Endurance is the first step to growth

“Poison?”

Jiang Xin, her neck firmly gripped, never imagined the other party would be so blatant as to confess. Her ten thousand years of experience traversing the world instantly made her realize everything.

This old monster disguised as Mo Shisan hadn’t possessed Mo Shisan before abducting her—rather, during the time Mo Shisan had been away, he had killed Mo Shisan and taken his form to infiltrate the Mo family.

The one who had wanted to force-marry her was still Mo Shisan.

Not this old monster wearing a human skin!

Though she had no idea what the old monster’s purpose was in infiltrating the Mo family, still... still...

The problem was, this was worse than an aphrodisiac!

Here she was, a stunning beauty, and instead of drugging the nuptial wine with an aphrodisiac, he had poisoned it?

How could any human do something like that?

“Damn it! In a nuptial wine, you’re supposed to just put in an aphrodisiac, you bastard!”

Jiang Xin cursed inwardly.

But the bigger issue was this:

She couldn’t detect which poison he had given her. With her experience and knowledge as a Great Emperor, she couldn’t even sense where the toxin was in her body—as if she hadn’t been poisoned at all.

Yet she had clearly seen Ye Shu drop something into the wine, and she had drunk that cup. How could she not be poisoned?

This only reinforced her belief that the man before her was an ancient monster.

Jiang Xin was completely numb now.

Why?

She, the reincarnation of the mighty Nine Nether Empress, was being force-married, and now an unknown old monster was using poison to control her.

In her entire life, she had never been so humiliated!

At that thought, overwhelmed with grievance, Jiang Xin couldn’t help but silently shed tears. Two clear streaks rolled down her delicate cheeks.

Ye Shu, still gripping her neck, watched as this foolish woman first gritted her teeth, then looked pitiful, and finally silently wept. He was completely baffled.

This only solidified his initial impression:

This woman had a performing personality!

People with mental illnesses like that were the most dangerous. Just poisoning her wasn’t enough insurance.

Fortunately, Ye Shu knew her weakness.

He tightened his grip on Jiang Xin’s neck and flung her lightly onto the bed. She crashed onto the soft mattress, half-kneeling, looking up at him with tearful, pitiful eyes.

“You... what do you want to do?”

She curled up on the bed, watching him warily.

Could it be... could it be that she still couldn’t escape the fate of being drained?

“What do I want to do?”

Ye Shu sneered, staring fixedly at Jiang Xin. “I remember you have a daughter, don’t you? If you don’t cooperate, Madam Jiang, you wouldn’t want anything to happen to your daughter, would you?”

He didn’t have time to play petty games.

Direct threats, using her weak spot to blackmail her—that was the most effective approach.

Jiang Xin’s pupils contracted, and she froze completely.

“You... you bastard!”

How could there be someone so shameless, pathetic, disgusting, and vile in this world!

“I’m just ensuring my own safety,” Ye Shu said indifferently. “As long as you cooperate and keep my secret, nothing will happen.” With that, he pulled a milky-white pill from his pocket and tossed it to Jiang Xin on the bed.

“Here, this is your half-month dose.”

“Take it, and the poison in your body won’t act up for the next half-month.”

Jiang Xin took the pill, holding it in her hand to examine it.

The pill was milky white, looking completely ordinary, yet it gave off a peculiar fragrance that made one want to swallow it at first sight.

She hesitated for a moment, then placed it in her mouth.

It was sweet, tasting just like the candy her mother used to buy her when she was a child.

Not bad, actually. It was surprisingly delicious.

Smack—

Jiang Xin licked her lips, savoring the taste, and said with some reluctance, "Got any more? That was pretty good."

Ye Shu looked at her speechlessly.

You don’t actually think that was a candy, do you?

"Alright, that’s enough for today." He sighed helplessly and waved his hand. "In short, if you want to survive and keep your daughter alive, just act like the oblivious Madam Mo who knows nothing."

"Got it?"

Jiang Xin clutched the blanket, staring at him pitifully, putting on an act of meek obedience.

"Got it."

This humiliation today stings like a thorn in my back.

This bastard has no idea what kind of monster he’s provoking! Once I recover my cultivation, the first thing I’ll do is capture this old fiend, toss him into the Nine Nether Abyss, torment him day and night, feed him every one of the forty-nine poisons, and make him wish he were dead—unable to live, unable to die!

As for today, I’ll swallow my pride and bide my time for revenge!

"Good."

Seeing her response, Ye Shu nodded in satisfaction. "A wise man knows when to yield. Since you’re being so cooperative, I won’t treat you poorly in the future."

With that, he turned, walked to the wardrobe, opened the door, and took out a clean blanket and pillow, laying them on the floor.

Jiang Xin’s eyes flickered with surprise.

Well, well. Didn’t expect this scoundrel to have a gentlemanly side, making a bed on the floor for himself.

This made her opinion of Ye Shu shift slightly.

At least he wasn’t the kind of man obsessed with carnal pleasures.

Fine, I’ll shave a few years off his sentence in the Nine Nether Abyss.

Just as she was silently calculating this in her mind—

After laying out the bedding, Ye Shu suddenly walked over to the bed and said coldly, "I’ve prepared the floor for you. You’ll sleep there from now on."

As soon as he said this, Jiang Xin was stunned.

She looked at him in disbelief, pointing at the floor mat and then at herself. "You want me, a delicate, stunning beauty, to sleep on the floor?"

Ye Shu looked at her with an innocent expression.

"Well, what else would you suggest?"

"Men and women shouldn’t touch. Are we supposed to share a bed?"

"Wait—why do you get the bed?" Jiang Xin demanded, her neck stiff with indignation. This was the last shred of dignity for the Nine Nether Empress.

"Simple."

Ye Shu’s answer was straightforward—

"I’m stronger than you. I want the bed, so you take what you’re given. Unless you want to share a bed with me."

He grabbed Jiang Xin by the scruff of her neck, lifting her like a kitten, and casually tossed her onto the floor mat. Then he undressed comfortably, lay down on the bed, and let out a satisfied sigh.

"Now this is how a person should live."

Jiang Xin, forced to sleep on the hard floor, trembled with rage. She wanted nothing more than to bite him.

This damn bastard!

She took back her earlier thought. He deserved to be thrown into the Nine Nether Hell and tortured to death.

As if sensing her murderous glare, Ye Shu turned on his side, glanced at her, and said flatly, "What? You don’t accept it?"

"How could I? Of course I accept it."

The very same Jiang Xin, who had been all indignation a moment ago, instantly put on a docile and sweet smile. "You are the master of this household. Whatever you say goes. If you order it, I won't dare refuse even if it means sleeping in a pigsty!"

Hearing this, Ye Shu finally turned around in satisfaction.

"Now you're talking."

"How infuriating..."

Jiang Xin watched as Ye Shu sprawled comfortably on the bed, grinding her teeth in fury.

But reason told her she could not retaliate.

He still had no idea who she really was, and it wouldn't do to reveal her abilities just yet.

"I can endure it!"

Jiang Xin gritted her teeth fiercely, glaring at Ye Shu.

A supreme powerhouse once said that the path to the peak demanded forbearance.

One must learn to bear the weight and carry on.

Patience was the first step to growth.