We Agreed On Experiencing Life, So Why Did You Immortals Become Real? Chapter 659: Lovelier Than Any Woman in the World

Upon the summit of She Mountain, the great black ox lay down in the snow and let out a long, satisfied yawn.

Xiao Mo and Yan Ruxue sat side by side at the mountain's peak, gazing out over the sweep of peaks and ridges, watching the clouds roll and part above them.

Winter days are considerably shorter than summer ones, and by the time the two had reached the summit, the sun had already begun its descent. And yet the reddening of the setting sun stained the white snow on the mountain slope by degrees, painting the scene into something even more beautiful than before.

"Has husband's outing today brought him any ease?" Yan Ruxue turned her head and looked at Xiao Mo with a smile.

"Considerably so." Xiao Mo nodded. "I had not thought there would be scenery this beautiful just outside the capital."

"In truth, there is a great deal of beauty in this world, in many places. But what matters most is who one sees it with. Without the right company, even the most beautiful view, well... it is simply a view."

Yan Ruxue hugged her knees to her chest, and in her lovely eyes the winter landscape lay reflected like a painting.

"Indeed." Xiao Mo nodded.

"Moo."

The great black ox behind them raised its head and lowed, as though either expressing its opinion that these two humans were truly tedious, or perhaps lending its wholehearted agreement to what they had said.

"In truth, husband came to find this concubine today for more than just a breath of fresh air." Yan Ruxue tilted her head and looked at Xiao Mo's profile with a warm, unhurried smile. "Husband must have something he wished to say to this concubine, I think."

Hearing these words, Xiao Mo paused, then, without concealing it, said with a laugh, "As expected. There is nothing I can hide from Ruxue."

"Ha ha ha." Yan Ruxue raised a hand to her lips. "Not quite. It is only that Your Majesty is sometimes rather easy to read."

"So then," Yan Ruxue said, blinking gently at him, "does Your Majesty have something to ask? Whatever it may be, this concubine will answer."

"Truly?" Xiao Mo looked at Yan Ruxue with a smile. "You must not deceive me."

"Truly." Yan Ruxue nodded.

"This concubine has said before: whatever can be spoken, this concubine will tell husband honestly. What cannot be spoken, this concubine will only shake her head. But whatever is said aloud will never deceive Your Majesty, not even by a thread."

"In that case, I will speak directly." Xiao Mo composed his words carefully, his gaze resting on Yan Ruxue's eyes with a look of quiet seriousness. "Does Ruxue have a connection to the Four Seas?"

"Yes." Hearing the question, Yan Ruxue nodded with a composed smile, without any attempt to conceal it. "How did husband come to know?"

"Some time ago, your father, Chancellor Yan, came to find me and shared certain misgivings. He spoke of an incident ten years ago, when the eldest daughter of the Yan family fell into the river while the family was out on an outing."

"Chancellor Yan said that when he saw his daughter fall into the river, he had been utterly without hope. And then, beyond all expectation, his daughter was saved by an immortal cultivator. Yet he never once caught sight of that person's face. Before he could offer any thanks, the immortal had already departed."

"After the eldest daughter of the Yan family returned home, she seemed considerably more mature than before, yet was also strangely unfamiliar with the household."

"At first the Chancellor thought nothing of it, supposing his daughter had simply been frightened by the ordeal. Years passed in this way."

"But recently, the young woman named Yan Shuang came to the Zhou Kingdom capital during her journey through the mortal world, and took up residence at the Yan estate. She seemed to know the entire layout of the residence as though it were her own home."

"And I was told that when Yan Shuang came face to face with Ruxue, she was remarkably deferential, even something approaching afraid. And Ruxue's cultivation level is what it is."

Xiao Mo drew his sleeves together.

"This could not help but lead one toward a certain conclusion: that it is Ruxue who is in truth the Lord of the Four Seas, and that Yan Shuang is the true Yan Ruxue of that day, the girl who fell in the river, whom Ruxue took as her disciple."

"Though that conjecture is perhaps... rather bold, if not outright absurd."

By the time he reached the end, Xiao Mo himself let out a small laugh.

"In truth... husband and Chancellor Yan have guessed correctly. This concubine is indeed the Lord of the Four Seas." Hearing Xiao Mo's words, Yan Ruxue answered slowly, without concealment. "And Yan Shuang is indeed that young girl who fell in the river. This concubine assumed her identity."

"Why?" Xiao Mo asked.

"To avoid stirring up certain complications that would not be easy to explain."

"Beyond that, this concubine also deliberately altered her appearance, for there are still those in this world who are old acquaintances of mine, and this concubine did not wish to be recognized by them. Though it seems those old fossils managed to recognize her all the same."

"As for the reason this concubine entered the palace, this concubine still cannot tell husband. The threads of karma run too deep for that. But as this concubine has said before, whatever this concubine does, it will never bring harm to husband."

Yan Ruxue raised her head and looked directly into Xiao Mo's eyes.

"Does husband believe what this concubine has said?"

"I believe you." Xiao Mo nodded.

"Husband believes me so readily? Is husband not concerned this concubine may still be deceiving him?" Yan Ruxue said with a smile.

"Ruxue said she would not deceive me, so I believe her." Xiao Mo smiled. "Otherwise, what was the point in asking?"

"That is true enough..." Yan Ruxue drew her knees a little tighter against herself, her gaze drifting out over the distant peaks.

"Though..." After a moment, Xiao Mo turned his head and said slowly, "I do not know whether I might be allowed to see Ruxue's true face."

Hearing this request, Yan Ruxue slowly lowered her head, and a flicker of hesitation passed through her eyes.

Xiao Mo said nothing, only waited quietly for the woman beside him to answer.

"If it is too much to ask..."

"It is all right."

After a long pause, Yan Ruxue spoke at last, gently cutting Xiao Mo off before he could finish.

She turned and met his eyes. "If husband wishes to see..."

"Will it truly not trouble you?" Xiao Mo asked.

"It should be all right." Yan Ruxue smiled faintly. "Though, would husband please close his eyes first."

Xiao Mo nodded and let his eyes fall shut.

A moment passed, and the woman's voice came to him softly. "Husband may open his eyes now."

Xiao Mo opened his eyes slowly.

As his vision cleared, a woman who seemed to hold within her the whole of the world's beauty came into view before him.

She was unchanged from ten thousand years ago, without the slightest alteration. She looked exactly as she did in his memory.

Xiao Mo's eyes trembled. The hand resting upon his knee stirred slightly, lifting a little, as though reaching to touch her face...

"With husband looking at this concubine so steadily, this concubine is beginning to feel rather self-conscious." Yan Ruxue's cheeks colored faintly. She raised a sleeve to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Does husband think this concubine's true appearance is... acceptable?"

"Mm... beautiful..."

The hand Xiao Mo had begun to raise came back to rest gently upon his knee, his fingers pressing close.

"Lovelier than any woman in the world."