“Surrendering is a wise choice.”
Zhang Ruochen was very careful, so he continued, “But how do I know that you won’t use a hidden card after I release you, or have Blindman and Big Beard come deal with me?”
The Thousand Star Maiden lowered herself. Her voice wasn’t as harsh as before. “First, you know the secret of me having Mysteries of Truth. If you spread the news, it won’t kill me, but it’ll cause me trouble. I have to be careful when dealing with you.
“Second, I still want to work with you to get the divine spring. I won’t benefit from harming you.
“We were too impulsive just then. It’s best if we calm down and work together.”
The Thousand Star Maiden had never lost in her life. She didn’t believe that anyone in the same generation was qualified to be her match, but today, she failed. She was actually captured by Zhang Ruochen.
Actually, she felt extremely wronged and hated Zhang Ruochen to death.
She’d used her strongest trump card earlier but couldn’t break through the Time and Space Secret Guide. This made her feel horrible. What if Zhang Ruochen really didn’t care about anything, deciding to go all out and taking this chance to kill her and take her Mysteries of Truth?
Naturally, she had to find a chance to steady Zhang Ruochen.
Actually, Zhang Ruochen never thought about killing the Thousand Star Maiden. Even if he wanted to, he wouldn’t do it so obviously. If she’d died in the Starry Carriage, the Truth Godly Palace would attack Zhang Ruochen and he wouldn’t be able to leave the God-Naming Platform.
He’d attacked earlier just to warn the Thousand Star Maiden against being so offensive. If she forced him to an edge, he could do anything and he was able to kill her.
“I still don’t trust you.”
Zhang Ruochen shook his head and studied the Thousand Star Maiden, continuing, “Didn’t you once say that I have a chance to be the prince of the Thousand Star Maiden? How about we confirm that so I can have some more protection?”
“What prince? Zhang Ruochen…what do you want?”
The Thousand Star Maiden’s voice had a fearful undertone.
“With your personality, you would definitely hate me after losing to me and getting captured,” Zhang Ruochen said. “If our relationship doesn’t improve, you may kill or suppress me at any time after I free you. I would have to be careful every second of the day. That’s too tiring and reactive.”
The Thousand Star Maiden was unsettled. “If you dare to do anything, I will die with you.”
“You are smart and value your own life. I’m sure you won’t do that.”
Zhang Ruochen smiled casually and reached out to touch the image of beauty with a hand. Spatial power poured out and his finger sank into the page.
Rip!
He tore off a part of the Thousand Star Maiden’s purple dress. It fell into his hand.
“Zhang Ruochen, you pervert… This is too much… Watch, I’m going to make you die with me…” The Thousand Star Maiden was furious. If she wasn’t suppressed by the Time and Space Secret Guide, she would kill Zhang Ruochen even if it meant she had to deactivate her saint source.
What was strange was that Zhang Ruochen didn’t do anything after tearing out a piece of her dress.
A moment later, Zhang Ruochen opened the Time and Space Secret Guide and released her.
The Thousand Star Maiden was still wrapped in layers of silver light. She wasn’t fully free.
Zhang Ruochen tossed the dress over. “I already wrote the title. Your turn to write the main body.”
“Write what?”
The Thousand Star Maiden knew that Zhang Ruochen could trap her inside the book at any time, so she didn’t attack brashly. She picked up the dress from the ground. With round almond eyes, she gasped. “Marriage proposal? Whose?”
“Yours and mine, of course.” Zhang Ruochen spoke seriously and didn’t seem to be joking.
“You mean, about you becoming the prince?” the Thousand Star Maiden asked.
“What else could it be? Do you think that I’m interested in your body?” Zhang Ruochen asked in shock.
The Thousand Star Maiden’s hands trembled, thinking that Zhang Ruochen’s words were too offensive. Judging by his tone, did he look down on her?
After all, her beauty and talent weren’t any worse than the nine on the Nine Angels Beauty Scroll. She was just much younger than them, so she wasn’t included on the scroll.
Poof!
Holy Qi poured out of her pale fingers, crumbling her dress. “There are so many elites in the worlds who pursue me,” she said in a low voice. “Do you qualify to force me to write a marriage proposal?”
The Thousand Star Maiden’s body shone with brilliant light. A white scroll appeared between her fingers suddenly.
She was about to activate it and strike…
Whoosh!
Zhang Ruochen closed the Time and Space Secret Guide, trapping her again.
Rip!
He dug his fingers into the pages and ripped off a part of her dress. He also took away the scroll in her hands.
“Pervert…bastard…”
The Thousand Star Maiden was frustrated and hurt. She wanted to cry but couldn’t.
That white jade was made out of saint jade and was thin as paper. It felt cool in his hands.
There were many complicated patterns drawn with divine blood on them. The aura that they emanated was very different from the Thousand Star Maiden’s aura. It was clear that it was made by an even more advanced Rune Way Saint Master.
The Thousand Star Maiden used it as her hidden card, so it meant that the rune scroll was extremely powerful.
