She Dominates the Immortal Realm with Her HP Bar-Chapter 113

Yan Luoyue suddenly realized that Wu Manshuang had grown up.

The illusion finally dissipated completely.

As the dream before their eyes faded away into nothingness, the faint green mist drifting from the messenger Nightmare also grew increasingly pale.

The wispy mist was like a familiar morning breeze—unnoticed by anyone, it gently brushed past the hem of their clothes, transforming into a lingering flute of wind between heaven and earth before vanishing entirely.

Yan Luoyue and Wu Manshuang opened their eyes.

This time, the familiar scenery of the Spirit Realm appeared before them.

In the illusion they had just experienced, they had lived through a remarkably long stretch of time.

Though many scenes had been "fast-forwarded," much like savoring an old film, an indescribable aftertaste lingered in their hearts, making the Spirit Realm's landscape feel strangely distant, as if lifetimes had passed.

At this moment, Yan Luoyue and Wu Manshuang still held the same posture as when they had willingly stepped into the Nightmare's mist—their hands clasped together.

Reflexively, Yan Luoyue tightened her grip on Wu Manshuang's hand.

It was as if she was still immersed in the perspective of the Divine Tree. Just seeing Wu Manshuang filled her with a deep sense of security.

Instinctively, she wanted to cover his shoulders with leaves and trace the frost patterns on the stone with her roots.

—Hmm, holding hands felt different from roots entwining around a stone.

Should she experience it a little more?

Unconsciously, Yan Luoyue increased the pressure in her grip.

The moment she did, she felt Wu Manshuang's fingers respond with the same gentle firmness.

Yan Luoyue looked up to see Wu Manshuang smiling down at her.

"..."

A breeze stirred Wu Manshuang's hair, sending a playful strand fluttering against Yan Luoyue's neck, so close it tickled her with its soft, cool touch.

In the past, Yan Luoyue would have immediately tightened her grip again, playfully challenging the little snake to a mock arm-wrestle.

But now...

For some reason, the palm of their joined hands felt slightly warm.

...As if, as if something had already changed.

The last trace of the translucent green mist dissolved into the world.

Its clear, crystalline hue reminded Yan Luoyue of the color Wu Manshuang had been when he was still a small snake.

From a little green serpent no longer than a forearm, to accompanying him through his first molt, to the moment his Tengshe wings unfurled behind him, and their first flight together as the entwined forms of the Black Tortoise and Serpent...

So much time had passed—not just between the Divine Tree and the Frost Stone, but now between the little turtle and the little snake.

"Manshuang..."

Yan Luoyue parted her lips, about to say something, when an unexpected interruption cut her off.

Beside her, the long-lashed Nightmare messenger, who had been deeply asleep until now, abruptly sat up like a zombie rising from its coffin!

Yan Luoyue: "!!!"

Wu Manshuang: "..."

For a moment, Wu Manshuang's smile took on a particularly "harmonious" quality.

If not for his gratitude toward this Nightmare messenger who had traveled so far to deliver the message, tonight's dinner might well have featured Nightmare served with dipping sauce.

The newly awakened Nightmare remained oblivious to the danger he had narrowly escaped.

He only felt a slight chill on his back, so he hugged himself with his wings and shivered delicately in the breeze.

Only when the Nightmare messenger opened his eyes did Yan Luoyue notice their striking gold-green hue—like the tips of fresh spring grass gilded by the glow of sunset.

In both appearance and demeanor, this Nightmare messenger resembled the elegant, peace-loving elves from Western fantasy tales, dwelling deep within enchanted forests.

His wings were like delicate veils—fluttering gracefully, yet also charmingly demure when folded around himself.

Though his sudden resurrection had startled everyone present, someone as beautiful as him was naturally granted more forgiveness.

Yan Luoyue smiled warmly, about to greet the Nightmare messenger in a friendly manner, when those gold-green eyes fixed intently upon her.

The Nightmare swiftly rose to his feet, then bowed his head humbly before Yan Luoyue.

