Chapter Two: I Belong to You Now

After waking from a deep sleep, the familiar sound of wailing pierced Yin Tingsnow’s ears in the side chamber.

She had just had a nightmare.

A hazy sensation surged within her; Yin Tingsnow sensed something.

In her dream, a black-clad Imperial Guard cruelly shattered her longevity meridian.

At the thought of this, she trembled uncontrollably.

According to the Great Yu law, children of families that were confiscated due to crimes—regardless of gender—had their longevity meridians severed, severing their path to cultivating qi and extending their lives.

Awakening from the dream, Yin Tingsnow took a few steadying breaths.

Gazing at the silent pavilions of the Xiang Prince’s mansion, she suddenly recalled the heavy snowfall at Yintai Temple, where she had once sat dazed before the stone Bodhisattva, guarding the frozen offerings and watching the snow fall relentlessly for an entire day and night.

Her mother was the legitimate wife of the Xiang Prince but had passed away three years prior due to illness. Before her death, the place she frequented most was the Yintai Temple built within the mansion.

After her mother’s death, Yin Tingsnow often visited the temple to pay respects, sitting in the main hall, staring at the stone Bodhisattva while listening to the snow fall.

It was hard to imagine now that the snow at Yintai Temple was beyond reach.

When the household was raided, the family was already in chaos. The Xiang Prince attempted to flee the capital with the heir but was captured by the Imperial Guards at the city gate, losing his backbone. No one in the mansion was left to take charge.

Many women in the household cried, but Yin Tingsnow did not shed a tear.

She knew one thing.

The Ming-An cult had long designated her as their sacred maiden and would risk everything to rescue her.

Even though she disliked them and knew they were a demonic sect, she had no choice.

In the end, almost all the women in the household would be punished by being sent to the laundry bureau or the entertainment house, reduced to lowly status, except for her—saved by the Ming-An cult to serve as their sacred maiden, suddenly rising to prominence.

Everything had been predetermined.

In the side chamber of the prince’s mansion, the cries of women and children echoed intermittently, despair lingering in the rafters. Yin Tingsnow said nothing, only occasionally touching the silver notes tucked in her pocket.

Faced with the fate of becoming lowborn, the women divided the mansion’s silver among themselves, each hiding some on their person. As an unmarried legitimate daughter, Yin Tingsnow received an especially large share—over three thousand taels.

This brought her some comfort.

Even if the Ming-An cult did not come, those three thousand taels would suffice for her lifetime.

If luck favored her, when the emperor came of age and granted amnesty, she might still use that silver to redeem herself.

It would be fine...

Yin Tingsnow forced a bitter smile, staring at the mansion’s main gate, her mind echoing with images of the snow at Yintai Temple.

The quiet snow calmed her, and she looked resolutely upon the desolate scene.

Until...

On the bluestone path, a figure in a dark official robe appeared.

Yin Tingsnow’s eyes first froze, then slowly widened, and finally... her whole body trembled uncontrollably.

This girl who had not cried until now suddenly welled up with tears.

The cold autumn wind swept in.

Those were tears of fear.

Chen Yi met her gaze and approached, studying her appearance carefully.

Her face was truly small, her eyes a pitiful and lovely almond shape, tears streaming endlessly. At her age, her nose was not upturned but still delicate, her skin soft and fair, even more tender than the Empress Dowager of Great Yu, graceful and exquisite. Since she was unmarried, she was not a princess but a prince’s daughter.

Some women only become dignified and classically elegant near thirty; others at fifteen or sixteen are breathtakingly beautiful.

“Finally... I see you.”

The Demon Cult’s sacred maiden.

Chen Yi glanced at the numbers on his console.

[Negative Emotion: 30]

Chen Yi recalled that the transition prompt in “Beyond the Heavens” described Yin Tingsnow as a fox who was tough on the outside but soft inside and prone to resistance.

“It’s... it’s you...”

Yin Tingsnow’s voice trembled uncontrollably.

“You’re the one who severed my longevity meridian!”

She steadied herself against a pillar, looking at Chen Yi with panic.

She had seen this man in her dream!

