destiny

Siye returned one night, wearing a fluffy cloak with a large hood that almost covered her entire face. She pushed open the door, bringing in a chilling, eerie atmosphere, and then gently closed the door with a soft creak.

Wang's father, who was still sitting at his desk writing a prescription, heard the sound and hurriedly got up and walked a few steps to Si Ye. He reached out and took the cloak she had taken off and hung it on the clothes rack.

"Are you cold? Have you eaten? Do you need me to get you some food?" Before Siye could speak, Wang's father asked.

She seemed to be wearing only a thin dress underneath, and although she exuded a chill, she was never afraid of the cold. Wearing a cloak was merely for show, meant for the sake of ordinary people.

"I'm not cold or hungry. Shall we go to sleep?" Si Ye replied, walking lightly to the table and sitting down. She immediately noticed the prescription her husband was writing.

Wang's father followed closely behind, poured a cup of tea, and handed it to Siye.

“I went to sleep a long time ago. I’m exhausted after a crazy day,” Wang’s father replied.

"What disease does that person in Shangshui Village have? Is it serious?" Siye asked gently, taking a sip of tea and looking at the medical books and papers covering the table.

"It's a plague. I made medicine and stayed there for a while, and finally managed to control it. I saw that there was a risk of the disease recurring in the spring, so I thought I'd make some pills to distribute to the people in this area. That should be able to control the disease in advance," Wang's father explained, taking the empty teacup from Si Ye's hand and putting it back aside. Then, still worried, he asked:

"You're returning in such a hurry, did you encounter some trouble?"

“It’s not too difficult. My godfather was murdered, and my godbrother is missing. My father and the eldest prince of the demon race are working together to find the Soul-Suppressing Cauldron. They have made some progress. My father said that if we have the Soul-Suppressing Cauldron, it might be able to restore my magic power and also trap your spirit so that we can go to the Ghost Realm together.” Si Ye said with a smile on her face, looking at her father expectantly.

The father didn't take it seriously. He knew nothing about the ghost realm, and he just smiled faintly.

"It is already a blessing from my past life that I have met you in this life. How can I ask for immortality? If you could take my daughter with you, she would be very happy with her playful nature," the father said with a smile.

It wasn't that he didn't want to be with Siye for a long time, but fate was hard to defy. Siye had already sacrificed too much to marry him, and he dared not ask for more.

"Don't worry, I'll handle these things. You just focus on developing your prescription," Si Ye comforted her.

She had been married to him for many years, and she knew what he was thinking without having to guess.

"Okay," Wang's father agreed, and sat back down at the table with peace of mind, but his eyes refused to leave Mo Banbu.

This was the first time they had been separated for so long since they got married.

"Has anyone come to the house recently?" Si Ye asked again, having smelled an unfamiliar odor as soon as she climbed over the wall to return home.

Seeing that everyone in her family was safe and sound, she didn't pay much attention at first.

However, Wu Huan had been guarding the rooftop for quite some time. Unlike Si Ye, who had lost her cultivation, he had already recovered his magical power and had sensed Si Ye entering the courtyard from inside the house.

He followed her, sitting silently on the rooftop, his eyes fixed on the sky, his expression growing increasingly cold. He used to love looking at the night sky in the mortal realm; the countless stars that filled the night when he first arrived there had captivated him. The ghost realm had never seen such a sight.

At this moment, he felt as if he had fallen into an endless abyss, struggling without a glimmer of light.

For the past thousand years, he had lived like a maggot crawling in the shadows. When he finally saw some light, he thought he could live in the light, even if only for a moment.

"It was my son who rescued a man outside. The two of them spent so much time together that they developed feelings for each other. Now my son is determined to marry him. I think the boy is nice, so I'm waiting for you to come back so I can discuss the marriage with them!" Father Wang explained happily. After spending so much time together, he had grown to like Wu Huan, his future son-in-law, more and more.

"Where is that child from? How old is he? Why is he living in my house now? What are his family's conditions like? Have you found out everything?" Si Ye asked one question after another. When it came to trivial matters, she would become fussy and look around.

Wang's father hesitated for a moment, but if he could see it, Ye would surely see it even more clearly, so there was no point in hiding it; it was better to just tell him frankly.

"That child is a demon," the father whispered, glancing cautiously at his wife out of the corner of his eye, his heart filled with unease.

"Ghost Clan?" Si Ye frowned, almost shouting. Her dark pupils gradually widened. She gasped and slowly exhaled, staring intently at the good-for-nothing husband she had chosen.

The father avoided eye contact, not daring to meet Ye's gaze.

"I think that child is quite good, and he's genuinely kind to Xiaoxia," Wang's father muttered timidly.

After a long while, Si Ye finally sighed. The ghost race wasn't a problem, as long as it wasn't the one that had escaped.

"What's his name?" Si Ye asked, her expression growing increasingly cold.

Upon returning to the Ghost Realm, her father told her that a little ghost impersonating Cangze had been injured by him and had escaped to an unknown location, most likely the mortal realm. Knowing that Siye was still in the mortal realm, he was worried the little ghost might seek revenge, which was why he hurriedly called her back, fearing she might be in danger.

"Wu Huan," the king's father replied immediately.

Hearing this name, Si Ye felt relieved. It seemed it wasn't him, and he hadn't come for Si Ye.

"Where is he? Take me to see him tomorrow!" Si Ye said, her expression softening.

