24 Chapter 24

◎Tenderness and Sexual Intercourse◎

Pei Xueyan stepped out the door; it was still light outside at this hour.

Looking at the entrance to the courtyard, a complex mix of nervousness welled up inside me for the first time.

Leaning against the doorframe, she went over the events of the past few days in her mind, becoming more and more certain that Jiang Qiye was a hypocrite with a beast in human form, ruthless and heartless.

He poured out his heart to Xue Lian in countless love letters, yet he killed her with a single, unwavering sword strike.

He was very good at gauging the situation with Chen Wei'an. He took advantage of her immaturity, waiting for her to fall deeply in love, then driving her to suicide, and then finishing her off with a final blow.

Now, no matter how affectionate they are towards each other, killing her is inevitable.

She wanted him to fail and would never condense her elixir for him.

She wanted to thwart all his schemes and make him lose everything!

You must break his vows and humiliate him!

She knew that her cultivation was far inferior to his, and once he knew that she had awakened, he would definitely turn on her immediately and would no longer show any tenderness.

Since he had made her suffer so much by lying, she would lie to him in return.

Even if his martial arts are crippled, he still has to suffer.

Pei Xueyan was in a daze when she heard footsteps in the distance, and the man walked over.

Pei Xueyan looked up and recalled their first meeting. He was dressed in an immaculate robe, with a noble and elegant demeanor, like a righteous immortal who was untouched by worldly affairs.

Now he's tanned quite dark, and wearing a coarse cloth short jacket, he looks exactly like a farmer.

They really put in a lot of effort.

She scoffed inwardly, but quickly put on a weak and vulnerable expression.

Jiang Qiye walked over and saw her standing at the door in a daze. He casually waved the thing in his hand and said, "I bought a fish. I'll make you fish soup tonight."

Pei Xueyan then noticed that he was holding a fish.

She immediately staggered forward two steps, her body going limp as she leaned against him, nestled in his arms: "Husband, it's hot and I'm feeling weak. My legs suddenly feel so weak. Could you rub them for me?"

Jiang Qiye looked down at her and saw that her face was rosy and her lips were a healthy red. She did not look weak at all.

Pei Xueyan wanted to force him to use his magic, so she could confirm her judgment with her own eyes.

She nestled even closer into his arms, her voice softening and trembling slightly, "Husband, I... I'm shaking all over. Feel how cold I am?"

"..." He was unaware that it wasn't even dark yet, and he was already in heat again.

When you press your chest against your body, you feel warmth; there's not a trace of coolness.

Seeing that he didn't move, Pei Xueyan decided to push her luck, wrapping her arms around his waist, looking up at him with a hint of grievance in her eyes: "Husband, I can't stand anymore, can you carry me back to bed?"

Jiang Qiye was so entangled with her that he couldn't do anything about it. The person in his arms was as soft as a ball of cotton, and he was holding a live fish in his hand. For a moment, he really didn't know what to do.

Pei Xueyan leaned against Jiang Qiye's chest as he lifted her up.

After spending so much time together, knowing the whole truth today, seeing him still acting all gentle and considerate just seems utterly ridiculous.

My master once said that the men of the Qing Sect are the best at pretending to be righteous. On the surface, they are high-ranking and prestigious sects, but inside they are all lecherous men driven by desires. They love to bully others by relying on their high cultivation level and boast about their righteousness.

At that time, Pei Xueyan was young and did not know why her master insulted her like that. She was also confused about the truth. Now that she has experienced it firsthand, she truly understands the reason behind it.

Anyone else who uses this method to ferry people will surely be killed by them, but using this method is upholding justice.

What's wrong with my master killing and torturing people a few times?

Isn't it even worse that he tormented people's minds for three lifetimes?

When she was placed on the bed, Pei Xueyan continued to feign weakness. She curled her legs up and spoke in a soft, almost seductive voice: "Husband, my feet still hurt. Could you take off my socks and rub them for me?"

