Li Qingmu sat with his wife on a warm bench in the inner courtyard of the Li family palace.
She nestled against his shoulder as one tiny hand rested protectively over her belly.
"Haaah…"
She looked so happy.
But Li Qingmu noticed something immediately.
"What's wrong, Rou'er? You're still frowning."
Zhen Rou bit her lower lip, hesitating.
After a long breath, she spoke in a small voice.
"Husband… I'm so happy… so happy that you're finally out of seclusion."
Li Qingmu nodded. "Okay?"
"But… I'm also worried…"
She placed both delicate hands over her chest.
"A few days ago, I overheard Father speaking with some inner elders. He… he was furious with you. There are rumours spreading through the sect about you and Senior Sister Su. Father says it's disgraceful to me even though I told him over and over that I don't mind…"
She smiled solemnly.
"I trust you completely…"
Her voice cracked.
"But Father is stubborn. He declared he's disowning you as son-in-law until further notice."
Li Qingmu's brow wrinkled.
But before he could speak, Zhen Rou hurried on as her eyes grew sadder.
"That's not the worst part. Those rumours have made you an enemy of the entire Zhulong Peak. Grand Elder Huo Batian is using Father's anger as an excuse to rally elders from other peaks, saying you're an unfaithful man who doesn't deserve to lead a branch clan."
Tears welled up in her eyes.
"I hate that people think Husband is some kind of cheat when you're nothing like that. Can you… just stay inside the palace for a while? Please don't go out until everything calms down. Father is so angry right now… I'm sure he won't intervene even if Huo Batian tries something."
It was getting harder for her to speak.
"Please don't do anything silly. Promise me."
She leaned fully into his chest and tilted her beautiful face up with those wide, watery puppy-dog eyes that could melt even the hardest ice.
Li Qingmu looked down at his pregnant little wife.
Sigh~
"Fine. I'll stay in the palace. I'll cultivate quietly with you until it's over. Happy now?"
He wrapped strong arms around her and pulled her into a tight, protective hug.
Zhen Rou blinked, stunned.
Her lips parted in disbelief.
"…Husband… actually listened to me?"
She mumbled against his chest.
Li Qingmu chuckled low in his throat.
His hands, which had been resting innocently on her waist, suddenly slid lower and gave both soft, plump butt cheeks a strong squeeze.
"Eeeek—! ♥️"
Zhen Rou squeaked like a startled little mouse as her whole body jerked in his arms.
"Husband! Why are you always so dirty-minded?!"
She pouted adorably as her tiny fists rained gentle slaps against his chest.
Li Qingmu only laughed deeper, holding her tighter so she couldn't escape.
"Because my wife is too cute when she blushes."
Zhen Rou buried her burning face against him.
"Hmph."
For the next several days.
Li Qingmu kept his promise.
He remained within the Li family palace to cultivate in the main hall or stroll through the inner gardens hand-in-hand with Zhen Rou.
Meanwhile, Su Liyue suddenly became unusually cheerful about housework as she swept courtyards, polished jade railings and even hummed softly while she wiped down the veranda pillars.
One afternoon.
Li Qingmu watched her with a frown as she happily dusted a shelf.
"Senior Sister Su, why are you suddenly so delighted to do chores? It's suspicious."
Su Liyue turned over her shoulder and giggled.
"Tee-hee! I promise it's nothing. ♥️"
Although Rou'er frowned when she noticed the senior sister's skirt was back to being short.
In her heart, Su Liyue smiled to herself.
『So strange… all my life men have treated me like a goddess on a pedestal and then the first foul-mouthed rogue I meet is the one who turns me into a maid… I'm hopelessly drawn to him, aren't I? How laughable.』
She glanced toward the inner hall where Zhen Rou was carefully arranging spirit fruits for Li Qingmu, and her smile softened.
『I never want these quiet days to change.』
But peaceful days rarely last.
══════
Several days later.
A powerful aura descended upon Fenghuang Peak like a blazing meteor.
A grey-haired man in flowing white robes embroidered with torch-dragon motifs floated through the skies with a stern and scholarly face.
He looked calm, yet furious.
This was Elder Huo Wuji.
Master of Huo Batian.
Former grand elder of Zhulong Peak who had gone into seclusion twenty years ago.
There were rumors claiming he'd scraped the surface of the Grandmaster Realm.
Behind him floated more than sixty Core Formation experts who radiated with killing intent but still made sure to keep a respectful distance.
Huo Batian flew anxiously at his master's side.
"Master, there is truly no need for you to act! This disciple has learned to accept that Liyue will never return my feelings. Please reconsider!"
