Chapter 10

“That’s not even the main issue. If what you say is true and the Demon Lord isn’t ugly, what if he sees me and finds me displeasing? What will I do then?”

Yu Wu had many worries, but she had always kept them hidden in her heart. Now, she suddenly couldn’t hold back and blurted out everything at once.

But once the words were out, there was no taking them back. Yu Wu grew even more frustrated.

“He won’t!”

Hearing Yu Wu’s words, Li You suddenly stood up and replied with these three words.

Yu Wu was startled. Looking at Li You’s worried expression, she didn’t understand why he had suddenly reacted this way.

“You’re not him… Besides, I volunteered to marry the Demon Lord in the first place. I can’t blame anyone, least of all the Demon Lord whom I’ve never even met.”

Yu Wu lowered her head in silence and continued making incense.

Li You frowned deeply. Yu Wu said she was willing, but how did she look anything like someone who was truly willing?

Ever since Yu Wu’s marriage alliance with the Demon Realm was settled, the entire Qingluan Sect had been busy preparing her dowry.

Yu Wu wanted to help, but her mother stopped her.

With nothing to do, she could only come to the lake in the back mountain every day to absorb the essence of heaven and earth, sun and moon.

But as her mother had said, although Yu Wu could sense these sources of spiritual energy, her spiritual root was still damaged, so she couldn’t cultivate to a higher level.

Yu Wu came here also hoping that if she encountered that Silver Dragon Deity again, perhaps he could help her once more.

Unfortunately, she hadn’t seen even half a dragon’s shadow.

As Yu Wu sat in meditation, lost in thought, a sudden rumbling thunder sounded.

Opening her eyes, Yu Wu looked up at the sky. The previously cloudless sky had quickly turned overcast at a speed visible to the naked eye, accompanied by lightning and thunder.

The thunder grew louder and louder, extremely deafening. And the lightning struck down from above, as if to split the sky in half.

Yu Wu had been here for quite some time, and Qingluan Sect had experienced rain and thunder before, but never as terrifying as today.

Yu Wu also sensed that something was not quite right. She quickly left the back mountain and indeed, when she reached the open space where sect members usually practiced, she saw everyone gathered together, staring at the sky.

Among them were her mother and the elders of the clan who were rarely seen.

“Mother!”

Yu Wu knew something major must have happened, otherwise these reclusive elders wouldn’t have appeared.

She called out to her mother and quickly ran forward:

“Mother, there’s an anomaly in the sky. What has happened?”

“The Dragon Clan’s ascension tribulation…”

Before Yu Wu’s mother could speak, the oldest elder of the clan uttered these words.

Upon hearing this, Yu Wu found it very strange. Dragons were born as deities; their species was already at the top of the food chain. What more did they need to ascend to?

How would they ascend?

The disciples also expressed the same confusion as Yu Wu at the elder’s explanation.

Yu Wu’s mother had never seen such a scene before. Although she had her suspicions, she dared not speak rashly. But since the elder had spoken, it must not be wrong.

“Although all dragons are deities, they are different within the dragon hierarchy. Ancient books record that dragons also ascend level by level, with the day of ascension being when the moon is waning, from Jiao Dragon to Horned Dragon, then to Ying Dragon.”

Yu Wu suddenly understood. It turned out that dragons were similar to them – those with spiritual roots cultivate and ascend, first becoming immortals, then deities. The dragon clan seemed to have just used a different terminology within their own species, a bit more advanced than theirs.

Yu Wu had seen cultivators ascend before, but the scene wasn’t even a tenth as impressive as this.

However, listening to the conversations between her mother and the elders, it seemed that it had been a hundred years since anyone had witnessed a dragon’s ascension, which was why everyone was so shocked.

“Yu Wu, Yu Tong, Prince Ning An and his people are still in the sect. Such a scene might frighten them. Go quickly to check on them, and make sure nothing happens to Prince Ning An.”

Yu Wu and Yu Tong agreed and hurried off.

Prince Ning An was indeed terrified along with his two palace attendants. The three were huddled in the corner of the bed, covered by blankets.

Hearing Yu Wu and Yu Tong’s voices, Prince Ning An finally emerged from under the covers and immediately threw himself into Yu Tong’s embrace.

Seeing this, Yu Wu immediately turned away, not daring to look directly.

Several lightning bolts struck, illuminating the entire room. As Yu Tong comforted Prince Ning An, he gradually calmed down.

“Oh right, Yu Tong, Master Li You was worried about me and had been keeping me company. But I don’t know if he got scared too. He ran out just before you came and hasn’t returned. I’m worried about him.”

Hearing this, Yu Wu turned back around. Seeing Yu Tong and Prince Ning An so inseparable, Yu Wu quickly spoke up:

“Yu Tong, you stay here with Prince Ning An. I’ll go find Li You.”

Leaving the room, Yu Wu went straight to Li You’s chamber, knocked with no response, and pushed the door open to find it empty.

Li You rarely wandered around, usually only moving between his room and Prince Ning An’s residence.

Yu Wu thought about this and went searching along the way. Suddenly, the wind picked up, mixing with dust that obscured her vision.