A woman's private parts are her private parts, and even though they are husband and wife in name only, he has never actually seen them in all these days.

Besides, they were all fake from beginning to end, so they shouldn't be watched.

Pei Xueyan deliberately exposed his pretense, revealing him to be a hypocritical and despicable person.

As expected, Jiang Qiye paused for a moment after hearing this, turned his head slightly to avoid her gaze, and showed no intention of making a move.

I knew it; this scammer was making excuses again.

Before he could refuse, Pei Xueyan reached out and touched his chin.

I touched his unshaven stubble, which had a slightly rough texture.

He really put on a convincing act of being a man.

Perhaps because no one had ever dared to be so presumptuous towards him, Jiang Qiye's body froze instantly, his originally gentle eyes filled with shock. He looked down at Pei Xueyan, as if he hadn't expected her to suddenly make such an intimate and bold move.

Pei Xueyan wanted to see if he was a real man and if he could truly remain unmoved for three lifetimes.

If one's cultivation level truly allows them to suppress all desires, then how exactly do they manage to keep their gaze and actions completely undisturbed?

She wanted him to fall from his pedestal, to break his vows, so that when they truly returned to the real world and got along, there would be room for discussion.

Pei Xueyan's fingers slid down his jawline and into his clothes, her voice sweet and sticky: "Husband, don't go. Aren't you harvesting wheat tomorrow? Let's rest early tonight."

"Eat...eat."

Seeing that he didn't move, Pei Xueyan simply slumped onto the bed, buried her head, and began to sob: "Husband, do you think I'm ugly? Or did you marry me only because you pitied me? Why do you always refuse... refuse... do you have other motives? I love you with all my heart. If you're lying to me, I really want to kill myself."

She deliberately stopped talking, her shoulders trembling slightly, and she cried even more aggrievedly.

Jiang Qiye had absolutely no idea how to handle this situation or how to resolve it quickly.

Moreover, his feelings for her were complex and difficult to explain.

He sat down in silence, took out a handkerchief, and carefully wiped away her tears, his voice extremely gentle:

"My wife is as beautiful as a fairy. If you are considered ugly, then there is no one more beautiful in the world."

Pei Xueyan was secretly delighted and pressed on, "Does my husband really think I'm pretty?"

"certainly."

Do you like my looks?

He lowered his eyes and remained silent.

So, do you like it or not?

"Miss Abao, I—"

Before he could finish speaking, Pei Xueyan abruptly interrupted him: "Don't call me A Bao, my name is A Zheng."

Azheng was her secular name before she became Ye Xiuluo's apprentice. Abao is such an awful name!

Jiang Qiye didn't care whether she called him Abao or Azheng, and changed his address accordingly: "Azheng, I am naturally willing to marry you, and I have never had any other purpose. I have always been sincere to you and have never had any dislike for you."

Even he himself couldn't tell whether these words that slipped out were a genuine expression of his feelings or a deliberate pretense.

Anyway, that's what I said.

Perhaps he also hoped that there would be less entanglement between them.

Even if there had never been any conflict, could they have become good friends in ordinary days?

How can we convert her to Taoism as soon as possible, become her Taoist partner, and cultivate together?

Forget it, I'm overthinking it. It's impossible for them anymore.

He could not disobey his master's orders, and this was the only possible outcome.

But she... was truly pitiful. And he himself was truly hateful.

Whenever he recalls the image of "Chen Weian" who suffered unrequited love and ultimately committed suicide in agony, he feels severe angina.

Now, living with her in this farmhouse, even I can't tell whether everything before me is real or an illusion.

Pei Xueyan was slightly taken aback by his heartfelt words.

He's truly despicable!

That's absolutely despicable! A complete liar, a disgrace to the title of gentleman!

Pei Xueyan patted the bed, took his hand and said, "If you truly love me, we'll consummate our marriage tonight."

Perhaps the sunset at dusk is too alluring, and the dim, yellow light inexplicably evokes a sense of sadness.

