Chapter 97: Hardships

Dan Heng stepped forward, stopping just in front of Gu Yuena. His gaze swept over the slender woman before him.

Draped in a crimson bridal robe, Gu Yuena's delicate hands rested gently upon her lap. Her pale, tender skin formed a stark contrast against the deep red of her attire. A faint, intoxicating fragrance wafted from her, drilling straight into Dan Heng's heart.

His thoughts involuntarily drifted to their wedding night. The setting had been the same, yet back then, he had said nothing. He had simply lain down and drifted off to sleep, indifferent.

But now, as he prepared to do the same, something within him resisted—some unseen force that refused to let him retreat again.

He sat beside her, silent.

Gu Yuena, too, said nothing. The quiet between them was not awkward but rather charged with an unspoken tension. A delicate, intoxicating atmosphere brewed between them, vastly different from last time.

"Husband…"

Her voice was soft, a whisper that sent ripples through his heart.

Dan Heng inhaled deeply, only now realizing his pulse had quickened to the point that he could hear it pounding in his ears.

He felt an unfamiliar exhaustion washing over him. Even when he had battled the God Kings, he had not felt this drained. Yet now, doing nothing at all… he felt utterly spent.

Nothing at all.

His brow furrowed. The thought left a strange, gnawing shame in his chest.

Would he really just sit here and do nothing?

They were husband and wife now. His wife sat right beside him, waiting…

What he had done so easily last time—remaining indifferent—now seemed impossible.

Slowly, he reached out. His fingers brushed against the edge of the red veil. He hesitated for a moment before pulling it away.

The silk fabric slipped from her head, catching briefly on his arm before cascading onto the bed.

Underneath the elaborate gold hairpins and delicate ornaments was a face of unparalleled beauty. Her features were like a painting, her skin fairer than snow, her lips a soft hue of vermilion, glistening as if kissed by morning dew.

Her eyes remained lowered, a subtle mix of shyness and anticipation flickering within them. The emotions within her gaze spoke volumes—more than words ever could.

Dan Heng stared, momentarily forgetting to breathe.

Never had he imagined that such beauty could exist in this world.

"Am I… beautiful?" Gu Yuena asked in a hushed tone.

"Beautiful…" His voice came out hoarse, almost unrecognizable to himself.

"Then why won't my husband look at me more?"

Gu Yuena raised her gaze, locking eyes with him. Her large, luminous eyes gleamed with expectation, a faint blush coloring her delicate cheeks.

Dan Heng swallowed. He had the sudden urge to run, to escape this overwhelming moment. But as he made the motion to rise, he found himself unable to move.

It was as if his body had fused with the bed, as though some unseen force bound him to this spot.

Gu Yuena leaned forward, resting against his chest. Her breath was warm against his skin as she murmured,

"Husband, I fell in love with you long ago…"

Dan Heng remained silent, waiting for her to continue.

"I used to watch you from afar, in that small town," she reminisced softly. "Every morning, I saw you leave for work. In the library, I watched as you read, completely absorbed, the sunlight casting a glow on you. You didn't even seem to notice how bright it was."

"At first, I thought books were dull. I didn't understand how you could enjoy them so much."

"But then, I realized something… when you truly love something, you never grow tired of it. You lose track of time."

"That day, you read for an entire day."

"And I…" She lifted her head slightly, her lips brushing against his collarbone. "I watched you for an entire day."

"That was when I knew… I had fallen in love with you."

Gu Yuena spoke of the joy she felt when they married, the fear she had of his rejection, the uncertainty that had gnawed at her heart.

Then, she spoke of the future.

"I want to be with you, husband. Forever. In every lifetime."

"I want to bear your children… many, many children…"

Dan Heng was shaken by her words. His mind reeled as forgotten memories surfaced.

Indeed, back then, he had never noticed her secretive glances.

But now, recalling those past moments, he realized… she had always been there.

A shadow lingering in the corners of his memory.

