Chapter 561 – A Matching Pair
It was mid-June, the height of summer, and a light rain had just ceased.
The mountain forest on a sloping peak of the Xuan Xing Sect was lush with vegetation, a small path winding up the mountain.
Gurgle—
Ye Anping, clad in the robes of a Xuan Xing Sect elder, pushed a wheelchair towards the cemetery on the summit. Along the way, wild rabbits would occasionally peek out from the sides of the road, or be drawn by the spiritual energy of the woman in the wheelchair, their attention fixed on her slightly bulging belly.
It had already been nearly half a month since they returned to the Xuan Xing Sect.
Si Xuanji, needing to recover from her injuries, had gone into secluded cultivation in her cave dwelling on Moon Spring Peak immediately after their return.
Although it was called secluded cultivation, she was essentially just staying at home, munching on melon seeds and sleeping.
As a result, sect matters that required the Sect Master’s attention naturally fell upon Xiao Yunluo, the Young Master. This had led to her being confined to the main hall of the Xuan Xing Sect for the past half-month, dealing with a mountain of jade slips and documents, piled high like a mountain.
Ye Anping would occasionally visit and practically always hear Xiao Yunluo complaining:
“Hmph! Lazy Master! Just because you want to slack off, you find an excuse to go into seclusion to recuperate! You clearly make Anping come over every few days, only to let him return the next day… Aunt Qiu! Please talk to my Master!!”
As Ye Anping often said, the best way to deepen a relationship was to either enjoy good times together or to fight enemies together.
After those few nights of sharing a bed, Xiao Yunluo was no longer as afraid of Xuanji as she used to be.
As for Junior Sister, the news of her single-handedly slaying over a thousand people in the Tian Mo Sect had spread. Now, the disciples within the Xuan Xing Sect treated her with utmost respect. Furthermore, Elder Qin of Tianyun Peak was currently in the Eastern Domain eradicating demonic cultivators, so Si Xuanji had entrusted the sword-teaching duties to her, allowing dozens of Core Formation stage disciples to experience Atin’s teaching style.
Gu Mingxin and Mo Chi Ling, having never visited the Western Regions before, spent their days wandering and having fun around the Xuan Xing Sect.
Ye Anping glanced at the clear sky, then lowered his head to look at Feng Yu Die, who was behind him, his entire body suddenly feeling relaxed. He raised his hand and gently twirled a strand of her silver hair that was draped over her shoulders, rubbing it between his fingers…
“Hm?”
Feng Yu Die tilted her head up to look at him. Although she would be a mother in a few months, her face did not possess the mature aura of a married woman. Like always, it was still filled with childlike innocence and a touch of daze.
“You’re about to become a mother, yet you still look like a little girl…”
“Mmm…” Feng Yu Die pouted, staring at Ye Anping’s face for a while before retorting, “Anping, you’re also about to become a father, but you don’t look like one either…”
“Disappointed?”
“Hehe… Not at all, Anping, you’re the most handsome! No matter what you look like in the future, I’ll always like you! I, Feng Yu Die, am devoted to Young Master Ye! Hmph~”
“Didn’t you used to be devoted to my Junior Sister?”
“That doesn’t count. That was because my Master, that big liar, tricked me! But speaking of which, Anping, you’ve been with me for all this time. Will Junior Sister Pei and the others be unhappy…”
Ye Anping looked at her with adoration, shaking his head and smiling:
“No, Junior Sister and Yunluo also said I should spend more time with you during the day.”
“Oh…” Feng Yu Die seemed to want to say something but hesitated, then asked, “Then… can you spend the night with me, and spend the day with Junior Sister Pei and the others?”
?
“Why?”
“It’s just… it’s just… I…” Feng Yu Die suddenly lowered her head, fiddling with her fingers for a moment, her face blushing as she shyly confessed, “Ever since we returned from the Eastern Domain, Anping, you haven’t dual cultivated with me. I… I want to dual cultivate with you…”
Ye Anping was silent for a moment, then sighed and asked:
“…Don’t you remember what Doctor Zhou said before?”
“I remember. But just once, it should be fine, right?” Feng Yu Die pursed her lips, then looked up at Ye Anping behind her, tilting her head and smiling, “Okay?”
“No.”
Feng Yu Die then started to act spoiled, calling out in a sweet voice,
“Just for one night! Anping, you’re the best~~ Just one night! Just one night…”
Ye Anping immediately tapped her forehead:
“Don’t you want to be a mother anymore? Besides this, I’ll agree to anything else…”
Feng Yu Die lowered her head, touched her belly that felt like she had eaten ten roasted chickens, and pouted dejectedly, replying:
“Oh…”
For some reason, seeing Feng Yu Die suddenly dejected because of this matter made Ye Anping’s chest feel inexplicably heavy. After a pause, he patted her head again:
“Yu Die, wait until the child is born in another six months. I promise you, I’ll spend as many days with you as you want then. Just bear with it for these six months, alright? Why are you getting so down about it, just like Yunluo…”
“Mmm… then it’s a deal!”
