By the time the bell had tolled for the third time, Chen Hao, still in deep slumber, was roused by the noise.

Seeing the hurried silhouettes cast upon the curtains by the sunlight, Chen Hao felt a surge of curiosity. He walked to the window, slightly pulled the curtains aside, and peered out, only to see countless pedestrians bustling in one direction down the street.

With curiosity gripping him, Chen Hao opened the window and asked an elderly man walking towards him, "Grandpa, what's happened?"

The old man shook his head, looking deeply worried as he said urgently, "Whenever the White Jade Hall's bell rings, it always means there is important news to announce, and more often than not, it's not good news. You are now people of Rainbow Paradise, so hurry and go to the White Jade Hall to see what it's about."

With that, the elderly man hastened away.

"So even the people of Rainbow Paradise know when there's an emergency; didn't they always boast of being free from troubles?" Chen Hao murmured to himself, and then fell into contemplation, wondering what the bad news could be.

After a while, Chen Hao lay back down on his bed, thinking that whatever happened had nothing to do with him since he was merely a passerby here.

At this moment, Ye Yuqiao was still fast asleep, breathing extremely calmly. Chen Hao watched the sleeping beauty for a while, and his mind gradually began to entertain bad ideas. Just as he was preparing to take Ye Yuqiao by surprise, a series of urgent knocks at the door sounded.

Chen Hao sighed deeply, feeling somewhat angry, unaware that, at that moment, Ye Yuqiao's lips curled up slightly, and her cheeks flushed, clearly mocking him.

"Yuqiao, you were pretending to sleep!" Chen Hao exclaimed.

"Chen Hao, it's me, Zhu'er, something terrible has happened!" The voice of Zhu'er came from outside the door, filled with urgency.

At that moment, Ye Yuqiao opened her sleepy, enchanting eyes and said languidly, "Boyfriend, hurry and open the door. Let's see what the emergency is."

"What emergency could there possibly be? It's none of our concern anyway," Chen Hao grumbled as he reluctantly got out of bed to open the door.

As soon as the door was opened, Zhu'er blurted out urgently, "The King has fallen ill, and there's important news being announced at the White Jade Hall. Everyone's going to listen; it might relate to you leaving here in a few days."

If Zhu'er had only mentioned the King falling ill, Chen Hao certainly wouldn't have paid it any mind, nor would he have gone to the White Jade Hall. But since Zhu'er mentioned it might be related to their departure from Rainbow Paradise, Chen Hao couldn't help but seriously consider it.

Chen Hao furrowed his brows, feeling that there was something very strange about the situation.

"Wasn't your young King perfectly fine a few days ago? How could he suddenly fall ill just like that?" Chen Hao questioned.

"Our royal family suffers from an incurable hereditary disease. The past two Kings both died suddenly from it. Today, the King collapsed not long after getting out of bed, and the doctors who examined him afterward said it was an outbreak of the hereditary disease."

Chen Hao knew nothing about hereditary diseases, and hereditary diseases in Rainbow Paradise might not be the same as those in the real world.

"So what's the purpose of ringing the bell and gathering everyone in front of the White Jade Hall now?" asked Chen Hao, as he activated Nether Vision to peek into the White Jade Hall, into the room where the young King lay. He saw the handsome and graceful King, who just a few days ago was the picture of health, now with a sickly paled face, his body convulsing and frothing at the mouth as if he might pass away at any moment.

Zhu'er shook her head, saying anxiously, "I don't know either. I'm just here to inform you. Go and see for yourselves."

Chen Hao looked skeptical: "How does your King falling ill have a direct connection with us leaving Rainbow Paradise?"

"If the King really..." Zhu'er choked up, then composed herself before continuing tremulously, "According to the traditions of Rainbow Paradise, when the King is ill, all the houses must be painted black. This means you won't be able to see the second rainbow that appears this year, and you'll have to wait until next year to leave. There's a legend in Rainbow Paradise that if every resident sincerely prays, the King can make it through the crisis, so I hope everyone will pray for the King."

"There's really such a legend!" Chen Hao felt embarrassed, "If we choose not to go, and your King really does die, then everyone here will blame us for it."

Zhu'er gave no reaction, apparently taking his statement for granted.

Chen Hao's frown deepened, still finding the whole situation strangely unsettling.

Fifteen minutes later.

Chen Hao and his group arrived at the steps of the White Jade Hall, where more than sixty thousand people had already gathered, with many more still on their way.

In a short while, Chen Hao and his group were swallowed by the dense crowd.

To Chen Hao's surprise, despite the sea of people, there were no shoving or shouting; all he could hear were footsteps and the sound of breathing.

This was a terrifying silence, but it also commanded his respect—the citizens here indeed possessed a calm demeanor and were quite civilized.

