It was a common saying that a single day in heaven was a year in the mortal realm.
Yet, few knew that a single day on earth was also a year in the Nether Realm.
Shangguan Liqian had spent over three months in the Nether Realm, enduring countless hardships and trials, yet only a few hours had passed in the world of the living.
When she finally opened her eyes, pushing through the lingering discomfort in her body, Luo Wushuang was still deep in slumber.
In sleep, the sharp edge and imposing majesty that usually defined Luo Wushuang’s features were gone, replaced by a soft, gentle vulnerability.
Seeing her looking so adorable and relaxed, Shangguan Liqian’s heart softened.
Though it had only been a few hours in this world, to her, it had been months. Her longing for this woman had seeped into her very marrow. Every moment she had spent walking alone along the River of Forgetfulness, she had been thinking of her.
Now that she was finally back, it felt wonderful.
Shangguan Liqian reached out a hand, but just as her fingers were about to touch Luo Wushuang, she pulled back. She was afraid of waking her, so she settled for gazing greedily at the woman beside her.
To see Luo Wushuang again, even if it was just watching her sleep in silence, filled her with an overwhelming sense of satisfaction and peace.
Luo Wushuang, whose sleep had been restless to begin with, seemed disturbed by the intensity of the gaze. Her eyes fluttered open dizzily, meeting Shangguan Liqian’s infatuated stare.
Acting on instinct, she pulled the other woman into her arms and asked in a sleepy, muddled voice, “Sister, why are you awake so early today?”
After asking, the memories of yesterday’s events flooded back. Luo Wushuang grew more alert, her eyes filling with heartache. “Are you… worried about me?”
The scenes from her “dream” were still vivid in Shangguan Liqian’s mind. Now that she knew Wushuang would be safe, most of the weight had been lifted from her heart. It seemed her previous wild theories had accidentally hit the mark; Wushuang really did have powerful connections in the Underworld.
With a sister who was the Lord of the Nether Realm, it was no wonder Wushuang could drag her soul back even after death.
But when she thought of that person enduring the agony of vengeful spirits tearing at her soul in loneliness and despair—searching for soul fragments day after day in the bone-chilling waters of the River of Forgetfulness—Shangguan Liqian’s heart throbbed with unbearable pain.
She could endure it while Luo Wushuang was asleep. But now, hearing her voice and seeing her tender expression, Shangguan Liqian’s emotions broke like a dam.
Her hand trembled as she reached out to stroke Luo Wushuang’s cheek. “Wushuang,” she choked out, “I never want to be apart from you again.”
So, from now on, we must both be well…
Under normal circumstances, being hit with such a pleasant surprise would have left Luo Wushuang beside herself with joy. But now, her phoenix eyes were filled only with concern.
Thinking that her sister was still distraught over the previous day’s incident, Luo Wushuang took her hand and pressed it against her own heart, speaking earnestly.
“Sister, do not worry. As soon as it is light, I will summon the famous physicians from the Princess Manor to the palace. I will certainly be fine.”
“Yes, you will be fine,” Shangguan Liqian said with absolute certainty.
Luo Wushuang didn’t understand the deeper meaning behind those words, assuming she had simply succeeded in comforting her. She let out a quiet sigh of relief, but seeing the exhaustion in her sister’s eyes, she couldn’t help but feel pained.
“It is still early. Sister, sleep a little longer.”
Shangguan Liqian glanced toward the window to check the light. “Are you going to morning court?”
Seeing Luo Wushuang nod, Shangguan Liqian whispered, “Come back early once the session ends.”
She hadn’t seen Wushuang in such a long, long time; she couldn’t bear even a moment of separation.
Witnessing the deep attachment and reluctance in her sister’s eyes, a stray, absurd thought crossed Luo Wushuang’s mind. It felt as if they had been separated for an eternity, even though they had shared the same bed just last night.
Perhaps she is just that worried about me, she thought, and she just doesn’t want to say it to avoid putting pressure on me.
The thought made her heart ache even more. Luo Wushuang pulled the woman in her arms tighter, tirelessly repeating her comfort. “Don’t be afraid, Sister. Once I return from court, I’ll have the physicians from the Princess Manor brought in immediately.”
Shangguan Liqian nodded slightly. As Luo Wushuang rose from the bed, she said softly, “Go then. Don’t be late.”
Luo Wushuang leaned down to place a tender kiss on her forehead. “Then wait for me to return.”
“I will,” Shangguan Liqian replied softly.
Only when the warmth on her forehead faded and Luo Wushuang’s figure vanished completely did Shangguan Liqian try to shift her body. As expected…
Aside from a faint, stinging pain, she had absolutely no sensation from the waist down.
She had already sensed the Nether Lord’s intentions and had anticipated this outcome, so she wasn’t particularly surprised. She only felt a pang of regret—she and Wushuang were about to have their grand wedding, yet she could no longer stand.
While she felt regret, she believed it was a price worth paying to exchange her legs for Wushuang’s safety. Besides… as long as she could find Master Yujing, there was still a chance for a turn of events.
While Shangguan Liqian was secretly feeling relieved, Feng Liuli—who had unceremoniously tossed her out of the Nether Realm—was staring through the thick palace doors. She huffed in annoyance as she watched Liu Yun pacing anxiously outside.
You won’t come in and ask yourself, so you send someone else? Fine, then just keep waiting.
She wanted to see just how long this person could hold out.
[Liu Yun: Strange. Miss Shangguan has been inside for so long, why hasn’t she come out?
Xiaobai: She was kicked out by your wife! Just keep waiting, hahaha…]*
Liu Yun paced outside the hall for a long time. She couldn’t see Shangguan Liqian emerging, but she was unwilling to leave. Amidst her internal struggle and hesitation, several days’ worth of time seemed to slip away in the blink of an eye.
Feng Liuli, who had been lounging lazily on her throne, finally grew impatient. Her brow twitched. She reopened the massive spectral screen that had already made Liu Yun’s teeth itch with irritation. Perhaps to provoke her further, she specifically turned up the sound.
It wasn’t loud, but it was just enough for Liu Yun to hear from outside.
“The Kingdom of Liang! Destroyed! …Feng Liuli, today shall be the day you die!”
Hearing that familiar voice from within, the string of logic in Liu Yun’s mind—the one labeled “do not disobey orders”—snapped instantly.
The Nether Lord…
After being intimate with her, she not only summoned the Left Protector but was even spying on that person in the human realm!
She couldn’t take it anymore. She truly couldn’t take it.
Gritting her teeth, Liu Yun cast an Invisibility Spell on herself. While the “Left Protector” at the door wasn’t looking, she slipped into the hall like a streak of smoke.
