#76: Compromise

Shi Luoyi realized that nodding wasn’t an option, but neither was refusing.

She had just struck Bian Lingyu, and now she was expected to approach him to have him lift the spell. No matter how she looked at it, the situation felt awkward. For a moment, she remained frozen in place.

By not nodding, she silently rejected his offer.

Bian Lingyu gazed at Shi Luoyi, his lips pressing into a thin line. The hand he had instinctively raised to help her fell back into his sleeve, motionless.

Houmi’s beard quivered with barely contained fury as he glared at Shi Luoyi.

For three hundred years—ever since Houmi retrieved Bian Lingyu from the Skywalking Abyss—the young lord had been exceptionally cold and silent. Bian Lingyu never made requests nor initiated conversations with others.

This was the first time Houmi had seen him reach out to catch a strange girl. It was also the first time the Divine Lord had voluntarily offered to do something for someone. Even Houmi could see that this was an unconscious gesture of goodwill from Bian Lingyu—a subtle sign Bian Lingyu himself might not even recognize.

Yet look what this girl had done! She had outright refused him!

Houmi watched as Bian Lingyu withdrew his hand after being rebuffed, his expression unreadable. Fuming, Houmi pointed at Shi Luoyi and demanded, “Where did this troublemaker who disrupted the temple come from?”

The guards who had chased her quickly answered, “Reporting to Elder Houmi, she is the girl sent by Qingxuan, the rebel general of the Chifeng clan. She had been staying in the remote palace until today, when she broke through multiple barriers. We pursued her here, unintentionally disturbing the Divine Lord and you.”

At the mention of “Qingxuan,” even Gongying couldn’t help but glance at Shi Luoyi.

Over the past two years, everyone knew that Qingxuan had been opposing the Divine Temple. His Chifeng clan had once betrayed the gods, causing calamities across the six realms and earning disdain from the divine realm.

With relations between the Northern Realm and the Divine Temple so hostile, it was natural to suspect that Qingxuan sending Shi Luoyi might be part of some plot.

Moreover, Shi Luoyi had shattered numerous defensive barriers of the Divine Temple—an achievement that even Gongying herself would find difficult to replicate.

When Bian Lingyu heard that the girl before him was sent by Qingxuan, his brows furrowed. The power of his father’s divine pearl had appeared in the Northern Realm, and Qingxuan, as the last rebel general, was slated to be dealt with next month when Bian Lingyu planned to subjugate the Northern Realm.

Shi Luoyi immediately shot Bian Lingyu a glare. Even though she couldn’t speak, her bright eyes conveyed her emotions vividly: “Are you going to arrest me?”

Bian Lingyu’s face remained cold, unjustly accused. He spoke, “I have no intention of…”

He trailed off after explaining himself. Technically, Shi Luoyi’s origins were unknown. Not only was arresting her justified, but her audacity in destroying so many divine barriers warranted punishment.

Houmi also realized the gravity of the situation. Qingxuan was already a thorny issue. Initially, upon hearing that Shi Luoyi hadn’t caused trouble outside the temple, Houmi had considered simply expelling her. But now, it was clear that Shi Luoyi was unusual, and expulsion alone wouldn’t suffice.

Houmi bowed deeply to Bian Lingyu, “Divine Lord, this girl likely harbors ill intentions. Allow me to interrogate her thoroughly.”

Before his words faded, Bian Lingyu turned to look at him.

Fresh from the Demonfall Pool, his silver armor still carried a chilling aura. “You wish to arrest her?”

Houmi nodded, thinking it was obvious. Shi Luoyi was nothing but a walking question mark! Arresting her was the only reasonable course of action.

Bian Lingyu paused briefly: “I will question her myself.”

“…” Even if Houmi were a fool, he could see that something was amiss. With a complicated expression, he emphasized, “Divine Lord, she was sent by Qingxuan.”

Bian Lingyu fell silent for a moment: “Mm.”

Houmi added, “She is extremely dangerous, capable of breaking through barriers you personally set. You should…”

Seeing Bian Lingyu’s indifferent gaze, Houmi sighed: “Be careful.”

Bian Lingyu nodded.

