Luo Jinsang looks up and widens his eyes as the woman speaks, then mutters, "What?"

"I ended up overhearing it by accident and I believe your reaction to his words was not to accept it as being plausible or acceptable" Luo was about to argue when the woman looks at her, "What a life one can lead locked up and isolated from family and friends, even more, someone innocent of the accusation of treason because I don't believe the rumors about her. I believe that this woman had a very strong reason for doing what she did and that this was all caused by some mistake. An innocent confined suffering from the her health because the doctors comment that she is in pain and vomits almost daily as she gradually dies, in addition to being isolated from familiar and friendly faces even more so being so sick. After all, at that moment we are most in need of friendly company. How can that be considered living? Wouldn't it be more pious to die and stop suffering? For me, what he does to her is torture and cruelty. Living with torture is horrible."

"If he seeks medication and treatment for her, it doesn't mean he tortures her..." She replied weakly as she questioned how the mystery woman knew all of this.

"To prolong her suffering because he wants to punish her and considering his desire for revenge, I wouldn't be surprised. You know, I agree with your friend in what he said."

"The fish would never physically hurt her."

"You know, there are not only physical injuries in this world. There are magical, emotional and psychological injuries. The first one may or may not leave physical marks while the last two leave no visible injuries because they only cause internal injuries. About torture and suffering there are many forms to do so without necessarily involving physical harm."

Luo feels her heart constrict, but, she recovers and speaks still with hope, "The fish would never hurt her and I believe that at some point, I will get to see her. Qing Ji can help me."

Song Wu looks at the young woman who is on the verge of tears and sighs.

"Who are you? How do you know that?"

"My name is Song Wu and I'm her new caretaker" She looks up at the sky, "I have to go. I still have to stop by the kitchen to get her food."

Luo rests his hand on her arm and asks hopefully, "Can you help me? I will repay you if you help me. I can also pay with silver and even gold. I also have spiritual stones."

"You'll find out later. But believe me. It's best that you keep our conversation a secret. As you might have guessed, you have a better chance of seeing it with my help than begging for that merman's clemency, something that it's fruitless. I think you can see that now."

She lets go of the woman and nods as she watches her get up and walk away while placing both fisted hands on her chest, remembering Qu Xiaoxing's and the woman's words, making her question whether it was for the best for Yunhe to switch places. jailor, with Luo feeling a twinge of guilt for having gotten Qing Ji's favor by getting drunk with her, thus making the legendary demon promise a favor.

After all, Chang Yi was able to break into the Grandmaster Sect to take it out because of the help of the Jade Phoenix that lured Ning Qing to the far north.

For some reason she couldn't understand, her words made her rethink more than her friend's words because she used to ignore what he said, thus making it easier for her to refuse his arguments, with Luo being unaware of the fact that the woman used a soft and imperceptible enchantment so that his words would influence her to the point of making her reflective.

A few hours later, the merman was preparing to make a round at the points where the defenses were being strengthened to thoroughly verify the execution of the improvements when Kong Ming arched his brow, making the merman look curiously at the approaching monk.

"Are you leaving on a round?"

"Yes. I hope to be back as soon as possible for my daily appointment, three times a day."

The monk lets out a sigh in dismay because he knew that the jiaoren was supervising that the villain ate all the food that was offered and that he would take the medicine prescribed by the imperial doctors while he hoped he wouldn't be dragged by his best friend to treat someone so bad because it would go against the promise he made to himself to eliminate evil.

Chang Yi doesn't ask about the mix of annoyance and dismay on his face because she knows the cause. But, he couldn't do anything about it.

"What do you want to talk about, friend?"

"Don't forget that tomorrow will be your coronation as Beijing-Zunzhu (Master of the Northern Region), officially making you the Zhushang (Lord or lord while also meaning the supreme ruler or emperor in classical Chinese) of that kingdom."

"I think this ceremony is unnecessary because I've been performing this function since we founded this kingdom and everyone knows my authority."

"Yes. You execute and we found this kingdom as you said. But, it is necessary to have an official event and an equally official coronation, especially for us humans. You already command the respect of the demons for the power I possess because you can be considered the most powerful demon below the Jade Phoenix. However, it is essential to make your official title and the ceremony will do so. The preparations are already in place and the selected guests have already received their invitations to the ceremony of their coronation. Their ceremonial clothes and the crown are already prepared. I just want to remind you because I know that we are busy strengthening the defenses based on the latest battles and reports, taking advantage of the fact that the bastard grandmaster is not active at the moment because he is only busy with treating that bastard who survived the fire."

"I appreciate the reminder."

After the monk walked away and made sure his friend was far enough away to not hear his words even with his extremely heightened senses and beyond the capacity of many demons, he commented to himself, "I hope that other bastard in the Garden of Clouds, don't act up on the day of his official coronation. The sooner she dies, the better. That way, he'll be free of that obsession."

Sighing again at the fact that the jiaoren was worried about someone evil who was the sick woman who was imprisoned and isolated in the Garden of Clouds, he turns and walks away to oversee the progress of the ceremony and everything that was needed to make his title official friend.

The next day, far away, more precisely on the third floor of the building on the frozen lake north of the palace and its complex, the guardian of the demonic Valley wakes up when dusk appears on the horizon and watches with curiosity a different woman entering with the food.

