"Why," Ye Yuqiao's Nether Soul Body hugged Chen Haoyue tighter, "Why did he, a loathsome old fox, suddenly become a good person?"

"He's hidden too deeply!" Chen Hao gently placed his hand on the back of Ye Yuqiao's Nether Soul Body, "You can't blame yourself, it's not just you, no one could see it! Maybe it's because of this that he's been able to live until now, as good people don't tend to live long. If you want to live a long life, you first disguise yourself as a bad person. Just like me, everyone used to think I was a scoundrel, but actually."

"Actually, you really are a scoundrel!" Ye Yuqiao's Nether Soul Body interrupted Chen Hao before he could continue, already laughing because of him.

"Scoundrel, when someone is clearly upset, why do you make them laugh? You're indeed a huge scoundrel, always bullying me," Ye Yuqiao's Nether Soul Body complained with a smile.

Chen Hao chuckled, thinking that if the Yang Soul of Yuqiao housed a little girl within her, then the personality of Ye Yuqiao's Nether Soul Body was entirely that of a little girl.

"Chen Hao, do you know, I used to have a particularly bad impression of Qian Feng."

"Um?" Chen Hao listened attentively.

"More than twenty thousand years ago, when my father was still in power, just before the Ghost King Battalion surrounded Netherworld City, my father ordered Qian Feng to take me to Wind Shelter Valley for refuge. When we were passing through a redwood forest and stopped to rest, I walked to the riverbank and stood for a while. When I turned back, I suddenly noticed Qian Feng looking at me with a strange gaze, a gaze filled with adoration, you understand?"

Chen Hao hummed in acknowledgment, "I understand! You must have thought he harbored improper intentions toward you."

Ye Yuqiao's Nether Soul Body hummed in response, then sighed woefully, "Now I realize, he saw me as my mother."

"Later, at Wind Shelter Valley," Ye Yuqiao's Nether Soul Body continued her recollection, "there came news that the Ghost King Battalion had breached Netherworld City and forced my father and the soldiers to Hell. I accidentally overheard some of Qian Feng's subordinates urging him to abandon me and claim the kingship for himself. From that moment on, my impression of him worsened, and I remained on guard against him."

"He didn't end up doing that, did he?"

"No!" Ye Yuqiao's Nether Soul Body shook her head, "Later, the Ghost King learned that I had fled to Wind Shelter Valley, and he sent his strongest elite soldiers to attack it. But, under Qian Feng's command, our few thousand soldiers not only held Wind Shelter Valley but also ultimately annihilated the tens of thousands of the Ghost King's elite."

"Now that I think about it, Qian Feng was truly a great military talent. But at the time, all I could remember was his subordinates wanting him to declare himself king." Ye Yuqiao's Nether Soul Body's expression darkened, "To speak of it, I am truly ashamed. After I became the Nether King, worrying about his power overshadowing mine, I didn't spare any effort to suppress and target him."

Chen Hao laughed lightly, "So you've also done such scoundrelly things."

Ye Yuqiao's Nether Soul Body huffed, "Anyone in this world can criticize and mock me, but you cannot."

Suddenly, Chen Hao's heart shuddered, reminding himself that the Yuqiao before him was not his Yuqiao.

"I am your Yuqiao!" Ye Yuqiao's Nether Soul Body, through the Nether King's Heart, heard Chen Hao's thoughts at that moment, "Eventually, my three souls will merge into one, and I am one-third of that whole."

Chen Hao found no words to reply and temporarily let down his guard, embracing Ye Yuqiao's Nether Soul Body.

"Actually, I find you quite adorable at times."

"My personality has always been adorable. The Yang Soul is colder, while the Yin Soul is very sensitive. Though I say this, they are originally one and the same person; each personality, each soul will have its aspects. In short, you can stop distinguishing who is who from now on." Ye Yuqiao's Nether Soul Body said.

"I'll just call you little Nether then," Chen Hao said with closed eyes, then suddenly changed the topic, "Little Nether, do you think Qian Feng's previous demand to exclude the three Clan Leaders of the Wu, Zheng, and Wang families from the great clans was because he knew they would oppose you and me being together, and that's why he made it a condition for our alliance?"

Upon hearing Chen Hao's words, Ye Yuqiao's Nether Soul Body was taken aback. After a long pause, she suddenly started to cry bitterly in Chen Hao's arms, "It must be so, wuwuwu! All he did was for me, how can he be so good!"

Chen Hao chuckled softly to himself, "Really just like a little kid."

He looked up at the night sky, where the stars gleamed brilliantly. Suddenly, he remembered Qian Feng once said that the future Nether King might be his and Yuqiao's child.

Reflecting on it now, there truly was such a possibility, and he couldn't help but marvel at Qian Feng's predictive powers.

"Thank you!" Chen Hao sincerely expressed his gratitude to Qian Feng in his heart.

..

..

Three days later, a pall of mourning hung over Netherworld City.

Hundreds of thousands of citizens gathered in front of the Nether King Palace to say their final goodbyes to Qian Feng.

As the Nether King, Ye Yuqiao personally set ablaze Qian Feng's incomplete body, sending him off on his final journey. For the people of the Netherworld, only those of utmost prestige would be cremated by the Nether King herself.

Chen Hao, as the Yang King, stood by and played a soul-soothing melody on his flute to honor Qian Feng's memory.

After this highest form of Netherworld funeral ritual, no one would suspect that Qian Feng had been killed by the Nether King. However, the cause of Qian Feng's death would remain as mysterious as the world behind the Gate of the Nether King, a riddle in everyone's hearts.

Having cremated Qian Feng, Chen Hao and his companions were set to depart for the ancient city. To prevent the citizens of the Netherworld from suspecting their true intentions, Ye Yuqiao's Nether Soul Body declared that she would journey to the mortal world with the Yang King for an inspection tour, aiming to reorganize and cleanse the Netherworld in the mortal realm.

Upon hearing this news, Netherworld City immediately buzzed with speculation. People guessed that the Nether King and Yang King were calling it an inspection tour, but it was actually preparation for their future marriage.

..

..

The following morning.

The Nether Soul Body of Ye Yuqiao, Chen Hao, Tang Jing, and Zhao Chong gathered at Chen Hao's house.

"Zhao Chong, in my absence, the governance of the Netherworld is yours," the Nether Soul Body of Ye Yuqiao stated.

Zhao Chong furrowed his brows and said, "Your Majesty, are you certain you don't need me to accompany you?"

Ye Yuqiao's Nether Soul Body shook her head, "No need, I need you to govern the Netherworld well. And ever since I stripped Wu Kun, Zheng Yang, and Wang Yun of their Clan Leader titles, these three families have been quite active behind the scenes. You must be wary, as they might consider rebellion."

Zhao Chong nodded, "Your Majesty, rest assured. I promise to weaken the power of these three families before you return."

Ye Yuqiao's Nether Soul Body smiled, then turned to look at Chen Hao.

Chen Hao vaguely "Oh," then turned to Tang Jing and said, "Tang Jing, the journey to the ancient city is fraught with more peril than luck. It's best if you stay behind."

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