382: Chapter 382 Openness and Honesty Lead to Another Mandate!

Early the next morning.

Jiang Han slowly opened his eyes, feeling some abnormalities in his body, while at the same time, a rustling sound came from his side.

Jiang Han turned his head, his gaze following the sound.

Empress Yun Zhiyue was lying on his side.

She was gently gathering the stray hair around her ear with one hand.

Her long hair hung over the edge of the bed, swaying slightly with her movements.

Seeing this scene, Jiang Han asked with a smile.

"Zhiyue."

"What are you doing?"

Hearing his voice, Empress Yun Zhiyue raised her head.

She turned her face to meet Jiang Han's eyes.

Empress Yun Zhiyue's eyes curved into crescents, and her red lips parted slightly.

"Morning exercise."

Empress Yun Zhiyue murmured the two words indistinctly.

"So energetic early in the morning?" Jiang Han replied.

Empress Yun Zhiyue did not reply.

She lowered her head and continued her previous actions, completely unbothered by Jiang Han's teasing.

The quilt beside them moved.

Luo Qingli turned over and wrapped herself tighter in the brocade quilt.

With her eyes closed, she waved her arms around, fumbling for something.

"Sister Zhiyue."

Luo Qingli muttered, "Stop messing around."

Luo Qingli grabbed a soft pillow and pressed it firmly against her ears.

Watching Luo Qingli like this, Jiang Han chuckled.

Empress Yun Zhiyue raised her head and glanced at Luo Qingli.

"She was exhausted last night."

Empress Yun Zhiyue said, "Let her sleep a while longer."

Jiang Han looked at Empress Yun Zhiyue.

"What about Her Majesty the Empress?"

Jiang Han asked, "Do you not need to rest for a while longer?"

Empress Yun Zhiyue rolled her eyes at him, "What do you think?"

Her red lips leaned close to Jiang Han's ear, "This little bit of tossing about is nothing."

Just like that, it wasn't until noon that the commotion in the side hall finally subsided.

Jiang Han tidied himself up, turned his head, and looked towards the bed.

Empress Yun Zhiyue was leaning against a soft pillow, eyes closed, regulating her breathing.

Luo Qingli was hugging a pillow, her breathing steady.

Jiang Han withdrew his gaze, took a step, and walked towards the door of the side hall.

He pulled open the two wooden doors with both hands and stepped out of the hall.

Jiang Han had not walked far when he saw a familiar figure standing by the rockery ahead.

Ling Xiyue, in a pale yellow palace dress, was standing before an Immortal Plant that was emitting a faint glow.

With her back to Jiang Han, she extended her slender fingers and gently touched the leaves of the Immortal Plant.

Hearing the sound of the side hall door opening, Ling Xiyue turned around, her gaze meeting Jiang Han, who was walking towards her.

As if struck by electricity, Ling Xiyue immediately withdrew her hand and looked away.

She looked at the rockery to the side, her fingers subconsciously clutching the hem of her skirt.

Thoughts churned in her mind.

Empress Yun Zhiyue lived in this side hall, and he was only just coming out from inside at this time.

What this meant could not be clearer.

But thinking about it, they were Dao Companions after all, so it was only natural for these things to happen.

What was there for her to care about?

Ling Xiyue forced herself to suppress the thoughts in her heart.

Jiang Han changed direction and walked straight towards Ling Xiyue.

Seeing Jiang Han walking towards her made Ling Xiyue feel even more flustered.

The sound of footsteps stopped beside Ling Xiyue.

Ling Xiyue turned her head and looked at Jiang Han.

"Xiyue."

Jiang Han spoke, "Why aren't you resting?"

Ling Xiyue shook her head and released her fingers that were clutching her skirt hem.

"My cultivation base has already stabilized."

Ling Xiyue replied, "My mind was a bit unsettled, so I came out for a walk."

Jiang Han looked her over and nodded.

"The Immortal Realm is different from the Four Domains; it's good to walk around more," Jiang Han replied.

The two stood by the rockery, falling into silence.

After a moment.

"During this time..."

Jiang Han was the first to break the silence, "Are you doing well in the Four Domains?"

Ling Xiyue turned her head, her gaze landing on Jiang Han's face.

Was she doing well?

In her days in the Four Domains, there was not a day she did not miss him.

But she could only hide those feelings in the deepest part of her heart.

The status of Holy Mother of Yaochi did not allow her to have any distracting thoughts.

All the affairs of the Yaochi Holy Land had to be carried on her shoulders alone.