Holding her hand, he felt an urge, for the first time in his life, to confess his true feelings.

He had never experienced such an ordinary life before. The mundane details of farming, and the occasional tenderness and charm she revealed, were like warm water seeping into his heart, making him unable to resist becoming intoxicated.

“Ah Zheng, I do have something on my mind, something I can’t help. Over the years I’ve worked diligently and read countless books, but there are still some things I just can’t figure out or understand. I can’t talk about these things, I can’t tell outsiders, and these things are constantly on my mind, I can’t get rid of them.”

His voice softened, tinged with suppressed emotion, "What should I do? It seems like no matter which way I go, I can never turn back, and I can never solve this mystery."

He spoke with such deep emotion that his eyes even welled up with tears.

However, Pei Xueyan found it laughable. No matter what he was talking about, no matter how many hardships he had hidden, including whether he was deceiving her, all that remained was a sense of absurdity and ridiculousness.

After watching him finish his performance, Pei Xueyan said calmly, "Husband, don't sleep here tonight. Go to the thatched hut so you don't see me and get annoyed."

He looked down at his wife, who was lying on the bed, puffing up in anger, and finally couldn't resist kissing her cheek: "Wife...wife, take a bath."

He turned around, emptied the bathtub, and went to the yard alone to continue chopping wood.

Pei Xueyan: "..."

She helped him set up the tent this morning, and when she came back at noon, she had already wiped herself down. She rested almost the entire afternoon, so it wasn't too hot.

After a quick rinse, she stood at the window, watching the woodcutters outside.

He had rolled up his sleeves above his elbows, revealing well-defined muscles in his arms; he was quite capable at work.

Pei Xueyan didn't have a good impression of him. What was this hypocrite pretending for in her dream?

She went back to bed, lay down, and thought about her master and her senior sister.

There are also the old women and maids in the manor.

Master rarely lived on the manor. At first, he would come back for a few days a month, but later he rarely came back even a few times a year.

On her fifteenth birthday, her master gave her a sword, and never returned.

Later, her master suddenly announced that he was retiring from the martial world and would pass on all his life's cultivation to her.

It was her, not my senior sister.

As soon as the news broke, rumors began to spread like wildfire.

She and her senior sister had practiced martial arts together since childhood, but their relationship gradually cooled after their master decided to pass on his skills to her.

My senior sister is diligent, hardworking, sensible, and capable. Although she is introverted, she is very hardworking.

It's hard not to get angry.

In just one month, Pei Xueyan became a "female demon" hated by everyone in the martial arts world. When her senior sister saw her in trouble, she felt sorry for her again.

Before we went down the mountain, my senior sister was strongly against it.

Ye Xiuluo's name is renowned throughout the martial arts world, and there are very few people who can defeat him. However, Pei Xueyan's internal strength is still shallow, and she is unable to fully utilize the cultivation techniques passed down by her master.

Her senior sister advised her to cultivate quietly at the manor for three to five years, at least until she had circulated her cultivation technique to the seventh or eighth level before descending the mountain.

However, Pei Xueyan was naturally curious and couldn't swallow the insult of being called a female demon, so she eventually disguised herself as a man and secretly went down the mountain.

Who would have thought that just a few days after descending the mountain, she would be captured by this scoundrel, have her martial arts crippled, and be deceived of her three lifetimes of love.

Thinking of this, she was so angry that she felt short of breath and sat up in bed.

She fumbled for a vine, stormed out the door, walked behind Jiang Qiye, and lashed him hard with the whip.

Unfortunately, this body was weak and boneless, with no martial arts foundation, so the whip strike didn't hurt or itch at all.

Jiang Qiye turned around to look at her in shock: "Azheng, you..."

Was she angry because he refused to consummate their marriage? Why was she hitting him like that?

Pei Xueyan was actually a little guilty. If she fought someone with such high martial arts skills and then came out of the illusion, who knew what kind of revenge he would take?

