When Earth Awakened, I Became a Sword Saintess

Chapter 208 : Fairy Princess from the Other Shore

208: Fairy Princess from the Other Shore

Ghost King Jiang Yun carried Yuyin all the way into the ancient stone castle perched on the cliffside.

"Welcome back, Your Majesty."

Beneath the stone gate, carved from a single massive rock over thirty meters high, numerous Ghost Clan generals, elders, and guards knelt in reverence to greet Jiang Yun's return.

Jiang Yun led her ghostly retinue into the castle, still refusing to put Yuyin down despite Yuyin's quiet protests, which all proved useless. They walked through corridors carved directly into the mountain itself, with bronze braziers blazing on either side. Terrifying demons from hell, varied in color and form, stood guard, their ferocious gazes regarding Yuyin with great interest as she was carried in Jiang Yun's arms. For such a tall, mature young woman to be carried like this was truly mortifying.

Jiang Yun ascended level after level of towering stone steps, finally entering a relatively quiet hall on the castle's upper floor before setting Yuyin down.

This hall was apparently not the castle's main chamber, but rather a private hall where the Ghost King discussed confidential matters. Though called a hall, it was entirely built of stone, some parts natural rock walls, with simple decorations: some ancient bronzes and faded murals.

From the row of stone windows on one side of the hall, one could see the vast sea and mountains beneath the storm and thunder.

Jiang Yun set Yuyin down, then walked up a step and sat upon her throne, naturally crossing her legs.

Including Xing Ao, the evil ghost leader who had carried Yuyin's palanquin, five or six incomparably robust and powerful Ghost Clan generals knelt before the Ghost King. Gui Ji stood to one side of the throne.

"Xing Ao, you led the heroic ghosts to carry the palanquin for Xia Yuyin. Though it was only carrying a palanquin, you and I both know you took many immeasurable risks. Today, I have finally reunited with Xia Yuyin. You have accomplished a great deed. I will announce your reward at the grand demon banquet in the main hall." Jiang Yun's words were measured, bearing the majesty of a queen who ruled over a vast hundred thousand li of Prison Abyss.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Xing Ao, the leader of those eight ghosts who had carried Yuyin's palanquin back then, with his green face, fangs, and dark red mane, knelt there like an ancient warrior, his powerful muscles bulging as he bowed his head to the Ghost King.

Yuyin unconsciously retreated toward the windows. She looked at this heroic ghost and now better sensed Xing Ao's power. He was likely even stronger than those three Li Su Grandmasters. "It's a good thing I didn't try to provoke him back then... Not to mention the ordinary girl I was then, even the current me couldn't withstand a single move from him. This guy must be the Ghost King's bravest and most capable general, right? Otherwise, why would she send him to fetch her fiancée?"

Yuyin thought this not because she acknowledged being the Ghost King's future wife, but simply as a matter of fact.

"You have all worked hard. You will all be rewarded later. You may withdraw first." Jiang Yun waved her hand.

Yuyin sensed that none of the evil ghost generals kneeling in this hall had an aura weaker than the Li Su Grandmasters. The Ghost King truly commanded many experts, and these evil ghosts were born with powerful bodies, often stronger than Primordial Energy-cultivating Li Su Grandmasters of the same realm.

After the Ghost Clan's major generals withdrew, the stone hall contained only the Ghost King, Gui Ji, Yuyin, and the silent Ghost Clan guards and demon maids standing at the sides.

"Mommy... what on earth is going on? Why has this Xia Yuyin suddenly become your... your fiancée?" Gui Ji had dared not ask in front of the generals, but now she couldn't hold back.

At this moment, Jiang Yun didn't look at Gui Ji, but at Yuyin. "Liu Li, you keep calling her Xia Yuyin. Don't you think that's disrespectful? She is your future..."

"Your Majesty, forgive my rudeness, but there is something Yuyin truly wishes to ask." Yuyin stood by the window, though she had no intention of jumping out if things went wrong. The Ghost King had saved her life. Even if she wanted to marry her, whether Yuyin agreed was one matter, but she couldn't be ungrateful.

"Hehe, Miss Yuyin, you need not be so formal with me. If you have questions, ask directly."

Yuyin bowed slightly. "Your Majesty, have we met before?"

In Yuyin's memory, she had certainly never met such a mature, beautiful queen. Yet this Ghost King, who had descended to save Gui Ji, had recognized Yuyin at a glance, which was indeed strange.

Jiang Yun looked Yuyin's slightly rain-dampened body up and down and smiled slightly. "Indeed, I have seen you once before. And you should know you're the type that, once seen, cannot be forgotten."

Jiang Yun stood and walked down the throne steps. "Properly speaking, we should have met a year from now. I never imagined we would meet early, here in Prison Abyss. Perhaps this is what they call marriage destiny?"

Jiang Yun walked up to Yuyin. Indeed, she was taller than Yuyin. She leaned slightly closer to Yuyin's face, took Yuyin's hand, and pulled it to her own chest. Her eyes held rippling watery light yet were deep as night as she gazed at Yuyin, while her golden eye seemed able to pierce through to one's heart.

