The following morning, Bai Yunxi woke up to find herself in his arms; his left arm was working as her pillow, meanwhile his right hand was holding her body close to his chest.
Carefully, she began to slip out of his embrace, but the moment she turned to look at him, her movements stopped.
He was asleep.
This was the first time she saw him sleeping. Every morning until now, she'd always opened her eyes to find him already awake, quietly watching her. She had even wondered if he ever slept at all.
She studied his sleeping face—unarmored, serene, the faintest curve of a smile still lingering at the corners of his lips.
Just then, Su Kang's lashes fluttered open, his gaze finding hers. The sleepiness vanished from his eyes in an instant, replaced by that familiar warmth.
"Xi'er… good morning," he whispered, brushing a kiss against her forehead.
"Um. Good morning." Her reply was soft, calm—accustomed to his greetings.
Su Kang felt a strange sense of rejuvenation wash over him. His mind was sharp and extremely clear.
"Come, let me help you wash," he said with a smile.
Before she could respond, he had already swept her into his arms and carried her into the bathing room.
He settled her gently into the wooden tub, the scent of floral oils already wafting through the steam.
He began to wash her, his hands gentle as they glided. His thumbs brushed her collarbone, pausing over the faint traces he had left there.
"You are beautiful," he murmured softly.
Her cheeks flushed, and she leaned into his touch, allowing him to continue.
...
By the time they finished, the morning sun had already begun to rise, painting the sky with hues of gold.
They dressed in their finest robes,
elegant yet simple and stepped outside together to bid farewell to the villagers who had sheltered them.
The villagers had gathered around, their expressions a bittersweet mix of joy and reluctance. Su Kang and Bai Yunxi exchanged farewells with warm smiles and heartfelt gratitude.
The kindness they had received in this quiet place would remain with them forever. And now, it was time to leave.
Madam An had also finished her goodbyes. With a soft hum, Su Kang summoned his spiritual boat.
The three of them boarded, and the vessel lifted into the air, leaving the Rift Valley behind.
Bai Yunxi gazed down as the familiar landscape slowly shrank beneath them. Her heart tightened. This valley held too many memories—of reunion, of love, of shared dreams.
Su Kang gently took her hand and gave a reassuring nod. He understood. This was where their journey had taken a turn, where he had married her. It was also special for him.
She met his gaze, took a steadying breath, and squeezed his hand in return.
During their journey, Madam An found herself watching them more than the scenery. Su Kang's quiet attentiveness surprised her.
He personally cooked for her daughter—a simple act that revealed much about his gentle nature.
She watched her daughter puff her cheeks in mock annoyance when he teased her, and smile like a carefree young girl again.
For the first time in a long while, Madam An felt at ease. Her daughter was in good hands.
Two days later, they arrived at the Bai family's ancestral estate.
The Bai clan, though not powerful cultivators, held strong roots.
The Bai family was a family of Qi-refining merchants; their ancestor was an old foundation-building cultivator. They were well-off merchants, respected for their honest dealings.
Madam An was welcomed back warmly, her return stirring emotions among her kin. Not long after, a quiet ceremony was held, and she laid her husband's remains to rest in the family graveyard.
For Bai Yunxi, the visit stirred no deep nostalgia. She had spent her childhood in Qin City, far from this estate.
And after her transformation, her appearance had changed so much that even those who once saw her would not recognize her without a deeper look.
She and Su Kang kept their identities concealed, choosing not to draw attention. With Madam An deciding to remain with her family for a while, the couple quietly departed soon after the burial.
Bai Yunxi could always visit her mother again—it was just a ten-day trip, and with Su Kang's help, the journey would be easy.
As they prepared to leave, Madam An embraced her daughter tightly. Her eyes lingered on Su Kang, filled with both gratitude and a silent pleading only a mother could give.
He understood both.
"I'll bring her back for the ancestral worship," Su Kang promised, bowing respectfully. "You'll see us soon."
With one last look at her daughter, Madam An nodded, watching them disappear into the horizon as they set out for Liyun City.
After spending three nights together, Su Kang began to notice something strange—each time after they made love, his mind felt clearer, his spiritual perception sharper.
He sat still in the quiet of the morning, Bai Yunxi nestled against him, her breathing slow and even.
My comprehension… it's improving. It's temporary, but real.
A quiet thrill ran through him. He suspected she had awakened some form of spiritual body after her body reconstruction.
Just then, Bai Yunxi stirred in his arms. Her voice, soft and lazy, broke the quiet.
"Husband… I'm hungry. I want something to eat."
Su Kang chuckled, brushing a few strands of hair from her face. "Alright. Give me a moment."
He slipped into his robe and left. Bai Yunxi remained in the room, the warm peace of morning still clinging to her. After dressing, she pulled out a set of old books from her storage ring and began reading.
