Because Xie Lingbi had been subjected to the Soul-Binding Bone-Setting Needles punishment, although the case of missing children was solved, the children still had no whereabouts.

Di Yiqiu kept busy for several more days and finally captured a group of swindlers posing as Immortal Sects recruiting disciples. From this group of swindlers, they traced an overseas sea market and rescued quite a few children.

The young master of the Qi family was among them.

Si Tianjian returned him to his mother, but unfortunately, those who had died could ultimately never return.

With things having come to this point, it could be considered a not-quite-perfect completion.

The Supervisor then redrew blueprints, preparing to arrange the new residence. Also, because of Xie Lingbi’s cultivation level, he had to set aside time each day for cultivation, making him extremely busy.

Huang Rang also went to the farmland daily. The improved seed strains for spring planting could not be delayed.

Thus for a time, the couple actually had difficulty finding time to be together.

Fifth year of Chengyuan, seventh month.

Huang Rang watched as time gradually passed. She kept paying attention to whether Shi Wenyu would ask Si Tianjian to capture the pit viper.

But the imperial court remained quiet and showed no signs of this.

So, in the third dream, Shi Wenyu no longer needed pit viper blood?

Huang Rang didn’t understand what this meant. Shi Wenyu had always been the greatest secret.

But as long as they didn’t capture pit vipers, Di Yiqiu wouldn’t suffer because of it again.

Now that he also possessed all of Xie Lingbi’s cultivation level, it was simply wonderful.

On this day, the imperial court’s improved seed strains for next year’s spring planting were harvested once again.

The breeding families, seeing they had no recourse, could only compromise.

Di Yiqiu and Old Master Xi, along with a group of family representatives, renegotiated the contract. Old Master Xi, representing the Earth Spirit families, announced that from this day forward, they would abolish the outdated rule of “improved strains not entering scattered households.”

All improved strains from breeding masters could be planted by scattered households.

This meant the imperial court would no longer be passive, and improved strains could truly benefit all the people.

He, Zhang, Wu, and the others naturally no longer needed to rush about for this matter.

This was the victory of impoverished scattered households against the families. Everyone was overjoyed.

Meanwhile, Huang Rang and Di Yiqiu quietly moved to their new home.

The new residence, redesigned by Di Yiqiu, was small and exquisite, very suitable for a young couple’s sweet life together.

In the back courtyard, beneath a maple tree, Di Yiqiu had specially hung a swing for Huang Rang.

Below the swing, grass grew green as shade.

As expected, Huang Rang loved this place most. She sat on the swing while Di Yiqiu gently pushed her. The night breeze rushed toward them, all around serene and quiet.

“The young master of the Qi family was found. Old Master Qi can probably rest in peace now,” Huang Rang sighed with emotion.

Di Yiqiu said, “Xie Lingbi’s sins were grave. Receiving the Soul-Binding Bone-Setting Needles punishment can be considered karmic retribution for good and evil.”

Huang Rang tilted her head and said, “It’s a pity we couldn’t learn about Xie Hongchen’s origins. Where exactly his extraordinary bone structure came from is truly curious.”

When she mentioned Xie Hongchen, Di Yiqiu held the swing still. After a long time, he said, “In the future, don’t interact with Xie Hongchen alone, alright?”

Ah? Huang Rang lifted her head. Di Yiqiu stood behind her, gently stroking her long hair. After a long time, he said, “Arang, I always feel that between you and him, there’s something I don’t know about.”

“Uh…” Huang Rang answered readily, “Fine. In any case, I have no reason to associate with Yuhu Xuanzong anymore.”

Di Yiqiu then said, “Speaking of which, there’s something I’ve always wanted to ask.”

Huang Rang lifted her head. Di Yiqiu walked around to her front and slowly crouched before her: “Arang, why are you so familiar with the magical artifacts on me? That Eightfold Extremes Umbrella that absorbs cultivation power—from the very beginning, Master instructed me not to show it to anyone. How do you know about it?”

