A week had passed.
The valley remained the same at first glance, surrounded by mountains eternally covered in snow, silent and imposing. During the day, the light reflected off the ice transformed everything into a sparkling white sea; at night, the clear sky revealed stars so close they seemed touchable.
The cabin stood in the center of the valley, simple on the outside but much more cozy inside. The internal warmth contrasted with the absolute cold outside, and the fireplace, always lit, filled the space with a soft and constant amber glow....
On the luxurious bed that dominated the center of the room, Xia Qingyue rested on Ren Zu's bare chest. Her slender and perfect body was wrapped only in a white sheet, too thin to hide her curves, clinging to her skin like a second layer and revealing the immaculate paleness of her long legs and the graceful line of her spine. She was naked beneath the fabric, and this was evident in the way the silk outlined her full breasts and rounded hips, creating a delicate contrast that would leave any man fascinated by her purity and unable to resist his own desire to corrupt her.
Ren Zu, leaning back against the soft pillows, kept one hand in her long, silky hair, gently stroking it in slow movements. His fingers traced lazy patterns, drawing low, relaxed sighs from her. He was shirtless, his defined chest fully exposed, and from the waist down, he was covered by the sheet.
Xia Qingyue kept her hand resting on his chest, feeling the constant and powerful heartbeat beneath the warm skin, a firm, almost hypnotic rhythm that seemed to align with her own heart. Her face, normally as indifferent and calm as eternal ice, now carried a distant and reflective expression. Her dark, limpid eyes remained lost on some undefined point, while she silently digested everything that had happened over the last week.
The last week had been, without any doubt, the happiest period of her entire life. She could never remember feeling anything even close to it, perhaps only in childhood, when her mother was still by her father's side and her family remained intact—that distant and almost idealized happiness came close to what she was experiencing now....
By his side, each day dissolved into the next, as if time itself had lost its meaning. Days and nights merged into a continuous whirlwind of dual cultivation, where pleasure and power intertwined so intimately that they became indistinguishable. It wasn't just a cultivation method; it was the total surrender of her body and heart to the husband she had chosen for her entire life, of her own free will. Even her soul now seemed inexorably linked to that overwhelming passion that consumed her completely.
If there had been any remnant of doubt in her heart about the feelings she harbored for Ren Zu before, it had now disappeared entirely. For her, there were no more ambiguities or hesitations: he was her true love, the only man she recognized as her husband, the one to whom she had given everything of herself, by her own choice and without regrets....
Thanks to her new husband, her cultivation had reached the Seventh Level of the Sovereign Profound Realm, a feat that, under normal circumstances, would require years, perhaps decades of exhausting efforts. Still, the reality of that advancement seemed almost unreal to her. A single week by his side had been like condensing countless years of hard work into a brief and intense lapse of time.
And, unlike the cold solitude of entire days spent in meditation, slowly absorbing the energy of heaven and earth, dual cultivation was infinitely superior. Not only more efficient, but also more alive, more intense, more human. If she had to choose, she would prefer a thousand times to surrender to lust by his side for hours on end rather than return to that ancient, impersonal method completely devoid of warmth. If anyone knew the thoughts now occupying her mind, they would be shocked, for as a disciple of the Frozen Cloud Asgard, any intimate contact with a man was strictly forbidden. Still, there she was, surrendering to her husband without the slightest hesitation throughout that last week, doing things she had never imagined possible during sex, increasingly bold actions that she had never even considered trying.
But she had done all of it with genuine enthusiasm, as if discovering a new world full of unknown sensations and pleasures. It was like learning, little by little, about a reality where each experience made her feel something different, more intense, more alive. For that reason, she simply couldn't imagine a life without her husband anymore. That feeling consumed her entirely. Love and passion intertwined into something deep and overwhelming, like invisible flames that enveloped her heart and melted any trace of the coldness that had once defined her. Every touch, every low whisper in her ear, every moment when he filled her completely made her body and mind crave more...
He had become the air she breathed, the unrelenting sun that melted the eternal ice of her once immutable emotions.
