Veiled Peach Blossom, My Wife
Seven days later, as the first light of dawn pierced the sky and the morning mist lingered, a figure in plain white robes descended gracefully from the clouds. Her flowing sleeves scattered fine droplets of dew as she landed steadily on the bluestone platform before Su Rui's cave abode.
Mu Xueyi's raven hair cascaded like a waterfall, loosely pinned with a single white jade hairpin. A few stray strands danced lightly by her ears in the mountain breeze.
In her hand, she gripped Minglan, the sword's blade shimmering with faint red light.
Her toes tapped lightly, the sword spinning in a fluid arc as the first form of the Jade Phoenix Sword Art, Phoenix Soars Nine Heavens, erupted forth!
The blade sliced through the mist, coalescing into a phantom phoenix of gold and crimson. Accompanied by a clear, piercing cry, it thundered down with lightning's fury, smashing straight into the prohibition seal outside the cave.
Boom—!!
The outer layer of seemingly ordinary protective barrier shattered like fragile glass under the sword light, dissolving into motes of spiritual glow that faded into the air.
The hidden Nine Nether Nether Domain Array was forced to reveal itself, its dark runes slowly rotating across the ground, exuding a chilling netherworld aura that gripped the heart.
Moments later, a crack split the array. Su Rui strolled out from within, staring speechlessly at the white silhouette. "Mu Xueyi, laozi sensed you coming naturally. Was there any need to wreck my barrier?"
A cold, sharp curve hooked the corner of Mu Xueyi's lips. "My hand was itching. For some reason, whenever I come here, I always want to cleave something apart."
The sword tip shifted slightly, reflecting Su Rui's figure as she sneered, "How about... I test my blade on you?"
"Forget it."
Su Rui waved it off, then his gaze sharpened, locking onto her Minglan sword. He asked curiously, "Your Minglan... seems a bit different? That red gleam deep in the sword patterns is three points brighter than seven days ago! Did you reforged it?"
Mu Xueyi's fingertips tightened imperceptibly. This lecher's eyes were viciously sharp—even the subtle change buried in the sword patterns hadn't escaped him.
She held Minglan horizontally before her, her frosty face betraying no emotion. "No comment."
"Since we're teamed up, it's better to be open and honest about some things."
Su Rui crossed his arms leisurely, chuckling as he continued, "As teammates, we need to know each other inside out to maximize our combat strength. That way, against powerful foes, our odds improve."
Mu Xueyi sneered, a flash of mockery crossing her peach-blossom eyes. "If we're being open, why not start with your demonic arts?"
Su Rui burst into laughter at that, shrugging. "Fine, laozi won't ask."
"Hmph."
A soft snort escaped Mu Xueyi's nose, her peach-blossom eyes glaring coldly. "You get to probe my secrets, but I can't question yours? Su Rui, your scheming is as nauseating as ever."
"Without some tricks, how could laozi keep you in check?"
Su Rui suddenly leaned in, his form blurring like a specter to close the scant distance between them. His warm breath brushed her exquisite face as he lowered his voice, tone laced with intimacy. "Right, my beautiful master?"
"Stay away from me."
Mu Xueyi said coldly, yet she herself retreated three steps, widening the gap.
The subtle action made her commanding tone seem faintly ridiculous, like a startled bird instinctively fleeing its predator.
Su Rui chuckled lowly, his gaze falling on her slightly reddened earlobe. "Don't be so cold. After all, our bodies are intimately linked."
Mu Xueyi ignored his crude words outright. With a flick of her slender hand, she drew a veil from her storage pouch.
The light gauze draped over her face, concealing seven parts of her world-captivating beauty. Only those clear, icy peach-blossom eyes remained, still soul-stealing.
Su Rui's eyes roamed her veiled visage, nodding with a smile. "Well prepared. You should cover up—otherwise, with that face, your identity as the Cultivation World's number one beauty would be exposed in an instant."
Mu Xueyi turned into a streak of escaping light, leaving behind one sentence: "Let's go. So much nonsense."
Su Rui casually reapplied a layer of ordinary prohibition to his cave, concealing the conspicuously unusual Nine Nether Nether Domain Array, then transformed into escaping light to chase after her.
Mu Xueyi always stayed half a body ahead, her white robes snapping in the wind. Clearly, she had no desire to fly shoulder-to-shoulder with Su Rui.
Yet no matter if she sped up or slowed down, Su Rui stuck to her like sticky candy, maintaining that ambiguous distance. It grated on her nerves.
After several futile attempts, she finally gave up, letting the detestable shadow trail her relentlessly.
About the time it took to burn an incense stick later, Su Rui suddenly spoke, his voice carried to her by the wind. "Master, you've probably looked into the origins of those materials these past days, right? Where's our first stop?"
His tone was casual and natural, as if they were truly partners out for a leisurely trip.
