Feng Wuhen once again beheld what he considered the most beautiful scenery in the world:

Mountains rising and gathering like waves,

rivers surging with quiet power;

green grass stretching endlessly,

clear streams murmuring without end.

…

Under Li Hanyi’s guidance, the four newly recruited maidservants were choosing their rooms.

Yet none of them seemed fully focused.

From time to time, their gazes drifted—deliberately or not—toward the same place.

The Tianji Pavilion Master’s room.

Just moments earlier, the cook, Huang Rong, had said she was going to deliver some snacks.

That alone was nothing unusual.

The strange part was this—

Did delivering food really require dressing up so carefully?

Could it be that she was secretly going off to enjoy something good by herself?

…

Step by step, Huang Rong approached the Tianji Pavilion Master. Her long hair was gathered behind her, her eyes bright and lively.

“Earlier, when I was poisoned by that charm,” she said lightly,

“I never really had the chance to feel anything properly.”

She tilted her head slightly.

“How about… we try again?”

Feng Wuhen immediately circulated his inner energy, forcing himself to calm down.

In a steady voice, he said,

“Miss Huang, I am no saint detached from worldly desires.”

“I am a normal man. I cannot remain completely unmoved.”

“If you come any closer,” he warned, “I won’t hold back.”

Huang Rong gave a soft snort.

“I’d like to see how you wouldn’t hold back.”

“We’ve already shared the reality of husband and wife once,” she added casually.

“My reputation is already gone.”

“So it doesn’t matter.”

Though she tried to sound indifferent, Feng Wuhen still caught the faint trace of loss at the corner of her eyes.

He stepped forward, crouched down, picked up the fallen dress, and carefully helped her put it back on.

Then, very seriously, he said,

“Miss Huang, that way of thinking is completely wrong.”

Meeting her puzzled gaze, he continued,

“I have always believed that a woman’s integrity is not determined by what lies beneath her clothes—”

“But by what is here.”

As he spoke, he raised a hand and pointed forward.

Huang Rong lowered her head slightly and frowned.

“Haven’t you already seen this?”

“I vaguely remember you saying that despite my age, I had remarkable talent—

that it deserved close study.”

Feng Wuhen froze for a moment before correcting himself,

“I mean your heart.”

Turning his gaze aside, his voice was as calm as a passing breeze.

“What happened between us before was an accident,” he said.

“It was never your intention.”

“You were framed and harmed by others, forced into a situation beyond your control.”

“In that matter, you were the victim.”

“Why should you bear the burden of someone else’s wrongdoing and torment yourself?”

“You must believe this—your integrity exists only in your own heart.”

Huang Rong raised her eyes and looked directly at him.

His expression was earnest, his tone sincere.

After a moment, she spoke softly,

“You truly think so?”

“In your heart, am I really still… clean? Still pure?”

Feng Wuhen smiled gently, his voice firm.

“Of course.”

“As I said, I am a normal man,” he continued.

“After that incident, I did have moments of wandering thoughts.”

“But during this time, I have always treated you with respect.

I have never looked down on you or treated you lightly because of what happened.”

“That is because, in my heart, you are still pure and untainted.”

At these words, Huang Rong looked dazed.

Moments later, a smile slowly bloomed on her face—

bright as spring flowers, gentle as the autumn moon.

For a woman, reputation and honor meant everything.

Having been harmed and losing her innocence through another’s scheme,

she had struggled deeply during this time—

confusion, pain, and self-doubt weighing heavily on her heart.

But after hearing his words, everything suddenly became clear.

“Yes,” she thought,

“the ones at fault were those villains of the Twelve Zodiac, not me.”

“And they have already paid with their lives.

It’s time to let it go.”

Feng Wuhen nodded in satisfaction.

As long as she could move past it, that was enough.

After all, finding another cook as capable as Huang Rong would not be easy.

Yet just as he relaxed, surprise crossed his face once more.

At the same time she resolved her inner struggle,

Huang Rong casually tossed aside the robe she had just put back on.

“What are you doing now?” he asked.

Though his expression remained calm, his heart was under severe strain.

Out of respect, he had forced himself to stay rational,

never allowing desire to overcome reason.

Yet her unrelenting closeness made it increasingly difficult to endure.

Before he could say more, she stepped forward and embraced him.

In a soft, concerned voice, she asked,

“Brother Feng, what’s wrong?”

“Are you feeling unwell?”

“Shall I take a look?”

When he tried to speak, she rose on her toes and gently silenced him.

For a moment, his mind went completely blank.

