Chapter 72: Dreams and Recognition

 

Sima Jiao, ruler of Hu Kingdom, had endured insomnia and chaotic dreams since childhood. His nocturnal visions proved relentlessly disturbing—vast crimson skies bleeding into endless flames, shadowy palaces where chains pressed against his skull, all suffused with crushing oppression.

Like the tutors who had once lectured him with their endless sermons and contemptuous, dismissive gazes, these dreams brought only profound unease.

Yet occasionally, he would dream of someone different—a woman.

Sometimes she sat beside a mountain stream, bare feet trailing in crystalline water as she reached to pluck a tender green leaf, which she swept playfully through the current. Sunlight danced across her ankles, illuminated her long lashes and cheeks, caught the graceful movement of her fingers as they created ripples in the stream.

In those dreams, profound peace settled over him, accompanied by gentle emotions as he watched. Through these visions, he could almost feel the stream's cool touch against his own skin.

Sometimes she lay nestled in luxurious bedding, sinking into plush comfort like a date wrapped in sweet pastry, emanating faint, honeyed fragrance. Occasionally she would turn, stretching out her hand to rest it along the bed's edge. In his dreams, he would lift that hand, squeezing each delicate finger one by one.

Other times, she wept before him in his visions, as though he had shattered her heart, making her unable to find joy even in sleep, compelling her to shed tears for his sake, forcing him to endure pain with no outlet for relief.

The face in his dreams had grown increasingly distinct as he aged, becoming ever more vivid. However, the question of her identity had troubled him for years.

"Who are you?"

"Liao Tingyan, I am Liao Tingyan." By the time they met, she was already Liao Tingyan.

Sima Jiao stood before her, his hand caressing her chin and cheeks with curious intensity. His fingers carried subtle coolness, his gaze filled with wonder.

Liao Tingyan had finished crying and finally recovered from the overwhelming emotion of their reunion. She sat gazing up at Sima Jiao as though observing a flower that had bloomed again after countless years. After the initial surge of feeling subsided, gentler waves continued washing against the shores of her heart, creating small, persistent ripples.

If not for so many watching eyes, she might have been unable to resist touching his face in return.

Studying him carefully, she noted that the current "Your Majesty" remained quite young, appearing approximately sixteen years old, markedly different from his former self with a more innocent quality. The previous Sima Jiao had possessed adult bearing—having lived for centuries—and his usual expressions, manner, and movements all carried mature authority. But this current Sima Jiao... was genuinely tender.

Those were the same eyes, yet without centuries of accumulated memories layered behind them, they appeared much clearer and slightly rounder. His facial contours proved softer than his adult appearance, less sharp, as were his nose and lips—altogether quite adorable.

This feeling resembled suddenly returning to teenage years and glimpsing a young lover's face—she was nearly overwhelmed by his cuteness! Even if he had previously been a selfish old bastard, it couldn't diminish his current charm.

His delicate face appeared impossibly smooth.

Liao Tingyan couldn't resist reaching out to touch the emperor's cheek.

Sima Jiao: "...?"

This beauty before him, who had been weeping moments ago, had been brought by force. Naturally, he could touch her face whenever desired, but what was her reasoning for touching his face so naturally in return? Was he truly the tyrannical ruler with the fearsome reputation, or was it her?

Sima Jiao regarded her strangely. "You dare touch my face?"

Liao Tingyan: "..." To be honest, Your Majesty, I've touched your backside before, so what's significant about touching your face?

Sima Jiao discovered he felt no anger at this disrespect; instead, curiosity stirred. "You don't seem to fear me?"

Liao Tingyan: Do I need to act afraid of you now?

But she had just arrived and hadn't established her backstory as his former partner. She didn't know what terrifying deeds this tyrant had committed, so where should she begin displaying fear? Honestly, her acting abilities hadn't improved over the years, and she wasn't certain she could handle this version of Sima Jiao.

Sima Jiao: "Haven't you heard that I kill as easily as crushing insects?"

