596: Chapter 596 Underworld Regulations - Two Beauties United

The Ten Yama Kings stood below the steps, their hearts tightening as they watched.

They had long heard that the Saint's prestige was unparalleled, but seeing him in person today, they realized the rumors did not even convey one ten-thousandth of the truth.

Thinking further that Lady Houtu had finally found such a destination, their hearts were both shocked and reassured, and the corners of their mouths could not help but turn up slightly.

"You have managed the underworld in an orderly fashion all these years; I have seen it, and I am very gratified."

"We dare not accept such praise! If not for the Saint's guidance and enlightenment back then, where would we be today? How could we deserve the Saint's personal commendation!"

The ten men bowed hurriedly, their words sincere, not daring to be arrogant in the slightest—the dignity of the Saint was not something they could look upon as equals.

"There is no need for excessive modesty. I am clear about your intentions. Lady Houtu has my protection; you need only attend to your duties in the underworld, and the Wu clan will be safe.

When the Opportunity matures, returning to the Earth Immortal Realm is not impossible. It is just that that world is filled with endless slaughter and bloodshed. If anyone truly wishes to go, I grant my permission."

"We kowtow and thank the Saint for his heavenly grace!" The ten bowed in unison, their voices filled with genuine conviction—there was no promise more reassuring than this.

"Very well. Return to your respective duties. I will not stay long. The underworld is the Foundation of the Primordial World and cannot tolerate the slightest negligence. Even a Saint must not overstep. With me here, even if Hongjun comes, he must follow the rules. But—do not take these words as a joke, understand?"

"We respectfully obey the Saint's decree! We take our leave!" The ten were overjoyed, their happiness almost overflowing; how could they dare to delay? After kowtowing repeatedly, they retreated quickly, fearing to disturb the Saint's tranquility—provoking him was no laughing matter.

After seeing off the Ten Yama Kings, Jiang Chen felt a warmth in his heart, and his steps grew lighter. Thinking of the person waiting in the hall, the corners of his lips rose involuntarily, but he quickly suppressed it, assuming an expression of indifference.

Just as he reached the front of the Pingxin Hall and was about to step inside, he saw Lady Houtu walking toward him, arm in arm with Nuwa. The two were laughing and chatting, as intimate as ever. He was slightly stunned, then immediately relaxed—he was always too lazy to worry about things that were not his own. Yet, the small spark of curiosity in a man's heart was not entirely extinguished; fortunately, he had never been an ordinary man.

"Chen, Nuwa is my dear friend of many years. Although our two clans were separated in the past, our friendship remained unbroken. Now that she has rarely come to visit, I want to keep her company and talk... You see, don't you?" Lady Houtu's voice was soft, and her ears were slightly red. Although they had not yet married, their status was set, and having invited an outsider, she felt somewhat apologetic.

Jiang Chen's throat tightened, but his face smiled even more calmly: "No matter, no matter. Old friends reuniting should naturally catch up. You two chat slowly; I will go out for a walk and clear my mind." He gave a dry laugh and turned to leave—the honey he had just held in his hand had to be swallowed back, and he still had to smile and hand over the bowl; this man's dignity was truly damn uncomfortable.

"Don't go!" Lady Houtu grabbed his sleeve, "Nuwa is my sister; we are in our own home, what is there to be reserved about? Come in and sit." She did not want to create misunderstandings, and even less did she want this hard-won tenderness to dissipate into the wind for nothing.

Nuwa also smiled and added: "That's right, Saint—"

"Still calling him Saint?" Lady Houtu glanced sideways at Jiang Chen, her tone carrying three parts playfulness and seven parts certainty, "Just call him 'Chen'. He won't mind, right?"

Jiang Chen's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly replied: "Exactly, exactly! Since she is Lady Houtu's close friend, calling him by name is only natural."

Nuwa's eyes flashed, her gaze rippling like spring water, her cherry lips parted slightly, and her voice was soft and clear: "Then... Nuwa will boldly call out—Chen."