Their fate had been woven together long before he was even aware of it.

Why else would he have yielded to her so easily?

He suddenly understood.

Even before he had acknowledged it, he had already fallen for her.

"Husband… we are already married…"

Gu Yuena's fingers traced lazy circles on his chest.

Dan Heng met her gaze. Her eyes, filled with desire, ensnared him completely.

A fire ignited within him.

Like a beast breaking free of its cage, he moved. In an instant, he had her pinned beneath him.

Gu Yuena let out a soft gasp, her arms encircling his neck.

Her expression was one of sheer bliss.

Her robe slipped from her shoulder, revealing smooth, moonlit skin. His fingers traced along the delicate curve of her collarbone, eliciting a shiver from her.

"Husband… take me," she murmured, her voice trembling with anticipation.

Dan Heng's lips found hers, their kiss deep and searching. Her fingers dug into his back, pulling him closer as warmth spread between them.

The bed beneath them creaked slightly as he shifted, his hand slipping beneath the layers of silk that still clung to her form. Her breath hitched as his touch grew bolder, tracing the heat of her skin, exploring the softness hidden beneath the crimson fabric.

"I've waited so long for this," Gu Yuena whispered, her breath warm against his ear. "Don't make me wait any longer."

Dan Heng's restraint snapped.

With a firm yet careful motion, he pushed the remaining fabric away, baring her completely to his gaze. Gu Yuena trembled beneath him, her beauty almost too much to take in at once.

"You're mine now," he whispered against her lips before capturing them again in a searing kiss.

Her body arched beneath him in response, her fingers tangling in his hair, pulling him closer as their world melted away into heat, passion, and undeniable hunger.

—

Just as passion reached its peak—

A sudden surge of soul power rippled through the air outside.

The moment shattered.

Gu Yuena's body tensed, her fingers still clutching at Dan Heng's shoulders.

Dan Heng nearly lost control. The abrupt disturbance was like a bucket of ice water poured over them. The sheer contrast left him in torment.

He stilled, ears straining.

From the direction of Zi Ji's quarters, a door creaked open.

Gu Yuena bit her lip in frustration, her breath hot against his skin. "Husband, ignore them. Let's just continue. Next year… we'll have a baby…"

Dan Heng twitched.

"A baby?"

As a member of the Vidyadhara Clan, the chances of conception were infinitely low. At best, one in ten thousand. And that was a generous estimate.

The disruption outside had already cooled his blood significantly. His earlier fervor waned.

Gu Yuena sensed the shift immediately. Her brows knit together. With a sudden movement, she flipped them over, pinning him beneath her instead.

—

Outside.

A sinister chuckle echoed through the night.

The voice was hoarse, chilling, filled with malice.

Gu Yuena's expression darkened. The intimate atmosphere she had worked so hard to create was completely ruined.

Her patience snapped.

Her gaze flicked toward the window, her eyes glowing faintly. Though the curtain obscured her view, she could see everything clearly.

Their wedding night—already interrupted once—was now disturbed again.

If not for Dan Heng beneath her, she would have stormed out already.

Did these fools think the Silver Dragon King was some kind of saint?

"Get out."

Her voice was low, dangerous. Through a sound transmission, she sent her warning to Zi Ji.

—

In the courtyard.

A shadowy figure drifted forward like a ghost.

The Ghost Douluo exuded an eerie, frigid aura. Wherever he passed, the grass withered beneath his feet.

His eyes locked onto the only room with its lantern still lit.

"Dan Heng should be in there… Once I kill him, I'll return to Spirit Hall with Old Chrysanthemum."

As he schemed, a door in the adjacent building suddenly creaked open.

Zi Ji stepped out, stretching lazily. She blinked at the black mist surrounding him.

"What the hell is that?"

The Ghost Douluo let out a sinister chuckle. "You're about to die, and you don't even know it?"

Just then, Zi Ji's expression shifted.

In her mind, Gu Yuena's voice rang cold and sharp—

"Get. Out."