Chapter 9

A faint smile gradually faded from the corners of his mouth as he turned his head, still gazing blankly out the window

The situation is complex, and she dares not make any mistakes. Holding her head in her hands, she is deep in thought, blaming herself for being foolish and unable to come up with a good solution. Just as she is troubled to the point of heartache, a stack of birch leaves is presented before her, with glistening cherries that are no less appealing than those in the palace.

The long-lasting shaking of the head continues, "Did the Dragon God not create a barrier for you? You cannot leave the Abyssal Sea and will never reach the shore"

Uncertain how much time had passed, a voice outside the door softly replied, "Report." Even while being at the bottom of the abyss, one often cannot escape the tedious mundane affairs. He clasped his hands behind his back and turned to walk out.

The expression of enduring affection gradually transformed from fastidiousness to despair, and finally, with a hand on her waist, she muttered in exasperation: "With legs longer than mine, a waist slimmer than mine, and skin better than mine... I definitely do not want someone like that, is there even a need to ask?"

Yuanhai Jun finally stumbled on the path of love due to being excessively good-looking

A sense of impending failure quietly rises, the hands hidden beneath the wide sleeves are tightly clenched, yet he still gazes at her with unwavering determination, "Changqing, tell me, do you want me?"

He probably understood her meaning as well, and after taking a slow breath, he said: "Since you don't like to hear me say those things, I won't say them anymore." He smiled slightly, "Changqing... who gave you this name? It makes people want to get close to you."

He said it with a smile, yet Changqing inexplicably felt a chill. She thought to herself, this little fish is quite domineering; does love only mean loving him? What if one day she encounters the right person? Such matters do not necessarily require his permission. Her current assertions are merely perfunctory, yet he actually took them seriously

Yun Yue lacked confidence, yet she did not refuse. Does this imply that she is willing? He said cautiously: "I have waited for you for five hundred years, what more must I do to prove my determination?"

She let out a sound of surprise, raised her eyes, and saw that various pastries had been placed on the table one after another. Yun Yue, standing beside her with her sleeves tucked, gestured with her hand and said: "I do not know what you like to eat, so I have casually prepared a few items for you to try. If there is anything you wish to eat, just let me know, and I will have them make it for you."

Changqing, feeling a chill, withdrew his hand and, supporting his forehead, said: "At such a young age, do not spend all your time thinking about love and romance. You still have a long way to go. This journey is filled with splendid flowers, and by the time you realize it, you will understand how worthless it is to hang onto me."

"Kill," he uttered the word effortlessly. His gaze drifted back to the inner hall, watching the people sifting through documents at the desk, murmuring, "To kill one as a warning to a hundred, I cannot allow anyone to undermine this hard-won stability. Wuzhiqi is merely a vanguard, testing the waters of the celestial realm. The Jiuli have been lying in wait for so many years, and they can no longer restrain themselves. Since it has come to this, let us see who will ultimately prevail."

Children often confuse liking with love, while those who have lived long feel themselves to be much more experienced. She said: "If I didn't like you, I wouldn't have saved your life back then. I believe that in a dangerous world, being able to live a simple life is a fortunate thing. The current you is the best version of yourself, and you should continue to be this way in the future, so that my act of saving you will not have been in vain"

He still smiled brightly, "I am not a monster, so I naturally would not eat you. I just believe every word you say, and I believe you would not deceive me."

She carelessly agreed: "Alright, I will do as you say, it's settled then"

Long-lasting affection turns to laughter, "Thank you for your compliment, but I still fall short compared to you; I am self-aware."

Yun Yue slowly shook her head, "The situation outside is still uncertain; it would be too risky to go out now. Letting Wu Zhiqi go is not a trivial matter; it cannot be hastily concluded. Even if the Heavenly Emperor does not pursue the matter, there will naturally be others who will investigate thoroughly, and you will still be unable to escape. Listen to me, hide at the bottom of the abyss for a few days, and it will not be too late to go out once the storm has passed. I have already sent people to closely monitor the movements on the shore, and any news will be relayed back at the first opportunity. Changqing, I will not harm you; do you not trust me?" I have already sent people to closely monitor the movements on the shore, and any news will be relayed back at the first opportunity. Changqing, I will not harm you; do you not trust me?"

