Breaking Army - Chapter 3

The spiritual energy of the Underworld folk was a deep, regal purple. Naturally, the characters Rong Yuan traced with his energy were also violet. As Xiao Chen finished speaking, the words before Rong Yuan shifted.

“Due to my cultivation technique, I cannot speak until the time limit has passed, nor can I reveal my true appearance. I hope the Star Lord can be magnanimous and forgive this.”

Xiao Chen had heard of techniques that forbade speaking, there were many variations of “Silent Zen,” some so strict they didn’t even allow for mental transmissions within the sea of consciousness. However, a cultivation method that prohibited “showing one’s true face” was a first for him. Xiao Chen was obsessed with martial arts, and hearing about a technique he didn’t know made his heart itch with curiosity. But many secret methods were a person’s private treasures, not to be shared with outsiders. Thus, despite his curiosity, he wasn’t so tactless as to pry.

“I see,” Xiao Chen said. “The Lord is too polite. There is nothing to forgive. And the Day-and-Night Flower… you have shown great thoughtfulness.”

The two walked across the Path of Three Lives. That solitary Day-and-Night Flower swayed in the wind kicked up by the wedding procession, its soft petals fluttering. Its straight stem did not buckle, holding up the beautiful bloom as it remained deeply rooted in the soil beside the path, standing resilient against the wind.

The news of Xiao Chen’s entry into the Underworld was carried back to the Heavens by the immortals. The Heavenly Realm held a banquet for him. Xiao Chen was a benefactor to the three realms, and the Heavenly Emperor had always accorded him sufficient respect. At this moment, the Emperor rose from his seat at the head of the hall and raised a cup to toast Xiao Chen’s marriage from afar. “To His Highness Po Jun, on the occasion of his union. May the Star Lord enjoy eternal fortune and health.”

Ordinarily, a toast to newlyweds would include well-wishes for their romance. But everyone knew the truth behind the marriage between Xiao Chen and Rong Yuan. Offering romantic blessings behind his back would have felt like mockery, so those words were omitted.

The immortals seated below also raised their cups, repeating the Emperor’s words in unison. Regardless of their sincerity, the Heavens had provided enough “face” for the occasion. Only one person held his wine cup, motionless for a long time. Once the banquet was underway, he ground his teeth and whispered, “The Star Lord met with disaster in the Heavenly Realm, the culprit hasn’t been caught, and the antidote hasn’t been found. How can anyone drink this wine?”

He looked to the person beside him for agreement. “Brother, don’t you agree?”

The Crown Prince of the Heavens set down his cup and sighed amidst the festive atmosphere, softly replying to his younger brother, “The investigation will continue, the decree has not been rescinded.”

Hearing this, the Second Prince loosened his grip, at least refraining from shattering the cup in front of the Emperor. His expression softened slightly, thinking that at least he wasn’t the only one mindful of serious matters, and that his brother was on his side. However, the Crown Prince’s words were guarded, leaving much unsaid. He glanced discreetly across the bustling hall. The worry he didn’t voice to his brother was this: he feared this matter involved many parties, and the truth might be enough to trigger a massive upheaval.

No matter how grand the feast in the Heavens, Xiao Chen couldn’t eat it, and he wasn’t able to participate in the Underworld’s banquet either. Upon entering the Underworld Palace, just after signing his name on the marriage contract, Xiao Chen’s vision went black. Fortunately, Rong Yuan was quick enough to catch him, preventing him from hitting the floor.

Xiao Chen originally thought he could endure until the end of the ceremony, but his body had reached its limit. Others didn’t know that his internal organs were in constant, agonizing pain, a sensation truly worse than death. Had it been anyone else, they might have wished to faint or simply end it all. It was only through sheer willpower that Xiao Chen endured. Especially in front of Geng Xie and Xiang Zhi, he hadn’t shown a single crack, swallowing all his pain in silence.

The Union Ceremony ended abruptly. Rong Yuan picked him up in a horizontal carry, blurring across the distance to the bedchamber in the blink of an eye. Xiao Chen wasn’t completely unconscious, and after a moment, his vision cleared. In all his long life, this was the first time he’d been carried “princess-style.” However, he couldn’t afford to care about his pride now. He truly had no strength left to move, and the faint color on his lips had faded again. He could only stay weak and powerless in Rong Yuan’s arms, letting himself be carried.

