Xue Er, Ye Qingxin

Heaven Dou City. As the capital of the Heaven Dou Empire, in the years since the truce, its economic strength had developed rapidly, and its people lived and worked in peace and contentment.

Every person living in this city wore a smile of happiness and pride, completely unlike the sight Ye Han had seen several years ago.

Emotions were contagious, and Ye Han and the others could not help but relax a little as well.

However, whenever you were in a good mood, something upsetting was bound to happen, just like now.

A group of armored soldiers carrying spears shoved and drove the pedestrians aside.

Shaking his head, Ye Han took Snow Empress and Ice Empress by the hand and entered a restaurant beside the street. The three sat by a window on the second floor, ordered some food, and silently watched the street below.

After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, a huge, luxurious carriage slowly approached.

Though it was called a carriage, the beasts pulling it were several mild-tempered Soul Beasts.

The enormous carriage compartment occupied nearly a third of the street and stood as tall as a two-story building.

The crisp clatter of iron hooves rang out as the wheels rumbled along. The carriage curtain swayed, revealing a glimpse of the scene within.

Although it was only a fleeting glimpse, Ye Han and the others were no ordinary people, so they naturally saw everything inside clearly.

Even Ye Han was somewhat amazed by that peerlessly beautiful yet dirt-smudged face.

Snow Empress glanced at Ye Han, then met Ice Empress's gaze. The two silently nodded before taking Ye Han with them and flashing into the carriage.

Ye Han was stunned.

Utterly baffled, he looked at his two wives, unable to make sense of what was happening.

At that moment, the three people inside the carriage wore the same expression. One was clearly a healing-type Soul Master, treating the peerlessly beautiful girl.

The last person was richly dressed and kind-looking, a youth of about sixteen or seventeen. There was no need to guess that he was undoubtedly the owner of this carriage.

"Y-you... who are you people?"

Among the three, the youth was the first to react. Though uneasy inside, he feigned calmness and shouted.

"Don't worry, and don't try to be clever. The people outside can't hear what's being said in here," Snow Empress said coolly.

"What are you two doing?" Ye Han asked with a frown.

He truly could not understand what these two women were up to.

Could it be that they had taken a fancy to this carriage?

Still, this carriage really was nice. Doing that in here would surely be exciting.

"What do you think of that girl? Isn't she beautiful?" Snow Empress asked Ye Han.

"Mm! She's passable, I suppose, but she definitely isn't as beautiful as my Xue Er," Ye Han said.

As a modern man, he was not stupid. How could he praise another woman's beauty in front of his wife?

Snow Empress rolled her eyes. Naturally, she knew all too well what her husband was thinking.

Yet the girl lying there could not help but glance at Ye Han. In all her life, he was the first person to call her looks merely passable.

"Since you think she's acceptable, that's good!"

Snow Empress nodded.

Then she looked at the flustered youth beside her and said, "Name your price. I'm buying her."

By now, Ye Han had roughly guessed what Snow Empress intended to do, and for a moment, he did not know whether to laugh or cry.

But he did not stop her.

Over the past few years, the two women had indeed worked hard to serve him. If someone could share their burden, it would not necessarily be a bad thing.

Ye Han shamelessly thought to himself.

He felt he was truly great—cherishing his wives and considering their needs. He was practically the model of a peerlessly good man.

"I, she—"

"A Fifty Thousand Year Soul Bone."

Clang! The youth's words were cut off.

"No—"

"Plus a Sixty Thousand Year Soul Bone."

Clang!

"She is my—"

"Plus another Sixty Thousand Year Soul Bone."

Clang!

"Gulp."

The youth swallowed, staring blankly at the three Soul Bones on the floor.

Clang!

"Plus one more!"

A cold gleam flashed in Snow Empress's eyes.

She felt that this youth was far too greedy. If he still refused, she would not mind taking the girl by force.

"Fine! Fine, I-I agree," the youth said.

