It was already past midnight when they left the tangbing shop.
Only two or three lanterns remained lit across the city, glimmering brightly under the silvery moonlight.
Lou Yue held Xiao Rangchen's hand as they walked along the empty, silent streets where not a single soul stirred.
There was barely anything to see, yet the two of them wandered through every corner of the city until they had explored it all.
Once they left the city gates and passed the stream outside the town, Lou Yue tugged Xiao Rangchen down to lie on the lush grass of the gentle slope by the water.
The night sky was clear and spotless, untouched by the dust of the mortal world.
Xiao Rangchen lay still at her side, his gaze first settling on her eyes that held unspoken thoughts, before lifting to look out at the sea of stars strewn across the sky.
The night breeze brushed over the grass blades, and the stream babbled a soft, low melody.
I do not know how much time passed before Lou Yue slowly parted her lips to speak. "I made a decision today."
Xiao Rangchen turned his head to look at her.
Lou Yue rested her head on one arm, and raised her other hand, spreading her five fingers out right beside the moon. "I am going to gather the power of all the loose cultivators, and build a force that can stand on equal footing with the great aristocratic clans."
Xiao Rangchen froze for a moment, taken aback.
Lou Yue tilted her head toward him, a smile tugging at her lips. "Are you that surprised?"
Xiao Rangchen fell silent for a short while before he spoke. "I was just thinking what made you come up with this idea."
"Is it related to my mother?" He, who had come from humble roots just as she did, could not think of any other reason besides her mother's death that would spark such a resolve in her.
Lou Yue did not give a clear answer. She turned her gaze back to the boundless starry sky, looking at the gaps between her own outstretched fingers. "I used to think that as long as I lived my own life well, it did not matter what happened to other people. I had no mind to care for them, nor did I have the ability to do so."
"But the truth is, no one can stay out of trouble and keep themselves safe." When caught in the overwhelming tide of the world, an individual will only be swept along helplessly. If you choose to do nothing, destruction is the only fate that awaits you.
A sharp glint flashed in her eyes. "Someone has to step up and do these things. It could be you, or it could be me."
She fixed her gaze on the moon, not looking at the person beside her. In the original novel, it was the overbearing male protagonist who built the loose cultivator force, the very goal he had long dreamed of. Now that she was the one bringing it up, she had no idea what Xiao Rangchen's reaction would be.
Time seemed to stretch out endlessly.
Lou Yue could hear her own breathing, and feel her heartbeat thud slow and heavy in the hollow of her chest.
She slowly began to lower her hand that had been hanging in mid-air.
Just as it had fallen half an inch, a hand with distinct, well-defined knuckles reached out from her side. Its fingertips carried a faint cool temperature, slipping through the gaps between her fingers to hold her hand tight.
Lou Yue's gaze paused for a moment on their interlocked hands, before shifting to Xiao Rangchen's stern face lit up by the moonlight.
"Go and do whatever it is you want to do."
He looked at her, his tone calm yet firm and unshakable. "I will help you."
The cold, deep pools of his eyes reflected her figure, and he looked more dazzling to her than he had ever been before.
Lou Yue's lips curled up little by little, and the once empty space in her chest felt instantly filled with something warm and comforting.
She squeezed his hand back hard, blinked, and spoke in a deliberately helpless tone. "What am I going to do with you?"
Xiao Rangchen turned to look at her.
Lou Yue paused for effect for a few moments, then spoke with a glint of mischief in her eyes. "I just realized you are getting more and more charming."
Fine ripples of emotion began to spread slowly across the dark depths of his eyes. He asked in a low, soft voice, "Have I charmed you?"
Lou Yue leaned toward him, their still-clasped hands resting over his chest, and leaned in to press a light, fleeting kiss to his lips.
She pulled back a little, looked into his dark eyes that were only inches away from her own, and hummed a soft "yes".
Xiao Rangchen reached out, cupping her jaw. His fingertips brushed back and forth over her rosy lips, his gaze following the movement to rest there.
"Yesterday, your father came to find me." He paused for a beat. "He told me to leave you."
"And what did you say?" Lou Yue parted her lips, the warm breath she exhaled brushing against his fingertips.
Xiao Rangchen's hand stilled for a moment. After a long pause, he finally spoke again. "Then I told him, I cannot leave you."
He lifted his eyes to meet hers, his voice wrapped in a low, hoarse warmth. "Even if one day you do not want me anymore, I will wait for you right here in this spot."
Lou Yue half lay on top of him, her left hand brushing over the corner of his eye, as she said softly.
"Do not just wait in place."
"I give you permission to come find me, whenever and wherever."
Xiao Rangchen's eyes trembled, and he half lowered his lids to hide the surging emotions swirling deep inside them.
The next second, the hand that had been caressing her lips slid to the back of her head, pulling her hard and forcefully against him.
Lou Yue slowly closed her eyes.
