In the early morning, Jiang Huai slept soundly. Perhaps it was because Ji Qingxuan’s body was warm and comforting, or perhaps because his desires had been too indulged in recent days, they didn’t burn as fiercely as he expected.
Upon waking, he found Ji Qingxuan’s body pressed closely against his. Her clothes were in disarray, and her snow-white skin gently trembled with her breath. Jiang Huai didn’t wake her, intending to sneak out and make breakfast. However, as soon as he sat up, he heard Ji Qingxuan’s soft whimper. “What do you want to eat?” he asked.
“What is there?”
“Oh, so many things… Wontons, noodles, rice noodles, dumplings, yuanxiao, fried cakes. Which do you want?”
“Noodles.”
“Hmm, you can sleep a bit longer. I’ll bring them to you later,” Jiang Huai said softly. Ji Qingxuan, lying on the bed, was still a bit drowsy. Sunlight poured into the room, vast and bright. She looked at Jiang Huai’s profile and suddenly realized his tone and expression at this moment were indescribably gentle, making him both familiar and strange.
Which him was the real him?
Jiang Huai had always been a foodie, so he had stored a lot of food in the system’s storage space. Even the broth for the noodles was Pig Bone Soup Paste he had prepared beforehand, which was fresh, rich, and warming. When he returned to the room with two steaming bowls of noodle soup, Ji Qingxuan was fastening the Underwear Strap on her back.
Her body was bathed in the sunlight from the window, every inch of her skin appearing pure and snow-white. She still looked a bit lazy. Seeing Jiang Huai enter the room, she gently bit her lips, a faint blush rising on her cheeks.
After she got dressed and sat opposite Jiang Huai, she picked up her chopsticks and tasted a small mouthful of noodles. Her cold brows seemed to melt like a glacier.
In Ji Qingxuan’s understanding, a man who could cook, and cook exceptionally well, was an incredibly unbelievable thing. She picked up her soup spoon and took a small sip of the broth, finally unable to help but ask, “You didn’t specifically research cooking skills just to please women, did you?”
Jiang Huai was about to retort that this person was slandering him for no reason, but then he thought that it might indeed be true. So he replied, “To please my Master.”
“Delicious,” Ji Qingxuan commented seriously. She finished the Entire bowl of noodles, even drinking all the soup. Jiang Huai took out a handkerchief to wipe her lips. The two people walked out of the room. Jiang Huai went to the adjacent room to check. He pushed open the door, and Jun Anshui opened her eyes groggily.
“Little brother…” Her voice was delicate and soft, filled with dependence.
“Awake?”
“Mmm, I’ve slept enough.”
“Mmm, I have something I’d like to ask for your help with, older sister.”
“Eh?” Jun Anshui’s petite body sat up abruptly, tilting her head. “What is it?”
“About thirty years ago, a member of the Dragon Clan left the Dragon Clan’s Secret Realm and returned a few years later after being summoned by the Dragon Clan. Her name among humans was Jun Leiqing. Do you know her?”
“I do,” Jun Anshui nodded innocently. “But she made a mistake and is currently confined in the Dragon Clan’s Coral Sea to reflect on her transgressions.”
“Made a mistake?”
“It was nothing for her to travel the Five Regions, but the Dragon Clan at that time was preparing to wage war with the Human Clan. If she had only gotten entangled with humans emotionally, she wouldn’t have been punished with confinement. But she insisted on leaving a child with her Bloodline in the Human Clan… Therefore, after the decision of several Dragon Emperors, she was punished with a hundred years of confinement in the Coral Sea.”
Ji Qingxuan’s knuckles unconsciously clenched the Dress Skirt tightly.
Since birth, her birth mother had not been by her side, and her identity had always been well hidden. Her Father had initially only told the public that her imperial concubine had died during childbirth. She had never had any feelings for her birth mother. It wasn’t until she was sensible that her Father revealed her identity to her, and she understood that she carried the blood of the Dragon Clan.
However, at that time, she harbored some hatred in her heart. She hated her Dragon Clan mother for abandoning her and her father. When she was young, she often saw her Father looking sadly at her mother’s portrait, but she never expected that what Jun Anshui said now was the reason for it all.
Her birth mother could have chosen not to give birth to her back then. Why did she give birth to her? Was it to leave a memento for Ji Nianchen? Or because she had genuinely fallen in love and therefore felt pity for her?
After Jun Anshui finished speaking, she turned her gaze and suddenly noticed the aura emanating from Ji Qingxuan. She paused slightly and then slowly said, “So you are Leiqing’s child.”
Jun Anshui then looked at Jiang Huai. “Little brother, is she your friend?”
“A very, very good friend.” Jiang Huai embraced Ji Qingxuan’s Waist, gripping it tightly, which caught Ji Qingxuan slightly by surprise.
“Is that so…” Jun Anshui nodded gently, then whispered, “Then I won’t kill her.”
Ji Qingxuan’s body stiffened abruptly.
Jun Anshui’s words were spoken lightly, but they instantly tensed every muscle in her body. In that instant, she suddenly understood the cruelty of the Dragon Clan. If Jiang Huai hadn’t been by her side, who could have escaped the full force of this Ninth Realm Dragon Emperor’s attack?
Jiang Huai frowned slightly. “Are the Dragon Clan… always this cruel?”