“Mmm, a deal…”
“Then I want to eat roasted chicken later! Anping, make it for me!”
“Okay…”
“Heh heh…”
Ye Anping shook his head with a smile. Compared to taking care of his pregnant wife, he felt more like he was babysitting.
Who would have thought he would become a father at such a young age?
Regardless of Yun Tianchong, Li Feng, Li Longling’s father, only had Li Longling after over a thousand years.
Even his own parents had to try for hundreds of years to have him, and they had been trying for several years to have a younger brother or sister for him, but there was still no sign of it.
Now, he was about to have children himself before he even had a sibling.
He wondered if Feng Yu Die would give birth to a girl or a boy…
In a few more months, he’d let Xiao Tian take a peek.
Lost in thought, Ye Anping pushed Feng Yu Die into the Xuan Xing Sect’s cemetery.
Although he and Mo Chi Ling had been orchestrating things from behind the scenes during their trip to the Eastern Domain, the immortal families of the Western Regions still couldn’t avoid casualties. Several Nascent Soul stage elders had unfortunately perished, and countless cultivators in the Core Formation stage had died.
After greeting the disciples on guard, the two saw several newly built spirit gardens along the way.
They bowed to those spirit gardens before continuing towards the southeast corner of the garden.
That was the resting place of Grand Void True Person.
Today happened to be Grand Void True Person’s birthday, and Feng Yu Die wanted to visit his grave, so Ye Anping brought her.
Likely because Feng Yu Die had given enough spirit stones, Grand Void True Person’s resting place was cleaned by someone almost every day specifically for it.
Ye Anping helped Feng Yu Die up from the wheelchair, then, arm in arm, they walked to the entrance of a miniature Three-Bay House. They set up an incense burner, spread out a straw mat, and knelt to pay their respects three times together.
* * *
As usual, after Feng Yu Die clasped her hands in prayer three times, she said to the “resting place”:
“Master! I’ve come to visit you again!”
This time, however, a man knelt before the resting place with her.
Ye Anping had always felt that even in this fantastical world, after death, souls could no longer hear the words of the living. But since Feng Yu Die believed her Master could hear, he was willing to speak with her:
“Junior Ye Anping pays his respects to Senior Grand Void.”
Grand Void True Person: “…”
“Master, this time Anping and I went to the Eastern Domain together, to places like the Tian Mo Sect and Tian Bei City. We killed so many demonic cultivators… but that’s not important. What’s important is…” Feng Yu Die pursed her lips, glanced at Ye Anping’s cheek beside her, and shyly smiled, “What’s important is that I have a cultivation partner!! And he and I have a child…”
* * *
As soon as she said this, a gust of wind suddenly swept across Ye Anping’s face, sending a shiver through his entire body.
“Hiss—”
Sensing Ye Anping shiver, Feng Yu Die looked confused and turned to ask:
“Hm? Anping, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing…”
Ye Anping shook his head slightly, but then couldn’t help but look around. He then said directly:
“Senior Grand Void, I know about your past with Yun Tianchong. I also understand that you probably think I’ll be like Yun Tianchong, but I can swear a blood oath here: if I am ever unfaithful to Yu Die in the future, may I be struck by lightning and die a terrible death…”
Grand Void True Person: “…”
Feng Yu Die quickly added:
“Yes, Master. Anping is completely different from Jiu Jiu’s father. He’s very good. He protected me all along the way. I like him.”
* * *
The wind, which had been a gentle breeze, intensified. This time, it didn’t just blow on Ye Anping but also on Feng Yu Die.
Feng Yu Die instinctively shrunk her head and quickly frowned, saying:
“Master, if you don’t agree to us being together, I won’t sweep your grave anymore, and I won’t pay your tomb rent! You’ll have no money to buy wine or a place to live in the underworld!”
With that, the ethereal wind immediately stopped.
“That’s more like it.” Feng Yu Die pouted, took out a pot of wine from her storage bag, and poured it in front of the resting place. “Here, this is what I promised last time. If Anping and I become cultivation partners, I’d bring you a pot of Void Spirit Jade Wine. It costs ten thousand spirit stones an ounce, Master, so savor it… This is five ounces, all for you.”
Grand Void True Person: “…”
Ye Anping felt a chill down his spine, but he finally relaxed his mind and waited by Feng Yu Die’s side, holding her hand.
