Chapter 671 551: Pei Yuhang and Shang Miaoyan (2)

But this was wonderful.

Shang Miaoyan enjoyed this, this absolute control and dominance over Pei Yuhang.

She looked at a golden birdcage in her room, at the canary inside, which grew more silent by the day but was still as beautiful as ever. Her heart filled with a confident satisfaction.

'These days will go on forever. I can use endless time to slowly grind away all his sharp edges and finally have him completely in the palm of my hand.'

The only vexing thing was that the Yin Yang Saint Master had sent word to her again these past few days.

Telling her to hurry up and prepare for her breakthrough to the Nascent Soul realm.

But Shang Miaoyan didn't want to break through. She had to do everything she could to delay that moment. After she broke through to Nascent Soul, the Saint Master would personally oversee her "coming-of-age ceremony."

Which meant killing her first Cauldron Slave to make her Dao Heart completely indestructible.

'But that's not an option. I haven't conquered the mountain that is Pei Yuhang yet. I haven't passed this challenge. How could I just kill him so easily?'

'Is there any way to fool the Saint Master?'

'Should I find a scapegoat, or stage a fake death for Xiaohan... or maybe hide Xiaohan and tell everyone he escaped?'

Shang Miaoyan didn't want Pei Yuhang to die. For his sake, she was willing to defy the Saint Master, whom she had never before dared to disobey.

Just then, Fan Ya stumbled into the hall, her face deathly pale. With a THUD, she fell to her knees.

Shang Miaoyan frowned in displeasure. She was about to scold her, but the next words struck her like a lightning bolt, freezing her in place.

"Ho... Holy Daughter! Young Master Pei... he... he..."

"He... killed himself..."

In that instant, it was as if all sound had been sucked out of the world.

The cool, calculating expression on Shang Miaoyan's face suddenly froze.

Her pupils contracted violently, then dilated just as suddenly. A frantic, disbelieving light flickered within them before being swallowed by a vast emptiness.

'Xiaohan... is dead?'

'He'd rather die... than be with me forever?'

'What... what kind of joke is this?'

Shang Miaoyan let out a bitter laugh, her legs gave way, and she collapsed to the floor.

...

...

Pei Yuhang's eyes slowly fluttered open. He stared blankly at the familiar gauze canopy and carved bed frame above him, a nearly inaudible sigh escaping his throat.

"So... even suicide isn't enough to escape this cycle? I'm still reborn in this cage of a Saintess Hall."

"What happened in the last life? Every move I made, Shang Miaoyan saw through it. It was even harder to escape than before."

"Starting this life over... is there really any chance for a different outcome?"

Habitually, Pei Yuhang reached to rub the Silver Ring he always wore, the one that gave him silent comfort.

It was the memento Qianqian had left for him.

In the past, whenever he felt wronged in the Saintess Hall, Pei Yuhang would touch the Silver Ring.

Its cool touch always had a strange way of calming his inner turmoil, as if Qianqian's soft hand were still intertwined with his, telling him he wasn't alone in his fight against the Yin Yang Sacred Land, this Demon Cave of desire.

This time, however, his fingertips met only empty skin.

Pei Yuhang jerked his head down, staring at his long, bare fingers.

'Where's my ring?'

Discovering the ring was gone, Pei Yuhang felt a surge of panic.

He threw back the brocade quilt and searched frantically on the bed, but found nothing.

'Was it Shang Miaoyan... Did she take it?'

Just as this doubt crossed Pei Yuhang's mind, a deeper wave of confusion and self-doubt surged forth, drowning him.

He froze, staring blankly at his empty fingers. His brows furrowed tightly, his eyes filled with confusion and uncertainty.

'But... did I... ever even have a ring like that?'

'I don't think so...? I don't remember... anyone ever giving me a ring...'

...

...

Meanwhile, on the other side of the bedchamber.

Shang Miaoyan shot up from her couch with a gasp, her full chest heaving. Her slender, pale hands grasped at the empty air before her like a drowning person.

Only after her eyes focused on the familiar, lavish furnishings of the Saintess Hall did she let out a long sigh of relief.

'Was that a dream just now?'

'Why would I dream... that Xiaohan... killed himself?'

Shang Miaoyan murmured, still shaken.

'My head hurts so much. I must not have been resting well lately. I need to have Fan Ya and Fan Xuan get me some of those calming Elixirs.'

Shang Miaoyan subconsciously reached for the Golden Bell on the table beside her.

But her hand paused just as it was about to touch the Bell.

'No, that's not right...'

'Why do I feel like I've lived this day many times before?'

