"If you like it, Senior Brother, could we play with it for a while later? Nana's having a little trouble controlling the flames..."
"Cough, cough. Go on!"
Su Wen let go of her big tail.
Watching Hu Liena soften the Jiaojiao and hand it to him, Su Wen stuffed it into her mouth again, stretching her little cheeks wide.
Su Wen reminded her to refine it, then went out to fetch a pot of water.
And cool off a little.
After Hu Liena finished eating the Jiaojiao, Su Wen sent her off to cultivate.
"Senior Brother, you don't want to play with Nana's tail anymore?"
Hu Liena seemed reluctant to leave. She cradled her tail and gently nuzzled it with her flushed little face.
"Forget it. It's a waste of time. Cultivation is what matters most."
"Nana, you should hurry back and cultivate, too."
Hu Liena watched as her senior brother entered meditation.
She dispelled her Martial Soul Possession and left, looking a little disappointed.
As the door closed,
Su Wen's eyes, which had been shut, opened in an instant.
He jumped off the bed and summoned his First Soul Ring.
"Ah Yin!"
The Yellow Soul Ring flashed, and a blue figure emerged from it.
Ah Yin stood before Su Wen, fresh and graceful.
She opened her lovely eyes, her blue pupils as deep as the ocean.
Following the stirring in her heart,
her gaze shifted to him.
Her red lips parted, and she spoke softly. "H-Husband?"
"Call me something else!"
Su Wen looked up at her.
She wasn't even as tall as his waist. It felt strange.
For some reason, it made him think of a little horse-drawn carriage.
"Master?"
"That works, too!"
Su Wen felt a rush of satisfaction.
He coughed and asked, "Ah Yin, what's your Spirit Skill?"
"Blue Silver Entanglement!"
Su Wen rubbed his chin. Why was she like Hongdou, so fond of bondage games?
"I also have the Blue Silver Domain!"
Ah Yin crouched down to meet his gaze, a hint of longing in her eyes.
Su Wen felt it, too, and couldn't help taking half a step back.
After making a pact with Ah Yin, he found himself instinctively thinking of her.
He even wanted to touch her.
Her approach made the longing grow even stronger.
"Come back."
Su Wen recalled Ah Yin, and the inexplicable longing gradually faded.
He glanced at his left hand and tugged off the red string around it.
Once he tossed it away, the string fell to the ground and vanished, only to reappear on his finger.
Su Wen raised an eyebrow.
"So it really is an Underworld Marriage!"
Time passed.
In the blink of an eye, two months went by.
Every day, apart from sparring with Bibi Dong and studying Martial Soul Theory in the mornings, Su Wen spent the rest of his time cultivating.
His Soul Power had reached level fifteen, and he had become increasingly adept at wielding the red Oil-paper Umbrella.
"Teacher, watch closely. This swing is going to look awesome!"
In the quiet courtyard,
Su Wen held the Red Umbrella and channeled Soul Power into it.
In an instant, crimson energy surged in every direction.
He swept the umbrella through an arc in the air.
A flash of dark-red light struck Bibi Dong in the blink of an eye.
"Clang!"
Bibi Dong raised her sword to block. The dark-red light struck it and sent ripples through the air.
She looked at him in surprise. "Was that sword energy?"
"No!" Su Wen shook his head. "Umbrella energy!"
Bibi Dong: "..."
"Never mind what it was. It looks like you're getting used to your weapon."
Bibi Dong's voice brimmed with approval. Su Wen smiled without replying, then gripped the umbrella and charged at her, aiming a flurry of low blows.
Bibi Dong wielded her longsword, parrying left and right. As Su Wen's attacks grew faster, her surprise mounted.
But when she saw that he was focused solely on attacking low, Bibi Dong was at a loss for words.
She stopped defending and spun her sword in a flourish, easily turning to attack.
Suddenly,
Bibi Dong leaped into the air and unleashed Li Pi Hua Shan, though she pulled back some of her strength as she brought the sword down.
"Whoom!"
Su Wen hadn't used any Soul Power, yet when he raised his arm to block, the impact still left it trembling. The Soul Power circulating within him was nearly drained in an instant.
"Teacher, I'm done! How could you jump up like that?"
Su Wen sprawled on the courtyard ground, panting heavily.
"Heh. You're allowed to attack low, but I'm not allowed to attack high?"
The corners of Bibi Dong's mouth lifted slightly. For some reason, she found it exhilarating to bully Su Wen.
"Then I'd have to be tall enough to reach you up there!"
"Heh. Don't make excuses. If you're bad, practice more!"
Bibi Dong gave a disdainful laugh, unconvinced.
Just then,
the smile vanished from Bibi Dong's face. She glanced toward the courtyard gate.
Someone was waiting there.
Su Wen saw him, too. The man wore a bright red robe and appeared to be a Cardinal.
Bibi Dong didn't speak, but a trace of delight appeared between her brows. Su Wen knew they were communicating telepathically.
"Xiao Wen, do you want to go to the Star Dou Forest?"
Bibi Dong suddenly turned around and crouched beside him. Her jade-like hand rested gently on Su Wen's shoulder as Soul Power flowed into his body, helping him recover.
Her captivating eyes fixed on Su Wen. "If you want to go, get ready. I'll come back for you shortly."
With that, Bibi Dong stood and strode out of the courtyard.
Su Wen got to his feet, looking surprised.
Bibi Dong was going to the Star Dou Forest at a time like this to add a Soul Ring.
Thinking of the news about a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast that Elder Ju had mentioned,
Bibi Dong was probably planning to obtain the Seventh Soul Ring for her second Martial Soul.
"Of course I'm going!"
Su Wen went back inside, put on his mask and black robe, and admired his reflection in the mirror.
Then he returned to the courtyard, sat on the ground, and meditated to recover his Soul Power.
He waited for Bibi Dong.
Half an hour later, Bibi Dong entered the courtyard wearing a dazzling golden gown.
Accompanying Dong Is Like Accompanying a Tiger
Bibi Dong looked at Su Wen in the courtyard, startled. Before she could speak, Su Wen stood and walked over.
"Teacher, let's go!"
Before you continue