He maintained a posture of reverence, his gaze respectfully lingering only as high as her chin.

The Nightmare asked softly, "I can sense it... Was it you who read my dream?"

Yan Luoyue nodded, then gestured to the Spirit Realm natives behind her. "They read your dream earlier too."

"That’s different," the Nightmare messenger said with devout eagerness. "I could feel that 'that dream' was triggered. And the ones who triggered it were you and this..."

As he spoke, he pivoted smoothly on his heels, bowing deferentially toward Wu Manshuang.

Yan Luoyue teased, "So, the dream you just wove was 'visible to specific friends only'?"

Judging by the Nightmare messenger's expression, though he had delivered the dream, he didn’t seem to know its full contents—otherwise, his face wouldn’t be so serene.

Which meant...

Yan Luoyue stroked her chin, musing inwardly: Wow, this dream was truly "read-and-burn."

No wonder she had included a segment about Nightmares as messengers in Worlds Unite's game lore.

Truly, Nightmare messengers were incredibly useful—those who used them knew best.

Receiving Yan Luoyue’s confirmation, the Nightmare messenger bowed deeply, visibly moved.

Admittedly, the sight of a beautiful youth flushing with excitement had its own aesthetic charm.

If only he hadn’t spoken his next words.

"Then!" the Nightmare messenger declared, his voice trembling with emotion, "Then you are—you are our revered and great... Mother of the Demon race!"

Everyone: "..."

Wu Manshuang: "..."

Yan Luoyue: "...Pfft!!!"

Thankfully, she wasn’t drinking anything at the time.

But even so, Yan Luoyue couldn’t help but sputter.

Emotionally, she understood why the Nightmare messenger addressed her this way.

—The Moonfall Tree was the sacred object of faith for all Demons.

Especially after the Puppet-Devouring Net’s invasion, when the souls of deceased Demons were gathered into the Moonfall Tree, this belief had only strengthened.

Demons referred to the process of souls entering the Moonfall Tree as "returning."

As everyone knew, if phrases like "returned to the embrace of Mother Earth" existed, then it was only natural for Demons to coin "returned to the branches of Mother Divine Tree."

...Natural, her foot!

Though Yan Luoyue had known from the dream that Demons worshipped the Moonfall Tree, experiencing it firsthand was an entirely different matter.

At least in dreams, you wouldn’t suddenly have a winged, beautiful youth popping out and calling you "Mom," right?

Yan Luoyue immediately burst into a fit of coughing, utterly mortified by the address. She waved her hands frantically in protest.

Wu Manshuang stepped forward, cutting off the Nightmare Messenger’s next words.

He said coolly, "You may pray to the Moonfall Tree, but do not address her like that."

Yan Luoyue nodded vigorously in agreement. Yes, the embarrassment level of being revered and prayed to in tree form versus human form was on entirely different scales!

The Nightmare Messenger obediently complied with Wu Manshuang’s instruction.

But then, he turned his gaze to Wu Manshuang, lips parting eagerly.

"In that case, you must be—"

Yan Luoyue hastily intervened. "Words of gratitude can be directed to the Manshuang Stone. Just… don’t address him like that either."

"You can call us both ‘Daoist Yan’ and ‘Daoist Wu.’"

Though, in the Moonfall Tree’s memories, the demonic tribes had no habit of recognizing the Manshuang Stone as a father figure.

But that only made it more terrifying.

What if this beautiful youth suddenly opened his mouth and called out, "You must be Uncle Wu from next door, the one surnamed Wang"—

In that case, no matter how meritorious the messenger was, even his hard work wouldn’t save him from ending up as tonight’s dish: Nightmare with dipping sauce.

Clearing her throat, Yan Luoyue swiftly changed the subject.

"You’ve gone through such danger to deliver this message—truly, you’ve worked hard. We haven’t even asked yet—what’s your name?"

Thrilled to be personally addressed by Yan Luoyue, the Nightmare Messenger flushed red with excitement.

