Chapter 16 : Handsome Man

The monster’s head exploded and turned into a bloody mist. Its struggling body lost its vitality and fell limply. It died completely and had no power to resist.

Jiang Shiqiu threw it away in disgust.

The monster’s body fell in front of the altar, and its flesh, which looked like it had been flayed, gradually turned into a pool of black and smelly blood, making a sizzling sound and destroy the wedding dress it was wearing.

With the death of the monster in the stone coffin, the creatures transformed by the dark energy also fell to the ground, turning into pools of stinking blood that seeped into the earth, leaving only a dark red stain behind.

Everyone stared blankly at the scene, momentarily at a loss for how to react.

Is it really over just like that?

If they hadn’t seen the monster turn into a pool of blood and even destroy the bridal gown beyond recognition, they might have doubted whether it was all just a dream.

Before this, they were all prepared for a fierce battle and might even be sacrificed at any time.

But Jiang Shiqiu simply crushed the monster and killed it just like that. It was so easy that it was unbelievable.

It wasn’t until a weak cough broke the stunned silence that the crowd finally came to their senses.

“Wife, are you alright?” Jiang Shiqiu asked anxiously, looking at the person in his arms.

Ji Yu covered her mouth and coughed for a long time, coughing up blood, and the handkerchief in her hand was stained red. By the end of her coughing, she was so weak that her vision blurred, and she collapsed weakly in his arms. With her eyes downcast, she said softly, “I’m fine.”

“Fine, what do you mean fine?” Jiang Shiqiu, furious, tightened his grip, picked her up, and jumped off the altar, heading toward the palace with his scarlet robes billowing behind him, leaving a sharp, sweeping arc in his wake.

Hongxiao and several black armored guards quickly followed.

They moved so quickly that everyone was left stunned, watching them as a few figures disappeared outside the palace.

With the death of the monster in the stone coffin, the dark energy in the underground palace gradually dissipated, no longer so intense and horrifying.

When the demon hunter finally emerged from the underground palace, they found that the outside world had changed.

The darkness that had enveloped the Yanyue Villa was finally gone and the sky turned pale, and humid air filled the air, carrying the unique scent of mountains and forests.

The restless aura of the ghosts and demons in Yanyue Mountain gradually calmed.

As they looked at the Yanyue Villa bathed in the pre-dawn light, they knew that the Villa had finally returned to peace, and they could leave.

However…

The group turned their gaze back to the entrance of the underground palace, with complicated expressions.

The underground palace was built directly beneath Yanyue Villa. It resembled the Longquan Underground Palace, but was not a mere imitation instead, it was closely related to it.

If the evil forces of Yanyue Villa had been allowed to emerge, they would likely have caused as much havoc as the millennium-old corpse demon of the Longquan Underground Palace, bringing disaster to the world.

Fortunately, before they could emerge, Jiang Shiqiu had killed them.

“Master Jiang is truly amazing,” Chen Qingfeng said sincerely, his face full of admiration.

Everyone present agreed with this sentiment.

The situation had been dire, with no one able to intervene. They had feared they would die there, becoming the demon’s nourishment and strengthening its power.

Who would have thought that if Jiang Shiqiu didn’t take action, he would kill with one strike.

This shows how furious Jiang Shiqiu was at that time.

“I wonder how Junior Sister Ji is now?” Xu Xiujue said softly, his brows furrowed with concern.

Zuo Lingshuang glanced at him. Being perceptive, she thought Xu Xiujue’s concern for Ji Yu seemed excessive.

If they were unmarried, it wouldn’t matter much. But now that Ji Yu and Jiang Shiqiu were married, with Jiang Shiqiu’s possessive nature, he might not take it well.

Chen Qingfeng hadn’t given it much thought, but he was also worried about Ji Yu.

Regardless, Ji Yu was not only Chen Qingzhe’s sister but also Jiang Shiqiu’s wife. If anything were to happen to her, Jiang Shiqiu’s temperament made it hard to predict what he might do.