Upon hearing this, Wu Huan leaped off the roof and flung open the door, the wooden planks colliding with a loud 'bang'.

He stood at the doorway and said with an icy gaze:

"No need to wait until tomorrow, I'm here."

The father was startled, but Ye calmly stood up and slowly walked towards Wu Huan.

“Eavesdropping is not a good habit,” Si Ye said to Wu Huan with a forced smile, inwardly blaming him for his rudeness.

But for some reason, she suddenly had a bad feeling.

Wu Huan looked up at Si Ye. Indeed, she looked very similar to Xiao Xia. However, she had more feminine charm and grace than Xiao Xia, so she looked more beautiful. But she also lacked Xiao Xia's innocence and straightforwardness.

Why is Xiaoxia her daughter of all people?

"I had no intention of eavesdropping. I was just a little wary of strangers suddenly entering my home, as everyone here is just an ordinary person," Wu Huan said frankly, his eyes lowered, exuding a chilling aura.

He treated Xiaoxia with genuine sincerity, and naturally he treated her family with genuine sincerity as well.

Hearing this, Ye's expression softened slightly. She carefully examined the man in front of her. He was dressed in her husband's clothes, with a heroic air between his brows, deep-set eyes, and a high nose. He was indeed extraordinary. No wonder Xiaoxia was so infatuated with him that she wanted to marry him.

"You seem to be genuinely interested in me," Si Ye nodded, her gaze lingering on Wu Huan, probing him.

"But why are you, a member of the Ghost Clan, appearing in the mortal realm?" Si Ye asked warily.

"I am the Son of Xuanming," Wu Huan said, raising his eyes to look at Si Ye with icy gaze, as if a blade made of ice had flown from his eyes and struck Si Ye.

Si Ye's heart skipped a beat, and her pupils widened involuntarily. Xuan Ming was the previous Ghost King, and her father's throne was taken from Xuan Ming. Unexpectedly, a child was left to live in the world. Presumably, the one who impersonated Cang Ze that day must have been him.

Their two families have a blood feud, and now that Ye is powerless, it would be easy for him to kill her if he wanted to.

"Did you come here specifically to kill me?" Si Ye couldn't help but ask.

Wang's father didn't realize what was going on for a moment. He didn't know why the man suddenly wanted to fight and kill. He immediately stood in front of Siye and glared at Wuhuan.

"Kill me first if you're going to kill someone!" he said with a determined look in his eyes.

But what use is the life of a mere mortal? Who would want it?

Wu Huan lowered his eyes, trying his best to control himself. It was easy to kill them now, but what about later? If Chong Li were to take revenge on him with all his might because of the death of his only daughter, would he be able to resist? Besides, if he killed them, how would he face his servants in the future? His hand was still clutching the corner of his clothes and rubbing it, and gradually his hand was pulled until it bled, but he did not feel any pain at all.

"I did not come here today to kill you," Wu Huan finally spoke after a long silence.

Seeing his expression, Si Ye immediately understood that he truly loved Xiao Xia; it was truly a cruel twist of fate.

"Wu Huan, we have a blood feud," Si Ye said, pushing her husband away, looking at Wu Huan with some sorrow.

At this moment, she felt a little sorry for the person in front of her. He was probably about the same age as her. His whole family was wiped out back then, and he had been wandering alone for so many years.

Perhaps he had considered living an ordinary life with Xiaoxia? But fate played a cruel trick on him.

"Hmm," Wu Huan responded only with a deep hum.

He remained silent. He had originally planned to temporarily give up revenge and live a short period of ordinary life, but fate had pushed him into the abyss again.

"Wu Huan, you must know that I have nothing to do with this matter, and this family of mortals has nothing to do with it either. Let them live! I am willing to pay with my own life," Si Ye pleaded almost desperately. She looked into Wu Huan's eyes and carefully observed his expression, but he seemed unmoved.

“Wu Huan, the throne has always been a bloody struggle, and neither you nor I have a choice,” Si Ye said again.

Wu Huan remained silent, his mind in turmoil. He didn't know how to face Xiao Xia, nor what his future held. It was winter, and snow began to fall outside. A few snowflakes landed on them, but apart from the king's father, no one felt cold.

The father, unfamiliar with the affairs of the ghost realm, still habitually draped the cloak from the doorway over Siye's shoulders.

Wu Huan saw all of this, as if he saw him draping his clothes over Xiao Xia's body.

"I will come again in a few days," Wu Huan said through gritted teeth, his tone cold and resolute.

He not only wanted to put an end to his hatred, but also to his hope of living.

The snow fell heavier and heavier, clumps of it pelting the ground, turning the world into a vast expanse of white. The night reflected a pale yellow light, as if dawn was approaching.

Wu Huan sat listlessly at the entrance of the cave, which had once been his and Wang Xiaoxia's home.

The flowers that Xiaoxia had so happily arranged back then have long since withered, dried up to the color of weeds, and their fragrance has long since dissipated. The grass bed still lies quietly on the ground. This place is very secluded and some distance from the ground, so almost no birds or animals come here. Everything seems unchanged from before, but everything has been worn down by time and is no longer as vibrant as it once was.

Wu Huan stared motionless at the swirling snow outside the cave, the past scenes playing out in his mind: the deaths of his father and brothers, the death of his mother, the death of his father's trusted son who died in his place, their blood flowing on the ground and forming a river, surging towards Wu Huan.

He then saw his henchman standing opposite him, holding flowers, saying, "Wu Huan, please marry me!"