The residual energy of our combined cultivation still thrummed in the air. Luna, flushed with the glow of her newfound power, leaned into me, a satisfied purr vibrating in her chest.
"I did, didn't I?" she murmured, her eyes, now shimmering with a deeper luminescence, met mine. "And all thanks to you. You're a great cultivation partner, husband."
A smirk tugged at my lips. "You can say that because My Cultivation Is Superior."
She nuzzled my neck, her breath warm and intoxicating. "You know," she purred, "you could always cultivate with me like this whenever you want. It's a lot more fun than just meditating alone."
"Ok," I conceded, a hint of amusement in my voice, "but for now, stabilize your cultivation, ok?"
Luna pouted, a charmingly petulant expression on her face, though her eyes still held a spark of pure joy. "You're such a tease, you know that? But alright, I'll wait until next time. But don't think I won't get my revenge for all the teasing."
I leaned in and brushed a kiss against her lips, a promise of more to come.
But the tender moment was shattered by a voice that boomed through the very fabric of the demonic realm, originating from somewhere beyond its borders.
"You basterd Ruthless Demon! Come outside! I'm waiting for you!"
Luna's eyes widened in surprise, and she pulled away from the kiss, looking at me with a mixture of surprise and intrigue. "Huh? A dragon energy, huh? That's quite a surprise. Is he your enemy, Husband?"
"No," I replied, a wry smile touching my lips. "He's my friend, Luna. You stabilize your cultivation. I'll come back after some time."
She nodded, her curiosity evident but her trust in me unwavering.
The image of a colossal dragon flashed through my mind. Xuan. We'd met during one of the many chaotic inter-realm skirmishes. While other cultivators had sought my demise, Xuan, an ancient dragon ancestor, had weathered two of my most potent attacks and survived. A grudging respect had blossomed between us, an unlikely friendship forged in the crucible of battle.
With a thought, I teleported to the inky blackness of outer space, the familiar chill a stark contrast to the warmth of Luna's embrace. Floating there, a majestic golden dragon with eyes like molten gold regarded me with a boisterous grin.
"So why are you here, old dragon Xuan?" I asked, my voice echoing in the void.
*Dragon Xuan status window appears, showing stats.*
Name: Xuan Chen
Level: Celestial King 7 level
Title: Fire Manipulative Xuan
Race: True Dragon
"Hahaha, you crazy demon," Xuan boomed, his laughter shaking the very stars. "Did you really kidnap the Luna Goddess from her realm?"
"Kidnapped?" I scoffed. "Nahh. I just made her my Wife."
Xuan's massive eyes widened in comical surprise.
"Wh-what?" he stammered, his usual bravado momentarily forgotten. "You really made her your wife?"
"Yes," I replied, a hint of pride in my tone. "Did something happen?"
Xuan roared with laughter again, the sound echoing across the cosmos. "Hahaha, you truly are a Demonic Guy! The whole Moon Family is finding you to kill you and save their Moon Princess!"
"What? Really?" I raised an eyebrow. "I won the bet, and I brought her here. And now I've also duo cultivated with her."
"Oh, so you also duo cultivated with her," Xuan repeated, his voice dropping to a shocked whisper. "Wh-what? You also duo cultivated with her? Are you really mad?"
"Huh? Why?" I asked, genuinely confused by his reaction.
"They are ancient existence!" Xuan exclaimed, shaking his massive head. "Oh my... You really are a basterd hahaha, oh I also have something to tell you. Hey Ruthless, there's a competition of Gods and Goddesses. Do you want to join it?"
I chuckled, the absurdity of my recent actions hitting me anew. "Hahaha, I did do something unexpected. But what is this competition about?"
"It's a one-on-one combat competition," Xuan explained. "But Ruthless, you are a demon, and you have Demonic Qi. If Pure Island senses your Qi, then the island can't even open its barriers."
"Oh, that's no problem," I said confidently. "I can transform my Demonic Qi to Spiritual Qi."
"What? Really?" Xuan roared with laughter once more. "Hahahaha! My friend, you really are something! So let's go. We'll get there in a month, and the competition will start in three months."
"What? Right now?" I asked, surprised by the sudden urgency.
"Yeah, because I also want to meet my old friends," Xuan replied, his golden eyes twinkling.
"Hmm," I mused. "Come with me first. I'll send my wife back to the Moon Realm."
"Oh, really? Ok then," Xuan agreed, his curiosity piqued.
We teleported back to my demonic realm, and I found Luna in the midst of a playful interaction with a group of adorable, miniature demonic beasts, her laughter echoing through the chamber.
"Hey Ruthless," Xuan whispered, his massive form surprisingly stealthy as he observed the scene. "Did you really kidnap her? Why is she so… enjoying herself?"
"Ah," I said, a fond smile gracing my lips. "She agrees to live here with me. That's why she's enjoying herself here."
Xuan stared for a moment, his jaw practically unhinged, before letting out a low whistle.
"Luna," I called out, and she turned her radiant smile towards us, the demonic creatures scattering playfully around her.
"Luna, come here for a moment."
She gracefully floated towards us, her eyes filled with affection.
"Luna, you have to go home for now," I explained gently. "Your family is stressed, thinking you've been kidnapped. And I'm also going out for some days."
"Uf, ok then," she sighed, a hint of disappointment in her voice. "Teleport me to the Moon Realm. I can go from there."
"Ok," I said, reaching out to cup her cheek. "And don't worry, I'll come to take you back."
"Ok," she whispered, leaning into my touch. "I'll be waiting."
With a final lingering look, I teleported her away, the soft glow of her energy fading from the room.
"Byy..." her voice echoed softly in my mind.
"So," I said, turning to the massive dragon beside me. "Let's go, Dragon Xuan."