Chapter 72 Chapter 72 “Loving someone shouldn’t be like this…

"puff--"

Jiu Zhao almost couldn't catch his breath.

The order of heaven attaches the utmost importance to the principles of morality and orthodoxy. Only when men and women cultivate and unite, and yin and yang merge, can it conform to the principles of the operation of the three realms.

Even though there are alien creatures like the mermaids who can change their own gender, some things cannot be brought to the table and discussed.

So, Yingluo, who had become a man, solemnly stated in front of everyone at the engagement banquet that he did not like women.

The impact caused can be imagined.

"You, you like Long Yang?!

"Since you must be a man, why bother to transform into a woman—"

Trying hard to swallow the saliva stuck in his throat, Jiu Zhao asked with difficulty.

"That's not the case."

Yingluo blinked innocently, "It's just an excuse that I don't want my father to find a wife for me anymore."

Yingluo is steady and dignified.

Yingluo has been the child of other people's families since childhood.

Ying Luo, who grew up being praised by the teacher of Changye Academy—

How could he come up with such an outrageous excuse?

As a friend, Jiu Zhao rarely showed any concern for him. "Do you realize that if you spread this rumor, all the good reputation you've built up over the years will be ruined? Even if you want to marry in the future, I'm afraid no family of equal status would be willing to give their daughter to you."

Yingluo remained calm about the serious consequences that Jiuzhao had imagined.

He rested his chin on his hand, his gaze fixed on Her Highness, who sat beside him with a frown on her face. Instead, he became concerned about something else: "If I become infamous, would Your Highness mind? Would you still stay by my side and be my friend?"

"Of course not. You're sorry to Chongyao and the Southern God King, not to me."

Jiu Zhao answered without thinking.

Yingluo smiled: "Then I feel relieved."

"What?"

Yingluo's voice was so low and fast that Jiuzhao couldn't hear a single word.

She subconsciously asked him back, and then saw him sit up straight, reaching out his arm to hold her sleeve, his posture pitiful: "I mean, things have come to this point, and thinking more will be useless for the time being. My father was furious and directly banished me to the mortal world. Now I have nowhere to go, and the scars on my back from the whip haven't healed yet. How about you, young lady, have mercy on me and take me in for a while?"

"This Hutian Zhenbaozhai is the temporary residence of the Three Pure Ones. If you want to stay here, can I really kick you out?"

After they made up, Yingluo always loved to cling to her like a boneless person.

Perhaps it was because he had seen Yingluo, a female, for more than 30,000 years, and now that he had become a man, in Jiuzhao's habits, gender differences were still extremely blurred.

Jiu Zhao shook his sleeves twice, but failed to get rid of him, so he let him go.

Originally, the Golden Immortal sent by the West Sea to repair the Stairs to Heaven was a woman. Because she arrived last in the mortal world, when she arrived, the only empty room on the second floor was the smallest one in the corner. Yingluo was the prince of the West Sea, and his status was second only to Jiuzhao, so naturally he could not live there.

After hearing him act pitiful a few more times, Jiu Zhao decided to leave the extra room opposite her bedroom to him.

After finding a temporary place to stay, Jiu Zhao's attention returned to the incident of breaking off the engagement.

She noticed a lingering, unspoken meaning in Yingluo's seemingly casual, playful words, and stared back at him with her bright, dark eyes. "But honestly, if you don't want to marry Chongyao, there are always more dignified ways to refuse. Your actions will not only offend the Southern Divine King, but will also inevitably disappoint the Western Divine King, who has high hopes for you. Why bother doing this?"

Jiu Zhao became serious and Ying Luo stopped smiling.

He stared at Jiu Zhao for a moment, then turned his head and looked out the window at the bright scenery of early autumn.

Finally, he slowly bent his normally straight and slender neck, saying, "For tens of thousands of years, I have followed the rules without a single day being able to relax. I originally thought that if I could successfully inherit the throne of God, I could marry a woman I didn't love but was a good match for me. But when that day really came, for some reason, all I could think of was the young lady's resolute expression as she refused to take another person in her lifetime in order to support the God of Fuxu."

"From the young lady's expression, I suddenly realized that life can have some aspirations beyond status and power. Chongyao doesn't like me, and neither do I. Are we going to be like my parents, living a life of icy respect for each other?"

Yingluo bent over and wiped his face vigorously, and the rare confusion in his expression quickly dissipated.

He smiled at Jiu Zhao again. "I don't want to live my whole life trapped in the expectations of others. I also want to indulge myself a little once in a while. Miss, don't you always believe in living freely according to your heart? You should understand me, right?"

That's the truth.

Jiu Zhao has always lived like this.

Advising a friend not to indulge in self-indulgence doesn't seem very convincing.

She didn't say anything else, just whispered, "It's okay as long as you know your limits."

After talking about Yingluo, the two were speechless for a while.

