The sky was shrouded by an enormous barrier, emanating a layer of pale and ambiguous light purple. This was a unique barrier technique that only the Snake Empress of Tuxiang Mountain could perform, ensuring that the divine realm’s singular matriarchal tribe would never be disturbed by the outside world.

This layer of light purple filled with the aura of desire was reflected in the emerald tea, making even the tea water look like an aphrodisiac. Xuan Yi shook the azure glazed cup in her hand, then glanced at the prostrate Tuxiang Mountain divine servants beside her—she felt completely unable to eat or drink anything.

Although she had prepared herself for all kinds of topsy-turvy situations before coming, seeing how all the male divine servants here knelt to serve was still somewhat uncomfortable for her to adapt to.

Well, now she could completely understand Senior Sister Fu Luo’s ways. Basically, this senior sister should be considered quite restrained when outside.

Xuan Yi set down her teacup and looked around. Fucang was still silently copying the enormous stone tablet carried on Bi Xi’s back at the mountain cliff. These ancient stone tablets scattered throughout various places had all had their contents compiled by his father, recording anecdotes of ancient gods. The remaining two tablets—one was with the Qingqiu celestial fox clan, and one was here at Tuxiang Mountain. The previous Qing Di, that old gentleman, had never managed to collect them due to various mishaps.

Long ago, because of assignments given by Baize Dijun, Fucang had already finished transcribing the Qingqiu tablet. As for this last one at Tuxiang Mountain, it wasn’t until today when Senior Sister Fu Luo formally inherited the Snake Empress throne and opened a gap in the barrier to widely welcome guests that there was finally an opportunity to see it.

Xuan Yi rose and walked toward Fucang. The two prostrate divine servants immediately released the hem of her dress that had been carefully folded in their hands. This noble Princess of the Zhuyin Clan and Qing Di consort was wearing an extremely elaborate and magnificent pale jade-green lotus robe today—if she didn’t support the hem with her hands when sitting, it would surely wrinkle when she stood.

Fucang was concentrating intently on observing the last section on the front of the heavenly book tablet when he suddenly felt his sleeve being gently grasped. That familiar aura of cold sweetness drew near. He didn’t turn his head, only held her hand, their fingers intertwining.

At the foot of the mountain, alluring and dissolute music played endlessly. The snake women were nearly naked, dancing wildly. The invited guests were initially quite uncomfortable, but later gradually relaxed. The ambiguous and rich scent of “Heaven and Earth in Harmony,” Tuxiang Mountain’s unique famous wine, drifted on the wind. As soon as Xuan Yi caught a whiff, she began sneezing wildly, even knocking the golden circlet on her head askew.

The hand holding hers pulled her into an embrace, her face pressed against his chest. Fucang wrapped her in his long robes, keeping his eyes on the stone tablet while saying: “Bear with it a moment—I’ll finish reading soon.”

She picked at the cloud pattern on his collar, laughing softly: “When Senior Sister Fu Luo saw us earlier, her eyeballs nearly fell out.”

Receiving an invitation was one thing. Most likely to maintain cordial relations, ceremonies like enthronements and wedding banquets naturally required invitations to be widely distributed. Even sixty years ago at her and Fucang’s grand wedding, invitations had to be sent to Qiongsang City, but whether guests actually came was another matter entirely. Shao Yi hadn’t come. According to convention, she and Fucang wouldn’t have come to Tuxiang Mountain either.

Years ago, Fu Luo had an illicit affair with the third prince of the Great Lord Suihu. After Xuan Yi froze her, she had shown no mercy in sending her to the Ministry of Justice. The whipping punishment and Solar Radiance Baptism had kept her bedridden for a thousand years. This was quite a grudge, but for the sake of the last stone tablet, the two of them had still come here thick-skinned.

Fucang finished reading both sides of the stone tablet completely, then lowered his head to straighten her golden circlet and led her by the hand down the mountain: “Let’s go. This place is near the West Sea—we can visit and wander around the two islands of Fenglin Convergence Grotto.”

The inexperienced Princess who had only stayed at Zhongshan in her youth and only at Wangshu Palace after growing up immediately asked: “What fun things are there?”

Fucang thought for a moment: “There’s Reverse Life Incense—quite rare to see.”

As Xuan Yi walked, she said casually: “Is that the treasure that can bring mortals back from the dead? If I brought back a cartload, would the Seventh Imperial Son not have died?”

Fucang frowned and glanced at her. His newlywed consort had a particular obsession with his mortal identity from when he descended to the lower realm in his youth. Though they were actually the same person, the Dragon Princess’s attitude made him feel as if she loved the Seventh Imperial Son most.

