Chapter 14

The Emperor and Yu Mother talked in the hall for nearly an hour. The Emperor wanted to see Li You, but given their equal status, there was no reason for Li You to come see her.

If she wanted to see Li You, the Emperor would have to go herself.

After leaving the main hall, Lan Ruo was waiting at the door. The Emperor looked at Lan Ruo’s face, unable to hide his disappointment, and seemed lost in thought.

Turning back, the Emperor spoke to Yu Mother:

“Yu Sect Leader is usually busy. For small tasks like showing the way, let the younger generation handle it.”

Yu Mother looked at Lan Ruo and nodded. Lan Ruo was a reliable child, and Yu Mother trusted him, so she let Lan Ruo guide the Emperor.

Walking to the back mountain, Li You also sensed the Emperor’s divine aura and came out with Yu Wu.

The four of them ran into each other.

Li You knew the Emperor would definitely come to see him on this visit. Since their status was the same, he came out from the back mountain, which was also a way of giving face to the Emperor.

Li You had only met the Emperor twice before – once when he first became the Demon Lord, and now this second time.

After exchanging pleasantries, the Emperor stated the purpose of her visit:

“Demon Lord, now that you’ve come out of seclusion and arrived at Qingluan Sect, can you decide when to settle the matter of the marriage alliance? This is a major affair between the two realms, and it’s not good to keep delaying it.”

Li You had guessed the Emperor would ask about this. He suddenly turned to look at Yu Wu.

After all, this was a marriage between the two of them. In the past, Li You would have made the decision himself.

But now, he also wanted to hear Yu Wu’s thoughts.

“Since the Emperor is in such a hurry, this seat will have someone quickly choose an auspicious date and settle this matter.”

“Very well. This is a joyous occasion for both the Celestial and Demon Realms. I will personally attend the banquet. Also, I have already listed Yu Wu’s name among the immortals. Yu Wu is now a high immortal. From now on, the heavy responsibilities between the Celestial and Demon Realms will depend on Yu Wu.”

The Emperor smiled calmly as she instructed, then left with Lan Ruo without saying anything more.

When they first arrived, Lan Ruo’s expression was not good. Now, after seeing Li You and Yu Wu, Lan Ruo’s face looked even worse.

The Emperor, being who she was, naturally noticed Lan Ruo’s unhappiness.

“Lan Ruo, if I remember correctly, you are now twenty-one. Do you have a woman you fancy?”

“I… no, I don’t.”

“Your manner doesn’t seem like you don’t. In my view, the way you look at Yu Wu is no less intense than the Demon Lord’s gaze.”

When Li You requested Yu Wu, the Emperor had thought that since Yu Wu was useless, even if she went to the Demon Realm, she wouldn’t be of use to Li You, and the Celestial Realm would have one less concern.

But the Emperor thought Li You’s intentions were the same as hers – choosing someone useless who wouldn’t interfere with the Demon Realm’s affairs.

The Emperor had always felt these two had no connection, but just now, Li You’s gaze towards Yu Wu was infinitely gentle. Although Li You was the Demon Lord, he was still a man after all.

Seeing Li You’s expression just now, the Emperor had already sensed it.

Li You liked Yu Wu.

Li You had always been violent and cruel, yet he treated Yu Wu like this. After they married, with time, it was possible Yu Wu might also develop feelings.

Now the Emperor had also sensed dragon aura on Yu Wu. If this dragon aura was used by Li You, it would strengthen the Demon Realm.

So even if it meant letting Yu Wu die in the Demon Realm, they couldn’t let the dragon aura be used by Li You.

This chess game needed a variable.

“I, I…”

Lan Ruo was confused by the Emperor’s question. He thought he had been restraining himself to the utmost, but he was not a saint after all. Seeing the woman he liked about to marry someone else, Lan Ruo was already devastated inside.

“The Celestial and Demon Realms will eventually go to war. When the Demon Realm is defeated and Li You dies, Yu Wu won’t remain alone for the rest of her life.

If you truly have deep feelings for Yu Wu, I am willing to help you. But you must know that all this can only happen after the Demon Lord Li You completely disappears.”

Lan Ruo suddenly looked at the Emperor. Like a drowning man who had found a floating leaf, Lan Ruo, who had been as if drowning, seemed to have found hope.

He knew Yu Wu also had feelings for Li You, which was why he had endured the pain in his heart and taken a step back.

But if what the Emperor said was true, it seemed there was still a chance for change in the end.

Lan Ruo’s heart wavered.

“Yu Wu is marrying into the Demon Realm for the sake of the Celestial Realm. Yu Wu has rendered service to the Celestial Realm, so when the time comes, I will grant her the position of High Goddess. Becoming the husband of a High Goddess is much easier than painstakingly cultivating to become an immortal.”

“But… Yu Wu may not accept me.”

“You are her senior brother, who can compare to your childhood bond? Besides, it will be my imperial decree for marriage. In the immortal sects and Celestial Realm, who would dare refuse?”

This last sentence struck right at Lan Ruo’s heart.

Turning to look at the Emperor, Lan Ruo, whose eyes had been desperately wavering just moments ago, now became resolute.

*

On the jade stone by the lake at the back mountain.

Li You was meditating, while Yu Wu lay beside him, flipping through an old almanac conjured by Li You’s magic.

Nudging Li You, Yu Wu spoke:

“Looking through this, only the second day of next month is suitable for marriage. The next auspicious day after that would be half a year later. The Emperor was in such a hurry just now, surely she wouldn’t want us to wait half a year, right?”