After sitting opposite each other and drinking tea in silence for a while, Yingluo closed the teacup lid and brought up the topic that had been brewing in his mind for a while. "My subordinate's matter is just a small matter after all. If I stay in Yunsheng for a while, I can always cover it up. But Miss, you and that Immortal Zhu Yan--"

Jiu Zhao had no one to complain to about this matter.

Zhu Ying was sent by the Father God. Even though he was loyal to her on weekdays, he would always put Sanqingtian first when encountering problems.

It is really inappropriate to discuss the love affairs between men and women with him.

Jiangyu is simple-minded and easily lets things slip without being careful.

After thinking about it, if Yingluo doesn't come, it seems that I can only keep all my worries to myself.

Ying Luo's recognition of Jiu Zhao's view on love just now led her to start talking. After stuttering a few times, she picked out the key points, omitted the blushing and forbidden parts, and gave a brief summary of what happened between her and Zhu Yan in the past few days.

"So, Miss, what you mean is that Immortal Zhu Yanjun wants to be with you?"

Yingluo still maintained the curve of his lips, with the corners of his narrow eyes slightly curved, and asked the key point slowly.

Jiu Zhao was used to such a friendly smile. She didn't notice it at first, but after a while, she vaguely felt that the smile seemed to be floating on a mask, which made her feel uneasy for no reason - but that little bit of discomfort was quickly swallowed up by her own confused and guilty conscience.

She lowered her head and slowly brought her feet together.

Actions replaced words, nodding up and down.

"So, what are your feelings towards him, young lady?"

Yingluo's second question followed her.

Jiu Zhao became even more hesitant about this.

Saying I don't like it seems like a lie, but it's not to the extent that I'm completely moved.

She considered the matter and began by talking about what Zhu Yan had done for her. "I'm not sure, but he testified for me, expended his cultivation, cured my high fever after the contract was severed, and even gave me the most important nascent tail... No one has ever done this for me before."

"Really? That sounds great."

Yingluo sighed in agreement.

There was no trace of kindness in those eyes that Jiu Zhao had never seen.

Jiu Zhao didn't hear the hidden meaning in his words. She clasped her hands together and rubbed her slender fingers repeatedly. "No one would be willing to put their life and everything into my hands just to love me. Look, you think he's pretty good, don't you?"

"Yes, very good."

Ying Luo's bright and beautiful face was half-raised, and only the rafters of the roof could see his uncontrollable, outward, sharp jealousy. "But why do I feel that, if you think about it from another perspective, such a person's character is also very unfathomable."

"?"

Jiu Zhao paused in thought and subconsciously looked up at him, "Why do you say that?"

"It's just unfathomable. If he really loves you, then it's understandable.

"But if he approaches you, it must be for other reasons—

"Miss, what do you think Immortal Zhu Yan wants to gain from you after paying such a huge price?"

Jiu Zhao had also thought about this question before.

But at the moment, she was still immersed in Zhu Yan's act of cutting off the tail and offering it, and was a little blinded for a moment.

Sensing the shift in Jiu Zhao's gaze, Ying Luo resumed his selfless friendliness and met her gaze again. "Also, there's something I can't figure out. Immortal Lord Zhu Yan, why did you become so deeply in love with you, young lady? Is it just because you once protected him in your youth? But since then, you and he haven't seen each other for tens of thousands of years. You don't understand him, and he doesn't understand you. Why did gratitude suddenly turn into love?"

"If it was just a brief moment of attraction, then upon closer inspection, it doesn't seem like a big deal."

Yeah, why?

In fact, she has asked this question many times these days, either directly or indirectly.

Zhu Yandu was vague in his explanation.

Was it just because she saved him and had an outstandingly beautiful face?

However, ninety-nine percent of the gods in the Three Pure Heavens have good looks.

Jiu Zhao pondered in silence.

Yingluo still didn't intend to bring the topic to a close, he continued: "Everything he did for you seemed to be to prove his sincerity to you, but he never gave you a reason to truly believe in his love for you.

"Besides, even if gratitude combined with lust for you could truly transform into a strong enough feeling to last for tens of thousands of years—

"But didn't you say that he had an incurable disease since he came into the world? If he was destined to die young, why would he be so restrained and deliberately get close to you? If you fell in love with someone, and then had to accept his departure midway, wouldn't that just add to your sadness?

"Loving someone shouldn't be so selfish."

Yingluo's eloquence is the best in the Three Pure Ones.

Just a few casual words stirred up endless waves in Jiu Zhao's heart.

On the one hand, she couldn't think of any way to refute what he said, and she thought it seemed to be true.

But on the other hand, I can’t help but wonder, does love really need a very clear reason?

Otherwise, why would there be the phrase "love at first sight" in the world?

Before she could come up with an answer from Zhu Yan's perspective, Ying Luo suddenly asked, "What kind of people do you hate the most, Miss?"

Jiu Zhao said without hesitation: "Two-faced."

“…That’s it.”

Ying Luo snapped open his folding fan and shook it meaningfully. "I have many doubts, and I believe the young lady does too. In that case, why don't we verify whether Zhu Yanxianjun, who loves you so much, is still sincere and sincere."