Mistress of the Underworld and Her Little Celestial Wife (GL) - Chapter 3

Not looking was impossible. Yu Luo took Mu Yin’s hand and led her to the coffin, gesturing for her to peer inside.

Mu Yin was terrified, squeezing her eyes shut. After a long moment, she timidly cracked one eye open to look.

Inside the coffin lay a slender and graceful woman, young and beautiful, with long, raven-black hair spread beneath her head. Her hands were folded over her waist, dressed in plain silk, looking as ethereal as a celestial maiden.

The dead didn’t seem so frightening after all. Mu Yin had no idea how Si Lingqing had died, but aside from her face being unnaturally pale, as if caked in thick powder, she looked as though she were merely sleeping peacefully.

Only then did Mu Yin dare to examine the person in the coffin more closely.

Si Lingqing had long lashes and a high nose bridge by modern standards, she’d easily be a 9 out of 10 in beauty. Especially that teardrop mole beneath her eye, it looked exactly like the woman who had entered the bridal chamber with her in her dream.

How strange.

Mu Yin had never met this woman before, so why had she appeared in her dream?

And if she was lying dead here, then who was the one who had visited her in the dream?

Was the one who left marks on her body really Si Lingqing’s ghost?

The more Mu Yin thought about it, the more confused she became. Could it be that even after death, Si Lingqing couldn’t let go and had come to see her new bride in the middle of the night?

As she studied the figure in the coffin, Mu Yin was utterly baffled. Yu Luo, oblivious to Mu Yin’s odd expression, gazed at her daughter, who had passed away at just 19 and began sobbing again, her eyes red.

Eventually, Yu Luo must have cried herself out. Mu Yin stayed by her side the entire day, and when it was time for the burial, she supported Yu Luo as they left the hall.

The procession had to cross the Five Elements Sect’s plaza and main gate, pass through the village at the foot of the mountain, and walk a stretch further to reach the sect’s ancestral hall. Si Lingqing would be laid to rest in the ancestral graves behind the hall.

Mu Yin, being new here, understood nothing about the Five Elements Sect’s customs. All she could do was steady the weeping Yu Luo as they slowly made their way to the ancestral hall.

The path was strewn with white funeral paper. Disciples of the sect and villagers alike lined the road, watching the funeral procession. Some even had reddened eyes, kneeling and kowtowing on the ground.

What was going on?

Why were people kowtowing???

Mu Yin was shocked but didn’t dare ask, maintaining a dutiful and composed demeanor as she accompanied her mother-in-law.

Si Lingqing’s funeral was grand. After the burial, her memorial tablet was placed in the ancestral hall alongside those of the Five Elements Sect’s ancestors.

By the time everything was finished and they returned to the courtyard, the sun had already set.

They had left in the morning, and Mu Yin hadn’t eaten all day. She was starving.

“Child, are you hungry?”

Si Muzhou entered the courtyard and glanced back at Mu Yin. “Many in our cultivation sect have already forsaken earthly food. Your mother and I long ago stopped consuming mortal fare, we forgot you still need to eat.”

“Here’s what we’ll do,” Si Muzhou said. “I’ll have the servants prepare a meal for you. Rest well in your room tonight, and tomorrow, there’s no need to rise early to pay your respects.”

Perfect—no early wake-up call!

Mu Yin controlled her expression, reminding herself that the Si family had just lost their daughter and she shouldn’t smile. She pressed her lips together and nodded. “Thank you, Father, Mother.”

Yu Luo patted Mu Yin’s hand before leaving with Si Muzhou, allowing Mu Yin to finally breathe a sigh of relief.

“Young Madam.”

Hong Zhuang stood behind Mu Yin and asked, “Do you have any particular dishes you’d like? I’ll have the kitchen prepare them for you.”

Mu Yin rubbed her stomach, she was so hungry she could eat an ox.

“Anything is fine, I’ve been starving all day.”

“Understood.”

Just as Hong Zhuang was about to leave, Mu Yin quickly stopped her.

Hong Zhuang looked at her in confusion. “Is something wrong, Young Madam?”

“Ah, no, nothing.” Mu Yin smiled and asked, “I was just wondering since Si Lingqing has been laid to rest, should all the red decorations in my room be removed?”

Hong Zhuang nodded reassuringly. “Rest assured, Young Madam. Before leaving, I already had the bright red and green decorations taken down. You needn’t worry.”

Hearing this, Mu Yin felt relieved. She stepped inside and saw that the red silk drapes hanging from the beams and bed curtains had been replaced with plain, unadorned fabric giving the room a minimalist, rustic aesthetic.

Well, alright then.

Mu Yin sat on her now-bare bed, patting the wooden frame. “This is much better than all that red and white. Maybe tonight I won’t dream of that woman again.”

After eating the meal prepared by the kitchen, Mu Yin began to feel exhausted.

Full and drowsy, she washed up briefly before settling into bed.

She had stayed up too late the night before and risen too early today, so she fell asleep quickly without a single dream.

Shortly after midnight, a gust of wind swept through Mu Yin’s courtyard.

It slipped through the door crack, passed the screen, and settled at the foot of her bed.

