Chapter 3 — The Peacock's Vow

My hand had carelessly pressed down upon Yu Canh Xuan, and the sudden contact of our skin caused a vivid flush to bloom across his neck and ears, visible even in the dim light. Flustered, I attempted to pull away, but in my panic, my hand brushed against him several times more. Yu Canh Xuan hurried to seize my straying hand, pinning it firmly before pulling me up into a sitting position.

"Are you... feeling shy?"

Yu Canh Xuan looked at me, his eyes dancing with amusement. What an obvious question! He looked nothing short of a tempter. Pouting, I turned my back to him, refusing to meet his gaze. He simply reached out and turned me back around. It was then that I noticed the faint, dark circles beneath his eyes.

"Have you encountered anything interesting here? Tell me about it," he asked.

Instead of answering, I asked in return, "Have you not been resting well lately?"

"It is nothing," he replied, his voice soft. "Just an old ailment."

I set aside the book he had been holding and tugged him toward the bed. "Go to sleep. I will tell you a story."

I rambled on, recounting the trivial, interesting snippets I had heard over the past few days. Yu Canh Xuan simply watched me with a smile, his gaze gentle and earnest as he listened intently.

"I told you to sleep, so why are you staring at me?" I asked, suddenly feeling a surge of self-consciousness.

Yu Canh Xuan chuckled softly, lifting a hand to stroke my hair before finally closing his eyes. As I watched his breathing grow steady, the icy expression that usually defined his face softened into something tender. Looking at him, I felt a sense of peace that was difficult to put into words. Here in this world of beasts, Yu Canh Xuan was the only one I could truly rely on. Peacocks are known for their lifelong devotion; he would surely protect me. As a human, I lacked the innate strength and magical prowess of the beast-kin. There was no denying it—I was terribly weak. I often longed to return to my own world, but even after searching for an entire lifetime in my previous existence, I never found a way back.

I sighed softly. My feelings for Yu Canh Xuan were a tangled mixture of guilt and dread. In my past life, it was my own manipulation that had driven the entire Flood Dragon clan to declare war against the Peacock clan. The haunting memory of the battlefields, littered with the bodies of both races, still flickered behind my eyelids. Even if I hadn't physically wielded a blade, I felt as though my hands were permanently stained with blood. That was why, even when he ultimately killed me, I did not blame him. I had incited the conflict; my death was merely a form of release. Besides, he treated me so well now. I wondered, without my interference in this lifetime, would war still come to pass? I gazed at his serene brow and leaned down to kiss his forehead. I could not tell if it was my imagination, but the corners of his mouth seemed to curl upward in the slightest of smiles.

Bai Yin sent a letter inviting me to attend her child’s hundred-day celebration. It turned out she had given birth, and the infant had already reached its hundredth day. Time flowed like water. I looked up at Yu Canh Xuan. "Husband, may I go?"

I had to see Bai Yin. She was the Queen of the Flood Dragons now. I was also consumed by a strange curiosity—in this life, having taken over the path I once walked, did she truly find happiness? Yu Canh Xuan nodded and said, "I will accompany you."

Even after being together for so long, I was still occasionally struck by the sheer radiance of his features. "Husband... you are coming with me?"

In my mind, Yu Canh Xuan was always occupied. I had not expected him to carve out time for this. While he had never neglected me materially, his demeanor toward me had always been cool and distant. He nodded, fed me a Water-Avoidance Pill, and transformed into his true peacock form, signaling for me to mount his back. In truth, with his immense power, he could have easily transported us to the depths of the sea in an instant. A sweet warmth bubbled in my chest as I climbed onto him, wrapping my arms tightly around his neck.

The magical auras of the three realms—sea, land, and sky—were vastly different. No sooner had we arrived beneath the waves than Bai Yin and Jiang Kuo appeared at the entrance to welcome us. Seeing me, Bai Yin immediately fell into the role of a devoted sister, eagerly grasping my hands as if we were inseparable. Yet, I noticed that her lower abdomen was slightly rounded. Her complexion looked poor, though she had applied thick makeup in a desperate attempt to conceal it.

"Sister, I have finally seen you again," she said with a bright smile. I smiled back. She glanced at Yu Canh Xuan standing behind me, looking somewhat surprised that he had chosen to accompany me. Leaning close to my ear, she whispered, "Have you two shared a bed yet? How is he in that regard?"

I remained silent, though I did not miss the glimmer of gloating triumph that flickered in her eyes.