In the warm, candle-lit cave-dwelling, a stone platform served as the bed. The cave was decorated in red and purple colors, and many “happiness” characters were plastered all over its interior walls. A fresh blanket now covered the bed, with some dates, chestnuts, and peanuts scattered over it. These symbolized blessings for the couple to have children.

  Gu Qianxue drank some wine and her cheeks were flushed red, and it made her looked exceptionally beautiful.

  She sat on the edge of the bed, feeling extremely nervous, and was nervously kneading her hands. She had a crush on Xiao Luo but never imagined that she would ever end up becoming his wife. In the past, she was pure and innocent, but after leaving the mountain to lead her own life for more than a year, she had grown up. She had a better understanding of the way of the world, and she knew that Xiao Luo had agreed to marry her only because he wanted her master to help him.

  “Qianxue, between us…… I hope you understand I don’t want to hurt you……”

  Xiao Luo spoke to her apologetically. The marriage was a mere formality. Anyway, it was ridiculous to marry another woman when he was already registered in marriage to someone else. His main concern was that Gu Qianxue would be hurt, and it caused him to stammer as he tried his best to find the right words to say.

  “Xiao Luo, I understand. I know what you mean!”

  Gu Qianxue nodded her head, like an obedient and sensible girl, and said, “My master did it for my sake, but I know you are not happy about it. Let’s treat this as just a formality, and in the future, we pretend this ceremony did not take place.”

  Gu Qianxue gave him an innocent smile. Her red lips were exceptionally enticing. Her perfect face, with no makeup, showed the most natural beauty. She looked fresh and charming. Her delicate and flawless skin added a dazzling touch to her face. Under the candlelight, she took Xiao Luo’s breath away. Gu Qianxue did not have any regrets, for the two of them would still be friends in the future. This experience on Mount Tianshan would be the most beautiful memory ever for her.

  Xiao Luo smiled at her with relief and kindness. Looking at her clear and bright eyes, he could not help but recall the little things that had happened between them at the training grounds. She had followed him out, but he played a trick on her to shake her off. Then she lost her way and sat helplessly on the stone steps, waiting for him an entire day. The memory flashed back vividly and felt like it had only happened the day before.

  Xiao Luo walked to the front of the bed. He used his fingernail to scratch his right index finger. A slight wound appeared, and blood seeped out from that minor cut.

  “Xiao Luo, why did you hurt yourself?” Gu Qianxue asked with a frown.

  \r \r \r

  Xiao Luo smiled and replied, “It’s fine. I want to put some bloodstains on the bedsheet.”

  As he spoke, he dripped a few drops of blood onto the bed. He could not tell Gu Qianxue forthrightly that he was planting a smokescreen to mislead the Tianshan Elder to believe that they had slept together that night.

  Gu Qianxue was even more confused. She frowned and looked at the bloodstain on the bed, not knowing why Xiao Luo wanted to drip blood onto the bedsheets.

  “Alright, it is getting late. Rest early,” Xiao Luo said.

  “Okay.”

  Gu Qianxue answered and nodded.

  Outside the cave, the Tianshan Elder was meditating at the edge of the cliff. She closed her eyes and let out a snort like an old woman. Then she muttered, “How could he believe he could cheat me with such an insignificant trick? Did the bast*rd think that I have lived thousands of years in vain?”

  “Junior Sister, then you just let the ‘uncooked rice’ mature.”

  Elder Long was holding onto a piece of meat in his hand and devouring it, leaving grease stains around his mouth. He chuckled as he walked over to Tianshan Elder, and said, “As long as you perform the Divine Art of Creation, it is so easy to let the ‘uncooked rice’ get cooked.”

  “There is no need for you to remind me of that!”

  Tianshan Elder opened her eyes and glared at him coldly with a face full of disdain.

  Elder Long was trying to flirt with Tianshan Elder, but was met with a harsh response that embarrassed him. He was taken aback and hurriedly backed away. To lessen the awkwardness of the moment, he turned and chatted with Gu Qianlin. However, he could not find a suitable topic to talk about, so he asked, “Young lady, are you good at cooking?”

  Gu Qianlin’s heart was already bleeding. Everyone knew what was going on inside the cave abode, yet Elder Long had the cheek to ask her directly whether she was proficient in such a shameful and intimate matter. She immediately flew into a rage despite the peerless status of these elders.

  “Get lost!” she shouted.

  “Young lady, you have misunderstood what I meant. I am asking about cooking.”

  Elder Long hurriedly explained. In all honesty, he was asking about cooking, and he had not intended to insinuate anything else. He had been at a loss thinking of a suitable topic to talk about. Since he had just spoken to the Tianshan Elder about cooking, he unintentionally blurted out the word.

  “Get lost!”

  Gu Qianlin was so angry that her chest heaved in exasperation. She thought to herself, what kind of old devil is he? He forced my sister to marry Xiao Luo, and now he’s shamelessly asking me that sort of thing! She found it simply unbearable.

  Elder Long had no choice but to walk away.

  Xiao Quanren, standing nearby, almost burst out laughing. However, he held back his laughter when he saw Elder Long glaring at him.

  At the edge of the cliff, Elder Tianshan had channeled her energy and performed the Divine Art of Creation. Her divine essence filtered through all physical barriers and entered the cave abode.

  Xiao Luo suddenly found that the ambiance in the cave had changed drastically. The fragrance of flowers permeated the air and refreshed the mind. Unknown flowers suddenly sprouted and bloomed around the stone bed, the cave floor, and even the top of the rocks. In an instant, the cave quickly became a sea of flowers.

  A perfumed fragrance filled the cave, causing those within to be deeply intoxicated!

  Xiao Luo’s mind gradually became muddled, and he was soon hallucinating.

  The blue sky, the straw hut by the river, the feel of fresh air, and the sight of butterflies fluttering in the air…… all these illusions were warm and vivid.

  Under such a spell-binding ambiance, Xiao Luo walked toward Gu Qianxue like a possessed man. ……

  “Humph, what a bast*rd! How dare you try to fool me! You are still too inexperienced to be a match for me!” At the edge of the cliff outside the cave, the Tianshan Elder snorted as she exhaled and allowed her energy level to return to normal.