Chapter Fourteen: The Grand Soul Contract Array

"Are you really my husband?" Ruyue gazed at the man before her, questioning softly.

"What, Yue’er, it’s only been three days since you last saw me, and you no longer recognize your own husband?" Ye Wuyai chuckled mischievously.

He took the ceremonial robe that Xueqing handed him and put it on; it fit perfectly.

"Now that everyone is awake, shouldn’t we proceed with the wedding ceremony?" Xueqing said excitedly. She had waited so many years, all for this moment.

A ceremony required elders to bear witness, but Xueqing said she had no family left. However, Ruyue and Ruxue did. With this in mind, Ye Wuyai spoke up.

"Shall we invite your father and mother to join us?"

The two sisters fell silent, pondering for a moment. Then Ruyue replied, "There’s no need. We were brought here by Sister Qing. Our parents are all afraid of her. If we brought them over, they would be uncomfortable. Better to let it be."

Hearing Ruyue’s words, Ye Wuyai nodded in understanding. Xueqing had already explained it to him.

"It seems I haven’t doted on you two in vain—you even know how to consider your sister’s feelings."

"Sister Qing, we’re family!" Ruxue blinked her big eyes playfully.

Ruyue nodded in agreement with her sister’s words. "The great kindness Sister Qing has shown our Ye family will be remembered forever."

"Since we’re family, let’s not speak of ourselves as outsiders," Xueqing embraced them both. "From now on, we are sisters, and I will protect you."

She continued, "Night is falling—it’s time for our wedding!"

With a twirl, Xueqing was suddenly clad in a blazing red wedding gown. The three women each possessed their own unique beauty.

She drew the two sisters to stand opposite Ye Wuyai.

"I, Xueqing, am willing to marry Ye Wuyai, to be joined to him as his wife, to love him for a lifetime, to serve him, to protect him, never to betray or leave him. Should I harbor a divided heart, may I suffer the torment of the Heart Demon’s flames, my soul scattered to the winds! Heaven and earth bear witness! With my resolve, I invoke the Soul Contract Array—arise!"

As Xueqing’s words faded, a six-pointed star about five meters wide, glowing red, slowly rose from the ground, enveloping the four of them. Complex patterns shimmered and danced, encircling them.

A point of light emerged from Xueqing’s brow. She bit her finger, and a drop of violet blood flew into the light. The light then soared toward Ye Wuyai and entered his brow.

Ye Wuyai felt a surge of intense love sweeping through his body, coursing around within him. After a few breaths, it exited once more from his brow.

"Husband, if you are willing to marry me, let a drop of your blood fall upon this contract. From this day forth, I will belong to you alone," Xueqing gazed deeply at Ye Wuyai.

He nodded, bit his finger, and let a drop of blood be absorbed by the light, which then returned gently to Xueqing’s brow.

Xueqing leapt for joy, but after a moment’s calm, she looked seriously at the Ye sisters. "You both have one last chance. If you, like me, forge a contract with our husband, then from this moment on, you will belong to him alone. Should your heart ever waver for another man, the Heart Demon’s flame will ignite from your soul and consume your body. Even the slightest flutter of affection for another will trigger the contract. That pain will last forty-nine days and nights, leaving you unable to live or die, until your soul is utterly destroyed. Not even an immortal could save you."

She paused, then went on, "If you are willing, you need only stand within the array and sincerely speak your vow, and the contract will form." With that, Xueqing fell silent, waiting quietly for the sisters’ decision.

Hearing her words, Ye Wuyai shivered. He thought to himself, "Why is Qing’er so ruthless with me?"

Yet, in this way, she left herself no way out—she would only love him in this life. It was exactly the outcome Ye Wuyai desired.

Ruyue looked at him and declared, "I, Ye Ruyue, am willing to marry Ye Wuyai, to be his wife, to love him with all that I am, to serve him, to protect him, never to betray him. Should my heart falter, I will willingly suffer the torment of the Heart Demon, my soul scattered to the winds. Heaven and earth bear witness! Contract, arise!"

As her words ended, a point of light appeared at her brow. Like Xueqing, she bit her finger and let her blood be taken in by the contract, which then flew to Ye Wuyai.

As before, the contract circled within him, then hovered before him.

He let a drop of blood fall on it, and it returned to Ruyue’s brow.

Ruxue looked at Ye Wuyai and said, "I, Ye Ruxue, am willing to marry Ye Wuyai, to be his wife, to love him with all that I am, to serve him, to protect him, never to betray him. Should my heart falter, I will willingly suffer the torment of the Heart Demon, my soul scattered to the winds. Heaven and earth bear witness! Contract, arise!"

As the light appeared, Ye Wuyai repeated the rite, letting his blood fall upon it. The light returned to Ruxue’s brow.

Looking at the three women, Ye Wuyai felt a surge of pride.

"Should I also make a contract?" Ye Wuyai asked Xueqing.

"What sort of contract do you want to make, husband? Are you going to vow to only love the three of us, never to flirt with other beauties?" Ruxue teased.

Ye Wuyai scratched his head in embarrassment. "Well, uh..."

Seeing his awkwardness, Ruyue stroked Ruxue’s hair and smiled. "That’s enough, little sister, don’t make things hard for our philandering husband. The first time, he finds three wives; who knows how many sisters he’ll find for us the next time."

Her tone was earnest, and Ye Wuyai grew even more embarrassed.

He scratched his head and solemnly declared, "I, Ye Wuyai, swear: if anyone wishes to harm my women, they must first step over my dead body! If I break this vow, may I suffer the torment of the Heart Demon and have my soul scattered to the winds! Heaven and earth bear witness! Contract, arise!"

...

A long moment passed, but nothing happened—no sign at all.

An awkward silence settled over them.

"Contract!"

"Contract!"

Ye Wuyai called twice more—still, nothing. It was as if the world had forgotten him.

Seeing the three women’s unfriendly gazes, cold sweat broke out on Ye Wuyai’s back.

Damn it, Heaven, are you playing tricks on me? Stop it, will you? This is going to get me killed—two at the ninth level of Body Refinement, and a mysterious powerhouse whose realm I can’t even fathom! I can’t afford to provoke any of them!