Chapter 2

Cangwu wasn’t particularly gifted, but as the Heavenly Emperor’s son, he couldn’t afford to slack off.

I understood how he felt. Plenty of people had mocked my talent for cultivation too.

The difference was that I could make my peace with it. Cangwu blamed the whole thing on me.

He was convinced that spending too much time with me had rubbed off on him.

I began to suspect there was something seriously wrong with the man—and to reconsider our engagement.

He didn’t like me. He even spoke cruelly to me. There was no reason for me to cling to him.

It wasn’t as though I liked him that much either.

Still, it hurt a little. When he was a soft, round little baby, he had loved trailing after me.

But people change. The moment he started instinctively avoiding me because of gossip, I knew our betrothal was doomed.

After speaking with my parents, I decided to formally end it when Cangwu returned from his mortal trial.

They didn’t think he was a good match for me either. Naturally, they weren’t going to let me suffer.

When he returned from this trial, Cangwu would formally be granted the rank of High God. His trial was more than a little watered down, but at least it would fulfill the wish he had harbored for years.

I hadn’t intended to attend his ceremony. Soon we would have nothing to do with each other. He loathed me, and the sight of him ruined my mood.

But the Empress had spent quite some time in seclusion because of her health and only emerged on the day of the ceremony.

Worried about her, I went after all.

Even if she couldn’t be my mother-in-law, she was practically a second mother to me.

What I hadn’t expected was for Cangwu to bring a mortal woman home on the very day of his ceremony and solemnly declare that he intended to marry her.

I nearly rolled up my sleeves and went over to punch him. But when I saw the Empress trembling with fury, I forced my own anger down.

I couldn’t have cared less whom Cangwu married. He could take eight or ten wives for all I cared.

But he shouldn’t have announced his intention to marry someone else while he was still betrothed to me. Certainly not in front of all these people.

He was humiliating not only me but my parents.

Before he had even left for his mortal trial, I had explicitly told him we would end the engagement when he returned.

It was neither an enormous affair nor an insignificant one, but it did still require witnesses.

If he’d had any brains at all, he wouldn’t have brought her up here.

Even if he’d brought her back and kept her discreetly hidden until our betrothal was dissolved, I wouldn’t have objected.

As Cangwu knelt, he made a point of glancing at me with a hint of provocation.

I was speechless. I’d known he was petty, but I hadn’t realized he could be quite this petty.

He was doing it on purpose because he thought our engagement had made him a target of gossip and ridicule. He wanted to make his dissatisfaction unmistakably clear.

Suddenly, I couldn’t be bothered. Arguing with someone like him would only make me feel stupid.

Cangwu hadn’t even considered who was spreading those malicious rumors. They were simply jealous of me.

It wasn’t my fault they didn’t have an awesome father and a whole crowd of awesome uncles.

Pity Cangwu’s brain didn’t work.

On the dais, the Emperor nodded, looking perfectly calm.

“I don’t think you’re good enough for Qingqing either.

“Since you’re so determined, go through a few hundred years of mortal trials and reincarnations with this young woman first.

“Siming, Keeper of Fate, arrange their fates. Make them as miserable as possible. Otherwise, how will we show the strength of their love?

“Oh, and don’t forget to let them keep their memories.”