Yin Shang glanced inward and saw that Chang Qing was still busy eating snacks, so he lowered his voice to report: "The Flame Emperor has ordered the eight divisions to capture Wu Zhiqi, but since it is an ancient corrupt beast, even if we catch it, we won't know how to deal with it. Should we still keep it suppressed at the foot of Turtle Mountain? I fear that after escaping once, it will escape a second time"

At this point, there is nothing more to say about long-lasting affection. This strategy of retreating to advance is far more sophisticated than overt threats. Who could bear to harm the sincere trust of a young person? Even if the words are insincere, one should not stab him in the heart.

He was taken aback for a moment, suddenly fell silent, and after a long while finally said: "If I really eloped with you, would you be willing?"

He stood up in his robe and walked towards the moon-shaped window. Outside the window was the vast abyssal water, with schools of fish coming and going like flying birds. He stood there for a long time before saying: "Feelings do not distinguish between primary and secondary; to have feelings is to be without feelings. If one day you truly fall in love with someone, will you be deeply devoted to them, unwavering until death?"

Yun Yue slightly furrowed her brows, "Back then, when the world was still uncertain, the God of Yu spared him to appease the people of Li. Now that the Jiuli are hidden beyond the wilderness, and the hearts of the world are united, with Wuzhiqi being unruly, he should not be spared any longer"

Changqing quietly glanced at him from the corner of her eye, and to be honest, such a gentle person is truly a rare find in a hundred years. She guarded that imperial city, watching countless women like flowing water pass beneath her gaze, and she never considered gentleness to be an extraordinary trait. However, upon encountering Yun Yue, he was different from the Golden Guards stationed at the palace gates, and he was unlike the imperious emperors. His warmth was like a spring breeze nurturing the rain, like a pine cone falling onto a thick layer of withered leaves in autumn, seemingly a treasure of the world, something to be encountered but not sought after. However, upon encountering Yun Yue, he was different from the Golden Guards stationed at the palace gates, and he was unlike the imperious emperors. His warmth was like a spring breeze nurturing the rain, like a pine cone falling onto a thick layer of withered leaves in autumn, seemingly a treasure of the world, something to be encountered but not sought after

With a lingering gaze, she looked at him and said, "You may be small in stature, but your ambition is not insignificant. Are you planning to elope with the deity? Truly impressive!"

Yun Yue merely smiled without speaking, noticing that she was eating too hastily, and poured tea, placing it beside her hand

He turned around with a smile and looked at her, "Is that so? I have noted down this sentence, and if there is any violation in the future, I will not spare you"

Who named it? She couldn't remember at all. "Could it be... that I named it myself?"

Is that alright? He smiled bitterly, At that time, everyone will be gone, what use is it to overturn the case? All I know is that as long as I can protect you now, I do not need to achieve my ultimate goal, my ultimate goal is you

"Yun Yue..." she called him softly, and he looked back at her quietly. She admonished him like an elder, saying, "From now on, never change, always live like you do now."

She fell silent, her expression complex.

He observed his expression and asked, "Are you going to kill?"

Longing is quite difficult; she does not wish to remain submerged in the depths of water, but rather desires to walk openly under the bright sun. However, outside, there are traps everywhere, and no one knows who the person encountered on the Hill of the Fierce Plow truly is. Indeed, it is the Year of the Dragon, so it is not unreasonable to draw the fire towards him. Yet, if it turns out otherwise, she would suffer hardships and be misunderstood. Who has the Dragon God offended?

After hearing this, Yun Yue's eyes shimmered slightly, and her hand, which was lightly placed on the table, slowly slid forward by an inch. "No one can guarantee that they will remain unchanged for a lifetime, but if you are by my side ... ... "

Yun Yue then remembered and said, "I actually forgot, my apologies. Please enter the hall first, I will send someone to bring some pastries right away."

She looked at that refined face, feeling quite fearless, and teased, "Not going to spare me? You can't possibly eat me, can you?"

"What if I say I have a way?" he said eagerly, "If I can leave here, can you come with me? Is that possible?"

