Husband and Wife, Family

Ran Shiming, on the other hand, had been placed in a utility storeroom. It was almost completely bare, with a Golden Immortal realm guard stationed outside the door. His aura was entirely suppressed and sealed, preventing virtually any message from leaking out. He had no way of knowing what was happening outside. Even so, Ran Shiming knew that the Ran family should be safe now... Yet the man sat dejectedly on the ground, as though he had lost his very soul, mumbling words that only he could understand. Perhaps the strongest emotion Ran Shiming felt right now was profound regret. Meanwhile, an earth-shaking battle was underway on the third floor. A clash between evenly matched rivals—thorough, exhilarating, where it was impossible to tell where one ended and the other began! In the end, Meng Wanshu gained the complete upper hand, leaving Li Guanqi no choice but to willingly concede defeat. A full three shichen passed, until Immortal Elder Yu’s face turned thoroughly dark. Just as the old man slapped his knees and rose to his feet, however, two overwhelmingly powerful auras suddenly coalesced within the barrier. *Boom! Boom!* Two formidable shockwaves of heavenly pressure erupted outward! Sixth tier of the Heavenly Immortal realm! Second tier of the Heavenly Immortal realm! The gloom on Immortal Elder Yu’s face vanished without a trace, replaced by a beaming smile. “Indeed, they make a fine pair!” “Yin and yang complementing one another, their hearts aligned, knowing when to advance and when to yield.” After a long while, however, Li Guanqi and Meng Wanshu still had not emerged. Immortal Elder Yu stroked his beard and chuckled softly. “Good. The two of them still know to stabilize their realms.” Yet another long while passed, and he still did not sense the aura of them meditating in cultivation. Even so, he suppressed his curiosity and refrained from prying with his divine sense. Clasping his hands behind his back, the little old man gave an awkward laugh and shook his head as he wandered off. “Heh, youngsters these days... beyond me...” *** Upon the bed within the third-floor quarters. Li Guanqi lay resting, his chest rising and falling gently as he softly asked about Meng Wanshu’s experiences over the past year. The woman lay nestled against his chest, quietly recounting her story, while Li Guanqi listened in silence. Near the end, Li Guanqi asked with a touch of curiosity, “Did the Palace Master of Nine Tripods Heavenly Palace never think of using you in an arranged marriage with another clan or faction? Don’t I have a few rivals in love or something?” Meng Wanshu smiled at the thought. Tilting her head up, she ran a slender finger over Li Guanqi’s stubbled chin and answered softly, “The Palace Master of Nine Tripods Heavenly Palace is a supreme powerhouse of this era—the absolute peak of the peak. “She is a peerless, commanding figure who looks down on political marriages with utter disdain. “That was one of the reasons I chose Nine Tripods Heavenly Palace in the first place.” Li Guanqi curled his lip, resting his hands behind his head with a chuckle. “Don't all the storybooks have plots like that? The palace master forces you into a marriage, and being stuck in the sect, you’re powerless to resist. Then out of nowhere, I have a bunch of love rivals, and I have to charge up into the Nine Heavens to crush them all and sweep the field.” At that, both Li Guanqi and Meng Wanshu burst into laughter. Meng Wanshu gave him a teasing glance. “That might not be entirely impossible. Your wife is quite exceptional, after all. It’s hardly out of the question that some talented young lords might pursue me. When the time comes, they'll all be the chosen darlings of the Nine Heavens. Let’s see what you do then.” Meng Wanshu spoke in jest, but Li Guanqi took it to heart. A faint smile curled at the corner of his lips. Reaching out, he drew her closer by the shoulder, gently patting her back as he whispered, “Then I’ll just act like the protagonist in the storybooks. A few rivals in love are nothing. Your husband will simply suppress them all!” Meng Wanshu pursed her lips in a sweet smile, resting against his chest and listening to his heartbeat. “I believe in you, Husband.” The two snuggled close, eyes gently closed, listening to each other’s breathing and heartbeat, letting their minds drift free of all worries. After a long silence, Li Guanqi suddenly asked, “Why did you come down this time? What brought you here?” Meng Wanshu’s eyelashes fluttered, and she slowly opened her eyes, a hint of languor shimmering in her pale blue irises. Stretching her arms like pale lotus roots, Meng Wanshu felt, for the very first time, the true advantages of strength and backing. Pillowing her head on Li Guanqi’s arm, she said softly, “I... requested the Palace Master to let me visit the Nine Tripods Heavenly Palace in the Ten Lands, all just to search for you. I never expected to run into you right after arriving.” Li Guanqi smiled. He hadn't expected such a coincidence either. Meng Wanshu rolled over, gazing into his eyes with a look as tender as water, and said softly, “I want... to return to the Nine Tripods Heavenly Palace in Emperor Heaven! “There, I will have access to the finest cultivation resources and the best environment. “And the reason I want this is so I can be your pillar of support when you ascend to the Nine Heavens!” Meng Wanshu’s expression was solemn, her gaze upon Li Guanqi extraordinarily resolute. Had she not faced Xutian Palace today, she might not have made up her mind to part with Li Guanqi again and return to Emperor Heaven. Yet after what happened with Xutian Palace, she had resolved deep within her heart that she had to seize power and status within Nine Tripods Heavenly Palace! Li Guanqi understood her thoughts. Holding her hand, he looked down with a complicated gaze. “Actually... I don't want you to go back. Pursuing strength and power demands tremendous effort and comes at a steep price. Wouldn’t it be too exhausting for you?” Meng Wanshu slowly sat up, pulling the blanket around herself as she leaned gently against his shoulder, murmuring softly, “Spirit Realm cultivators ascending to the Immortal Realm find reality completely opposite to what they imagined... “If I hadn't triggered celestial phenomena upon my ascension, my fate wouldn't have been much better. “So far, you’ve only found Pengluo, and as for the others, I’ve only picked up a few vague traces that might be Cao Yan. “So the higher my cultivation realm in Emperor Heaven, the more resources I can command. It will benefit all of us!” Li Guanqi fell silent for a long time, his emotions tangled. He truly did not want Meng Wanshu to bear such a heavy burden... Yet a pair of warm hands gently cupped his face, and she looked at him tenderly. “Husband, since you call me your wife, I won’t leave you to shoulder everything alone. “In the past, perhaps you had to turn the tide single-handedly, standing before all your brothers to shield them from the wind and rain. “Yet ascending to the Immortal Realm—is it not also an opportunity for them to stand on their own feet? “Perhaps this way, you can focus more on doing what you truly wish to do.” Li Guanqi was deeply moved by her words. From the moment Meng Wanshu fiercely defended him to this heartfelt conversation now, Li Guanqi finally truly understood that he and the woman before him were husband and wife. They were already... family. They were the closest and most cherished people in each other’s lives. Li Guanqi reached out, drawing her into his arms, and whispered in her ear, “Alright. But don’t worry, I will make my way up as soon as I can.” Meng Wanshu held him tightly and laughed teasingly. “It’s not as though we won't see each other again. Now that I’ve found you, I can come down whenever I want.”