“If you like, we can set it for half a year later. If she’s in a hurry, I’ll send her a beautiful fox clan male. She can marry him first to maintain the friendship between the Celestial and Demon Realms.”

As he spoke, Li You opened his eyes.

Hearing this, Yu Wu imagined a beautiful, alluring male spirit with two large fox ears, swaying his hips and curling his large fluffy tail in the Emperor’s arms. She laughed uncontrollably.

“A beautiful fox clan male, how could you come up with that? She’s the Emperor, how could she possibly marry a fox?”

Yu Wu sat up and looked at Li You.

“You’re now a high immortal too, yet you’re about to marry me, the head of the Demon Realm. If you can marry me, why can’t the Emperor marry a fox male? Fox clan men are famously beautiful in all six realms. The Emperor is a woman too, how could it be impossible?”

“You say the Emperor is a woman who loves beautiful men, but you’re a man too. Even as the Demon Lord, you should be more reserved. Talking about marrying all the time, aren’t you embarrassed?”

Being called out like this by Yu Wu, a blush appeared on Li You’s face. He had never been one to lose in verbal exchanges, but when it came to Yu Wu, a bunch of retorts he wanted to say just couldn’t come out of his mouth.

As the mighty Demon Lord, Li You didn’t know how he had suddenly become like this.

Li You’s eyes were brimming with tears, and when Yu Wu saw this, she thought he was about to cry.

Just as she had said earlier, although Li You was the Demon Lord, he was still a man. What she had just said was indeed a bit too much.

“I was just joking, don’t take it to heart. I keep feeling that although the Emperor came to ask about the wedding date this time, seeming amiable and respectful on the surface, she actually intends to harm you. If you think it’s alright, let’s go with the second day of next month. After all, I’m the one marrying into your family, so I don’t have much say in it.”

Li You also knew that this marriage alliance meant Yu Wu was marrying into his family. Women considered marrying into the husband’s family shameful, so Li You never dared to mention it, fearing Yu Wu would be displeased.

But Yu Wu spoke openly about it, without showing any sign of reluctance.

“You don’t mind?”

“Hm?” Yu Wu looked puzzled.

“You don’t mind marrying into the Demon Realm?”

“How could I not mind? But it’s already decided, whether I mind or not doesn’t matter anymore.”

Hearing this, although Li You knew Yu Wu wasn’t unwilling, he still felt uneasy in his heart, feeling as if she had been forced by him.

Li You felt slightly dejected.

“But… before, I didn’t know what kind of person the Demon Lord was, so I was anxious. Now that I know it’s you, marrying into your family is fine. Moreover, you said before that the Demon Lord wasn’t ugly. Now that I’ve seen with my own eyes, it’s indeed true. I’m a shallow person, just for this point alone, I don’t mind the rest.”

Hearing Yu Wu’s words, Li You suddenly perked up. If what Yu Wu said was true, it sounded like she also had some affection for him, and she seemed to be praising his looks.

Li You blushed from his cheeks to the tips of his ears. He knew that war between the Celestial and Demon Realms was inevitable in the future. Keeping someone from the Celestial Realm by his side would be all harm and no benefit to him.

But if that person from the Celestial Realm was Yu Wu, Li You was willing.

Li You turned his back to Yu Wu. Yu Wu didn’t know what he was doing and tried to sneak a peek, but was caught by Li You.

“No peeking!”

Being scolded like this by Li You, Yu Wu quickly sat back.

After waiting for a while, she saw Li You’s shoulders trembling slightly, as if he was in pain somewhere.

Yu Wu became worried.

“What are you doing? Are you alright?”

As she spoke, Li You turned around. His complexion, which had been fine just now, was now somewhat pale.

Yu Wu noticed Li You’s unusual state, but before she could ask, Li You suddenly raised his clenched fist and held it out in front of Yu Wu.

When he opened his hand, a faintly glowing bracelet lay quietly in Li You’s palm.

Li You extended his hand slightly, indicating it was for Yu Wu.

Yu Wu reached out and took it, looking at it closely. The bracelet was entirely light blue and very beautiful.

However, compared to the pale white flower petals hanging from the middle of other bracelets, it paled in comparison.

Yu Wu touched the small pendant and felt it looked familiar.

“What is this?”

Hearing this, Li You untied the gold silk sachet at his waist and took out the dried leaf of the night-blooming cereus that had been preserved with spiritual energy.

Yu Wu suddenly realized why the shape of the pendant looked so familiar – it was similar to the night-blooming cereus.

But this pendant was too beautiful; that piece of night-blooming cereus couldn’t compare at all.

“There’s nothing special in the Demon Realm. This is…”

Li You paused, then continued:

“This is something I transformed from a piece of my bone. I’m giving it to you as a little trinket.”

“A piece of bone!”

Yu Wu was shocked. No wonder Li You’s face had turned pale earlier. Could it be that he had just taken it out and transformed it while hiding from her?

“I know you powerful beings don’t care much about your physical bodies, but taking out a piece of bone must be so painful. Are you stupid?”

“You know I have magical powers. I’m the Demon Lord. Taking out a piece of bone is the same as you plucking a hair. It doesn’t hurt at all.”

Li You stubbornly insisted. This wasn’t the first time he had done something like this, and Yu Wu felt helpless.

Someone had given her a piece of their bone with such sincerity; Yu Wu felt she couldn’t give nothing in return.

Stretching out her arm, Yu Wu said:

“I don’t have anything good to give you. Why don’t you take a piece of bone from me as a gift too?”