Liao Tingyan: "Oh my?"

Sima Jiao felt dissatisfied with her clueless response. He concluded this young lady must be too sheltered and naive, unaware of worldly suffering, not even having heard his reputation. She probably couldn't imagine what his killing entailed.

So Sima Jiao seated himself grandly beside her, leaning against the table while waving away nearby attendants, then examined her brazenly from head to toe. In a perversely twisted tone, he declared: "I once flayed a person who dared curse me and suspended him at the palace gate until wind and rain reduced him to bleached bones."

Liao Tingyan: Yes, that's truly frightening—if there wasn't the comparison to the former Sima Jiao who would casually exterminate entire clans, kill everyone in Gengchen Immortal Mansion's inner circle with a single gesture, and burn half the demon generals of the Demon Realm to use as fertilizer.

Sima Jiao could tell the beauty before him remained unfrightened. He chuckled softly, lifting her chin. "Aren't you afraid that if you anger me, I'll treat you similarly? I'm not someone who cherishes beautiful women."

Of course, this man had never been associated with cherishing women. She remembered how when she first entered Gengchen Immortal Mansion and was selected for his Three Sacred Mountain Tower, she had witnessed him kill many beautiful women. When he wanted death, he never discriminated between men and women.

Yes, she had recovered a small portion of her memories—recollections that returned after Sima Jiao had transformed himself into that candle. Perhaps the shock had triggered their return.

The sixteen-year-old Sima Jiao leaned close, deliberately attempting to frighten her by recounting his "great achievements," but Liao Tingyan felt no fear; she even wanted to laugh.

Very well, she should grant His Majesty some dignity. After all, he was supposed to be the terrifying emperor.

"So... so frightening." Her voice trembled slightly—trembling from suppressed laughter.

Sima Jiao: "..." He sensed something peculiar about this woman.

"You don't seem to understand your fate. I am Emperor Sima Jiao, and you will accompany me to Yan City, the royal capital." From now on, she would leave her homeland and be confined within that palace cage.

Liao Tingyan nodded with composure. "Very well, I agree."

Sima Jiao: "...I'm not requesting your agreement. I'm informing you that from now on, you are my woman." His meaningful gaze swept over her form, awaiting her panic and dismay.

Panic and dismay proved impossible. Liao Tingyan hesitated as she observed the young emperor's smooth features, thinking that youth was truly wonderful. Even when he spoke such nonsense, seeing his tender face, she couldn't summon anger.

However, being his woman didn't seem appropriate. Considering such matters now was far too premature.

Although this wasn't the modern world, Sima Jiao's current body was only sixteen years old—he probably hadn't even fully matured. He likely retained no memories of his past life, and his mentality remained that of a rebellious teenager. She truly couldn't bring herself to take advantage of him.

No, her conscience wouldn't permit sleeping with an underage boy. She would wait at least two more years.

"Your Majesty, could we discuss this in two years? Or perhaps one year?" Liao Tingyan tactfully shifted her address from informal to respectful.

"I'm still young and somewhat frightened."

Sima Jiao: "..." What nonsense was this person spouting?

His pale face darkened. "You think you have choice? If I desire it, you can belong to me immediately."

Liao Tingyan: Stop, don't force me to commit crimes. My willpower is quite weak, and my moral sense is diminishing. One careless moment, and I might do something.

Perhaps because she was now considerably stronger than Sima Jiao, she found it amusing to hear a sixteen-year-old boy attempting to provoke her. Liao Tingyan considered herself an adult now, a powerful demon master who could pin Sima Jiao to any surface with one finger, so she maintained remarkable tolerance.

No matter what you say, I won't become angry with you, little brat.

But later, when she was "abducted" into a spacious carriage bound for Yan City, the royal capital, Sima Jiao suddenly addressed her as she naturally settled beside him, preparing to rest: "Are you simple-minded? Why aren't you reacting at all? If you enter my harem like this, you'll be devoured alive by the women there."