He declared loudly, "My original name is Ji Ying. Before setting out on this mission, our clan elders performed a divination for me, and the Moonfall Tree herself granted me a protective name."

Yan Luoyue: "…"

For some reason, hearing this filled her with an inexplicable sense of foreboding.

Then, the Nightmare Messenger enunciated each word clearly: "The Moonfall Tree bestowed upon me the name—Documentary!"

Yan Luoyue: "…"

She silently covered her face with her hands.

Considering that the messenger’s mission involved screening an exclusive "film" for her and Wu Manshuang, the name was oddly fitting.

It just sounded more like a gamer tag than an actual personal name.

This proved that even when the Moonfall Tree’s main consciousness was in standby mode, operating purely on instinct, the randomly generated names it came up with still carried Yan Luoyue’s distinctive flair.

"Your mission is complete now, and you’ve done well," Yan Luoyue praised. "But let’s stick with calling you Ji Ying, alright?"

"Understood."

Yan Luoyue smiled warmly, her eyes curving. "About the current situation of the demonic tribes—would you be willing to accompany Manshuang and me to the cultivation world and explain things to the leaders of the human and demon realms?"

At this question, Ji Ying immediately straightened his posture.

Placing a hand over his heart, he performed an elegant and precise demonic salute to Yan Luoyue and Wu Manshuang.

"It is my greatest wish, though I dared not ask. Since it is your command, I will spare no effort."

…

To observe the changes in the spatial rift in the sky, their departure was scheduled for seven days later.

Not long before, Ji Ying had been enthusiastically swarmed by the people of the Spirit Realm.

They dragged this messenger from another world along to sing, dance, drink, and feast as if he were a long-lost friend.

Yan Luoyue didn’t stop this joyous celebration.

She only reminded Ji Ying not to casually reveal her and Wu Manshuang’s true identities.

If the Spirit Realm folk learned she was the "Sacred Tree" from the "Divine Kingdom" and started shouting things like "Our Benevolent Mother"—

Yan Luoyue would have no choice but to dig a hole with her toes on the spot and bury herself in it.

Leaving the others to their revelry, Yan Luoyue and Wu Manshuang found a quiet corner to discuss their strategy against the Puppet-Stringed Love-Devouring Net.

Back then, the reason the Moonfall Tree had condensed an avatar was to gain more room for thought within the same span of time.

Beyond that, she also hoped to establish ties with the other two realms, securing more allies for the inevitable great battle ahead.

That Yan Luoyue had accidentally arrived in the Spirit Realm so early, however, was something no one could have predicted.

As for the culprit behind all this, Yan Luoyue’s stance was resolute.

"One thing is certain—we absolutely cannot let it escape."

This tug-of-war had begun with the Black-Cry Flame shattering into pieces upon colliding with the super-massive, ultra-round demon, and it had dragged on for nearly ten thousand years.

Over such a long time, the Puppet-Stringed Love-Devouring Net might have entertained thoughts of fleeing.

But the problem was—it couldn’t.

To subdue the Moonfall Tree, it had used almost all of its puppet strings, entangling them with her branches and roots.

After so many years, the opposing forces had reached a delicate equilibrium.

Whichever side let go first would suffer devastating backlash.

In the beginning, the initiative might have lain with the Puppet-Stringed Love-Devouring Net.

But now, the advantage had gradually shifted toward the cultivation world.

Unless the Puppet-Stringed Love-Devouring Net made the painful decision to sever its losses, abandoning most of its puppet strings to flee this world—

Otherwise, its battle with the Moonfall Tree could only end with one surviving and the other perishing.

Wu Manshuang fully agreed with Yan Luoyue’s assessment.

"If it has the ability to traverse space, we can’t let it escape. The consequences would be endless."

Morally speaking, releasing this Puppet-Stringed Love-Devouring Demon would be like setting a tiger loose in the mountains—a disaster for other worlds.

Logically speaking, with the cultivation world’s abundant spiritual energy, who knew if it might return with greater strength after recuperating?

