[Isn't Ye Chen confined in the underground prison? Why is he here? Did he escape?] One after another, questions popped up in Su Qingge's mind, and she was visibly confused.
But of course, as blunt as Ye Chen was, he did not notice the subtle movements on her face.
After Yan Ji had consumed the Mind Convergence Pill, her state as a Cursed Spirit had remarkably improved, after which she helped Ye Chen get out of the prison. However, after breaking out, Ye Chen did not leave Supreme Stygian Holy Land right away. Instead, he headed straight to the palace to look for Su Qingge. Thanks to Yan Ji's assistance, he arrived at the palace without encountering any danger.
Nonetheless, what surprised him was that Su Qingge, who was always training in the palace, was nowhere to be found. As such, he grew restless and began to overthink, wondering if she had moved in with Gu Changge under his coercion. Pained by the thought, he began to wait in depression.
Fortunately, Su Qingge finally showed up.
"Qingge, it must have been hard for you all this time…" Ye Chen didn't manage to finish his sentence.
However, Su Qingge, just like back in the palace, feigned no sympathy for him. Her eyes were, like the moon in the river, as stunning as ever.
Ye Chen wanted to ask where she was headed to, but he couldn't put his thoughts into words.
Despite everything that had happened, Su Qingge didn't seem to have been affected by them. Hearing that, she retained her frown, and instead of answering him, she countered with a question of her own. "Ye Chen, why are you here?"
"Nevermind that. I don't have the time to answer it either way. Qingge, I'll bring you out of Supreme Stygian Holy Land at once! Let's get out of this pit of fire!" Having said that, he went up to her to grab her hand. In his eyes, she was constantly under the coercion of her father and Gu Changge, or rather, even this so-called holy land was forcing her against her will. He could relate to her entrapment.
[This is her prison; the pit of fire that's burning her away—a place she can never find happiness in. Only if we revert to our previous lives where we trained together will she be able to regain that innocent smile again.]
Nevertheless, Su Qingge stepped backward to prevent Ye Chen from clutching her sleeve. As her glower remained, her calm voice grew visibly irritated. "Ye Chen, I'll never leave Supreme Stygian Holy Land. When will you understand that?"
"You're not going? Then I'll take you with me! Gu Changge always forced you, but I'll never do that." At that moment, Ye Chen did not care about Su Qingge's claim, and as his words grew overbearing, so did his gestures. Since the situation was rather urgent, if the elders were to find him, it would be hard for him to run away.
"Do not force my hands! For the sake of our past, I'll look past whatever this is. With your current strength, you're not capable of taking me on," Su Qingge stated as her expression remained cool. Being in Transcendent Realm, she was remarkably more powerful than Chu Xuan, the Supreme Stygian Saint, himself.
Ye Chen, on the other hand, was only in Spiritual Palace Realm, so it would prove difficult for him to subdue her. Besides, causing a disturbance in the palace would undoubtedly draw the elders' attention.
"Qingge, why are you so stubborn in such a circumstance? Have you perhaps submitted yourself to Gu Changge?" Ye Chen's voice was somewhat agonized as he spoke in utter disbelief. Having been imprisoned for many days, he was oblivious to the development between Su Qingge and Gu Changge.
Remaining serene, Su Qingge replied, "Prince Gu has never forced me into doing anything. I did everything of my own accord. Ye Chen, stop reading too much into it. Although Prince Gu isn't that special, he's not as evil as you think."
With that, she began to sound as if she was self-deprecating. "I, on the other hand, am no longer the pure lady you knew, for I crave his attention and adoration."
[I'm not special?] Outside the palace, Gu Changge, who was enthralled by the dramatic exchange while being in concealment, heard their conversation. Suddenly, his grin was turned upside down. [Why am I getting shot out of nowhere? Though, Su Qingge might have overestimated my character. I guess gaslighting is truly fatal…]
Since Gu Changge was well aware of every single gesture of Ye Chen, naturally, he could tell Ye Chen was planning to go. Highly anticipating the drama between the protagonists, Gu Changge had yet to find himself disappointed by the female protagonist up until now.
<*Dink! Ye Chen and the female protagonist thoroughly broke up, losing 50 Fortuity. User is rewarded with 250 Fatums.>
At that moment, the notification from the system deepened Gu Changge's smile. [Oh, dear Ye Chen! The once-fine Fortuitous One is now nothing but a broken toy to me!]
After hearing from Su Qingge that Gu Changge had never laid a finger on her, Ye Chen was absolutely delighted. The distress he had accumulated for the past few days seemed to have disappeared in an instant. However, what came next completely left him speechless. As if he was struck by lightning, he was thoroughly stunned.
"What!?"
[It wasn't Gu Changge's coercion, but Su Qingge herself that was trying to gain his favor?] His mind went blank as he was unable to accept her words.
"Chen, as I said, you might have been too harsh on Prince Gu…" Sitting in the air in Ye Chen's ring, Yan Ji let out a sigh. As her hair swayed, she pressed her head, feeling helpless. Thanks to the Mind Convergence Pill from Gu Changge, her body significantly solidified. Indubitably, she also witnessed whatever was happening in the outside world.
[Su Qingge's actions are understandable. Gu Changge is indeed too captivating for women to resist. His looks, his power, and his daunting background…]