Qiu Zhihe smiled gently at the words, lightly caressing Qin Gengyun’s face:

"Husband, you are no longer the small Loose Cultivator in Narrow Rain Lane from back then. Someday, you will soar high and reach the pinnacle of cultivation. I cannot always be by your side."

"The Red Flame Fox killed a Zhenyang Sect elder. If you can achieve something against such a demonic beast, your future will be limitless. I have confidence in you and won’t worry."

"See, haven’t you returned safely?"

Qin Gengyun was silent for a while, then said, "Wife, that Red Flame Fox was formidable in power. Even when Jian Yue, Su Xin, and others attacked together, they couldn’t subdue it. Yet, it didn’t kill anyone and couldn’t dodge my strike. I’m really puzzled, could you..."

He looked deeply at Qiu Zhihe, saying solemnly, "Explain this to me?"

Qiu Zhihe took Qin Gengyun’s hand, led him to sit by the table, poured him a cup of tea, eyes shimmering, with feigned annoyance in her voice:

"Husband, you’re making it hard for me. I wasn’t there at the time, how could I explain it to you?"

Aiya!

Qiu Zhihe let out a coquettish cry, suddenly pulled into Qin Gengyun’s embrace, she quickly said:

"Husband, don’t, so many people saw you enter my room, you should go back soon."

But her voice was soon silenced by Qin Gengyun’s lips, and she instantly became soft and unable to resist.

Her fair lotus-like arms slowly lifted, wrapping around Qin Gengyun’s neck, shyly yet skillfully responding.

Qin Gengyun’s hand began to move, trying to pull down the thin robe draped over her, Qiu Zhihe’s small hand caught his hand.

"Husband, don’t..."

Qin Gengyun stared into her eyes, used force with his hand, and Qiu Zhihe eventually conceded, closing her eyes and allowing him to act.

Somehow, Qin Gengyun seemed to hesitate for a moment, took a deep breath, and used his right hand to slightly pull down the thin robe covering his wife’s left shoulder.

The next moment, Qin Gengyun was stunned.

Qiu Zhihe’s left shoulder was fair as jade, tinged with the rosy afterglow of a recent bath, without a trace of blemish, and not at all the bruised mark from the hit Qin Gengyun had suspected.

Taking advantage of his momentary pause, Qiu Zhihe swiftly wriggled out of his arms, scolding playfully:

"So many people outside are watching, husband, what’s gotten into you today?"

Qin Gengyun, a bit confused, apologized, saying, "Wife, it was just my imagination."

"What is it?" Qiu Zhihe asked, puzzled.

Qin Gengyun stood up, gently embraced her, and kissed her smooth, jade-like forehead:

"Nothing, wife. If there’s something you can’t tell me, it must be because my cultivation isn’t enough to share your burdens. Rest assured, I will strive to progress fast enough to be your support."

Qiu Zhihe placed her small hand on his chest, looking up at him: "Husband, you’re already very strong now. As long as I can stay by your side for as long as possible, I’ll be satisfied."

"No."

Qin Gengyun said, "Didn’t we agree to be together for all eternity?"

Qiu Zhihe raised her small hand to touch his head, her voice gentle like coaxing a child:

"Alright, as you wish, for all eternity."

Moments later, Qin Gengyun walked out of Qiu Zhihe’s room, immediately feeling countless excited gazes around him.

Amidst the chatter of onlookers barely suppressing their words:

"Out so soon?"

"Senior Brother He couldn’t have been that quick, right?"

"Nonsense, Senior Brother He is a gentleman, he wouldn’t do such things to Junior Sister Ruo."

"I thought I’d see something exciting, sigh."

Qin Gengyun turned to look at his wife’s room again, recalling their conversation just now, he ultimately found nothing amiss.

It should be my paranoia. How could a person transform into a demonic beast?

He shook his head, finally turning to leave.

Inside Qiu Zhihe’s room.

She removed her thin outer robe, revealing her jade-like fragrant shoulders. At that moment, the smooth skin of the left shoulder was finally free of its disguise, revealing a long red swollen scar.

Judging by its shape, it was a bruise from a stick.

There was a knock on the outer door: "Senior Sister Ruo, I’m back."

Qiu Zhihe quickly pulled up her clothes, covering her shoulder.

Liu Su, who shared the same room with Qiu Zhihe, entered with a playful smile, also looking freshly bathed, closed the door, and quickly ran to Qiu Zhihe’s side, sniffing up and down.

Qiu Zhihe frowned: "What are you doing?"

Liu Su chuckled, saying, "I’m smelling if there’s any Red Flame Fox scent on you, Miss."

Facing Qiu Zhihe’s suddenly cold gaze, Liu Su fearlessly grinned and said:

"Miss, haven’t I been by your side since childhood? How could I not know about Senior Sister giving you the Red Flame Fox pelt?"

Qiu Zhihe fell silent, Liu Su suddenly reached out and pulled down her clothing, revealing the scar on her left shoulder, and gasped in surprise:

"Was this struck by the husband?"

Qiu Zhihe pulled her clothes back up, telling Liu Su, "Don’t tell him!"

Liu Su looked heartbroken, pouting, "Miss, why do this? With so many people attacking you alone, you even let yourself get hurt by the husband. What if something had really happened? The husband too, why hit so hard!"

Qiu Zhihe gently tapped her forehead with her hand, her voice softening:

"Silly girl, the husband didn’t know it was me, and you really thought these people could hurt me?"

Liu Su checked Qiu Zhihe’s wound again, seeing it was swollen red but not injured deeply, she finally felt relieved, her face breaking back into a smile:

"Miss, your Li Fire has recovered about fifty to sixty percent, and Profound Ice should be similar, right? Once you reach Nascent Soul Stage, you can fight to your heart’s content!"

Qiu Zhihe calmly said, "Once I reach the Fifth-Layer of Nascent Soul, there will be no one in Zhenyang Sect who can rival me. Once Chen Qingmo emerges from seclusion, I will make him witness Zhenyang Sect’s downfall before I personally kill him."

Chen Qingmo is the Sect Leader of Zhenyang Sect, and the battle at Celestial Ridge Mountain was initiated by him alongside the leaders of the Three Great Sects.

At the time, Chen Qingmo, Su Longxiang of Thunder Sword Sect, and Lu Yunzhi of Feiyun Sect attacked Xia Qinglian’s master together.

Along with several elders of the Three Great Sects, they finally paid the price of heavy injuries to Chen Qingmo and Lu Yunzhi to kill Xia Qinglian’s master.

If Xia Qinglian wanted obliterate someone the most, it would undoubtedly be those three.

Liu Su said, "Miss, we’ve already infiltrated Zhenyang Sect; there’s no rush. Once you achieve Divinity Transformation, wouldn’t it be more secure to act then?"

Qiu Zhihe coldly said, "I can’t wait that long."

Liu Su suddenly exclaimed, "Oh, Miss, didn’t you say before reaching Golden Core, you couldn’t control the Profound Ice and Li Fire Technique, and during your times with the husband... the essence would be absorbed by Profound Ice and Li Fire. Now that you’ve reached the Golden Core, does that mean..."

Qiu Zhihe abruptly turned to look at her, Liu Su chuckled, continuing:

"Does that mean you can have children with the husband now?"