Daoyi couldn’t help but see similarities between herself and the Jiang Family. Because of their mistake in the past, the Jiang Family practically engraved the mistake into their subconscious. They were truly fearful of repeating their mistake and destroying the family, and only a few outliers escaped this self-inflicted curse.

  And what about herself?

  Because of her experience in the apocalypse, Daoyi had closed off her heart. Although she appeared normal, she held no one in her heart. If she were to make a choice between herself and anyone else, even the entire world, she would choose herself without any hesitation as long as it would allow her to live.

  Not even the years of companionship with Tianyi would change that. Of course, that didn’t mean she would abandon Tianyi if she saw a better prospect, like in those cliché novels he liked to author. That would be making enemies and lowering her status.

  Strictly speaking, Xia Yushan wasn’t exactly a bad choice. Daoyi was sure that many fairies would have been ecstatic had he proposed to them. Not only was he handsome and talented, but he also had status.

  Compared to Tianyi, many people would think they were equal. Tianyi had the great Grand Elder Xi backing him and heaven-defying talent, but he lacked authority. For many, Xia Yushan held authority, and that made him more attractive.

  As the Eldest Senior Brother, Xia Yushan managed many affairs, and his authority exceeded that of outer elders even though he was still a disciple of the Buzhou Immortal Sect. If no accident occurred, he would have been a prime contender for the position of the next sect master of the Buzhou Immortal Sect.

  This was before most people knew of the Buzhou Immortal Sect’s plan to transform into the Immortal Court after uniting the Huang Realm and abolishing the position of sect master to elect a heavenly empress.

  Many female cultivators also considered Tianyi a prime dao companion candidate, but he wasn’t as popular for two reasons. He rarely appeared in public or attended social gatherings, and his talent was too dazzling.

  Yes, the same aspect that made him and Xia Yushan attractive was also scary. Tianyi’s cultivation advanced far too fast, and many cultivators had their own pride. They could accept their partner being stronger than them, but not many could stomach their partner being too superior.

  Daoyi didn’t consider this aspect—well, not entirely. Of course, she never thought Tianyi would rise to his current height of power when she chose him over Xia Yushan.

  At the time, she thought that Tianyi had the talent to become an immortal emperor like his mother. She never expected him to exceed her expectations by such a large margin. Of course, Daoyi didn’t choose Tianyi just because of his potential; it was also their compatibility. She felt that their personalities were compatible and that they would not have large disagreements that would set them against each other.

  She did not think she was incompatible with Xia Yushan, but she felt Tianyi was more suitable. As reincarnators, their original upbringing had a tremendous influence on their temperaments. She felt that Tianyi would be more likely to talk it out should they have a disagreement and not use physical persuasion should they have an argument.

  With Xia Yushan, he might be accustomed to using power to determine everything, even if he was wrong. Not to say all cultivators were like that, but Daoyi knew Xia Yushan was that type. She had seen how he ran things as the Eldest Senior Brother. While it wasn’t perfect, everything was orderly. Xia Yushan was fine as a leader, but Daoyi found him unsuitable.

  Although she chose Tianyi not too long after Xia Yushan’s confession, Daoyi felt like she might have been a bit impulsive.

  Not to say she regretted marrying Tianyi—quite the opposite. It was likely the best decision she had made in her two lives. No, she was still too young at the time and had not comprehended the change in perspective that a hundred thousand years of lifespan would bring. Compared with that, her decades of life were minuscule.

  Given the choice, Daoyi would likely have chosen to have a longer time to consider. Then again, it wasn’t like Tianyi had given her much time to think. He had wanted to enter a relationship before undergoing his Immortal Ascension Heavenly Tribulation.

  Should he fail, his mark would figuratively follow her forever. No one would choose to enter into a relationship with her. Granted, Daoyi didn’t think she had to enter a relationship. She only chose to do so because the benefits were immense.

  And Tianyi failing wouldn’t exactly be a horrible thing for her. With how much Mengfei loved her only child, she would transfer a portion of that affection to her, bringing endless resources until Mengfei disappeared—or was possessed by the Heavenly Dao. Then again, there was always that slight chance she would go crazy and kill her on purpose or by accident.

  That was always a risk ever since Daoyi became Mengfei’s disciple, but she did not regret her choice. Daoyi’s goal wasn’t just to survive but to live.

  Had she stayed in the Jiang Family, she would have eventually left and had to fend for herself alone. Whether or not she could survive was also a question. Even if she did, the cultivation environment of that time was far from the prosperity of modern times. Maybe she could have become a true immortal if she were lucky.

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  It was thanks to this stroke of fortune that Daoyi could reach her current height.

  Daoyi shook her head. What’s the point of dwelling on the past? She had to look forward to the future.

  Then again, compared to what the Jiang Family experienced, Daoyi felt that she had done nothing wrong. Before the apocalypse, Daoyi considered herself a normal girl. She had a job that many would envy, but other than that, she did not have greater brains or brawn.

  She tried to be a good person in the apocalypse, but reality taught Daoyi that good people didn’t live long and scourges lived a thousand years. To survive, Daoyi sealed away her heart. She could still be kind, but it would be based on the fact that it would not harm her interests. It was a part of herself she never used again because the apocalypse became increasingly difficult.