Mu Xueyi didn't turn her head, her cool voice piercing the clouds. "Blood Fiend Sect."
Three curt words, no further explanation.
"Reason?"
Su Rui pressed, his form flickering closer, close enough to catch the fragrance wafting from her hair on the breeze.
Mu Xueyi shifted sideways to evade his approach, her veiled lips parting lightly. "Possible traces of Millennium Blood Jade."
Su Rui chuckled lowly, his voice tinged with teasing. "Feels like you really don't want to answer my questions."
Mu Xueyi glanced back at him, her peach-blossom eyes above the veil frosted with millennial ice. "Do you enjoy chatting with someone you hate to your core?"
Su Rui quirked his lips roguishly. "Let me tell you something—once hate runs that deep, love isn't far off. The hate you feel for me today might turn into love tomorrow."
"Heh..."
Mu Xueyi sneered coldly. "Unless you wipe my mind and replace my soul, I'll never love you even a fraction."
Su Rui smiled noncommittally, adding, "One more thing—people who speak too absolutely always get slapped in the face. It's a law in those storybooks."
Mu Xueyi snorted coldly and fell silent, refusing to waste more words on him.
No matter how Su Rui tried to spark conversation—from Cultivation World secrets to local customs—she treated him like a clown chattering in her ear.
Demonic forces were mostly concentrated in the northwest region over a million li away, where bloodfiend qi soared to the heavens and demonic clouds lingered year-round, a stark contrast to the immortal aura of the southeast.
Though both were Nascent Soul cultivators, crossing that million-li distance on their own escaping lights—without rest day or night—would still take several days.
Su Rui and Mu Xueyi naturally wouldn't choose such a time-consuming method. Their destination was a neutral city called Flowing Cloud City, ten thousand li away.
The city was overseen by a late-stage Nascent Soul great cultivator who had risen from loose cultivator ranks. He enforced strict bans on private duels, making it a bustling hub where all walks of life mingled, and righteous and demonic paths traded freely.
Within the city lay an ancient grand teleportation array. For sufficient spirit stones, one could instantly cross millions of li of mountains and rivers, straight to the edge of demonic territory.
After about an hour of flight, the silhouette of a majestic mega-city emerged on the distant horizon.
Its walls towered into the clouds, built from massive bluish-black rocks etched with intricate array runes that faintly flowed with spiritual light under the sun.
The pair dispelled their escaping lights, landing on the dedicated platform outside the city and entering on foot with the crowd.
The moment they passed through the gates, A wave of noise and heat hit them.
The streets were broad, paved with smooth bluestones. Shops lined both sides, banners fluttering.
Some sold pills, magic tools, talismans; others offered spirit wine and delicacies in restaurants and inns.
The streets teemed with people, mostly cultivators from Qi Refining to Core Formation, dressed variably with mixed auras. Mingled among them were plenty of mortals—servants, vendors serving cultivators, or longtime residents accustomed to sharing space with immortals. Their faces showed awe, but their movements held no panic.
A prominent black stele stood at the gate, inscribed with twelve bold characters: "Within Flowing Cloud City, no flight, no spells. Violators severely punished."
This was the iron rule upholding the city—banning casual flight and offensive spells within.
Of course, the rule targeted those below Nascent Soul.
In the Cultivation World, strength ruled supreme. Rules were made by the strong and often bent for them.
If a Nascent Soul cultivator stirred trouble here—without widespread damage, ruining key structures, or challenging the city lord—the overseeing late-stage Nascent Soul powerhouse and his enforcers would likely turn a blind eye.
Su Rui and Mu Xueyi headed to demonic lands to quietly hunt materials, prioritizing stealth.
Without a word, the moment they entered, they tacitly circulated breath-concealing arts, suppressing their cultivation to False Core realm.
Su Rui scanned the bustling crowd, lips curving slightly as he murmured to Mu Xueyi beside him, "Master thinks the same as your disciple. False Core cultivation suits loose cultivator identities perfectly—strong enough to deter petty thugs, but not so eye-catching as to draw scrutiny from major powers."
Mu Xueyi acted as if she hadn't heard, her peach-blossom eyes not even flicking his way. She stared only toward the teleportation array plaza.
Her lotus steps carried her that way.
Su Rui shrugged off the snub and followed. After all, cold treatment from this woman wasn't new.
As they crossed a bustling main street, nearing the plaza, two men approached, catching Su Rui's eye.
The leader was a young man in lavish brocade robes, his face pale from excess wine and women, eyes lecherous. Core Formation early-stage, with a jade pendant carved as a ferocious ghost head at his waist, faintly emanating yinfiend qi.
Behind him lumbered a burly, fierce-faced attendant at False Core, wearing the same ghost-head jade pendant radiating yinfiend qi.
Undoubtedly demonic path folk, and the brocade-robed youth seemed high-status.