Rong Yuan placed him on the bed, supporting him so he could lean against the headboard. He pursed his lips, and the words appeared before him once more: “Does the Star Lord know why the Purple Lotus of the Underworld is only given to a Dao companion?”

Hearing this, Xiao Chen thought Rong Yuan was about to get down to business and discuss terms. He forced himself to focus on the words before replying, “I have heard that the Purple Lotus is born from the Lord’s soul, blooming as a pair on a single stalk. If one is given away, that person’s fate becomes intertwined with the Lord’s. Therefore, throughout history, those who received the lotus have always been the Lord’s companions.”

Intertwined fates didn’t mean they would live and die together, but rather that their destinies would secretly influence each other. It was no small matter, and it was understandable why it was only given to a spouse. But what outsiders didn’t know was that there was more to it.

Rong Yuan “spoke” in his unique way: “That is but one reason. The Star Lord may not know that the Purple Lotus can only merge with the soul. The recipient must join bodies with the Underworld Lord and allow their spiritual energies to fuse for the lotus to enter the soul and be truly possessed.”

Xiao Chen’s eyelid twitched with a bad premonition. “…To what extent must the bodies join?”

Rong Yuan chose an elegant term: “Dual Cultivation.”

Since Rong Yuan “spoke” by outlining characters with spiritual energy, Xiao Chen could clearly see that the words “Dual Cultivation” were thoughtfully placed in double quotation marks. In a subtle way that everyone understood, Rong Yuan conveyed the message: Yes, this wasn’t the formal, clothed kind of cultivation, but the “unclothing” kind.

Xiao Chen: “…”

Geng Xie, you crow-mouthed brat, the bridal chamber is actually happening!?

The marriage contract was signed. If he called it off now and lost his life, he wouldn’t just die for nothing, he would die bearing the title of the Underworld Lord’s spouse. No matter how he looked at it… there was no going back.

He was in so much pain that he saw stars and heard a ringing in his ears. Being able to say a few words to Rong Yuan was purely due to his stubborn willpower. Xiao Chen’s hands at his sides clenched involuntarily, then he forced them to relax. His heart struggled through several rounds of conflict, though only a moment passed in the outside world. Rong Yuan waited quietly for his answer.

“…” Xiao Chen finally spoke with difficulty. “I am… unfamiliar with these matters. You proceed.”

He even skipped the polite formalities. Rong Yuan was only a few hundred years old, and Xiao Chen was definitely his senior. Being polite before was a matter of etiquette and respect for a realm’s leader, but now that they had to do that, Xiao Chen’s heart was a mess of emotions. He was exhausted and simply didn’t have the energy to be polite.

Rong Yuan nodded. He looked at Xiao Chen’s expression, and a wide strip of black cloth materialized in his hand. “If the Star Lord minds, then do not look. Perhaps you will feel better.”

Xiao Chen only had time to read that line of text before his eyes were covered by the black cloth. Rong Yuan’s movements were gentle as he tied the ribbon at the back of Xiao Chen’s head, casting a spell to ensure it wouldn’t be uncomfortable or slip off.

Xiao Chen opened his mouth but ultimately said nothing, deciding to just let things happen. Either way, he would probably have his eyes closed during the act, so being blindfolded was fine. Out of sight, out of mind.

But with his sight blocked, his other senses were magnified tenfold. Xiao Chen instantly felt the pain in his body like the teeth of a giant beast, tearing him open. He gritted his teeth, chewing up and swallowing the groan of pain that almost escaped.

As long as his consciousness remained, he would never cry out in pain before another person.

He felt Rong Yuan helping him lie down, and his own belt being loosened. Rong Yuan’s hands were slightly cool. The poison made him ache terribly, and the near-death agony overshadowed all other sensations. Xiao Chen’s mind began to blur, and he soon had no capacity to perceive exactly what Rong Yuan was doing. Naturally, Xiao Chen couldn’t see the way Rong Yuan’s hands trembled as he untied the belt.

When the layers of clothing were peeled away, the white jade beneath was revealed. Lying amidst the luxurious robes, Xiao Chen’s blindfolded head moved restlessly on the pillow. Thinking of his usual dashing posture and seeing his current state, there was a breathtaking, tragic beauty to it. Rong Yuan took a soft breath and slowly leaned down.