—When eliminating demons, leave no remnants.

This was a truth the human cultivators had learned through blood and tears over countless battles.

Yan Luoyue counted their forces on her fingers.

"Once the battle begins, cultivators from the demon, human, and spirit realms can all fight the spawned demonic creatures."

"Mm."

"The Spirit Realm folk can infiltrate the ‘network,’ attacking the Silver-Stringed Net’s stronghold like viruses invading a computer."

"Right." Wu Manshuang reminded her, "But the Spirit Realm folk’s cultivation levels are a problem."

Though most Spirit Realm folk could, like sword cultivators, fight above their weight class in terms of attack power, their cultivation ceiling was far too low.

Despite Yan Luoyue’s efforts to nurture them, aside from Cen Mingxiao—who was on the verge of breaking through to the Golden Core stage—the rest were only at late Foundation Establishment.

"That does make things riskier for them," Yan Luoyue mused. "So aside from the Spiritualized Ones, we’ll need to deploy the full might of the All Realms Unite battlefront."

"—Ah, and there’s also that Love-Devouring Demon fused into the Silver-Stringed Net."

Yan Luoyue suddenly recalled how, during the "Realm Wars" in All Realms Unite, many of their attacks had been deflected by that Love-Devouring Demon.

Emotions are an inseparable trait of the human species.

Thus, when facing the Emotion Devourers, they lacked a specialized method to defeat them in one strike.

As soon as these words were spoken, Yan Luoyue and Wu Manshuang exchanged a glance. In that shared look, they both realized they were thinking of the same person.

—Chu Tiankuo.

The answer to dealing with the Emotion Devourers was now on the tip of their tongues.

Yan Luoyue clenched her fist and lightly tapped it against her palm. "Right, the Body Refinement Technique!"

Regarding how to subdue the Emotion Devourers, Song Qingchi and Chu Tiankuo had already researched a feasible precedent.

Yan Luoyue only needed to refine a part of the Moonfall Wood into a container to capture the Emotion Devourers.

Unlike Yan Luoyue’s decisiveness, Wu Manshuang hesitated slightly.

He pressed his lips together tightly, his gaze lingering on Yan Luoyue’s face:

"But the Body Refinement Technique involves refining your true form into..."

"It’s fine!" Yan Luoyue waved her hand cheerfully. "I’m not like Senior Brother Chu—my true form doesn’t even have kidneys!"

Wu Manshuang: "..."

Wait, is this really about kidneys?

...Well, it kind of is.

Meanwhile, Yan Luoyue’s imagination had already spiraled into a black hole of creativity.

Her branches were plentiful, and there was no difference between them.

Aside from refining some into capture containers, she could also refine another portion of the Moonfall Wood.

She would turn them into unique artifacts, maximizing the potential of the Yin energy.

This way, it would be like equipping the Moonfall Wood with multiple forty-meter-long blades—wow, just thinking about it was cool!

Wu Manshuang stared intently at Yan Luoyue’s expression.

He said, "Luoyue, I think you’re imagining something strange again."

Yan Luoyue swore earnestly, "I’m not."

"...Really?"

Yan Luoyue grinned. "I was just thinking, after yanking out that guy’s internet cable, I’d refine those two twisted branches."

"That way, no matter the season, I could always bloom beautiful little flowers for you."

"..."

Hearing this, Wu Manshuang froze for a moment.

The girl’s clear, lively voice surpassed all celestial music in the world. It was like a pebble skipping across the surface of a lake, playfully sending ripples through the water.

At this moment, the spring breeze suddenly felt so gentle, almost intoxicating in its warmth.

The two large branches had yet to bloom with beautiful flowers.

But in this instant, they seemed to have already blossomed in Wu Manshuang’s eyes.

...

Now that they had decided to use the Body Refinement Technique as their weapon against the Emotion Devourers, Yan Luoyue needed to prepare for it.

Over the years in the Spirit Realm, while teaching others artifact refinement, Yan Luoyue had never stopped her own research into the craft.