This trip to Yanyue Villa had given him a deeper understanding of Jiang Shiqiu’s strength, showing him how formidable and dangerous such a person could be.

Chen Qingfeng decided to hold off on leaving and check on Ji Yu’s condition.

The other demon hunter were also in no rush to depart. Besides needing to bury their fallen comrades, they wanted to investigate if there were any remaining items in Yanyue Villa.

Although the people of Yanyue Villa were all dead, and the reward was out of reach, there was still a sense of dissatisfaction.

Many demon hunter had died in the battle last night.

Besides those who had perished inside the underground palace, there were also those who had stayed outside, thinking they were safer. Unfortunately, they all ended up dead, killed by the demonized inhabitants of Yanyue Villa.

When Chen Qingfeng and his companions arrived at the guest house, they found that the plants and trees there were growing extremely lushly.

With the disruptive evil forces removed, the atmosphere of decay in Yanyue Villa had vanished. It was springtime, a season of revival, and everything had quickly returned to life.

They did not see Ji Yu and Jiang Shiqiu, only Hongxiao was present.

“My young master is resting,” Hongxiao said. “Master Jiang is accompanying her. If you wish to see them, please come back later.”

Upon hearing this, Chen Qingfeng and the others had no choice but to leave.

—

When they left the underground palace, Ji Yu finally collapsed from exhaustion and lost consciousness.

She didn’t know how much time had passed before she slowly regained consciousness, only to see the man guarding her bedside.

He sat in the shadow at the edge of the bed, his face obscured, but his pitch-black eyes were fixed on her, locking her gaze with an unsettling chill.

As the grogginess in Ji Yu’s eyes faded, she met his gaze calmly.

“Wife, you’re awake.”

Jiang Shiqiu said, moving closer to her until she could finally make out his features. His black eyes still had a trace of crimson, hinting at his inhuman nature.

Ji Yu was a bit surprised. “You…”

Before she could finish, he reached out and pulled her into his arms, murmuring with a hint of complaint, “Wife, I feel terrible.”

As he spoke, he nestled his face into her shoulder, his black hair brushing against her neck, bringing a tickling sensation that eased the cold chill in her heart.

Ji Yu sat stiffly in his embrace, unsure where to place her hands. She tried hard to stay calm, clearing her throat to ask, “What’s wrong?”

“It’s all my fault…” he mumbled, “I made you suffer.”

Ji Yu looked at him with a strange expression. Was he feeling guilty? Guilty for the pain caused by that monster’s howl?

Thinking this, she said, “It’s not your fault. It’s just that my body isn’t strong enough.”

Jiang Shiqiu tightened his hold on her.

Ji Yu reached out and patted him, a smile touching her lips. “Jiang Shiqiu, thank you.”

She was grateful for his intervention in dealing with the evil forces in the underground palace. If it hadn’t been for him, the demon hunter might have perished there, and if the evil had emerged, it would be another war for the human world, with countless casualties.

As for her own injuries, she didn’t take it to heart.

She knew her body was weak and felt almost useless, and she was aware that her lifespan was limited, dependent entirely on heaven’s grace. Her experiences growing up had taught her not to rely on others.

She didn’t believe others were obligated to protect her, nor did she think he should feel guilty about her injuries.

Jiang Shiqiu looked up at her, seeing her smile, and for a moment, he appeared mesmerized.

Ji Yu felt uncomfortable under his gaze and awkwardly turned her head. Noticing the room’s furnishings, she asked, “Are we still at Yanyue Villa?”

As she asked, countless thoughts crossed her mind.

Jiang Shiqiu responded with a distracted “Mm,” saying, “Your health isn’t good, so we’ll leave once you’ve rested.”

Upon hearing this, Ji Yu felt a bit more at ease.

It seemed Jiang Shiqiu could read her thoughts. He leaned closer and asked, “Wife, you’re not thinking that I want to keep you here, are you?”

Ji Yu replied, “…That’s not the case.”

“You’re lying, wife,” Jiang Shiqiu said with a hint of accusation. “Whenever you lie, your voice always drops a little.”

