Meeting Han Yu

Five days later, Shen Ge, escorted by Wang Yan, traveled to the Phoenix Kingdom.

He actually refused, but unfortunately it was no use, and in the end he had no choice but to compromise.

Upon entering the palace, Shen Ge found Han Yu in the Wutong Tower, but Han Yu seemed different now, with a touch of sadness and indifference in her demeanor.

"You've come."

"I've arrived. Su Du, please accept my condolences regarding the matter."

"Why did you come? Is it out of pity for me? Or are you planning to repay me with your body because I saved you?" Han Yu said coldly with her back to Shen Ge.

"Perhaps both," Shen Ge sighed. "You saved me, and I can't live with myself if I don't repay this kindness."

"No need. I don't need your pity, nor do I need your promise of marriage. I saved you only because you saved my elder brother back then. A life for a life, now we're even."

"Shen Ge, may I call you Shen Ge?" Han Yu turned her head and stared at Shen Ge, her eyes as still as a dry well.

"Do as you please," Shen Ge said, her expression slightly complicated.

"Shen Ge, actually I used to like you quite a bit. Of course, it might not have been liking, but maybe it was because I was resentful after you rejected me, and I always wanted to get what I couldn't have back then."

"When I saved you, I only had one thought in my mind: I haven't been able to have you yet, you can't die. Isn't that strange?"

After a moment of stunned silence Shen Ge shook his head and said, "It's not surprising, because people will ultimately be trapped for life by what they couldn't obtain in their youth."

"Will people ultimately be trapped for life by what they couldn't obtain in their youth?" Han Yu's eyes were lost in thought. After pondering for a long time, she sighed, "Well said. You are what I once longed for but could not obtain. Because of your few teasing words back then, I was trapped for half my life."

"But when my sister died in front of me that day, I realized something. Shen Ge, you're not important to me; only my sister is the most important!"

"My sister took me away from that poor little mountain village, taught me to read and write, taught me literary and martial arts, taught me business acumen, taught me martial arts, taught me etiquette... She is the closest person to me, Han Yu, in this world, even closer than my eldest brother."

At this point, Han Yu's eyes welled up with tears. She sighed softly, "Unfortunately, I realized it too late. Because of my one act of willfulness, she's gone from me forever. I have no sister anymore."

My condolences.

Shen Ge wouldn't mention that he had reminded her, because it would be pointless. After all, she had saved him from being able to stand here, and saying that would be tantamount to shirking this immense debt of gratitude, which he couldn't bring himself to do.

"Please accept my condolences." Han Yu scoffed, "I've heard those words far too many times these past few days, but they won't lessen my pain in the slightest. They're meaningless."

Shen Ge sighed, "The dead cannot be brought back to life, Han Yu. Su Du once said that he wished your future would be filled with sunshine every day. You should cheer up and not let her down."

Han Yu suddenly shouted, "You have no right to talk to me, nor do you have the right to discipline me. No one can control me except my sister!"

Shen Ge wasn't angry; he simply chose to remain silent. Han Yu's emotions were very unstable right now, and he didn't want to say anything that might upset her.

After a moment of silence, Han Yu looked up at Shen Ge and asked, "Shen Ge, can I ask you a question?"

"You ask."

"That beautiful woman in white in the main hall that day, did you like her?"

After a moment of silence, Shen Ge nodded and said, "Yes. Her name is Mu Wan. I met her not long after I joined the Spirit Moon Sect. She has a fiery temper, sometimes she's very carefree, and sometimes she's a bit eccentric. We've known each other for almost forty years."

"What if I let you stay and be my husband?" Han Yu said coldly, her icy gaze seemingly carrying a hint of pleasure, a pleasure in tearing them apart.

After a moment of silence Shen Ge said, "Okay, but I should let you know first that I only have twenty years left, maybe less."

"Back then, I suffered an incurable injury because of that person, and I had no hope of breaking through to the Golden Core. In addition, I used the Life-Burning Technique that day, so my lifespan was already very short. Fortunately, the sect leader found me a Lifespan-Extending Pill, otherwise I would only have a few years left to live."

"Besides, I have no intention of being with Mu Wan. I am already old and frail, how could I possibly delay her when she is at the peak of her life? She is very talented and will reach the Golden Core or even the Nascent Soul in the future. She has not lived for hundreds or thousands of years, and I don't need to add sadness to her future memories."

"You're quite magnanimous," Han Yu sneered. "But Shen Ge, what makes you think this memory is sad for her?"

"There may be sweetness, but being separated by Celestial Person is always sad, don't you think?"

Han Yu's face turned cold, as if covered in frost, and even the surrounding air seemed to chill. "Are you rubbing salt into my wounds? What, you're not happy about marrying me?!"

"There's nothing to feel good or bad about, it's just repaying a debt of gratitude." Shen Ge shook his head and said, "Back then, I was young and ignorant, and it was only right that I delayed your marriage for so long."

"Shut up!"

Han Yu shouted, "Shen Ge, you are not worthy to marry me, and I don't want you to marry me! Since you want to repay my kindness, then go back and persuade your Spirit Moon Sect to turn Flowing Cloud Kingdom and all the surrounding small countries into the territory of my Phoenix Kingdom."

"That's simple. The sect itself intends to support you. Even if you don't say anything, they will do it anyway, and may even persuade other sects to give you the administrative rights of the mortal kingdom."

"But you really don't want me to marry you?"

"Roll!"

Shen Ge shook his head, turned and walked towards the door. Reaching the doorway, he stopped and asked, "Xiao Yu, are we still friends?"

"Fine," Han Yu said through gritted teeth, "You are still the Heaven-Pacifying King of our Phoenix Kingdom, a title bestowed upon you by my sister, and I will never change that."

"Alright, since we can still be considered friends, then as your friend, I have a piece of advice for you: the dead are gone, don't dwell on your grief. Instead of letting it fade away, why not increase your strength? Perhaps after you become an immortal, you'll have a chance to resurrect Su Du."

I don't need you to remind me.

Stepping out of the room, Shen Ge flew to a nearby pavilion and looked at the two women drinking tea. He smiled wryly and said, "Senior Sister, Sister, could we not talk about today's events when we get back?"

"Okay, we won't talk about it when we get back. But Shen Ge, you and Junior Sister Mu Wan should get to a conclusion as soon as possible. Whether you're together or not, you two need to reach an agreement, otherwise this matter will haunt Mu Wan for the rest of her life," Wang Yan said.

Su Liuyue looked at Shen Ge without saying a word, seemingly lost in thought.

"Yes, senior sister, I will give Mu Wan an explanation, and I will give this unspoken love of ours a proper ending."