The Body Refinement Technique had always been one of her research topics.

Thus, Yan Luoyue knew that in the Spirit Realm, there was a type of white pearl powder that, after special treatment, was exceptionally suitable as a buffer material for the Body Refinement Technique.

"I’ll ask Brother Cen Mingxiao to prepare some tomorrow," Yan Luoyue murmured to herself. "Hmm, since I’m free today, why not go pick out a batch myself?"

As an artifact refiner, identifying materials was one of Yan Luoyue’s fundamental skills. Selecting them personally made it easier to find the best pearls.

Yan Luoyue waved at Wu Manshuang. "Manshuang, want to come with me?"

Wu Manshuang lowered his head in thought, then suddenly smiled, as if remembering something.

"Mm, I’ll go fetch something first, then join you to pick them out."

...

Strangely enough, these white pearls in the Spirit Realm weren’t produced inside clams but instead "grew" among the white sands by the streams.

Yan Luoyue guessed that while the two types of pearls looked similar, their compositions must differ greatly between the Spirit Realm and the cultivation world.

For ordinary people, white pearls buried in white sand were hard to spot due to their similar colors.

But for a Nascent Soul cultivator like Yan Luoyue, a sweep of her spiritual sense was enough to detect how many pearls lay beneath the sand and their exact locations.

She carefully channeled her spiritual energy, brushing away the surface layer of sand before picking up the pearls.

Suddenly, the sound of splashing water came from nearby—Wu Manshuang was stepping through the crystal-clear stream, making his way toward her.

Yan Luoyue looked up and instinctively called out, "Manshuang..."

The latter half of his name was swallowed back into her throat.

She cleared her throat forcefully before regaining her voice, though it sounded much softer than usual:

"Manshuang... why are you..."

Yan Luoyue had assumed Wu Manshuang went back to retrieve something.

Who could have guessed that the serpent, who had insisted on wearing robes all these years in the Spirit Realm, would suddenly embrace local customs and don the Spirit Realm’s signature gauze attire?

The so-called "gauze attire" was merely a strip of golden sheer fabric, draped artfully over one shoulder and diagonally across part of his chest.

The thin sash was tied at the waist, accentuating his slender yet firm figure, while the ends wrapped around Wu Manshuang’s wrist.

Wu Manshuang walked unhurriedly toward her, stepping on the smooth river stones beneath the stream.

Yan Luoyue’s gaze flickered involuntarily.

Back when she had persuaded the little serpent to adopt the alias "Dui Choumian," Yan Luoyue had once taken out a set of Southern Border demon attire, urging Wu Manshuang to try it on.

That outfit had been adorned with peacock-feather hues of emerald, embellished with rows of silver tassels.

Yan Luoyue had thought Wu Manshuang’s naturally pale complexion would be complemented perfectly by the silver accents.

But only today did she realize that when Manshuang draped himself in sheer gauze, it was like molten gold inlaid onto flawless white jade.

Beneath the delicate golden fabric, the contours of his skin were faintly visible, exuding an aura of regal elegance.

In that moment, it seemed as if the entire world had narrowed down to Wu Manshuang wading through the water toward her.

His bare feet stepped through the clear stream, the veins on his instep faintly discernible beneath the water—like delicate embellishments on a masterpiece of jade.

With each step, droplets of water sparkled like shattered crystal, dampening the thin fabric of his pants and clinging to the graceful curves of his calves.

Bathed in sunlight, Wu Manshuang practically glowed.

Unconsciously, Yan Luoyue’s throat moved slightly.

"I thought... I thought you preferred your usual style and wouldn’t wear local clothing."

Wu Manshuang smiled faintly, tugging lightly at the golden gauze as if it were nothing.

"I do, usually. So I’m only wearing this for you."

As he spoke, Wu Manshuang drew closer.

Walking against the sunlight, he resembled a towering pine tree, his shadow quietly enveloping Yan Luoyue.

A gentle breeze carried the scent of water and his faint, refreshing fragrance to her.

