#78: Yearning

Why did Bian Lingyu want to find a new place for Shi Luoyi to stay?

After some thought, Houmi understood. The Sacred Birthplace was desolate and lonely, and from the very beginning, their Divine Lord had no intention of taking any girl with him into it. The selection of an empress was something orchestrated by the ministers—it wasn’t something Bian Lingyu cared about.

The demonic energy had been tainting his divine pearl for far too long; it couldn’t be delayed any further. Once Bian Lingyu entered the Sacred Birthplace, there was no telling how long he would remain inside. He hadn’t considered bringing Shi Luoyi along.

Even though he had never experienced love, deep down he instinctively knew that bringing a woman who “didn’t love him” into the Sacred Birthplace wouldn’t be a pleasant experience—for either of them.

Shi Luoyi’s origins were unclear, and her cultivation was far inferior to that of the divine race. If Bian Lingyu left the temple to purge the demonic core, whether she stayed in the divine realm or returned to the Northern Realm, she could easily be bullied.

Before entering the Sacred Birthplace, Bian Lingyu wanted to ensure she had a safe place to go.

He didn’t understand what this strange feeling in his heart was, but he still sought to protect her.

Houmi sighed inwardly, now seriously considering the matter and refraining from suggesting things like sending Shi Luoyi to the dungeon. After much deliberation, he finally came up with a suitable option.

“Grand Priest Gongxin’s residence is spacious, filled with abundant spiritual energy, and quite secure. It would be perfect for her to stay there.”

Gongxin, whom he mentioned, was Gongying’s grandfather. Gongxin was a loyal Great Priest who had raised descendants who remained deeply devoted to the Qilin clan.

Gongxin had a gentle disposition and occasionally took charge of settling newly ascended cultivators. He was always cheerful, and the younger generations adored him.

Gongxin was also the only Great Priest in the divine realm who kept small immortal beasts as pets.

Bian Lingyu instructed a nearby divine attendant: “Go fetch Gongxin.”

Gongxin was indeed a good choice. If Bian Lingyu gave the order, Gongxin would surely take meticulous care of Shi Luoyi. When her cultivation improved in the future, should she wish to leave, Gongxin would make proper arrangements. Even Bian Lingyu himself couldn’t think of a more suitable person to look after her.

That the Divine Lord didn’t outright reject the idea made Houmi breathe a sigh of relief. At the same time, he felt a pang of melancholy, realizing that Bian Lingyu had completely abandoned the idea of choosing an empress. He said: “I will have the female officials send the divine maidens back tomorrow.”

When Shi Luoyi waited for Bian Lingyu to return, she saw a kindly old man accompanying him.

Gongxin stepped forward and said: “Young lady, I am a Great Priest of the divine race, named Gongxin, and I am Gongying’s grandfather. Would you consider staying at my residence for a while? I assure you, you will be treated with the utmost care.”

Shi Luoyi: “….”

She looked toward Bian Lingyu and saw that he was also watching her, waiting for her response. Shi Luoyi hadn’t expected Bian Lingyu to arrange for her to leave his chambers and be taken care of by the Great Priest.

“Great Priest, I’d like to speak with the Divine Lord first before giving you my answer.”

Gongxin looked to Bian Lingyu, who responded: “Very well.”

Gongxin bowed and excused himself.

Unexpectedly, Shi Luoyi stood up and walked a few steps toward Bian Lingyu. She stood unusually close, and Bian Lingyu seemed unprepared for this. His silver, cold eyes met hers, momentarily frozen.

His expression remained icy, and his pale lips unconsciously pressed together.

If one didn’t know Bian Lingyu or understand his nature, they might assume he was difficult to approach and on the verge of losing his temper. The oppressive aura of the Divine Lord often intimidated lesser divine beings, and no one usually dared to stand so near him.

Shi Luoyi found it amusing to realize that he was nervous.

In just a few breaths, Shi Luoyi understood many things. What Houmi could guess, she could figure out after careful consideration.

Bian Lingyu wasn’t trying to drive her away.

His divine pearl had been tainted, yet he continued to fulfill his duties as a god, stabilizing the divine realm. The divine race had long lifespans, and the urgency with which the Great Priests and Houmi pushed for him to choose an empress was likely tied to this matter.

Bian Lingyu neither chose an empress nor kept her by his side, yet he had already arranged for someone to take good care of her. Perhaps he had tasks to attend to, which was why he wanted to settle her properly.

“Divine Lord,” she looked up at him, “is the demonic energy within your body severe?”

Once again, the air around Bian Lingyu was enveloped by the girl’s fragrance. He had already found it uncomfortable the last time, but he realized that this kind of discomfort couldn’t simply be gotten used to.