Xiao Chen had been enduring the pain of the poison, his entire body tense. Only when an utterly foreign sensation surged through him did he finally break, his whole body trembling. It was hard to tell if it was from pain or something else.

Two dreamlike purple light-lotuses appeared, slowly dancing around the two of them.

The wedding night should have been magnificent, a moment worth a thousand pieces of gold. Though soft gasps could be heard within the Underworld Lord’s bedchamber and the silhouettes on the gauze curtains inspired many thoughts, one person was dying of pain while the other’s heart ached beyond measure.

Xiao Chen wore a single earring, forced to sway in a beautiful arc. The earring caught the light, swinging back and forth, tugging at one’s heartstrings. His long, straight legs were also held by another, hanging limp in the air for a long time. He had already lost clear consciousness, yet at most, he only let out a few labored breaths. His subconscious pride persisted, and not a single cry of pain was heard.

At a certain moment, Rong Yuan leaned over to hold Xiao Chen, his fingers quietly lifting the man’s chin. Xiao Chen’s lips parted involuntarily, giving Rong Yuan an opening. When Rong Yuan lowered his head to kiss him, his posture was almost one of prayer.

Spiritual energy was transferred from Rong Yuan’s mouth. As their bodies and energies completely fused, the two lotuses drifted over. One returned to Rong Yuan’s body, while the other passed through Rong Yuan’s chest and merged into Xiao Chen’s body, vanishing from sight.

The Purple Lotus entered the soul, making him immune to all poisons. In that instant, the pain that had tortured Xiao Chen like a maggot in his bones vanished. The taut string in Xiao Chen’s mind snapped. His head went blank, and he only had time for a muffled groan before he completely lost consciousness, finally allowing himself to faint.

Rong Yuan, who was holding him, paused. He carefully laid Xiao Chen down and separated their bodies. He reached out to remove the blindfold, revealing Xiao Chen’s closed eyes. The corners of his eyes were stained red, like rouge. If he were awake, those would be peach-blossom eyes with peach-blossom makeup, surely a sight of incomparable beauty. A few stray droplets of water hung on his thick, soft lashes like raven feathers. Rong Yuan leaned down and gently kissed them away.

He sat up and removed his mask. If Xiao Chen could see his face now, he would first say the rumors were nonsense: if Rong Yuan’s face was considered hideous, then no one in the world deserved the word “beautiful.” Secondly, he would be astonished because the great Lord of the Underworld currently looked restless and uneasy.

Having taken Xiao Chen in such a manner made Rong Yuan feel worse than the Star Lord himself. He couldn’t help but reach out to touch Xiao Chen’s face, brushing away the sweat-dampened hair on his forehead. His heart ached: We shouldn’t have met like this.

A deep chill swirled in Rong Yuan’s clear, dark eyes. If one only looked at his eyes now, he truly resembled the Lord of the Underworld who made ghosts weep.

However, in front of Xiao Chen, even an unconscious one, his ferocity lasted only a few breaths before his expression shifted back.

Xiao Chen’s clothes had been stripped, and his tall, lean figure was fully exposed on the bed. His slender waist and abdomen were covered by only a thin layer of muscle, looking narrow enough to be held in one hand. Who would have thought such a frame contained terrifying martial power? Rong Yuan didn’t dare let his gaze wander. He used his spiritual energy to clean Xiao Chen, then quickly brought out new clothes to wrap him up. Having done what was done, he now found himself not daring to look too much. Rong Yuan might not be moody, but he certainly wasn’t entirely “normal.”

He tucked the corner of the quilt around Xiao Chen and walked to the table, stroking a bottle in his hand. The bottle contained blood he had taken earlier while Xiao Chen was delirious and the poison hadn’t been neutralized. The wound had already been smoothed over by him, leaving no trace. The poisoned blood had an abnormal color that others wouldn’t easily notice, but he smelled a familiar scent from it, coming from the Yellow Springs.

Rong Yuan frowned. There was water from the Yellow Springs in the poison? Yellow Springs water… Rong Yuan’s expression darkened. Only an Underworld inhabitant could take water from the Yellow Springs.

Was someone from the Underworld involved in this?

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