Chapter 127: Originally, the patriarch had decreed it as a lifetime commitment, but now…

Lu Yuan's words struck the silent side hall like a heavy hammer.

Each word was clear, calm.

Each word carried the composure of deep consideration.

The old man's expression of bewilderment and strangeness instantly froze, leaving him speechless.

This was an enormous, unbelievable bargain!

It was the Patriarch personally intervening, binding a genuine "deity" to Lu Yuan!

In terms of power, unfathomable.

In terms of appearance, flawless and perfect.

And his own disciple... just... refused?

Her form stiffened abruptly.

The starlight flowing in her eyes came to an instant standstill.

All the aloofness, distance, and complexity she had deliberately maintained on her face crumbled to dust in that moment.

Leaving only a kind of pure, almost blank astonishment.

"Un...tie?"

An extremely soft, slightly trembling word was squeezed out with difficulty from her throat.

She stared fixedly at Lu Yuan, her divine soul frantically scrutinizing his expression, trying to find even the slightest hint of mockery, testing, or hypocrisy.

There was none.

In his eyes, there was only clear composure and unwavering resolve.

Not a joke.

Not even a test.

He was serious.

This realization struck her divine soul like a bolt of heavenly thunder, bringing a violent wave of dizziness.

Just moments ago, she was still feeling unwilling, humiliated by the fate of that "fate pattern binding."

Yet she could only resignedly think about how to coexist with this so-called "main line."

She had even subconsciously placed herself in the position of a subordinate.

Preparing to begin that long, seemingly endless companionship, or rather... servitude.

She thought this was the trajectory of her new life, one she could never break free from for eternity.

But now...

This "master" she thought would dominate her endless future... actually said with his own mouth...

He would set her free?

Absurd!

This was simply the most incomprehensible argument in her newly born divine consciousness!

How could someone refuse the lifelong protection and binding of a powerful "deity" that was right within reach?

How could someone be willing to personally untie the seemingly perfect "lock" bestowed by the Patriarch?

Lu Yuan, meeting her shaken gaze, slightly turned his head and reiterated with utmost seriousness:

"Yes, the fate entanglement between us must be undone."

"You do not need to be subordinate to me."

After saying this, he no longer looked at the "Deity of Beauty," but instead turned his gaze back to the old man, with extreme seriousness.

"Was what I just said wrong?"

"Think carefully about what you said before. What's the real difference from the situation Qingwan encountered?"

"One must obey the other, one can completely control the other."

"One forever high above, the other must grovel at the other's feet."

"It's just that I didn't use any malicious techniques on the 'Deity of Beauty,' but the end result is exactly the same."

At this point, Lu Yuan glanced at Qingwan sitting quietly on the coffin, then looked back at the old man.

"We can't point fingers and curse at others when we're the ones being persecuted."

"And then turn around and comfortably enjoy persecuting others ourselves, right?"

"That's no different from being a hypocritical, two-faced scoundrel, utterly disgusting."

These words made the old man somewhat awkwardly scratch his chin.

"Ahem, her situation... is still a bit different from Gu Qingwan's case. It's not as bad as you say."

"After all, she survived entirely because of you."

"Without you, the Patriarch would have exterminated her long ago."

Lu Yuan did not refute this point, only his tone remained serious:

"But, no one ever gave her a choice, did they?"

"Perhaps compared to serving me for a lifetime, she would have preferred to have her soul scattered on the spot back then."

After these words, the old man fell silent.

He looked at his disciple, his eyes complex, and finally gave a slight nod.

It seemed he wasn't actually surprised that his disciple would make this decision.

This was exactly the kind of thing his disciple would do!

"So..."

The old man mused, looking at Lu Yuan.

Lu Yuan met his gaze with absolute openness.

"So, I don't want to become the prison that confines her for a lifetime."

"I am free, so she should be free too."

"And I don't need her protection at all."

"I will personally go to the Patriarch to ask for forgiveness."

"Now, hurry up and think of a way to untangle the fate pattern binding the two of us."

The old man pondered for a long time before slowly nodding.

"This matter is a bit complicated. I need to go back and consult some ancient texts."

"Also..."

He paused, glanced at the "Deity of Beauty" suspended in the air, her expression extremely complex, then turned back to Lu Yuan and said seriously:

"You need to think this through carefully."

"Once the fate patterns are no longer entangled, you will no longer be able to guide her."

"But the karmic connection remains. She exists because of you."

"If she ever reverts to an evil entity and brings calamity to the world, you will have to bear this karma for her."

As soon as these words fell.

Gu Qingwan, sitting to the side, suddenly parted her red lips. Her voice was soft, yet clearly echoed through the side hall.

