Preparing Gifts

With a flash of sword light, Shen Jingchuan and his companion landed at the West Mountain Separate Garden. After returning to their room, they snuggled together again.

After a while of sticky contact, Meng Ke, her face flushed, reached out and pushed him away, panting softly.

"Alright, stop fooling around. I have something important to tell you." She slapped his wandering hand away. "Take your hand off me."

"Go ahead, I'm listening," Shen Jingchuan replied, but his hands were elsewhere.

Meng Ke glared at him, but her expression softened, and she seemed a little embarrassed to speak.

"My mom... asked us when..." She looked at Shen Jingchuan, then swallowed her words halfway through.

"Huh?" Shen Jingchuan was taken aback. "When? What?"

"Do you really have to force me to say this out loud?" Meng Ke turned her face away in embarrassment.

Shen Jingchuan pondered for a moment before realizing what he had just said, and then slapped his forehead.

"Oh—does Mom mean she's asking when we're getting married?"

"So you do know that?" Meng Ke turned around, glaring at him angrily. "Tell me, do you want to marry me or not?"

"Yes, yes, of course I want to!" Shen Jingchuan nodded repeatedly, his eyes darting around before he leaned closer again, "How about... we consummate our marriage right now...?"

As she spoke, she made a move to pounce on him. In the past, Meng Ke would never have been able to break free, but since she began Qi Refining, she had gained some strength, and now, using both her hands and feet, she managed to hold him off—of course, Shen Jingchuan didn't use his Spiritual Power; he was just playing around with her.

"You think you can just get away with this by being so vague and unclear?" Meng Ke retorted, blushing.

Upon hearing this, Shen Jingchuan's playful expression vanished, replaced by a serious one.

"No." He looked at her, saying each word clearly, "I must marry you in a grand and proper ceremony."

Meng Ke looked at him without saying a word.

"You know I have a lot on my plate, this is definitely not an excuse I'm making to brush you off."

Shen Jingchuan held her hand, his eyes sincere:

To be honest, more than anyone else, I want to marry you as soon as possible.

Having said all that, a flicker of hesitation crossed his mind. Should he take this opportunity to reveal the truth to her—that he already had wives and concubines in the other world?

If this is kept secret, the marriage can proceed smoothly, and everyone will be happy.

But then he thought again, now that the Ring can even bring living people and things in, and the Spiritual Qi on Earth is really thin. If Meng Ke wants to go far on the path of cultivation, she will have to go to another world with him sooner or later. This matter can be kept secret for a while, but not forever.

He sighed inwardly, but ultimately remained silent. Oh well, he'd just have to see how things unfolded.

"Then tell me, when would be a good time?" he asked.

Meng Ke glared at him, annoyed.

"You ask me when is the right time?" She raised her chin. "When is the right time!"

Shen Jingchuan then started planning the date in his mind. Right now, Azure Cloud Stronghold was at war with the Government Army, and there were many things to deal with, but it wouldn't be too difficult to get the wedding done in the meantime.

"Xiao Ke, how about this—" he said hesitantly, "I really don't have time to arrange and prepare all this myself..."

Meng Ke took over the conversation decisively.

"You don't need to worry about the preparations, I'll take care of everything. You just need to show up."

"But you absolutely have to come to our house in person and propose to my mother. You can't escape that, can you?"

"That's a must."

Shen Jingchuan readily agreed:

"I'll go back and start preparing the betrothal gifts. Oh, and Xiao Ke, you'll have to drive back by yourself in a bit; I have to leave soon."

"There's something incredibly important going on over there, so I squeezed in this trip. You can stay here if you want, or go back to your own home if you prefer. Once I've settled things over there in the next couple of days, I'll prepare some generous gifts and pay a visit to my future mother-in-law."

"Alright, I'll prepare the betrothal gifts for you."

Meng Ke pouted:

"Anyway, I'm spending your money on this, so using your money to buy it is the same as showing your appreciation, isn't it?"

"Oh, you don't understand," Shen Jingchuan smiled mysteriously, "This gift I prepared personally is unique in this world; money can't buy it."

Upon hearing this, Meng Ke felt even sweeter inside. How could she not understand that the unique things he mentioned must be magical treasures that defied description and could not be measured in money? Her eyes immediately curved into crescent moons.

"When are you coming back? And when are you coming to my house?"

"Quickly, at most a month."

Shen Jingchuan pinched her cheek:

"I'll come back often during this time, and we'll still see each other as usual. I won't just disappear without a trace. It's just that I need to find a special way to get the betrothal gifts; that will take some time."

Upon hearing this, Meng Ke gripped his hand tightly, her expression tense.

"Won't there be any danger?" she asked, staring at him. "You're not allowed to take any risks. All this talk of etiquette is completely unimportant."

"It's not dangerous, it just takes a bit of work," Shen Jingchuan reassured with a smile.

He already had a plan in mind: he would have to find this unique betrothal gift in Spirit Creek Market. Since the wedding had already begun, there was no rush. It should be completed within a month. Fortunately, he could travel freely in the market, so neither end would be delayed.

Meng Ke then let go of his hand, still giving him instructions with concern.

"Then you'd better keep your word and not take any risks."

Don't worry.

Shen Jingchuan didn't want her to know the secret of his time travel, so he asked in a low voice.

"And what about you? You're staying here?"

Meng Ke: "I'll drive to my mom's and tell her about us, so she can put her mind at ease."

"... It's all your fault." Meng Ke blushed and lightly spat, while looking down to straighten her clothes.

Shen Jingchuan escorted her all the way to the garage, watched her drive out, and then turned around to close the garage door.

Back in his room, he changed into otherworldly clothes. With a thought, he was back in Azure Cloud Stronghold, the very place he had left from.

He glanced around; it was quiet, and there wasn't a soul in sight.

Shen Jingchuan arrived at the backyard, where Lin Qingyao and Bai Ruoli were sitting and talking.

They both followed Shen Jingchuan's arrangements, doing what they were supposed to do during the day and only cultivating at night. When they saw him come in, they both stood up.

"My husband is back."

Shen Jingchuan, recalling the incident with Lin Shan, sat down on the stone bench.

"Qingyao, now that you've cultivated, you probably won't need this spear anymore."

He looked at Lin Qingyao:

"Your eldest brother saw your second brother's submachine gun and is really envious. Why don't you give yours to him? They might be going out to raid the Government Army tonight, and your brother will definitely have to go. It'll be safer for him to have a gun."

He paused, then continued.

"If you like these, I'll find you an even more powerful one later."