  That’s right. I didn’t become stagnant because of my mistake. I’m different from the Jiang Family, Daoyi thought. The Jiang Family brought misfortune onto themselves, while she was innocent. It was the world that wronged her.

  Gan Xuehua’s visage appeared in Daoyi’s mind, and Daoyi stilled.

  Perhaps she didn’t experience what I did, Daoyi comforted herself, but she knew that it was only an excuse. Except for a lucky few who died before the end arrived, everyone experienced disaster—yes, even those tyrants who stole from the weak.

  Daoyi was not proud to admit it, but she had done it herself. All in the name of survival, she had transformed from the oppressed to the oppressor. So, she couldn’t really judge how much tragedy Gan Xuehua experienced compared to herself. After all, it was a painful memory, and no one wanted to share their pain. The reincarnators who experienced the apocalypse wanted to seal it away and forget about it, but the scars it left never disappeared.

  Could her scar really disappear, as Gan Xuehua said?

  “What’s wrong?” Tianyi asked when he saw Daoyi staring in a daze. “Did the Jiang Family do something stupid again?”

  Daoyi shook her head. “No, they haven’t contacted me at all. I was just lost in thought.”

  “Are you thinking about Jiang Ziya?” Tianyi asked.

  “Grandfather? No, he’s even more indifferent to the Jiang Family than I am,” Daoyi said. “If he had cultivated the Immortal Severance Sutra, he would have perfect compatibility—far more than Xia Yushan. All he seeks is the dao.”

  “Xia Yushan?” Tianyi repeated. His eyes lit up. “Oh, him. I almost forgot about him.”

  Although he had been angry at Xia Yushan’s betrayal, it was already a long time ago—so long ago that if no one mentioned that person, he would have forgotten about him.

  Daoyi shook her head. “Let’s go. There’s nothing worth lingering on.”

  For some strange reason, Tianyi felt that Daoyi’s words had another meaning. Still, he did not question it. The two walked down memory lane. They hadn’t visited the second capital like the first one, but they still recalled many memories because the structure and older buildings reminded them of their past.

  “I still remember your first gift to me,” Daoyi said. “When I received it at the time, I thought I would never have enough time to master all those instruments.”

  “So you liked the instruments more than the hairpin?” Tianyi asked.

  “I certainly enjoyed the instruments more. I learned them all and more,” Daoyi said.

  The two didn’t dwell on this memory for long. The only reason Daoyi brought it up was because they passed by a shop that reminded Tianyi of that store. It wasn’t even the original store, but someone had decided to recreate it in the second capital, even though the original store had already disappeared before the first capital fell.

  They eventually arrived at the imperial palace. Mengfei’s room had been painstakingly crafted and elevated. Tianyi was afraid that a clueless person who saw this would think she was a favored princess and not one neglected by both her emperor father and consort mother.

  The room Tianyi stayed in was of no interest, but the banquet hall was different.

  “Is this where you first noticed me?” Daoyi asked.

  Tianyi turned toward Daoyi in shock.

  “Why are you so surprised? With Master’s temper, the only reason she would have noticed me is because of your attention. If His Majesty introduced young ladies to you, he certainly wouldn’t have selected me—someone with little fame or presence. So the only option could be that you saw me,” Daoyi said.

  “Really?”

  Daoyi held her sleeve and giggled. “No. Your mother said it when she summoned me. You were panicking when you learned that Master wanted me to be your concubine.”

  Tianyi scratched his cheek. “I don’t remember much. Or rather, I think I was very embarrassed by what happened in that room.”

  “Well, all things considered, a wife is a much higher position than a concubine. So I have to thank Your Highness for not accepting me at that time,” she said with a mock bow.

  Tianyi responded by coughing into his fist. “How about we move on?”

  “Actually,” Daoyi began, “I still have another question. Why did you notice me? Although I think I’m beautiful, I shouldn’t have been the most dazzling presence at the banquet. I even tried to minimize my presence to avoid unwanted attention. So what was it about me that caught your attention?”

  “It was your looks—but not for the reason you think,” Tianyi said. “You resembled a celebrity I saw on Earth. The resemblance is quite striking.”

  Daoyi didn’t immediately answer. Instead, she touched her side bangs, which she hadn’t changed since her youth. “What was the celebrity’s name?”

  Tianyi said it. He waited for Daoyi’s response, but all he got was an “oh.”

  “So, are you related to that celebrity—or was she you?” Tianyi asked.

  Daoyi didn’t answer and instead counter-questioned him. “How much did you like that singer’s songs?”

  Tianyi had words caught in his throat. Although he knew his wife wouldn’t care, he still tried not to praise other women too much—especially regarding beauty. But if Daoyi really was her reincarnation, it would feel a bit embarrassing to praise that celebrity.

  Daoyi giggled. For some reason, Tianyi felt that the giggle was a bit different. The intonation and volume were exactly the same, but he just couldn’t tell the difference.

  She ignored Tianyi’s confusion. Finally, Daoyi said, “Tianyi, I want to host a concert.”

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  Volume 1 is now available on Amazon

  Volume 2 is now available on Amazon

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