The six incense sticks that had just been lit gradually burned down.
Feng Yu Die was telling Grand Void True Person about her and Ye Anping’s experiences in the Eastern Domain. Noticing the incense was almost finished, she spoke to bid farewell:
“Master, Anping and I will be going back now. Next time, I’ll bring your grand-disciple to see you!”
Grand Void True Person: “…”
Ye Anping clasped his hands in prayer, then stood up first, helping Feng Yu Die up from the straw mat and back into the wheelchair.
“Anping, let’s go! I want roasted chicken!”
“Mmm… but before that…”
“Hm?”
Ye Anping was silent for a moment, seemingly a bit embarrassed. He knelt on one knee before Feng Yu Die, took out a jade hairpin from his sleeve, took a deep breath, and looked directly into Feng Yu Die’s golden spirit eyes:
“Yu Die, this is for you… consider it a token of our engagement. Will you marry me?”
Feng Yu Die froze instantly, blinking her eyes:
“…”
Seeing her frozen in silence for a long time, Ye Anping’s lips twitched awkwardly as he said,
“Say something… give me some reaction…”
Feng Yu Die pursed her lips and weakly nodded:
“Ah… Mmm, mmm, okay…”
Ye Anping let out a sigh of relief. He picked up the jade hairpin, leaned forward, and gently tucked it into the side of Feng Yu Die’s hair. The silver hollow butterfly at the end of the hairpin seemed to perch on her ear, adding a touch of artistry that made Feng Yu Die’s already exquisite face look even more like that of a maiden.
After helping Feng Yu Die put on the hairpin, Ye Anping was about to stand up but suddenly realized that he and Feng Yu Die were now only a few inches apart.
Feng Yu Die seemed to be anticipating something, her golden spirit eyes trembling slightly. She moistened her pale pink lips with the tip of her tongue, then narrowed her eyes and slowly tilted her head up.
“…”
Ye Anping was momentarily lost in thought, but quickly reacted. He moved his right hand to brush her left ear hair aside and leaned in to kiss her.
*Peck—*
Their lips touched, sending a warmth through him.
Ye Anping, with a slight blush on his cheeks, stood up. He intended to act composed, but for some reason, he stammered:
“O-okay. Let’s go back, I’ll make you roasted chicken.”
“Mmm… hee hee—” Feng Yu Die looked at Ye Anping’s clear shyness, covering her mouth with a giggle. “Anping, you’re blushing, hee hee—”
“No, I’m not.”
“Yes, you are! Your face is red!”
“Your Spring Aspect spiritual energy is making me a bit hot…”
Feng Yu Die tilted her head:
“Mmm? Do you want to dual cultivate?”
“…It’s not that kind of heat.” Ye Anping hesitated before smiling helplessly and sighing, “Fine, I’m shy.”
“Hee hee… Anping is so cute.”
“Your face is also red right now.”
Feng Yu Die pouted slightly: “I’m a girl! It’s normal for me to be shy…”
“You still know you’re a girl? Before…”
“Before is before! Alright, enough talking! Let’s go quickly, I’m hungry!”
“Phew— Yes, yes, yes… Aren’t you tired of roasted chicken?”
“As long as you make it, I’ll never get tired of it! Hmph! I want to eat Anping’s roasted chicken for my whole life!”
“…Fine, then I’ll make it for you for a lifetime. Just don’t say you can’t eat it then.”
…
Their laughter, accompanied by the “gurgle” of the wheelchair, gradually faded into the distance.
The garden soon became quiet again. A gentle breeze suddenly blew, carrying the aroma of the Void Spirit Jade Wine Feng Yu Die had sprinkled, intoxicating nearly a thousand residents within the garden…
…
——-
Since Feng Yu Die was now pregnant, Ye Anping was afraid she would catch a chill, so he didn’t dare to have her fly on his sword. Thus, they had to walk down the mountain path and cross the suspension bridges connecting the various peaks to return to Tianyun Peak.
They had gone to the cemetery early in the morning. By the time they returned to the Three-Bay House on the mountainside of Tianyun Peak, it was already close to dusk.
He planned to quickly go back and make two roasted chickens for Feng Yu Die, then coax her to sleep. But as they passed a mountain peak, Feng Yu Die suddenly pointed to a grove of trees.
“Anping, isn’t that Brother Liang and the Empress over there…”
“Hm?”
Ye Anping had been looking at the back of her head the whole time and hadn’t noticed his surroundings.
Upon hearing her, he looked and saw that in the apricot grove at the foot of Tianyun Peak, Liang Zhu and Tong Zilan were standing side-by-side in front of an old apricot tree, looking up at it.
