When my vicious stepmother mistakenly married me to the Immortal Lord

Xie Changyan turned slightly to the side and saw a hideous scar on his back, extending from his left shoulder to the right side of his waist, as if dividing his body into two.

The scar was dark red in color, raised on the surface of the skin, like a winding red dragon wrapped around his back, looking shocking.

What's even more terrifying is that there is a deep groove in the middle of the scar, through which the spine and internal organs can be seen. It looks like it was cut open by a sharp blade and glued together by some secret technique.

"This is..." Jiang Song covered his mouth, his eyes full of shock.

Tears rolled down her face unconsciously, and she wanted to touch the scar with trembling hands, but was afraid of hurting him.

"What happened? How did you get hurt so badly?"

Xie hurriedly turned sideways to cover her scars and smiled bitterly, "My husband's body is ugly, isn't it? It scared you, didn't it?"

Jiang Song shook his head desperately, tears welling up in his eyes. "No, that's not what I meant... I'm just heartbroken. How could you be so badly injured?"

"Back then, I was just one step away from ascending to godhood. Unexpectedly, I was besieged while trying to pass the tribulation, and all seventy-two purple-gold lightning bolts struck me, nearly shattering my soul."

"Although I managed to survive in the end, my body was almost completely destroyed."

Xie Changyan said it lightly, but Jiang Song could imagine the pain and despair he was going through at that time.

She held Xie Changyan's hand tightly, tears dripping onto the back of his hand. "Those who besieged you wanted to steal the Tianyan Map?"

Xie Changyan nodded slightly. "Indeed. The Tianyantu is an ancient artifact that can deduce the mysteries of heaven, predict the future, and hide the world's treasures and many secrets. It has attracted the covetousness of countless cultivators."

"This map is the most precious treasure of our Tianyan Sect. As the Sect Master, I have inherited the responsibility of protecting it from the previous Sect Master. Naturally, I have become a thorn in the eyes and flesh of those greedy people."

"However, I never expected that there would be a traitor within the sect, colluding with external enemies and launching a sneak attack when I was undergoing the tribulation."

At this point, a cold light flashed in Xie Changyan's eyes, and his tone became icy.

Jiang Song felt the murderous intent from him and her heart trembled, but she did not let go of his hand. Instead, she held it even tighter.

"So what happened next? How did you survive?"

"Later, before my spiritual power dissipated, I used up the last bit of my strength to tear apart space and sent the Tianyantu to an unknown place."

"Those thieves failed to find the Tianyantu and were unwilling to leave. So they wanted to kidnap my body and refine it into a puppet, hoping to find the whereabouts of the Tianyantu through my body."

"Fortunately, my body also fell into that unknown place along with the Tianyantu. Their search was fruitless, so they had to give up."

"I was unconscious for a long time in that unknown land. The spiritual energy there nourished my body, and it slowly healed. However, my cultivation level plummeted, and I was left with this scar that cannot be healed."

Jiang Song felt a pain in his heart as if it was being cut by a knife as he listened to Xie Changyan's narration.

She couldn't imagine that the man who was always calm and composed had experienced such a tragic past.

She gently stroked the hideous scar, tears streaming down her face again, "What about your body now..."

"Song'er, this is one of the reasons why I can't face your true feelings."

Xie Changyan gently held Jiang Song's hand, a hint of sadness flashed in his eyes.

"My current body may appear intact, but it's actually riddled with holes. Not only has my cultivation level plummeted, but it could collapse at any moment."

"Then you..." Jiang Song's lips trembled and he couldn't speak.

"Don't worry, I've found a way to repair my body, it just takes some time."

"As long as I can successfully repair my body, I can resume my cultivation and regain my strength."

"But Song'er, there's one thing I've been hiding from you. If you knew, you'd probably hate me, right?"

Jiang Song's heart was already numb with pain. She took a deep breath and tried to make her voice sound calmer. "What's the matter? Tell me, I'm listening."

Xie Changyan looked at her, a complicated light flashing in his eyes, "Actually, the way to repair my body lies with you."

"It's up to me?" Jiang Song looked at Xie Changyan in astonishment. "What can I do?"

"You have a body of pure Yin, and I have a body of pure Yang. The fusion of Yin and Yang can help me repair my body, and it can also help you suppress the Suzaku Divine Fire."

"I also nurtured a broken piece of my spiritual bone within you. It is one of my magical instruments, called the 'Sunlight Gathering Wheel'."

"As long as we practice dual cultivation, we can use that spiritual bone to merge our spiritual powers into one, cultivate together, and nourish each other."

As Xie Changyan spoke, the tips of his ears trembled slightly, and he was a little afraid to look into Jiang Song's eyes.

He knew what he did was excessive, but he really had no other choice at the time.

When Jiang Song heard his words, he felt dazed.

It turned out that he was not acting on impulse, but had been planning this for a long time.

She looked at Xie Changyan, tears glistening in her eyes, "So, all the kindness you showed me before was just a prelude to today?"

Xie Changyan hurriedly shook his head, "That was my original intention, but later on, I really fell in love with you. Song'er, I..."

"Stop talking." Jiang Song interrupted him. She turned her head away and stopped looking at him. "Leave me alone."

Xie Changyan coughed a few times, and a trace of blood flowed from the corner of his mouth.

He covered his chest, gathered his loose shirt, and slowly stood up. "Then I will not disturb Song'er anymore. You should get some rest."

After saying that, he turned and left, his back looking a little desolate.

Jiang Song looked at his departing back, feeling mixed emotions.

She didn't know how to deal with all this, and she needed time to digest the information.

That night, she tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.

Xie Changyan never returned to Yunyin Pavilion and no one knew where he went.

The next morning, Jiang Song got up early and wandered around the yard alone.

She looked at the familiar scenes, but an inexplicable sense of strangeness surged in her heart.

Everything changed overnight!

"Young Madam, what's wrong with you?" Xiuyun walked out of the house with a basin of hot water and saw Jiang Song's distraught look.

"I'm fine." Jiang Song forced a smile. "You go ahead and do your work. I have some things I can't figure out."

Xiuyun nodded, turned and left without saying anything else.

Jiang Song stood in the yard for a long time until a cold wind blew and she felt a little cool.

She tightened her cloak around herself and turned back into the house.

As she entered the room, she saw a letter on the table.

She walked forward, picked up the letter and saw that it was written by Xie Changyan.

"Dear Song'er:

As your husband, I know that you are resentful about what happened last night, and I dare not expect you to forgive me.

The matter of repairing your body was indeed planned by my husband for a long time. I used your body, which is my fault.

But I really have no other choice. If not, this broken body would not have survived until today.

Not for survival, but for the unfinished mission:

The Tianyantu is related to the survival of the Tianyan Sect and the safety of all people in the world. As a husband, I have no choice but to do it.

The Sunlight Gathering Wheel has become one with you. Your husband will never dig out your bones to get the weapon and hurt you in any way.

As for the matter of double cultivation, if you are willing, your husband will do his best to compensate you;

If you don't want to, your husband will find another way to help you suppress the Vermillion Bird Divine Fire.

Take care of yourself.

Husband, please stay for a long banquet."