She forced herself to remain calm: "How about we go to the county court in a few days to get a divorce? I don't want to delay your marriage to a virtuous woman from a good family."

He put down the axe, wiped the sweat from his brow with his sleeve, and said in a hoarse voice, "Wife... Azheng, I..."

He opened his mouth, but stammered and couldn't give a reason.

"I told you, I was afraid of hurting you—"

Pei Xueyan interrupted him: "Anyway, I don't want to be with you anymore. We'll get a divorce when we have time."

"......"

Jiang Qiye couldn't fathom her thoughts at that moment, let alone imagine that she truly didn't want to continue living with him from the bottom of her heart.

What kind of person would marry and live with their enemy?

Seeing his silence, Pei Xueyan added, "I hit you because you lied to me. I was angry but couldn't get over it. You won't blame me, will you?"

Jiang Qiye was furious because no one dared to touch him, even though his master had taught him profound magic and he hadn't been beaten at first because he couldn't understand it.

The female demon, who had been attacked for no reason and was trying to redeem herself, was genuinely furious.

Seeing her pitiful and aggrieved expression, his heart softened again.

With a determined effort, I made up my mind.

He stepped forward, grabbed Pei Xueyan's waist, and kissed her.

To be precise, it's about gnawing on it.

Pei Xueyan was so startled by his sudden, forceful kiss that her mind went blank, and she immediately struggled to break free.

The more she struggled, the tighter Jiang Qiye held her, assuming she was only adding fuel to the fire.

Finally, the light bites were no longer enough, and his tongue slid instantly between her lips and teeth.

Lingering and turning, the heavy breathing made one blush and their heart race.

Pei Xueyan was so dizzy from the kiss that she could only pinch and punch him desperately, trying her best to push him away, but the man held her tightly, making it difficult for her to even breathe.

He probably couldn't tell what the purpose of such a passionate kiss was anymore.

Was it the pent-up emotions she had caused during their wedding that suddenly erupted, or was it the sadness of parting ways after the dream was about to end?

Perhaps it was confusion about their own actions or doubt about the spell.

Ultimately, he longed for this ordinary and peaceful life.

He was biting her and kissing her, his mind blank, it was just an instinctive kiss and release.

Pei Xueyan was already thin and frail, and his kisses made her blush and her heart race; she felt like she was about to faint.

After an unknown amount of time, he finally stopped, gazing intently at her with deep eyes.

He had intended to say something tender and affectionate, but the woman suddenly raised her arm as if to hit him, and Jiang Qiye grabbed her wrist.

Pei Xueyan stomped on his foot hard and went back to her room.

At this moment, her feelings were utterly bizarre, as if she had swallowed a fly.

I feel terribly uncomfortable.

Jiang Qiye mistakenly thought she was just shy and angry that he hadn't expressed his love so late.

So I went to take a shower.

I took a long shower.

After taking a shower, he walked back to the bedside and saw that his wife had her back to him, and her neck was covered with a thin layer of sweat. So he picked up a bamboo fan and gently fanned her.

Her skin was fair, and a few strands of wet hair clung to her back, exuding an indescribable sexiness.

Jiang Qiye didn't know what she was angry about again, but she stubbornly kept her back to him and refused to say a word.

His hand gently rested on her waist, and Pei Xueyan froze, immediately trying to hide away.

Jiang Qiye reached out and gently checked her Core Formation progress.

It's not even half as good, much lower than a few days ago.

She was genuinely angry, which meant she must have admitted that he was lying to her.

It's truly heartbreaking when a young couple, married for only a few days, find that the husband is unwilling to touch his wife.

Jiang Qiye no longer hesitated, wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into his embrace, then flipped over and pinned her down.

Before Pei Xueyan could react, the kiss landed on her lips.

This time, he kissed her chest.

Next, it's the side of the neck, then the collarbone, getting increasingly lewd...

Pei Xueyan had never been treated like this before. She pushed his waist and shoulders with her hands and feet while saying something.