Houmi’s face twitched slightly as he took the divine realm’s prisoner-restraining chains from the guard and presented them to Bian Lingyu with both hands.

Instinctively, Bian Lingyu glanced at Shi Luoyi. Sure enough, she was glaring at him angrily again.

“I have no intention,” he murmured softly.

No intention of using those chains on her.

Bian Lingyu didn’t take the chains, leaving Houmi to reluctantly put them away.

Shi Luoyi glanced between Houmi and Bian Lingyu. She had no intention of letting herself suffer. Even if she wanted to sulk with her Dao companion or settle scores for the past two years and the empress selection, now wasn’t the time. Though Houmi treated Bian Lingyu with great respect, his rigid and upright nature made him a formidable figure. If he caught her and branded her a spy, she’d be in serious trouble.

She shifted her steps and followed behind Bian Lingyu. At first, his pace was brisk, but despite his continued aloofness, he eventually slowed down.

Step by step, Shi Luoyi trailed behind him. They walked through the long corridors of the temple toward Bian Lingyu’s chambers.

Gongying watched them disappear, a faint smile curving her lips. Houmi grew increasingly worried: “Aying, why are you smiling?”

Gongying replied, “Forgive my rudeness, Elder. However, I’ve been in the Divine Temple for so long, and this is the first time I’ve seen the Divine Lord appear so… uneasy.”

In Gongying’s eyes, Bian Lingyu was like a cold moon—nothing could faze him. Such a person’s emotions were usually the most detached. Describing Bian Lingyu as “uneasy” was clearly disrespectful, but Gongying could think of no better word.

Houmi was well aware of Bian Lingyu’s unusual behavior. From the moment Bian Lingyu saw Shi Luoyi—even after being struck—he hadn’t shown any anger.

Though outwardly he remained as cold and restrained as ever.

Houmi could only pray that when the Divine Lord said he would conduct an interrogation, he truly meant a merciless interrogation, akin to how he handled the traitors under Xi Yao.

Let that girl understand that the god of the divine realm wasn’t someone she could deceive or covet!

Shi Luoyi realized that Bian Lingyu had brought her to his chambers.

Outside the Divine Lord’s chambers bloomed countless rare divine flowers. Inside, the palace was grand yet simple. The outer area served as a study for handling affairs, while a water curtain screen separated it from the tranquil inner chambers. Beside it hung Bian Lingyu’s garments.

Bian Lingyu should have changed out of his armor, but with someone following him, even such a natural action felt impossible to complete easily.

He pressed his lips together and glanced back at Shi Luoyi.

She stood inside the chamber, initially marveling at the magical water curtain mist. Sensing his gaze, she turned to look at him.

Beneath her long lashes, her eyes were strikingly clear. She bit her lip, and the moment her gaze met his, a flicker of fire reignited within her. Her anger was palpable, something he could feel immediately.

But why was she angry?

The memories of the lower realms were sealed by the Heavenly Mandate Tablet. Bian Lingyu’s current understanding of women stopped at the time he returned from the Skywalking Abyss.

Bian Lingyu had never encountered a girl as unpredictable and vibrant as her. When she was happy, her gaze melted like spring water, leaving him stiff and somewhat at a loss.

But when she was angry, her wrath carried a piercing sting that left him equally disoriented.

Passively enduring her anger, he still couldn’t comprehend why she suddenly refused not only his embrace but also his offer to lift the silence spell.

For a while, the two simply stared at each other. Bian Lingyu couldn’t change out of his armor in front of Shi Luoyi. Meanwhile, the usually talkative Shi Luoyi was rendered silent by the spell, and the taciturn Bian Lingyu wasn’t about to fill the void.

After a long silence, Bian Lingyu finally asked her: “Would you like to sit down?”

Shi Luoyi was on the verge of losing her composure. She had always known that Bian Lingyu wasn’t much of a conversationalist—most of the time, she did the talking while he listened attentively. Now, once again, she witnessed how sparse his words were, bordering on barren.

After running for most of the day, Shi Luoyi was truly exhausted. She even regretted not letting Bian Lingyu lift the silence spell earlier. To avoid further awkwardness, she nodded.

