"Yue Qingfeng, a thirteenth-generation disciple of Chongyang Mountain, studied under Master Yuwei. As a direct disciple of the Patriarch of Chongyang Mountain, his extraordinary talent is highly valued. The Patriarch of Chongyang Mountain has been in seclusion for over five hundred years, during which Master Yuwei has managed the sect's affairs. It seems to be an unspoken consensus on Chongyang Mountain that Yue Qingfeng will be the next sect master."
Cangshu Bai sat by the window, looking at the information recorded on the paper in his hand, momentarily falling into silence.
Not long ago, Doctor Hu had specifically gathered some intelligence and quickly sent it to Cangshu Bai using a talisman. However, since it was a hasty investigation into Yue Qingfeng, this was all the information that could be found for now.
The attack by the demonic cultivator came suddenly, yet Yue Qingfeng's appearance was perfectly timed.
Could it really just be a coincidence?
Hearing a sudden exclamation from inside the house, the paper in Cangshu Bai's hand burst into flames and vanished. At the same time, his figure appeared in the room in the blink of an eye, catching the person who had just tumbled from a chair.
Mu Ran fell into a steady, familiar embrace. She looked up with a smile, "Jinzhi, you came right on time."
Cangshu Bai helped her stand properly and asked, "What were you doing?"
Mu Ran patted the small box in her hands. "Aren't we going on a long trip? We have to bring these things along."
These were life-saving items she had bought with the money she saved over the past few years. There were talismans and magical artifacts, none of which were cheap. However, in Cangshu Bai's eyes, these things were of little use, so he had quietly replaced many of her purchases. She had no idea that the small box she was holding actually contained many treasures that would make other cultivators green with envy.
Mu Ran cherished her life dearly. It was as if she had personally experienced the cruelty of the cultivation world, making her exceptionally cautious and well-prepared when it came to survival. After her recent frequent nightmares, she even felt that the life-saving items she had bought were not enough.
Cangshu Bai took the box from her hands. "Just let me handle these kinds of things."
But Mu Ran said, "I can do this little thing. Besides, I can't rely on you for everything."
"Why not?"
Mu Ran uttered, "Huh?"
Cangshu Bai held her hand. "I am your husband. It is only natural for you to rely on me."
Mu Ran looked at his tall back and simply replied with an "Oh."
Sometimes, she felt that her seemingly aloof and detached husband was actually quite domineering. At least at times like this, when he held her hand, he didn't seem to be using much force, but she couldn't shake off his grasp no matter how hard she tried.
It was snowing tonight. Pushing open the window, one could see the snowflakes falling thick and fast. A basin of charcoal fire was lit in the room. At a time like this, admiring the snow from inside a warm room was a wonderful choice.
The bamboo couch by the window was covered with a plain, soft mattress. He sat her down on it and sat sideways next to her, his fingers still interlaced with hers. The bamboo couch gave a soft creak, adding a touch of intimate tenderness to the atmosphere.
Unable to sit still, Mu Ran crawled to the window and reached one hand outside, catching a snowflake. Soon, the snowflake melted into a drop of water in her palm.
She found it amusing, but soon a tall figure pressed against her back. She was securely caged between the windowsill and his chest, unable to move.
The young man's large hand gently but irrefutably pulled her outstretched arm back inside. He held her hand, which had grown a bit cold from the chilly wind, and slowly warmed it within his palms.
"Your constitution is weak. Be careful not to catch a cold."
Mu Ran pursed her lips, feeling a bit bored. Out of habit, she relaxed her body and leaned back against his chest, muttering, "I feel like I've gotten much stronger since I ate that sugar pill."
It was just playing with a few snowflakes. She didn't think she was so fragile that she would catch a cold from it.
Cangshu Bai said, "Don't make me worry."
"Alright, alright, I know." Mu Ran leaned obediently in his embrace, lazily watching the swirling snow outside, and indeed stopped moving.
Cangshu Bai let out a low chuckle and pulled her tighter into his arms. His jaw rested lightly on the top of her head, and his warm breath mixed with the crisp, cold snowy air from outside, brushing against her temples.
He raised a hand to pull her collar snug, his fingertips brushing inadvertently against her cool cheek. His voice was soft and gentle, "It is good when you are this obedient."
As a person, Mu Ran was somewhat free-spirited and casual.
For example, on that rainy night over two years ago, she was almost completely drenched and all alone, yet she dared to knock on a man's door.
Shortly after they got married, Cangshu Bai had asked her, "Weren't you afraid that I was a scoundrel who might harbor malicious intentions toward you?"
At that time, Mu Ran laughed cheerfully, "You're no scoundrel. Back when we were neighbors, I used to pass by you all the time, and I never saw you give me a second glance!"
Cangshu Bai thought that his wife might indeed not be very clever.
She had never realized that he, who never interacted with others, would not have made an exception on that rainy night to open his door for her and help repair her leaking roof.
If he hadn't harbored ulterior motives from the very beginning, how could every step of their journey have fallen into place so perfectly, leading to where they were now, a loving couple in the eyes of outsiders?
He was not as pure and noble as she imagined; he was merely an ordinary man capable of harboring desires.
Later on, he discovered that her daily life was also entirely haphazard.
Her three meals a day were completely irregular. If she didn't feel hungry, she could go a whole day just gnawing on a single steamed bun. Sometimes, if she saw a shooting star at night, she would run outside in thin clothes, unafraid of freezing herself. Staying up late to tinker with her little handmade gadgets was an even more common occurrence.
Fortunately, she had some self-awareness and knew that her lifestyle was truly terrible, so she obediently listened to his discipline. This was probably the one thing that gave Cangshu Bai peace of mind.
Tonight's snowfall made it the perfect time for the two of them to huddle together for warmth.
Cangshu Bai lowered his eyes, noticing that Mu Ran's gaze was still fixed on the swirling snowflakes, unable to look away.
In this remote town, winter snowfall was not uncommon.
However, on those sect mountains brimming with spiritual energy and suited for cultivation, snow was a rare sight indeed.
Cangshu Bai reached out his hand, caught a few snowflakes, and brought them right before her eyes.
Mu Ran looked up in pleasant surprise.
Cangshu Bai said softly, "I am not afraid of the cold. If you want to look at them, look to your heart's content."
His emotions felt rather subtle. He practiced a supreme ice-attribute cultivation method, which inherently made him cold-hearted and detached. Even his joy and anger were supposed to be so faint as to be nearly placid. Let alone a snowfall, turning a ten-mile radius into a land of extreme cold would be effortless for him. Yet now, just to please his wife, he was cupping a few snowflakes in his hand as if offering up precious treasures.
Mu Ran turned around, her beautiful eyes sparkling with radiance. "Jinzhi, you're so good to me."
Cangshu Bai suddenly felt that perhaps doing things like catching snow for her wouldn't hurt to do a few more times.
Yet, Mu Ran picked up a handkerchief and wiped his hand completely dry.
He asked, "Done looking?"
Mu Ran replied, "It snows every year, so missing a little bit doesn't matter. But if your hand gets frostbitten, my heart will ache."
