have allowed them to wed and only emerge after clearing the demonic energy inside himself.

He had confidently believed that he could remove this tiny whiff of demonic energy inside him. He had the ability to. But Tianpi had overestimated himself— in the same way he had once overestimated his sentimental heart.

Yun Shimo went dejectedly to the Bodhi Tree and sat down under it weakly. He allowed the snowflakes to fall quietly on him, turning him into a snowman.

Tianci had returned. When he saw the dejected look on Yun Shimo’s face, the boy called out to him a few times. But Yun Shimo did not respond.

“Little master, your dad must be in a trance. Better let you mom see this!” The Man-Hunting Insect could detect his symptoms in one glance.

Tianci could only fetch Hua Qiyue. But Hua Qiyue merely embraced him softly. “Tianci, let your dad rest for a while. When he has realized some things, he will recover.”

Tianci curiously blinked his eyes. “Mom, do you mean that dad is deep in cultivation and no one can wake him?”

“Yes!” Hua Qiyue smiled bitterly. “Let’s go to the kitchen. Time for lunch.”

Tianci jumped off the bed with a plonk. He left joyously for the kitchen with Hua Qiyue. A kid is still a kid. He can never understand the grief and happiness in this world.

Yun Shimo did not go to the kitchen for lunch. The Sun Moon Deity had called him a few times but he still sat there quietly, watching the snowy land in the near distance. He seemed to be entranced.

He was still unexpectedly there during supper. Tianci no longer disturbed him and went to bed early. He was planning a trip the next day to the Evil Beasts Forest.

Early the next morning.

Tianci was leaving early with the Man-Hunting Insect for the Evil Beasts Forest. Passing by the Bodhi Tree, he discovered Yun Shimo still sitting there, his face frostbitten to a purplish color. He did not react to the boy’s repeated callings.

He seemed obsessed and bewitched.

Tianci fetched Hua Qiyue again. To keep him from worrying, Hua Zun lied to Tianci, claiming that Yun Shimo was cultivating.

When he saw none of them worried, Tianci left heartlessly with the Man-Hunting Insect and the Asura Chicken. Hua Zun was afraid that he would run into an accident and went along with the boy.

The Sun Moon Deity glanced once at the immobile Yun Shimo and departed silently.

However, Hua Qiyue remained behind. She watched Yun Shimo gazing intently straight ahead. His frostbitten, purplish hands and face had been bleached white by the snowflakes, along with his eyebrows. Snow had even gathered on his nose.

He was so badly frostbitten that he must feel terrible! Hua Qiyue felt a sudden heartache and bitterness. She wanted to stretch out her hand, but restrained herself midway.