Sang Dai looked up upon hearing the commotion, just in time to meet Su Xuan’s gaze.
Their eyes locked in silence.
The maid’s back turned cold as a chill ran through her. Her heartbeat suddenly sped up, and she slowly turned her head to look back, catching sight of her lord’s pair of glass-like eyes.
Truth be told, her lord was extraordinarily handsome. Those eyes, with their light-colored irises, paired with his silver-white hair, made him appear crystalline, almost as if glowing.
But he was equally terrifying.
No—terrifying to beasts.
“L-Lord!”
The maid stammered as she turned around, bowing deeply to Su Xuan with a loud thud of her forehead hitting the floor tiles. The sound reverberated through the room, plunging its remaining occupants—a human and a demon—into silence.
Sang Dai’s gaze lingered on Su Xuan’s face. The fox demon noticed her stare and looked back at her. Their eyes met, and Sang Dai heard a familiar voice.
[Did Dai Dai hear that? Did she understand what the Binding Ribbon means now? Why does this maid talk so much? Dai Dai hates me now, so she definitely won’t accept the Binding Ribbon.]
The low tone carried an inexplicable hint of grievance.
Sang Dai: “…”
She glanced silently at the Binding Ribbon wrapped around her hand.
Neither the lord nor the lord’s wife said anything, leaving the maid trembling like a leaf. Kneeling on the floor, she shivered uncontrollably.
Meanwhile, the oppressive aura around her lord grew heavier, and the faint traces of his leaked pressure made it clear he was angry. The maid grew even more terrified, fully aware of Su Xuan’s fearsome nature. She had no idea which words of hers had displeased him, but when Su Xuan was angry, she could forget about seeing the next sunrise.
The maid quickly kowtowed. “My lord, this servant spoke out of turn. Please spare my life!”
Su Xuan said coldly, “Thirteen—”
The moment she heard that name, the maid went limp, her strength completely drained.
Sang Dai hurriedly intervened. “Su Xuan.”
With just that soft call, Su Xuan’s unfinished words were cut short.
His cold eyes turned to her.
Sang Dai knew who Thirteen was—one of Su Xuan’s shadow guards, highly skilled in cultivation and typically tasked with handling things Su Xuan didn’t want to deal with personally, like killing people.
Propping herself up against the bed railing, she spoke to the kneeling maid. “You can get up. He won’t kill you.”
Su Xuan sneered coldly. “How do you know I won’t kill her? What if I insist on killing her?”
The maid burst into tears, sobbing quietly. She couldn’t understand why the lord and his wife were arguing and why her life had to be caught in the middle.
Sang Dai suddenly found Su Xuan a bit childish. Helpless, she asked, “What would it take for you not to kill her?”
Because of her injuries, her complexion was deathly pale. Su Xuan noticed this, and his hand, hidden in his sleeve, tightened involuntarily. His Adam’s apple bobbed a few times before he suddenly spoke in a low voice.
“Get out.”
Sang Dai nodded and began walking toward the door. “Fine, I’ll go.”
In her mind, Sang Dai suddenly heard Su Xuan’s raised voice: [Dai Dai, don’t move!]
At the same time, Su Xuan spoke in an indifferent tone, “This lord wasn’t talking about you. You’re just a prisoner. Do you think the Beast Realm is somewhere you can come and go as you please?”
Then he lowered his gaze to the kneeling maid.
Sensing the lord’s unspoken threat, the maid scrambled to her feet. “This servant will take her leave!”
It was as if a fierce tiger were chasing her. The maid ran out of Beast Hall at lightning speed, even closing the door behind her as she left.
Now, only Su Xuan and Sang Dai remained in the room.
Their height difference was significant—Su Xuan was more than a full head taller than her. After not seeing each other for over a decade, he seemed even taller than she remembered.
Sang Dai asked, “Why did you—” come back?
Before she could finish her question, Sang Dai’s legs gave out. Unable to stand any longer, her knees buckled, and she started to fall.
With her spiritual power suppressed, there was no way to soften the impact. If she fell, she’d hit the ground hard. Sang Dai wasn’t afraid of pain; at worst, she’d just pick herself up again.
Suddenly, a shadow flickered before her eyes, and a refreshing scent enveloped her. Her waist was caught in a firm grip. Her face pressed against the golden patterns on his chest, and she could hear the thunderous pounding of his heartbeat.
“Su Xuan?”
“Shut up.”
Sang Dai immediately shut her mouth.
Her knees were swept up as he carried her in his arms, cradling her like a small kitten—effortlessly and without strain.
A strand of his hair fell, brushing against Sang Dai’s cheek. It was smooth and soft, carrying Su Xuan’s distinctive scent.
Sang Dai could hear Su Xuan’s heartbeat—fast, very fast.
But this time, the voice she’d heard in her mind earlier didn’t reappear.
Could it have all been her imagination?
She was placed on the bed. Su Xuan crouched down in front of her and, without a word, lifted her ankle.
Realizing what he was about to do, Sang Dai’s whole body tensed, her usual composure completely unraveling.
