Married to the One Who Is Not Human

The newcomer was extremely tall, dressed in a scarlet brocade robe, striding forward with broad steps. 

The scarlet hem of his robe swept through the air, creating a vivid yet sharp curve. With each step he took, an overwhelming aura swept toward them, instinctively making them dare not look directly at him.

　　The exorcist inside the house was tense to the extreme, with beads of sweat forming on his forehead. In no time, his clothes were soaked through with cold sweat, dripping wet as if he had been pulled out of water.

Even when they were previously surrounded by red sleeves from all sides, they hadn't felt this desperate.

　　They instinctively felt fear, yet they did not know what they were afraid of. Within that fear lay an indescribable, inexplicable timidity, almost compelling them to bow their heads in submission.

　　Until the visitor suddenly smiled and called out toward the room: "My lady."

　　Wife?

　　All the tension, despair, fear, timidity, and submission suddenly receded like a tide, and the heavy weight that had been pressing down on their hearts, almost suffocating them, disappeared.

　　All the negative emotions dissipated, and at that moment, they finally saw the appearance of the person who had arrived.

　　This was a man of extraordinary beauty, his face so exquisite it seemed like the most meticulous creation of the goddess Nuwa, surpassing humanity's imagination of beauty.

　　Yet this unparalleled beauty did not belong to a celestial being descended to the mortal realm. Instead, it carried an indescribable air of the supernatural. His vibrant crimson robes, as vivid as blood, jarred the eyes of those present, causing them to ache suddenly. 

　　However, no one closed their eyes. 

　　They looked confused, unsure whom he was addressing or who among them was his wife.

　　The crowd slowly followed his gaze, their eyes landing on Ji Yu and Chen Qingzhe, the sister and brother standing in the center of the main hall.

Due to the earlier incident, the siblings were both dressed in wedding attire, adorned as brides.

　　Chen Qingzhe was still young, at an age where it was hard to tell his gender, with a slender build. When he wore the wedding attire, he could easily be mistaken for a young girl, though his chest was a bit flat.

　　Standing together, the siblings, who had always resembled each other, now looked even more alike, almost as if they were sisters.

　　Perhaps influenced by the earlier wedding, when he called out "wife" in their direction, some people misinterpreted it, thinking he might be referring to Chen Qingzhe.

　　Chen Qingzhe's face turned pale instantly, and he erupted in anger: "Who are you calling? Who is your wife?!!" 

　　Thinking back to how he had nearly been forced to marry a dead man, he couldn't bear to hear any male non-human being call him "wife."

　　The man gave him a casual glance. 

　　That glance made Chen Qingzhe's breath catch, his face turn pale, and his body tremble as if crushed by something terrifying. He stumbled backward a few steps, a trace of blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. 

　　As he retreated, only Ji Yu remained standing there.

　　Seeing this scene, the group of demon exorcists were filled with astonishment and doubt.

Who was this man? Such terrifying power—judging by Chen Qingzhe's reaction, he must have suffered severe injuries.

Ji Yu also looked at him. Though she did not recognize him, for some reason, her heart raced wildly.

　　That familiar pounding and pain made her almost lose her balance.

　　Some memories locked away in her dreams leaked out a little, and in a daze, she seemed to see herself wearing a wedding dress, being helped into a wedding palanquin by a terrifying old woman who was a zombie demon...

　　While she was in a daze, the man had already walked up to her.

　　The corners of his lips curved into a smile, and his pitch-black eyes, devoid of any light, fixed on her intently. His voice was gentle and affectionate, "My wife, why didn't you tell your husband you were coming here?" 

　　Ji Yu: "…Who are you?" 

　　Who is your wife? 

　　The man chuckled softly, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, his expression growing even more tender.

　　Ji Yu was not accustomed to being too close to others, yet she could not control her body. The pounding in her chest made her instinctively want to draw closer to him, but her reason forced her to stop. 

　　Her face turned pale, almost transparent, as she clenched her fingers tightly around the gold bead on the red string hidden beneath her sleeves. 

　　"My wife, my name is Jiang Shiqiu." The man said gently, "Don't forget it again, or I'll be heartbroken." 

"Jiang Shiqiu?" 

Ji Yu looked at him in confusion. The name was clearly unfamiliar to her, but the moment she heard it, her heart began to burn intensely. It was as if someone had once repeatedly imprinted the name "Jiang Shiqiu" on her heart, and now she couldn't control herself upon hearing it.

　　At that moment, a voice rang out.

"Jiang Shiqiu? Are you the commander of the Imperial Town Demon Suppression Bureau?" Chen Qingfeng looked at him in surprise. "How did you end up here?"

　　Upon hearing this, it seemed as though some memories had returned, and everyone present wore expressions of sudden realization.

　　In the human world, demons and monsters ran rampant, and only demon exorcists could eliminate them, safeguarding the peace of the human realm.

　　There are many exorcist factions. In the civilian sector, the four major families of Xu, Ji, Chen, and Pei, along with the Exorcist Alliance, are the main ones. The imperial court has the Demon Suppression Bureau, with the Imperial Town Demon Suppression Bureau being the most powerful.

Over the years, those who have held the position of commander of the Imperial Town Demon Suppression Bureau have all been powerful exorcists.