Though it wasn’t a long path, Yu Wu searched it twice thoroughly. Finally, she discovered Li You in a corner of Prince Ning An’s courtyard, covering his ears and curled up, shivering.

Yu Wu quickly ran over and gently patted Li You’s shoulder.

Li You was startled and quickly turned around. Seeing it was Yu Wu, his helpless face burrowed into her embrace.

Yu Wu felt the soft body of the man in her arms. This was her first time having such close contact with a man in this female-dominated world.

Although the men here looked similar to those in reality, just a bit more slender, Yu Wu had always thought their bodies would still feel quite firm when hugged.

Who knew the person in her arms would be as soft as if boneless, very alluring.

Yu Wu both felt this sensation and blushed. If not for another lightning strike, Yu Wu might have been completely enchanted.

Forcing herself to calm down, although Yu Wu enjoyed this feeling, she also remembered that she was already betrothed. So she grabbed Li You’s arms and pulled him out of her embrace.

Just now, Prince Ning An said Li You was afraid he’d be scared, so he came over specially to keep him company.

But now Li You was ice-cold all over, trembling and hiding here, clearly terrified himself, yet still worried about others.

He was truly too kind-hearted.

“Don’t be afraid, I’ll take you back.”

Li You was still staring blankly at Yu Wu, showing no signs of having recovered at all.

Seeing him like this, Yu Wu feared he couldn’t walk on his own.

It wouldn’t work to carry him back. Yu Wu suddenly had an idea and secretly released a bit of her spiritual energy, enveloping Li You.

She had only meant to try it out, but unexpectedly it worked.

Li You slowly came to his senses, his breathing becoming steady.

Moreover, the darkness in the sky gradually began to brighten, and the lightning and thunder from before had all disappeared.

Yu Wu escorted Li You back to his room. After seeing him fall into a peaceful sleep, she retreated.

Outside, the sky was no longer as dark as before. The sun had come out and it was already bright.

Yu Wu was about to go check on Yu Tong when she saw her mother and Lan Ruo rushing over.

“Ah Wu, how is Prince Ning An?”

“Prince Ning An is fine. Yu Tong is keeping him company. I just sent Li You back to his room. He was quite frightened.

But Mother, how did it stop so quickly? Doesn’t the ascension tribulation usually last nearly two hours? Is something not right?”

Yu Wu found it strange and asked.

Her mother nodded in agreement. The elders had also mentioned that this ascension tribulation seemed unusual. Perhaps the dragon attempting to ascend had failed, which was why it ended so quickly.

Hearing that Prince Ning An was unharmed, Yu Wu’s mother only made a brief visit to him before leaving.

That night, after Li You entered his room to rest, he never came out again.

When dinnertime arrived, Yu Wu and Yu Tong brought food to Prince Ning An and the others, but Li You still didn’t come.

Not wanting to delay Prince Ning An’s meal, Yu Wu took some food to Li You. But when she reached Li You’s room and knocked for a long time, there was no response.

Worried that something might have happened to Li You due to the fright earlier in the day, Yu Wu directly barged in.

Upon entering, she discovered the room was already empty.

Yu Wu looked carefully and saw no signs of the doors or windows having been opened. Even the bedding was exactly the same as when Yu Wu had left earlier. It was as if Li You had turned into a wisp of smoke and vanished directly from the bed.

She immediately found Lan Ruo and her junior disciples. After searching the entire Changyang Mountain to no avail, Yu Wu and the others reported Li You’s disappearance to her mother.

Changyang Mountain was a realm of immortals. Without the guidance of someone from the sect, it would be impossible for ordinary people to enter or leave.

Lan Ruo took this opportunity to mention to Yu Wu’s mother that he had found Li You strange, but he only spoke half the story, as he suddenly couldn’t remember why he had thought Li You was strange.

Yu Wu’s mother used her spiritual power to explore the entire Changyang Mountain but couldn’t sense even a trace of Li You’s aura. However, she also sent people to check several important areas of the sect, all of which were as usual, so she didn’t continue the search.

After all, Li You was someone Prince Ning An had brought, so Yu Wu’s mother personally met with Prince Ning An to inform him of the matter.

Upon hearing this, Prince Ning An merely nodded slightly, then mentioned that Li You was a completely free person, and when he left was entirely up to him.

Since even Prince Ning An said this, the matter was left unresolved.

In the blink of an eye, half a month passed, and no one mentioned Li You again. Just as everyone was gradually forgetting about this person, news came from the Celestial Realm that distinguished guests would be coming to Qingluan Sect soon, and Yu Wu’s mother should prepare to receive them.

Those who could be called distinguished guests by the Celestial Realm were certainly not ordinary people one could usually meet. Yu Wu’s mother didn’t dare delay and immediately gathered the sect members to welcome them at Qingluan Sect’s main gate.

After about the time it takes an incense stick to burn, the deity who had come to Qingluan Sect to deliver the message last time arrived with a group of people.

Yu Wu and the others bowed to the deity along with her mother. When they raised their heads again, Yu Wu suddenly saw the deity respectfully inviting a silver-clad Li You, addressing him as:

“Demon Lord!”