Chapter Thirteen: The Marriage Contract

Page 1/3

At night, I diligently typed away, recording everything that had happened at the temple recently. Though some readers doubted that my stories were fabricated, it didn’t matter. Teacher Xing had once said that in this line of work, those who understand need no explanation, and those who don’t believe no matter how much you say. Every day when I posted a chapter online, the same chapter would appear simultaneously in the divine realm. The main purpose of my novel was to make it known throughout the Three Realms.

In fact, every dynasty had many recorders, including many great online novelists today who also serve as recorders. Some were aware of their identity, others were not. Only two recorders of the Investiture of the Gods had ever appeared. The first was Xu Zhonglin, the celestial literary star descended to the mortal world.

The second was me. I never understood why a martial general, skilled with sword and spear, was chosen to write. Teacher Xing couldn’t explain either; he even scrutinized me with a gaze full of curiosity and doubt, asking, “You’re so clumsy. How were you picked in the first place?”

Though he said that, when he saw how much I struggled with writing recently, he even invited the soul of the first recorder Xu Zhonglin to come bless me. The Heavenly Realm also bestowed upon me the Tower of Literary Prosperity and the Brush of Cultural Flourishing.

Exhausted from typing, I yawned and leaned over the desk, intending to take a short rest.

Just as I was drifting off, a red piece of paper descended from the sky, landing on my keyboard. The paper was filled with dense, intricate writing. I sat up and studied it carefully. The characters twisted and curled like alien script; after a long while, I still couldn’t understand what was written.

“This is our marriage certificate.” The photo of Yang Jian on the desk glowed faintly. He appeared beside me, clad in a fitted black robe that accentuated his handsome features. He gazed at the marriage certificate in my hand.

“My Yu’er…” Yang Jian’s dark, star-like eyes brimmed with deep affection, his voice tinged with cautious hope. “Will you marry me?”

“Are you willing to marry me?” I asked in return.

Yang Jian hastily replied, “It has been my lifelong wish.”

Hearing this, I didn’t hesitate. From my bosom, I produced a jade personal seal and pressed it firmly onto the marriage certificate.

Seeing my decisiveness, Yang Jian was momentarily stunned. He pulled out a similar jade seal from his own robe and pressed it onto the paper without hesitation.

“Thank you… Yu’er, thank you for still wanting to be with me.” Something seemed to stir within him, and his eyes turned slightly moist.

Page 2/3

His words sounded strange to me, and I looked at him in puzzlement. “Did you think I didn’t want to be with you before I came down here?”

“No.” Yang Jian seemed to realize he had almost revealed something he shouldn’t have. Quickly, he said, “I’m just so happy that I spoke without thinking.”

He then grabbed the marriage certificate, saying, “I’ll go submit this to the Jade Emperor for approval.” With that, he turned and vanished.

Why did Yang Jian seem so odd?

Suddenly fully awake, I rubbed my eyes and realized that it must have been my soul manifesting again. I shut down the computer and returned to bed to sleep.

No sooner had I lain down than a strange sensation crept over me. Suddenly, countless pale hands shot out from beneath the bed, pressing me down so tightly I couldn’t move. In one word, I was experiencing sleep paralysis!

From the ceiling, doorway, windows, and floor, innumerable demons and monsters poured in, invading every crevice. Even a spider demon lady hung upside down from the ceiling, her dangling webs nearly brushing my face. At the doorway stood a formidable male demon clad in red—his presence screamed danger.

In the void of darkness, a pair of female eyes appeared. Beautiful yet filled with malice and recklessness.

Instinctively, I opened my mouth to call out to Yang Jian for rescue, but a tinkling, mocking laugh interrupted me. “Did you forget? Yang Jian just said he went to the divine realm to submit the marriage certificate. You won’t find him here to save you now.”

Damn it! She took advantage of Yang Jian’s absence to come!

That pair of striking eyes seemed familiar. Upon closer inspection, they bore a resemblance to my soul. A name sprang to mind, and I called to her with my mind, “Fuxuan, is that you?”

“Hehe… Sister Yu, you remember me. What an honor,” she said.

Fuxuan was the daughter of Fuxi and the Goddess Luo. Contrary to some myths, the Goddess Luo was not Fuxi’s daughter but his legitimate wife, hence her title Lady Mi.

The Goddess Luo and my mother, the Heavenly Consort, were twin sisters—so identical in beauty it was said I inherited my soul’s good looks from my mother, which explained why I resembled the Goddess Luo to some degree. Because my parents were busy with their duties, I was raised by my aunt, the Goddess Luo. Fuxuan was spoiled and willful, always jealous of me for being more beautiful. Especially after she developed feelings for Yang Jian upon first meeting him, she became even more hostile toward me.

Page 3/3

“I am now in the mortal realm. You colluding with demons to attack me violates the heavenly laws. Aren’t you afraid of being cast down?” I challenged her.

“Hmph, trying to scare me?” Fuxuan stepped out of the darkness, revealing a graceful and enchanting woman. She sauntered over, leaning provocatively on my bedside, looking down at me with a superior air.

With a flash from her sleeve, she drew a sharp blade. Raising it high, she aimed to stab at my heart. “Only if you die will I have a chance.”

Terrified, I shut my eyes tightly, silently pleading, “Yang Jian, if you don’t come back soon, you’ll lose your wife.”

At that moment, a long, strong hand suddenly emerged from within me, gripping the blade. Fuxuan froze, utterly unprepared for this turn of events.

A tall, ethereal figure pulled free from my body and sprang to the bedside. His strikingly handsome face, tall and graceful physique, and refined gentlemanly aura could only belong to Yang Jian.

“No, impossible! You were supposed to be in the divine realm,” Fuxuan shook her head. Then, noticing subtle differences, her eyes narrowed in disbelief. “You’re a fragment of Yang Jian’s soul!”

What? A fragment of Yang Jian’s soul? I was stunned.

Fuxuan laughed and cried in a twisted mixture of emotions, her gaze toward me filled with indescribable jealousy and hatred. “Yang Jian actually used a fragment of his soul to be your guardian deity.”

I suddenly recalled that Teacher Xing had once told me there should be a guardian deity hidden within my body. Like an airbag in a car, the guardian deity would emerge only in moments of grave danger to protect me. But no one knew exactly who it was.

Though only a fragment of Yang Jian’s soul, its power was formidable. Soon, the demons in the room were either slain by him or fled in terror. Even Fuxuan, disheartened, left the scene.

After the demons vanished, the fragment of Yang Jian’s soul came to the bedside, bent down, and embraced me gently. Softly, he comforted, “Don’t be afraid, Yu’er. I am here.”