Huang'er's situation in the Yan family appeared, on the surface, to be that of a young lady enjoying all the privileges of her status. Throughout the entire Yan family, no one seemed to treat her with any disrespect.
Yet beneath this seemingly comfortable arrangement lay a deep sense of helplessness.
Huang'er understood perfectly well that the Yan family's people didn't truly cherish her as a scion of their bloodline. It was simply that the Yan family didn't want to push her too hard—they feared she might lose hope and choose to take her own life.
The Yan family currently provided for Huang'er, kept her in comfort, for no other reason than to one day send her to the Xiahou clan as a cultivation furnace for Xiahou Zong.
This was the promise the Yan family had once made to the Xiahou clan—and also a source of shame for the Yan family.
Over time, that sense of shame had mostly faded from memory. However, no one had forgotten that Huang'er was their bargaining chip.
Everyone knew that Huang'er, as their bargaining chip, could not suffer any more mishaps. Otherwise, the Yan family truly would not be able to withstand the Xiahou clan's wrath.
Huang'er was as sharp as ice and snow, and naturally understood all the ins and outs of the situation. But her gentle and perceptive heart knew that this matter was difficult to reverse for the time being, so she didn't cause much trouble and instead chose to bide her time patiently.
If there was still any miracle in this world worth hoping for, Huang'er believed it would be one brought by Jiang Chen.
She might not trust the entire world, but she would always trust Jiang Chen.
She firmly believed that the man she loved would one day descend upon Myriad Abyss Island and rescue her from her suffering in a manner that would shock the entire world. In the meantime, all she had to do was endure and wait for that moment.
For this reason, she kept to herself every day, devoting herself wholeheartedly to cultivation.
She had even dismissed all the servants and maids the family had assigned to her. Every day, she lived self-sufficiently. Apart from Elder Shun, no one else kept her company.
However, Elder Shun was no longer the man he had once been.
Elder Shun, having previously helped Huang'er escape from Myriad Abyss Island—a grave violation of the family's taboos—had originally been imprisoned as well.
It was only after Huang'er returned and wore down the family with her persistent pleading that Elder Shun was granted his release. But his cultivation had been suppressed to less than thirty percent of its former level.
In his current state, Elder Shun could hardly stir up any more trouble for the family. The family had only brought him back because they needed to soothe Huang'er's emotions.
Otherwise, Elder Shun would likely have died in his cell.
As for Huang'er's parents, they were thorns in the Xiahou clan's side—and the Yan family had absolutely no authority to make decisions regarding them.
Naturally, Huang'er did not bring up the matter of releasing her parents from prison.
One day, Huang'er sat beside her chamber once again, strumming her zither to console herself and dispel the sorrow in her heart. These two melodies had practically become a daily ritual for her.
"Sanskrit Soul-Ferrying Melody" and "Celestial Sound's Wondrous Music"—the two pieces Jiang Chen had taught her long ago. These two melodies had also been the greatest allies Huang'er used in the early days to suppress the Curse of Linked Hearts Across a Hundred Lives.
At the same time, these were the very songs that had won Huang'er's heart for Jiang Chen. She never could have imagined that a martial warrior would possess such elegance, capable of producing melodies so moving and delicate.
These two melodies were also the reason Jiang Chen had quietly conquered Huang'er's heart—though Jiang Chen himself remained completely oblivious to this.
At this moment, Huang'er played the two melodies over and over again. Her longing seeped through the strings, her thoughts drifting with the music, as if she had returned to the human domain—to those days spent together with Jiang Chen, morning and night.
For a moment, Huang'er could barely contain her emotions. Her heart was filled with longing—sweetness, sorrow, anticipation, anxiety—a multitude of feelings that left her in a turmoil of mixed emotions.
"Sigh, Huang'er, are you thinking about that boy again?"
Elder Shun's aged voice rang out from beyond the corridor, and his brisk footsteps approached from outside. Though Elder Shun had only thirty percent of his cultivation left, his spirit was far from broken—as though some inner force sustained him, driving him with unwavering determination to protect Huang'er.
Even in his diminished state, there was not a hint of despondency about him.
Hearing Elder Shun's footsteps, Huang'er pressed both hands against the zither strings and stopped playing. She took a moment to steady her emotions, trying her best to calm her heart.
She knew Elder Shun cared about her, so she didn't want him to worry too much.
"Elder Shun, you're here," Huang'er said softly.
"Yes. I went out to gather some news. Like you, I'm hoping that brat will come sooner rather than later."
Elder Shun, of course, knew of the promise between Jiang Chen and Huang'er.
"Unfortunately, there's still no word," Elder Shun sighed, shaking his head. "Don't tell me that kid has moved on to someone new, or that he's too afraid of Myriad Abyss Island to come?"
"He wouldn't," Huang'er said quickly. "Brother Chen isn't that kind of person."
Elder Shun smiled. "Of course I know he isn't. It's just that making the journey from the human domain to here is no easy feat."