After a long while, she finally pulled away, speaking softly,

“When the other girls arrived, I felt an inexplicable sense of unease.”

“And then I thought about us—

about what we had already shared.”

“My head got hot, and I acted without thinking.”

“But now, I’m very clear-headed,” she said quietly.

“Clearer than I’ve ever been.”

Holding him tightly, she looked up at him with unwavering resolve.

“Brother Feng, I like you.”

“No matter what happens in the future,

I won’t regret what I’ve done tonight.”

…

On the fifth floor of Tianji Pavilion, the rooms had all been chosen.

Not only Li Hanyi, but also the four new maidservants had selected rooms on the fifth floor.

They all sensed that more people would arrive at Tianji Pavilion in the future.

And there were only so many rooms on this floor.

Securing one now meant securing an advantage later.

Though each returned to her own room, they all shared the same state—

focused, alert, listening intently.

Yet the Pavilion Master’s room seemed sealed by some invisible barrier.

No sound came through at all.

The silence only made it worse.

And so, that night, every single maidservant failed to sleep.

…

Just like their first encounter—

Huang Rong was bold and spirited, like a fearless general charging into battle.

And just like before—

her cultivation was still limited, and she could not sustain the struggle for long.

Gradually, Feng Wuhen took the lead, guiding her step by step.

What was different this time was that it was no longer merely physical closeness—

but a meeting of hearts and minds.

Like tasting fine wine,

like wandering through the boundless void—

dreamlike, distant, and light beyond words.

…

The night was deep.

The moon hung high in the sky.

Silver frost glimmered faintly on the grass lining the corridor.

Inside the room, Huang Rong rested in Feng Wuhen’s arms, her face filled with quiet happiness.

To encounter such a man—

she felt satisfied, joyful, and at peace.

After a long silence, Feng Wuhen finally spoke.

“Miss Huang, you say you like me,” he said softly.

“But we have known each other for such a short time.”

“Do you truly understand what liking someone means?”

Huang Rong nodded earnestly.

“You are handsome and refined,” she said.

“Knowledgeable beyond measure.”

“Your talent is unmatched, your cultivation profound.”

“And you saved my life.”

She paused, then smiled.

“But actually… none of that matters.”

“Liking someone doesn’t need a reason.”

A trace of melancholy passed over Feng Wuhen’s face.

“Miss Huang, but I—”

Before he could finish, she raised a finger to his lips.

“I once heard a legend while traveling the martial world,” she said with a light laugh.

“After the Realm of the Earthly Immortal, there was once another realm—the Heavenly Realm.”

“It was said that those who reached it possessed divine abilities and could live as long as heaven and earth.”

“Later, as time passed, such beings disappeared.”

She looked at him seriously.

“Brother Feng, the Heavenly Ones never vanished,” she said.

“They still exist. Don’t they?”

Feng Wuhen understood.

She believed him to be one of those beings.

Strictly speaking, he was not.

He was something else entirely.

Seeing his silence, Huang Rong continued,

“You don’t need to explain.”

“I know you cannot belong to only one person.”

“And I know you cannot stay with me forever.”

“But in life, what matters most is cherishing the present.”

“At least in this moment, we are together.”

“That is enough, isn’t it?”

Her words loosened something deep in Feng Wuhen’s heart.

He had always been cautious, guarded—

afraid that his eventual departure would leave lasting pain behind.

To him, Jiuzhou might only be a passing dream.

But to them, it was an entire lifetime.

Yet—

Life is but a dream.

How many springs and autumns does one truly experience?

To live, perhaps the most important thing is to treasure the present.

As for the future—

that could wait.

With his heart finally unburdened, Feng Wuhen rose once more.

Huang Rong’s face instantly filled with alarm.

“Brother Feng, I’m only at the Innate Realm,” she protested.

“And you’re… something else entirely.”

“I can’t keep up with you.”

“Let me rest for a while, alright?”

Feng Wuhen smiled calmly.

“Then you’ll need to work harder on your cultivation.”

“I’ll teach you a method.”

As he spoke, he raised a hand and gently tapped her forehead.

In that instant, the complete principles of the Yin-Yang Infinite Art flowed into her mind.

Huang Rong’s eyes widened in shock.

“So this is a Heavenly-level cultivation technique?” she murmured.

“Amazing…”

With her remarkable talent and memory, she quickly absorbed its contents.

Within half an hour, she had already grasped the fundamentals.

Feng Wuhen gave a faint, knowing smile.

“Since you’ve learned it,” he said,

“let’s put it to use.”

Huang Rong lifted her chin confidently.

“Bring it on.

Why would I be afraid of you?”