After receiving instructions from the Beautiful Female Master, Yan Zhen left the Crystal Stone Space.
Night had fallen, and the pale moon hung high in the sky, casting a hazy silver glow over the world below.
A stunning beauty in black hair and white robes stood on a massive boulder by the riverbank, gazing quietly at the cold moon. Even when she heard footsteps approaching, she remained utterly still.
Yan Zhen leaped lightly onto the rock beside her and asked, “What are your plans next? Are you heading back to Cloud Heaven Palace?”
According to the script, since Jiu Youyue had stolen a sect treasure and Yun Xiu had failed to stop her, Yun Xiu was supposed to return to the sect immediately, inform the other Palace Lords, and launch a thorough investigation into any Demon Domain Hidden Agents still lurking within Cloud Heaven Palace.
That was why, in the previous life, Yun Xiu had bid Yan Zhen farewell as soon as she awoke, without even waiting for her injuries to fully heal.
They had only reunited about half a month later, deep in the desert.
Yun Xiu withdrew her gaze and met Yan Zhen’s eyes. Her cheeks warmed slightly, but she made no move to look away. “And you? Where are you planning to go?”
Yan Zhen answered honestly, “I’m going to cross the Demonic Dragon Mountain Range and head into the Great Marsh Desert to find a Water Element Heart. I need it to refine the Evil Spirit Dragon Breath Flame.”
Yun Xiu sighed inwardly. As expected, he was still heading to the Great Marsh Desert.
Once there, he would undoubtedly encounter the Myriad Snake Queen, who ruled the City of Water—just as in her previous life. By some twist of fate, they would end up together, and she would conceive his child on the first try. In the end, he would have no choice but to marry She Ji and bring her into his household.
Yun Xiu harbored no jealousy toward She Ji, but she deeply envied her Pregnancy Qi.
Though she and Yan Zhen had never crossed that final line in their previous life, envy was envy. She often wondered what might have happened if Yan Zhen had been a little more forceful with her, if she had conceived as well. Then perhaps she could have…
At that thought, Yun Xiu lifted her jade hand and gently touched her lower abdomen.
He had filled her three times today. Could it be that she… No, no, no!
She jolted in alarm, chiding herself for such foolish fantasies. What they had done was already far beyond propriety. If she really ended up pregnant, it would be a disaster. She needed to find time to refine it away as soon as possible.
“Yun Xiu?”
“I’ll go with you.”
Her response caught Yan Zhen completely off guard, leaving him momentarily stunned.
“Huh?”
“The Great Marsh Desert is full of dangers everywhere,” Yun Xiu said solemnly. “You’re only at the Mystic Master Realm, and reaching the City of Water at its center won’t be easy. I’ll escort you there as repayment for saving my life this time.”
Altering the plot again? No way! Yan Zhen waved his hands frantically. “No need, no need. I can handle it on my own. Don’t you have important matters to attend to back at Cloud Heaven Palace?”
Yun Xiu shook her head. “Cloud Heaven Palace has seven other Palace Lords besides me. It won’t make much difference if I’m gone for a year or so.”
In her previous life, she had rushed back to report Jiu Youyue’s actions to the Jialan Holy Land. But this time, she had no need to do so.
Compared to that, Yan Zhen’s situation was far more pressing.
Yun Xiu didn’t want him to meet She Ji, and she certainly didn’t want She Ji to get pregnant. Otherwise, Wenqing—his fiancée—would end up in an awkward position.
Beyond that, Yan Zhen would soon learn about his father’s disappearance while in the desert. This time, she intended to stay by his side every step of the way and resolve the matter properly, preventing history from repeating itself.
That part, in particular, was of utmost importance.
She never wanted to hear him question her in madness again:
“Are lives from Cloud Heaven Palace the only ones that matter? What about my grandfather’s life? Who cares about that? Who?!”
Seeing her determination, Yan Zhen felt a headache coming on.