"Since that's the case, Yuyin, let us settle this matter quickly." Jiang Yun's gentle breath brushed Yuyin's face. Yuyin could actually feel the warmth of this generation's Ghost King, her rapid heartbeat, making Yuyin wonder: so even such a powerful Ghost King could get nervous like an ordinary woman?

"May I ask, Your Majesty, what matter are you referring to?" Yuyin asked knowingly, not even believing herself.

Jiang Yun's eyes held a touch of reproachful anger. One hand slid in naturally, wrapping around Yuyin’s waist, then stroked downward in slow, deliberate motions. "In the Xia people's dynasties, you know this would be the crime of deceiving the monarch. But I won't blame you. You're just shy, aren't you? Then let me tell you."

Jiang Yun, almost kissing Yuyin's ear, attacked her softly with breathy words. "Of course, our wedding."

"Huh?"

Yuyin had naturally guessed this answer, but hadn't expected such an overwhelming response. Yet Yuyin was not so easily conquered.

She gently, respectfully yet firmly pushed Jiang Yun back a little, her long leg stepping back in one smooth, natural motion.

"Please, please wait a moment, Your Majesty. May I say a few more words?"

"You may." Jiang Yun said gently.

Yuyin couldn't help but glance back at Gui Ji, who had been standing dumbly beside the throne. Then she lifted her head slightly, her gaze neither cold nor showy as she looked at her.

"Back then, when Your Majesty's general Xing Ao told me I was the Ghost King's bride, Yuyin never imagined that Your Majesty would be so... mature and beautiful."

"Oh?" Jiang Yun also slightly touched her face, revealing a blush.

"I must thank Your Majesty for saving my life. I also don't dislike Your Majesty mentioning the three-year agreement... it's just that I, Xia Yuyin, though not particularly traditional, this is ultimately a major matter of marriage, not child's play."

"Your Majesty." Yuyin lifted her head, her eyes flashing as she looked seriously at Jiang Yun. "Yuyin truly does not remember when I ever agreed to this marriage. Could Your Majesty tell me what this is all about? Otherwise, Yuyin truly cannot give Your Majesty a hasty answer without understanding."

Jiang Yun sensed the sincerity in Yuyin's gaze and could see that Yuyin held some goodwill toward her. Whether it was love, after only one meeting, how could one speak of love? Of course, love at first sight existed, just as it had for Jiang Yun toward Yuyin.

She sighed faintly, gazing out at the vast sea, holding Yuyin's hand as she slowly spoke.

"Before that day, before I saw you, perhaps my resolve to marry you was not yet so firm."

"My original intention was not for myself, but for Prison Abyss, for my Ghost Clan. It was an ancient prophecy."

"Come, the window is windy and cold. Come over here."

Jiang Yun led Yuyin near the throne, released her, walked up the steps, and waved her hand lightly.

Golden text appeared in the air.

Seeing this prophetic text, Gui Ji turned away with complicated feelings. In her heart, she didn't believe in this so-called prophecy.

"A fairy princess descends to the world, a Lin flower from the Other Shore, draped in snow and waving rain, charming and enchanting, assisting our king, heavenly calamity shall not destroy." Yuyin looked at the text and read it silently.

Jiang Yun said, "The authentic prophecy is in the East Saint Domain cave guarded by our Ghost Clan for generations."

She looked out at the stormy sea.

"Heavenly calamity approaches... The ancient prophecy tells us that we must find the descended fairy princess, obtain her assistance, to become the true king and lead my Ghost Clan through this calamity. Without the fairy princess's help, both our Ghost Clan and your Xia people will be destroyed."

"However, this is only the prophecy circulated among the common Ghost people. In the depths of the holy domain, there is the full original text of the prophecy. This is only the first line." Jiang Yun's eyes flickered.

"The full text of the prophecy?" Yuyin was shocked.

Even Gui Ji had heard of this for the first time.

Jiang Yun said gravely, "A massive calamity is coming. Even beings as powerful as us are merely leaves in the raging torrent, completely unable to stop it. We naturally follow this ancient holy domain prophecy, but after all, no one can truly guarantee the prophecy's authenticity. However, as the situation developed, our Ghost Clan gradually realized that apart from this, there was no other way."

"We could only choose to believe." Jiang Yun's eyes flickered.

"Following the prophecy's guidance, on a specific day, activating the ancient great stone array in the depths of the holy domain could welcome the arrival of the descended fairy princess. However, the power required to activate that ancient great stone array was too vast. The East Saint Ghost Clan alone could not do it."

"The East Saint Ghost Clan, as powerful as it is under the Ghost King's rule, with so many experts, couldn't activate the great array? What kind of stone array is this?" Yuyin couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

Jiang Yun looked at Yuyin, but showed some reluctance. She said, "So I told them about this prophecy, and united with the four Ghost Kings of East Saint, West Ox, North Complete, and South View. With the combined power of all the Ghost Clans of Prison Abyss, we finally activated the great stone array at the right time."

"That was the day you, Xia Yuyin, came from the Other Shore."