Mu Ran muttered, "We are husband and wife, after all. A lot of the time, I also want to satisfy your desires and make you happy."
The pinky finger she had hooked exerted a slight force, entwining with hers. Soon, the man's large hand enveloped hers, leaving her mischievous hand completely immobilized.
Lifting her face, she crashed into the man's pitch-black eyes. They were like a bottomless abyss or an unfathomable lake. Beneath the calm surface lurked surging undercurrents, rolling and churning, threatening to break through the facade of false tranquility and unleash a stormy sea.
Mu Ran still remembered seeing such a pair of eyes on their wedding day.
That very night, she had been tossed and turned half to death by the newlywed husband she had mistakenly thought was frigid.
But right now, it seemed like her own illusion, because Cangshu Bai quickly reverted to his usual calm and aloof demeanor.
His arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her into his embrace. He held her gently with tender restraint, stroking the long hair at the back of her head, and said softly, "I really like this little wooden figurine. Thank you, Ranran."
Mu Ran snapped back to reality and blinked. "As long as you like it. We're a married couple, you don't need to say thank you to me."
Cangshu Bai gave a low hum of agreement, and then asked her, "What do you want to eat for dinner?"
"I want to eat Four Joy Meatballs."
"Alright."
He patted the top of her head, his gaze lingering on her face for a moment before he stood up and walked into the kitchen. Not long after, the sound of him washing his hands and preparing the meal came from inside.
Mu Ran touched her own face, feeling a bit disappointed.
So strange. She could clearly feel that he had wanted to kiss her just now, so why did he just walk away?
Was it because they were an old married couple now, so her charm wasn't as great as it used to be?
In the dead of night, all was completely silent. The candles were extinguished, leaving only faint moonlight in the cozy house.
Cangshu Bai looked at his soundly sleeping wife in his arms, feeling entirely devoid of sleep himself.
He reached out to touch her wrist again, his fingertips gently caressing it.
Her spiritual roots were ruined, making her unable to cultivate. As an ordinary mortal, she would only have a short lifespan of a hundred years.
Perhaps that was exactly what he had valued back then, thinking that being husband and wife for a mere century would be enough to help him survive the most difficult tribulation of love required for his breakthrough in cultivation. Yet, he didn't know since when, but a short hundred years now felt far from enough.
He intertwined his fingers with hers, slowly channeling warm spiritual energy from his own body into her bones and blood.
Cangshu Bai kissed the crown of her head.
"A thousand years, ten thousand years, we will never part."
In the courtyard, the Extreme Ice Cold Fish, which had been sleeping in the well disguised as an ordinary fish, suddenly leaped out of the water. It transformed into a streak of silver light, slipped in through the window, and hovered before its master's eyes.
Cangshu Bai's brows furrowed slightly.
The wind was strong at night, and the swaying shadows of the trees looked like malevolent ghosts baring their fangs and brandishing their claws.
Butcher Fan felt a chill in his heart, somewhat regretting his promise to that Immortal Elder. However, thinking of the vast amounts of gold, silver, and treasures he would receive once the deed was done, he dispelled his hesitation and walked firmly toward the ancient well under the old locust tree in the center of the village.
The underground water veins in the village were interconnected. As long as he dropped the medicine in here, the entire village's water supply would be affected.
Butcher Fan looked around vigilantly. Seeing no one around, he soon couldn't help but slap his own forehead.
"The Immortal Elder said I'm doing a good deed. If the village gains a spiritual vein, then everyone can become a cultivator. This is a great thing! Why am I sneaking around as if I'm doing something bad?"
Muttering to himself, he confidently took out the medicine bottle. Just as he opened the cap, he was suddenly startled from behind. His body stiffened in place, completely immobilized.
Panic filled Butcher Fan's eyes, and then, a silent figure in green appeared before him.
He widened his eyes in terror, sweat pouring down his body like rain, yet he remained unable to open his mouth to speak a single word.
