Marriage in the Palm - Chapter 2

The moment their fingertips touched, Xie Qingci trembled slightly.

Wen Zhiyan’s fingertips were bone-chillingly cold, a deep-seated chill from years of Yin Sha eating away at her bones. The cold spread across Xie Qingci’s skin, yet it wasn’t repulsive; instead, it felt perfectly compatible.

Born with the Heavenly Dao Spirit Body, Xie Qingci could see with a single glance the endless loneliness, long-denied affection, and desolate wasteland within Wen Zhiyan’s soul.

She was like a beautiful woman trapped alone in the Eternal Night Cold Abyss, with no one to accompany her, no one to warm her.

Her Master’s final words were simply: “Go down the mountain and find Wen Zhiyan. She is your destiny, and you are the solution to her tribulation.”

“Only by never forsaking each other can you both be saved.”

Wen Zhiyan also stiffened.

The girl’s fingertips were soft and slightly cool, yet they carried the purest Yang Spirit Qi in the world. It swept through her veins, instantly soothing all her excruciating pain.

The insomnia and restlessness that had tormented her for over twenty years vanished in an instant, replaced by an unprecedented sense of peace that washed over her entire body.

In her twenty-eight years of life, this was the first time she had ever felt truly at ease.

Wen Zhiyan did not withdraw her hand. Instead, she gently closed her fingers, completely enveloping Xie Qingci’s slender hand within her own palm.

One Yin, one Yang; one cold, one warm. They were a perfect match.

Xie Qingci’s ear tips instantly flushed crimson.

Having cultivated in seclusion in the mountains since childhood, she had lived alone for many years and rarely grew close to anyone. She had never held a woman’s hand with such intimacy before. Her heart suddenly quickened, and her breath grew shallow.

Yet, she didn’t pull away in the slightest.

Wen Zhiyan looked down at their clasped hands, her eyes churning with a mix of obsession, longing, and a cautious, precious care.

So, I wasn’t destined to die alone and miserable after all.

Heaven had granted her a lifelong companion long ago.

“Your hand… is so warm,” she whispered, shedding all her cold, queenly arrogance, revealing a trace of imperceptible fragility.

Xie Qingci replied softly, “You’re too cold.”

“From now on, I will warm you.”

That simple sentence shattered Wen Zhiyan’s last defenses.

Since childhood, everyone had called her ominous, cold, a curse to her kin, and short-lived.

No one had ever been willing to warm her.

She tightened her fingers, gripping Xie Qingci’s hand even more firmly, as if afraid the destined one in her arms would vanish. “Will you leave?”

Xie Qingci’s gaze was utterly earnest.

“I won’t leave.”

“Wherever you are, I will be.”

“Our fates are bound together. You can’t drive me away, and I can’t leave you.”

The last shred of Wen Zhiyan’s defenses completely collapsed.

She slowly raised her hand, her touch light and gentle as it settled on the soft crown of Xie Qingci’s head, her fingertips caressing it softly.

Her movements were tender and cautious, as if she were handling the world’s only unique treasure.

“Xie Qingci.”

“In this lifetime, you can only stay by my side.”

“No one can take you away from me.”

There was no coercion, only ultimate favoritism and possessiveness.

Xie Qingci nodded obediently: “Mm.”

She had always only wanted to be with her.

Wen Zhiyan noticed her pale face and equally cold hands and feet, and frowned slightly: “You’re very cold too.”

Xie Qingci said softly: “I have an innate pure-yin spiritual body, so my hands and feet are always cold. I dislike noise and commotion, and I’m afraid of strangers.”

Despite her Supreme Yang Destiny, her constitution was cold and sensitive to the chill.

Only when she was close to Wen Zhiyan did her soul feel at peace.

Wen Zhiyan immediately lifted the quilt, moved slightly inward, and said with gentle assertiveness: “Come here.”

“I’ll hold you. We’ll merge our yin and yang, and we’ll both be at peace.”

Xie Qingci’s cheeks flushed crimson, feeling both flustered and shy.

She had never shared a bed with anyone else, let alone someone she felt such heart-fluttering closeness to.