There was nothing unusual about this, but the man currently had one hand resting on the woman’s lower back, as if wanting to embrace her, but hesitant to do so.
Ye Anping couldn’t help but chuckle at Brother Liang’s restless and hesitant right hand. He didn’t intend to disturb them and was about to push Feng Yu Die to go around.
However—
“Brother Liang!!!”
Liang Zhu was startled by Feng Yu Die’s shout and quickly retracted the hand that was poised at Tong Zilan’s waist. He then turned to look in their direction with a resentful expression.
“… …”
But upon seeing Feng Yu Die’s slightly bulging belly, his resentful gaze instantly filled with confusion.
Tong Zilan also turned to look, and seeing it was them, she walked over:
“Fairy Feng, you’re pregnant and shouldn’t be staying in your room… Why are you here?”
Ye Anping answered in her stead:
“Yu Die wanted to visit Grand Void True Person’s grave today, so we went to the cemetery.”
Then, looking at Liang Zhu, who had followed them over and was staring at him with a surprised expression, he awkwardly greeted him:
“Brother Liang, have you just returned?”
“…Mmm, I just arrived at the Xuan Xing Sect this morning, came back on the Xuan Xing Sect’s immortal ship,” Liang Zhu replied. After a moment of silence, he asked, “She ate herself to this size?”
“She’s pregnant.”
“…Oh, congratulations.”
Feng Yu Die smiled and directly asked:
“Brother Liang… were you trying to hug Senior Tong’s waist just now? I saw it.”
!
“Hiss—”
Liang Zhu immediately gasped, and his eyes twitched. He had the urge to throw a punch, and Tong Zilan, upon hearing this, looked at Liang Zhu with surprise:
“Hm?”
“Uh… Senior Tong, I…” Liang Zhu suddenly stammered. His usual icy demeanor vanished, and after a moment of avoiding her gaze, he looked at Ye Anping and said, “Sixth Brother, escort Fairy Feng back to her room first. Later, let’s go pay respects to your Second Brother and the others, how about it? Anyway… Seventh Sister is also here; she hasn’t been before…”
What a lousy attempt to change the subject.
Ye Anping couldn’t help but want to laugh and replied:
“Brother Liang, do you remember the names of Second Brother and the others?”
Liang Zhu hesitated, then fell silent, his eyes twitching as if to say: Sixth Brother, can’t you just play along with me?
Ye Anping shrugged and smiled:
“Mmm, Yu Die and I won’t disturb you two. We’re going back now…”
With that, he quickly pushed Feng Yu Die’s wheelchair and scurried away, leaving Liang Zhu and Tong Zilan standing awkwardly at the entrance of the apricot grove.
As for what happened afterward, Ye Anping didn’t look back.
But based on his intuition, it shouldn’t be a big problem.
By the time they returned to the Three-Bay House, the sun had completely set. Ye Anping made roasted chicken for Feng Yu Die, gave her a bath, and after coaxing her to sleep, he returned alone to the Three-Bay House where he lived with Xiao Yunluo.
Stars dotted the sky. It seemed Xiao Yunluo was still confined to the main hall by Qiu Shui Rou tonight and wouldn’t be back.
He took a quick bath and returned to his bedroom. He tidied his thoughts, sat down at his desk, and took out paper and brush, beginning to work on the strategy plan for the “Southern Domain Lone Island.”
The lone island that didn’t exist on the map was not actually an island but a turtle beast that had lived for nearly ten thousand years.
This turtle beast roamed the seabed of the Wangxing Sea in the Southern Domain year-round. It only surfaced to breathe once a year in the autumn, incidentally bringing up some Heavenly Treasures from the seabed.
A spiritual herb that could cure Li Longling’s eyes grew there.
Ye Anping had intended to deal with this matter after Feng Yu Die gave birth, but that would have meant waiting at least a year.
Moreover, he had promised Li Longling long ago that he would cure her eyes.
However, he had been bogged down with trivial matters, going to the Central Domain immediately after returning from Chi Long Mansion, then forming his Core immediately after returning from the Central Domain, and heading to the Northern Region, leaving him no time to fetch the medicine from the island.
Also, in the game, the turtle island was only a Late Foundation Establishment dungeon. With his current early Nascent Soul cultivation, he would face almost no obstacles.
However, even so, he meticulously wrote down almost all the situations and potential troubles he could think of on paper, as he always did.
“It will take about seven or eight days to get there, and at most a month and a half round trip, possibly even just a month. I’ll have Junior Sister and the others look after Yu Die, and I’ll take Xiao Tian with me…”
After a brief review in his mind, Ye Anping decided to rest. He would inform his Junior Sisters first thing tomorrow morning and then set off for the Southern Domain to retrieve the medicine that same day.
…