"No...no..."

"What are you doing..."

"Aaaaaah...you're insane."

"Jiang Qiye, you can't, you can't..."

Jiang Qiye thought she was playing hard to get; the more she refused with a tearful voice, the more it stirred his heartstrings.

It happened like this for the first time, and Jiang Qiye was very restrained, trying hard not to make a sound.

He had to treat this as a task and not let his emotions get the better of him.

No...can't I?

After it was over, she didn't cry her heart out or struggle. Instead, she slowly began to miss her former Young Master Jiang, her third uncle, and now her good husband.

Jiang Qiye's nose touched hers, and after it was over, he didn't dare to press down too hard. He turned his head away from hers and pressed it against the pillow for a while before turning over to the side.

The two lay side by side on the bed, falling into an eerie silence, neither of them speaking.

A short while later, Jiang Qiye got up and went to the outer room to get a towel. He poured some hot water, wrung it out until it was half dry, and returned to the bedside to carefully wipe her down.

Pei Xueyan wanted to glare at him fiercely and curse him with the most vicious words.

For some reason, she was so weak that she didn't even have the strength to lift her hand, and could only let him do as he pleased.

He was very meticulous, wiping away all the sweat and stains.

Pei Xueyan had nothing to be ashamed of. Since things had already come to this, what was there to be coy about?

This Taoist priest Jiang is destined to become the head of the Qing Sect, and will surely be a figure revered by all. Considering her past with him, she can't say she lost out.

Besides, his looks and physique are top-notch, especially after what happened just now...

She was unaware that she had just been under a spell and had relaxed her entire body, thinking that she had been unconsciously attracted.

It makes me feel like I'm a complete loser.

I once overheard my master and senior brother discussing something in their room, saying that men are judged by their size.

Thinking back now, my waist still seems to retain a lingering, aching feeling from being stretched.

As Jiang Qiye covered her with a light blanket, Pei Xueyan was staring at him with wide eyes, a strange feeling welling up inside her.

Logically speaking, they haven't even met in the real world for half a day, yet now they're exposing themselves to each other and doing embarrassing things.

She didn't know him at all, and hadn't even glanced at his appearance.

He put on an act for three lifetimes in order to get her involved.

She had been kept in the dark by him time and time again, and now he had even deceived her about her body.

The way he kissed her just now, so passionately, could it be... could it be that even a tiny bit of his true feelings were infused into it?

"You said you love me, my husband. Can you promise that no matter what happens in the future, you will protect me, cherish me, and never hurt me in the slightest?"

He lay beside me, remaining silent for a long time.

Pei Xueyan didn't expect him to actually swear an oath. Even if he did, the oath would surely be a lie, just like him.

He remained silent, and she knew that everything was about to end.

She knew absolutely nothing about Jiang Qiye in the real world, so how could she possibly hate him?

She always hated "Young Master Jiang", "Third Uncle", and "Husband".

She only recognized the person he was pretending to be.

She hated him for lying to her like that.

Between being stabbed and dying completely, she was in excruciating pain, a thousand times more painful than the night before when he had stabbed her repeatedly with his large member.

Psychologically and physically.

Seeing him again, I felt an indescribable strangeness.

She knew him well, yet he felt like a complete stranger.

They knew perfectly well that after waking up, they would have no interaction whatsoever.

Master said that the men of the Qing Sect are all ruthless and heartless.

Just like now, she knows that the sword in the main room will still stab her, yet she can still lie peacefully beside him, childishly making him swear an oath.

If her master knew that she had already had sexual relations with a disciple of the Qing Sect and was making those noises, would he regret passing on his martial arts to her?

I still think Ye Xiuluo's disciple is a disgrace!

Pei Xueyan sighed softly, but luckily she was carefree and fell asleep soon after.

When I got up in the morning, the farmer had already prepared the meal and was warming it in the water, but he had already gone to the field to harvest wheat.