That was clearly the familiar scent that Yan Luoyue had grown accustomed to in daily life, yet for some reason, at this moment, it became as strikingly vivid as Wu Manshuang himself.

In that instant, Yan Luoyue suddenly realized that Wu Manshuang was no longer the jade-like youth she remembered from the courtyard—he had grown up.

So, he no longer needed the Age-Increasing Pill to suddenly gain a few inches in height, transforming into a mature figure that starkly contrasted with his youthful appearance.

Over these seven years of living side by side, inseparable… during the times Yan Luoyue hadn’t noticed, Wu Manshuang’s frame had grown taller, his shoulders broader.

Even the confidence flickering in his eyes and the unwavering focus he directed at her had shifted from the silent gazes she knew so well to something more assertive now.

This assertiveness wasn’t harmful—at least, it would never harm Yan Luoyue.

But like a peacock unfurling its dazzling tail feathers, Wu Manshuang at this moment was so radiant that Yan Luoyue couldn’t bear to look away.

"……"

Noticing Yan Luoyue’s slight daze, Wu Manshuang curved his eyes and took over her task.

He summoned a breeze to sweep across the white sand beneath their feet, revealing the pearls hidden within.

Wu Manshuang bent down to pick them up one by one, gathering them in his palm before offering them to Yan Luoyue.

As he leaned forward, Yan Luoyue’s gaze inevitably fell on the curve of his waist.

Beneath his pale skin, the smooth muscles tensed and relaxed in small undulations, like gentle waves, stirring an inexplicable urge in her to reach out and touch them.

And then there were those two enticing dimples on either side of his spine…

Wu Manshuang straightened abruptly, holding the pearls out to Yan Luoyue.

For a fleeting moment, Yan Luoyue felt as if she’d been caught doing something improper and flusteredly averted her eyes.

"Luoyue?" Wu Manshuang called softly, puzzled. "Don’t you want the pearls?"

The handful of snow-white pearls rested in his palm, nearly blending into the pallor of his skin.

"These aren’t enough, are they? Should I find more for you?"

As he spoke, Wu Manshuang stepped closer.

This was a distance they’d long grown accustomed to—given their closeness, they’d been even nearer before.

But right now, with that single step forward, his unique scent—cool and crisp like frost—rushed toward her.

"……"

Somehow, Yan Luoyue suddenly felt as if the air itself had ignited.

A scorching heat blazed across her cheeks.

Desperate to change the subject, Yan Luoyue opened her mouth, but for once, no words came.

Only the increasingly loud thumping of her heart echoed relentlessly in her chest.

…And at this proximity, there was no way Wu Manshuang wouldn’t hear it.

Observing her rare fluster, Wu Manshuang chuckled. "I found the pearls for you."

"—What else did you want to say? ‘Slurp slurp’? I’ll say that for you too."

"!!!"

"N-no, I wasn’t thinking of ‘slurp slurp’ this time…"

Yan Luoyue gulped, hastily sweeping the pearls into her storage pouch.

The heat seemed to spread further, now creeping up to her ears.

"I—I forgot something," she blurted. "I need to go back and get it."

Never in her life had her footwork been so nimble.

Wu Manshuang barely reached out before Yan Luoyue dodged past him, striding away—first at a brisk pace, then breaking into a jog.

Pressing the back of her hand to her burning cheeks, she was startled to realize she’d been smiling all along, so widely she couldn’t hide it.

"…Ah," she murmured. "Ah!"

Wu Manshuang only made a half-hearted attempt to stop her before letting her go.

Standing where he was, he watched Yan Luoyue’s retreating figure with an amused shake of his head.

"Honestly, why does everyone use the same excuse…"

When he’d needed an excuse to change clothes earlier, he’d claimed he’d forgotten something. Now Yan Luoyue was running off with the same flimsy reason.

Though she’d left, her faint fragrance still lingered over the white sand.

Even the small footprints she’d left behind carried traces of her warmth.

