Douluo: The Throne of Ice

Chapter 24 A Long-Awaited Surprise

A night passes in the blink of an eye.

Warm sunlight filtered through the gaps in the curtains into the main hall, finally falling on Xu Jiujiu. Xu Jiujiu slowly awoke from her deep sleep. The unfamiliar warmth beside her made her feel as if she had returned to the time when Shu Yan was still alive. Back then, no matter how heavy her daily studies and cultivation were, she only needed to sleep well in his arms to recover.

But ever since Shu Yan left, her sleep quality has deteriorated, to the point that she was afraid to fall asleep.

All of this stemmed from the boy who had been inseparable from her before. If it weren't for the fact that a Soul Master's physical abilities far surpassed those of ordinary people, and that she, as a princess, enjoyed unimaginable privileges, her body would probably have collapsed long ago...

Last night she seemed to have a very vivid dream. In the dream, Shu Yan suddenly returned, and she cried tears of joy. After they shared their longing for each other, she fell into a deep sleep in his arms...

This dream was like a ray of sunshine suddenly appearing in her heart, which had been shrouded in mist, and it also helped to restore some of her spirits from her dejected state.

Xu Jiujiu shifted slightly, intending to stretch, but suddenly froze. In that instant, she seemed to have sensed the presence of others beside her.

A strong sense of crisis compelled her to strike uncontrollably, her golden soul power surging. Shu Yan, lying beside her, abruptly opened his eyes. She grasped the girl's hand, which was enveloped in golden soul power. Their gazes met in mid-air, and for a long time, they were both stunned. Shu Yan slowly released her hand, which had returned to normal, and pinched the girl's cheek with a hint of helplessness before saying:

"Jiu Jiu, killing your husband first thing in the morning, that's not a good habit..."

The familiar voice, the familiar tune—after a long while, the Shu Yan in her eyes slowly overlapped with the Shu Yan of the past. She said, somewhat incredulously:

"Ayan?"

Shu Yan nodded gently, then embraced him tightly.

"You haven't had a proper rest in a long time. Listen to me, get some more sleep."

He could feel her long-lasting exhaustion; clearly, one night's sleep was not enough to undo the torment and suffering she had endured during this period.

Xu Jiujiu's body trembled slightly, but under Shu Yan's patient reassurance, she slowly regained her composure.

She lifted her head in Shu Yan's arms, her eyes filled with the extreme joy and shock of regaining what she had lost. Tears slowly streamed down her face, and her lips trembled slightly, as if she had a thousand words to say.

Shu Yan kissed Xu Jiu's forehead again, then whispered:

"Jiu Jiu, I know you have a lot to say and a lot of emotions to express right now. My return is so sudden that you have a feeling that you can't tell if it's real or not. But I need to tell you that I really am back. A lot has happened in these nearly nine months. Let me explain to you properly later. But I want to tell you that I have found a new path for our future. This will be our common goal from now on."

After a long while, she nodded with trembling hands, and crystal tears kept sliding down from the corners of her eyes, then falling onto the golden sheets.

Her feelings were hard to describe. The joy and surprise of finding what she had lost overwhelmed her with excitement, but on the other hand, she was incredibly curious about what Shu Yan had experienced in the far north, and what exactly the road Shu Yan had mentioned was...

All of this made it difficult for her to maintain the proper etiquette and appearance of a princess. To be honest, she had a very strong desire for control, especially towards Shu Yan. She desperately wanted to know everything about him, and now the mystery surrounding Shu Yan made her feel like ants were gnawing at her heart, almost unbearable.

Shu Yan also noticed Xu Jiujiu's unusual behavior. He sighed helplessly, then reached out and patted the soft flesh behind Xu Jiujiu, whispering:

"Don't overthink it. You're my lover. I won't hide anything from you later. There's really no need for things like imprisonment or forced interrogation..."

A tempting blush crept onto Xu Jiujiu's fair face. Shu Yan's bluntness made her both embarrassed and annoyed. She glared at him fiercely, then whispered:

"No touching anything before the wedding!"

"Also, I've never considered any of those things you mentioned, but if you'd like to try, I might reluctantly agree..."

Shu Yan imagined the scene for a moment, and then goosebumps involuntarily rose all over his body. He shook his head and said:

"There's no need for that, Jiu Jiu. It's still early, and His Majesty hasn't finished his court session yet. Why don't you sleep a little longer? Later, I'll go to the palace with you to see His Majesty, and then I'll explain the whole story to you in detail..."

After a long while, she let out a soft hum in Shu Yan's arms. Then she shifted to a more comfortable position, took one of Shu Yan's arms and hugged it, wiped the tears from her face, coughed a few times, and then whimpered:

"Whatever, but you have to explain to me clearly what happened these past few months, otherwise, you can forget about ever sleeping in my bed for long again..."

Shu Yan chuckled and nodded, watching his eyelids, which had been throbbing for a long time, slowly close and his breathing gradually calm down. Only then did Shu Yan dare to change his position slightly and pull his numb legs back.

Looking at Xu Jiujiu's peaceful sleeping face, Shu Yan's mind gradually calmed down. From today onwards, he would lead Xu Jiujiu and the entire Star Luo Empire to fight for a realm that only existed in the history of the continent. From then on, everything would be different, and the history of Douluo Continent would be changed by them...

……

Around noon, Xu Jiujiu finally woke up. Shu Yan carried her to wash up. The girl had finally been found and was very clingy. Shu Yan's words made her a little uneasy, so she naturally wished that Shu Yan would stay by her side at all times. Shu Yan couldn't refuse, and after waiting for Xu Jiujiu to finish her makeup, the two of them left the princess's residence.

The Snow Empress and the Ice Empress had been waiting for a long time. Their figures were hidden in the shadows, and no one could notice their presence, no matter how many pedestrians there were. Shu Yan waved to the two of them, and was somewhat puzzled for a long time. But the next second, as soon as she blinked, the figures of the Snow Empress and the Ice Empress suddenly appeared in front of her.

For some reason, or perhaps instinctively, Xu Jiujiu felt a chill run down her spine when she saw the Ice and Snow Emperors. Almost subconsciously, she took a step back. The two women in front of her gave her an unfathomable feeling. Even in front of her own brother, she had never felt this way.

Her intuition told her that these two were definitely not ordinary people. Memories flooded back, and the striking resemblance between the Snow Empress and Shu Yan suddenly brought something to mind. She trembled, and said in disbelief:

"Snow Emperor!?"

Xue Di's gaze swept over Xu Jiujiu's entire body, her eyes filled with scrutiny. She was eager to know what was so special about this woman that made Shu Yan value her so much. After scrutinizing her, she had almost figured out Xu Jiujiu's background. Overall, she was indeed quite amazing.

The princess, about the same age as Shu Yan, possessed a soul power level of over thirty-five and exuded a unique aura, likely due to her martial soul...

Such a background and talent are indeed worthy of Shu Yan.

Thinking of this, Xue Di parted his thin lips slightly and then said:

……

(End of this chapter)