Mature Adult·Never Gets Angry·Liao Tingyan: Harem women? What women? Sima Jiao, you're finished. Your decades of life are about to end prematurely!

Seeing Liao Tingyan's expression finally shift, Sima Jiao felt immense satisfaction. He thought, Now you're afraid, and declared with slight smugness: "If you can please me, I will ensure you lack nothing."

He calculated his current harem situation, attempting to recall what the most prominent women recently looked like, but having been absent for some time, he couldn't remember clearly.

As emperor, he naturally maintained a harem. Some beauties were selected according to tradition, while others arrived as gifts. Various lords and nobles delighted in exchanging beautiful women as presents—this was Hu Kingdom custom. Sima Jiao, as ruler, particularly enjoyed bestowing concubines upon others.

When he disliked certain officials, he would gift them beautiful women. Those he dispensed were all exceptional competitors in his harem's power struggles; none proved easy to handle.

He kept beauties sent from various parties as though raising fighting crickets, making them compete against each other. Whoever possessed the skill and cunning to prevail became useful to him.

This troublesome emperor, each time he gave away a beauty, would claim it promoted harmony between ruler and ministers. But when the virtuous King Hu gifted beautiful concubines to his generals, it stemmed from brotherly feelings and generosity. Sima Jiao, however, did so with malicious intent toward officials he disliked. One beauty could overturn an official's entire household, creating chaos. He had disrupted countless harmonious families among court officials.

Now those officials feared most the emperor's whims during festival banquets, where he would always distribute several beauties. This wasn't gifting beauties; this was dispatching harbingers of disaster.

Liao Tingyan remained unaware of these details. She gritted her teeth, observing Sima Jiao sitting there like a lord, then suddenly raised her hand and gestured. Sima Jiao blinked, then slowly closed his eyes. His eyelids lowered, but his eyeballs continued moving, as if struggling to remain conscious.

Liao Tingyan wrapped her arm around his neck, softly comforting him. "You're tired, sleep now." Only then did Sima Jiao cease struggling and gradually fall into slumber.

After putting him to sleep, Liao Tingyan took his wrist and checked his pulse, then curled her lip.

Such an innocent boy.

However, his physical condition was truly poor.

Liao Tingyan examined him carefully and discovered that his soul had indeed suffered damage back then and hadn't integrated properly with his current body. He probably experienced frequent headaches. Dark circles shadowed his eyes, visible now that he rested peacefully, indicating poor sleep quality.

Was insomnia hereditary for him? How could he still sleep poorly even in a different body?

His body remained too weak, influenced by his damaged soul and congenital illness. He probably didn't care much, being so young, but if he were an ordinary person without spiritual medicines for treatment, he might only live to his thirties.

She had felt somewhat angry with him earlier, but now seeing his frail condition, her heart began aching with sympathy. Fortunately, she was a cultivator.

"How do you manage to make yourself so miserable wherever you go?" Liao Tingyan murmured softly, pressing a gentle kiss to the emperor's cheek.

She withdrew a jade bottle containing Ginseng Dew from Senior Brother of Guyu Valley. It didn't contain much spiritual energy—cultivators mostly drank it for taste—but for ordinary people, it represented a supreme nourishing tonic. She possessed many superior options, but this proved most suitable now.

She took a small sip, then lowered her head to kiss Sima Jiao's lips, feeding him a modest amount. Even this quantity was almost too much for him now, but in the future, she could administer a little each day.

Sima Jiao frowned, his fingers twitching once, appearing unsettled. Liao Tingyan held his neck, her hand brushing his forehead to calm him, then settled against his chest.

His senses remained keen; even with an ordinary body, his soul was still Sima Jiao's.

His chest appeared somewhat thin now, indeed that of a teenage boy. It didn't carry the coldness of before, possessing warmth characteristic of youth, though his hands remained slightly cool. His heart beat slowly, indicating he had entered deep sleep.

Liao Tingyan gazed absently at his chin for some time, then nestled against his chest and fell asleep beside him.