As soon as Shi Luoyi approached, he still felt at a loss about where to put his hands. This sensation wasn’t pleasant. Even when a great demon broke free from its seal yesterday, attempting to corrupt his already tainted divine pearl with demonic energy, Bian Lingyu hadn’t hesitated.

Without turning his head, he had pierced the attacking demon with his Heaven-Cleaving Sword.

He could calmly handle all manner of danger, but he didn’t know how to deal with this . From his angle, he could see the girl’s long lashes, her grape-like black eyes, and her fair, delicate face.

If she moved any closer, she would almost be in his arms—just like earlier when he had caught her.

“It’s not serious,” he heard himself reply.

The girl furrowed her brows: “Will it endanger your life?”

“No.”

She seemed somewhat reassured: “Are you going to deal with this demonic energy? How?”

Bian Lingyu didn’t know why those from the Chifeng clan were asking these questions. He paused briefly: “I will enter the Sacred Birthplace to refine my divine power and purge it.”

“Will it hurt? How long will it take?”

Bian Lingyu looked at her, almost thinking that this unpredictable girl was concerned about him. But people from the Northern Realm couldn’t possibly care about him—they only wished for his death so Qingxuan would no longer be threatened.

He stopped entertaining such unrealistic thoughts: “It won’t hurt. A few years at least, perhaps several decades at most.”

Shi Luoyi exhaled softly. Thanks to Bian Lingyu’s honesty, she confirmed her suspicions. He was making proper arrangements for her because he was going to the Sacred Birthplace.

She felt both heartache and amusement.

Perhaps gods were always upright. In her past life, even in his final moments, Bian Lingyu had walked alone to the end without interfering in her life or influencing any of her decisions.

But the more she understood Bian Lingyu, the more she wished he could be a little selfish.

“Divine Lord, let me tell you something.”

Bian Lingyu said: “Mm.”

The fragrance of divine flowers wafted in. Bian Lingyu noticed that her expression had changed back to the way it was when he first saw her—her eyes shimmering with tiny fragments of light, soft and smiling.

Shi Luoyi looked at the slight movement of the man’s Adam’s apple and curved her lips: “Actually, I was once your Dao companion.”

“…”

Shi Luoyi watched as his expression blanked for a moment before slowly calming. Bian Lingyu averted his gaze, staring at the water curtain. His voice was low and steady: “I promised not to attack the Northern Realm for a year, and I will keep my word. You don’t need to do this.”

Shi Luoyi hadn’t expected that because of the identity Qingxuan had forced upon her, there would come a day when the truth wouldn’t be believed.

She actually understood. There were many suspicious points surrounding her. To sustain life in the illusion required centuries of spirit dew nourishment. Her aura bore traces of Qingxuan’s divine power. She resembled a member of the Chifeng clan more than any true descendant.

Speaking of which, Shi Huan was still in the illusion. She truly hoped there was a way to ensure both her father and Bian Lingyu could live safely. If she were in Bian Lingyu’s position, not only would she not believe such a story, but she might even act like Houmi and others, subjecting the person to interrogation.

But Bian Lingyu hadn’t done that. Even if Shi Luoyi really had come from the Northern Realm as part of a plot by the Chifeng clan to harm him, he had calmly caught her when she fell into his arms—a “conspiracy” sent from the heavens.

Shi Luoyi could have told Bian Lingyu about their past.

But every time she thought about how their story began—with the Qilin who had lost his divine pearl eagerly arriving at Mingyou Mountain, only to see her and Wei Changyuan innocently together—she hesitated.

Bian Lingyu had stayed in the small courtyard to recover from his injuries, enduring her repeated misunderstandings and harsh words.

Their first real interaction occurred when she, under the influence of her inner demons, harmed Bian Lingyu to provoke Bian Qingxuan. Every time he mentioned that incident afterward, his expression turned grim.

The only sweet beginning between them was when Shi Luoyi promised to protect him—but explaining this now would make it sound like manipulation.

Shi Luoyi: Heartache.

Reflecting on it, she realized she had treated him terribly in the past. If she recounted their story, Bian Lingyu might listen calmly, but she would be the one blushing furiously with embarrassment.

Seeing the girl’s slightly dejected demeanor after revealing her “secret,”

Bian Lingyu remained silent for a moment: “Perhaps my memories are indeed abnormal. I will investigate.”

The Heavenly Mandate Tablet of the Qilin clan could seal even the memories of ancient Qilin princes like Huanqi, leaving no trace of anything amiss. For Bian Lingyu, it was the same. But he could try—if Shi Luoyi wished him to.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

This time, Shi Luoyi smiled genuinely. How could someone be so kind? “Then you must search carefully. I’ll wait for you to remember me.”

Seeing her earnestness, Bian Lingyu responded simply: “Alright.”