“Su Xuan!”
In a panic, she grabbed his hand.
Her delicate, pale hand rested on his broad, powerful one. Sang Dai could feel the veins on the back of his hand throbbing under her palm.
He looked up at her. At this height, their eyes met perfectly.
They were so close—so close that she could count Su Xuan’s eyelashes and see the faint, shimmering patterns in his irises.
He said nothing, simply stared at her in silence. His gaze was calm and unruffled, but his lips were pressed tightly together, as if he were angry.
But Sang Dai’s mind was filled with his voice.
[Dai Dai touched me! Dai Dai touched me!]
[Dai Dai’s hands are so soft, so white, I really want to kiss them!]
[The Binding Ribbon is so beautiful. This lord made it by hand, intending to gift it to her on our wedding night. Who would’ve thought I’d give it to her ahead of time!]
[What should I do? I want to hold Dai Dai’s hand. I really want to hold her hand. I really, really want to hold her hand.]
[Can I secretly hold it? Dai Dai won’t notice. I’ll just hold it secretly, just once.]
Sang Dai: “…”
Su Xuan moved slightly, lowering his gaze. His other hand reached out, seemingly intending to pull Sang Dai’s hand away from the back of his own. If Sang Dai hadn’t overheard those thoughts, she might have genuinely believed he wanted to push her hand away.
The moment Su Xuan was about to touch her, Sang Dai quickly withdrew her hand.
Su Xuan’s outstretched hand froze mid-air.
He lifted his eyes again, locking gazes with Sang Dai.
[I didn’t even get to hold her hand!!!]
Great, she could practically feel his frustration.
Sang Dai’s eye twitched. The absurd idea that had been floating in her mind finally landed.
It wasn’t some form of spiritual transmission, nor was it her imagination.
She might actually be able to hear Su Xuan’s inner thoughts.
Sang Dai fixed her eyes on Su Xuan’s. His glass-like eyes were beautiful; when he was in attack mode, their color would deepen, and his pupils would dilate. But such moments were rare—there were few in all four realms who could compel him to act, and Sang Dai was one of the few, and the one who had fought him the most.
She didn’t even consider whether her actions were appropriate. She just wanted to confirm her suspicion—could she really hear Su Xuan’s thoughts?
Under her intense gaze, Su Xuan’s heartbeat quickened even more. His Adam’s apple bobbed frantically, and it felt like all the blood in his body was boiling.
[Dai Dai, why is Dai Dai looking at me like that? So close… Her eyelashes are so long… I really want to kiss her.]
Sang Dai: “…Su Xuan, what are you thinking about?”
Su Xuan snapped back to his senses, his pupils shrinking slightly.
But he quickly shifted gears, replying coldly, “What this lord is thinking has nothing to do with you. You’re just a prisoner.”
In reality: [Why is Dai Dai asking me that? Is she concerned about me?]
At this thought, the tips of a certain fox demon’s ears flushed red. He turned his head away, avoiding her gaze: [Dai Dai &％￥&]
The rest was a static-like garble, and Sang Dai gradually couldn’t make out the words.
She frowned slightly and leaned in closer to Su Xuan.
He glanced at her.
[Why is Dai Dai leaning so close? I just fought someone—do I have blood on my clothes? Will it scare her?]
[No, no, I need to go bathe. Dai Dai will definitely think I’m dirty &％#％]
He turned his head away again and deftly grasped Sang Dai’s ankle, removing her shoe so she wouldn’t have to bend down to do it herself. Then he stood up.
After that, whatever he was thinking grew faint and unintelligible again.
Su Xuan stood up and looked at Sang Dai, who was sitting on the bed. His tone was fierce and threatening: “Don’t overthink this. The Binding Ribbon is only for keeping you in check. If you make any sudden moves, it will kill you.”
Sang Dai stroked the Binding Ribbon on her wrist. It seemed quite sentient, rubbing affectionately against her skin while nurturing her meridians—not showing even the slightest hint of killing intent.
Su Xuan, instantly contradicted: “…”
Meeting Sang Dai’s eyes, which carried a hint of amusement, his expression became even more awkward. He muttered, “Someone will bring medicine shortly. Make sure you drink it.”
He turned to leave, but Sang Dai tugged on his sleeve. The moment she grabbed him, Su Xuan visibly froze.
Sang Dai tilted her head up and asked, “Su Xuan, what kind of medicine are you giving me?”
Her bright, dark eyes looked at him calmly, like a still pool of water. The Sang Dai of his memories hadn’t looked at him like this since growing up.
Su Xuan’s eyelashes fluttered slightly. The hand hanging by his side seemed to twitch as if he wanted to lift it, but he quickly withdrew it. Sang Dai caught the movement—it seemed he’d intended to pat her head.
But the Beast King’s words remained stubborn. “You’re a prisoner this lord captured. Of course, I’ll keep you alive to kill you slowly. Does Miss Sang not know that our Beast Realm has cultivators skilled in venom? A cultivator at the Transformation Stage like you is perfect for refining poisons.”