Now that she had finally seen the person she had been thinking about day and night, she did not know how to face him.

An inexplicable sense of grievance surged into her heart, rushing straight to her nose.

Ling Xiyue hurriedly turned her face away.

"Quite well," Ling Xiyue uttered three words.

Jiang Han looked at Ling Xiyue's profile and did not continue to press the issue.

Jiang Han reached out his hand and grabbed Ling Xiyue's left hand, which was hanging by her side.

The moment their skin touched, Ling Xiyue flinched.

She subconsciously tried to pull her arm back with force.

Jiang Han's palm closed, his fingers interlacing with Ling Xiyue's.

Their fingers locked tightly, holding on firmly.

Ling Xiyue could not break free.

She turned her head and looked around.

In the surrounding corridors and courtyards, people might pass by at any time.

"You..."

Ling Xiyue lowered her voice, "Let me go quickly!"

She used her free right hand to pry open Jiang Han's fingers.

She pried them one by one, but they did not budge at all.

"What if someone else sees this?" Ling Xiyue asked anxiously.

Jiang Han looked into her eyes, with absolutely no intention of letting go.

"Walk with me," Jiang Han said.

After saying this, he pulled Ling Xiyue and walked forward.

Unable to break free, Ling Xiyue could only be pulled along by him, following his pace.

The two walked side by side on the path of the Immortal Pavilion.

Jiang Han looked ahead, his pace steady.

He did not speak again, just holding Ling Xiyue's hand as they walked along.

Ling Xiyue was held by his hand, walking by his side.

Her head hung lower and lower, her ears turning completely red.

Passing through a bamboo forest, several maidservants carrying jade plates of spiritual fruits walked towards them.

Seeing Jiang Han approach, the maidservants immediately stopped.

They retreated to both sides of the path, holding the jade plates with both hands, and lowered their heads.

"Greetings, Divine Son."

The maidservants bowed in unison.

Ling Xiyue's fingers shrank slightly in Jiang Han's palm.

Jiang Han gripped tighter.

He did not stop, leading Ling Xiyue straight through the maidservants.

The maidservants kept their eyes on their noses and their hearts on their hearts, turning a blind eye to their tightly clasped hands.

Only after the two had walked far away did the maidservants raise their heads and continue on their way.

Passing through a long corridor, they encountered a patrol of Jiang Family guards.

The guards, holding long halberds, saw Jiang Han and all knelt on one knee.

"Divine Son."

The guard captain shouted.

Jiang Han nodded slightly and pulled Ling Xiyue forward.

Ling Xiyue looked at the guards' backs.

She bit her lower lip.

Jiang Han's intention with this action could not be more obvious.

He certainly knew her concerns.

Although it was an accident at the time, the fact that he had taken her body was an undeniable fact.

Even if she didn't say it, Jiang Han could not pretend that nothing had happened.

He was telling everyone.

He wanted to put their relationship out in the open, not letting her have any excuse to hide it anymore.

This was the Jiang Family, and he was the Divine Son of the Jiang Family.

Whose hand he wanted to hold, and who he wanted by his side, no one could dispute.

Jiang Han held Ling Xiyue's hand and walked through the long corridor.

The two arrived at an observation deck in the Immortal Pavilion.

Outside the observation deck, a sea of clouds churned, endless.

Jiang Han stopped.

He turned around and faced Ling Xiyue.

Jiang Han let go of her hand.

Ling Xiyue lowered her head, looking at her empty palm.

"Xiyue," Jiang Han called out.

Ling Xiyue had not yet regained her composure and subconsciously answered.

"Mm."

Jiang Han looked at her.

"Between you and me, everything is upright and honorable."

Jiang Han raised his hand and pointed to the vast sea of clouds ahead.

"This is the Immortal Realm, not the Four Domains."

Jiang Han lowered his hand.

"You no longer need to carry the shackles of the Holy Mother of Yaochi, nor do you need to worry too much."

Jiang Han added the final sentence.

These words fell into Ling Xiyue's ears.

Making her raise her head and look at the vast, boundless sea of clouds.

It was as if a stone in her heart had finally landed.

She was no longer that Holy Mother of Yaochi who had to maintain a facade.

Here, she was just herself.

"Okay," Ling Xiyue replied softly.

Jiang Han turned his head and looked at the sea of clouds.

Just at this moment.

In Jiang Han's mind, a prompt from the System suddenly sounded.

[Ding!]

[Detected a new Child of Destiny appearing!]

[Panel information is being generated...]