Xiang Su felt dizzy and confused from discomfort. The back of her head knocked against the black jade platform rhythmically. Though not heavy, it made her feel the world spinning. Sweat from Junshang’s forehead dripped down—one drop fell into her eye, stinging painfully. She wanted to wipe it with her hand, but her arms were being firmly grasped by Junshang all along. Xiang Su sobbed even louder, with a component of protest.

Hearing her crying, Junshang instead moved faster, softly letting out moans that seemed both uncomfortable and pleasurable. Xiang Su blinked several times before she could see Junshang’s expression clearly. His brow was slightly furrowed, his eyes glistening as if about to drip water, his pupils becoming even darker—one glance and you’d sink in with soul-corroding, bone-melting sensation. “Junshang…”

Xiang Su’s voice rose and fell unsteadily. Gasping lightly as she called out like this, Dong Tianyun instinctively felt a tingling numbness flow from his heart throughout his body—a comfort he had never experienced before. Xiang Su actually only wanted to ask if he was as uncomfortable as she was. Unexpectedly, just from calling out like that, Junshang seemed to go mad, making her feel as if she was about to expire, unable even to speak.

She didn’t know how much time passed. Xiang Su felt him carry her into the warm pool water. Her body relaxed, and her mind gradually cleared.

Dong Tianyun kept holding her. Already small and light, with the buoyancy she was even more boneless and soft in his embrace. When she opened her eyes to look at him, his heart was like strings lightly plucked by feathers. Her originally somewhat childish little face, after this lovemaking, was tinged with a light flush of color, appearing even more purely and supremely beautiful. He couldn’t help but kiss that tender face still glowing with cherry-colored blush. She anxiously bit her lip lightly. He looked reluctantly and longingly at those delicate moist lips…

“Junshang,” Xiang Su frowned, curious and confused, “do you… also hurt?” She remembered that when Junshang was injured by the Jifeng Sword’s malevolent energy with blood flowing from his hands, his expression hadn’t changed a bit. When he leaped out of the volcano with his whole body smoking, he had the same unchanged complexion. But just now he had moaned—could he have been even more uncomfortable than her?

Dong Tianyun stiffened, looking at her speechlessly for a while, then said helplessly while suppressing laughter: “Yes.”

Xiang Su nodded thoughtfully. It seemed the price of promising to be together for a lifetime was still quite significant.

“Does it hurt?” When Junshang asked her in a low voice like that, she couldn’t help but tremble slightly. As for this kind of feeling… Xiang Su searched her mind trying to explain it to herself. This feeling was like being teased by someone you liked—both a bit happy and a bit uneasy, right?

She was distracted until Junshang touched his middle finger to the center of her brow. Spiritual power flowed into her primordial spirit. Only then did Xiang Su become alarmed.

“No need, Junshang!” Transferring spiritual power consumed the other party’s cultivation—it was like she was drinking Junshang’s blood, eating his flesh. She hurriedly dodged backward, wanting to stop Junshang from this self-destructive act.

Dong Tianyun also stopped in time. “The cultivation I’ve given you is enough for you to protect yourself during my sword-forging period.”

Xiang Su made a sound of sudden understanding. Junshang was really thinking too far ahead. Whether she could protect herself or not, she didn’t know, but at least she wasn’t uncomfortable anymore—her whole body felt comfortable.

Having regained her energy, she began kicking her feet to paddle water. Dong Tianyun watched and smiled, teaching her how to swim. Unexpectedly, though Xiang Su was clumsy learning spells, she learned this dispensable thing in one teaching. Before long she could swim back and forth happily like a little puppy, paddling through the water.

Dong Tianyun stopped minding her and went to the pool edge by himself to bathe with fragrant dew.

Xiang Su leisurely paddled, slowly swimming circles around Dong Tianyun. Junshang’s dark black hair floated on the water, making his neck and shoulders appear even more fair and delicate, with beautiful lines. His posture as he lowered his eyes thinking while applying fragrant dew to his hair was truly enchanting.

Watching him, Xiang Su felt incomparably proud. Such a powerful and beautiful Junshang was going to be with her for a lifetime! Dong Tianyun lifted his eyes to look at her and smiled slightly. Xiang Su felt her heart flutter chaotically—she nearly sank under the water.

Such a soul-capturing gaze—it reminded her of the dragon girl Ziyin, and then that whole group of colorfully dressed female immortals also emerged from her mind. Xiang Su unconsciously pouted. When it was just her and Junshang, she could sit down, could act spoiled and unreasonable with Junshang. But in front of the dragon girls and them, she could only stand behind Junshang’s chair.