As the weather grew hotter, she sat by the well and washed her face. Noticing that her cheeks were flushed and had small bumps, she lightly rubbed them with rouge.

She picked up the sweet potatoes, steamed buns, and a few pieces of fish from the pot and began to eat leisurely by herself.

After finishing my meal, I lay on the bed with my legs crossed, lost in thought.

I began to suspect that Jiang Qiye, who was so diligent and immersed in his role, might have fallen for someone else, since he showed no intention of taking any action.

Just then I heard footsteps in the courtyard. They've come back from the fields so early?

It wasn't even half a day yet.

Pei Xueyan got up to greet him, "My husband is back so early. I thought I would have to bring him food."

Jiang Qiye wiped his hands and said, "I'm going to the market to buy some things. What do you want to eat? I'll buy it for you."

"I don't want to eat anything."

Pei Xueyan's voice was indifferent, her face was expressionless, and her mood was obviously low.

He had originally thought that after they had consummated their marriage, she would be more shy and closer to him.

Who would have thought that when she returned this morning, she would be so distant?

He stepped forward, looked down at her slightly, and asked in a soft voice, "Are you unhappy?"

Pei Xueyan pursed her lips and lowered her head without responding.

"Was it last night... that made you uncomfortable? I told you before that I was afraid of hurting you."

Pei Xueyan; "..."

What a supposedly virtuous and detached Taoist priest! How could he utter such filthy and narcissistic words!

"Where did you hurt me? You were only thinking about your own pleasure, didn't you see me resisting and struggling?"

Jiang Qiye's ears instantly turned red, and he lowered his eyes, remaining silent and not daring to look at her.

In the summer, Pei Xueyan wore even lighter and thinner clothes, especially after seeing those... last night, she felt a strange sensation at this moment.

Is it familiar or unfamiliar?

Or perhaps a deeper thought.

Jiang Qiye explained in a low voice, "I'll pretend... I'll pretend you're not welcoming me."

"Playing hard to get, my foot! Have you ever seen someone cry while doing this? Staring straight at someone's chest and even daring to touch it, it's infuriating!"

Jiang Qiye: "......"

Pei Xueyan was about to hit him when she said that.

Jiang Qiye was stunned by her reckless words. Her soft hand slapped down, so gentle and tender that it made him feel even more sorry for her.

Pei Xueyan had never interacted with a man since childhood; the only man she had ever met was her martial uncle.

Uncle-Master Yueqiuling is the man Master scolds every day.

But when they meet, they still call each other "senior brother" or "senior brother".

My senior sister said that Master likes Junior Uncle.

Pei Xueyan couldn't understand it at all. Was her master scolding her just a sign that he liked her uncle?

That's probably how she feels about Jiang Qiye now: she hates him, she despises him!

Yet she couldn't forget Young Master Jiang and her third uncle.

Humans are really strange.

Looking at her flushed, puffed-up cheeks, which didn't seem fake, Jiang Qiye quickly softened his tone and explained, "Just don't do it again."

"I will never do it again, never again, never in my entire life!"

Jiang Qiye uttered an "uh," his brows furrowing slightly as he revealed a thoughtful expression.

He went to the field to harvest wheat, but actually he had run away as soon as he woke up this morning.

When he opened his eyes, a strong sense of guilt arose in his heart. He was supposed to come here to redeem people, so how could he have had sex with the female demon?

Even the ruthless path is useless now; nothing works anymore.

The moment I went in, I was completely stunned. It felt like I had opened up a new world. I wondered why there was such a wonderful experience in the world.

She was so beautiful, so gentle, and carried a faint, sweet fragrance. Even her vulnerable demeanor sent shivers down one's spine...

Thinking about this, how is my mindset any different from that of those dissolute lechers?

So, just as dawn was breaking, he grabbed his sickle and went to the fields.

This time I didn't slack off or use magic; I harvested half an acre of land bit by bit before returning.