Bian Lingyu’s chambers were rarely entered by others; all mundane affairs were handled in the temple’s front hall. When he led her inside, they realized there wasn’t much to sit on besides the spacious floor, a chair by the desk, and a jade bed surrounded by an array.

The desk was piled with documents submitted earlier by the Great Priest regarding the planned assault on the Northern Realm, while the jade bed was where he rested. Neither option seemed appropriate for her to sit on.

Bian Lingyu: “….”

Shi Luoyi glanced around. The desk was in the outer room, and the only place to sit inside was the jade bed. To Bian Lingyu, she was the little spy who had fallen from the Phoenix Parasol Tree earlier. But to Shi Luoyi, her interaction with Bian Lingyu still lingered in the intimate familiarity of their time together at the Wandering Sea.

She sat down on the jade bed. It wasn’t until she noticed Bian Lingyu’s complex expression that she realized something might be amiss.

Confused, she tilted her head slightly.

Bian Lingyu averted his gaze: “It’s nothing.”

Shi Luoyi: “Hmph.” This was the only sound she could currently make. While it wasn’t particularly useful for communicating with others, it worked perfectly for conveying her emotions to Bian Lingyu.

She had so many things she wanted to confront him about—like why he hadn’t sought her out over the past two years. Did eating the Fruit of Forgetfulness mean he no longer loved her? Yet Cangwu still adored its master without any apparent side effects.

Or what was this business about choosing an empress? Did Bian Lingyu really intend for Gongying to become his consort?

Shi Luoyi knew that wasn’t the case. A person who had guarded her through two lifetimes and remained unchanged until death wouldn’t easily give her up. Yet the current situation left her deeply perplexed.

Bian Lingyu, clad in his armor, appeared more refined and cold than ever before. But the way he looked at her now felt distant, reminiscent of the first time she had seen the injured young Qilin during the god-demon war many years ago.

He was aloof, unapproachable, and exuded an air of icy detachment.

Bian Lingyu went outside and brought back a censer of Qingning Incense, which he typically used to dispel demonic energy. It also calmed the mind and enhanced cultivation.

Even the most ill-tempered individuals wouldn’t dislike such a fragrance—it had the power to soothe anger. As he performed these actions, Shi Luoyi sat on his bed, watching him.

When Bian Lingyu returned after setting up the incense, his long eyes swept over the “spy” from the Northern Realm seated on his bed. Her bright eyes, like a clear sky after rain, seemed less angry now.

He inexplicably felt a sense of relief.

Bian Lingyu knew he shouldn’t have brought her here. According to Houmi, the divine realm’s dungeon should have been her destination.

But some questions still needed answers. At the very least, as the Divine Lord, he couldn’t allow her to roam freely with the ability to destroy the temple’s barriers.

His voice low and cold, he asked Shi Luoyi: “Are you one of Qingxuan’s people?”

If she truly were, she wouldn’t have come back to find him! Shi Luoyi was so amused by the absurdity of the question that she lightly huffed and nodded, curious to see how Bian Lingyu would react if she really were aligned with Qingxuan.

By now, she had realized that for some reason, Bian Lingyu genuinely didn’t remember her. Yuewu had mentioned that after they left the Wandering Sea, Bian Lingyu never came looking for her. Something must have gone wrong back then.

Seeing her nod, Bian Lingyu didn’t react strongly. After a brief silence, he asked another question: “Do you intend to kill me?”

This time, Shi Luoyi hesitated before shaking her head.

“Do you want something?”

Shi Luoyi nodded. That was one way to put it.

Bian Lingyu glanced at her: “I understand.”

“…?” What do you understand? Shi Luoyi once again regretted her inability to speak. Still feeling indignant toward him, she couldn’t request that he lift the silence spell. With a stern expression, she waited for him to pass “judgment.”

But Bian Lingyu didn’t ask anything further. Seeing her fuming expression, he assumed she didn’t want to see him anymore. After a pause, he turned and walked to the desk outside to review documents related to the Northern Realm.

Shi Luoyi waited for a long while, only to realize that the aloof and indifferent man truly had no intention of coming back inside.

As she stewed in her frustration, she couldn’t help but feel a hint of amusement.