But as destiny decreed, yin and yang depended on each other, meant to be close and protect one another.

She gave a soft murmur of agreement and obediently lay down in the covers.

Wen Zhiyan carefully turned on her side and gently pulled her into her arms.

The soft, slender figure leaned against her, enveloped in a cool, woody spiritual aura that completely quelled the Yin Sha.

Cradled in Wen Zhiyan’s cool yet gentle embrace, Xie Qingci felt a strange sense of security and soon drifted into a deep, exhausted sleep.

Wen Zhiyan gazed down at the sleeping woman in her arms, her eyes overflowing with an indescribable tenderness.

For the first time in twenty-eight years, she slept without dreams.

No pain. No bone-chilling cold. No loneliness.

With her in her arms, this was earthly perfection.

As night fell, the courtyard—nourished by Yang Spirit Qi—saw withered trees bloom with new life, vibrant and flourishing.

The two of them leaned against each other on the balcony, watching the sunset. Wen Zhiyan held Xie Qingci’s icy hand tightly, slowly warming it with her own.

Their Yin and Yang energies intertwined, gradually calming the malevolent energy of their natal stars. The meridians, long damaged by years of depletion, were gently nourished.

“From now on, I will transfer spiritual energy to stabilize your Sha every day,” Xie Qingci whispered, leaning her head on Wen Zhiyan’s shoulder. “The death tribulation can be averted. We can be together for a very, very long time.”

Wen Zhiyan tightened her embrace, making a solemn vow:

“Life after life, I will never leave you.”

Returning to their room late at night, the bed was warm and soft.

They slept entwined, fingers locked, palms pressed together.

Her Yin cold was melted away by her.

Her loneliness was filled by her.

All the wind, frost, and bitter cold of the world were nothing compared to the inch of warmth in each other’s palms.

The warm morning light flooded the master bedroom, its gentle glow dispelling the usual chill that clung to the room.

Xie Qingci slowly opened her eyes in Wen Zhiyan’s secure embrace. Her long lashes fluttered, and the first thing she saw was the woman’s cold and exquisite sleeping face.

Stripped of her ruthless business persona, Wen Zhiyan’s features were now relaxed, the usual aloofness and hardness replaced by a gentle softness. Her long hair spilled across the pillow, her skin as pale as jade. All her intimidating aura had vanished, leaving only a heart full of peace.

Sensing the slight movement in her arms, Wen Zhiyan woke instantly. The lingering drowsiness in her dark eyes melted into an irrepressible tenderness the moment they landed on Xie Qingci.

Her fingertips lightly brushed the young woman’s cool cheek. “Awake?” she murmured, her voice lazy and low.

Xie Qingci snuggled closer into her embrace, her voice soft. “I’m awake.”

Ever since they had started spending their days and nights together, their yin and yang energies had begun to harmonize. Wen Zhiyan no longer suffered the nightly torment of the Yin Sha, and she slept soundly every night. Meanwhile, Xie Qingci had gradually grown accustomed to the warmth of another person by her side, no longer feeling the same fear and loneliness she had when she was alone.

Looking down at the slender, fragile figure in her arms, Wen Zhiyan’s heart softened. She carefully lifted Xie Qingci into her arms.

Xie Qingci instinctively wrapped her arms around her neck, a faint blush spreading across her fair cheeks. She lowered her gaze, her expression awkward, her ears burning hot.

Having lived in secluded cultivation since childhood, Xie Qingci had never been so intimately close to another woman. Her heart raced with a mixture of flustered confusion and a deep, reluctant longing for this unique sense of security. She didn’t want to push her away at all.

“What are you blushing for?” Wen Zhiyan’s steps were steady as she carried Xie Qingci slowly downstairs, a faint smile playing on her lips. “We’ll be together like this every day from now on. You’ll get used to it eventually.”

Her words carried a hint of possessive dominance, yet they were wrapped in immense tenderness, each syllable ringing with absolute certainty.

All the servants in the Banshan Yunjing villa were women, each one gentle, quiet, and dutiful. They never dared to pry into the masters’ private moments, silently tending to all the household’s needs.