"...I... will... handle it..."

Hearing this, Lu Yuan grinned, flashing two rows of big white teeth at the old man.

With Qingwan here, the sense of security was just so solid!

The old man merely pursed his lips noncommittally at Gu Qingwan's words.

He turned and walked towards the outside of the room.

"Alright then, let's settle it this way for now."

"But let me say this upfront. We have to wait until I finish dealing with the Commanding Ghosts Liu Family matter before we handle this 'Deity of Beauty' business."

Lu Yuan nodded repeatedly:

"Of course! Nothing in heaven or earth is bigger than Qingwan's matter!"

With that, Lu Yuan followed the old man ahead, preparing to leave the side hall.

He had been utterly exhausted lately, and Lu Yuan now missed his big heated brick bed immensely.

When he returned tonight, he had specifically asked someone to heat the bed nice and warm.

Later, he'd take a hot bath, burrow straight into the warm covers, and sleep like the dead. Bliss.

However, just as Lu Yuan was about to step one foot over the threshold of the side hall.

He suddenly felt a gaze, scorching, complex, carrying an indescribable penetrating force, firmly nailed to his back.

It wasn't Gu Qingwan's.

It was... the "Deity of Beauty."

Lu Yuan's steps halted.

He seemed to have... forgotten something else.

Immediately, Lu Yuan turned around and looked back into the hall.

The "Deity of Beauty" was still suspended in mid-air.

The halo of light around her, which had solidified in shock, began to flow again, but with a trace of disorder.

Those eyes that reflected the stars and cosmos were locked firmly on Lu Yuan.

Deep within their gaze, a storm was brewing.

There was lingering astonishment, sharp scrutiny, and even a hint of... a faint flicker she herself hadn't noticed, almost drowned out by her divine nature.

It was the instinctive tremor of a drowning person seeing a glimmer of light.

In the side hall, a wick in an oil lamp popped, emitting a faint "crackle."

In the dead silence, it sounded particularly sharp.

Finally, it was the "Deity of Beauty" who broke the silence.

Her voice was no longer ethereal and teasing, but carried an extreme, cautious seeking of confirmation, as if afraid everything before her was just a fragile illusion.

"You... truly intend to untie it?"

Lu Yuan nodded, his tone calm, yet each word solid as a mountain.

"Truly."

Not the slightest hesitation.

The divine form of the "Deity of Beauty" visibly trembled.

Lu Yuan didn't look at her again, but added:

"But you heard it too. Qingwan's matter is more important. You'll have to wait a few months."

The "Deity of Beauty" just nodded blankly.

A few months.

To her, merely the blink of an eye.

Seeing her agreement, Lu Yuan continued:

"During this time, you are free. Do whatever you want, no need to follow me."

He paused, as if remembering something.

"Of course, with the fate entanglement, you might instinctively want to come find me."

"But..."

At this point, Lu Yuan grinned somewhat awkwardly and said:

"It's just... could you maybe restrain yourself a bit, not use... that method anymore?"

"It's... kinda creepy..."

As his words fell, a faint blush actually appeared on the flawless cheeks of the exquisitely beautiful deity suspended in the air.

Clearly, she also recalled the scene of herself hugging Lu Yuan, licking and sniffing him.

But this really wasn't her fault.

It was simply because after the fate entanglement, seeing him felt so... intimately familiar.

Then Lu Yuan spoke seriously again:

"Also, that tough act you put on before, that was an act, right?"

"Because you knew about the fate entanglement, with me as the master and you as the subordinate, you were afraid I'd take advantage and bully you, so you wanted to seize the initiative first, to dominate?"

The "Deity of Beauty's" starlit eyes flickered, avoiding his gaze.

Silence was admission.

And Lu Yuan, looking at the "Deity of Beauty," raised three fingers, speaking with utmost sincerity:

"You don't need to be like that."

"If you want to come find me or see me during this time, you can come anytime. I absolutely will not do anything to bully you."

"I swear it!"

Lu Yuan's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an incomparable sense of power, echoing in the side hall.

"But without this fate entanglement..."

The "Deity of Beauty" tilted her head slightly, a strand of glaze-like dark hair slipping over her shoulder. Her tone held a trace of bewilderment and unease she herself hadn't noticed.

"Where should I go?"

"And... what am I?"

This question pointed directly to the core confusion of her newly born divine status.

Separated from the worship of the Liu Family's Malevolent Deity, and now severing the fate-bound connection with Lu Yuan.

She, this "Deity of Beauty" born from countless coincidences, the very foundation of her existence, instantly became ethereal and intangible.