He asked earnestly. Huang Rang met his gaze. After a very long time, she finally said, “Can I not say?”

She reached out her hand and gently touched his face: “Di Yiqiu, can I not say?”

Di Yiqiu held her hand and sighed, “I always feel that you’re full of secrets. You came to the capital at age eight and stayed by my side all along, taking care of me in every way. At such a young age, you can already breed improved strains and oppose the families. You possess the Heart Sword and have exceptional swordsmanship. Arang, who exactly are you?”

Huang Rang was stunned for a long time. Then, she pulled Di Yiqiu closer and gently pressed his head, letting him rest in her embrace.

In this dream, Xie Lingbi was trapped by the Soul-Binding Bone-Setting Needles while she was safe and sound.

Thus the dream didn’t break, and everything went very smoothly.

So, as long as she herself didn’t die, could this dream continue forever?

Huang Rang sighed softly, playing with Di Yiqiu’s earlobe as he lay in her embrace. After a long time, she said, “It’s not that I won’t say. I’m just afraid you won’t believe me.”

Di Yiqiu said, “If you don’t speak, how will you know I won’t believe you?”

Huang Rang could only pull out that transparent tea needle from her sleeve. She said, “Actually, there are many things I don’t understand either. Di Yiqiu, can you tell what this object is?”

Di Yiqiu took the tea needle and examined it repeatedly but couldn’t make sense of it.

“Where did you get this?” he asked casually.

From your father… Huang Rang shook her head: “Husband, I feel the days before us are very good. So good that I don’t want to investigate too much.”

She lowered her head, her red lips gently pressing against Di Yiqiu’s forehead.

Seeing her mood was low, Di Yiqiu couldn’t help but say, “If you don’t want to mention it, then let’s not. This object looks like a tea needle. May I take it back to Si Tianjian’s Artifact Forging Bureau to study it?”

Huang Rang said, “Don’t lose it.”

Di Yiqiu placed the object into his storage magical artifact and said, “How dare I lose my wife’s possession?”

Only then did Huang Rang laugh. Di Yiqiu held her hand and said, “My wife has labored many days for the spring planting seeds. Even your hands have grown rough.”

“Really?” Huang Rang was greatly alarmed.

The Supervisor said, “Shall I apply peach blossom balm hand cream for my wife?”

Huang Rang hummed and said majestically, “Approved!”

In the cool summer breeze, the Supervisor carried his wife back to the bedchamber.

Only then did Huang Rang discover there was a huge bathtub inside.

This bathtub was obviously a magical artifact. Di Yiqiu only had to make a slight hand seal, and hot water flowed out from inside, endlessly.

The Supervisor removed all his wife’s clothing, then carefully scrubbed her bath for her.

His bathing technique was skilled and thoroughly attentive.

Just like an experienced bath scrubber.

As the Supervisor scrubbed, he wondered strangely, “Why is this seat so skilled at this?”

Let’s not bring that up! Huang Rang immediately turned the tables, saying, “Could it be the Supervisor has unique tastes and has bathed other women before?”

The Supervisor knew continuing this conversation would be bad, so he immediately said, “How is the water temperature?”

What a good topic change. Huang Rang casually asked, “Do you want to come in?”

Di Yiqiu shook his head. After a while, he smiled and said, “If your husband comes in, my wife will have to work hard tonight.”

These words were too suggestive. Huang Rang hummed and didn’t answer.

She had been busy with improved strain matters these days and was truly tired.

She closed her eyes. Because the water temperature was so comfortable and the person beside her was the one who gave her the most peace of mind, she fell asleep before long.

The Supervisor didn’t disturb her. After washing her clean, he gently lifted her up and placed her back on the bed.

Huang Rang slept deeply. Di Yiqiu suddenly felt that this kind of “service” without response—he was actually very familiar with it too.

