The woman lying on the bed opened her mesmerizingly beautiful eyes. Her crimson, gem-like pupils were breathtakingly gorgeous, yet they carried an air of heartbreaking indifference and detachment.
In truth, she had woken up long ago—when Roy had gently laid her on the bed, treating her like the most delicate porcelain, she had already regained consciousness.
But sensing Xiang Liang's arrival, she had continued feigning unconsciousness, simply because she had no desire for much interaction with humans—in fact, she found such contact tiresome.
Now that Xiang Liang had left, only she and Roy remained in the room. Coupled with Roy's words, it was impossible for her to keep pretending to be unconscious.
Unlike other women who, upon waking from unconsciousness, would first check whether they had been violated, this ethereally beautiful girl before him remained utterly calm—even coldly composed.
Slowly, she sat up on the bed, the thin blanket sliding down her delicate frame with a hint of allure.
Roy's gaze lingered for a moment before reluctantly shifting away.
The two of them simply stared at each other in silence.
Then, to Roy's surprise, a faint blush appeared on the woman's flawless face—she was actually embarrassed.
Roy pondered why she might be blushing before realizing she must have overheard his earlier conversation with Xiang Liang. Could it be that his remark about "marrying her" had made her shy?
At this thought, Roy felt slightly relieved. Initially, her cold detachment had made him think she lacked understanding of human emotions. But now it seemed she was just like any other person, capable of various feelings—perhaps somewhat muted, but not devoid of comprehension. She understood human hearts.
Seeing her still silent, Roy was the first to speak: "...May I ask for the lady's name?"
Roy didn't know why he was being so formal—perhaps he wanted to leave a good impression on her.
The woman sitting on the bed remained silent for a moment before answering in a melodious, crystal-clear voice: "...Yu!"
Just a single word—both her given name and surname. In ancient times, people's names and surnames were often one and the same. She must have chosen this name for herself in that distant era.
Roy's heart stirred. His gaze fixed intently on the woman before him, a rather impolite gesture.
Yu?
At that moment, Roy finally understood why he had felt such a sense of destiny upon seeing her. He was now utterly convinced—this woman was Yu Ji!
'Yu Ji in this world is actually a celestial maiden, an elf and a True Ancestor?!'
The revelation was unexpected, yet it made perfect sense.
If even the original Xiang Yu was a robot, then Yu Ji not being human wasn't all that strange either.
Silence fell between them once more.
Roy felt as though he had a lump in his throat—there were so many things he wanted to say, yet he didn't know how to say them.
This wasn't like him at all. It was as if he'd regressed to his awkward middle school days, stumbling over his words whenever he saw a girl he liked, rehearsing every sentence in his mind multiple times before speaking, terrified of saying the wrong thing.
The strange atmosphere was making Yu Ji restless as well. Roy's intense stare made her feel as though she were sitting on pins and needles. She had never been comfortable around humans, and being alone in a room with Roy was already putting her on edge.
His gaze was different from others—neither coveting her immortal body nor filled with fear. Instead, it held the deep affection of a young man smitten with a maiden.
Unbidden, Yu Ji recalled the ancient song "Song of the Yue Boatman":
"The trees on the mountain have branches; does my lord know the joy in my heart?"
In the past, when she had still enjoyed interacting with humans, her beauty had captivated many young men. They too had looked at her with such fervent eyes—until they witnessed her bloodthirsty side, the terrifying sight of her transforming into a wave of blood. Then their gazes would inevitably change, turning cold and fearful, devoid of all tenderness.
Yet this man before her had already seen her terrifying, blood-sea form, hadn't he? Even after witnessing that, he still looked at her this way—what a lovesick fool. And by human standards, he seemed to be exceptionally handsome.
But what did it matter? Human appearances meant nothing to her. She never judged by looks; no amount of beauty could move her heart. And no matter how deep his affection, she had no interest in humans. It would be best if they didn't exchange a single word, passing each other by with cold indifference.