In the dining room, a light and soft meal had already been prepared, each dish meticulously crafted to Xie Qingci’s taste.

Wen Zhiyan settled her into a seat and personally served her a bowl of warm, sweet congee. She then peeled away the sugary outer layer of a pastry, leaving only the soft, chewy filling, and placed it carefully beside her—every gesture filled with meticulous care.

Xie Qingci ate in small bites, looking up at Wen Zhiyan, whose eyes were fixed entirely on her. A warm current flowed through her heart.

The head of the Wen family, who commanded a hundred-billion-dollar conglomerate and struck fear into the business world with her cold and ruthless demeanor, shed all her sharp edges before Xie Qingci alone. She became gentle and considerate, prioritizing her needs above all else.

Just as the two were dining quietly, Wen Zhiyan’s personal assistant, Lin Wan, approached with light steps, her expression hesitant as she reported in a low voice.

“President Wen, the Matriarch of the Wen family has sent a message. Her words were filled with displeasure, accusing you of being too ruthless in dealing with the female members of the Wen family’s collateral branches recently. She also mentioned that you have kept an outsider by your side, which is disturbing your peace of mind, and has ordered you to send the person away immediately and return to the main Wen family to handle its affairs.”

As the words fell, the gentle atmosphere that had filled the room moments before abruptly turned cold.

Wen Zhiyan lightly set down her chopsticks. The gentleness in her eyes vanished, replaced by a layer of thin ice, and a piercing chill suddenly radiated from her.

The female members of the main Wen family had always been opportunistic and cold-hearted.

Ever since she was born with the innate extreme Yin Sha fate, the entire Wen family had regarded her as an unlucky freak. From a young age, she had no one to cherish or care for her. Her aunts, cousins, and sisters had all marginalized and plotted against her, treating her as nothing more than a pawn to consolidate the family’s power, never once showing her any genuine affection.

Now that they saw her power was secure and heard she had someone exceptionally close to her, they feared this relationship would shake their control over the Wen family’s interests. Thus, they were all coming forward to apply pressure and force her hand.

Xie Qingci sensed the heavy gloom in Wen Zhiyan’s heart and immediately placed her hand over Wen Zhiyan’s cold one. Her clear eyes filled with heartache as she slowly channeled a wisp of warm, Supreme Yang spiritual energy to silently soothe the malevolent energy churning within Wen Zhiyan.

Feeling the familiar warmth in her palm, Wen Zhiyan’s tense shoulders gradually relaxed. She turned to the young woman beside her, whose features were softened with tenderness, and her own icy expression slowly thawed.

“Ignore them,” Wen Zhiyan said, her voice cool and detached. “They are insignificant. They have no right to interfere in my private affairs, let alone judge you.”

Xie Qingci nodded gently, her voice soft and comforting. “Don’t be angry. It will harm your health, and the malevolent energy will become restless again.”

She knew Wen Zhiyan’s condition better than anyone. If Wen Zhiyan lost control in a fit of rage, the Yin Sha malevolent energy hidden within her body would easily surge and backlash, damaging both her body and spirit.

Wen Zhiyan turned her hand over and gripped Xie Qingci’s slender, soft one, their fingers interlocking tightly. Her gaze was intense and possessive. “I would abandon anyone else in this world, but you—I will never let you go, not even for a single step.”

“Neither the Wen family nor their worldly rules will ever tear us apart.”

Xie Qingci’s heart trembled. She smiled, her eyes curving into crescents. Her gentle smile was so clean and pure that it outshone all the world’s splendor.

“I won’t leave either.”

Their fates were entwined, their lives bound together. She had come for her, destined to remain by her side forever.

The afternoon was warm and the breeze gentle. In the courtyard, the withered grass and trees had fully revived after being nourished by Xie Qingci’s spiritual energy. Every corner now pulsed with gentle vitality, and the malevolent energy that once lingered relentlessly had completely vanished.

Xie Qingci sat leisurely on a soft cushion on the terrace, twirling a few ancient Xuanmen copper coins between her fingertips. Her gaze was lowered in quiet concentration as she deduced the feng shui layout. Dressed in an elegant, plain white robe, she looked utterly otherworldly, surrounded by a faint aura of herbal spiritual energy, untouched by the mundane world.