As Su Rui pondered, the youth's gaze locked onto Mu Xueyi almost instantly.
Though veiled, Mu Xueyi's lithe, enchanting figure, aloof chill aura, and those mesmerizing peach-blossom eyes above the gauze sparked endless fantasies. What face hid beneath?
To Li Wuhen, this was a top-tier temptress. Even if her looks fell short, that temperament, figure, and eyes would drive most men mad!
Lust flared in Li Wuhen. He plastered on what he thought was a dashing smile, striding forward to block their path, cupping hands. "Fellow Daoists, please hold."
Mu Xueyi halted, brows furrowing faintly. Spotting him as demonic, her eyes treated him like roadside dirt—disgust and disdain bare, no desire to even speak.
Su Rui stepped forward just enough to shield her from Li Wuhen, returning the salute. "What guidance does this fellow Daoist offer?"
Li Wuhen noted her iciness, which only itched him more, but his smile held as his eyes tried slipping past Su Rui to her. "I'm Li Wuhen. You two look new to Flowing Cloud City. May I know your names?"
"Su Rui here, and this is..."
Su Rui paused. The master-disciple game with Mu Xueyi had grown stale; time for a new role. He chuckled lightly, "My dao companion, Yi Xue."
At those words, frost glazed Mu Xueyi's peach-blossom eyes. This was the absolute last bond she'd accept with Su Rui—but his expression wasn't pure teasing. She'd see what he was playing at.
"So, Fellow Daoist Su and Fairy Yi Xue."
A strange glint flashed in Li Wuhen's eyes, especially at "dao companion"—a perverse thrill lurking there.
He fancied married women; others' companions had unique flavor. He smiled. "You seem in a rush. Where to?"
Su Rui's eyes shifted subtly, dodging the destination. "Fellow Daoist Li has an extraordinary bearing. Disciple of some great sect?"
Li Wuhen's False Core attendant, eager to show off, boasted preemptively. "Hmph, say it and you might faint! This is the Young Sect Master of Yin Fiend Sect!"
"Yin Fiend Sect?"
Su Rui feigned apt surprise, as if awed by the name.
He knew little of demonic power rankings, but the attendant's tone suggested a solid foundation. Perfect to leverage this Young Sect Master's status for conveniences.
Then Mu Xueyi's voice transmission rang in his ear: "This sect is closely tied to Blood Fiend Sect."
Su Rui shifted plans instantly, warming his tone. "My apologies! So it's Young Sect Master Li of Yin Fiend Sect! No wonder your presence is so commanding! To be frank, Young Master, my wife and I are loose cultivators fed up with righteous paths. We've long heard of the northwest demonic prosperity—especially mighty Blood Fiend Sect. Drawn to it, we're heading there to try our luck, perhaps join the sect for a future."
Hearing "Blood Fiend Sect," Li Wuhen's smile widened. He waved grandly. "Fellow Daoist Su wants Blood Fiend Sect? What luck! They and our Yin Fiend Sect are generational allies—deep ties! Even their elders treat my father politely."
The attendant chimed in. "Exactly! With Young Master recommending, you'll join smoothly—maybe even as inner disciples!"
Li Wuhen approved of the assist, feigning magnanimity toward Su Rui—his gaze greedily raking Mu Xueyi. "Fellow Daoist Su, Fairy Yi Xue, since fate brought us together, if you trust Li Wuhen, let me recommend you? Blood Fiend Sect should give me that face."
Su Rui donned an expression of ecstatic gratitude, bowing deeply. "Then we owe Young Master Li immensely! Your great kindness—my wife and I will never forget!"
He nudged the silent Mu Xueyi beside him with his elbow, deliberately raising his voice with affectionate mischief. "Wife, Young Master Li's so kindly helping, solving our big problem. Aren't you going to thank him?"
"Wife" hit her ears, and Mu Xueyi's veiled lips tightened, eyes surging with chill.
Yet she caught Su Rui's look—reminder and unyielding command: prioritize the goal; this was expedient.
Thinking how smoothly this approached Blood Fiend Sect, she suppressed her surging killing intent and humiliation, parting veiled lips. "Thank you, Young Master Li."
Her voice was icy yet heavenly, melting Li Wuhen's bones.
He pictured that alluring timbre moaning in bed—pure ecstasy.
Dazed, he stared blankly at Mu Xueyi, forgetting to reply.
His attendant nudged him lightly, whispering, "Young Master, the fairy's thanking you."
Li Wuhen snapped back, wiping nonexistent drool. "Oh, oh, no thanks needed! Trivial matter!"
The desire to claim Mu Xueyi burned like wildfire. Once in remote demonic lands, he'd strike—seize this exquisite wife for himself.
Little did he know, the object of his lust was a Nascent Soul cultivator far above him!
Nor that his undisguised lechery and filthy thoughts were fully noted by the smiling "husband" beside her.