It was an addictive love, beautiful and frightening in its intensity. A feeling that made her silently fear the day she might lose him. A passion that made her vulnerable in a way she had never allowed before... but that, paradoxically, also made her feel more alive than she had ever been.
She loved him so much that, even if her deceased husband rose from the grave, she wouldn't give him so much as a sidelong glance. Just the idea of having been married to another man besides Ren Zu caused her repulsion. In her heart, that past was definitively dead, and any previous connection seemed distant, strange, almost impure in the face of the absolute feeling she now harbored....
Even more so because now she knew the truth.
During that last week, a bitter truth had emerged, like a necessary medicine, though unpleasant to the taste. Some truths are exactly like that: bitter, hard to swallow, but essential for healing. The moment they touch the tongue, the throat resists, the whole body seems to protest, and yet we know that spitting it out won't solve anything. Swallowing hurts, leaves a bad taste that lingers for a while, but it's precisely that discomfort that prevents the disease from advancing. The same happens with truth. Refusing it may be more comfortable for a few moments; accepting it, however, even with difficulty, is what allows one to move forward with greater clarity.
Yes, she had discovered her husband's past.
And she would never have imagined that her new husband was, in fact, the biological son of Xiao Ying and that, because of this, he was the one who should have been her "original fiancé." The revelation came by chance, during one of the many conversations they had over the last month, while she rested on his chest, still breathless, after another intense session of dual cultivation.
Originally, Ren Zu had come to the Profound Sky Continent in search of his biological parents and, along the way, ended up saving her while exploring the continent in pursuit of them. When she mentioned her life before meeting him, he was visibly surprised to realize that she knew part of his origins. She still clearly remembered the expression on his face upon hearing that she was, essentially, his "original fiancée," due to a past agreement between her father and his biological father.
That's when he explained everything he knew.
Apparently, Ren Zu had been switched as a baby by Xiao Ying himself with the father of her deceased husband, Yun Qinghong, who now occupied the strange position of her adoptive father-in-law. The whole situation was, inevitably, confusing. Originally, Yun Qinghong should have been just her ordinary father-in-law, since she married his biological son, Yun Che. However, Yun Che died during the expedition to the Divine Phoenix Empire, abruptly ending that destiny before it could fully materialize. Now, she found herself married to Yun Qinghong's other son, not the biological one, but the adoptive: Lord Ren Zu....
It was a strange feeling she had about this fact.
According to her husband, the root of that baby switch went back to an extreme decision. Xiao Ying, in a desperate effort to save the heir of his sworn brother, Yun Qinghong, decided to switch the newborn children. Pursued by countless enemies, he couldn't bear the idea of allowing his brother's son to die in that chaos and, therefore, placed his own son in his stead. It was a cruel choice and, yet, an absolute proof of loyalty.
But that didn't matter to her at all.
The hard truth to swallow was simple and devastating: Ren Zu had been switched for her deceased husband. If that had never happened, she would have been with him long ago. With his help, perhaps she would have found her mother much earlier... and could have been truly happy.
The revelation shook her heart deeply. On one hand, she felt renewed gratitude for Ren Zu; he was, in a way, the "corrected destiny" that the universe had granted her. On the other, a bitter pang of regret for what could have been emerged, mixed with a silent anger directed at the deceased Yun Che, who seemed even more insignificant in the face of the man holding her.
But, above all, that bitter truth only reinforced her feelings.
Ren Zu was the right one.
The only one who truly completed her.
And accepting that reality, as difficult as it had been at first, only propelled her to follow him, without hesitation, wherever the path might lead them.
After discovering that truth, bitter especially for realizing she hadn't known her husband sooner, Xia Qingyue's curiosity about Ren Zu grew inevitably.
Desiring to know more about his past, she began listening to his stories with genuine attention and ended up discovering that, originally, he had grown up in the Illusory Demon Realm, one of the three continents of that world. Once again, this only reinforced how extraordinary he was, someone immensely more talented than herself. Still very young, Ren Zu was able to reach the Divine Profound Realm and ascend to the Realm of the Gods, something that for most was just a distant dream.