In front of Chilin it was even worse—she had to pretend they weren’t very familiar! If Junshang also signed contracts with them, and they too had to be with Junshang for a lifetime… including at times like this, with several people soaking in the spring pool at once, all competing to bathe Junshang—Xiang Su’s brow furrowed tighter and tighter. She didn’t want that!

Dong Tianyun pressed his lips watching her expression change, not knowing what she was thinking about wildly again. Because of distraction, her hands and feet paddled slower. She was almost floating on the water surface, her pink tender little bottom appearing and disappearing, incredibly cute. Dong Tianyun quirked his mouth corner. When she floated near, he couldn’t help mischievously giving it a light pat. Xiang Su was startled, gurgled and choked on a mouthful of water, and sank down. Dong Tianyun smiled as he fished her up. She tightly hooked his neck. Gradually reducing her panic, she was still sullen, not even looking at him.

Dong Tianyun wanted to laugh seeing her sulking little face. He lifted her chin to make her look at him. “Angry?”

Xiang Su ignored him. She was a bit angry, but that wasn’t what concerned her most right now!

Junshang’s lips kissed hers again, soft and warm. Her heart suddenly ached. Had Junshang thanked other female immortals like this too?

Dong Tianyun keenly sensed her resistance, pulled back slightly, and looked searchingly into her eyes. Xiang Su couldn’t withstand this kind of gaze the most. As if bewitched, she automatically and spontaneously spoke her thoughts: “Junshang, have you made contracts with others… Ziyin, Chilin, have you made covenants with them?”

Dong Tianyun narrowed his eyes, carried Xiang Su out of the spring pool, and told her very seriously: “This ceremony follows the last person. The previous ones…” Dong Tianyun coughed lightly, “are all void.”

Hearing this, Xiang Su suddenly understood. This was good, this was good. But after Junshang placed her on the bed… why were they making the covenant again?!

Made uncomfortable by him, she asked very puzzled: “Junshang, didn’t we already perform the ceremony?!”

Dong Tianyun smiled gently again. “To ensure the covenant is effective, of course we must reinforce it constantly.”

Xiang Su had a bellyful of questions but was made too preoccupied by him to attend to them. Compared to the pure pain of last time, this time she seemed to…

After Junshang calmed down, she still curled up in his embrace acting spoiled. “Junshang… must this ceremony always be performed?”

Dong Tianyun suppressed his laughter for a while. “Yes, why, not good?” Of course he knew she had experienced the peak of pleasure. He suddenly wanted to hear what she would say.

Xiang Su savored the soul-melting taste she had sampled for the first time just now, and frankly shook her head. “Aside from being a bit tiring, it’s very comfortable.”

Dong Tianyun couldn’t help laughing aloud. Sitting up, he pulled her up too. Xiang Su suddenly covered her forehead with both hands. “I don’t need your spiritual power anymore.”

Dong Tianyun laughed again. “I don’t transfer spiritual power after every covenant-making, otherwise wouldn’t you drain me dry.”

Xiang Su looked at his smile, always feeling it was a bit wicked. And he had emphasized that last phrase, as if it had some other bad meaning!

“All right, wash up and eat.” Dong Tianyun extended his hand. Xiang Su was already very accustomed to his embraces. She very naturally hooked his neck, and they went to the spring pool together. Actually she still had many questions, but once eating was mentioned, they all took a back seat.

After dressing properly and coming out, Wensheng and Kunpeng were both standing on the jade platform outside the hall. Kunpeng’s face was solemn—he actually cupped his fists in salute to her together with Wensheng. Xiang Su was so shocked her legs went weak. She nearly stepped back half a step but was held by Dong Tianyun’s hand as he walked to the table to sit down.

“Junshang, the auspicious day has been selected—it’s five days from now.” Kunpeng said with lowered eyes. Xiang Su looked at him very uncomprehendingly. Was this Kunpeng?

“Mm, I know. You also rest well and prepare to protect me.” Dong Tianyun’s tone was consistent as always.

Wensheng was instructed to prepare the meal, and Kunpeng also disappeared. Xiang Su still felt her soul hadn’t settled. “Junshang, did Kunpeng eat something wrong?”

Dong Tianyun glanced at her. “In the future, more and more people will salute you.”

Xiang Su stared. “Why?”

“Because you’re together with me.” Dong Tianyun looked at her with a smile, speaking with some pride.

Xiang Su nodded. It seemed making a contract with Junshang was an impressive matter.

After eating and drinking her fill, Junshang brought up cultivation again. Moreover, though he had been easy to talk to just now, once he started teaching incantations he became very stern. Xiang Su deliberately pouted and acted spoiled—completely useless. He even said to her with cold brows and cold eyes: “During my sword-forging period, you must be able to protect yourself without worry.”