The medicine bottle fell into the hands of the man in green. He poured out some powder, rubbed it between his fingertips, and said, "Crimson Blood Powder, used to attract demonic beasts."
Shock filled Butcher Fan's eyes.
The man in green didn't spare him another glance. Pointing his fingers like a sword at the center of Butcher Fan's brow, Butcher Fan's brain suddenly erupted with an agonizing pain, as if it were being violently churned. Almost all the memories of his life surged forth.
When he was young, he peeked at Widow Zhang taking a bath and was caught and beaten up.
When he grew older, he got entangled with Mrs. Li, and was caught and beaten up again by Mrs. Li's husband.
On his way back from getting medicine at the clinic in town, he encountered an old man collapsed by the roadside. The old man possessed a transcendent bearing and an outstanding aura. He claimed he was injured while hunting down a demonic cultivator who brought disaster to the world, and he gave Butcher Fan spirit stones. Only then did Butcher Fan take him home to recover from his injuries.
The old man said it was unwise to expose his identity, lest it draw the demonic cultivator's revenge. Having taken the spirit stones, Butcher Fan believed him without a doubt and did not mention the old man to anyone.
As for this bottle of medicine, it was also the divine medicine given to him by the old man.
Furthermore, within these memories, he frequently harbored endless fantasies about the beautiful young Mrs. Mu in the village.
The more memories the man in green viewed, the more agonizing the pain became for Butcher Fan. Eventually, a dark gloom settled between the man's brows, and he struck even more ruthlessly.
Butcher Fan's eyes rolled back, and his stiff body convulsed, clearly indicating that his soul had been damaged.
Finally, the man in green lowered his hand.
Butcher Fan's body went limp, and he collapsed to the ground.
The white-robed old man sat cross-legged in the humble house, resting with his eyes closed as he continued to heal his injured body.
This small village didn't even have a spiritual vein, which made his recovery extremely slow. More and more cultivators were gathering in the town; even Hongfu of the Crimson Flame Peak had arrived. If he didn't make plans early, he would certainly be in danger.
The door of the house opened and closed. It was the greedy and lustful Butcher Fan returning.
The old man opened his eyes and asked with a smile, "How did my young friend fare with the task?"
Butcher Fan replied, "According to the Immortal Elder's instructions, the matter has been settled."
"Good. You are indeed fated to cross paths with this old man. Once the spiritual vein is formed, you will surely be blessed with profound fortune."
Butcher Fan slowly approached. "I will borrow the Immortal Elder's auspicious words."
His footsteps did not stop; he kept moving forward.
The old man's brows furrowed slightly. Just at that moment, Butcher Fan quickened his pace and ran over. Flaming cracks surfaced on his skin, as if magma were burning and rolling inside his body.
With a loud boom, Butcher Fan's body exploded. A boiling mist of blood mixed with a scorching wave of heat shot up into the sky, threatening to engulf the old man entirely.
Instinctively, the old man summoned his natal magical artifact. A Red Plum White Snow Umbrella spun open in mid-air. Its ribs were condensed from thousand-year ice silkworm threads, and its canopy was woven with frost and snow from the cloudy ravines. Once deployed, a biting, freezing chill instantly spread across the sky, violently colliding with the oncoming boiling blood mist and scorching heat wave.
The old man's old injuries had not yet healed. When the heat wave crashed into him, he suddenly coughed up another mouthful of blood, but he managed to save his life at the very least.
A ruthless look appeared in his eyes, but he deliberately called out, "I wonder which fellow Daoist is striking from the shadows? Why not come out and meet? I have many treasures here that I could perhaps gift to you, just to form a good connection and make a friend. What do you say?"
The burning magma and flames around him were suddenly extinguished by a blast of cold wind. Absolute darkness descended, and in an instant, he couldn't even see his own hand in front of him.
The cold blade struck like lightning, its piercing sound hidden in the darkness. It was fast to the extreme, bone-chillingly sharp, and without the slightest warning, it aimed straight for the vital point right between the old man's eyebrows.
