Du Yue, who was worried about his emotional changes, suddenly found herself drowning in sweetness. For some reason, he was comforting her, telling her that she was not alone and that he would always be by her side, no matter what she faced in the future. She felt truly happy in that moment, and the world around her seemed dull and lifeless… he was the only colour she could see.
The cocoon that had long trapped her soul now began showing more and more cracks, tiny fissures spreading across it.
After some time, they finally parted from their lingering kisses. Su Wen stood up, patted her head gently, and said, "Wife, I'll be in the alchemy room for a while, refining soul and spirit pills for you."
Then his tone turned serious. "Until then, calm your mind. I'll have you take care of something."
Before she could respond, he cupped her cheeks and placed a light kiss on her forehead. Du Yue instantly blushed, her heart fluttering as she shyly lowered her gaze, not daring to meet his eyes. She nodded obediently, and in the next moment, Su Wen vanished from her sight, teleporting straight to the alchemy room.
Du Yue covered her sparkling blue eyes with her pale hands, her lips curling into a bright, uncontrollable smile, warmth spreading through her chest from his care and affection. After a while, she finally calmed herself down and remembered his words… that he needed her help. Her expression immediately grew serious.
"When husband came back, he was worried… and serious about me. Something must have happened in the town, and it probably involves me," she muttered to herself. "Has my location been exposed? No… otherwise, he would have told me just now."
Her expression relaxed, turning a little lazy.
"Whatever. I'll deal with it when the time comes, but…"
Her eyes narrowed, and her smile slowly turned dark and sinister.
"If anyone dares to harm him, I'll cut them apart and feed them to the dogs…"
As the thought settled, the air around her seemed to chill, her gentle aura briefly giving way to a terrifying hint of murderous intent. After a long moment, she steadied her breathing, calmed her mind, and shifted her focus back to body cultivation once more.
Su Wen appeared inside the alchemy room in an instant and casually activated the safety formations. Layers of light flickered across the walls before settling down, sealing the room completely. He then took out his pure-black treasure cauldron, faint golden vermilion patterns etched across its surface, and placed it at the centre of the alchemy pit.
Today, he planned to refine three pills using Peak Grade 3 herbs. The Spirit Moon Lotus and Frost Lotus, both rich in Yin Qi, along with the Azure Green Leaf, another Peak Grade 3 herb known for its dense spiritual energy.
The Frost Lotus and Azure Green Leaf were ideal for spirit cultivation pills, their spiritual qi steady and easy to work with. The Spirit Moon Lotus was different… it focused on nourishing the soul, which made it especially suitable for Du Yue's current condition.
Su Wen lit the fire beneath the cauldron and tossed in several auxiliary herbs to prepare the base. His Soul Sense spread out naturally, while his spiritual qi guided the flame with ease. Every shift inside the cauldron was clearly reflected in his perception, allowing him to adjust the process without hurry.
About half an hour later, a faint bluish glow gathered within the cauldron. A pill slowly took shape, refined from the Frost Lotus. Its surface was smooth, its aura calm, and the impurities were reduced to just 5%.
He cleaned the cauldron with his Soul Sense and spiritual qi, leaving it spotless before moving on to the remaining herbs. After another hour of focused supervision and careful control, two pills finally took shape inside the cauldron… one pale green, refined from the Azure Green Leaf, and the other dark blue, refined from the Spirit Moon Lotus. Their impurity levels were kept at just 5% and 3%, respectively.
Su Wen nodded in satisfaction. He quickly cleaned up the alchemy room, deactivated the formations, and with a single thought, teleported straight to the training ground.
Du Yue was already there, sitting quietly… yet the moment she saw him, her face lit up, bright and warm like a sunflower in full bloom.
Before Su Wen could even speak, she jumped up and shouted excitedly,
"Husband!! I finally finished refining the Brain! My head feels so much lighter now, and my senses feel sharper!"
Su Wen couldn't help but chuckle. He reached out and patted her head, praise flowing naturally.
"My wife is amazing. Far better than any so-called geniuses out there."
Inwardly, he added calmly, 'No, no… I'm definitely not jealous of her cultivation speed. How could I be? She's my wife.'
His fingers tightened briefly into a fist, but his expression only grew more proud.
"That lighter feeling is because your consciousness has strengthened," he explained. "The container holding your pure soul is sturdier now. It's a huge boost for soul cultivation… though for some reason, yours is still stuck at the Instinct Realm."
Du Yue nodded seriously, clearly taking his words to heart.
"Husband, since I've refined the Brain, the next step is the Heart. Once that's done and I pass the tribulation, I'll reach the Sevenfold Body Refinement Realm."
"At that point, I'll be able to store Vital Qi in my heart and use it to nurture my body, contributing to my body refinement."
Su Wen nodded, his tone turning serious, like an elder giving proper guidance.
"That's right. But refining the Heart will still take a few days… and you're not allowed to use any pills for it."
"Cultivation is a slow, grinding process. Don't rush it. Keep your mind steady and focused. Don't obsess over breakthroughs… they'll come naturally if you're consistent and put in the effort."
Then he used his right hand to lift her chin and narrowed his eyes.
"And I don't want you damaging your foundation just because you got bored halfway through and wanted to finish early so you could come play with me."
Du Yue instantly blushed. Realizing her husband had seen straight through her thoughts, she pouted weakly, looking utterly adorable.
"Y-Yes, Husband. I'll listen to you," she said obediently, her fluttering brows only making her look even more charming.