After the Death Ceremony, I was Entangled by My Two Wives - Chapter 29

This means she might become my mother someday…

After clarifying this thought, Ying Buran relaxed considerably. She then turned to Zhao Chao’an with a playful glint in her eyes. “Speaking of which, I’ve noticed a significant difference in your attitude toward my mother before and after. What’s that about?”

Zhao Chao’an froze instantly, as if someone had pressed the pause button. She stood stiffly, neither moving nor speaking.

After a long moment, she tilted her head to the side and whispered, “Well, it’s not like… Aiya, we were just strangers working together before. Now that our relationship has changed, hasn’t it?”

Ying Buran blinked, a little confused. “Changed?”

Zhao Chao’an hadn’t expected Ying Buran to start probing so deeply. She flapped her wings, feeling a bit embarrassed. “Well, it’s not like she might become my mother someday… Let’s not talk about that anymore. You’re already yawning. Go to sleep.”

Seeing Ying Buran rub her eyes, already looking drowsy, Zhao Chao’an quickly changed the subject, afraid of further questioning.

Ying Buran chuckled softly, noticing Zhao Chao’an’s shyness. Though she didn’t know exactly what the little bird was embarrassed about, she knew that pressing further would only make her bristle. She nodded. “Alright.”

She tucked in the corner of the blanket and straightened the makeshift bird’s nest she had built from her clothes before settling down to sleep.

Zhao Chao’an hopped back into her own little nest, facing Ying Buran. Just as she was about to close her eyes, she heard Ying Buran say, “Thank you.”

Her eyes snapped open. She saw Ying Buran sleeping soundly with her eyes closed, but her slightly agitated breathing betrayed her.

It hadn’t been a hallucination—A’Ran had really thanked her!

Zhao Chao’an buried her head under her wing. If not for the black feathers concealing her face, who knows how red it would have turned?

She didn’t know if Ying Buran had fully accepted their relationship yet, but there had definitely been a major breakthrough between them.

This was the first time Ying Buran had voluntarily opened her heart to her. Zhao Chao’an would remember this day forever.

For her, this day was worthy of being recorded in history.

After basking in her secret joy for a while, Zhao Chao’an crept closer. Once she was sure Ying Buran’s breathing had settled into a steady rhythm, she hopped out as quietly as possible and flew out the window.

She wanted to take this opportunity to confirm something.

Outside, Jiang Liuyan extinguished the calming incense after confirming Ying Buran was sound asleep. As she turned to leave, she spotted a black bird emitting a faint green glow.

If not for the Ghostfire flickering around it, she wouldn’t have seen the bird at all.

Zhao Chao’an met Jiang Liuyan’s gaze, flapped her wings against her head, and felt a pang of awkwardness. She racked her brain for an opening line, finally managing to squeeze out two words: “Hello?”

Jiang Liuyan: “……”

Jiang Liuyan: “Hello.”

The woman and the bird stared at each other, an awkward silence hanging between them.

Zhao Chao’an cleared her throat twice, taking the initiative to start the conversation again. “Speaking of which, how are you feeling now?”

Being besieged by three Ancestors couldn’t have been as easy as Jiang Liuyan had described. Ying Buran hadn’t noticed, but Zhao Chao’an could see that Jiang Liuyan’s fire still burned faintly weaker than that of a normal person.

Jiang Liuyan glanced at the room where Ying Buran was sleeping soundly. She raised her hand to cast a barrier. “After the battle, I recuperated for a while. With Qu Lingyou’s help, I haven’t fully recovered yet, but it’s no longer a major concern.”

“Qu Lingyou? The Medical Cultivator?” Zhao Chao’an thought for a moment, vaguely recalling the name. She remembered him as a very… eccentric Medical Cultivator, with an unpredictable temperament.

Jiang Liuyan nodded. “Yes, she was originally an elder of the Myriad Phenomena Sect. She was expelled and sentenced to death for delving into forbidden knowledge about ‘Heaven’s Wrath.’ I happened to pass by and rescued her, and she’s been staying in Chasing Wind City ever since. We owe this success to her.”

If it’s that person, there shouldn’t be any problems, Zhao Chao’an thought, resting her beak on her wing in contemplation. She might even be able to help heal Ying Buran. Jiang Liuyan didn’t interrupt, letting her continue to ponder.

After a jumble of thoughts, Zhao Chao’an glanced at the faint but persistent flame of life force flickering around Jiang Liuyan. Though weak, it clearly indicated a strong vitality.