He told her that he spent some years in that place before returning. During that period, the Illusory Demon Realm faced a deep crisis, and it was he who ended up saving the entire continent. As a result, he became the "Demon Emperor" of that world, and it was around that time that he discovered about his biological parents, which was the reason for coming to the Profound Sky Continent as soon as he resolved the entire crisis in the Illusory Demon Realm.
Although all of that was surprising, what really stirred her heart the most was discovering that her husband was already married. He calmly explained his entire history with the Little Demon Empress, revealing that she was his other wife. Upon hearing this, her heart became intensely turbulent, filled with conflicting emotions that were hard to organize. Deep down, a part of her had always known she would never be the only woman by his side. Still, that awareness didn't prevent her from feeling jealousy, nor did it stifle the silent anger that emerged toward her deceased husband. If he had never existed, if from the beginning Ren Zu had been her fiancé, then she would have been his first wife—that was the reason for the anger she felt toward Yun Che at that moment, since that thought bothered her more than she cared to admit.
Despite everything, she didn't feel willing to separate Ren Zu from the Little Demon Empress. Above all, she desired his happiness. She didn't want to become someone who tore from her own husband another person he loved, especially when, in her mind, the two could coexist by his side without it meaning loss for either of them.
Still, her feelings weren't simple. In the past, she had accepted that her former husband had other women, but that situation was different. Back then, although there was affection, it had never been something deep enough to truly hurt her. What she felt for Yun Che didn't compare, not even remotely, to what she now felt for Ren Zu.
Precisely because of that, the idea of sharing him became harder than she had imagined. Not out of selfishness or a desire for absolute possession, but because her heart had already rooted itself deeply in him in a way she had never experienced before.
Ren Zu noticed that she had remained silent for a long time and imagined she was reflecting on the entire truth he had told her over the last week. Although much of that story was, in reality, a carefully constructed tale about the Realm of the Gods, it had enough elements of truth to lend it credibility and, above all, to not bring him any problems.
After all, he really had spent an entire year in isolation that could be used to say he had spent all that time in the Realm of the Gods, and it was also a fact that he had met the Vermilion Bird, something the Little Demon Empress knew because of the Golden Crow. His parents even knew that he had a master in medicine, a profound practitioner of the Divine Profound Realm. These details, mixed with fiction, made his story convincing enough not to arouse suspicions.
Was he manipulating the truth about all this? Of course he was.
The slow stroking of her hair didn't cease while he thought about this, but his fingers slowed their movement, as if he were listening not only to the silence of the room but also to the silent whirlwind forming in her chest. Xia Qingyue's hand remained on his heart, but her fingers had contracted slightly, a gesture almost imperceptible... but one that didn't escape him.
"Hm?" Ren Zu murmured, his voice low and lazy, vibrating softly under her cheek. "You're too quiet."
She didn't respond immediately.
Xia Qingyue's gaze remained fixed on some distant point, as if traversing layers of thoughts she didn't quite know how to organize. Finally, she took a deep breath and shifted a little on him, settling her body better before speaking.
"Qingyue was thinking..." She began, in a soft, almost cautious tone. There was a brief pause, and then she completed, without beating around the bush: "About your other wife, husband..."
Ren Zu's fingers interrupted their movement for an instant.
He opened his eyes, looking at the ceiling before lowering his gaze to her, one eyebrow arching slightly, more in quiet surprise than tension.
"Caiyi?" He asked, as if confirming something obvious.
Xia Qingyue nodded slowly. Her dark eyes shifted slightly before finally rising to meet his, laden with a silent honesty.
"Qingyue always knew that you wouldn't be just mine. I imagined you would have other dual cultivation partners... you always seemed comfortable suggesting that Qingyue be one of them. And it's not like I want to take you away from her. Truly." She pressed her lips for a brief instant, gathering courage before continuing: "But sometimes, I wonder if I'm being selfish for feeling what I feel. Qingyue wants to have her husband always by her side... she doesn't want to share with anyone this happiness she finds when she's with you."
