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Translator: Fate
Translation Checker: Silavin
Jiang Chuchu remained in Mortal Palace, her dark hair hanging around her thin face. She looked extremely frail as she distractedly muttered to herself.
She had kept telling herself that Gu Changge’s betrothed was officially Yue Mingkong, and it was logical that they would hold a grand wedding in half a year after their cultivation had reached a certain level. How was that any of her business as an outsider?
She couldn’t suppress her feelings of disappointment, dejection, dissatisfaction, and helplessness though. The entire Upper Realm knew about the relationship between Gu Changge and Yue Mingkong; besides, she was the Saintess of Mortal Palace, thus symbolised purity, chastity, and divinity. How could she be attracted to someone like a normal mortal? Or fall completely for the devil Gu Changge?
She had hated him deeply at the beginning and also had known of his secrets. Gu Changge was the Successor of Demonic Arts, who had concealed his identity all too well and was the one who caused shockwaves in the Upper Realm from the shadows. This made him the devil in every sense of the word. Not only had he killed young prodigies of every Force and stolen their Sources, but he had also even tricked the Mortal One’s reincarnation and killed him before taking his place.
Countless in the Upper Realm had been unknowingly manipulated by him. Such a man was destined to be her enemy. Forever on the opposing side. Yet fate had played a trick by making her fall for him, becoming obsessed with him.
“Saintess, is it your injury?” Just as Jiang Chuchu was being despondent, the Elder who had heard her groan came in and sighed upon seeing her distracted yet tired expression.
The Elders had all witnessed her suspicious actions and knew what was the reason. Jiang Chuchu had fallen for a man despite being the Saintess of Mortal Palace. The man was Gu Changge, whose reputation frightened the entire Upper Realm.
She truly shouldn’t have fallen in love with him, especially when Gu Changge was also now publicly recognised as the Mortal One.
While many Elders in Mortal Palace knew that it was a lie just to further solidify the reverence and admiration of the Upper Realm inhabitants towards him, he still held that identity as far as the other Forces of the Upper Realm were concerned.
If the truth became known, it would alter public opinion and make Mortal Palace the laughingstock of every Force. After all, the laws of Mortal Palace stated that she should maintain her chastity as a Saintess, which she had already broken.
She should’ve been punished and had her status as Saintess taken away, but there were no other suitable candidates in the Mortal Palace at such short notice. There hadn’t been any news of the other Saintess, Wang Zijin, after she returned to the Immortal Wang Family. Thus, even Mortal Palace did not know where she was. In fact, Jiang Chuchu had been dealing with everything on her own, so the Elders could merely bend the rules and feign ignorance for now.
“My injury isn’t serious.” Jiang Chuchu waved her hand, her expression returning to its usual calm coolness which made her look like she wasn’t of this world.
The Elder sighed internally and shook her head. “Love hurts the most out of everything in the world. I hope you have realised this, Saintess Chuchu. Don’t continue being oblivious.”
Having said her piece, she turned to exit the palace. However, she hadn’t gone several steps when her eyes widened in shock like she had seen something unbelievable.
“What—” The Elder’s mouth fell open, unable to speak for some time as she watched the tall figure approach from outside the palace. [He had just fixed the date of his wedding with Empress Mingkong, so why had he come to Mortal Palace? Isn’t he concerned about arousing suspicion?]
Of course, the Elder was intelligent enough and had lived long enough that her eyelashes had become hollow. Without hesitation, she quickly greeted him with a bow. “Greetings, Young Master Changge.”
Jiang Chuchu, whose eyes had become half-lidded as she became immersed in her thoughts, froze and wondered if she had misheard. She quickly came back to herself and turned around to look at the entrance of the palace, while hints of emotion showed within her cool gaze.
A man in black walked in slowly with a smile, his entire figure exuding a warm aura like the spring wind while his movements were suffused with the Great Dao.
“Chang—Gu Changge…” Jiang Chuchu murmured as if doubting what she was seeing.
[Why had he come from so far away to see me when his wedding date is approaching? This is too surreal. Too surreal… Isn’t he afraid of infuriating Yue Mingkong or making others suspect our relationship?] The thought was fleeting and quickly replaced by utter surprise and delight.
“Chuchu, I’m here to see you.” Gu Changge didn’t seem to have noticed the Elder standing off to one side and smiled at Jiang Chuchu.
The Elder’s smile froze slightly and she looked embarrassed by it, but she pretended to not have heard it and left silently at once so as to not disturb them. Mortal Palace had rules for their Saintesses to remain chaste, but rules could be broken in the face of absolute strength. The other reincarnations of the Mortal Ones did so and since Gu Changge currently possessed that power, the other Elders didn’t dare say anything despite knowing.
The palace soon fell silent, with only the sounds of the silver-coloured and enormous Power of Faith surging like ocean waves. Jiang Chuchu stared at Gu Changge who was now right in front of her, her mind full of the things she wanted to say to him.
“W-why are you here?” Everything she wanted to say eventually came out as a single sentence. Her gaze lowered and her hair hung downwards like a curtain, which made her face look even thinner.
“How did you sustain that injury? Did someone hurt you recently?” Gu Changge asked an irrelevant question while frowning after his eyes scanned her from head to toe, not giving her a direct reply. He could see that she was injured because of her going overboard with her cultivation, but he couldn’t just ask her directly about it even if he knew.
“No. How could anyone hurt me? My injury is trivial and won’t affect me much.” Jiang Chuchu was somewhat stunned when she sensed the worry and concern in his tone. She had been slightly resentful towards him, yet her tone had softened and even turned pleading. He had come here at this time to express his anxiety, so how could he possibly not care about her and abandon her carelessly?
“Did anything go wrong with your cultivation? I have a million-year-old Heavenly Black Fungi that I brought back from the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains. It can heal even a True Daoist’s fatal injuries.” Gu Changge sighed lightly. Without waiting for her assent, he took out a shiny box and placed it in her hand.
“I know. I have been troubled lately but I should be fine now.” Jiang Chuchu nodded, looking up and carefully accepting the jade box with unconcealed joy.
Seeing that he was slightly reassured, she asked him cautiously yet hopefully, “You promised to never abandon me… right?”
She might be the proud and cold Saintess of Mortal Palace to the public, but she behaved like a child when it came to him.
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Happy year 🎊🎊🎊))) Thanks for the chapter