“I see. Good to know you’re alright,” Zhao Chao’an nodded.

Jiang Liuyan raised an eyebrow, surprised. “I didn’t expect you to care about me. I thought you were the kind of ghost who didn’t give a damn about anything.”

She remembered their first meeting with this Ghost King. He had held his head so high, as if looking down on everyone with disdain and indifference—a posture he certainly had the right to assume.

He was the complete opposite of the other person who shared her appearance.

The youngest Ghost King had established her own formidable power base in a remarkably short time, holding her own among the four established Ghost Kings.

Zhao Chao’an visibly stiffened, lowered her head, flapped her wings, and stood obediently still. “Because you’re A’Ran’s mother…”

How could she possibly offend her future mother-in-law? She still needed to earn more brownie points.

Jiang Liuyan recalled the interactions she had witnessed between the two earlier and already had a rough idea of the answer. Since Zhao Chao’an didn’t bring it up, she didn’t press the matter, instead asking, “Is there anything I can help with right now? Regarding the two of you.”

Zhao Chao’an pondered for a moment, then nodded. “Actually, yes. I need a body that can move and fight freely in the mortal realm. As you can see, I’m a ghost—I don’t have a physical form. Strictly speaking, I’m an energy being. Right now, I can only transform into animals like this to avoid detection, and I have to restrain my strength when fighting, which is very inconvenient.”

She had noticed this limitation during her earlier battle with the other Ghost King’s avatar. Although she had defeated the avatar, it had been a strenuous effort, which would hinder their future operations.

Jiang Liuyan gently tapped Zhao Chao’an’s head, having grasped her situation. “I understand. I’ll help you find a suitable body to possess within the next two days. At the latest, I’ll have one for you by the day after tomorrow.”

Zhao Chao’an fluttered her wings, her voice filled with genuine gratitude. “Thank you. You’re truly a lifesaver.”

“No need to thank me. Our goals align, so helping an ally is only natural.” Jiang Liuyan waved her hand and turned to leave. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll be going now.”

Zhao Chao’an darted in front of Jiang Liuyan, hurrying to add, “Actually, there’s one more thing.”

“What is it?” Jiang Liuyan asked.

Zhao Chao’an took a deep breath and blurted out, “What do you think of us?”

Zhao Chao’an didn’t dare look up at Jiang Liuyan, but when no response came after a long moment, her anxiety grew. She couldn’t resist peeking up at Jiang Liuyan with one eye.

“I don’t think my opinion matters,” Jiang Liuyan said softly but firmly, gently stroking the little bird’s head. “What truly matters is how you feel about each other. As long as you believe you’re right for each other, that’s all that matters.”

Her words were like a calming tonic for Zhao Chao’an, allowing her to finally exhale in relief.

“How should I address you now?” Jiang Liuyan asked. “Ghost King? Zhao Qingxun? Or another name?” Their relationship would gradually evolve, and continuing to use titles like “Ghost King” would feel too formal.

As someone with experience, Jiang Liuyan could see that while her daughter didn’t seem aware of her feelings yet, her connection with the Ghost King was clearly special.

“You can call me Zhao Chao’an, just like A’Ran does,” Zhao Chao’an replied. “Zhao Qingxun… that identity feels distant now. And frankly, I don’t want to be associated with that cowardly person.” She added earnestly, “Also, thank you.”

“I’ll head back now. See you tomorrow.” With a flutter of her wings, she returned to her original spot, nestled against Ying Buran, and closed her eyes.

Jiang Liuyan watched this scene with a soft smile. After returning to her room, she poured two cups of tea, pushed one across the table, and said, “You must have heard everything, right?”

Yun Xiangwan emerged from the shadows, casually picking up the teacup and taking a sip. “Yes, I heard. It’s quite a coincidence—I do have a puppet body that needs only a bit more reinforcement before it’s ready for use. However, the puppet body requires periodic maintenance and repairs.”

“No problem,” Jiang Liuyan replied. “We can use the repair intervals to let Xiao Ran go home and rest. You must have come to see me about something else, right?”

Yun Xiangwan nodded. “Yes, two things. First, the mole suddenly died. The poison in their body detonated, killing them instantly. The physician couldn’t save them.”

Jiang Liuyan narrowed her eyes slightly, surprised by the swift reaction. “They’ve noticed. And the second thing?”

“The Flowing Cloud Sect has sent representatives.”