AUOF - 49

Sang Li was both nervous and awkward, unsure of what to do with her hands.

She anxiously clutched her sleeve, her mind racing for excuses to decline.

“Is it so difficult for you to have me stay here?”

Yan Jinglou suddenly moved closer.

Ji Hengyu, hidden on the beam above, tensed up, his killing intent flaring as he prepared to transform and act. Just then, a knock sounded at the door.

Both men froze simultaneously.

Yan Jinglou temporarily set aside his plans and leisurely retreated behind the screen. Ji Hengyu retracted his nearly unleashed lethal technique, quietly observing.

Sang Li let out a sigh of relief and went to open the door.

Situ stood outside, complaining unhappily, “Why did you take so long?”

“I was about to bathe,” Sang Li replied. “What brings you here, Atu?”

Situ brushed past her shoulder and sauntered in. “Huashan City isn’t exactly safe. I was worried about you, so I thought about staying the night together. What do you say?”

Sang Li fell silent.

Now she had two formidable deities who hadn’t left yet, and now a third one had arrived.

Honestly, she wanted to agree.

But with Ji Hengyu and Yan Jinglou still present, if she really accepted, the two might run into each other.

The mere thought sent a violent shiver down her spine.

“Atu, don’t worry. Though my spiritual energy is weak, I can still protect myself. Besides, you’re staying right next door; nothing will happen.”

That last sentence pleased Situ. “Are you sure you don’t need me to stay?”

Sang Li gently nudged her. “No need. Go back and rest. We still have a journey ahead of us tomorrow.”

“Alright.” Situ swaggered off but turned around after a moment, pointing at Sang Li’s nose in warning. “If anything happens, call me immediately, got it?”

“Got it, got it. Don’t worry.”

Sang Li saw her out and locked the door behind her.

“When did you become so adept at handling situations?”

Hearing the mocking tone from behind her, Sang Li’s fingers paused momentarily.

When she turned back, her expression had transformed into one of cheerful innocence. “My lord jests.”

Yan Jinglou sat at the table, tapping his fingers rhythmically against its surface.

“It’s unexpected,” he scrutinized Sang Li. “You rarely form close bonds with others, let alone someone known for being unruly and difficult to tame. Now that this person shows concern for you, it makes me suspicious of your intentions.”

Sang Li didn’t respond, only offering a strained smile.

Yan Jinglou had already moved toward the inner chamber. “Prepare the bed. I’m going to rest.”

Fuck!!

This despicable man really intended to sleep here?!

Sang Li instinctively looked up toward the beam for help.

Ji Hengyu revealed his human form and made a throat-slitting gesture at her, his intent clear.

She shook her head furiously.

Yan Jinglou’s strength was not to be underestimated, and they were near the demon realm. If a conflict arose, Ji Hengyu alone wouldn’t stand a chance.

Ji Hengyu frowned, clearly displeased.

Seeing his discontent, Sang Li hurriedly patted her chest twice, then gave a thumbs-up gesture to reassure him and make a promise.

Upon seeing this, Ji Hengyu’s lips curved into a faint, almost imperceptible smile.

Having secured his understanding, Sang Li cleared her throat and slowly walked inside.

Yan Jinglou glanced backward with his peripheral vision and spread his arms toward her.

Sang Li scratched her head, confused by his gesture.

After waiting a while without her assistance, Yan Jinglou finally lost patience. “Change my clothes.”

Sang Li suddenly understood.

She reluctantly approached, her hands reaching behind him to untie his sash while maintaining a distance to avoid contact.

As she undressed him, she held her breath, turning away to take deep breaths between actions.

By the second time, even Yan Jinglou, slow to react as he might be, realized that Sang Li was repulsed by him.

He turned around just in time to catch her fleeting expression before she could conceal it.

“Do I smell bad?”

Sang Li vigorously shook her head but subtly glanced at his boots, holding her breath as she took two steps back.

Such small gestures infuriated Yan Jinglou.

Though the demon realm was rife with miasma, he was the Demon Lord—his magic ensured his perpetual cleanliness. This was the first time in thousands of years that anyone... anyone had found him repulsive!

“Sang Li!” he scolded her. “What do you mean by this?”

“No… yue… I mean no disrespect… yue.”

Every word she spoke was punctuated by a retch. Seeing Yan Jinglou’s increasingly terrible expression, Sang Li dropped to her knees with a thud, bowing repeatedly and crying. “My lord, spare me! It’s my nose acting foolishly, having ideas of its own. Personally, I think you’re fragrant and beautiful—I absolutely don’t find your feet or anything else smelly!”

She kowtowed repeatedly, banging her head against the floor. “My lord, please stay. I truly want to serve you… yue… and help you change and sleep.”

Between sobs, she couldn’t help but retch again. Her face was soon drenched in a mix of sweat and tears, far from her previous charming self.

His expression grew colder, his suppressed anger fully manifesting in his eyes.

Ji Hengyu, the “gentleman thief” perched on the beam, nearly burst out laughing as he watched the scene unfold. He stared at Sang Li, finding her antics increasingly amusing.