Shang Miaoyan reached up and scratched her hair in frustration. Her thoughts felt like a tangled mess.

Countless blurry fragments tumbled and collided in her mind, but they wouldn't piece together into a complete picture.

Finally, she gave up on the headache-inducing thoughts.

'Forget it. I'll go find Xiaohan and relax a bit.'

Shang Miaoyan gave up thinking, deciding to leave the heavy lifting to Dou.

She walked slowly to Pei Yuhang's door and, without having anyone announce her, pushed it open and went straight in.

Seeing her, Pei Yuhang immediately stood up, bowed his head respectfully, and greeted her, "Holy Daughter, you've arrived."

Shang Miaoyan watched as he, as obedient as the most attentive maid, led her to a soft couch to sit. Then, without a word, he carefully washed and peeled the grape-like Spirit Fruits and brought them to her lips one by one.

Shang Miaoyan subconsciously accepted his feeding. The sweet juice burst in her mouth, but her slender, willow-like eyebrows knitted slightly as that strange feeling rose within her once again.

She raised her eyes, carefully studying Pei Yuhang's lowered gaze.

"Xiaohan, when did you become so gentle with me?"

"Aren't you supposed to always give me the cold shoulder and look at me with disgust?"

Despite her words, Shang Miaoyan was still very happy to accept Pei Yuhang's feeding.

Hearing this, Pei Yuhang's fingertips, which were offering the fruit, trembled almost imperceptibly, and his whole body stiffened for a moment.

'Right... what am I doing?'

'Why am I serving her so attentively?'

But Pei Yuhang was only briefly confused before inexplicably brushing the thought aside.

Shang Miaoyan didn't notice his momentary pause.

She parted her rosy lips and, in the same motion, took the cool grape—and the fingertips holding it—into her mouth.

Then, she suddenly noticed that Pei Yuhang's fingers were bare.

"Xiaohan, where did your ring go?"

"Don't you always wear that ring the little village girl gave you?"

"Ring?"

Shang Miaoyan frowned.

"Yes, the ring that village girl, Lin Qianyan, gave you. Don't tell me you've forgotten even Lin Qianyan."

A bad feeling grew in Shang Miaoyan's heart.

"You haven't... really forgotten, have you?"

Pei Yuhang pressed his lips together and said in confusion, "Holy Daughter, I don't know what you're talking about.

As a Cauldron Slave who belongs to you alone, how could I possibly have another woman in my heart?"

Hearing Pei Yuhang's sweet words made Shang Miaoyan very happy, but she still felt that something wasn't quite right.

"But..."

"That's enough, Your Holiness. You must be too tired. Let Yuhang serve you and help you rest."

Pei Yuhang's gaze burned into her, making Shang Miaoyan's heart tremble.

'That's right, why am I thinking about some other woman?'

'In any case, Xiaohan is mine. That's all that matters.'

Pei Yuhang slipped off his snow-white outer robe, revealing a torso that was sleek, beautiful, and powerful.

Shang Miaoyan admired her man, but her beautiful eyes suddenly filled with confusion.

"Huh, Xiaohan... why is the Tripod Slave Mark on your lower abdomen glowing?"

She instinctively reached out to touch it.

In that instant, a stream of light and a flash of lightning illuminated Shang Miaoyan's fog-shrouded Sea of Consciousness.

A massive amount of information surged forth from the depths of her Sea of Consciousness.

Shang Miaoyan stood stunned, her beautiful eyes glazing over.

Finally, at Pei Yuhang's soft call, the light returned to her eyes.

She remembered everything.

But—it was a little too late!

'Because I didn't awaken right away, I ended up becoming Xiaohan's greatest enemy in the previous lives, which made it harder for him to overcome his Heart Demon!'

Shang Miaoyan instantly pushed away Pei Yuhang's gently caressing hand. With a serious expression, she got up, closed the door and windows, and only then turned to look gravely at the bewildered Pei Yuhang.

"Xiaohan, do you remember how many cycles of reincarnation you've been through?"

"Reincarnation?"

Seeing the confusion in Pei Yuhang's eyes, Shang Miaoyan's voice grew heavier.

"Fan Xuan, Lin Qianyan, Qing Yueqiu, Nangong Jin, Lu Ruoxi... You don't remember any of them?!

And your Dao Companion! Weren't you going to take everyone and leave the Abyssal Sea Palace to go back and see her?!"

Pei Yuhang looked at Shang Miaoyan's solemn expression and asked, perplexed:

"Holy Daughter, are you testing my loyalty? I don't know any of the women you mentioned. My heart has room only for Your Holiness."