Sang Dai simply gazed into his eyes.
Sure enough.
[Of course it’s medicine to save your life! Thank goodness the people from Divine Healer Valley cooperated. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have made it back so early. Dai Dai’s complexion is even paler… Damn those Sword Sect bastards, and that scoundrel Ji Cang. If he hadn’t started a war with the Immortal Realm, Dai Dai wouldn’t have been sent to the front lines and gotten injured like this…]
Ji Cang was the Demon Realm’s lord and had always been at odds with Su Xuan, the Beast King.
What followed was a stream of curses. Sang Dai numbly listened to Su Xuan furiously berating the Sword Sect, his celestial-like face entirely unbefitting of his sharp tongue.
After all these years, she never knew he could curse like this.
Sang Dai silently withdrew her hand and lay down, pulling the blanket over herself. “Alright. Just make sure to add some sugar to the poison. I don’t like bitter tastes.”
Su Xuan’s expression froze. His thin lips pressed into a line. “Miss Sang thinks she’s here to enjoy herself? This lord will be sure to add extra bitter herbs—enough to make you die from the bitterness. I’ll even tie you to a kite and let you fly.”
The Beast King had a peculiar hobby of hanging the bodies of his victims on kites for amusement.
Feeling drowsy, Sang Dai lazily nodded and said, “Okay, just make sure it’s painted nicely. I like blue.”
Su Xuan froze, staring at her in disbelief.
She lay there quietly, her eyes closed, covering herself with his blanket. There wasn’t a trace of the tension one would expect from someone in enemy territory. She acted as if she were at home, entirely at ease.
In the past, whenever they met, they always fought. Her gaze toward him had always been cold and indifferent, as if Su Xuan’s existence meant nothing to her.
But now, she was calmly sharing a room with him, lying on his bed, using the items he’d prepared for her.
Sang Dai was exhausted. Her severe injuries hadn’t yet healed, and waking up earlier had drained what little energy she had left. Her breathing gradually steadied as she ignored whether Su Xuan was still in the room and drifted off to sleep.
Half-conscious, she seemed to feel a warm hand touch her forehead. Craving the warmth, she instinctively leaned into it.
In her hazy state, a gentle voice murmured, “Why is she feverish again…”
It sounded as though it was directed at her—a warm and tender voice.
But her head ached terribly, and she couldn’t respond.
Her sea of consciousness was in turmoil, like waves crashing against each other. Fragments of memories flashed before her eyes as she stood in a vast darkness, reaching out to touch the fragments in front of her. She saw her past self.
The little girl abandoned in the icy wilderness. The Sang Dai who was brought back to the Sword Sect by Sect Master Sang. The small figure practicing swordsmanship in her sect robes. The one who fought Su Xuan with a cold face. The warrior charging at the frontlines of the battlefield.
The sounds rose and fell, echoing around her ears.
“Immortal Lord Ying Heng, practicing demonic arts, concealing your identity as a Heaven-grade spiritual root awakener, and trespassing into the Guixu Immortal Realm—do you admit your guilt?”
“He destroyed the spiritual veins of Guixu, slaughtered the entire Cangwu Daoist Temple stationed in the realm—a crime so heinous it defies the heavens!”
“The Nine Provinces of the Immortal Realm, the Thirteen Domains of the Beast Realm, the Twelve Palaces of the Beast Realm, and the Two Cities of the Netherworld—all are united in hunting the fugitive Ying Heng.”
Different faces, all repeating the same accusations.
The young Sang Dai, standing before countless elders towering over her by decades, tried to shield the person behind her with her small, fragile body.
“My master didn’t kill anyone! He wouldn’t destroy the spiritual veins of Guixu! He’s just a Profound-grade spiritual root!”
She cried for the first time that day.
She witnessed Ying Heng single-handedly face off against several Transformation Stage cultivators, proving he was indeed a Heaven-grade spiritual root awakener. He betrayed the Sword Sect and abandoned Sang Dai.
From that day on, all four realms hunted him down.
The news eventually came—he had perished in the Beast Realm.
“Master…”
Tears rolled down the corners of her eyes, only to be gently wiped away by a hand.
“Why are you crying…”
Someone was beside her, clearly flustered at the sight of her tears.
A low voice scolded, “Liu Lixue, didn’t you say it wouldn’t hurt? Why is Dai Dai crying?”
Sang Dai’s eyes fluttered open at that moment, her long lashes trembling, still adorned with water droplets.
Her misty vision gradually cleared, and she found herself staring into Su Xuan’s eyes.
A single tear, propelled by gravity, fell at that moment. Su Xuan instinctively reached out and caught it.
—
TL’s Note: Cultivators of Beast Realm are still demon cultivators. Actually, I was confused at first because both realms of Su Xuan and Ji Cang can be translated to “Demon Realm.” But Su Xuan’s realm can also be Beast Realm so I edited it. I was already done with the file when I edited it so if there are mistakes or something I haven’t edited just point it out.
thanks! yasss i love having interactions with the main couple,yayay!