The faint, crisp scent of frost and snow on him filled her mouth, tangling with her own lips and tongue as they moved together.
Lou Yue responded to his kiss, the tip of her tongue brushing lightly against the roof of his mouth, passing her own breath deep into his.
Xiao Rangchen froze for a split second, completely taken by surprise.
The next moment, he released their interlocked hands, and pulled her fully onto his lap. The hand at the back of her head pressed even harder to keep her close.
Lou Yue propped one hand on his shoulder, while the other slowly traced the line of his jaw with varying degrees of soft pressure.
His kisses grew faster, hotter, and more urgent, until the air around them felt thick and warm, almost scorching.
When Lou Yue could barely catch her breath anymore, he pulled back a little, rubbing his nose against her high bridge, his lips still brushing hers as he spoke in a husky, intoxicating voice. "Shift back to your female form, will you..."
As he spoke, he pressed tiny, pecking kisses along the corners of her mouth.
Dazed and lured by his advances, Lou Yue shifted back to her female form without a second thought.
The moment her soft, curvy figure pressed against his chest, Xiao Rangchen's lips came back down to cover hers once more, slipping past her lips to stir up every last trace of her remaining senses.
At first Lou Yue was still able to respond, wrapping her arms around him of her own accord, but little by little her tongue went numb, while he only seemed to grow more and more eager. Soon she could only react passively to his touch.
Xiao Rangchen slid his hand from her waist into the inner layer of her clothes, tracing over each vertebra along her spine one by one, as if he was counting them.
Lou Yue's hands, which were resting on his shoulders, wandered restlessly to the side of his neck, sliding down along the curve of his throat into his collar, brushing slowly over the prominent bones of his shoulders.
His hot, wet kisses moved from her lips to her jaw, then lingered over her neck.
One hand pressed against her back to hold her firmly in place, keeping her from pulling away, while the other hand, which had been at the back of her head, rested over her heart through her loose clothing.
Lou Yue could not help but tremble slightly, and her legs, which were draped over both sides of his waist, tightened faintly.
Xiao Rangchen's kisses began to move downward. The pressure of his lips and tongue was gentle only when they first made contact, but soon he was advancing boldly, claiming every inch of her skin.
Lou Yue could not take his teasing anymore, and her hands rubbed restlessly over his defined abdominal muscles.
The next second, he leaned back, forcing her to pull her hands away and prop them on his shoulders to steady herself.
At that exact moment, the hand that had been pressing against her back slid down without any warning.
Lou Yue jolted violently, and the man who was leaning in over her side increased the pressure of his touch at just the right moment.
Her fingertips dug deep into the muscles of his back, but in the end she could not hold back the soft sound that slipped from her throat.
It was not long before Lou Yue lost all control, her breathing going empty and hollow, her consciousness feeling like it was drifting far away from her body.
She slumped limply over Xiao Rangchen's shoulder, her clothes slipping down to her elbows as she panted slowly to catch her breath.
Xiao Rangchen tilted his head back to press kisses to her collarbone and her jaw, his hands moving over her gently to soothe her.
Lou Yue wrapped both her arms around him, her mind still floating in a hazy, dazed state.
Xiao Rangchen sat up straight, shifting her down to sit on his lap, holding her snugly against his chest.
Lou Yue tried to squirm back a little, but Xiao Rangchen gripped her waist, stopping her from pressing too close against him.
She lifted a hand, brushing her fingertips carelessly over his Adam's apple.
Xiao Rangchen immediately caught her mischievous hand, his fingertips pressing hard against the back of her hand as he spoke in a low, dark, hoarse tone. "Stop that."
Lou Yue could clearly feel the tension of the muscles under his clothes. She lifted her eyes slightly to look at him. "I can help you with that."
Xiao Rangchen's palm, which was resting around her waist, tightened, and his eyes, darkened with unspoken desire, fixed intently on the lush, lazy face in his arms.
But all of a sudden, he forced himself to loosen his grip.
"Not necessary..."
Lou Yue was more than happy to take it easy. She leaned back comfortably into his chest, treating him like a human cushion.
The night breeze carried the scent of plants and grass, brushing past them. The chirping of insects by the stream was soft and low, making the surroundings feel even more quiet and gentle.
After a while, she patted his leg casually, sounding a little disgusted. "You're as stiff as a rock."
Xiao Rangchen, who had long been struggling to suppress his restlessness, felt her palm touch his leg. In an instant, his Adam's apple bobbed heavily, and his whole body tensed up even more.
Lou Yue had no idea that her casual pat had made him feel even more flustered. She only asked leisurely, "Did my father make you swear a soul oath?"
Xiao Rangchen let out a heavy breath of stale air, his voice low and hoarse. "I asked for it myself, but your father didn't let me finish the oath."
He raised his hand and slowly combed through her long hair that was spread over her back. "I like you, and it has nothing to do with whether you are a cultivation cauldron or not."
As long as she was happy, he would be happy too. He could endure everything else.