“Does little brother find it very cruel?” Jun Anshui’s face was childlike, but her eyes were equally confused at this moment. She replied softly, “She shouldn’t have appeared in this world in the first place. Her existence is a mistake. The Dragon Clan never intermarries with outsiders, much less leaves offspring. Jun Leiqing clearly knew this, yet she foolishly made this mistake. A hundred years of confinement is already a light punishment for her. Otherwise, she would either have to personally kill the offspring she left behind, or she would die.”
“This is the rule of the Dragon Clan since ancient times,” Jun Anshui said softly. At this moment, Ji Qingxuan’s face was slightly pale. She was always proud, but before Jun Anshui, she suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of powerlessness.
After a moment of hesitation, Jiang Huai spoke softly, “If I wanted to ask you to order the release of Jun Leiqing, would you agree to it?”
Jun Anshui tilted her small head again, looked at Jiang Huai in front of her, and then chuckled lightly. “You don’t need to ask me about such things. As long as you want to, you can decide for yourself. You have the same blood flowing in you as I do. The ones in power in the Dragon Clan are you and I, not just me. You can do whatever you want in the Dragon Clan. No one will disobey your orders. This is your right. Our orders are the greatest rule of the Dragon Clan.”
Jiang Huai let out a long sigh, and his taut heart relaxed. He said softly to Jun Anshui, “Then please issue an imperial decree to release Jun Leiqing from her confinement, pardon her crime, and invite her to Life Source Island in the Northern Region. She has an old friend who has been wanting to see her, and her daughter is also here.”
“Okay,” Jun Anshui nodded obediently, and a silver light shone in her eyes.
This was a power of the Dragon Emperor Bloodline. No matter where she was, she could issue imperial decrees to any dragon at any time, and even directly control the bodies of other dragons. If Jiang Huai’s cultivation level reached above the Ninth Realm, he would also possess such authority.
A moment later, Jun Anshui said softly to Jiang Huai, “Alright, she should arrive here in about two days?”
“Thank you for your trouble, older sister.”
“It’s nothing,” Jun Anshui shook her head slightly. “As long as it’s something little brother wants or wants to do, older sister will help little brother get it.”
Jiang Huai was speechless for a moment, not knowing what to say.
He and Ji Qingxuan still had to participate in the Five Regions Grand Competition, so Jun Anshui went back to sleep. Jiang Huai and Ji Qingxuan walked out of the courtyard. Ji Qingxuan’s tense body relaxed slightly. She turned her head to look at Jiang Huai beside her and suddenly realized that it seemed all her pride had vanished in front of him.
“Thank you,” she said softly.
“It’s nothing,” Jiang Huai shook his head gently.
Ji Qingxuan still felt a wave of lingering fear in her heart, so much so that her footsteps seemed a little flustered. It wasn’t until Jiang Huai gently took her hand and led her forward that her heart gradually settled down.
She couldn’t help but look at Jiang Huai’s profile, watching his current calm expression, and strange thoughts arose in her heart. She suddenly realized it was hard to imagine that the Jiang Huai in front of her, who was described as a gentleman by most people and appeared polite and courteous, actually had such a background. He never needed to be polite to anyone, nor did he ever need to explain any Principles.
With Jun Anshui and Jiang Zhi backing him, what in this world was out of his reach? If he had even the slightest ill-intentioned desire for her body, she would probably only be able to obediently play the role of a Flower vase by his side with just a word. Yet, he would earnestly tell her about himself and explain things to her.
“Since things are resolved, shouldn’t you be happy? Why are you still frowning slightly?” Jiang Huai asked softly.
“My heart is a little chaotic…”
“Thinking about what?”
“It’s nothing…” Ji Qingxuan suddenly stopped. The warm winter sun fell on her, feeling comforting, but her body still felt slightly cold from the lingering fear. So she suddenly said softly, “Can you hug me again?”
Jiang Huai came to her, gently embracing her soft and slender body. He reached out and patted her Back. “There, there, isn’t it fine now? Nothing to worry about, I’m here.”
Ji Qingxuan’s stiff and cold body seemed to gradually soften in his words. After a while, she mumbled softly, “I suddenly seem to understand why there are so many women around you.”
“Are you going to say I’m a born Bastard again?” Jiang Huai retorted with a bitter face. Ji Qingxuan leaned forward slightly and slowly put her arm around him, whispering, “No, I wouldn’t dare.”
“Hey, hey, don’t be so distant. I still like your rebellious self from before.”
“When was I rebellious?” Ji Qingxuan grumbled dissatisfiedly. She suddenly leaned close to his Ear and asked softly, “Tonight… can you stay with me again?”
“Of course.”
“What about Dual Cultivation?”
“Whatever you like. If you want to, we’ll cultivate a little; if not, we won’t.” Jiang Huai’s tone was gentle and slow, as if coaxing a child. At this moment, Ji Qingxuan became very soft, like a tamed Cat, and whispered, “Tonight… whatever bad things you want to do, I’ll satisfy you.”
“You make it sound like I’m some kind of great Lustful demon on a daily basis.”
“You are,” Ji Qingxuan snorted lightly, raised her head, and brought her Face close to his. Her delicate pink Lips were alluring. Jiang Huai gently kissed her Lips.
Ji Qingxuan was first slightly stunned, then two rosy clouds bloomed on her snow-white Cheeks.
“Eh, why are you blushing from just one kiss?”
“I’m not,” Ji Qingxuan turned her Face away, finally let go of his embrace, and wriggled out of his arms. However, she still reluctantly grabbed his Hand again, and they walked like this, hand in hand, to the assembly point for the Five Regions Grand Competition.
