Chapter 98: I Just Don't

After returning from the Grand Master's house, Princess Shunde sat in the main hall all night. She did not bother cleaning her bloody face, or fixing her messy wet hair.

When Zhu Ling came and saw her, he panicked and quickly walked over to her chair. He reached out a hand to touch her face, but stopped in mid air. He wanted to withdraw his hand, but Shunde grabbed it and pressed her cheek into his palm. She rubbed her face against his hand, smearing blood all over it.

"Princess… your injury..."

"Zhu Ling, I wasn't able to kill the master."

"The Grand Master…?"

"He didn't punish me. He just drained me of all my power." She pressed her face a little tighter into Zhu Ling's palm.

"Identity, dignity, power, life… he gave me everything. Zhu Ling, aside from this face, he wants nothing from me, and I have nothing now..." Her eyes were open, but her gaze was empty.

"My scars are still here after all this time, how much longer will he remain patient? One month, two months? A year? Two years? Once he gives up, I will become a piece of garbage that he can just casually throw away. What is the difference between me and those peasants out there?" A trace of madness flashed across her eyes.

"How about I punish him by taking my own life? He wants this face so much, if I take it away, he will suffer."

"Princess..." Zhu Ling was appalled.

"Princess, don't give up yet. I came to tell you that Lin Haoqing has returned."

"Lin Haoqing?" Princess Shunde smiled contemptuously.

"He still dares to come back? Zhu Ling, why didn't you just kill him?"

"Lin Haoqing said he can help the princess."

"Help me? What could he help me with?"

"Kill the Grand Master." Her body stiffened. After a moment of silence, she said,

"Bring him to me."

...

On top of the seabed, Changyi had created a giant bubble to keep water away. Ji Yunhe slept with the sea lingzhi for a whole night. When she woke up, she saw him lying quietly next to her.

His black robe and silver hair were spread out around him, and the blue glow from the lingzhi was the same color as his eyes. Ji Yunhe felt as if she were in a dream, private, calm and enchanting. The occasional bubbles swirling made everything even more magical. Staring at the beautiful face in front of her, she did not know if this was real or a fantasy.

Ji Yunhe eyed the outline of his brows in admiration, and found their situation rather amusing. They both thought she was dead. Who could have guessed that she would be reborn, and they would get to see each other again...

She raised her hand and traced her finger down the bridge of his nose. He opened his eyes. The light of the sea lingzhi glowed on both of their faces.

"Changyi."

Ji Yunhe opened her mouth first, but after calling his name, she did not know what else to say. Too much had happened between them and she could not sort through all her emotions.

"How are you?" Changyi asked.

"Do you still feel any discomfort?" Only now did Ji Yunhe remember why she had been brought here. She shook her head and touched the sea lingzhi on the bedrock.

"This place is magical, it seems to have dispelled all the burning heat inside my body."

"This lingzhi is why this sea has no storms and remains frozen all year round."

"Why?" Ji Yunhe laughed. "Could it be that these things grow by consuming heat?"

Changyi was captivated by the smile on her face. He had suspected Aji was her, but because Ji Yunhe's body was still under the lake, he thought he was wrong. Now looking at her talking and laughing in front of him, so full of life, Changyi found it hard to believe that she was real. The past few months now felt like one long dream.

"What's wrong?" seeing that Changyi did not answer, Ji Yunhe asked.