The corners of Lou Yue's lips curled up slowly, out of his sight.
Xiao Rangchen deliberately tried to shift his attention and spoke. "Gathering the strength of rogue cultivators won't be easy."
Especially since she came from a prominent cultivation clan.
"I plan to persuade Big Brother Wei and the others to join us first."
Xiao Rangchen immediately understood her plan. "That's a great idea."
Big Brother Wei and the others had spent many years in the Wild Wasteland. They had wide connections and a thorough understanding of the rogue cultivators' situation. With their help, it would be much easier to win over the hearts of other cultivators later.
"We can open the ruins to everyone who joins, but once we do that, the matter of the inheritance can no longer be kept a secret."
Lou Yue pinched the firm muscle on his arm, her tone casual. "Then let's not keep it a secret. Even if they kill me, the ruins won't recognize a new master for two hundred years."
Xiao Rangchen frowned and said in a deep, stern voice, "Don't say such things."
"Even if they want to kill me, they have to be able to do it first." Lou Yue raised her eyes, a glint of defiance in them.
Xiao Rangchen's thin lips pressed into a hard, cold line. "I will raise my cultivation level as soon as possible."
Speaking of this, Lou Yue straightened up and looked at him earnestly. "I'm planning to head back to the Wild Wasteland tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. Don't come with me for now."
Xiao Rangchen's eyes darkened sharply.
Lou Yue rolled her eyes at him, slightly exasperated. "After I get back to the Wild Wasteland, my movements can't be hidden. It will definitely draw Cang Ya's attention. If you are there, you will be in great danger."
Before he could say anything, Lou Yue added immediately, "You go to the Chaotic Abyss Sea first. In at most two months, I will come to find you."
Xiao Rangchen stared at her, his lips pressed into a straight line.
Lou Yue reached out, hooked her arms around his neck, leaned over and gave his lips a quick peck, speaking softly. "I promise, it will take no more than two months."
Xiao Rangchen said nothing.
Lou Yue simply hugged him tightly, resting her chin on his shoulder, her voice slow and gentle. "Actually, splitting up to act separately is more efficient. Maybe by the time I come to find you, you will have already reached the Great Perfection of the Deity Transformation stage. Then I'll be the one coming to bring you home."
Xiao Rangchen lowered his eyes, his face nuzzled in the crook of her neck.
Lou Yue pressed closer to him, her palm stroking the top of his head. "Xiao Rangchen, this time I will keep my word for sure. I will definitely come to find you."
Xiao Rangchen closed his eyes and wrapped his arms tightly around her. After a long time, he spoke in a hoarse voice, "I'll walk you part of the way."
"Okay."
Lou Yue held him quietly for a while longer before slowly pulling away. Seeing that he was still looking down, his face glum, she took out a glowing message butterfly.
"I bought this for you." Lou Yue held the glowing butterfly out in front of his eyes so he could see it clearly.
Xiao Rangchen's gaze fell on the butterfly's wings, where four diamond-shaped blue glazes were inlaid, glowing with a deep, translucent blue light.
Lou Yue raised her eyebrows, smiling. "Do you like it?"
She had specially asked someone to polish the glaze beads and fuse them into the message butterfly's spell.
Xiao Rangchen raised his hand, his fingertips brushing very lightly over the glaze that was the same texture as the ones in the box on her bedside, and responded in a low voice.
After seeing him put it away, Lou Yue cupped his face and said seriously, "The Chaotic Abyss Sea surrounds the Chaotic Abyss. Promise me that no matter what happens, you will never go within a hundred miles of the Chaotic Abyss."
"Mm."
Lou Yue said again, very solemnly, "You must remember, don't go within a hundred miles of the Chaotic Abyss."
Xiao Rangchen nodded, his face still resting in her palms.
"Also, you have to contact me every day and report where you are." Afraid that he would think she was being too controlling, she explained, "I'm just worried that you will go to some dangerous places to raise your cultivation level."
Xiao Rangchen hugged her gently, rubbing his chin against the hair on her forehead. "I like it when you care about me like this."
Lou Yue's eyes crinkled at the corners.
The morning light spread across the horizon, dyeing the land a soft pale gold, before they walked slowly side by side back the way they came.
Xiao Rangchen stayed silent the whole way, only holding her hand tightly.
Lou Yue squeezed his hand.
Xiao Rangchen turned to look at her.
Lou Yue's eyes curved into crescents. "Don't worry. Even if you're not here, I'll save a Grand Elder position for you."
Xiao Rangchen looked at her for a moment, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "As Grand Elder, can I get a higher promotion later?"
Lou Yue was confused. She was already the Alliance Leader, what position could be higher than Grand Elder?
She hesitated and asked, "Great Grand Elder?"
Xiao Rangchen let out a low, deep laugh. He leaned slightly towards her, pressing his forehead against hers, and said word by word,
"Alliance Leader's Husband."