Ren Zu remained silent for a few seconds, observing her attentively. Then he let out a light sigh, almost a low laugh, while resuming sliding his fingers through her hair naturally.
"Qingyue, you don't need to worry about that. Just as I've always made Caiyi happy, I'll make you happy too. You're my woman, and that's for life." His tone was calm, firm, laden with a certainty that left no room for doubts: "And I don't think you're being selfish for feeling that. In fact, I'm glad... because it means you truly love me. If there's anyone selfish here, it's me.... I simply can't content myself with just one woman."
Xia Qingyue felt a tightness in her chest upon hearing those words, but not of pain—it was something softer, a mixture of relief and a pang of envy she couldn't completely ignore. She raised her gaze to him, her eyes shining with a vulnerability that, a week ago, she would never have allowed to show.
"I understand, husband..." She murmured, her voice low and laden with emotion. "And I... I accept that. Because I love you more than anything. But... what if Caiyi doesn't accept me? What if she sees me as an intruder?"
In truth, ironically, that was one of her greatest concerns, something she hadn't had the courage to show throughout the entire week she had spent by his side. The simple idea that his other wife might not accept her made her heart tighten. She didn't even want to imagine a future where she was pushed away from him, left behind like someone dispensable. For her, the possibility of living without Ren Zu was unthinkable; if she had to choose, she would prefer to die without the slightest hesitation.....
"Caiyi wouldn't mind..." Ren Zu smiled tranquilly, dispelling her concerns. "She's never minded that."
He paused briefly, the corner of his lips curving into a discreet, almost amused smile.
"Well... maybe a little. She's jealous. Quite a bit, actually."
Xia Qingyue blinked, surprised.
"Jealous...?" She repeated, disbelief softly marked in her voice. Would her greatest fear come true?
"Extremely..." Ren Zu confirmed, without trying to soften the truth.
"But not the kind that hurts or demands exclusivity. It's more..." He reflected for a moment. "Pride. Attachment. She knows exactly who she is and what she wants. I'm sure she'll accept you without problems as my second wife."
He lowered his head, lightly resting his forehead against hers, the simple gesture laden with intimacy.
"So, you don't need to worry about that..." He added in a low voice. "There's no competition between you two. Neither needs to lose for the other to stay by my side."
Xia Qingyue's chest tightened softly upon hearing those words, not from pain, but from something deeper, hard to define. Still, there was relief. A silent and complete relief. She trusted him more than anything else. Ren Zu had never lied to her, and her mind, always sharp at discerning truths and falsehoods, recognized that without hesitation. Therefore, when he said there would be no problems, she believed him. If he affirmed that everything would be fine, then she was satisfied. She would save those concerns for the future, for the moment when she met the other wife. For now, trusting was enough, and that trust was sufficient to quiet her heart.
She slowly raised her face, her clear eyes meeting his with a gratitude that overflowed in silence, the blush on her cheeks now softer, almost shy.
"I... trust you, husband...." She murmured, her voice low and laden with an emotion that surprised her in its intensity. Her fingers traced a slow pattern on his chest, feeling the warm texture of the skin beneath the tips, an instinctive gesture that anchored her to that moment: "If you say it's going to work out... then Qingyue believes...."
Ren Zu tilted his head, kissing the top of hers with a tenderness that made her close her eyes for an instant, the gesture sending a subtle shiver down her spine, as if his touch could melt any remnant of doubt.
"Good, I'm glad you trust me, Qingyue. Now rest a little more... We still have a long way to go to take you to the peak of the Sovereign Profound Realm. We need to dual cultivate for at least two more weeks...."
Xia Qingyue nodded with a blush, nestling even closer against him, the white sheet slipping slightly to reveal more of the curve of her hip, but she didn't care. She closed her eyes, her heart full of a love that transcended words, knowing that, despite the complexities of the past and future, in his arms, she had found her eternal place.
The cabin plunged into a comfortable silence, broken only by the crackling of the fireplace and the synchronized breathing of the two, as if they were one being, ready to face whatever came next.
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