By the time Su Kang returned, carrying a tray of food, she was fully absorbed in one of the tomes.
Setting the tray down, he raised an eyebrow. "Still reading, even now?"
She looked up, eyes gleaming with excitement. "Come here. We should go to this place," she said, tapping a page in the book and pointing to a spot on the map.
Su Kang leaned closer. "Why do you want to go there?"
"This is a legend about the Rift Valley." she said, tapping the page.
"Look here, I've found the collection of accounts from traveling cultivators. Both these book reference the same area—mountains and a lake, where the river splits into two branches."
"Take a look at this book. It has recorded many mysterious phenomena."
She opened another book. " This one mentions the same valley. I found legends and records about it—cultivators talking about mysterious phenomena."
She spread out the maps across the wooden table, her delicate fingers tracing the path upstream.
"If we follow the upper channel of the river, it should lead us there."
Su Kang leaned over, watching her eyes sparkle with excitement as she pieced together clues like a child.
Su Kang couldn't help but smile as he watched her.
Maybe she's read too many stories about legendary treasures and ancient ruins…
He nodded. "Alright. If it makes you happy, we'll go."
It had already been three days since they left the Bai family.
They had passed through the Rift Valley earlier in their travels, so retracing their steps here hadn't been difficult.
It's not too much, Su Kang thought as he glanced at the her.
I can pamper her a little while longer.
They soon arrived at a locale defined by rolling hills and an imposing horizon of jagged mountain peaks.
A wide, slow-moving river wove through the landscape, feeding into a vast lake that shimmered like scattered sapphires under the afternoon sun.
A cool breeze carried the scent of pine and damp earth, creating a sense of serene mystery as it danced over the water's surface.
Su Kang's gaze swept over the serene lake, his sharp eyes searching for any signs of the treasures, but he encountered only some beasts.
Activating his spiritual perception, he swept across the surrounding terrain. Dense forests, rugged cliffs, and winding waterways filled the region.
The beasts here were low-level, mostly first-tier—a place calm enough to set up temporary shelter.
With practiced ease, Su Kang carved out a small cave in the side of a nearby mountain. Its natural concealment and flat surface made it ideal for establishing a temporary base.
From his storage ring, he retrieved an array plate and activated it, casting a faint shimmer of spiritual light around the cave's entrance—a protective barrier to block the senses of wandering cultivators.
"Xi'er," he said after a moment, his voice low but steady, "there doesn't seem to be anything valuable here for now. Let's rest here for the night."
"We must proceed northward, where the river splits into two branches," Bai Yunxi insisted softly, her eyes fixed on the maps.
"That place is just a few kilometers away. We can begin our search from here," he explained.
________________________________
:— The Moonlight Butterfly
From their cave, they could see the glimmering expanse of the lake and the winding river beyond.
She sat beside him, quietly flipping open the travel journal of cultivators, her fingers tracing the pages with care.
The flickering lantern between them cast dancing shadows across her face, accentuating the gentle focus in her eyes.
A quiet intuition stirred within her — this place held something rare, something hidden. She couldn't explain how she knew, only that a deep urge to support Su Kang tugged at her heart.
As night deepened, Su Kang sensed a disturbance in the lake. Without a word, he stepped away, moving alone to investigate.
Beneath the moon's reflection, something vast emerged from the water — easily the size of a warhorse. Its scales shimmered with a slick, oily black luster, and jagged obsidian-like spikes lined its spine. Its gaping jaws revealed rows of knife-like teeth.
The air around it pulsed with raw energy. The spiritual pressure it gave off was no weaker than that of a foundation-building cultivator — perhaps even stronger.
A mutated lizard beast.
Su Kang concealed his presence, narrowing his eyes as he watched.
The creature reached into a stone crevice and drew out a silver-white orb, gently placing it among the rocks. The orb gleamed under the moonlight, slowly absorbing the cold radiance.
"A Yin-attributed treasure," Su Kang mused, his gaze sharpening. Though he couldn't identify the exact item, he clearly sensed the flow of moonlight and Yin energy converging into it.
"It's storing lunar energy," he thought. "But this creature... its nature isn't aligned with Yin. So why is it nurturing such a treasure?"
Su Kang observed in silence throughout the night. As the first light of dawn crept across the sky, the lizard retrieved the glowing orb and slipped back beneath the surface.
He followed it into the river. After half an hour of cautious pursuit, he spotted the creature entering an underwater cave.
As Su Kang moved deeper, he noticed a sudden thickening of spiritual qi. At the end of a long tunnel, the narrow passage gave way to an open-air chamber.
An intricate array formation pulsed faintly at the far end.
It was a third-level array—well-constructed and deceptive. There were no obvious irregularities, his spiritual sense couldn't penetrate it.
He studied the formation carefully, testing for weaknesses or hidden openings, but each attempt proved futile. After a moment of thought, he decided to withdraw. There was no need for haste. The opportunity would come.