He had thought she was bold and clever only with him, but it seemed she treated outsiders the same way.

Outsiders…

The thought struck him, and his fleeting amusement vanished, replaced by an inexplicable irritation. If his previous attitude toward Yan Jinglou was one of simple indifference, it had now escalated to outright hatred.

Sang Li wiped her tears and clutched her stomach. “My lord, if you wish to punish me with the dual-life curse, then do so. It’s my fault for not serving you properly—it’s all my fault. You should punish me. As your subordinate, how could I possibly disdain you? Even if you smelled like an old man, I shouldn’t despise you! You saved my life once, and I swore to care for you until your last days!”

Old-man smell; caring for someone until their death.

These words tumbled out of her mouth one after another, making Yan Jinglou’s temples throb painfully.

“Heh.”

He sneered coldly, conjured his mask with a flick of his sleeve, and stormed out through the window in a fit of rage.

Sang Li craned her neck to watch him leave, licking away a tear that had slid to her lips. “Don’t go! My lord, please don’t go! I still want to help you sleep!”

The endless night was her only response.

That’s it?

So men really were all about saving face.

She sneered dismissively, got up, and went to close the window.

As she turned around, she was startled by Ji Hengyu, who suddenly appeared behind her.

She had been so engrossed in her act that she completely forgot there was still someone else in the room.

Sang Li rubbed her hands together nervously. “Would you… leave?”

Ji Hengyu leisurely fanned himself, eyeing her eager fox-like demeanor, and said slowly, “Your behavior today was unusual. Perhaps Yan Jinglou is lurking outside. If you let me out now, aren’t you afraid he’ll catch us red-handed?”

“...”

What he said made sense.

An idea struck Sang Li. “If my lord doesn’t mind, why not stay here tonight?”

Ji Hengyu’s hand froze mid-fan movement.

His chest stirred strangely again, and the corners of his lips involuntarily twitched upward slightly.

But his joy didn’t last long. Just as he was savoring the moment, Sang Li grabbed the pillow and said, “I’ll go bunk with the Divine Maiden for the night.”

The smile on his face stiffened.

As she unlatched the door and prepared to leave, Ji Hengyu hooked her collar and pulled her back.

Sang Li held the pillow tightly in her arms, her eyes shimmering like gemstones beneath her fluttering lashes.

She simply tilted her head to look at him, saying nothing, nor deliberately seducing him—yet… the pounding in his chest grew louder.

“I was just teasing you,” Ji Hengyu averted his gaze, trying to ignore the strange sensations.

“Oh.” Sang Li wasn’t upset either and returned to prepare for bed.

Her back swayed in the flickering lamplight, her hair cascading down her hips like undulating waves.

Ji Hengyu’s eyes flickered. “Have you ever seen the Empty Sea?”

Sang Li’s curiosity was piqued. “The Empty Sea?”

Ji Hengyu pointed upward. “The sea above the clouds—have you ever seen it?”

She shook her head and asked excitedly, “Is there such a place?”

“Not far. If you…”

“I want to go!” Sang Li was, after all, an eighteen-year-old girl full of curiosity for the unknown. Her enthusiasm quickly dimmed, however, as reality set in. “Never mind. What if Yan Jinglou...”

“That was also a joke,” Ji Hengyu said. “His presence has already faded into the distance.”

Sang Li’s eyes widened.

“Let’s go. I’ll take you to see it.”

Ji Hengyu pushed open the window and whistled. A snow-white flying horse galloped through the clouds, its hooves scattering frost flowers onto the ground—a breathtaking sight.

As he leapt onto the horse, Sang Li finally snapped out of her daze and prepared to fetch her little donkey from the stable.

Ji Hengyu sighed softly and used his spiritual energy to pull her onto the horse’s back.

She sat in front, while Ji Hengyu wrapped his arms around her from behind. Sang Li blinked in confusion but said nothing. Ji Hengyu spurred the horse, and Yuxue soared into the air.

With a protective seal warding off the fierce winds at high altitudes, the ride felt fairly pleasant.

Her back pressed tightly against his chest, enveloped in his crisp, refreshing aura.

Sang Li had been happy earlier, but now that she was this close to him, she felt uneasy instead.

She cautiously tried to shift forward, but her waist was immediately gripped. “Don’t move.”

Her ear tingled as his warm breath brushed against it during his words, instantly reddening the sensitive tips of her ears.

Sang Li’s fair complexion made the blush on her thin earlobes stand out even more, clearly visible to him without any attempt to hide it.

Ji Hengyu lowered his gaze. From this angle, he could see her delicate nose and lowered eyelashes.

Long and curled, they occasionally fluttered, looking anything but docile.

For some inexplicable reason, Ji Hengyu’s mood brightened. “Yuxue is steady. You don’t need to worry about falling.”

Sang Li’s body stiffened. “...Oh.”

Ji Hengyu’s hands encircled her waist, gripping the silver reins tightly.