Being repeatedly treated with indifference, anyone would find it hard to withstand such blows! After expressing his feelings, Changqing felt a twinge of regret; he could have been more tactful, after all, he had done nothing wrong. Regarding Yun Yue's character, although they had not formed a deep friendship, he held a great admiration for her. However, this admiration was limited; for instance, when you see a flower, you do not necessarily have to pick it. Yun Yue is that flower.

Looking at Yun Yue, he was full of hope, and that expression made it hard to refuse. Changqing struggled for a moment, "Can I go up and take a look? Perhaps this matter will just pass... Besides, Longshou is unguarded..."

Women around the world may share this contradictory mindset, desiring a partner who is exceptional among men, yet fearing that such perfection may be beyond their grasp. Consequently, they prefer to admire from a distance, like observing flowers, rather than bringing them into their possession

Yun Yue felt somewhat constrained, unsure of how to begin expressing the myriad thoughts in her mind. Perhaps the only consolation was that she somewhat approved of his appearance. However, this approval later transformed into the greatest obstacle to getting close to her. He began to agonize over what he should look like in order to be with her without any reservations.

He is so eloquent that it makes the long-standing feelings quite awkward. In any case, I cannot continue to dwell on this issue, so I started to change the subject: "Is there anything to eat? I'm hungry."

Long-lasting affection has been spoken of enough, "I can no longer eat... but shouldn't your aquatic world follow the principle of big fish eating small fish, and small fish eating shrimp?"

"In fact, I am not as good as you say," he said, with his hands hanging down. "It is because I have not seen sunlight for many years that I am like this. You should not belittle yourself; in my eyes, long-lasting affection is the most beautiful girl in the world"

In her eyes, he is ultimately still weak. Yun Yue smiled and said, "Although this winning fish may seem unremarkable, it knows how to stand by its friends in times of need. The abyss may be small, yet it is unfathomably deep; even if they come looking for you, it will be difficult for them to discover your whereabouts in a short time. To take a step back, if the heavenly realm intends to sweep through the abyss and the sea, I will take you away from here to the ends of the earth."

He kept holding her hand, which made Changqing feel embarrassed. She calmly withdrew her hand and said awkwardly, "It's not that I don't trust you, it's just that the matters weigh heavily on my mind, and I ultimately cannot find peace of mind seeking refuge with you. Moreover, I am also afraid of dragging you down; you are just a small fish in the sea, unable to withstand the torment of those divine beings."

With a long sigh, I picked up a piece of the pastry and took a big bite. Once I savored the flavor, I gave a thumbs up and praised repeatedly: "This is even better than what I had in the palace. The crust is softer, and the filling is richer. If your chef were to come ashore, he would surely become the top imperial chef!"

His brows were tightly furrowed, seemingly distressed, yet that look of helplessness was also reminiscent of the vibrant spring light

This assumption is almost invalid in the context of long-lasting affection; she waved her hand and declared, "The one I love the most in this world is myself, and I will not love anyone else"

He was somewhat surprised, "Why do you say that about long-lasting affection? You do not like me now."

She looked him up and down with lingering interest, "You can't be serious, can you?"

Long-lasting affection and hearty laughter, "I am just joking with you, do not take it seriously. I mean, the entire world is under the dominion of the Heavenly Emperor; even if I were to run away with you, where could we possibly escape to? It is sufficient for me to face the consequences alone, and I cannot implicate you. You should focus on your cultivation in the abyss, and one day, when you achieve the right fruit, it would be even better to come back and plead my case for me, wouldn't it?"

Yun Yue said, "You seem to have some misunderstandings about our aquatic tribe. We have transformed into humans, and our diet and daily routines are just like those of humans. We wear clothes, eat grains and cereals, while those who consume raw flesh and blood are the half-demons who have not yet taken human form. These half-demons cannot approach the Crystal Palace; they dwell in the upper layers of the abyssal sea."

He busied himself and left, while Changqing secretly breathed a sigh of relief. After entering, he sat in front of the desk in a daze, looking at the Crystal Palace and then at the vast waters above, feeling that the future was bleak and that hope was no longer in sight.