The old man responded in a panic. The spiritual energy of the Red Plum White Snow Umbrella surged into a barrier. The ice prism and the cold blade clashed with a deafening boom, emitting an ear-piercing sound of clashing metal. The impact split the webbing between the old man's thumb and forefinger, and a mouthful of blood nearly surged up his throat.
But this was merely a feint.
A ghost-like shadow swept past, faster than a streak of light. In just a fraction of a second, the old man's life savings accumulated over thousands of years, several life-saving spiritual treasures, and his Cosmos Sack filled with spiritual materials were completely swept away by the dark shadow, leaving not even a sliver of an opening to resist.
Furious and alarmed, the old man shouted sternly. The Red Plum White Snow Umbrella unleashed all its power, sweeping out a wave of frost and snow blades, but it only slashed through an empty shadow.
In the next second, a domineering and sinister, tremendous force slammed fiercely into his chest. The palm strike carried a hidden energy that burned the soul and corroded the bones, forcefully piercing through his spiritual energy shield and shattering several of his meridians.
"Pfft—"
The old man spurted a mouthful of blood, his white clothes instantly dyed scarlet. The Red Plum White Snow Umbrella hummed and trembled before its spiritual energy suddenly dissipated, and it fell to the ground.
The old man knew in his heart that he had encountered a fiend with unfathomable cultivation. If he stayed any longer, there would be only one path: death.
Gritting his teeth, he bit his fingertip and used his lifeblood to activate a secret escape talisman. A burst of pale gold spiritual light suddenly exploded around him, transforming him into a panicked streak of light. He fled desperately into the distance, tearing through the air, not even daring to look back to pick up his scattered magical artifacts, leaving behind only a trail of dripping blood.
The ice blade, which the Frost Fish had transformed into, wanted to give chase, but as its master raised his hand, it flew back, turning into an ice-blue fish that circled its master.
In the distance, there was a commotion of a large group of cultivators rushing over to pursue the fleeing old man. There was no need for the person hidden in the dark to chase after him and expose himself.
He opened the snatched Cosmos Sack and tossed all the mediocre magical treasures to the Frost Fish as food. The Frost Fish had a hearty meal, puffed up its belly, let out a burp, and blew a few bubbles.
Then, the White Jade Red Plum Umbrella that had fallen to the ground was picked up.
His eyes flickered slightly, and with a sweep of his hand, this top-tier life-saving magical artifact turned into the appearance of an ordinary oiled paper umbrella.
The Frost Fish rolled its eyes.
This man was planning to give the stolen treasure to its mistress as a toy again.
Mu Ran had a good sleep. The sun was already high in the sky when she lazily sat up from the bed.
Cangshu Bai heard the noise and entered the bedroom. He sat by the bed, skillfully picked up a peach-pink dress, and helped her put it on. "I made some porridge. After you wash up, go have some to warm your body."
Mu Ran was still a bit sleepy. She nodded sluggishly and naturally extended her feet, watching as Cangshu Bai put on her socks and shoes.
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed an extra umbrella on the table, and a look of confusion appeared in her eyes.
"Jinzhi, when did we get an oiled paper umbrella in our house?"
"The old umbrella was worn out, so I got a new one. It will better protect against the wind and rain." Cangshu Bai gently held her ankle, slipping an embroidered shoe onto her sock-clad foot, and said in a mild tone, "It didn't cost much. If you don't like it, just throw it away."
Mu Ran lifted her head and opened her arms toward him. "That would be such a waste. Since you already bought it, I'll make good use of it."
Cangshu Bai chuckled lightly, scooped her up, letting her cling to his chest, and patted her back.
"Go wash up, the porridge is going to get cold."
Mu Ran rested her head on his shoulder, breathing in his scent, and closed her eyes in cozy contentment.
In the water well, the Frost Fish listened to the overly affectionate voices inside and boredly blew two more bubbles.
It really couldn't understand what was so great about men and women always sticking together. Didn't they find it sickeningly sweet?
