"Your Highness, this is unacceptable!"
The three officials, disregarding their own peril, rushed to block Lingyun Master and interceded for him.
"There must be some misunderstanding. Master, please explain, how can the Princess Consort be a demoness?"
Lingyun Master was still in pain and somewhat apprehensive at the scene. The demoness from before had destroyed his Heavenly Eye with some sorcery. Although he desperately wished to exact immediate revenge, he knew it was not the time to act.
However, letting him off the hook was out of the question. He merely stared at Zhu Ni, refusing to speak.
Seeing the uncontrollable black energy seeping from his brow, Zhu Ni smiled at Baili Chongyan and said, "Your Highness, Master Lingyun must have been momentarily blinded by old age. Please spare him this once. Ni'er and Your Highness have just wed, and I do not wish to see blood in this mansion."
The Commander of the Guards, ever considerate, offered, "If the Princess Consort does not wish to see blood, this humble servant can take him out to have his tongue cut out."
The officials: "..."
With Zhu Ni's "plea for mercy," Baili Chongyan eventually relented and let them go. The guards dragged the four out and promptly sealed the mansion gates.
Meanwhile, Baili Chongyan was perplexed as to why he was being let go.
Zhu Ni smiled at him tenderly, but her tone carried an edge of indifference and menace. "While a slow cut is painful, it is nowhere near the suffering of being tormented by ten thousand ghosts, finding no peace in life, and your soul scattered to the winds in death. A Yan, just watch. He will not live past three days."
Baili Chongyan regarded her with considerable curiosity.
Zhu Ni, finding herself with nothing better to do, explained, "The monk's Heavenly Eye was formed by cutting open the belly of a pregnant woman before childbirth, forcibly extracting the infant's right eye, and sealing it along with its soul into his brow. This is an Yin-Yang eye. Just now, I shattered his Heavenly Eye, and the infant's soul has escaped. Revenge for the death of its mother and its own demise, the pain of having its eye gouged out, and decades of imprisonment—it is a born vengeful spirit. How could it let its enemy go?"
These words were too horrifying for Baili Chongyan to believe immediately.
Zhu Ni, however, was more concerned about another matter. "He has some karmic connection with you. What was your past involvement with him?"
Baili Chongyan pondered for a moment, then shook his head. "This is the first time I have met him."
Master Lingyun was renowned. He had once believed the esteemed Master Lingyun spoken of by the masses to be a good person. Now, it seemed he was no different from the others, appearing human but with the heart of a beast.
The origin of his Heavenly Eye, as described by Zhu Ni, was difficult for Baili Chongyan to accept.
He was ruthless in his methods, but that was against enemies and those with ill intentions. He had never killed an innocent person, let alone a woman on the verge of childbirth or an unborn infant.
Zhu Ni did not press the issue. "Then he must have come from elsewhere. Since he is already going to die, any karmic debts will be settled with his passing."
For others, death might not be the end; they would still be accounted for in the underworld. But this demonic monk, upon death, would have his soul scattered, unable to descend to the netherworld or reach the realm of the dead. Sudan Novel Network.
"But he said you... the Emperor might use this to make trouble. Do not be afraid, I will protect you."
Zhu Ni smiled and nestled into his embrace. "I am not afraid of him. However, A Yan, your words move me greatly."
Baili Chongyan gently held her. A gust of wind swept through the hall, the autumn air cool. Yet, his heart was filled with warmth.
Leaning against each other, finding solace in one another's presence, everything else faded into the background, as if this moment had been frozen for millennia.
—
Did a vengeful spirit need three days?
That very night, Master Lingyun, temporarily residing in the Second Prince's mansion, was assailed by a legion of ghosts. Though he possessed some magical abilities, he was utterly defenseless against the infant who had become a Ghost King.
His ritual robes and kasaya, his staff, were all destroyed. Only by sacrificing his relic did he narrowly escape. The next morning, he hastily bid farewell to the Emperor and set off for the State Protector Temple.
It was a sacred Buddhist site. He believed that once he returned, he would be safe.
However, he never made it back. At sunset the following day, at the foot of the State Protector Temple, he was attacked by the multitude of ghosts, his body and soul torn to shreds.
It is said that later, the monks of the State Protector Temple found his belongings and a pile of mangled flesh, unable to confirm his death, nor did they publicly acknowledge it.
What did any of this have to do with the two residing in the Prince Yan's mansion?
Zhu Ni saw that the karmic connection between Baili Chongyan and the demonic monk had vanished. Knowing he was dead, she completely put the matter behind her.
She had never experienced intimacy before. Although she had read many storybooks and seen numerous erotic illustrations, it was no match for Baili Chongyan's natural masculine advantages. He was quick to understand.
They were newlyweds, deeply in love. Long nights of tender affection were the norm, causing the Commander of the Guards to worry that his master was being drained by the demoness.
Yet, Baili Chongyan's spirit grew stronger with each passing day, and his physique visibly improved. Conversely, Zhu Ni, after being overly strenuous on a couple of occasions, appeared fatigued. In the Commander of the Guards' eyes, she was the one being drained.
Could it be that the Princess Consort was sacrificing herself to save the Prince?
The guard felt he had stumbled upon the truth and was deeply moved. To repay Zhu Ni's kindness, he ordered the kitchen to send her restorative tonics for several days, and she was fed various medicinal broths.
With a mouth full of medicinal taste, Zhu Ni looked at the steaming, hearty soup before her, filled with resentment.