This…

Could she be some goddess, and he her servant?

So he served so handily?

The Supervisor conjured up a whole scenario of an abusive master-servant romance with deep feelings. The more he thought about it, the more he felt it could be written into a book.

He found the peach blossom balm and carefully applied it all over Huang Rang’s body.

Pink cream applied to jade-colored skin—he had never in this life seen such a heart-stirring color.

When morning came the next day, Huang Rang opened her eyes to find only herself on the bed.

She sat up, feeling fragrant all over. Last night, Di Yiqiu had not only bathed her and applied fragrant balm, but had even trimmed her fingernails and toenails neatly.

Huang Rang felt warm in her heart. She dressed and went out.

This was actually her first time coming to this residence. All along, Di Yiqiu had been managing it.

Huang Rang didn’t even know its original appearance.

But now, with artificial hills and flowing water, it was very peaceful and elegant.

Huang Rang passed through pavilions. In the middle, Di Yiqiu had made a shallow stream winding like a jade belt. In the stream water, fish came and went. Going further forward, in a shallow pond there was even a turtle lazily lying on a rock sunning its shell.

Huang Rang had been looking for a while when someone behind her said, “Time to eat.”

She turned around and saw Di Yiqiu carrying in several bamboo steamers of food.

“Bought outside?” Huang Rang quickly came over. Di Yiqiu arranged the food in the small pavilion, saying, “Quite a few vendors were calling out their wares outside. I bought some of everything. See what you like to eat.”

Huang Rang opened the wrapped oiled paper together with him. There were many varieties of snacks, and the two shared them.

Huang Rang said, “I just saw a nice spot in the corner of the wall. I want to plant flowers!”

Di Yiqiu said, “This official respectfully obeys my wife’s command!”

Huang Rang giggled with laughter. A small bird passed through the courtyard, chirping a few times.

All of this was so beautiful it almost didn’t seem real.

At Yuhu Xuanzong.

After Xie Lingbi was punished, the entire Immortal Sects acted as if this person no longer existed.

Only his one old friend Yue Mihua came to visit.

Xie Hongchen knew these two had a deep friendship, so he brought him into the secret chamber.

Yue Mihua saw Xie Lingbi’s appearance today. Standing before him, he couldn’t speak a word for a long time.

Xie Hongchen didn’t comfort him.

—Xie Hongchen no longer had the energy to comfort anyone.

He let Yue Mihua talk on and on with Xie Lingbi.

Yue Mihua spoke of the past between him and Xie Lingbi.

“Back then, we were from the same village. You were born competitive, with an impatient temperament. At the slightest disagreement, you’d fight with people. My parents didn’t let us play together, all thinking you were a hoodlum. But I could only read books and was often mocked and bullied by village children.”

“One day, you beat them away for me. You cursed me as a bookworm, saying I was only fit to be a pedantic scholar and would be bullied my whole life.”

He rambled on, saying, “Later, because your spiritual roots were outstanding, you joined the Immortal Sects. My parents told me to find you again. At that time, I thought, someone like you, how could you still regard an old friend like me…”

Xie Hongchen didn’t continue listening. Holding a torch, he walked back and forth in the secret chamber.

Accumulated here was the dust of how many years.

Suddenly, he walked to the innermost corner.

There too stood a person, already covered in dust.

Xie Hongchen suddenly thought, this person’s position should make him the first to be punished.

And the first person to receive the Soul-Binding Bone-Setting Needles punishment…

—Leiyin Daji!

Xie Hongchen’s footsteps seemed drawn. He slowly walked to this person’s side, raised his hand, and wiped away the thick layer of dust on his body.

This person remained silent.

When that face was wiped clean, the more Xie Hongchen looked, the more alarmed his heart became.

The person before him, those features, looked inexplicably familiar.

Xie Hongchen examined him for a long time, feeling horrified in his heart.

The reason the face before him was familiar was because this person… looked extremely similar to himself.