Chen Yi stepped forward, crouched down, and took her small hand, smiling.

“Yes, it was me.”

Such a handsome man smiling—anyone would believe he was a refined gentleman.

But Yin Tingsnow only felt the smile was sinister.

In her dream, it was he who had severed her longevity meridian!

Holding her small hand, Chen Yi plotted silently before standing and leading her out of the chamber.

Outside, the Imperial Guards saw the scene but pretended not to notice.

After all, this was a commander of a hundred households!

What harm was there in a little indulgence?

Chen Yi led her into the sprawling pavilions of the Xiang Prince’s mansion.

Yin Tingsnow’s mind was dull and listless; she let Chen Yi pull her along like a wooden doll, the silver notes in her sleeve jingling.

That silver was enough to sustain her for a lifetime, perhaps even enough to redeem herself.

Finally, they arrived at Yintai Temple within the mansion.

It was the place where the late princess had cultivated and prayed, housing a statue of Guanyin Bodhisattva, the incense burner in front filled with thick ash.

A treasure basin nearby was also full of ashes.

Only now did Yin Tingsnow regain her senses and ask,

“Do you... recognize me?”

Chen Yi instinctively replied,

“Of course.”

Hearing this, Yin Tingsnow’s face turned even paler, eyes wide in disbelief as she asked,

“Who... who exactly are you?”

The one who destroyed my entire family and severed my meridians.

Chen Yi sneered and gripped her hand tighter.

She winced in pain.

[Negative Emotion: 35]

Chen Yi looked at the girl, his desire surging.

“I’m Chen Yi, commander of a hundred households in the Western Depot, styled Zunming.”

To sever all my meridians and annihilate my whole family—that was ruthless.

Yet now, he held complete control over her.

Just right—she could be his cultivation companion to practice the Resentment Yin-Yang Technique with.

He liked the scenario where a woman hated him tooth and nail but had to submit—this was why he chose the Resentment Yin-Yang Technique.

Only the two of them were in the Yintai Temple. Chen Yi looked at Yin Tingsnow and said in a moderate tone,

“The Ming-An cult, with three thousand followers, worships the Great Ming Lord and believes the world is divided between the light and dark realms.

Two years ago, the Xiang Prince outwardly paid homage to Buddha but secretly converted to the Ming-An cult, which in turn secretly recruited top talents for him.

To win over a feudal prince of the court is extremely risky; one misstep and all is lost. But the prince’s mansion had a princess, designated the Pure Sacred Maiden by the former cult leader’s will, waiting to be married off and taken to the cult.”

“How... how do you know this?”

At these words, Yin Tingsnow’s face grew even more ashen, eyes wide with disbelief.

Chen Yi would never admit he learned this from later plot developments.

The Xiang Prince’s mansion was raided, the prince and male members exiled three thousand miles, the women reduced to low status because the Imperial Guards found evidence of the prince’s collusion with the demon cult—and that was all they found.

Neither the Ming-An cult nor the Xiang Prince’s household ever disclosed that Yin Tingsnow was the cult’s sacred maiden.

If that secret leaked,

It would mean total annihilation.

Thinking of this hopeless situation, Yin Tingsnow trembled violently.

[Negative Emotion: 50]

“What do you want... to kill me and be done with it?”

After speaking, she straightened her neck like a virtuous woman and declared fiercely,

“Then kill me!”

Listening to her words, Chen Yi looked at her face.

“Killing you would be a pity.”

No matter the save file, Chen Yi had never killed these successive female enemies.

No, he didn’t like killing; he preferred taking wives and concubines.

Yin Tingsnow took a deep breath, mistakenly thinking he might negotiate, and softly asked,

“What do you want to do? Do you wish to join the cult? If so, there would surely be a place for you as a devotee.”

[Negative Emotion: 35]

A flicker of mockery flashed in Chen Yi’s eyes.

“I’m a fine commander of the Western Depot—not greedy, not corrupt—why would I run off to some mountain village to become a cult devotee?”

At his words, Yin Tingsnow froze, her breathing growing rapid.

An indescribable despair overwhelmed her.

“You want what... for the Xiang Prince’s mansion to be wiped out?”