Taking a few steps forward, Wu Manshuang caught sight of his reflection in the clear stream.

Studying his appearance in the water, he recalled Yan Luoyue’s shy, downcast expression just before she fled…

Unconsciously, warmth rose to his own cheeks.

Thank goodness she didn’t see this, Wu Manshuang thought. Otherwise, she’d surely revert to her usual boldness—maybe even tease him outright, pushing her advantage.

…Wait, now that he thought about it, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if she had seen.

With a resigned sigh, he disturbed the water’s surface, scattering his reflection as he muttered under his breath.

"You little fraud…"

……

Seven days passed in a flash, and the day of departure arrived.

When they’d first come to the Spirit Realm, it had been just Yan Luoyue and Wu Manshuang.

Now, as they prepared to leave, their group had grown to include Cen Mingxiao and Ji Ying.

The two would serve as representatives of the Spirit Realm and the Demon Realm, respectively, traveling to the human world to convey messages of cooperation.

Before bidding farewell, Yan Luoyue prepared a mountain of bundles filled with Spirit Realm specialties.

All four of them received their share—no one escaped the labor of carrying a heavy load.

Over the years, Yan Luoyue had been their teacher for so long and had even been revered as the "Divine Emissary" by the people of the Spirit Realm.

Moreover, though she hadn’t joined the Freedom Alliance, she’d been granted the status of an honorary member.

With all these factors combined, her reputation in the Spirit Realm was extraordinary.

Which meant… before her departure, friends came in droves to see her off.

Most wore the distinctive attire of the Spirit Realm, and among them were no shortage of broad-shouldered, long-legged, strikingly handsome men with sun-kissed skin.

What’s more, many had once jokingly referred to themselves as Yan Luoyue’s "consorts."

"Shield Consort, when will you return?"

"Ah, Coffee Consort! I’ll come back when I can—or maybe next time, you’ll visit us instead?"

A beautiful woman clasped Yan Luoyue’s hands, reluctant to let go. "Shield Consort, don’t forget about me, Coarse Consort, when you’re gone."

Yan Luoyue returned the grip with equal sincerity.

"Don’t worry, my beloved consort. With a title like yours, how could I ever forget you?"

To the other "consorts," Yan Luoyue also waved cheerfully as she said her goodbyes.

"Farewell, my beloved concubines!"

Cen Mingxiao stood to the side, his face brimming with anticipation for the new world, his dark eyes gleaming with the wildness of a leopard.

Quite a few people had come to bid him farewell, and the cheerful, open-hearted young man responded to most with a warm hug.

Since he was about to descend to the mortal realm, Wu Manshuang had recently educated him on the proper usage of the term "concubine" in human society.

This led to Cen Mingxiao finding Yan Luoyue's constant use of "beloved concubines" utterly amusing.

Especially...

A smirk tugged at Cen Mingxiao's lips as he teasingly glanced in Wu Manshuang's direction.

Wu Manshuang stood beside Yan Luoyue as usual, his expression calm and composed.

Cen Mingxiao pulled Wu Manshuang aside, patted his shoulder, and openly teased him:

"Hey, brother, you’ve grown magnanimous. Today, Her Majesty is bestowing her favor upon all her beloved concubines—why aren’t you radiating murderous intent?"

"..."

Hearing this question, Wu Manshuang leisurely turned his gaze to Cen Mingxiao.

A peculiar smile played on his lips as he replied slowly,

"Last time, I taught you the common usage of 'concubine' in the cultivation world and told you not to misuse it."

"Right." Cen Mingxiao looked at him in confusion. "And then?"

Wu Manshuang chuckled and said deliberately, "Then, today, I’ll teach you another term from the cultivation world—'the rightful main wife.'"

Cen Mingxiao: "..."

Cen Mingxiao: "???"

Cen Mingxiao: "!!!"

Watching Cen Mingxiao’s utterly horrified expression, Wu Manshuang burst into laughter and patted his shoulder in return.

"Don’t take it seriously—I’m just joking."

Cen Mingxiao narrowed his eyes curiously. "I’ve noticed something, brother... You’ve been in an exceptionally good mood these past few days."

And it wasn’t just Wu Manshuang—Yan Luoyue also seemed unusually cheerful.

There was just one small, rather puzzling detail.

Recently, Wu Manshuang and Yan Luoyue, the inseparable Black Tortoise duo, hadn’t been as casually intimate as before.

Wu Manshuang gazed fondly at Yan Luoyue’s back as she energetically greeted each of her friends, finally answering Cen Mingxiao’s initial question.

"Of course I won’t radiate murderous intent—appreciating beauty is Luoyue’s nature, and she always finds joy in interacting with those around her. A little teasing is only natural."

But beyond pure admiration for beauty, there was only one person who could make Yan Luoyue’s heart race so fiercely that she’d flee in flustered detours, only one person who had stood by her side since hundreds of thousands of years ago—and that person was Wu Manshuang alone.

With a smile, Wu Manshuang moved through the crowd toward Yan Luoyue, casually stopping a few Spiritualized Ones who were trying to push their way in.

"No transforming—everyone line up properly. If you want to say goodbye, take your turn—didn’t I say no transforming? Whose pants are these on the ground? Put them back on properly before coming over!"

"..."

Cen Mingxiao stared at Wu Manshuang’s retreating figure, sensing an unmistakable aura of triumphant pride.

And for some reason, he felt an inexplicable hint of mockery radiating from that back:

You think I’ve grown magnanimous? That’s because you’re all just small fry~

Cen Mingxiao: "..."

This... was probably just his imagination.

Also, was it because he’d never had a girl he liked before? He truly couldn’t understand these two at all!

...

Finally, after bidding farewell to the enthusiastic crowd, even Yan Luoyue—with her usual bright and lively demeanor—couldn’t help but wipe a silent bead of sweat from her brow.

"At last... Alright, let’s go." Yan Luoyue reminded them, "Make sure you’ve got all your belongings."

The four of them hoisted their massive bundles onto their backs, resembling four little turtles with thick shells, and stepped into the passageway opened by the key.

Yan Luoyue had walked this spatial passage once before, seven years ago.

Now, revisiting it felt oddly nostalgic.

Instinctively, as soon as she took a step forward, her gaze turned to the side, searching for Wu Manshuang beside her.

"Manshuang, um..."

"What is it?" Wu Manshuang smiled at her.

Yan Luoyue coughed lightly. "Nothing."

She had wanted to share with him that she’d had a dream during her nap yesterday.

But upon reflection—how could she possibly tell Wu Manshuang about that dream?

The dream’s setting wasn’t particularly unusual.

In it, Yan Luoyue and Wu Manshuang lay side by side on lounge chairs, just like usual.

At the same time, Yan Luoyue’s hand rested on Wu Manshuang’s stomach.

She absentmindedly stroked the pleasantly firm abs beneath his clothes, only to feel the texture beneath her palm grow thinner and thinner...

In the dream, Yan Luoyue abruptly sat up and urgently asked, "Manshuang, are you hungry?"

The dream version of Wu Manshuang responded with a quiet "Mmm."

Yan Luoyue quickly followed up, "Then what do you want to eat?"

At first, Wu Manshuang didn’t answer—he just stared at her in silence.

His gaze burned so intensely that even in the dream, Yan Luoyue’s ears grew hot, and she awkwardly withdrew her hand from his abs.

"Ahem, my hand slipped... So, uh, anything you’re craving?"

—And then, Wu Manshuang suddenly pulled out a calculator from behind him!

—A calculator, everyone!

Immediately, Wu Manshuang began frantically pressing one of the calculator’s buttons, filling Yan Luoyue’s ears with the mechanical voice:

"I want to eat..."

"—Gui ling (turtle jelly), gui ling (turtle jelly), gui ling (turtle jelly)..."

Yan ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‍Luoyue: "..."

—With a jolt, Yan Luoyue woke up in a cold sweat!