She clutched her robes, a deep blush spreading across her otherwise emotionless face, her cold blue eyes slowly regaining their sparkle.
"In my previous life, I was betrayed by those closest to me… and in this life, by my own father. Yet that man… who is now my Husband… not only saved me, but also showed me a path through the darkness, becoming the light that guided me forward…"
Her lips curved into a sinister smile.
"Hehehe… I love him so, so much. No… Li Xin no longer exists. Anything tied to that name disgusts me. From now on, I am Du Yue, and everything I am belongs to my Husband."
Her smile softened, turning sweet.
"My Husband helped me build this incredible foundation. I will abandon everything from my previous life and begin anew… for him… with him."
Her expression grew majestic.
"The Law of Sword and the Law of Snow from my past life… I will remaster them, reshaping them according to my Husband's Will. My Husband's will shall become the Will of the Heavens," the girl murmured quietly to herself.
Su Wen's eyebrows twitched, and his forehead covered in sweat, even as he slept resting deeply. Unbeknownst to him, countless changes had already taken place within his wife… who was now quietly planning something utterly absurd for him.
After a few hours, Su Wen finally woke up from his sleep, feeling completely refreshed. He vaguely remembered seeing a Heavenly Goddess, but couldn't recall anything specific, so he shook his head.
'Must be my imagination', he told himself.
Just as he was about to move, he suddenly felt something heavy and soft resting on his chest. He opened his eyes and looked at the culprit lying on top of him, her arms wrapped around his shoulders, her entire body draped over him as if she owned him. Well… in a way, she did.
He lowered his gaze to the face resting against his chest… fair and delicate, her features soft and serene, with a natural beauty untouched by any cosmetics.
He couldn't help but gently pinch her nose.
She wrinkled her face slightly before slowly opening her blue eyes, sparkling bright as stars. The sight completely mesmerising him.
"My wife, Mmm?…" Su Wen murmured, studying her as if she were some rare, precious treasure. "Why do I feel like your aura has changed… and that you seem to have become even more charming than before?"
Du Yue's cheeks flushed, and she quickly buried her face in his chest.
"Husband… are you saying I wasn't charming before?" she pouted sleepily, lifting her head to look at him with exaggerated offense.
Su Wen chuckled, hugging her thin waist tighter and pressing her closer to himself as he fawned over her.
"How could I?… You've always been the most charming person in heaven and earth, Wife… Even goddesses would have to bow before your charm and beauty…"
He paused, his eyes softening.
"But now… you're like a morning flower that has just bloomed… more vibrant and refreshing than ever. Did something happen while you were trying to break through?"
"Hehe!…" Du Yue thought for a moment before replying. "Cough Cough… it must be because all those bad impurities have finally been cleared," she said sweetly, offering a simple explanation. "I feel much lighter now… clearer… and sharper."
"Good, that's great…" Su Wen beamed, completely satisfied with the result.
"Did you manage to break through to the Soul Awakening Realm?"
She again coughed lightly and averted her gaze. "Yes, I believe so. Once that disgusting cocoon shattered, I started feeling an endless connection to my pure soul…"
'There's no need to tell husband about my past life', she thought quietly.
"And, Husband… it seems I've even broken through to the peak of the Soul Awakening Realm," she added, still not meeting his eyes. Then, as if remembering something, she suddenly brightened and said cheerfully, "It's all thanks to the Soul-Nurturing Pills you've given me all this time."
Su Wen froze, his expression a mix of shock, amazement… and a trace of jealousy… Cough… no, pride, at her terrifying cultivation speed.
'Is she the main character of this story? Is this how protagonists cheat the system?' he thought.
He sighed, but the smile on his face refused to fade.
"Wifey, does that mean once you finish Heart Refinement, you'll be able to break through to the Golden Core Realm in all three cultivation paths?"
"Mmm, you're right," Du Yue nodded, warmth spreading through her at the sight of her husband's enthusiasm.
'Once she reaches Golden Core… after dealing with a bit of scum… our journey to the Central Continent will truly begin', he thought, excitement bubbling within him
She paused, her expression turning serious, though her eyes still shone. Hugging him tightly, she whispered, "Thank you for saving me earlier. I was so scared in that darkness… I-I…"
Su Wen gently brushed a strand of hair from her face and interrupted softly,
"Didn't I tell you? Your husband will always have your back. Even if you fall into the deepest part of hell, I'll follow you there."
He looked at her seriously.
"I won't ask what you faced in the past. But I promise you this… I'll never let you face anything like that alone again. I'll always be by your side."
Du Yue heard his words, and her heart melted completely. This was what she had always needed… not strength, not power, but someone who would never abandon her.
Unable to restrain herself any longer, she cupped his face with both hands and suddenly pounced on him like a hungry tiger. Her lips crashed into his… warm, urgent, and fierce… stealing his breath in a kiss filled with raw emotion.
For a moment, Su Wen's mind went completely blank.
Her arms wrapped tightly around his neck, as if afraid he might vanish, her kiss overflowing with gratitude, relief, and an unrestrained love she could no longer hold back. She kissed him possessively, biting hard and then sucking at his lips as if savouring sweet nectar.
Su Wen didn't stop her… he simply yielded to the kiss, pulling her closer by the waist and holding her tightly.
By the time she finally pulled away, his lips were swollen and stained with a faint trace of blood where she had bitten too hard.
He felt absurdly like a maiden bullied by an overly enthusiastic husband, staring at her in utter dumbfounded silence.
She only smiled shyly in response, then met his gaze and leaned in once more, gently licking the blood from his lips before licking her own.
The hunger in her blue, jewel-like eyes finally softened, calming down… yet shining brighter than ever. In contrast to her intense emotions, Su Wen felt a deeply rejuvenating sensation spread through his body, spirit, and soul from that kiss.
She rested her forehead against his, her hands still cupping his cheeks.
"I was so scared today…" she whispered softly. "I thought I would never be able to see you again…"
"Husband…" Her voice was gentle, yet carried an unmistakable majesty, a quiet but intense possessiveness flowing through her words. "You're everything to me. I want you always by my side… If one day something were to happen to me… I-I…"
Her blue eyes darkened slightly, and the temperature in the room seemed to drop. After a brief pause, she spoke again, her tone calm and regal.
"…I would kill you first, then follow after you, so we would never be separated," she said softly, almost tenderly. "Husband, there is no escape from me anymore… for all eternity."
Su Wen's eyelids twitched. Staring into her eyes only an inch away, he could feel the storm of conflicting emotions swirling within them.
He cupped her cheek, his thumb brushing gently over her soft skin. Then his hand slid to her waist, and with a smooth motion, he turned them over… pressing her down onto the bed as he settled above her, his weight firm yet unmistakably protective.
Du Yue instinctively wrapped her arms around his back, her legs curling tightly around his waist.
When he looked into her eyes again, the cold possessiveness from moments ago had vanished, replaced by the shy gaze of a startled kitten.
A faint smile tugged at his lips. Inside, however, an uncontrollable desire surged, his gaze still locked onto her… now tinged with a hint of pride, even arrogance.
"If death ever comes for you, my wife…" he said softly, his voice low but prideful arrogance, "then I'll claim death itself and make her… mine."
Then, with a playful glint in his eyes, he added, "You won't get jealous, will you?"
She snorted childishly. "Hmph! Don't forget… you said that if there's ever a new wife, she'll have to win me over first."
Su Wen chuckled and gave her a light peck on the lips.
"Then I'll leave her to my beautiful wife."
What they didn't know was that one day, they would look back on Su Wen's words... claiming Death itself as a wife... remember them clearly, and shake their heads with a strange expression.
But that's a story for another time…