An icy-cool aura filled his body like it was trying to freeze his soul. Li Qingshan could not help but suck in a deep breath, but only icy-cold seawater flowed in. He exhaled it slowly and immediately circulated the Spirit Turtle’s Method of Sea Suppression at full strength. Pieces of the Spirit Turtle’s Profound Shell appeared in the darkness, forming a sphere around them.
The surging currents in the abyss gradually settled down, just like the Gong Yuan in his arms.
Gong Yuan opened her eyes. They were bright like the stars, blue like crevasses, and deep like the legendary Ruin’s End, rippling away at this moment. The All Water to Ruin’s End began to circulate as well with unprecedented smoothness. It was a mystery whether the power drove the emotions or the emotions drove the power.
A sense of joy from the depths of her soul drowned out the discomfort that came with parting her tail. Her heart throbbed, and a smear of embarrassment flashed through her eyes, no longer bearing any resemblance to the cold and noble Merfolk Queen.
Originally, it was merely something that she was indifferent about. If he wanted it, then she could simply give it to him. It was not like she had any other choice. From the moment he stole her heart many years ago, she had decided on him and only him. Merfolk were not fickle like humans, much less her.
It was better described as a result of logical judgment rather than emotion. With her identity, cultivation, and age, it was basically impossible for her to go so far for a man. As a result, even when he said something as idiotic as starting a harem, she let him do whatever he wanted.
Otherwise, regular Merfolk women would never accept something like this, let alone her. The infatuation of Merfolk women demanded the same in return.
However, she had forgotten exactly how she was like before she met Li Qingshan. Influenced by the power of Ruin’s End, her heart was filled with pain and deathly silence, almost to a point where she went insane. He was the one who had personally pacified her fears and made her heart beat again. However, due to spending several years apart, the power of Ruin’s End gained the upper hand again, drastically influencing her will, so it turned her back into a woman that was strangely confident and believed herself to be cold.
However, Li Qingshan breached her defences and her heart with great ease once again. She furrowed her eyebrows slightly. Beneath her crystal crown, the layer of frost on her beautiful face thawed, becoming much more gentle, but also gaining a hint of bitterness.
“Yuan’er, how does it feel?”
“Are you satisfied now?” Gong Yuan ground her teeth. She tried to close her legs instinctively, but they only wrapped around Li Qingshan’s waist.
Li Qingshan brought his arms around her slender, delicate waist and conveniently pulled them closer. As he listened to her pleasant moans, he smiled. “I’m absolutely satisfied. I’m glad I didn’t give up on you, or it would definitely become a regret for the rest of life!”
Gong Yuan sighed gently. “I can kind of understand how my younger sister feels now.” Then she grumbled, “It makes no sense, you… immature bastard.”
Li Qingshan raised an eyebrow. She could call him despicable and shameless or arrogant and conceited. He would accept it all, but he could never accept being called immature, as he truly had no grounds to refute that. In terms of age alone, he truly was much younger than Gong Yuan.
“Am I perhaps a choice that’s even worse than a fire devourer?”
“You’re a little better.” Gong Yuan compared what female Merfolk wanted in a partner to her hatred for fire devourers and finally found it acceptable, albeit barely.
Li Qingshan could not help but laugh. This hatred sure was of lasting influence, but he also thanked Ru Xin’s mother for dropping the standards. He gently touched her face. “I’m not exactly a good man, but I will do everything that I can to help you and protect you. I’m very strong, you know? You can’t get everything in the world, but working hard in a pursuit of power doesn’t come without benefits.”
If he had not constantly grown stronger, the fire devourers would have taken down the Crystal palace. The two of them might have even died, so no matter how attached they were to each other, would it lead to anything at all? Tragedies were much more touching, but only if they occurred to others.
“This must also be the price I must pay in pursuit of power!”
Gong Yuan let out a sigh. If she did not practise the All Water to Ruin’s End that left such an opening in her heart, how could he have gotten his way with her so easily? Under the influence of the power from Ruin’s End, she was cold to the limit on one hand, unaffected by anything in the world. On the other hand, she seemed completely vulnerable when she faced him, even desiring him instinctively. It was basically a trial she was fated to face.
When the tearing pain gradually faded away, she brought her arms around Li Qingshan’s neck and proactively kissed him on the lips, except it seemed a little clumsy due to her embarrassment.
Li Qingshan could finally launch a reckless attack now. An enchanting moan rang out right beside his ear.
Under the state of dual cultivation, their thoughts were connected, and their minds resonated. It was a form of enjoyment well beyond imagination.
Quite a while later, Gong Yuan lay on Li Qingshan’s chest with a face filled with exhaustion, with an appearance that was actually quite meek. The influence from the power of Ruin’s End had been pacified by the spirit turtle, so she began to demonstrate the tenderness that female Merfolk were born with again.
Li Qingshan ran his hand down her smooth, soft back, making it all the way down and grabbing a handful of softness. He could not help but get back to work again.
“Don’t touch!” Gong Yuan grumbled. Her body was not as tough as his. She only maintained this state because she savoured the complete harmony.
“Then I’ll go find someone else.” Li Qingshan smiled.
“Don’t you dare!” Gong Yuan said furiously, immediately demonstrating her bearing as the Merfolk Queen. She even began to radiate with coldness.
“What don’t I dare?” Li Qingshan had never been one to be threatened. Many different faces naturally appeared in his mind.
“Then you can piss off!” Gong Yuan was so furious that she trembled gently, immediately cutting off their connection. She propped herself up, about to leave.
Li Qingshan smiled. “Oh my, how mighty of you, your majesty.” However, he saw tears running down her cheeks, turning into shiny mermaid pearls, which surprised him. He never expected her to be like that. He pulled her into his arms in a hurry and consoled her with everything he had. “What’re you crying for? I’m just saying and thinking about it as a joke…”
Gong Yuan turned her head away from him. “I feel saddened inside, so what’s it got to do with you? Go and start your harem! But I will never be a part of it!”
Li Qingshan smiled wryly. Being gentle like water was even more difficult to deal with than cold, frozen ice. This path to the harem sure was long with a heavy burden! However, this did feel quite nice. He had been reluctant to leave in the first place too.
Afterwards, they held hands and returned to the Crystal palace. Gong Yuan did not keep their relationship a secret. Her meek and gentle appearance left all the merpeople utterly stunned. They all thought Li Qingshan was someone from beyond this world since he could pacify her.
Afterwards, they wanted to hold a grand wedding for them. A merperson’s selection of a mate for life was an extremely important affair, not to mention the fact that it was the Merfolk Queen.
“I still owe someone a wedding…”
In Gong Yuan’s magnificent residence, Li Qingshan rested his head against her thigh as everything that had happened between him and Han Qiongzhi flashed through his head. Back then, he was already prepared to ascend, so he refused to tie her down with all the grievances he had. Out of guilt, he swore to never wed with another again.
Gong Yuan was slightly bitter about this, but she actually accepted it gently, postponing the wedding willingly. All she said was, “However, when you’re with me, you can only think of me.”
If a regular woman said that, then it was just for say, but they were basically connected at all times.
“Obviously.”
He stayed several days in the Crystal palace. The two of them travelled around together, admiring the grand sights of the South sea. They did not spend all their time entwined together either.
At the same time, Li Qingshan controlled his mirror clone to do something big in the nine provinces.
Of course, this had nothing to do with women, and it did not take much effort either, but it determined the entire future of the World of the Nine Provinces.