After five minutes of silent waiting by the hundred and fifty thousand people on the staircase plaza, the old steward in charge of all White Jade Hall affairs emerged from within, his expression extremely grave.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I apologize for summoning you all here so suddenly. I have something I need to announce," the old steward spoke. Though he didn't use a loudspeaker and his voice wasn't booming, because everyone was maintaining silence, his words reached the ears of the last row of people on the outskirts.

The crowd held their breath, and the atmosphere became even quieter.

"Our King has had another attack of his hereditary illness, but he hasn't abandoned everyone. He gathered everyone here for two reasons: first, to have us all pray for the King together, pleading with the rainbow not to take him away; and second, to select an acting monarch to lead us in praying for the King and to manage the affairs of Rainbow Paradise while the King is gravely ill."

"Mm-hm," nodded the crowd, maintaining a low decibel throughout the venue.

Next, after stroking the frame of the mirror, the old steward took out a somewhat unusual trifold mirror from his pocket and said, "When I hold the trifold mirror above my head, a rainbow will appear. One end of the rainbow will be in my hand, and the other will land on the head of one among you, who will become our acting King."

Hearing the old steward's words, a glint flickered in Chen Hao's eyes; he had a premonition that the other end of the rainbow would land on Ye Yuqiao's head, right beside him.

Indeed!

Everything happened just as he had anticipated. As soon as the old steward raised the trifold mirror into the air, a tricolored rainbow appeared before the hundred thousand people, eventually resting on top of Ye Yuqiao's head.

Ye Yuqiao's brows furrowed, and the usually composed woman began to feel anxious.

Because the gaze of over a hundred thousand people was focused on her.

When the heaven-sent acting monarch turned out to be the newly-arrived girl as beautiful as a Heavenly Immortal, the crowd finally erupted.

Before Chen Hao, Ye Yuqiao, Xie Xiaofeng, and Tang Jing could react, the hundred thousand people around them kneeled in unison, including the old steward at the gates of the White Jade Hall.

"The Queen!" shouted everyone powerfully, the roar as immense as a tsunami.

After the sound waves dissipated, the old steward still kneeling said, "Please, acting Queen, come forward to the hall."

Immediately, the people in front of Ye Yuqiao moved to either side, clearing a path for her.

Ye Yuqiao finally panicked. Shaking her head, she said, "I don't want to be the acting Queen."

"Yuqiao, it's the will of heaven; all the people really hope you will be their Queen. Please don't let down their kindness. And please guide us in praying and helping the King overcome his illness, to relieve the people of this place."

"Queen, please accept the position of acting monarch," shouted the hundred thousand people again, like a tidal wave.

Ye Yuqiao's heart trembled. She remembered her time in the Netherworld; whenever she went on an inspection or appeared in public, tens of thousands of her subjects would kneel before her. Each time, she would listen patiently to their hardships and voices, almost always granting their requests.

The scene before her was so similar to those past moments.

"Queen, please accept!" the crowd pleaded once more.

"Humph, how absurd!" Chen Hao stepped forward, standing in front of Ye Yuqiao to speak.

However, just as he was about to start reprimanding, Ye Yuqiao's right hand caught his arm and she signaled to him in secret, "Boyfriend, let me try being the acting monarch for a few days."

Chen Hao's heart shook violently, never having expected Ye Yuqiao to agree to this ridiculous request.

Before he could react, Ye Yuqiao had already ascended the steps, leaving him standing alone.

Amidst the cheers of the crowd, Ye Yuqiao accepted the role of acting monarch. As everyone shouted long live the Queen, she vaguely saw scenes reminiscent of her time in the Netherworld.

From that day on, Ye Yuqiao would join a hundred thousand citizens of Rainbow Paradise each evening in front of the White Jade Hall, praying for the King.

It was also from that day on that Ye Yuqiao moved into the White Jade Hall. However, every night, she would turn into a shadow, leaving the White Jade Hall to find Chen Hao until daybreak, before returning. It was for this reason that Chen Hao didn't oppose Ye Yuqiao's acting duties—he could only hope for the appearance of the seven-colored rainbow and leave this place sooner.

After ten days, the King's condition was under control.

Another five days passed and the young King's health showed significant improvement. Although he couldn't get out of bed and walk around, he had regained normal consciousness.

Two more days went by, and come evening...

Just like the previous days, Chen Hao mingled among the hundred thousand people, praying for the young King.

Of course, unlike everyone around him, his heart wasn't in it. Taking advantage of the moment when everyone closed their eyes to pray, he was casually looking around at his surroundings.

Just then, a seven-colored rainbow appeared above his head, one end at the end of the alley they had entered upon their arrival in Rainbow Paradise, the other end in the blue sky to the west.

"Tang Jing, Xie Xiaofeng, look quick, the seven-colored rainbow is here, we can go back now," said Chen Hao excitedly to his two companions.

Because the venue had been exceptionally quiet, Chen Hao's voice startled everyone present...

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