He was not someone incapable of recognizing kindness. When he saw the first Soul Bone, he had wanted to tell the White-Robed Woman before him that he had merely picked the girl up along the road.

When the second Soul Bone appeared, he hesitated, but his conscience remained.

When the third Soul Bone appeared, he was still struggling internally.

But the fourth Soul Bone and Snow Empress's icy gaze instantly woke him up. Before such immense profit, what was conscience worth? And how much could kindness possibly be worth?

As for the girl, seeing Soul Bones tossed out one after another as if they cost nothing, even someone of her status was left utterly stunned.

What confused her even more was that in the blink of an eye, she had been sold.

Snow Empress nodded, satisfied that the youth knew when to yield.

She walked over to the girl and lifted her into her arms. Then her brows suddenly furrowed slightly as she glanced at the girl.

It was only a single glance, yet it made the girl's heart pound in terror. The words of plea that had nearly left her lips died in her throat.

The girl looked toward the youth with pleading eyes, hoping he would help her. Unfortunately, he had already chosen profit over conscience. How could her gaze possibly move him? After silently meeting her eyes for a moment, he looked away.

The imperial family truly is the most heartless. That saying was indeed true, the girl thought helplessly.

No matter how gentle and refined he seemed normally, how peacefully he treated others, when the time came to make a true decision, only ruthless resolve remained. This was the future heir of a nation.

She secretly glanced at the woman holding her. She did not dare show any dissatisfaction, but when she looked at Ye Han, she gritted her teeth.

Just because he had said she was acceptable, her entire plan had been thrown into disarray.

Ye Han's spiritual power was formidable, and his senses were exceptionally sharp. He instantly noticed the girl's gaze.

But when he looked toward her, Snow Empress had already carried her away.

"Hehe, let's go."

Joy appeared on Ice Empress's face. Taking Ye Han's hand, she brought him out of the carriage in the blink of an eye.

The enormous luxurious carriage continued slowly onward without changing speed in the slightest. Other than the two people inside, no one noticed that outsiders had entered the carriage and taken away a living person in full view of everyone.

After the four checked into a magnificent hotel, Snow Empress took the girl into a room.

Ye Han and Ice Empress looked at each other, completely at a loss.

Ice Empress spread her hands, indicating that she did not know what Snow Empress was doing either.

Ye Han shook his head and stopped dwelling on it. Taking Ice Empress's hand, he left the hotel to enjoy their time alone together.

"A seventeen-year-old Soul Emperor. Your talent is quite remarkable!"

Inside the hotel room, Snow Empress looked at the nervous girl standing before her, her little hands twisting the hem of her clothes, and spoke in a faint voice.

The girl abruptly raised her head, looking at Snow Empress in shock.

She had long golden hair, but grime concealed its original appearance, making it look dull and gray. Her face was filthy, and her skin appeared somewhat rough, yet none of that could hide her beauty, enough to topple nations and cities.

But now, she was truly panicking.

"You concealed yourself very well. If I hadn't come into close contact with you, even I would not have discovered your disguise. I don't care what your purpose is. I will only tell you one thing now: I bought you. From this day onward, you belong to Ye Han. If he tells you to go east, you cannot go west. Do you understand?"

Snow Empress sat on a sofa, her voice cold and her gaze imperious. Like a Queen standing high above all others, her powerful aura was suffocating.

The girl opened her mouth, wanting to reveal her identity, but when she saw Snow Empress's expression, she lost her courage.

She feared that once she spoke, there would be no room to turn back, and the other party would simply silence her forever.

"What is your name?" Snow Empress's stern expression instantly became gentle as she asked.

"I-I'm called Xue Er," the girl answered obediently.

Hearing her name, Snow Empress could not help but frown. "I'm also called Xue Er. Since you are so outstandingly beautiful, enough to topple nations and cities, from now on, you will be called Qingxin! Love at first sight—Ye Qingxin. That's a nice name, isn't it?"

The girl forced a smile.

Did she dare say no?