Beside her, Wen Zhiyan was quietly attending to corporate affairs. Her gaze, however, kept drifting to the young woman, her eyes filled with tender affection and unwavering favoritism.

Before long, their personal butler approached with a respectful and gentle demeanor.

“My ladies, several female sect leaders and successors from various Xuanmen factions have arrived together. They say they’ve come specifically to pay their respects and request an audience with Miss Xie.”

Wen Zhiyan’s brow furrowed with instant wariness. She instinctively shifted to shield Xie Qingci behind her and said coldly, “I will see none of them.”

She refused to let anyone disturb their peaceful days, and even more so, she would not allow anyone to disrupt her Young Master’s tranquility.

Xie Qingci gently tugged at her sleeve and shook her head slightly. Her voice was soft and clear. “It’s fine. Let them in.”

Recently, she had repeatedly taken action to stabilize Wen Zhiyan’s fate and purify the Yin Sha aura. The leakage of her Supreme Yang Spiritual Body’s aura had inevitably alerted the female cultivators of the secular Xuanmen.

The reclusive Qingwei Hall was the pinnacle of orthodoxy within the entire Xuanmen. As its sole female successor, it was only natural that female cultivators from various sects would come to pay their respects after she appeared in the world.

Seeing Xie Qingci’s calm and composed demeanor, Wen Zhiyan finally lowered her guard. She softly instructed the butler to entertain the guests well, strictly adhere to the residence’s rules, and ensure no one overstepped their bounds.

A moment later, several women dressed in elegant, simple cultivation robes, each exuding an otherworldly grace, slowly entered the living room.

Leading them was Master Qingxin, the head of the female sects of the secular Xuanmen. Clad in plain Daoist robes, she possessed a serene and steady aura. Behind her followed several exceptionally talented female disciples and female managers from various major sects.

The moment the group stepped into Banshan Yunjing, they were instantly enveloped by the room’s pure and warm Supreme Yang spiritual energy. Their spirits trembled with profound awe.

Such pure and vast Heavenly Dao spiritual aura could only belong to the legendary direct successor of Qingwei Hall.

As they looked up and saw Xie Qingci slowly approaching, they noted her youthful appearance, her slender and cool figure, and her clean, clear features that naturally exuded a transcendent, otherworldly aura. They immediately lowered their heads and bowed deeply in utmost respect.

“We, the female cultivators of the secular Xuanmen, have come to pay our respects to the Young Master of Qingwei Hall!”

They bowed in unison, their voices filled with devout reverence. Not a single person dared to show the slightest hint of disrespect.

Qingwei Hall had been hidden from the world for a millennium, held in the highest esteem as a sacred ground for all Xuanmen practitioners. The young woman before them was its sole legitimate successor in this age, and it was only right that she commanded the respect of the entire Xuanmen.

Xie Qingci remained composed and serene, showing no trace of arrogance or flamboyance. She raised her hand slightly, signaling for them to rise. Her voice was cool and steady. “There is no need for such formality.”

She had always been a reserved person who disliked social obligations. If her aura hadn’t leaked out and drawn them here, she would never have bothered with such mundane affairs.

Master Qingxin straightened her back and let her gaze fall upon Wen Zhiyan, who stood beside Xie Qingci with a cold aura, her protective instinct palpable. At a glance, the Master saw through the other woman’s innate extreme Yin Sha fate—a peculiar and perilous destiny. In an instant, she understood why the two were inseparable.

Their polar opposite fates of Yin and Yang complemented each other perfectly, a predestined bond that made them each other’s sole reliance.

Master Qingxin, now fully aware, spoke softly in counsel: “Young Master, you possess the Heavenly Dao Supreme Yang Spiritual Body. Before everyone, you make no effort to conceal your deep affection and favoritism for this person.”

Everyone present was a discerning cultivator. They immediately saw the profound emotional bond between the two women, a silent understanding that left no one to utter a word of objection. Their hearts were filled with nothing but blessings.

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