It sounded like a lover's whisper no matter how one listened, and Jiang Chen shivered, his hair standing on end. Beside him, Lady Houtu was smiling, her eyes curved—was she really not worried? What if one day her man was stolen away? Did she not feel even a bit of heartache? His mind was instantly in a tangle; no matter how he thought about it, this situation felt wrong.

"Chen, come in quickly; standing at the door like this looks like nothing." Lady Houtu immediately pressed close to him, taking his arm and leading him inside.

Jiang Chen did not refuse and walked along. Just as he took a step, Nuwa unexpectedly did the same as Lady Houtu, silently leaning in and walking beside his other side. What was going on?

His mind was buzzing; he did not even remember which foot he had lifted when stepping into the hall, and everything that followed was as hazy as looking at flowers through a fog.

Nuwa stole a glance at his dazed expression, her heart pounding, and her cheeks instantly burned. But the person before her was not a phantom in a dream; it was Jiang Chen standing alive by her side. She had hoped for too long and waited too bitterly; if she missed this chance again, she feared she would never meet him again in this lifetime. She glanced quietly at her best friend, Lady Houtu, and saw her smiling softly, even nodding slightly—in that instant, her heart beat like a drumming drum, and her fingertips trembled with nervousness.

"Nuwa, I will not say much. If you truly like Chen, right now is your only chance. His feelings are not yet settled and are still fluctuating; once they settle, it will be difficult to knock on this door again. I naturally feel uncomfortable, but I know the taste of a woman waiting alone through the long night. One less of me is better than all three of us waiting in vain, don't you think?"

Lady Houtu's words still echoed in her ears, while countless images surged in her mind. Loneliness, solitude, fear... these emotions that had once pressed down on her until she could not breathe now turned into the strength of determination. Nestled by his side, warmth spread from her arm to her heart, a sense of security she had never felt before. At this moment, she was not the Saint sitting high on the cloud platform, but just a young woman longing to be cherished.

Lady Houtu looked at her expression; how could she not understand? She was happy for her, yet sighed quietly for herself. But thinking about it, was the man beside her an ordinary man? Relying on her alone, it would ultimately be difficult to support that heavy stature and demeanor; with Nuwa walking alongside, it was truly worthy of the words "Ultimate Beauty"—between heaven and earth, it would be hard to find a second pair of such women.

It was unknown how much time had passed before Jiang Chen regained his senses. Both arms were already firmly held, and he could not pull them away even if he wanted to. He felt slightly embarrassed, but upon reflection, he suddenly understood: it was not just Lady Houtu, but even Nuwa had long been infatuated with him. Two peerless beauties, hard to find their equals in the world, were actually willing to entrust their lives to him—how could he not be happy with such a blessing?

"Chen, from now on, you are not allowed to let us down. You must protect us and cherish us to the bone." Lady Houtu sensed his expression softening, and even more keenly caught that the thin veil between the three of them had finally been lifted, her voice soft yet firm.

Nuwa suddenly came to her senses, her ears blushing, but she tightened her grip on his arm, fearing that if she let go, the dream would wake.

How could Jiang Chen not understand? A bitter smile appeared on his lips, then immediately relaxed. He was never a Saint who severed all emotions and desires, but for a long time, he had treated survival as the top priority, neglecting the most authentic yearnings in his heart. Now that things were settled, thinking of love after being well-fed and clothed was only human nature; why should he blame himself?

"Rest assured. In this life, I will never let you down; I will protect you for a lifetime and guard you for an Eternal period." His words were steady, and he took the Opportunity to gently pull both of them into his arms. His heart surged with emotion, and there were no more doubts—the tacit understanding in their eyes and the submissiveness in their postures already explained everything. How much Perfection, how precious.

Embracing one on each side, the legend written in ancient books had actually fallen upon him today. What he held in his arms were the two most dazzling women in heaven and earth, whom so many people could only look up to and envy. It was truly good, so good it made people jealous, so good it was like a great gift bestowed personally by the heavens.

The two women leaned against his chest, raised their eyes to look at each other, and a flash of shyness passed. But neither retreated even a fraction; as their eyes met, their hearts were clear—from now on, they would work together in the same boat, with no more hesitation.