Back at their temporary mountain shelter, he found Bai Yunxi meditating. She opened her eyes as he approached.
"Did you find anything?" she asked softly.
"A lizard beast guards something within an underwater cave," Su Kang replied. "Don't worry, I can easily handle it."
She nodded, unquestioning. Her cultivation couldn't gauge Su Kang's true strength—he felt unfathomable to her.
They waited. The following night came and went with no sign of the beast. Another day passed. Then another.
On the third night, beneath the dim glow of the moon, the beast finally emerged.
Su Kang moved ahead alone, concealing his presence. As the beast began to depart, he struck—unleashing his Dream Art Illusion technique.
The air shimmered with invisible force, and spiritual power surged toward the creature's mind.
The lizard's pupils widened in confusion. It thrashed violently, instincts rebelling, but Su Kang had anticipated resistance.
Its cultivation was lower, and its mind lacked refinement—an easy target for soul-based techniques.
With its senses in chaos, Su Kang stepped forward. His palm struck its head, spiritual force surging into its consciousness.
The beast froze, locked in place by the overwhelming pressure.
Standing beside it, Su Kang spoke calmly. "Take me to your hideout."
Though it couldn't speak, it understood. Subdued and dazed, the creature led him into a winding underwater passage.
They arrived at a spacious cavern deep within the system. The lizard produced a token and activated an ancient formation.
Su Kang's eyes sharpened. He moved quickly, snatching the token before the beast could react. Then, pressing two fingers to its forehead, he released a precise stream of energy.
The lizard collapsed into a deep sleep.
Now alone, Su Kang turned to the formation. The lizard had revealed all it knew—there was no need for hesitation.
As he stepped inside, a wave of dense spiritual energy washed over him.
The cavern was vast, its tunnels snaking out like veins. He walked for tens of minutes, navigating by instinct, until a presence stirred ahead.
As he entered the final chamber, he froze.
Suspended in the air was a colossal Moonlight Butterfly, its wings spread wide like a canvas of stars. They shimmered with silver and pale blue hues, each motion casting an ethereal glow across the walls.
Beautiful—and dangerous.
Yet, Su Kang felt this was no ordinary creature but a peak second-level spiritual beast with an earth grade bloodline.
He activated the Five Swords mansion technique. Five radiant blades formed around him, glowing like starlight woven from the heavens.
They surged towards the butterfly in a breathtaking display of light and accuracy.
He also used Dream Art Illusion skills to confuse and attack the soul of the beast.
He could easily kill the beast, but he wants to capture it. Moonlight Butterfly has a earth-level bloodline. It has potential to break through the third level in the future.
But the Moonlight Butterfly was no ordinary beast—it specialized in soul skills.
Su Kang had not practiced heart and mind illusion techniques extensively, which allowed the Moonlight Butterfly to quickly recover from his assault.
Before it could retaliate, one of the sword energies struck its wing and detonated.
The explosion flung it into the stone floor, shattering the rock beneath. The other four swords hovered menacingly, forming a cage of gleaming death.
Su Kang stepped forward, his voice cold. "I don't want to kill you. But I will if necessary."
The butterfly, despite its injuries, did not immediately surrender. Its instincts screamed at it to resist, but it also sensed the undeniable difference in strength.
Su Kang's tone remained steady. "If you serve me for ten years, I will let you go free. Refuse, and I will end you here. The choice is yours."
The beast hesitated. It had lived for decades, patiently awaiting its evolution. If it died here, all that effort would be meaningless.
Seeing its reluctance, Su Kang made another offer. "Well, how about this... Fifteen years of service. In return, I'll help you break through to the third level."
The four swords hummed, their energy fluctuating dangerously.
The butterfly's wings trembled. It was only a few years away from breaking through, but it knew it couldn't defeat Su Kang. The lizard had already fallen, and now it was alone.
A single thought reached Su Kang's mind:
You must swear a Heart Oath.
Su Kang smirked. The bait had worked. "Very well."
With a calm expression, he spoke the sacred words, sealing their agreement—fifteen years of loyalty in exchange for assistance in its breakthrough.
A ripple of spiritual energy surged between them, the oath taking effect.
He watched the beast closely. "Good. Now open your spiritual consciousness."
The Moonlight Butterfly hesitated but obeyed. Su Kang infused a strand of his spiritual qi near the beast's core, forming an invisible tether. If it ever tried to rebel, he could end it instantly.
But the Heart Oath worked both ways. If Su Kang betrayed the terms, his cultivation would suffer catastrophic damage.
Satisfied, he withdrew his swords. "You made the right choice."
The butterfly remained silent but lowered its wings slightly—a sign of submission.
Su Kang turned, his thoughts already far ahead.
Fifteen years… It's more than enough time for the Su family to rise.