Hearing this, Lu Yuan grinned and said:

"You don't need to be bewildered or uneasy. The reason you feel bewildered and uneasy now is because our fate patterns are entangled."

"You want to leave me, but the fate pattern is forcibly correcting you."

"But once we untangle the fate patterns, you'll discover there are so, so many wonderful things you can do in this free world!"

Then, Lu Yuan gave an example:

"Just like I told you before, protecting a piece of land, receiving incense offerings, accumulating merit, becoming a righteous deity."

"Best if you can be carried into a City God Temple."

Then Lu Yuan thought carefully again and said very seriously:

"Aren't you the Deity of 'Beauty'?"

"'Beauty' in this world has myriad forms, infinite variations."

"Mountains, rivers, and great plains are beauty. The hustle and bustle of city life is beauty. A piece of porcelain in an artisan's hand is beauty. A smile on an ordinary person's face can also be beauty."

"You have so many paths. It definitely isn't about 'protecting' a specific person."

"But to witness, to experience, even to protect the existence of 'beauty' itself in this world."

"Of course."

Lu Yuan paused, adding with a serious expression:

"Specifically how, that's up to how you want to walk your path."

"But you can walk it however you want, because at that time, you will be free."

"When that time truly comes, you might not even want to spare me another glance, just turn and leave!"

The "Deity of Beauty" listened quietly. The starlight in the depths of her eyes flowed slightly with his words, growing brighter.

She was silent for a moment, then asked:

After a moment, she voiced her final doubt.

"Then... aren't you afraid?"

"Afraid that with no one to guide me, I'll lose my way again, or... become the 'calamity-bringing evil entity' you spoke of?"

Lu Yuan glanced at the silent Gu Qingwan beside him.

Then turned back, a frank, even somewhat roguish smile appearing on his face:

"Afraid? Of course I'm afraid."

"Didn't the old man say? If you really turn bad, I have to bear part of the karma."

"But being afraid is one thing. What needs to be done still has to be done."

"You can't do the wrong thing just because you're afraid!"

"So..."

At this point, the smile on Lu Yuan's face widened, taking on a joking tone.

"So, you'd better have a bit of conscience. Don't go causing trouble later, otherwise I'll really be in trouble."

After Lu Yuan finished speaking, the exquisitely beautiful, starry eyes of the "Deity of Beauty" curved slightly.

A light laugh, like ice-cold spring water breaking through stone, crisp and delightful.

But before the "Deity of Beauty" could answer this question, Lu Yuan tilted his head back and said:

"Besides..."

"My Qingwan isn't just ordinarily powerful!!"

"If you really do something bad, she'll definitely go catch you!"

"Qingwan might even be more powerful than our Patriarch!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, the old man's furious cursing came from outside the hall door:

"You're talking nonsense!"

"Our Patriarch is the most powerful!!"

Lu Yuan: "..."

The old man hadn't left yet!

Gu Qingwan's beautiful eyes swept indifferently over the old man outside the door, offering no comment.

The "Deity of Beauty" also glanced at Gu Qingwan. Deep in her eyes, a clear trace of apprehension flashed past.

Stronger... than that Patriarch, the terrifying existence who reshaped her divine status?

What kind of origin did this evil entity have?

This apprehension was soon replaced by an even deeper curiosity and desire to probe.

She looked back at Lu Yuan. All the complex emotions in her eyes had settled, leaving only a pure, gentle starlight.

She still wanted to say something.

But Lu Yuan was already yawning, turning and walking towards the outside of the hall, waving a hand without looking back.

"Alright, that's all that needs to be said."

"My master will find a way to resolve the fate pattern matter."

"Before that, you can go elsewhere if you want, or stay at Zhenlong Temple. There are still empty rooms in the temple."

"As long as you don't cause too much commotion, stay wherever you like. I'm tired, I'm going to sleep first."

Lu Yuan strode out of the side hall in a few steps, saw the old man standing at the door with a dark face, grinned, and patted his shoulder.

"Last one out closes the door!"

With that, he scampered off.

Old man: "..."

The old man walked to the hall door with a dark face, preparing to close it, but couldn't help glancing inside.

The night wind blew in through the crack in the door, stirring the goddess's glaze-like long hair.

She hovered in the center of the hall, light flowing around her form, quietly gazing in the direction where Lu Yuan had disappeared, unmoving for a long time.

In those eyes that once reflected the cosmos and stars, now there was only the reflection of one person.

And... overflowing, gentle light called "gratitude."

*Slam!!*

Originally, the Patriarch had bound them for a lifetime.

But now...

How does it feel like...