In these three days, Xiang Su deeply experienced Junshang’s face-changing divine skill. When reviewing the covenant inside the hall, he was simply obedient to her every whim. Once outside the hall doors, the villain Junshang appeared, scolding her fiercely.

However, it was also very effective. Her wind-controlling and thunder-wielding arts were already very proficient. She used her magical artifacts smoothly. Because she had previously received his spiritual power, Xiang Su discovered with delight that the stars she waved out with the feather fan were no longer just beautiful—like throwing darts they could embed into stone, their power greatly increased.

Junshang also gave names to her ribbon and fan: Gardenia Fragrance Ribbon and Sinking Star Fan. She quite liked them.

Xiang Su increasingly liked holding Junshang’s waist and leaning in his embrace—it was a kind of dependence and sense of security she found hard to describe. Watching him use four chopsticks and one spoon to transform into two young male servants, two maids, and one middle-aged person, Xiang Su found it very interesting and watched with a smile.

When that slightly plump middle-aged person transformed from the spoon walked over and respectfully called her “Mother,” she nearly couldn’t catch her breath and choked to death. Xiang Su immediately objected, twisting back and forth in Dong Tianyun’s embrace. “What mother?! I’m not the spoon’s mother! This is too ugly—my son couldn’t possibly be this ugly!”

Dong Tianyun smiled slightly at her words. “Only ordinary appearance doesn’t attract attention. Come, let’s go somewhere.”

Xiang Su watched him collect the spoon and chopsticks into his sleeve, embraced her, very carefully cast an invisibility spell and rode the wind, avoiding the various spies outside Shenghuan Manor, arriving at a small town near West Lake, landing in an inconspicuous small courtyard.

Xiang Su didn’t understand. Dong Tianyun released the spoon and chopsticks. They immediately went about their respective duties with practiced familiarity. The spoon was the owner of a calligraphy and painting shop. The two rooms facing the street in the small courtyard were the shop front. The chopsticks were servants and shop assistants, busily attending to daily trivial matters.

“Xiang Su, these next few days I must go into seclusion to prepare sword-forging matters.” Dong Tianyun seemed somewhat helpless, raising his hand to stroke her head. Xiang Su immediately sensed his reluctance. “During this period, many people… will search for my whereabouts with various intentions. You…”

“I know. I absolutely won’t let them use me to find where you’re forging the sword!” Xiang Su said firmly. Somehow, she thought of the Heaven Clan prince desperately trying to obtain the Heavenly Demon Sword. Even without Junshang saying it, she knew many people with ill intentions wanted to steal Junshang’s divine sword.

Dong Tianyun smiled. “I’ve laid down a barrier in this small town and simultaneously cast an illusion. In the eyes of the world, you are already a fifty-year-old old woman.”

Fifty years old… Xiang Su wanted to protest again but was blocked by his one sentence: “Disguising as an old woman is safest.”

Xiang Su felt resentful, knowing she couldn’t argue with him. Look, he’d even arranged a son for her!

“Xiang Su, this may perhaps be the most critical moment in your and my lifetime. You must not leave this town.” Dong Tianyun frowned, his tone grave.

Xiang Su was also infected by him, frowning worriedly. “Junshang, how long will you need?”

“Quickly, several months. Slowly, one year. Xiang Su, you absolutely cannot leave the barrier.”

Dong Tianyun reminded her again uneasily.

Xiang Su nodded solemnly. Though she still didn’t understand how sinister human hearts could be, Junshang didn’t have her stay within Shenghuan Manor but instead hid her in the human realm, even concealing it from Wensheng, using spoons and chopsticks to serve her—obviously trusting no one. The severity of the situation exceeded her imagination, making her heart also uneasy and anxious.

Dong Tianyun took out a small dagger from his bosom. “This was forged by my own hand. Once Gujun descends to the world and ten thousand swords submit, this dagger will become entirely rusted and lusterless—that will be the time I come to fetch you.”

Xiang Su looked at that dagger. She herself hadn’t expected tears to flow like this. “Junshang, I don’t want to be apart from you. Take me with you to forge the sword. I absolutely won’t disturb you.”

Dong Tianyun tightened his arms. “The suffering of sword-forging—your cultivation simply cannot withstand it.” He lowered his head and kissed her lips. “Don’t cry anymore. When the Gujun Sword is completed, in heaven and earth, no one can separate you and me again.”

Xiang Su only felt her nose sting, tears flowing continuously, saying in a muffled voice: “Then you must be quick!”

Dong Tianyun laughed lowly. “All right.”