The newcomer had fair skin and beautiful night-black hair and onyx eyes. Her movements were delicate and she possessed a youthful appearance that left her astonished while her countenance left her speechless.

After all, she looked at Yunhe and showed pity, something she didn't expect because everyone ignored her and Chang Yi only knew the cold or cruel countenance, depending on his mood, only seeing the old Chang Yi when she was sick.

In addition to pity, there was compassion and she even helped her to her feet as she walked over to the Dharma Guardian, and then helped her to sit down at the table with gentle movements after setting her meal.

After being bullied and experiencing the intense pain inflicted by Chang Yi along with being ignored by the servants while being coldly or cruelly looked at by the one she still loved, thus making every act, countenance, and spoken word doubly painful, she he was becoming emotional at the woman's distinguished demeanor.

The gentleness in the look reached her heart and almost made her cry with happiness.

"Who are you and what happened to Jiang Weiyan?" She asks with her voice choked with emotions due to their intensity and that they erupted at once with the woman's distinct attitude.

"Jiang Weiyan won't be coming anymore. I'm taking her place. My name is Song Wu. Nice to meet you."

This kindness caused an emotional state to hit her and she couldn't stop the slight emotional tremor that came over her.

"I have to leave now. I'll be back later."

Before Yunhe can think too much, the demon master desperately grabs her wrist, causing the woman to look questioningly at her who asks in an almost pleading voice, "Could you come back and stay? Can you do that?"

"Yes. But for now, I can't stay long. I need to finish the paperwork. Even though I'm just your caregiver, I have to fill out some paperwork because I've just been assigned."

"I understand."

With a lot of effort, she released her arm and said with her head down, "Won't you have any problems?"

"No."

"He will come to check on me because he wants to make sure I eat all the food and take the bitter medicine he brings."

"I'll watch from a distance and when he leaves, I'll come in."

"Thanks."

She gets up and leaves.

As usual, Chang Yi came in after a few minutes and watched as she obediently finished her meal while wondering why she didn't try to bargain or ask for anything.

However, she didn't ask why and as it always happened, with rare exceptions, the merman left without saying a single word.

Yunhe confessed that he dutifully ate it because he wanted him to leave as soon as possible so he could talk to Song Wu while feeling internally happy that he didn't feel sick.

So, after a few expectant minutes, she returned to the human's happiness and started to pack things up, then sat down next to her, looking at her kindly, making the demon master get emotional.

"You are different from the others."

"Yes."

"Believe me, I am quite different. " She completes in thought.

"You must follow rules."

"Yes. But that doesn't stop me from talking to you."

"Others don't do that."

"They are afraid and depend on the job. Furthermore, this merman's fame precedes him. Furthermore, since you are a prisoner and do not have an official title, they believe he hates you and therefore prefer to ignore your existence just in case."

She is surprised to see her treat him without the respect that would be expected.

"And you don't have to? Don't you fear him?"

"No and I don't need the job."

"I haven't seen the outside world in a while."

"How much time?"

"Six years."

She feigns surprise and then goes, "I have a special ability."

"Which?"

"Reading minds. It's pretty boring. I avoid using it. But, some thoughts just pop out, just like yours."

She widens her eyes, then feels the touch of her hands on top of hers as if to comfort her, with the woman saying while smiling, "Don't worry. I won't tell anyone. But, I warn you. It will probably have consequences. This is a fact."

Yunhe is relieved and holds out his hand, revealing the black mist that danced in his palm, "I know and it pays off if I can see the outside world, even for a few minutes. I'll probably die soon. I don't see any problems to shake things up a bit. But, I'll wait for you to leave. I don't want you to be involved in this."

"Thanks."

They talk a few more subjects with Yunhe managing to find out what was happening outside at the same time that she was stunned to discover that despite the brutal and intense fire, Shunde miraculously managed to survive although she had a large part of her body burned by the flames.

They talk for a while longer until Song Wu has to leave, with her saying goodbye to the demon master, and then leaving.

A few minutes later, in the distance, she looks at the house in the Garden of Clouds and sees Yunhe's escape after the human broke the newt's matrix and stepped on the windowsill, to later, wrapped in a cape that she herself made with a fabric, jumping into the cold air breaking several chains in the process, causing the servants who were at the place to be astonished to see the nine black tails behind her while others shouted to warn the emperor of the prisoner's escape at the same time as the others they were too stunned to do anything because they thought it was just a human.

In Song Wu's view it was a fruitless attempt because she knew that Chang Yi was there.

After all, she had read about this event in her book of destiny.

Indeed, as shown, the demon master was too weak, with Yunhe herself knowing this because she felt tired after breaking his matrix in addition to the fact that she felt pain in her chest.

For this reason, he is no longer able to fly and is limited to running across the frozen lake towards the mountains until he loses strength and falls on the ice, rolling several meters while his cape curls up next to him until he stops when he slides for a good distance to the side at the same time that its nine tails disappeared.

Then, she starts laughing, moving her arms and legs while a huge smile sprouts on her face, with the human laughing loudly like a child having fun in the snow, and then, lying on her back to look at the beautiful starry sky around her at the same time his hot breath formed puffs of steam, adding small mists to the beauty of the night sky.