A woman clad in black with intricate dark patterns suddenly appeared beside the bed. Gazing at Mu Yin’s peaceful slumber, she couldn’t help but smile faintly.

Si Lingqing sat down at the edge of the bed, tilting her head as she watched Mu Yin sprawled out in deep sleep.

The newlywed bed, meant for two, now held only one. The room was kept at a comfortable temperature by magic, so even with just a thin blanket, Mu Yin didn’t feel cold.

Yet when Si Lingqing sat beside her, Mu Yin shivered slightly, instinctively pulling the blanket higher.

Noticing this, Si Lingqing paused, realizing her ghostly aura might be unsettling the sleeping woman. She shifted slightly farther away and gently tucked the blanket around Mu Yin’s feet.

Her gaze lingered tenderly on the sleeping figure.

Si Lingqing had indeed died succumbing to an incurable illness before the wedding. But in death, she hadn’t faded away. Instead, countless memories, spanning tens of thousands of years, flooded her mind.

Her death was not the end.

As the Goddess of the Underworld, one of the four primordial deities, Si Lingqing had once served under her. Now, she was the Ghost King of the Netherworld. Nineteen years ago, she had descended to the mortal realm as the only daughter of the Five Elements Sect’s leader, enduring a brief and painful life before reclaiming her divine status.

Now, she was about to reassume her position as the Ghost King.

Immortals were not meant to interfere in mortal affairs, but Si Lingqing couldn’t resist her curiosity, she simply had to see what her new bride looked like.

At this moment, Si Lingqing looked at the young girl before her, who was even younger than herself, and couldn’t help but shake her head.

To become a widow at such a tender age, how would she manage to live on?

Si Lingqing sighed deeply, reaching out to stroke Mu Yin’s delicate face. The memory of their intimate wedding night together made her eyes darken with emotion.

“Since we’ve already consummated our marriage, it’s only right that I take responsibility for you.” Si Lingqing’s fingertips gently traced Mu Yin’s eyelids, cheeks, and finally came to rest on her soft lips.

Mu Yin didn’t wake from the touch, merely frowning slightly in confusion and parting her lips.

Seeing those pink lips part to reveal pearly teeth and a crimson tongue, Si Lingqing found the sight irresistibly alluring in the dim light.

As her thumb caressed the tender skin, Mu Yin turned her head slightly, beginning to stir from sleep.

Though reluctant to leave, Si Lingqing knew it would be troublesome if Mu Yin woke to see her. After brief consideration, she slowly bent down to capture those lips, breathing a stream of energy into Mu Yin’s mouth.

Mu Yin’s mind instantly grew hazy, instinctively returning the kiss as her cheeks flushed crimson and the corners of her eyes turned scarlet.

“Mmm…”

Her eyes half-lidded, Mu Yin felt her body grow weightless, as if floating among clouds.

Clutching at the indistinct figure’s sleeve, she opened her mouth slightly before drifting back to sleep.

Si Lingqing rose slightly, pleased at the sight of Mu Yin’s swollen lips from her kisses. With a subtle hand gesture, she lightly tapped Mu Yin’s forehead.

“I can’t stay by your side constantly,” Si Lingqing whispered. “I’ll leave a mark within you for now, and return to keep you company later.”

When Mu Yin woke the next morning, she felt unusually cold.

Huddling deeper into her quilt with a shiver, she gradually regained some warmth.

How strange had she left the window open last night? Why did she feel cold even under blankets?

Spring had already arrived, even if there was a cold snap, it shouldn’t be this chilly. Hadn’t Hong Zhuang said the room was maintained at constant temperature by magic?

Lying in bed lost in thought, Mu Yin recalled having another dream last night.

Unlike the startlingly vivid one from before, this one felt obscured by mist, indistinct and unreal.

The main difference was the figure wearing black robes this time, which made the dream slightly more comfortable.

But only slightly.

Only when the bed regained its warmth did Mu Yin finally rise to start her day.

The past two days had been exhausting, wedding on the first day, funeral on the second. Now on her third day at the Wuyun Sect, she could finally relax.

Sitting at the dressing table, she began her morning routine before Hong Zhuang arrived.

The bronze mirror reflected her disheveled hair and oddly enough, slightly swollen lips. Leaning closer to inspect them, Mu Yin frowned in puzzlement.

Why were her lips swollen?

Had she bitten them in her sleep?

Fortunately the swelling was minor and would likely fade soon.

Before long, Hong Zhuang arrived with attendants. After knocking, they entered some to clean, others to help Mu Yin dress and prepare for the day.

“Young Madam, you’ll need to wear mourning clothes frequently from now on. We’ve prepared several extra sets for you to change into. After these few days pass, you can switch to plain white garments.” Hong Zhuang and several maids helped Mu Yin adjust her clothes, tying a white ribbon around her hair.

Dressed in white with a black waistband, Mu Yin examined her reflection in the mirror. Though these were mourning clothes, they simply looked plain and neat nothing too out of the ordinary.

“This looks good clean and tidy.” After studying herself for a moment, Mu Yin nodded in satisfaction and asked Hong Zhuang, “What’s on our schedule for today?”