Chapter 62

Hearing Dao Qing’s icy voice, Rabbit Tuan poked his little head out from Ji Yuheng’s collar and glared angrily at Dao Qing.

He had originally been afraid of the thunder outside the hall, but now he was inexplicably scolded by Dao Qing. His temper flared up, and he immediately forgot his fear. Dissatisfied, he said, “What business is it of yours how many husbands I have? Did I eat your family’s rice? What right do you have to meddle in my affairs?”

And talking about killing them all—pah! He could try it and see who died first!

Qixue had disliked Dao Qing from the start. After these past few days of interaction, he had finally started to warm up to him a little, but now Dao Qing’s single sentence had shattered that progress. He even disliked Dao Qing more than before.

As expected, his initial dislike hadn’t been without reason. They simply weren’t compatible, so he wouldn’t force himself to get close to Dao Qing anymore. There were plenty of ways to investigate Xie Shu’s news; why rely solely on Dao Qing?

Rabbit Tuan’s soft fur all fluffed up, like an angry dandelion puff. Seeing this, the chill in Dao Qing’s eyes deepened.

He rebuked, “You change lovers like changing clothes, dissolute by nature, frivolous and unworthy, evoking disgust in others. And now you commit incest with your stepson, disregarding human ethics and morals. Do you have even a shred of shame or loyalty left?”

“Are you still half-asleep and talking nonsense? I’m not even human to begin with—what human ethics and morals should I follow?”

Rabbit Tuan scoffed disdainfully. To bolster his presence, he nimbly climbed onto Ji Yuheng’s head, using Ji Yuheng’s height to appear more imposing and majestic.

“I’ve lived over a hundred years and only slept with three in total. And you call me dissolute? What a joke—what kind of dissolute am I?”

“Not to mention distant examples, let’s talk about you dragons. The books all say dragons are ‘inherently lustful by nature.’ Your kin surely have endless tales of debauchery that could last days and nights. Since you love meddling so much, go manage them instead. Don’t put on that holier-than-thou attitude in front of me. I sleep with whomever I want, and you have no say in it!”

Dao Qing said indifferently, “Their debauchery has nothing to do with me. I only care about you.”

“You stinking dragon, you’re unreasonable! You don’t discipline your own kind but come after me—you think you’re my father or something?”

Rabbit Tuan was furious, jumping up and down on Ji Yuheng’s head. Worried he might slip and fall, Ji Yuheng scooped him back into his arms and gently stroked his rabbit fur to soothe his emotions.

He said warmly, “Mother Concubine, don’t be angry. You’re still pregnant—be careful not to harm your health with all this agitation. Why argue with him? Let your son handle it.”

Ji Yuheng was endlessly gentle and considerate toward Rabbit Tuan, but when he looked up again, his gaze toward Dao Qing was filled with cold menace. “I don’t know who you are, but you’ve committed a grave offense of disrespect. By law, you must be punished—even Xie Guoshi can’t protect you.”

With Ji Yuheng’s command, several Zhu Yan Guards with murderous auras entered the hall, surrounding Dao Qing with sharp blades and axes.

Boom—

As lightning flashed across the sky outside the window, the blades gleamed coldly, illuminating Dao Qing’s stern face.

The Zhu Yan Guards raised their axes and advanced step by step toward Dao Qing. He did nothing, simply watching them quietly.

But just as they were a single step away from him, they all collapsed eerily, their weapons clanging to the ground and cracking the stone tiles.

Ji Yuheng fell with them.

He dropped silently, without any warning, as if his soul had been extracted. Rabbit Tuan was instantly horrified and scrambled out of his arms, nudging Ji Yuheng’s face frantically with his pink nose. “Yun Qi? What’s wrong with you? Wake up!”

If not for Ji Yuheng’s breathing, Rabbit Tuan would have thought he was dead. His paws went limp with anxiety when he heard Dao Qing say from behind him, “The matters between you and me are no one’s business. They’ll wake up by morning.”

Bang! The doors and windows of the Ancestral Master Hall slammed shut, sealing without a gap.

The dim candlelight stretched Dao Qing’s shadow long. He looked down at Rabbit Tuan, his brows heavy with gloom. “I’m taking you back to the Back Mountain until you reflect on your actions.”

“Have you gone mad?!”

Rabbit Tuan shifted back to human form, blocking the unconscious Ji Yuheng. His beautiful eyes blazed with murderous intent as he glared viciously at Dao Qing. “What are you to have the right to punish me? Release the spell on them now and get out, or I’ll make you die ugly.”

Even if he wanted to enter the Back Mountain to investigate, he wouldn’t do it this way—Dao Qing would surely restrict his freedom. Besides, he no longer planned to rely on Dao Qing; he had decided to completely break ties with him.

Qixue’s eyes shone exceptionally bright, as if burning with fierce flames that could scorch anyone.

Dao Qing met his gaze for a moment before slowly asking, “You clearly said you wanted to get closer to me, yet now for their sake, you’re opposing me?”

“You’re blaming me again?”

Qixue was furious, wishing he could dismember Dao Qing. “I wanted to befriend you, but you’ve gone too far. What have I ever done to offend you?”

“You meddle in my private affairs time and again—is it all for the Heavenly Destined Marriage? The one fated with me isn’t you anyway. If you really can’t stand me, let that person come find me themselves. Stop meddling!”

“…”

Dao Qing’s pale pupils reflected the candlelight, but they held no clarity—instead, an indescribable depth of shadow.