Seeing Pei Xueyan so angry now, I realize that I must have been too hasty and too forceful last night, and really hurt her.

It wasn't that he was confident, but rather that he always knew his thing was so big that it was beyond the capacity of most people.

I didn't want to give my first time to that little vixen. I had already cast a spell on her beforehand, but I still felt so uncomfortable.

He had heard that women experience a tearing pain when they first have sex, so he figured she must have endured a lot of suffering last night.

Thinking of this, Jiang Qiye's tone became even gentler: "Go back to your room and rest for a while. I'll go to town to buy some food. I'll finish harvesting the rest of the wheat at noon and then come back to cook for you."

His considerate demeanor was so convincing that even Pei Xueyan almost believed him.

"I won't eat your cooking! I won't eat what you buy either, I just won't eat..." Pei Xueyan turned around and went back to her room, slamming the door shut, but she didn't dare lock it.

That wooden door could be opened with a gentle push.

As the future leader of the Qingzong Sect, Jiang Qiye stood at the door for a moment. Seeing that no one was around, he darted out of the courtyard.

He went straight to the largest jewelry shop in town and immediately spotted a silver hairpin among the dazzling array of jewelry.

The silver hairpin is carved with a lotus scroll pattern, and a blood-red gemstone is set in the pendant.

Very beautiful.

When he got home, he pushed open the door, but before he even entered the bedroom, Pei Xueyan covered herself with the blanket and said, "Don't come in! Don't come in! You stinky man, don't come in."

“…” Jiang Qiye ignored her words, lifted the curtain and went in, sat down on the edge of the bed, and gently placed the jewelry box next to the pillow.

Pei Xueyan suddenly sat up from under the covers, her eyes red-rimmed and tears still clinging to her long eyelashes. Her tearful appearance made her even more beautiful than usual.

"You, you shouldn't cry."

Pei Xueyan wiped away her tears, her voice filled with anger and grievance: "I believed your lies, you despicable person, you say one thing and do another."

Jiang Qiye: "Azheng, what... what do you want to say? Or, are you remembering something?"

Hearing his cautious question, Pei Xueyan's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly denied it, "What am I thinking? I'm not thinking anything. Don't you know women dream? I dreamed that you were a hypocrite."

She knew, of course, that she couldn't stay in such a dreamlike, tribulation-like place for long.

Whether she will succumb to his cunning schemes by suppressing her feelings for him is unknown.

Jiang Qiye couldn't understand why she was so reluctant to condense her core. Even after they had engaged in the most intimate relationship, her spiritual energy hadn't increased much when she checked it in the morning.

Regardless of his intentions, Jiang Qiye treated her well in the end.

No matter how much she cursed and said terrifying things, he never talked back.

He slept in the hermitage at night, occasionally sending Lingyu over.

She tossed and turned, unable to sleep. The weather was hot and humid, and she must have felt restless and anxious.

He went home early the next morning.

When Pei Xueyan got up, she ran into him taking a shower.

His body was covered with scratches from wheat ears and patches of red.

Sleeping in such a place, covered in thorns, must be very uncomfortable.

He seemed to be living a mundane life, and Pei Xueyan couldn't figure out what he was thinking.

Lifting the lid, the food was ready again.

You're so diligent!

She was too embarrassed to eat it directly, so after washing her face, she took a bath towel and gave it to the man who was taking a shower.

Jiang Qiye didn't expect her to hand him something on her own initiative.

There was also a bottle of ointment next to it.

"After you're done washing, I'll dry you off."

"What?"

“You’ve worked so hard, you have a lot of red rashes on your back, let me wipe them off. I’ll go to the field with you in a little while you harvest the wheat, and I’ll gather it up.”

Jiang Qiye was pleased, but still declined, saying, "No need, it's hot."

Pei Xueyan stood behind the wooden tub and said softly, "I'm not afraid of the heat. As long as you're sincere, I'll be sincere to you."

