Upon hearing this, Damien Gray's heart stirred. He looked again at the violet orb and suddenly realized the material was familiar. At last, he recognized it—it was the very black stone that had drunk his blood. Though its color had changed, its texture remained: the crystal's clarity, the jade's gentle warmth, and its smooth surface shimmered faintly with a rainbow glow. It was truly beautiful.
Damien Gray rubbed the tiny orb with his thumb, unable to hold back a smile at the corners of his lips. This was... spherical! So it had always been made for him from the start!
Morgan Shangguan saw the joy in his eyes and felt a sense of satisfaction. She kissed the corner of his lips and teased, "Your Highness is so easily won over!"
Damien Gray neither confirmed nor denied, smiling as he gently stroked her hair. "Mo'er, how about moving to the Ghost Chamber?" he asked.
"No."
He hadn't expected such a blunt refusal. Damien Gray couldn't help but frown, asking, "Why?"
Morgan Shangguan raised her brows. "Why don't you move here instead?" The Shadow Court was full of Blue Mist Blossoms, which benefited her and were also useful to Damien Gray. If she moved to the Ghost Chamber, she'd have to plant them all over again—too troublesome. If he moved in, everything would be perfect.
"Alright then!" Damien Gray didn't mind at all—as long as they lived together, that was enough.
The next morning, just as the sky began to lighten, Morgan Shangguan drifted awake in a daze. Before she could even open her eyes, a kiss landed on her eyelids, drawing her memories back. Her lips curled into a subtle smile, and when she opened her eyes, she found Damien Gray gazing at her with a hint of laughter in his eyes.
"Awake?" His voice was slightly husky, making it all the more alluring.
Morgan Shangguan nodded and quietly nestled against his chest, unmoving. She had thought she wouldn’t be able to fall asleep like this, but unexpectedly slept deeply. No wonder she hadn’t sensed his approach. With him by her side, she could truly let her mind rest—no need to worry about the ever-changing world or the dangers that might arise at any moment, beyond her control. For years, caution and vigilance had become second nature to her, impossible to change, nor did she wish to. Yet living this way, she often felt weary. But now, with him, she could finally find real rest.
Damien Gray watched her lazy demeanor, his eyes deepening with amusement and satisfaction. He reached for the mirror on the cabinet and held it before her, asking gently, "Do you like it?"
Morgan Shangguan looked curiously at her reflection, raised her brows, and reached for her left earlobe. On her fair earlobe, a translucent Azure Moon Crescent shone like a pool of clear blue water, sparkling with gentle waves. Just looking at it filled her heart with peace, dissolving all restlessness and unease.
Morgan Shangguan touched it—the Azure Moon Crescent was made of some unknown crystal, cool to the touch, as if it were set directly into her earlobe. Yet she felt nothing, so she hadn’t noticed its presence until now.
Damien Gray spoke softly, "This was left by my mother. I don’t know exactly what it is, but wearing it calms the mind and spirit. When you cultivate, you won’t risk losing control."
He had never known what it truly was or what it did, so he’d simply kept it, nearly forgetting about it. Only recently did he remember—and Morgan Shangguan looked beautiful wearing it.
He pinched her earlobe, smiling. "Now my mark is on you too, Consort. That’s only fair."
Morgan Shangguan couldn’t help but laugh. "Your Highness really can’t stand to lose out!" She touched the Azure Moon Crescent again, a little troubled. "But won’t I have to hide it whenever I change my identity? Otherwise, people would recognize me immediately!"
"No need for that. It can be moved." Damien Gray’s lips curled as he continued, "Only you can wear it, Consort."
Morgan Shangguan raised her brows in inquiry, and Damien Gray explained, "It’s a treasure of the Simon Family. Originally, only those with spiritual power in the Simon Family could wear it, but now their bloodline has lost its power. Only you are different."
Gently stroking her cheek, Damien Gray smiled. "My mother’s last words were that this was to be given to her future daughter-in-law!" But he’d never believed he would truly marry, so he’d never paid it much attention.
Morgan Shangguan thought for a moment and understood: Consort Bella Simon knew that there was no one else in the world with spiritual power, yet she said this was for her future daughter-in-law. She must have foreseen Morgan’s arrival. Morgan wondered, though, had she also foreseen her own fate?
To her, predicting the future was the dullest thing. If fate couldn’t be changed, what was the point in knowing it in advance? It would only add worry. But if fate could be changed, then it was hers to control, and there was no need to predict it at all.
Not thinking much more about it, Morgan Shangguan asked, "How do I move its position?"
"Just channel your spiritual power."
Because of Consort Bella Simon’s curse, Damien Gray was born without spiritual power. To him, spiritual power was merely another kind of strength, different from internal energy. Though more mysterious, he didn’t see it as invincible.
Knowing that spiritual power existed made him look farther ahead. He never felt superior just because his martial arts surpassed his peers. Since there was spiritual power, who’s to say there weren’t other unknown forces? He believed that all power could be improved without limit. Even if progress stalled at times, breaking through would open a whole new world. So, not having spiritual power wasn’t a regret. He could cultivate internal energy, couldn’t he? If it was deep enough, it could rival spiritual power. The same went for any other possible unknown force.
And reality proved him right—not everyone could fight Morgan Shangguan to a draw!
Morgan Shangguan tried channeling her spiritual power, and the Azure Moon Crescent really did move. She shifted it back to her earlobe, patted Damien Gray’s chest, and said, "Get up!"