Huo Wuji shot him a side-eye of disgust.
"Can you even hear yourself? How can the successor of my precious Zhulong Peak allow himself to be so thoroughly disgraced? That peasant boy dares to cuckold my direct disciple beneath the sect's nose?"
He swished his wide sleeves.
A wave of scorching spiritual pressure erupted.
It forced the trailing Core Formation experts to tumble backward through the air.
"I will crush that brat today."
The surrounding experts were shocked.
"Peak-stage Nascent Soul…"
"No, it's already half a step into Grandmaster!"
"He's nearly on par with the Paragon Court elders!"
Huo Batian stumbled back several steps.
Huo Wuji noticed and gave a cold snort.
"No need to worry about backlash. In a few short years I will fully achieve Grandmaster Realm. The sect would never sacrifice my future for some meaningless peasant who wasn't even born when I was still grand elder. Zhen Guang may posture, but he will not move against me."
Huo Batian felt helpless.
As much as he still loved Su Liyue, he could not defy his master… not when the man's favour had raised him to his current height.
Huo Wuji saw the conflict on his disciple's face and gave him a gentle look.
"Be at ease. I do all this for you."
An unfaithful woman won't disgrace his student!
Later that afternoon.
Zhen Rou and Su Liyue stepped out of the main palace with woven baskets.
"Let's pick some fruits for Husband."
The moment they entered one of the interconnected outer courtyards, they froze.
High in the sky, Huo Wuji hovered with hands clasped behind his back as his long black hair and white robes billowed in the hot spiritual wind.
Huo Batian and the sixty experts floated in formation behind him.
Su Liyue's face drained of colour the instant she saw that familiar, terrifying figure. Old fear shot into her veins and she immediately lowered her head.
"This disciple greets Martial Ancestor Huo."
Huo Wuji completely ignored her.
He stared at the pregnant woman.
"So you are the wife. Go fetch that useless peasant husband of yours at once."
Zhen Rou's small face scrunched in defiance.
Even terrified, even shaking, she lifted her chin.
"Do not speak of my husband that way."
Huo Wuji's eyes narrowed to slits.
"Kneel."
Zhen Rou clutched her basket tighter.
"I've done nothing wrong. Why should I kneel?"
Huo Wuji's tone turned to ice.
"When a junior sees an elder, she kneels. Do you not know this seat is one of the oldest living members of the Golden Sun Pavilion?"
Zhen Rou's voice trembled, but the words still came.
"All that age… and you're still a fool."
A savage gleam ignited in Huo Wuji's eyes.
Golden solar flames condensed above his palm.
An entire spiritual sun compressed into a blazing sphere that made the entire Fenghuang Peak feel as though it had been thrown into a furnace.
"Insolence! The untalented daughter of Zhen Guang dares speak to this ancestor like this? You have not even formed a golden core, yet you bare your fangs?"
The fireball expanded rapidly.
His right hand shot forward.
This is Nascent Soul full palm power!
A monstrous palm of pure blazing flame… hundreds of zhang wide manifested in the sky, carrying Nascent Soul full power that cracked the earth and split the air with thunderous booms as it came down on Zhen Rou.
BOOM!
The impact detonated like a falling star.
Three of the nine interconnected courtyards were turned into unrecognizable ashes!
Huo Wuji's wrinkled face formed a mad grin.
Only for Huo Batian to suddenly grab his master's robe in panic.
"Master! She's pregnant! That's a possible future heir of the Zhen main clan… we'll bring the Paragon Court down on our heads!"
Huo Wuji slapped the hand away with contempt.
"The first-generation patriarch would never allow Zhen Guang to oppress me."
He dusted his robes.
"This seat is far too valuable."
He stared down at the settling dust and smoke.
He expected to see torn limbs and blood.
Instead, when the haze cleared—
Su Liyue stood protectively in front of Zhen Rou.
Her robes were burned and tattered.
Her beautiful body was covered in brutal wounds as blood trickled from the corner of her lips.
Yet she had taken the full brunt of the strike.
Zhen Rou remained fully unharmed behind her.
"──!?"
But she was deeply in shock.
Huo Batian's heart shattered.
『No, no… my Liyue…』
Huo Wuji scowled down at the two women.
Su Liyue wiped the blood from her mouth with the back of a trembling hand and glared upward.
"She's done nothing wrong. Leave her alone."
She turned her head slightly to give a frozen Zhen Rou a gentle, blood-stained smile.
Zhen Rou sucked in a shaking breath.
Her hands moved instinctively to shield her belly.
"You… you saved me… us…"
Su Liyue's smile warmed despite the pain.
"You're my junior sister, after all."