He bent down to rub his back, remained silent for a while, then suddenly turned to look at her: "Ah Zheng, now that we are husband and wife, we have decades to go together. If I truly had a different heart, how could I agree to spend my life with another woman? I don't know where your unease and your doubts about me come from. But from the day you married me, from the night before last when we consummated our marriage, in this life and the next, you will always be my wife, and I will always be your husband. We will be together in life and death, never to be separated."

Pei Xueyan was completely bewildered by his confession.

She was still young and naive; in her previous two lives, she was nothing more than an innocent young girl.

Now, she is a simple farm girl who is so deeply in love with a man that she feels like she's floating on air.

I haven't had much contact with men in the real world.

Master always says there are no good men in the world, so could he be an exception?

He treated her so well.

The high-ranking Taoist priest, with such profound cultivation, was still willing to work in the fields for her, harvesting wheat, carrying water, and repairing the roof of the house.

Pei Xueyan looked at him intently, her eyes darting around. After a long silence, she softly replied, "If you truly want to spend your life with me, I will treat you well too."

He smiled and said, "Okay."

Jiang Qiye picked up a bath towel and stood up, while Pei Xueyan immediately covered her eyes and quickly turned her back.

After wiping himself down and changing into clean shorts, he sat down on a wooden chair and said, "Go ahead and wipe yourself down."

She stood gently behind him, scooped out a little cool ointment with her fingertips, and slowly applied it to the red marks on his shoulder blade.

"Husband, I'll find some scraps of cloth and make a thin pad for you to wear while you work, so it won't rub so painfully on your shoulders."

Jiang Qiye responded with an "Mmm".

He's harming himself; he's asking for trouble.

No one actually asked him to harvest wheat, but he insisted on doing it like any other farmer, bending over and harvesting it handful by handful.

Even with a strong body in this life, maintaining a bent-over posture for several hours in a row, even into the night, is definitely not comfortable.

He could easily harvest several acres of wheat with a simple spell.

Jiang Qiye knew perfectly well why he did this.

He began to cherish the present moment, even selfishly wishing he could stay here a little longer, much longer.

Because of this sentiment, the two of them actually started living a simple life like an ordinary couple in the following days.

While he was busy in the fields, Pei Xueyan stayed home sewing and cooking. At noon, she would carry a food basket to the edge of the field to deliver lunch.

The two sat in the shade of the hermitage. Jiang Qiye ate steamed buns and drank porridge, along with some not-so-delicious dishes, while the person next to him wiped his sweat from time to time.

There were cicadas chirping, golden ears of wheat, cool shade under the trees, a sheltered hut that blocked out the sun, food brought by her, and a wife and husband.

Such moments are something everyone would cherish and be moved by.

Even a serial killer would be tempted to come along.

"After I finish my work today, I'll go help my dad harvest the wheat. We'll work in the dark tonight, and it should be finished by tomorrow."

"Mmm," she replied, her head bowed.

Perhaps it was because her identity as "A Bao" in this life had become too deeply ingrained that she gradually grew accustomed to this kind of life, accustomed to the fact that she didn't know martial arts or magic, and was just an ordinary farm girl.

Those past memories are becoming increasingly blurry.

"So... after you finish harvesting the wheat tomorrow, are you going home to stay?"

Jiang Qiye glanced at his wife while eating and said, "Okay."

“What do you mean by ‘okay’? Did you already plan to stay, or… are you agreeing to my request?”

"You still care about this?"

Pei Xueyan quickly shook her head: "I don't mind, I just don't want to force you. Before, when Father was busy harvesting wheat, Mother would help out and I would follow behind to load the wheat. Since Mother passed away, it's just Father and me working. Every time we finish, my back aches. I just... feel sorry for you because you've been working so hard these days."

Jiang Qiye was very happy to hear the last three words.

He had never experienced such genuine joy in his entire life.

He has made up his mind.

Once everything settles down, he wants to be with her.

The moment this decision came to mind, Jiang Qiye was startled.