A night passed in a blur.
The warm sunlight streamed quietly into the chamber through the curtains, finally landing on Xu Jiujiu. She slowly woke from a deep slumber. The unfamiliar warmth beside her made her feel like she was back in the time when Shu Yan was still around. Back then, no matter how taxing her daily studies and cultivation were, she could recover completely just by sleeping soundly in his arms.
But ever since Shu Yan left, her sleep quality had suffered terribly, to the point where she was afraid to fall asleep at all. The reason for all this was the young man who had once been inseparable from her.
If it weren't for the physical resilience of a Spirit Master, which greatly surpassed that of ordinary people, coupled with her status as a Princess who enjoyed privileges most couldn't imagine, her body likely would have broken down long ago.
Last night, she felt like she had a very vivid dream. In the dream, Shu Yan suddenly returned. She wept with joy, and after they spoke of how much they missed each other, she fell into a profound sleep in his embrace. This dream felt like a ray of sunshine piercing the mist that had shrouded her heart. Along with it, her previously dejected aura recovered some of its vitality.
Slightly shifting her body to stretch, Xu Jiujiu suddenly froze. In that brief moment, she had sensed the presence of someone else right beside her.
A powerful sense of danger prompted her to instinctively strike downward with her palm. Golden spirit power surged around her hand. Shu Yan, lying next to her, suddenly opened his eyes. The jade-like hand wrapped in golden spirit power was directly caught by him. Their eyes met in the air. Xu Jiujiu instantly fell into a daze, while Shu Yan slowly released her hand, which returned to normal. He pinched the girl's cheek with a hint of helplessness and said:
"Jiu Jiu, trying to kill your husband first thing in the morning isn't a good habit."
The familiar voice and tone. The Shu Yan in Xu Jiujiu's sight slowly merged with the Shu Yan of the past. She said with a touch of disbelief:
"A Yan?"
Shu Yan gave a gentle nod, then pulled Xu Jiujiu directly into his embrace. "You haven't had a good rest in a long time. Listen to me, sleep a little more."
He could feel Xu Jiujiu's exhaustion. Clearly, one night's sleep wasn't enough to make up for the torment and suffering she had endured during his absence.
Xu Jiujiu's body trembled slightly, but under Shu Yan's patient comfort, she slowly calmed down. She raised her head in his arms, her eyes shining with the intense joy and shock of their reunion. Tears flowed down her cheeks, and her lips trembled slightly, as if she had a thousand words she wanted to express.
Shu Yan kissed Xu Jiujiu's forehead again, then spoke softly:
"Jiu Jiu, I know you have a lot of feelings and questions you need to let out right now. My return might even be too sudden for you, making you feel like you can't tell what's real and what's a dream. But I need to tell you that I really am back. Many, many things have happened in these nearly nine months. I'll explain everything to you properly later, but what I want you to know is that I've found a brand new path for our future. This will be our shared goal from now on."
Xu Jiujiu trembled lightly and nodded. Sparkling tears continually slid from the corners of her eyes, dripping onto the golden bedsheet.
Her emotions were indescribable. The surprise and unexpected happiness of their reunion made it hard for her to hide her excitement. On the other hand, she was incredibly curious about what Shu Yan had experienced in the Extreme North Land, and also, what was this "path" he spoke of...
All of this made it difficult for her to maintain the composure and etiquette expected of her as a Princess. To be honest, she had a very strong desire for control, especially when it came to Shu Yan. She urgently needed to know everything about him. The current air of mystery surrounding Shu Yan made her feel like ants were gnawing at her heart, nearly unbearable.
Shu Yan also noticed Xu Jiujiu's unusual behavior. He sighed helplessly, then reached out and gently patted her back, saying softly:
"Don't worry about unnecessary things for now. You're my lover. Of course, I won't hide anything from you that can be told later. Things like imprisonment or forced confessions really aren't necessary..."
A beautiful blush spread across Xu Jiujiu's fair face. Shu Yan's bluntness annoyed her greatly. She glared fiercely at him, then whispered softly:
"No fooling around before we get married! Besides, I, this Princess, never thought of those things you mentioned. Although... if you really want to try, I, this Princess, might reluctantly agree."
Shu Yan imagined that scenario, and a chill ran uncontrollably down his spine. He shook his head and said:
"That's really not necessary, Jiu Jiu. It's still early. His Majesty hasn't finished the morning court yet. Sleep a little more. Later, I'll go into the palace with you to see His Majesty. At that time, I'll slowly explain the whole story to you."
Xu Jiujiu hummed softly in Shu Yan's arms. She then shifted into a comfortable position, took one of his arms to hug, wiped away her tears, coughed a few times, and then mumbled:
"Suit yourself, but you have to explain clearly what happened in these past few months later. Otherwise, you won't be allowed on my, Xu Jiujiu's, bed anymore."
Shu Yan chuckled and nodded. Watching Xu Jiujiu's constantly fighting eyelids slowly close and her breathing gradually even out, he finally dared to slightly change his position and pull back his leg, which had gone numb.
Looking at Xu Jiujiu's peaceful sleeping face, Shu Yan's mood slowly calmed. Starting today, he was going to lead Xu Jiujiu and the entire Star Luo Empire to strive for a realm that only existed in the Continent's history. From now on, everything would be different. The history of the Douluo Continent would be changed by them.
Approaching noon, Xu Jiujiu finally woke up at her leisure. Shu Yan helped her as she washed up. Having finally been reunited with him, the girl was in a very clingy mood. Shu Yan's words had also made her feel a little anxious, so she naturally wanted him to stay by her side at all times. Shu Yan couldn't refuse. After waiting patiently for Xu Jiujiu to finish her makeup, the two finally left the Princess Manor.
The Snow Empress and the Ice Empress had been waiting for a long time. Their figures were hidden in the shadows. Even with many pedestrians around, no one noticed their presence. Shu Yan waved at them. Xu Jiujiu was slightly confused, but the next second, as she blinked, the figures of the Ice and Snow Two Emperors suddenly appeared before her.
For some reason, perhaps instinctively, Xu Jiujiu's hair stood on end when she saw the two women. She almost subconsciously took a step back. The two women in front of her felt completely unfathomable. Even in front of her Imperial Brother, she had never felt this way.
Her intuition told her that these two were definitely not ordinary people. Memories surfaced. The Snow Empress's face, which was extremely similar to Shu Yan's, suddenly made her remember something. Instantly, she trembled all over and said with some disbelief:
"Snow Empress!?"
The Snow Empress's gaze swept over Xu Jiujiu's entire body with a hint of scrutiny. She truly wanted to know what was so special about the woman Shu Yan valued so much. After a careful inspection, she had essentially figured out Xu Jiujiu's background. Overall, she was indeed somewhat impressive.
A Princess of a nation, roughly the same age as Shu Yan, with a spirit power level above thirty-five, and radiating a unique Star Rhyme, which most likely came from her Martial Soul.
With such status and talent, she was indeed worthy of Shu Yan.
Thinking of this, the Snow Empress's thin lips slightly parted, and then she said: