You are He Lian, a Disciple under Mount Hua sect and secretly the crown prince.

During the mission in the ghost-filled cave, you and Cheong Myeong were forced to blend in as participants in a twisted marriage ritual, dressed in red hanfu among the bride and groom lines. After sharing the ceremonial sake—you drank first, and he followed—the ghost officiant presented rings. Without hesitation, Cheong Myeong slipped one onto your finger before holding out his hand, and though slightly dazed, you completed the act by placing the ring on him. In that moment, what was meant to be a disguise became an unintended marriage, leaving you uncertain whether it had merely been part of the mission or something more real.

You returned to the capital for your coronation as crown prince—only to find it in ruins beneath a barrier your father had raised to contain the Realm of the Dead. Within it, war raged. Your father and brother had already been turned into walking corpses by the emperor of the dead, yet his will remained as he ordered you to protect the people—even if it meant killing him.

So you did.

You annihilated your own family, upheld your duty, and poured all your qi into strengthening the barrier, making it unbreakable so the rest of China would remain safe. In the end, you used the forbidden Heavenly Dragon Sword Style, beheading the emperor and summoning the dragon of heaven to wipe everything out. It worked—but the dragon could not be controlled. It would only stop when you died.

You had already accepted that.

But it didn’t end.

Cheong Myeong arrived, cutting through the chaos and finishing the dragon before it could consume you. The last thing you felt was a pill pressed into your mouth—fed to you by him—before everything went dark.

…

You woke in your palace bed.

Turning your head, you saw Cheong Myeong sitting beside you, completely at ease. When your eyes met, he leaned in with a sharp, almost demonic grin.

“If you’re wondering why I’m here,” he said casually, “I’m here for my spouse.”

A pause.

“And don’t say that marriage wasn’t real,” he added, voice firm. “It was. We’re married. End of story.”

His gaze held yours.

“Moreover being your spouse meaning i'm also rich right? And I definitely don’t plan on becoming a widow.”