Shi Luoyi truly hadn’t expected that if she hadn’t encountered him, Bian Lingyu would have such a cold and detached personality. Perhaps he had always been like this, even in the small courtyard long ago. Back then, however, he had endured so much pain and developed sharp edges. His cold gaze, when provoked, was a defense mechanism—a thorn he used to protect himself.

Lost in thought, Shi Luoyi eventually grew weary and fell asleep on the jade bed. The scent of cedarwood that clung to Bian Lingyu filled the air, and with the calming incense burning indoors, it was the first time since arriving at the Divine Temple that she slept so soundly.

There was no clear distinction between day and night in the divine realm. Nighttime simply dimmed the light slightly and thinned the spiritual energy.

When Shi Luoyi opened her eyes again, it was nighttime in the divine realm.

The spiritual energy outside had dissipated, and the fragrance of flowers wafted in through the window. At some point, Bian Lingyu had removed his armor and was now standing quietly, gazing down at her.

Shi Luoyi sat up as she opened her eyes. Bian Lingyu calmly averted his gaze and handed her an elegant jade tray laden with the divine fruits she had been craving for days.

Shi Luoyi was starving! But even in what she perceived as a marital spat, whoever gave in first would be seen as the weaker party. This was the first real argument she’d had with Bian Lingyu, and she needed to make him understand the gravity of the situation. At the very least, if they were ever separated again, he should seek her out or wait for her instead of hastily arranging to find a new empress.

Since Bian Lingyu hadn’t acknowledged any wrongdoing, Shi Luoyi couldn’t bring herself to accept his offering—especially since she was still essentially his prisoner!

So she pushed his hand away and, without mercy, slapped his wrist.

Bian Lingyu felt the faint sting on his wrist. He looked at Shi Luoyi for a long moment before silently walking out of the palace.

He sought out the temple official responsible for preparing food and asked, “Is there anything else?”

The official was surprised but answered respectfully: “There is some nectar from divine flowers. Would you like that?”

“Yes.”

Shi Luoyi had assumed Bian Lingyu had left for good, but to her surprise, he soon returned—with delicate servings of flower nectar.

Perhaps fearing her anger, Bian Lingyu didn’t bring it in himself this time. Instead, he had the official deliver it to her. Shi Luoyi wanted to laugh inwardly but maintained her stern expression as she ate the divine flower nectar.

Once the official exited, she let out a sigh of relief and bowed deeply to Bian Lingyu.

Looking at the jade cup, Bian Lingyu finally understood. It wasn’t that she refused to eat or was being picky—it was that she disliked him?

Why?

What had he done wrong? Standing before the water curtain, Bian Lingyu pressed his lips tightly together. He had only just met her, hadn’t yelled at her like Houmi might have, and even when she had struck him publicly in front of everyone, he hadn’t gotten angry.

Why did she dislike him so much that she wouldn’t even touch his offerings? Was it because she was one of Qingxuan’s people, and Qingxuan was his sworn enemy, or because he planned to attack the Northern Realm?

But Qingxuan was a rebel general, and the Northern Realm harbored remnants of the Shuiling clan. As the Divine Lord, he couldn’t disregard the safety of the divine realm—it would endanger all six realms.

A pang of discomfort settled in his heart.

Bian Lingyu disappeared for half the day, but when he returned, Shi Luoyi finally had clean clothes to change into. Only then did she realize the purpose of the water curtain—it led to a pool of warm, sacred spring water, an entirely new world within.

After washing and changing, she emerged to find Bian Lingyu standing by the window. The wind of the divine realm blew in, ruffling his silver robes. His brows were furrowed, his expression distant and cold, exuding an almost unapproachable aloofness.

He turned to look at her, his gaze wary, as if regarding a troublesome hedgehog ready to leap up and pierce him with its spines.

Staring at the ill-tempered girl who seemed to dislike him, Bian Lingyu suddenly spoke in a cold voice: “I can promise not to set foot in the Northern Realm for a year.”

Shi Luoyi: “…?”

It took her a moment to recall that this was likely related to the contract Qingxuan had drafted before sending her away.

Shi Luoyi was utterly astonished. Once the realization sank in, she found it hard to believe. She stared at the man clad in silver-white robes, his demeanor as cold as jade. Did he mean what she thought he meant? Even though he didn’t remember her?