Chapter 62: The Marquis of Carefree, Young Master Tian, and Goshutian

Wine in the cup, cup in the hand.

Casually holding the wine while facing the bright moon, beneath which lay emerald mountains, gentle ripples, a small bridge, and flowing water.

A pair of eyes looked at him, so beautiful, so tender.

She softly said, "Ever since I met you, I've realized... that the scenery here is actually so lovely. No wonder you always like to sit here and drink whenever the moon shines bright."

Ren Yi smiled gently, "Life is like a journey; the path is winding, and the scenery is much the same. I didn't notice it before, but gradually, I've come to see and notice it."

Shen Bijun asked softly, "Then why are you able to notice it now?"

Ren Yi answered distantly, "When walking, people only look at the road and pay no attention to the scenery. It is only when one stops to rest that it is discovered. In the past, I was very busy and never stopped..."

Shen Bijun laughed softly, "You must have been constantly practicing martial arts back then, otherwise how could you have become the universally reviled demon lord you are today?"

Ren Yi smiled, "A demon lord is universally reviled, but the Sovereign of Demons is not. Right now, no one in the martial arts world dares to say a single word against me! Besides, you are also wrong; my martial arts practice was just like playing, hardly worth calling busy."

Shen Bijun looked at him with curiosity and asked, "Then what were you busy with before?"

Ren Yi replied indifferently, "Busy curing my own illness..."

The moonlight spilled across his face, and she suddenly noticed his hair, which was as white as snow the whole time.

"Then... then have you been cured?"

There was a hint of worry in her tone.

Ren Yi shook his head, looked at her, and smiled, "There is no need for you to worry; someone like me cannot die."

If he didn't say it was cured, did that mean it wasn't cured yet?

Shen Bijun suddenly understood why he constantly read medical treatises, and why he had someone deliver a massive chest of medical books to the Shen residence.

"I... I will accompany you tonight, accompany you to admire the moon, and then watch the sunrise with you."

Ren Yi smiled lightly, "I would rather you said you wanted to accompany me to sleep."

Her eyes, previously brimming with smiles, tender and affectionate, about to melt... upon hearing these words, her rosy cheeks instantly flushed—seven parts bashful and three parts playfully reproachful. Her face looked as though it had been steamed by the vapors of wine, her pink cheeks blooming with an exquisite, peerless beauty beyond description.

"...If... if you say such things again, I... I will go back."

Ren Yi looked at her and praised softly, "Graceful with drifting elegance, lightsome and unrestrained. Proud of her peerless beauty, relying on her breathtaking form."

Shen Bijun's cheeks flushed crimson as she lowered her head slightly, no longer daring to look at him.

"This gentle, delicate, and charming look of yours makes me unable to resist wanting to tease you once more."

Shen Bijun raised her head, between tears and laughter, and said, "There is no one quite like you. I..."

Ren Yi interrupted, "However, what you said is right; tonight you must stay by my side."

Before Shen Bijun could ask why, she suddenly heard the rolling sound of carriage wheels...

This place was extremely close to the Shen residence, just a few steps away. Who was so bold as to come here? Furthermore, it was already the hour of the boar, so why would a carriage be heading in this direction?

The wheels rolled heavily, and hoofbeats echoed in a flurry. In the distance, two candlelight points could be seen approaching slowly.

It was a carriage, one that was not only spacious but also extremely luxurious...

Four horses pulled the carriage, and at a single glance, one could tell they were all fine steeds of a thousand miles. A layer of light gauze was draped over the carriage... smooth, brand-new, and embroidered with all sorts of beautiful flowers, stitched with such precision and vividness.

The carriage body was adorned with sparkling pearls and brilliant gemstones, and even the curtains were woven from golden threads.

From the carriage body to the horses, every single item selected was exceptionally beautiful, and every detail was so lavish that one could hardly imagine what the interior of the carriage might look like.

A silvery, girlish laugh rang out, clear and enchanting.

On the carriage frame appeared brocade garments and a golden crown, framing a face so fair and tender it seemed a breath could break it. An indescribably captivating, sweet smile rested upon her face—the newcomer was none other than the Young Master!

She stepped down from the carriage and then opened the carriage door.

Shen Bijun only felt a sudden rush of wind and saw a dark shadow flash by. Then, a voice said, "This is the first time you and I have met."

The voice came from right beside her. Shen Bijun gave a start, having no idea when someone else had also taken a seat inside the pavilion.

His voice was soft and melodious. He had both a saber and wine on hand; the saber rested on the stone table, while the wine was in his hand. He slowly poured the wine, filling two cups.

His movements and posture were equally graceful. Not only that, but this man, from top to bottom, from inside out, from his attire, speech, expression, demeanor, to his bearing, was so nearly flawless it was astonishing.

The man was extremely handsome in appearance, luxuriously dressed, and wore a high crown of archaic design. He looked immensely dignified, with the imposing majesty of a monarch.

Shen Bijun glanced at him and immediately looked away.

For she discovered that this man was short, astonishingly short. Yet his physique was well-proportioned, his bearing extraordinary, and his air so noble that even while seated, he seemed somehow taller than others.

However, if one looked at this man and then back at Ren Yi, one would realize: short is short, a dwarf is a dwarf, for no one could possibly tower above Ren Yi.

The Young Master walked up behind this man. Ren Yi fixed his gaze on him and smiled slightly, "We are total strangers, and this is indeed our first meeting, but I am slightly surprised that you actually dared to come."

After sitting down, the man raised his cup first and said indifferently, "Did you think I wouldn't dare?!"

Ren Yi likewise raised his cup...

Shen Bijun cried out in alarm, "Don't..."

Ren Yi smiled at her and drank down the wine.

He said leisurely, "Your esteemed wife seems to care for you deeply."

Ren Yi did not answer, merely asking with a smile, "Did you come to deliver the saber?"

The saber resting on the table possessed a quaint and ancient scabbard... Both the scabbard and the hilt appeared quite plain, without the slightest dazzling decoration.

Yet looking closer at the hilt, it seemed to carry a bone-chilling, soul-frightening murderous aura! Just from the scabbard and hilt, one could guess that the weapon housed within was the world-renowned divine blade, the Deer-Slicing Saber!

He threw his head back and laughed, "A person of your stature is worthy of it!"

With that, he raised his cup to drink again. Draining the wine in his cup, his face suddenly darkened as he said, "In this world, I have a thoroughly detailed understanding of every single martial arts practitioner. Even their private bedroom affairs and secret concubines kept outside cannot escape my eyes and ears. Yet I know very little about you and you alone. Until recently, I didn't even know the origin of your martial arts."

Ren Yi smiled slightly, "But I know you."

"Oh?!"

"Your real name is Goshutian, known as the 'Xiaoyao Marquis' [Marquis of Carefree], and you also call yourself the 'Heavenly Young Master'."

His expression suddenly changed...

Ren Yi smiled and continued, "You have a physical disability and are a dwarf! Yet you are a clever man with an unforgetting memory. Your martial arts are exceptionally high; aside from me, there is no one left in the world who is your match. You even established the Doll Manor, imprisoning martial artists who refuse to submit to you, taking pleasure in toying with them."

The Xiaoyao Marquis said coldly, "You certainly know a lot, which surprises me. However, often, when a person knows too much, it invites a fatal calamity."

Ren Yi smiled indifferently, "Relying on a dwarf like you?"

With a whiz, a spinning wine cup flew from his fingertips straight toward Ren Yi.

With a flick of his finger, Ren Yi sent the cup rebounding back whence it came...