Zhang Ruochen didn’t study it now. He put it away and used his own blood to write “Marriage proposal” on the dress.
He released the Thousand Star Maiden again.
Almost half of the Thousand Star Maiden’s dress was torn off now. Her pretty, wax-like calves were revealed. Like jade and ice, she was mesmerizing. However, her pretty face was like frost. She stared at Zhang Ruochen and revealed her white teeth as if wanting to bite him.
Zhang Ruochen tossed the fabric toward her again. “Write down what I say. Don’t destroy your dress anymore, or else I’ll have to tear more off. If I keep tearing… Your private parts will be exposed!”
“You…”
She picked up the fabric and repressed the urge to rip it apart. “Zhang Ruochen, do you really think a marriage proposal can restrain me?”
“It’s a marriage proposal and also a vow. I want you to include in it that you swear on a god’s reputation to never betray or hurt your husband, Zhang Ruochen.”
Pausing, he continued, “I remember the Thousand Star Civilization has a god called Hundred Battle Star God. Use your blood as ink, your mind as pen, the Hundred Battle Star God’s reputation as your vow, and write this letter.
“First sentence: Zhang Ruochen, Time and Space Descendant, is handsome, talented, and upright. He is the man I look up to genuinely. Today, I, Yu Chenjing of the Thousand Star Civilization, swear on the Hundred Battle Star God’s name, that I voluntarily wish to marry Zhang Ruochen, Time and Space Descendant.”
The Thousand Star Maiden clenched her fists and ground her teeth. “Have you no shame?”
Zhang Ruochen frowned. “Do you really think I want to marry you?” he asked seriously. “I just want this marriage proposal to protect myself. I won’t publicize it if you don’t hurt me. When I become a Supreme Saint, I’ll return it naturally.
“Plus, I’m already treating you graciously. I didn’t have any offensive requirements, like saying you must listen to my orders, enslaving you, et cetera.”
Zhang Ruochen had thought about this. If he bore down on her too much, her proud personality definitely wouldn’t allow her to follow his orders. She might even try to die with him.
Anyway, enough was enough.
“Okay, I’ll write.”
The Thousand Star Maiden controlled herself and followed Zhang Ruochen’s orders while feeling furious. She took one hour to write down all the words of this marriage proposal.
Zhang Ruochen took the fabric and checked the writing twice. He nodded in satisfaction. “This was written with your own blood. It contains your spiritual intent and you swore on a god’s name. Quite sincere.”
Then he used his own blood to write on the bottom, I am willing.
Seeing these three words, the Thousand Star Maiden shuddered. She was so angry that her full chest heaved up and down.
Zhang Ruochen glanced at her. “If you try to hurt me again, you better think carefully about the effect if this marriage proposal is exposed. If you kill me, it’s not as bad, since you’ll just go from a pure maiden to a dowager. But if you failed to kill me, I have hundreds of ways to ruin your name. It must affect you greatly, right?
“Don’t worry, I won’t keep the proposal with me. I’ll have a trustworthy person safekeep it.
“Actually, I’m curious. This counts as a vow. If you go against your vow, will you be punished by the god?”
“Zhang Ruochen,” the Thousand Star Maiden said. “If you dare to publicize this, not only will I kill you, I’ll also destroy your entire clan.”
She cared heavily about the marriage proposal, because she was the future leader of the Thousand Star Civilization and would rule over the millions of beings. She couldn’t be tainted at all.
Zhang Ruochen stared at her for a long while before murmuring, “Since we have a marriage proposal, we also need a precious betrothal item. Your belt seems like a nice treasure. How about you give it to me?”
“Don’t even think about it,” the Thousand Star Maiden rejected immediately.
First, that belt was a defensive divine relic. Once Holy Qi was added in, it could form a shield of light that carried faint divine power. It was worth more than 100 million saint stones and even Supreme Saints were tempted.
Second, if the Thousand Star Maiden’s belt was in Zhang Ruochen’s hands, then she wouldn’t be able to explain clearly if Zhang Ruochen wanted to use the belt as proof.
“Then I’ll take it with my own hands,” Zhang Ruochen said.
“If you dare do something so offensive, I really will make you die with me.” The girl grew nervous and kept retreating.
Zhang Ruochen trapped her inside the book again and the Thousand Star Maiden’s screams and curses sounded. A beat later, her voice traveled out of the book. “I’ll give it to you…I’ll take it off… Get your dirty hands away…”
A moment later, the Thousand Star Maiden was inside the carriage again. She hugged her chest and pulled her dress tightly around her. She bit her lip as if she’d been greatly wronged.
There was none of the arrogance from before.
Zhang Ruochen played with the belt with a faint fragrance. “I know you’re furious and you’re suppressing your anger, but so what? You don’t dare to make us die together because you treasure your life. You think you’re smart. If you bear it now, you’ll definitely be able to take revenge in the future. This is why you were humiliated and threatened but chose to submit. If I say now that you have a flaw in your mindset and won’t be able to face a true catastrophe head-on and fight even in the face of death, do you admit it?”