Damien Gray had just left when someone knocked at the door.
Morgan Shangguan tossed the ledger in her hand aside and called out, "Come in!"
Julian Ji pushed the door open and entered, only to see Morgan Shangguan lounging lazily on the soft chaise. She looked up at him, her gaze cool and distant, her posture exuding a languid grace that blended perfectly with her ethereal beauty—a charm so mesmerizing it drew people in, even as it kept them at arm's length.
Morgan Shangguan's masculine attire had never made anyone question her gender; the allure she radiated transcended such distinctions. Both men and women were captivated by her presence, forgetting to notice anything else.
Looking at Morgan Shangguan, Julian Ji's eyes were filled with respect. "Guildmaster, you called for me?" His strong features revealed no emotion.
Morgan sat up, silently scrutinizing the man before her. Julian Ji always radiated an air of dominance and strength; anyone who met him would think him forceful by nature—and he truly was. But when it came to matters of the heart, he lacked that same forcefulness, that same commanding presence.
After a long moment, Morgan finally withdrew her gaze, picked up the tea on the table and took a sip. She frowned, but a faint smile crept into her eyes. The tea had been brewed by Damien Gray himself, though his skills hadn’t improved much over time—the taste was still far from impressive!
Morgan curled her lips, took another sip, and finally spoke, "You must have heard about Marjorie, haven’t you?" Her tone was certain.
Even though Julian Ji had decided to let go, he couldn’t be so carefree. He still found himself worrying about Marjorie Wan. Now that she had returned to the Cloud Guild, it was no secret—Julian had surely heard, and had undoubtedly gone to see her.
A flicker of pain crossed Julian Ji’s eyes before he lowered them. "Rest assured, Guildmaster, I know my limits. I won’t act rashly." He did wish he could kill Liam Liu, but he knew in his heart that Marjorie Wan would never want to see Liam dead. At this point, she couldn’t bear any more heartbreak.
If he ever acted against Liam Liu, it would never be seen as a mere personal vendetta. Right now, the righteous factions were seeking ways to eliminate the Ghost Guild and the Cloud Guild. If he truly killed Liam Liu, the righteous would never let go of the Cloud Guild, and the struggle between good and evil would escalate to a whole new level.
Regardless of whether Morgan Shangguan feared the righteous martial world, Julian Ji always remembered his own identity. He would not let his personal feelings drag the entire Cloud Guild into turmoil.
Morgan nodded, watching him for a moment before sighing, "Have you ever considered that Marjorie might be hurt, and that you bear some responsibility?"
Julian Ji looked up at her, offering no rebuttal, simply listening quietly to what she would say next.
Morgan gazed at him, her thumb gently rubbing the teacup in her hand, and spoke slowly, "If you had been more proactive, perhaps things would have turned out differently."
It was hard to imagine—someone so strong could love so quietly. Thankfully, Damien Gray was not like that; otherwise, they might have missed each other entirely.
Morgan shook her head, amused by the thought. She remembered how furious he had made her in the past, yet now she was grateful for his ruthless persistence.
Julian Ji clenched his fists, his eyes filled with complexity. Maybe she was right. Maybe it really was his fault.
Seeing his reaction, Morgan’s eyes flashed as she spoke, "It’s not too late to mend things. There’s still time—if you don’t mind Marjorie’s past." In truth, Morgan didn’t know what had happened between Marjorie and Liam Liu; she said this only to test Julian’s acceptance.
After all, Marjorie Wan had once loved another man. If Julian Ji couldn’t accept that, small misunderstandings could create problems in the future. Better to lay everything out now than to face conflict later. Morgan had never believed in love that cared only about the process, not the outcome.
Once she decided to give her heart, she expected something in return. Otherwise, the sweeter the process, the more painful the ending would be.
A glimmer of resolve flashed in Julian Ji’s eyes. He replied in a low voice, “I understand.”
How could he ever despise Marjorie Wan? All he felt was heartache for her.
Before, he thought her happiness was all that mattered. But now he realized that relying on others was no substitute for relying on himself—her happiness was his responsibility.
Morgan nodded in satisfaction and said gently, “I’ll be staying at the Cloud Guild until the Martial Arts Summit. If you need anything, come find me.” With Marjorie’s current state, Morgan wasn’t entirely at ease. Plus, with the Summit approaching, it was convenient for her to stay at the Cloud Guild—even if it meant Damien Gray would have to travel back and forth.
Gratitude flickered in Julian Ji’s eyes. “Thank you, Guildmaster!”
Morgan waved her hand. “You may go now.”
She hadn’t intended to meddle in matters of the heart, but under these circumstances, helping Marjorie Wan move past her pain was best done by encouraging her to invest in a new relationship. In Morgan’s view, Julian Ji was the ideal choice. She had done all she could—whether they ended up together or not was up to fate.
Damien Gray strode confidently through the mansion gates, followed by a shadow whose eyes widened in surprise at the sight of the words 'Ghost King Manor.'
Duanmu Ye had been tailing Damien Gray out of sheer curiosity about his identity. After all, someone with such presence becoming another’s forbidden pet was hard to fathom!
But he never expected that the 'forbidden pet' would actually belong to Ghost King Manor!
Frowning thoughtfully, Duanmu Ye decided to investigate the true identity of this forbidden pet. Why would someone from the Ghost King’s ranks be involved with Yun Fengqing? Was there some hidden secret?
He hadn’t considered that this person might be Damien Gray himself. Having witnessed the affection between Damien and Morgan Shangguan, he couldn’t imagine Damien consorting with a 'man.'
Though Morgan Shangguan never deliberately altered her appearance when changing identities, no one ever suspected her true gender. Perhaps it was because the persona of Yun Fengqing felt not only mysterious but also formidable—so much so that people instinctively never linked her to a woman.
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