Growing increasingly agitated, Yu Ji rose from the bed. Her jade-like feet touched the floor without gathering a speck of dust as she moved past Roy toward the door.
Roy suddenly grabbed her slender, pale wrist and said, "...Where might the beauty be going~?"
The words carried a distinctly flirtatious tone.
Yu Ji understood human language and knew the meaning of "beauty." Her delicate brows furrowed slightly, an inexplicable mix of shyness and irritation rising within her, yet she replied in a voice both aloof and cold, "...Leave this place."
Roy didn't release her, his grip remaining firm. Yu Ji struggled briefly, surprised to find she couldn't break free, secretly wondering if she had weakened to such an extent.
Earlier, though Roy had shattered her blood tide and knocked her unconscious with a single punch, he hadn't used his full strength—holding back most of his power. The display hadn't been exaggerated, so in Yu Ji's eyes, while Roy was absurdly strong for a human, he hadn't yet crossed into the realm of the inhuman.
She had assumed her defeat was due to suppressing her bloodlust, leaving her with only a fraction of her strength. If she truly unleashed her power, she could easily overpower him.
"Where would you go if you left? Stay here."
Roy's tone was domineering, carrying an authority that brooked no refusal.
Strangely, Yu Ji didn't particularly dislike this arrogance. She merely glanced back at him with her jade-like crimson eyes and said, "...I am not human."
She expected these words would make him let go.
But Roy only tightened his hold, chuckling, "...Coincidentally, I don't seem entirely human myself anymore."
Yu Ji assumed he was referring to his extraordinary strength. After a brief silence, she conceded that by ordinary standards, he indeed no longer qualified as human.
"Beauty, I know you avoid humans, hiding deep in the mountains. But as the sages once said: 'Small seclusion is in the wilds, medium seclusion in the city, great seclusion in the court!' If you truly wish to avoid humans, the highest form of seclusion is to live among them—or even within the imperial court."
Roy felt his silver tongue returning.
Yu Ji looked puzzled. After a moment, she asked, "...Which sage said that?"
She had never heard of any sage uttering such words.
"That sage was me!"
Roy shamelessly declared.
The saying hadn't even originated until the Jin Dynasty—impossible for anyone in the late Qin era to have spoken it.
"Pfft—"
Yu Ji couldn't help but laugh, her beautiful face blooming like a poppy in full bloom.
Roy gazed at her flower-like visage and continued, "...I know your condition is unstable. If you return to the mountains now, those alchemist types will find you again. Even if you're unafraid, wouldn't it be troublesome? And if they accidentally trigger your bloodlust, it could be dangerous."
At these words, Yu Ji's expression shifted dramatically. She never imagined Roy could see through her true nature—knowledge of the immortal path that had all but vanished since the Shang Dynasty.
'But... he isn't wrong.'
Soon, hesitation flickered across her face.
Seeing her hesitation, Roy pressed on with renewed vigor: "But if you stay here, it's different. Those alchemists wouldn't dare come for you. And if they truly dare, I'll kill them all myself. Besides, no one will disturb you here. You can ignore everyone and truly live in seclusion within the city, or even within the court!"
Roy's tone once again became bold and domineering, his confidence making it easy to believe him.
'Those people are indeed annoying, driving me to distraction… Perhaps I could try things his way?'
She pondered this.
Yu Ji was not an indecisive person. Once she made up her mind, she would act on it. Pressing her lips together, she spoke softly, "...What should I call you?"
"I've been calling you 'beauty,' so you can just call me 'Great King.'"
Roy's lips curled into a triumphant smirk.
First, I'll make you stay. The rest can come later!
Great King…
Yu Ji was torn between laughter and exasperation. She had lived through the Shang Dynasty and witnessed King Zhou of Shang and Su Daji. She remembered how that fox spirit, skilled in illusions, had bewitched King Zhou, who always called Su Daji 'beauty,' while Su Daji referred to him as 'Great King.'
After all this fuss, how did I end up like that detestable fox?