The name "Jiang Shiqiu" immediately evoked an image of a powerful figure in the minds of those present.

　　Looking at Jiang Shiqiu now, he wore a crimson brocade robe with a white jade sash tied at the waist—the official attire of the Demon Suppression Bureau commander. 

"It's Jiang大人," the crowd bowed politely. 

The imperial court and civilian demon exorcists were clearly divided, with many underlying conflicts and mutual suspicion. However, on the surface, the Imperial Demon-Slaying Bureau oversaw all demon-slayers, could mobilize them from all regions, and had the responsibility to supervise them. Thus, everyone still had to give them some face.

Ji Yu observed everyone's reactions and found them inexplicably odd.

Was Jiang Shiqiu the commander of the Imperial Demon-Slaying Bureau?

　　She was certain the commander was Jiang Chao Shan. Where had this Jiang Shi Qiu come from? Yet, everyone present showed no doubt, not even Hong Xiao. Ji Yu knew Hong Xiao well and had noticed how her tense body had visibly relaxed.

Not only Hong Xiao, but everyone else also firmly believed in Jiang Shi Qiu's identity and trusted him implicitly.

　　Ji Yu's eyes darkened slightly. She didn't think anyone would hide this information from her, or that she would be so busy that she forgot who the commander of the Imperial Town Demon Suppression Bureau was. Even if there was a new commander, it didn't make sense that everyone else knew but she didn't.

Ji Yu…

Before Ji Yu could think it through, someone suddenly said, "Right, Lord Jiang, you and Young Master Ji…"

　　Everyone recalled the incident earlier where Jiang Shiqiu had addressed Ji Yu as "wife." 

　　Jiang Shiqiu's jet-black eyes fixed intently on Ji Yu, his lips curving into a tender smile as he spoke softly, "I have married Ah Yu; she is my wife." 

　　The person's expression grew dazed, then nodded: "… Ah, yes, yes, yes. A few days ago, Lord Jiang did indeed marry Young Master Ji. We even attended your wedding banquet." 

The expressions on the others' faces shifted from doubt to certainty. 

Ji Yu watched this scene, feeling a chill run through her body. Her face grew pale, almost translucent, and her body trembled slightly. The pain in her heart was more intense than ever before. 

Was it a moment of madness?

　　Or perhaps some even more terrifying demonic illusion that could alter one's memories and perceptions?

　　Most of the demon exorcists present were elite disciples trained by various factions, possessing extraordinary abilities. Yet, judging by their expressions, they did not doubt Jiang Shiqiu's words in the slightest.

　　In their understanding, Jiang Shiqiu was the commander of the Demon Suppression Bureau of Huangcheng Town, and at the same time... he was also her husband, Ji Yu, whom she had recently married.

　　At that moment, a hand gently rested on her slender, delicate shoulder.

"Ah Yu, are you feeling unwell?"

　　Ji Yu looked at the owner of the hand. His skin was a cold white, not overly pale, and even had a warmth to it, much higher than her own body temperature, and more human-like than hers.

He lowered his gaze to look at her, his focus intense enough to make one's heart race.

The weakness and excruciating pain in her body made Ji Yu's reactions sluggish. When he reached out to embrace her, she murmured, " I... I'm fine."

　　Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of Hongxiao's worried expression, but she did not rush forward as she usually would.

　　Ji Yu felt a sense of certainty in her heart. At this moment, in Hongxiao's heart, Jiang Shiqiu was her husband, a reliable person. With Jiang Shiqiu by her side, she felt at ease.

　　This realization weighed heavily on her heart.

　　The intense emotional turmoil further weakened her already frail body. Ji Yu swallowed the metallic taste rising in her throat and covered her mouth to cough a few times.

　　She had grown accustomed to the relentless pain tormenting her body. The more intense the pain, the more lucid she became.

　　It was precisely because she was too lucid that she clearly recognized the strangeness of the man before her named Jiang Shiqiu.

　　But she couldn't even tell if he was human or demon, friend or foe. Moreover, all the demon exorcists present, except for her, were caught in a delusion, their consciousness obscured.

"My wife, are you in pain?" Jiang Shiqiu's smile faded, and his face showed concern.

　　Ji Yu lowered her eyes, unsure of what to say.

　　Her body was stiff as stone, the pain raging within her, making it difficult to even lift a finger, let alone confront an entity capable of obscuring the normal consciousness of all exorcists in such a situation.

　　Seeing her silence, he didn't mind, suddenly reaching out to pick her up.

　　Her breathing faltered slightly, but she didn't struggle, quietly leaning against his chest.

　　Perhaps her docile demeanor pleased him, for she heard the man's soft laughter, a voice that was extremely pleasant to the ear, low and deep, filled with tenderness and affection.

Ji Yu was at the end of her strength, the intense pain throughout her body causing her consciousness to teeter on the brink of collapse.

　　In her final moments of consciousness, she heard the man tell the group of demon exorcists, "Ji Yu isn't feeling well. I'll take her to rest first…"

　　Ji Yu closed her eyes helplessly, letting her consciousness sink into endless darkness. A sigh rose in her heart, unsure if she would be lucky enough to wake up this time.