The Secret of the Space
Shen Jingchuan rode his flying sword all the way back to Azure Cloud Stronghold, where he gently landed in his own courtyard.
The courtyard was quiet, without any movement.
Ju'er and Qinghe were in the front yard when they saw a dark shadow fall from the sky. They guessed that their young master had returned, so they quickly ran to the back yard one after the other.
Upon arriving, Qinghe was quite composed and greeted him openly.
"Son-in-law, you're back."
Ju'er, however, was different. Ever since that night, she felt shy whenever she saw Shen Jingchuan. Her face flushed, and she hid behind Qinghe, unsure of what to call him, so she simply whispered a name.
"Son-in-law."
Shen Jingchuan chuckled when he saw her like that, reached out and pulled her over, pressing her down to sit at the stone table.
"You still call me son-in-law?"
Ju'er lowered her head, not daring to look at him.
Shen Jingchuan pinched her cheek.
"You're with your mistress now, so it's the same. From now on, you'll call me husband too."
"If you don't call me 'husband,' what else do you want me to call you?"
Ju'er's face turned even redder, and her voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz. After a long while, she finally let out a soft call.
"My husband."
"My husband, I... I'll go make you some tea."
Qinghe, who was standing next to them, watched the two of them being affectionate, and unconsciously clenched her clothes, lowering her head as well.
Upon hearing that tea was to be made, she quickly spoke up.
"I'll go."
Ju'er, however, seemed to have been granted a pardon and immediately stood up.
I'll go too.
The two of them talked and then hurried away as if fleeing.
A short while later, the two women returned with tea and gently placed it on the table.
Then, Qinghe went around behind Shen Jingchuan and massaged his shoulders. Ju'er saw this and squatted down beside him, massaging his legs.
Shen Jingchuan held his teacup, watching the two girls bustling around, but his mind wasn't on the matter; his thoughts had already drifted elsewhere.
He thought that the imperial army was about to arrive, and no one could say for sure what the battle would be like.
This Azure Cloud Stronghold is likely to become the most dangerous place.
With its fortified walls and firearms, holding off ordinary Government Army shouldn't be a problem, but he still remembered what Xiao Mingshu had said.
The rule states that cultivators are not allowed to interfere in mortal battles, but this rule was set by the strong. Whether or not it is followed is entirely up to the strong.
If the Government Army are pushed to the brink of defeat, who can guarantee that those cultivators won't intervene?
Shen Jingchuan held the teacup and narrowed his eyes.
He pondered in his mind that the safest way was to put the whole family into the Ring's space.
By then, no matter how the fighting goes on outside, he will be able to rest easy. Shen Jingchuan held his teacup, still pondering this in his mind.
He originally intended to keep the secret of the Ring a secret for as long as possible.
But his two wives and these young maids were all people who shared his joys and sorrows, so their affection for each other was beyond question. They were under the same roof all day long.
This kind of thing can be kept secret for a while, but not forever; sooner or later, it will be discovered.
After a long pause, Shen Jingchuan slowly made a decision in his heart.
Things that involve time travel are too important to be discussed in detail; it's best to keep them to yourself and not mention a word about them.
However, I might as well tell them about having a portable space first.
Moreover, Su Qingshu and Su Qinghua have been missing for so long and have not shown their faces.
Although no one said it, how could they not be curious? How could they not have a question? They were just sensible enough not to ask.
As time went by, people inevitably wondered where those two girls had gone.
Besides, Qingshu and Qinghua can't be trapped in that space forever. No matter how nice that place is, if you can't get out, it's no different from being in prison.
Neither of them uttered a single complaint, but Shen Jingchuan couldn't really do it that way.
With that thought in mind, he made up his mind.
We're just waiting for lunch, when the whole family is together, to clarify things about the space.
It's noon now, time to make lunch.
Qinghe and Ju'er volunteered to go to the front kitchen to help out.
A short while later, Bai Ruoli came out of the house and went to the main dining hall.
She looked exceptionally energetic and walked with a light step. When she saw Shen Jingchuan, her eyes crinkled into a smile as she sat down.
Following that, Lin Qingyao also finished her practice and came in from outside, looking neat and tidy. She sat down next to Shen Jingchuan on the other side.
Qinghe and Ju'er were in the kitchen, helping to serve dishes and rice, placing them one by one onto the table.
That Yue'er was the last to arrive, and she was carrying a bowl of soup, which she carefully placed on the table.
By the time she arrived, most of the dishes had been served, filling the table to the brim.
The family members took their seats one by one and sat down together to eat.
After the meal, the dishes and chopsticks were cleared away, and the family sat around, drinking tea and chatting.
The room was filled with women, chattering away about everyday things, their laughter never ceasing.
Shen Jingchuan sat there, his gaze fixed on Ju'er and Qinghe, but in his heart, he was making plans.
Should we tell them about the space too?
He thought that these two girls, without Spirit Roots, were destined never to cultivate and could not go further together in this lifetime. Right now, he really had no way to help them.
But if we keep it a secret, what would we feel if they found out by chance someday?
It's hard to guarantee that they won't feel like outsiders, that there's a distinction between insiders and outsiders, and that's why they were kept in the dark.
They might not say anything aloud, but if resentment lingers in their hearts, it's inevitable that their relationship will be hurt.
Shen Jingchuan remained silent for a while, considering all the possibilities from beginning to end.
Finally, he gritted his teeth and thought to himself, "Fine, I'll just say it. What danger could there be?"
As long as he stays put, doesn't mention a word about the time travel, and avoids this aspect, what can happen even if the space is exposed?
Having made up his mind, Shen Jingchuan coughed lightly and spoke.
"Alright, everyone, quiet down and listen to what I have to say."
As soon as he opened his mouth, everyone knew that the head of the family had something to say. The chattering stopped immediately, and everyone turned to look at him.
Shen Jingchuan's gaze swept over everyone, his expression solemn.
"Today, I have something to tell you."
"I've wanted to talk about this for a long time, but I always felt the time wasn't right. Now, it's time to make things clear to you."
He paused, then his tone became more serious.
"This matter is of great importance; it concerns the safety of our entire Shen Household family."
"Let me make this clear first: after I finish speaking, none of you are allowed to utter a single word about it to outsiders. This is a secret of the Shen Household."
"Can you do all of that?"
Seeing his solemn expression, everyone felt a chill and quickly nodded. Even Yue'er, who was usually the most talkative, obediently shut her mouth and dared not say another word.
Shen Jingchuan then continued.
"You've always had this question in your hearts: where exactly did Qingshu and Qinghua go?"
"Although no one has asked me, I know you all care."
He looked at everyone and spoke slowly.
"I'm telling you today, the place they went to is a space that belongs to our Shen Household."
"That space is rich in Spiritual Qi, making it ideal for cultivation. Qingshu and Qinghua are inside."
"I won't go into the other details here. I'll take you inside first, and we'll talk about it later."