Shi Luoyi said: “Can I stay here in the temple for now instead of going to Grand Priest Gongxin’s residence? If you’re planning to enter the Sacred Birthplace, I promise I won’t cause trouble. When the time comes, I’ll find my own place without burdening you.”

Bian Lingyu hadn’t intended to force her to leave anyway. Since she had spoken her mind, he nodded in agreement.

Upon receiving the news, Gongxin shook his head.

Gongying chuckled as she supported him: “I told you Houmi’s suggestion wouldn’t work. They always fear the Divine Lord will get entangled in trouble, but I think that girl is quite good. At least, someone who dares to get angry at the Divine Lord isn’t being insincere. Lady Xi Yao shouldn’t have forced herself to smile in the beginning. The Qilin clan values honesty—if she had expressed her unwillingness from the start, the previous Divine Lord surely wouldn’t have pressured her. He might have even let her return home.”

Gongxin replied: “You always think you know everything.”

Gongying continued: “Grandpa, besides me, we have two brothers in our family. That girl is so beautiful—what if one of my brothers falls for her, or she develops feelings for one of us? If the Divine Lord realizes this later and tries to intervene, it could repeat the tragedy of Xi Yao.”

Thinking about it, Gongxin shuddered: “No, no… It’s better for her to stay in the temple. Yes, the temple is safer.”

When it came to matters of love, the Qilin clan had been cursed from ancient times until now. Even Gongxin couldn’t help but feel anxious for Bian Lingyu. They held the noblest status and possessed supreme divine power, yet almost none of them knew how to win a woman’s affection.

Shi Luoyi settled into life in the temple.

Bian Lingyu soon realized that when she wasn’t angry, she wasn’t the prickly hedgehog who lashed out at him—instead, she was like a sweet little cake.

Shi Luoyi wasn’t of the divine race, so living in the divine realm required a significant supply of divine energy.

At first, the temple hadn’t prepared adequately, but starting from the second day, Shi Luoyi finally began eating meals infused with divine power.

Now, even with Bian Lingyu present, Shi Luoyi no longer refused to eat. She had finally stopped rejecting him.

After finishing her meal, Bian Lingyu said: “Go rest. I… have some matters to attend to.”

Shi Luoyi nodded.

She lay down, and through the water curtain, she could see Bian Lingyu sitting at the desk outside, handling affairs of the divine realm.

For several days in a row, things went like this, and Shi Luoyi began to sense something was off.

Even though Xi Yao and Suli had left behind many messes, by this point, Bian Lingyu should have resolved most of them. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be planning to attack the Northern Realm and confidently prepare to enter the Sacred Birthplace.

So… was Bian Lingyu uncomfortable sharing a room with her, or was he nervous?

Though Shi Luoyi was indeed his Dao companion, in Bian Lingyu’s current eyes, she wasn’t.

Amused, Shi Luoyi discovered that even though Bian Lingyu didn’t come inside, he also didn’t leave. The temple was vast—if he felt uncomfortable, he could easily rest elsewhere or have another bed brought in. Yet he hadn’t done so.

The budding emotions of the young Qilin lord made him want to draw closer, yet he didn’t know how.

His awkwardness made her want to rush into his arms and hug him.

That day, Houmi came to report on the movements of several fugitive Shuiling clansmen. Shi Luoyi, returning from a walk outside, was met with a glare from Houmi.

It seemed that Bian Lingyu had been handling an overwhelming amount of divine realm affairs,不分昼夜, and Houmi had guessed that he hadn’t been resting properly.

The culprit was obvious.

Shi Luoyi knew the old man disliked her. Perhaps Bian Lingyu forgetting her was partly due to Houmi’s influence. She felt guilty for causing them so much difficulty and making them take such a long detour. Smiling, she bared her teeth mischievously: “Don’t worry—I’ll make sure the Divine Lord gets a good night’s rest tonight!”

Houmi: “You… You dare lay a hand on the Divine Lord and try it!”

Shi Luoyi hadn’t allowed the sect master of Mingyou Mountain to bully her back then, and she certainly wouldn’t let Houmi bully her now. Deep down, she understood that Houmi, though stubborn, was loyal to Bian Lingyu. The rocky romantic paths of generations of Divine Lords explained why Houmi was so tense.

Shi Luoyi was just teasing Houmi. She knew that eventually, the misunderstanding would be resolved.

Seeing Houmi’s panic at the thought of her touching Bian Lingyu and potentially awakening him emotionally, Shi Luoyi couldn’t help but laugh. If Houmi knew what happened on the night of her wedding to Bian Lingyu in Buye Mountain—when Bian Lingyu got drunk—Houmi’s eyes would probably pop out of his head.

In front of others, he was their revered Divine Lord.

But in front of her, he was a man filled with yearning.