Yin Tingsnow fell silent for a moment before tremblingly asking,

“To send me to the underworld? That would be too cruel.”

Chen Yi chuckled.

“Or give you a better fate.”

Yin Tingsnow’s eyes instantly filled with panic, but soon, the precocious girl who had grown up in the mansion realized something.

She slowly calmed down, then lowered her gaze and tentatively asked,

“You want... to take me as a concubine, to bring me into the mansion?”

Chen Yi had to admire the girl’s intuition.

So, facing the woman who had severed his meridians in a past life and whom he had now cut off the longevity meridian, Chen Yi gently patted her back and said calmly,

“You’re very perceptive, smarter than most women.”

“If not for me, you’d be taken by the demon cult, made their sacred maiden, and suddenly rise to prominence...”

As he spoke, he glanced at the console.

Her negative emotions soared, reaching as high as sixty.

Yin Tingsnow lifted her eyes resolutely and stared fiercely at Chen Yi.

“No, no!

I would rather die than let you, a scoundrel, have your way!”

Chen Yi sneered.

“Now, you have no choice.”

Joking aside, even if he hadn’t transmigrated into “Beyond the Heavens,” he would still collect nearly every notable female character in this perfect save.

Now was the perfect time, while the cult hadn’t arrived and Yin Tingsnow was still immature, to take her into his household.

Moreover, his chosen origin and cultivation technique was the Resentment Yin-Yang Technique.

Looking at the determined Yin Tingsnow, Chen Yi spoke softly,

“Think about it—do you really want to become the demon cult’s sacred maiden, committing slaughter and deceiving followers?”

Yin Tingsnow answered directly,

“That’s still better than being humiliated and oppressed!”

Chen Yi looked at her steadily and said calmly,

“Then how will you face the late princess?”

Yin Tingsnow stiffened.

She recalled her mother’s frail breaths by the sickbed.

At that time, her mother could no longer speak and had to write words on the bed to convey her wishes.

Yin Tingsnow still remembered the last sentence written:

“You must be good, and become a virtuous person.”

The girl trembled and repeatedly asked,

“How do you know...?”

The man before her seemed to possess some magic, able to see through her heart, calling her the demon cult’s sacred maiden, yet he was more like the demon king Poxun.

“I know you far better than you imagine,” Chen Yi chuckled lightly.

“Besides, I already told you—you have no choice.”

Upon hearing this, Yin Tingsnow was instantly silent, standing stiffly like wood.

Silence filled the temple; the Bodhisattva lowered its gaze in sorrow, watching the prince’s daughter with pity, yet remained silent no matter how terrified she was.

After a long while, her lips quivered slightly, emitting a sound like splintering wood.

“I have no choice...”

“F-fine... I’m yours.”

For some reason, Chen Yi’s heart trembled.

Suddenly, Yin Tingsnow broke free, dashed to the Bodhisattva, as if about to throw herself against the wall in despair, and stopped before the incense burner, grabbing the fire steel on the altar.

Chen Yi gazed at the girl in blue, dazed.

Her body radiated an indescribable stubbornness and resolve.

She looked as if she wanted to kill someone.

Yin Tingsnow struck the fire steel; flames rose from the treasure basin on the desk, her face flickering in the firelight, as if burning fiercely.

Yes, burning fiercely...

She was perhaps the Golden Pavilion Temple among women, destined to be consumed by fire in a blaze of tragic beauty.

Yin Tingsnow tore open her clothes with both hands, silver notes fluttering down like snowflakes.

The distant cries from the mansion grew faint.

The three thousand taels—enough to sustain her life and buy her freedom—were thrown into the flames, the red and black fire dancing, black smoke rising.

She had nothing left; nearly everything was gone.

She had burned all three thousand taels, leaving no way out.

She belonged to him now.

The flames roared, threatening to break through the door and soar into the sky.

Chen Yi slowly stepped forward, reaching out to comfort her, but the moment his hand touched her, she forcefully shook him off.

She trembled and gasped for breath, then suddenly turned around, grabbed her own hand, pressing it to her heaving chest.

She stared defiantly at her enemy and declared,

“I am your concubine now!”