Late at night, the fire-wheeled carriage stopped at the entrance of Jinxiu Mountain Villa. Ling Yuyan was the first to step down, with Gu Ming following closely behind.
Compared to her state in the carriage, Ling Yuyan’s mood had improved significantly.
They entered the main gate together. The two of them said nothing along the way until they reached the fork in the path where they usually parted. There, Ling Yuyan stopped.
She turned around, tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, and spoke calmly. “Do you regret it?”
“Regret?” Gu Ming was somewhat confused.
“Choosing me instead of my father,” Ling Yuyan said. “Do you have any regrets?”
“None,” Gu Ming said, shaking his head.
Ling Yuyan pursed her lips and said, “The Ling Family’s situation is a bit complicated, so I still want to explain things clearly to you.”
“There are two people currently in charge of Lingyun Pavilion. One is my father, and one is my grandfather. However, my father is biased toward making my elder brother the next Pavilion Master of Lingyun Pavilion, while my grandfather leans toward me.”
“Therefore, my father doesn’t think much of me, and I don’t like my father.”
“Regarding this alliance with the Hundred Flowers Valley, he simply wanted to marry me off. That way, the next Pavilion Master of Lingyun Pavilion would inevitably be my elder brother.”
“However, he cannot use force because my grandfather would absolutely never allow it. So, he always uses the excuse of doing what is best for Lingyun Pavilion, employing various methods to pressure me into submission.”
“Although my elder brother is simple-minded, he actually sides with me on this matter.”
“That is why my father put out the word that as long as I could find a suitable husband, he would no longer mention the alliance with the Hundred Flowers Valley.”
“But privately, he had already spread the message that he would never show mercy to anyone who dared to approach me.”
“Bringing you to see my father this time was mainly to make him fulfill his promise.”
“I just didn’t expect that not only would he refuse to honor his word, but he would also brainwash my brother, causing him to have a prejudice against you, and even attempt to bribe you.”
“Actually, when I heard you refuse him, I was quite happy.”
“Most people wouldn’t refuse. After all, being a branch Pavilion Master and becoming his Adopted Son would mean a future full of promise.”
“Finally, I want to say thank you.”
“Although I cannot provide you with much, as long as I live for even one day, I will not let anyone hurt you.”
After listening to Ling Yuyan’s personal account, Gu Ming was somewhat puzzled and asked, “Since your grandfather favors you, why not seek help from him to stop your father’s malicious actions?”
Ling Yuyan hesitated for a moment before saying:
“My grandfather is a realist. He favors me because I am the first person in the history of the Ling Family who has been able to merge with the Secret Treasure.”
“Whether it is my father or my grandfather, their probability of merging with the Secret Treasure was lower than 60%. Because the integration probability was so low, they did not merge with it.”
“Precisely because I have already merged with the Secret Treasure, my grandfather hopes that I can become the next Pavilion Master of Lingyun Pavilion. However, because I am a girl, he is very worried that I won’t be able to hold the position — that my nature is too soft and that I lack my own opinions. He fears that one day, I might betray Lingyun Pavilion.”
“For this reason, he didn’t stop my father. He also wanted to see if I could handle great responsibility. If I had succumbed to my father and married out, then he and my father would have reclaimed the Secret Treasure.”
“Because Grandfather would never allow Lingyun Pavilion’s Secret Treasure to fall into outside hands.”
Hearing this, Gu Ming frowned slightly and said, “In that case, wouldn’t you die?”
“Yes.” Ling Yuyan nodded calmly. “The Secret Treasure has already become one with me. Removing it is no different from killing me.”
“Then your elder brother knew this, yet he still…” Gu Ming’s voice trailed off.
“He was brainwashed by my father. He believed my father’s words when he said it wouldn’t be removed. But whether or not to reclaim the Secret Treasure is not a decision made by my father; it is made by my grandfather,” Ling Yuyan said.
“It seems your grandfather is the one truly in charge of Lingyun Pavilion,” Gu Ming remarked.
Ling Yuyan nodded silently and continued:
“After this incident, Father likely won’t mention the marriage alliance with the Hundred Flowers Valley again, but he will absolutely never let you go.”
“Of course, I won’t sit by and watch him hurt you.”
“However, I am still too weak. After losing at the Martial Arts Tournament, I clearly realized that relying solely on the Secret Treasure’s enhancement of my body is far from enough. I need to completely master the Secret Treasure.”
“Therefore, I will find a secret place to enter seclusion for a while. Only by thoroughly mastering the Secret Treasure can I have a say in Lingyun Pavilion. When that time comes, if Father wants to make a move, he will have to think twice.”
“For the time being, please stay by the Saintess’s side. Although that woman is arrogant and domineering, as long as there is someone she wants to protect, there is no one she cannot shield.”
Ling Yuyan took a Jade Slip from her robes and pressed it into Gu Ming’s hand, continuing:
“If one day the Saintess grows tired of you and no longer protects you, and you encounter danger, crush this Jade Slip. I will arrive at your side immediately. No matter what happens, no matter what I am doing, I will come at once.”
Gu Ming gave a bitter smile. He wasn’t actually that weak. There were very few in this world who could defeat him.
Nonetheless, Gu Ming still nodded and said, “I will.”
“Finally…”
Ling Yuyan stepped closer, stood on her tiptoes, and reached out both hands to hold Gu Ming’s head before kissing him.
Gu Ming felt a wave of softness melt against his lips. A slippery, tender little snake took advantage of his lack of preparation, forcing open his teeth to tangle with the stiff little tongue inside.
After a long while, Ling Yuyan slowly let go.
A flush of crimson flew across her cheeks as she breathed heavily. A colorless thread still connected her red lips to Gu Ming’s mouth.
She wiped the thread away, looked up at Gu Ming, and said, “I thought about it for a long time on the carriage, and I decided to face my feelings directly.”
“That was my first kiss,” Ling Yuyan said with a light laugh.
Looking at Ling Yuyan’s flower-like smile, Gu Ming was stunned for a moment. Only after a long while did he react.
‘Was I just forcefully kissed?!’
Gu Ming was greatly shocked.
“Alright, goodbye, Husband.”
Ling Yuyan kicked off the ground and flew into the air. She looked down at Gu Ming, waved her hand at him, and bid her farewell.
“The next time we meet, let’s become a real couple.”
‘Become a real… couple?!!’
‘Hey!’
‘I haven’t even agreed yet!’
Gu Ming was about to speak, but he saw Ling Yuyan flying toward a certain direction, leaving only an afterimage behind.
Gazing at the direction where Ling Yuyan had disappeared, Gu Ming smiled bitterly. ‘I really couldn’t tell, but this girl is actually quite fierce.’
Shaking his head slightly, Gu Ming walked toward his own courtyard.
—
Early the next morning, there was a knock on his door, followed by a respectful voice.
“Master Nameless, are you awake? At the main gate, a group of disciples claiming to be from Saintess Mountain has arrived to pick you up.”