His Majesty, who had now become Qinghua Dijun, absolutely could not accept this disparity. Most likely in his heart, that period as the Seventh Imperial Son represented the most weak and incompetent, as well as the most naive phase of his life. He hoped to turn the page, yet the Dragon Princess remained quite nostalgic about it.

Fucang vengefully pinched hard at her waist. The graceful pale jade-green figure nearly tumbled down the steps. He caught her in one sweep and continued leading her down step by step, saying coolly: “If you say such things again, I won’t be polite.”

The Dragon Princess lightly scratched at his palm, her breath fragrant as orchids: “Brute—the gentle Seventh Imperial Son was still better.”

She was always accustomed to courting death, deliberately poking at the points he disliked.

He narrowed his eyes, about to truly be a brute as before, when he suddenly saw a magnificent pale purple palanquin being carried by over ten Tuxiang Mountain divine servants, slowly ascending along the black stone steps. Fu Luo, who had now become the new Snake Empress of Tuxiang Mountain, reclined languidly upon it in an enchanting posture, wearing nearly transparent gauze robes. A massive purple python coiled at her feet—an indescribably imposing sight.

The palanquin stopped several zhang before Fucang. Fu Luo spoke with a smile: “Your Majesty Qing Di, Princess, you’ve rarely come to Tuxiang Mountain—I absolutely must entertain you properly. Please don’t rush to leave.”

As she spoke, she retrieved a purple crystalline wine pot and two crystal wine cups from a small cabinet on the palanquin carriage. She personally filled both cups with wine, took one herself, and handed the other to a divine servant, ordering him to crawl forward to present it before Fucang.

“The Princess cannot drink alcohol—please forgive my discourtesy in not toasting her. Your Majesty Qing Di, please.”

She respectfully raised her wine cup high in invitation, first draining it herself in one go, then turned it upside down on the small cabinet.

The wine’s fragrance in the cup was aromatic and ambiguous—it was precisely Heaven and Earth in Harmony, found only at Tuxiang Mountain. Fucang pondered for a moment, then cheerfully drank the wine in his cup, handed the cup to the divine servant, and elegantly nodded in salute: “In that case, many thanks for Your Majesty Snake Empress’s warm hospitality.”

Watching the pale purple palanquin slowly depart as Fu Luo continued toasting other guests, Xuan Yi looked up at Fucang: “Was there something wrong with that wine?”

He never hesitated when drinking wine, yet just now he had actually hesitated.

Fucang walked down slowly: “Heaven and Earth in Harmony is quite peculiar. Those who have drunk this wine, if they leave Tuxiang Mountain within three days, will inevitably be heavily drunk for five days. It looks like we’ll have to stay here for three days.”

Xuan Yi’s bright black-and-white eyes stared at him: “How do you know so many things? Is it because of your age—”

Before she could say anything more death-courting, Fucang cleanly and decisively covered her mouth with his hand.

The sky gradually darkened, blending with that hazy and ambiguous pale purple—everything seemed to become filled with supreme desire. The kui skin drums were struck by the previous Snake Empress’s male favorites. The leaping bright firelight illuminated their bare and robust upper bodies, their muscles rippling and bulging as if oiled.

The music shook the heavens. The snake women’s slender, pale, and enchanting waists twisted almost into flowers. Before long, another group of nearly completely naked dancing music servants came up, entangling with the snake women. Their wildly unrestrained movements could be called less of a dance and more like flirtation. The guests watching felt rather flushed and heated, each becoming somewhat entranced.

Since Fucang had already drunk the Heaven and Earth in Harmony wine earlier, he no longer restrained himself now. This famous wine found only at Tuxiang Mountain tasted truly wonderful. He poured and drank for himself, having already consumed several pots. Seeing that new refreshments had been placed on the table—also Tuxiang Mountain’s unique Yin-Yang Harmony Cakes—he pushed his portion in front of Xuan Yi.

The Princess was currently using her sleeve to cover her mouth and nose to block the wine fumes, her two eyes just watching back and forth at those drum-beating male favorites and dancing servants, looking quite interested.

Suddenly a hand reached over to cover her eyes. Fucang said coolly: “Have you heard the four characters ‘see no impropriety’?”

Xuan Yi leaned back to evade, her voice lazy: “Don’t move—I haven’t finished watching yet.”

Still want to finish watching? Fucang poured a cup of wine and suddenly politely tapped her shoulder: “Open your mouth.”

The Princess, filled with supreme trust in her husband, unsuspectingly lowered her sleeve and opened her mouth. The next moment, strong liquor filled her mouth. The imagined earth-shattering coughing didn’t occur—the Princess only elegantly made a “mm” sound and covered her mouth, unable to straighten up for quite a while.

Fucang poured another cup and took a shallow sip himself. His other hand caressed her lowered face. Her icy skin gradually became burning hot. The potency of the strong liquor was extraordinarily fast—she should just sleep peacefully.