Involuntarily, she glanced down at his hands. The veins on the back of his hand stood out, and his knuckles tightened with force.

Sang Li suddenly became lost in thought, recalling the embarrassing incident when she first left Gui Xu, and couldn’t help asking, “My lord, why did you give Yuxue to me earlier? They all say this is your horse.”

“Hmm?” Ji Hengyu murmured softly, “I have many horses. They’re just sitting idle anyway.”

Upon hearing this, Yuxue shot Ji Hengyu a glare, let out a loud neigh, and with a powerful flap of its wings, flung both of them off its back before galloping away. In the blink of an eye, Yuxue disappeared from sight.

The sudden fall elicited a small gasp from Sang Li, but she quickly landed in someone’s arms.

Reacting instinctively, she tightly clung to the person’s neck. When she realized who it was, she hurriedly tried to let go.

Ji Hengyu firmly grasped her waist. “Hold on tight.”

As his words faded, Ji Hengyu’s figure gracefully extended, and Sang Li’s eyes gradually widened.

The moonlight was bright and pure, casting a silvery glow over everything.

He moved like a shooting star, soaring into the clouds. Sang Li watched as he shed his human form—first his body, then his neck, and finally revealed a pair of magnificent dragon-like horns.

This was the first time Sang Li had seen Ji Hengyu’s transformed form.

The vast expanse of stars couldn’t conceal the enormity of his figure; his silver scales outshone the moonlight. Sitting atop his body, she felt his movements and gradually tightened her arms around his neck.

Breaking through the clouds, Sang Li beheld what was called the Empty Sea.

It was a wondrous sight—a silver-blue misty sea spread across the heavens, flowing with the clouds like a piece of jade nestled within the haze. Everything in sight was immaculate, untouched by any blemish.

Ji Hengyu plunged into the sea with Sang Li on his back.

As a sea serpent, he could breathe freely underwater, and though Sang Li wasn’t of his kind, the protective barrier he set ensured her safety beneath the waves.

Once underwater, Ji Hengyu swam at an extremely slow pace.

The Empty Sea had no seabed; through the water, one could directly see the mountain towns below the clouds. The shimmering lights of the towns flickered faintly like fireflies, complementing the deep blue hues, creating a dazzling scene that captivated the eye.

Various fish swam past them on both sides.

They came in all shapes and sizes.

She also saw coral that glowed like daylight, radiant pearls within clams, and luminous sea flowers. Sang Li plucked a small red flower and stealthily tucked it onto one of Ji Hengyu’s dragon horns.

Ji Hengyu clearly sensed it but pretended not to notice.

—She seemed to enjoy adorning his dragon horns with flowers.

After showing her around, they rested under a Hai Mu tree on the shore.

The Hai Mu tree bloomed year-round, occasionally shedding white petals that didn’t melt upon touching the ground. Over time, this formed a lush sea of flowers surrounding them.

From somewhere, Ji Hengyu retrieved a bottle of wine and tossed it into her lap.

She sniffed it cautiously. The aroma of fine wine filled her nose—it was an excellent vintage. “You brought wine?”

“Mm.”

Before her transmigration, Sang Li had been a high school student who exercised strict self-control—not just with alcohol but even with beverages in general.

She sniffed it again, then cautiously took a sip, wrinkling her nose. “Spicy.” She handed it back. “I’m not drinking.”

Ji Hengyu chuckled and leaned against the tree trunk to drink alone.

“What a wonderful place. Why doesn’t anyone come here?”

Sang Li hugged her knees, quietly admiring the Empty Sea.

Clouds fell into the sea, and soon after, the mist dissolved into a deep azure hue.

“This is the Sea of Exile.”

Sang Li looked over.

His gaze was calm as he stared at the surface of the sea. “The upper realms consider it ominous.” Ji Hengyu’s fingertips brushed against the bottle. “But I think... it doesn’t compete for space in the water or fight with the clouds in the sky. It exists in its own corner, forming its own vast world—free and unburdened.”

Sang Li stared at the side of Ji Hengyu’s face, shrouded in mist.

A sudden, fanciful thought crossed her mind.

Perhaps… he wasn’t talking about the sea.

He was the one rejected by the world.

At some point, did he feel like this Sea of Exile—banished from the waters that birthed him? Like this Empty Sea, drifting in the celestial realms that didn’t belong to him, unable to find a single place to anchor himself?

“I’ll drink with you.”

Sang Li reached out for the wine.

A flicker of amusement passed through Ji Hengyu’s eyes. “Not afraid of the spiciness anymore?”

Sang Li shook her head, her expression solemn. “I can overcome it.”

He chuckled and pulled out a small bottle from his robes, tossing it to her.

Cradling the bottle, Sang Li took a deep breath, mustered her courage, and downed it in one gulp.

After finishing half the bottle, she realized something was off.

Sang Li smacked her lips. “Sweet?”

“Made from sweet flower nectar,” Ji Hengyu said indifferently, a hint of warmth flickering in his eyes.

He said—

“Some things don’t need to be overcome.”