Having a Mystic Lord powerhouse as a bodyguard was certainly appealing, but it deviated from the script. On the way to the Great Marsh Desert, he was supposed to learn a new Mystic Technique from the Beautiful Female Master.
To be precise, it was a sword technique.
Once he refined the Evil Spirit Dragon Breath Flame and his spiritual power surged, he could start forging the Gold-Silver Fire into a sword. Then, wielding it with that sword technique via the Extreme Flame Sword would be both dashing and powerful!
Don’t ruin his plans.
“I’ve told you, I don’t need any repayment for that favor. Don’t even mention offering yourself in marriage.”
At his words, Yun Xiu couldn’t help recalling how, influenced by Jiu Youyue earlier, she herself had said something about “temporarily offering herself in marriage.”
Now he was throwing it back at her.
—Cheeky brat.
“It’s not my style to leave a debt of gratitude unpaid.”
Yan Zhen sighed. “Fine, whatever. If you want to come along, then come. But if we run into any trouble on the road, don’t step in. I’ll handle it myself.”
“Got it. I’ll only help if you can’t manage it yourself. Deal?”
“That works.”
A faint smile curved Yun Xiu’s lips. “When do we set out?”
“We’ll rest here tonight and leave at dawn tomorrow.” Yan Zhen glanced at the nearby river. “The spot’s nice. We’ll camp right here.”
With practiced ease, he set up the tent, then caught two fish from the river. After cleaning them, he built a fire and began roasting them.
Yun Xiu sat in front of the tent, watching him bustle about. A serene peace filled her heart.
Without Jiu Youyue interrupting, she could watch him like this forever.
Once the fish were done, Yan Zhen handed one to Yun Xiu, who demurred. “I’m not hungry. You eat it.”
“Take it.”
Without another word, he pressed the roasted fish into her hands and dug into his own with relish.
A little bully… Yun Xiu bit her lip, then tore off a piece of fish and nibbled at it delicately.
She had no idea what powder he had added, but the bland fish tasted flavorful and delicious.
After eating, they washed their hands by the river.
Yan Zhen returned to the tent to lay out the bedding and asked casually, “Yun Xiu, do you want the inside or the outside?”
“I’ll take the inside…” Yun Xiu started to reply, then caught herself and changed her words. “I-I’ll just meditate outside.”
“Oh.”
He didn’t press the issue.
Yun Xiu bit her lip again and put on a dignified air. “Yan Zhen, now that we’ve revealed our true identities to each other, we can’t keep calling each other like before. Just call me ‘Master’ like Wenqing does.”
Yan Zhen paused, poking his head out of the tent with a strange look on his face. “That won’t do. I only have one master. If I called you that, she’d get upset.”
The Beautiful Female Master seemed very sensitive about it. Back at Mystic Academy, she had even gotten jealous of Mentor Yu Xuan. He didn’t want to make her unhappy and risk getting punished.
Thinking of Master Chen Xi made Yun Xiu shrink back a little. “Then call me ‘National Advisor’ or ‘Cloud Heaven Palace Lord.'”
Yan Zhen blinked and said wryly, “But you said that until we leave the Demonic Dragon Mountain Range, we’re still lovers.”
Yun Xiu’s pretty face flushed. “Th-that doesn’t count anymore.”
Yan Zhen furrowed his brow. “You can’t just decide when it counts and when it doesn’t. That’s not fair.”
“So what do you want?” Yun Xiu felt a bit aggrieved. “I’m not doing that kind of thing with you again.”
“That kind of thing?” It took Yan Zhen a moment to realize what she meant, and his face reddened too. “I-I’m not just thinking about that.”
“Good.”
“Ahem, I mean, things can stay as they are.” Yan Zhen said calmly, “I’ll say it upfront: I’m not joining Cloud Heaven Palace as a live-in son-in-law, and I might not even marry Wenqing.”