He said, “I never said the one with the Heavenly Destined Marriage with you isn’t me.”

Qixue was stunned, quickly recalling and realizing Dao Qing had never admitted it but also never denied it.

“What do you mean?” he asked Dao Qing. “My Heavenly Destined Marriage is with you?”

“It’s me.”

Dao Qing said, “I didn’t acknowledge it before because your marriage with Helan Ji wasn’t severed yet. I could accept you having an old love, but you’re too shameless, committing incest with your stepson. I truly don’t wish to admit that my Heavenly Destined Marriage is someone like you.”

“Scram.”

Qixue said coldly. Learning Dao Qing was his fated one didn’t make him understand Dao Qing’s possessiveness—instead, he loathed him even more.

“Your divinations must be wrong. How could I possibly be fated with you? Even if every man and woman in the world died, I’d never like you. I’d sooner bash my head against a rock and kill myself.”

Dao Qing fell silent, and when he spoke again, his voice was even colder. “Divination doesn’t err. Our marriage is decreed by the Heavenly Dao, regardless of your willingness. Come back to the Back Mountain with me. I’ll personally write a divorce letter for you and Helan Ji.”

Qixue flew into a rage. No longer wasting words, he pulled out the jade token he carried and released the Buddha Ghost. “Teach him a lesson! Don’t bite him to death—the rest is up to you.”

The Buddha Ghost opened its gaping maw of blood and charged straight at Dao Qing, but he merely waved his hand, dispersing it.

A shrill wail echoed through the hall. After a long while, the Buddha Ghost reformed into a dim figure and tremblingly retreated into the jade token.

Cracks appeared on the jade token. Before Qixue could feel distress, a Dragon Tendon Rope shot from Dao Qing’s sleeve toward him.

Qixue instantly turned into Rabbit Tuan, barely dodging the rope. He wanted to use the Earth Escape Technique to flee the Ancestral Master Hall, but Dao Qing had already set up a powerful Barrier, sealing the hall completely and nullifying his escape.

But with the jade token broken, the Holy Monarch would surely sense it. He just needed to hold on a little longer, and the Holy Monarch would come to save him.

Rabbit Tuan’s soft body leaped nimbly around the hall, dodging left and right, evading the pursuing Dragon Tendon Rope with agility.

Dao Qing watched silently, then suddenly frowned as he sensed a figure appear outside the hall in an instant—it was Xuan Yang.

“A Xue, are you in there? Don’t be afraid—I’m here to take you back.”

Xuan Yang rarely showed negative emotions, but now his face was ashen, for he had faintly sensed what was happening inside.

He comforted Qixue while pressing his palm to the hall door. A vast, immeasurable force crushed down with overwhelming pressure, booming loudly as it assaulted Dao Qing’s Barrier.

Bang!

The ground shook and mountains trembled. The shockwave from the clashing forces cracked the floor tiles layer by layer, and the surrounding buildings swayed slightly.

Dao Qing furrowed his brows and unleashed even stronger Demon Power to reinforce the Barrier, resisting Xuan Yang’s force. To Rabbit Tuan, he said, “Xuan Yang rushes here so quickly to save you—you must be very close to him. Is he one of your husbands too?”

Rabbit Tuan dodged the Dragon Tendon Rope desperately, looking utterly disheveled. He brushed past it several times and, on the verge of collapse, needed a place to hide. He darted toward the bronze mirror on the left side of the hall.

Boom…

Dull thunder rumbled as lightning streaked across the night sky, illuminating the hall. Dazed by the bright flash, Rabbit Tuan unluckily slipped on one paw. He meant to hide behind the bronze mirror but crashed into its surface instead.

The lightning lit the mirror, but instead of reflecting the hall, a eerie dark vortex appeared, sucking in Rabbit Tuan who had collided with it.

Dao Qing’s pupils contracted sharply at the sight. He turned to chase after it, but his momentary distraction scattered his power, making it insufficient to withstand Xuan Yang. Xuan Yang’s vast, somber Divine Power struck him, severely injuring his heart meridian and making him spit out a mouthful of blood.

But Dao Qing ignored his injury entirely, plunging into the vortex and pulling Rabbit Tuan tightly into his arms as they vanished together into the mirror.

Xuan Yang entered the hall, drenched by the downpour, water dripping continuously from his robes.

He had rushed here upon sensing the jade token he’d given Qixue shatter, forgetting to spare a thread of Divine Power to shield himself from rain, leaving him in this sorry state.

His soaked black hair hung over his shoulders. His refined face lost its gentle compassion, now filled with a sinister chill, brutal killing intent. He rushed straight to the bronze mirror.

Yet he was still too late—the vortex in the mirror had vanished, and he could not enter.

This bronze mirror was a profoundly mysterious spirit treasure, the life-bound artifact of the fifth-generation Palace Lord, Zheng Yuan Zhenren, who had long since disappeared. Before vanishing, he left special instructions to move the mirror into the Ancestral Master Hall, forbidding anyone from relocating it.

Rumors said the mirror connected past and present, but aside from Zheng Yuan Zhenren, no one knew if the tales were true.

“A Xue…”

Xuan Yang caressed the edge of the bronze mirror, murmuring softly, “If you can return safely…”

He would immediately send Qixue back to Dali Mountain, marry him, and make him his divine spouse.

He could no longer tolerate leaving Qixue in Shangjing.