Chapter 194 : Chapter 194

Chapter 194. Her Happiness Was Not Because of Me

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Ancient Killing Array now lacked only the final step before it could be completed in full. As for that, Shi Ritian felt no concern at all.

Everything ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was already in place. All that remained was the final catalyst.

Everyone ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was waiting for news from Yuntian. They all wanted to know whether that human, Chu Feng, would truly be lured into the Ancient Killing Array.

And ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍so, the Ancient Royal Clan waited for several days.

Who ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍could have expected...

Yuntian ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍did not even know how he had made it back to Immortal-Burying Valley.

The scenes that kept replaying in his mind were like a dull blade, sawing back and forth through his heart.

Yuntian had remained hidden in the shadows for a full three days. In order to lure Chu Feng to the Ancient Royal Clan, he had truly done his utmost.

Over those three days, as a Prodigy of the Desolate Battle Kui Ox Clan, he naturally possessed a secret technique for concealing his presence.

So long as he did not expose himself of his own accord, ordinary cultivators had no way of discovering him. For Yuntian, this was not difficult at all.

He had clearly seen the defensive layout of the Imperial Palace, figured out the pattern of the Forbidden Army’s shift changes, and even found several weak points in its defenses. If they launched a direct assault, those places would all serve as points of breakthrough.

Yuntian had investigated all of these matters thoroughly.

But none of that was what he wanted.

What he wanted to see was Cailin.

Ever since he came near the Great Chu Dynasty, the only person on Yuntian’s mind had been Cailin.

He desperately wanted to know whether Cailin was doing well, whether she had been abused by that human, whether she had...

Whether she had...

Whether she had forgotten him.

At last, on the evening of the third day, Yuntian got what he had been waiting for.

Inside the Imperial Garden, two figures were walking side by side.

The light of the setting sun fell over them, outlining those two figures in a warm golden glow. The man was tall and imposing, while the woman was delicate and graceful.

Yuntian’s pupils contracted sharply, and it felt as though the blood in his entire body had frozen.

From the back, the two of them actually looked somewhat well-matched.

He saw that Cailin was wearing a light purple long dress, her hair pinned high, revealing a stretch of fair and slender neck. This style of dress had never existed in the Ancient Royal Clan before, and it only made her gentleness and beauty stand out all the more.

When she turned slightly, there was a faint smile on her face as she tilted her head and said something.

And the person beside her was Chu Feng.

Yuntian knew Chu Feng’s face all too well.

That beast had stolen Cailin’s Seven-Colored Spiritual Aura, stolen her innocence, and robbed Yuntian of the happiness of an entire lifetime.

At that moment, Chu Feng stood with his hands behind his back, a lazy smile resting on his lips as he listened to Cailin speak. The two of them looked so happy together.

Then Yuntian saw Cailin say something he could not hear. Chu Feng chuckled softly and raised his hand, gently scraping the tip of her nose with indulgent affection.

Cailin’s face reddened. She shot him a reproachful glare, yet she did not dodge. Instead, she lowered her head slightly, the corners of her lips still curved in a smile.

That expression...

That expression clearly was...

Yuntian only felt as though someone had plunged a knife straight into his chest.

How many years had he known Cailin? Since childhood, for so many years now, when had he ever seen her reveal such an expression? All this time, Cailin had always stood tall and proud, bold and commanding like a man. Yet now, at Chu Feng’s side, she was so gentle and yielding, so full of tender feeling, so shy and lovely.

Like this...

Like this, bashful and timid...

Like this...

Like a woman in love?

Boom!

It felt as though something had exploded inside Yuntian’s mind. He could not believe that in just a few short days, such a heaven-shaking change could have taken place.

As he watched their loving intimacy, his fingernails dug deep into his palms. Blood dripped through the gaps of his fingers, yet he seemed not to feel it at all.

“Impossible... How could this be possible? How could my Cailin truly fall in love with a human so easily in such a short time? Then what did all the feelings between us amount to?”

Yuntian muttered to himself, his eyes bloodshot, as though he were on the verge of losing control of his cultivation. “She must have been forced. She must have been coerced by that human. How could she? That is impossible...”

But her eyes could not lie.

Though Yuntian was far away, with his eyesight he could still see the light in Cailin’s eyes with perfect clarity.

He had never seen that light before.

That was not the gaze of someone being forced.

That was...

That was willing acceptance.

Yuntian staggered back a step and leaned against the tree trunk behind him, gasping for breath.

He could accept any hardship. Even if he had to squat here in wait for several days and nights, it would not have mattered.

But seeing Cailin look so happy was more than Yuntian could bear.

He did not dare keep watching.

He felt that if he continued watching, he definitely would not be able to stop himself from rushing out. And if that happened, all of their plans would go to waste.

In the end, he only clenched his fists fiercely, and in the next instant, his figure disappeared.

“You are back?”

A voice interrupted his thoughts.

Yuntian suddenly looked up and discovered that Shi Ritian had appeared before him at some unknown point and was now examining him with a probing gaze.

“Brother... Brother Shi...” Yuntian had not expected that the moment he returned to the Ancient Royal Clan, Shi Ritian would come sniffing after him.

Shi Ritian looked at his absent-minded, dispirited appearance, and a trace of impatience flashed through his eyes, so faint it was almost impossible to detect.

At the same time, an ominous feeling arose in his heart.

Yet on the surface, he showed only concern. “Brother Yuntian, did your trip go smoothly? Did you uncover any useful information? Have you figured out how exactly to lure Chu Feng here?”

Yuntian raised his head and glanced at Shi Ritian. He opened his mouth, yet did not know how to answer.

What had he discovered?

He had discovered that Cailin was living well.

So well that it could not have been better. So well that it felt as though his heart were being sliced apart.

The moment he thought of those things, Yuntian could not help scratching the back of his head in agitation.

“I...” He lowered his head, his voice rough and strained. “I saw Cailin.”

“Oh?” Shi Ritian raised a brow, though there was already some impatience in his expression. “And how was she?”

Yuntian was silent for a long while before answering hoarsely, “She... she is doing very well.”

“Very well?” Shi Ritian narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean by very well? What is wrong with you? Why are you speaking in fits and starts? Can you not say everything at once?”

But Yuntian suddenly found himself choked speechless. He only clenched his fists tighter and tighter until his knuckles turned white.

Seeing Yuntian in such a wretched state, Shi Ritian had already guessed seven or eight parts out of ten, and his mood only grew more irritated.

But their grand plan had not yet succeeded. For now, he could only stabilize Yuntian’s emotions first. Otherwise, with how impulsive he was, who knew what trouble he might cause?

Shi Ritian let out a helpless sigh, stepped forward, and patted Yuntian on the shoulder. “Brother Yuntian, I understand how you feel. But you and I now bear a heavy responsibility. We absolutely cannot let matters of love and affection ruin the great cause.

Besides, the fact that Cailin is living well can still be considered a good thing. At the very least, she is not suffering or being mistreated among the humans. Otherwise, you would only be even more heartbroken, would you not?”

Yuntian lifted his head, his eyes full of pain. “Brother Shi, no... you do not understand how I feel. Although Cailin has not suffered, the happiness on her face is not because of me, but because of another man. How am I supposed to accept that?”