Chapter 317: The Era of the Douluo God Realm – Part VII: Trouble
Na'er remained silent, curled under her blanket, seemingly resisting Ye Wen's attempts to reach her. Yet Ye Wen didn't feel frustrated. He knew that as children grew, they needed patience as much as discipline.
He had always found the relationship between Na'er and Gu Yuena ambiguous, and now, seeing Na'er like this only deepened his uncertainty. If only silence could bridge the gap, he thought, hoping to ease whatever was troubling her.
Under the covers, Na'er felt overwhelmed. Twice! she thought, cheeks burning with embarrassment. Twice my father has seen me like this… She hadn't wanted this to happen, but
After a long pause, Na'er recognized that leaving things unresolved would only make matters worse. She cherished this warm family and had no desire to lose it.
With a quiet, hesitant movement, her disheveled silver hair reappeared from beneath the covers, and she looked up at Ye Wen, gathering her courage.
"Father…"
Her timid expression brought Ye Wen back to their first meeting, filling his gaze with fatherly love. He placed his large hand gently on her head, comforting her.
Seeing his kindness, Na'er felt the words she had prepared falter once again. His gentle touch stirred memories of the warmth she'd felt when, as a child, she'd first encountered him, lost and bewildered after Di Tian had left her in a strange land.
"Father, I… I've been hiding something from you for a long time," she said softly, regret in her eyes.
Ye Wen's hand paused briefly, but then he resumed his gentle caress, reassuring her.
"It's all right, Na'er. I trust you, and I know you would never hide anything to harm me. You must have had your reasons, right?"
Na'er felt a weight lift from her shoulders as she relaxed.
Silence settled over the room once more, but Ye Wen didn't pressure her to reveal the secret. He knew Na'er had always been a warm and gentle soul, someone who cared deeply for their family.
After gathering her thoughts, Na'er finally spoke again.
"Father, as you know, I was created by the Silver Dragon King. Everything I am is under her control."
Ye Wen noted the complex emotions in her eyes as she bit her lip. He gently tousled her hair, his way of telling her she wasn't alone.
"Don't worry, Na'er. I made an agreement with Gu Yuena before our marriage she won't harm you. If she does, I won't let her off easily."
Hearing this, Na'er's gaze grew even more conflicted, but a warmth also filled her heart.
"Thank you… Father. But it's more complicated than you think. The relationship between me and the Silver Dragon King isn't just that of creator and creation. In truth…" She hesitated, her expression one of inner conflict. Ye Wen felt a sinking feeling his instincts told him this might be worse than he feared.
Finally, Na'er let out a sigh and continued, "In truth, we share one heart in two bodies. My essence is a fragment of Gu Yuena's soul, separated from her and placed in this body to allow her the greatest possible control. The first time our consciousnesses merged, we became inseparable. Whether it's intentional or not, I can feel everything she feels. That's why I…"
She paused, her face clouded with sorrow.
Na'er's words struck him with profound sadness. She had grown up knowing she was a part of someone else, a shadow who could be sacrificed at any time. Such knowledge was an unthinkable burden.
Ye Wen's face remained calm, though his heart was a storm of emotions. He reached out, placing a hand over her small, trembling fingers. She gripped his sleeve tightly, struggling to keep her voice steady.
"It's only when you and Gu Yuena… engage in intimacy that I lose control of my bloodline and my connection to her overwhelms me. Otherwise, I can keep it in check. So, please, don't let this come between you and Gu Yuena. I'll manage on my own," she said, her tone soft and pleading.
Hearing Na'er's resigned words, Ye Wen felt a deep ache in his heart. He gently grasped her hand and, pulling the blanket snugly around her, stroked her head lovingly.
"Silly girl," he murmured. "I'll take care of this. I promise."
Seeing Ye Wen's warm, reassuring smile, Na'er felt both relief and uncertainty. Nodding slightly, she pulled the blanket closer, curling up in its warmth.
As Ye Wen left Na'er's room, his expression grew serious. He had assured her with confidence, yet solving this problem was no small feat. The soul was no trivial matter soul laws were on par with space laws. Ye Wen's grasp of space laws came from a unique "cheat," but he had no such advantage with soul laws.
If only I could reach the plane's consciousness, he mused. But that's wishful thinking.
He knew, too, that turning to Gu Yuena wouldn't help. She was intelligent enough to anticipate his anger upon learning the truth. If she had a solution, she would have shared it by now.
As he pieced things together, he saw the crux of the dilemma clearly: the issue lay in Na'er's link to Gu Yuena, and that bond was nearly impossible to sever. He sighed in frustration, running a hand through his hair.
Suddenly, he felt a sharp, chilling sensation behind him. The familiarity of that prickling feeling was undeniable.
"Heh, isn't this interesting? I wondered why you were staring at Na'er during dinner. And here I find you, up in the middle of the night, doing something so… underhanded. You're really something, Ye Wen."
The voice of Bibi Dong, mocking and amused, sounded from behind him. And Ye Wen knew exactly what that prickling feeling was the divine artifact once owned by the Rakshasa God, a weapon of the God of Paralysis. A level three god artifact, it was capable of immobilizing gods of the same rank in an instant.
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