Ji Yu felt helpless. Was it really so obvious that her voice lowered when she lied?

She thought she was quite normal.

However, she had indeed been worried that he might not want to leave Yanyue Villa. After all, he was not human and had altered the memories of the demon hunter, so staying at Yanyue Villa might be better for him.

If he chose not to leave, it was likely she would be unable to leave as well.

Realizing this, Ji Yu understood that the relationship between the evil forces and herself was complex, and they were still married.

“This time, it’s my fault,” Jiang Shiqiu said, taking her hand and kissing it gently. “It won’t happen again.”

Ji Yu’s fingers curled slightly. Seeing the cold expression on his face, she resisted the urge to pull her hand away.

She cleared her throat and said calmly, “There’s no need for that! Your initial hesitation was probably to better understand the source of that evil, wasn’t it?”

He is not a mortal, so coming to the human world must come with its own limitations.

Jiang Shiqiu’s expression faltered slightly, and he apologized, “I’m sorry you had to suffer, wife.”

Seeing he didn’t refute her, Ji Yu had some guesses and decided not to dwell on the topic. Instead, she asked, “By the way, the bridal gown I wore when we married seems to be the same as the one on the altar in the underground palace.”

At this point, Ji Yu frowned slightly.

Seeing the demon emerging from the stone coffin wearing the same bridal gown made her feel uneasy. The bridal gown worn by Chen Qingzhe during the wedding held at Yanyue Villa was also the same.

It seemed that the bridal gown on the altar was indeed crucial.

Jiang Shiqiu looked displeased. “When you were forced into the wedding palanquin, I certainly didn’t want you to marry someone else. I had them bring you to me for the ceremony.” He then added, “It really isn’t good. This bridal gown isn’t nice. How about we have another wedding? I’ll have someone prepare a better gown for you.”

Ji Yu: “…”Isn’t this a question of whether to get married or not?

Though her mind wasn’t clear, she retained some memories.

In her dream, she had seen that the gown she wore was exactly like the one on the altar, which indicated the problem. She hadn’t expected that it would indeed turn into a real wedding.

If he hadn’t interrupted the ceremony, the person she would have married would have been someone from Yanyue Villa. After the ceremony, she would have been sacrificed to the monster in the stone coffin.

Ji Yu finally understood why the bride at the wedding had turned into Chen Qingzhe.

Originally, Ji Yu should have been the chosen bride for Yanyue Villa, but because Jiang Shiqiu intervened, the bride became Chen Qingzhe.

It seemed that Yanyue Villa’s criteria for selecting a bride were based on appearance.

Understanding this, Ji Yu couldn’t help but glance at him, feeling the urge to say something but swallowing it back.

“Wife?” Jiang Shiqiu asked, “Do you have any questions for me?”

As long as she asked, he was happy to answer.

Ji Yu shook her head just as Hongxiao entered with some toiletries.

“Young Master, are you hungry?” Hongxiao asked.

“I’m fine,” Ji Yu replied. “What’s the situation outside?”

Hongxiao said cheerfully, “The spring rain has stopped. We can leave Yanyue Villa now.” Then she added, “Oh, and Young Master Xu and the others want to bid farewell to Master Jiang.”

Ji Yu glanced at Jiang Shiqiu after hearing this.

In the memories of the demon hunter, Jiang Shiqiu was the commander of the Demon Division in the imperial city, with his status and strength placing him in a promising position. Naturally, they wanted to say their goodbyes and leave a good impression on him before they departed.

What remained uncertain was whether their memories would return after they left.

After Ji Yu finished freshening up, Hongxiao brought over some food.

It was already afternoon, and this meal served as lunch. After the meal, there was also a bowl of medicinal soup.

Ji Yu drank it all in one go, and then a candied fruit was offered to her lips. She hesitated for a moment before eating it, and then someone used a handkerchief to wipe the medicine residue from her lips.

As she looked at the affectionate man beside her, Ji Yu couldn’t help but remain silent.

This handsome man’s affection was truly overwhelming!