Chapter 121: Head Over Heels

The war was over. All that remained was dealing with the aftermath.

Ji Yan returned to Gu Yuan and threw herself into his arms, pressing her face against his firm chest.

His arms closed gently around her. Then, with a thought, he tore open the space and carried them back to the palace, to the courtyard, where he settled with his back against the Bodhi Tree and Ji Yan in his lap.

Time was precious, especially now when he possessed the cultivation of an Immortal Ascension Realm expert. Some might have questioned whether he should spend such a rare opportunity doing nothing but cuddling with his wife.

Gu Yuan had no such reservations.

There was only one thing that could make this moment better. If Ji Yue could finish transforming her physique and join them.

Fortunately, the Star Power gathered around her had already begun to recede. From the looks of it, her transformation was nearing completion.

Satisfied with that, Gu Yuan simply held Ji Yan in his arms, enjoying their quiet time together beneath the Bodhi Tree.

They remained like that for a while, until Ji Yan suddenly leaned back to look at him.

"I thought you hated trouble. What was that move for?"

Gu Yuan smiled faintly. "Something is clearly happening in Cangchen World lately."

Whether it was the Netherblood Palace, the Ouyang Clan, or even the demonic beasts, everyone seemed to have their own hidden agenda.

"My actions may draw attention," he said, "but it also shows what we’re capable of. It says: don’t interfere with the Azure Plains Region."

He spoke calmly. But perhaps because of the strength still humming in him, there was a confidence in his words, and an arrogance too, that had never been in his voice before.

Did Ji Yan dislike it? No. Her eyes had caught light, a fierce, bright light. She loved it.

"What is it, my wife?" Gu Yuan asked, seeing the heat in her gaze. "Have you fallen in love again?"

"Yes." She didn’t look away, didn’t soften the words or hide behind teasing. "Head over heels doesn’t even begin to cover it."

Gu Yuan didn’t have the time to be surprised, Ji Yan looked straight into his eyes, her usual boldness giving way to something far more sincere.

"I love you."

For a moment, Gu Yuan was completely caught off guard.

Ji Yan didn’t wait for him to respond. She leaned forward and kissed him, pressing her lips firmly against his to give that simple confession an answer of its own.

Gu Yuan, while still surprised, soon kissed her back.

Love. Between him and the twins, that word had never been spoken. They had said it in other ways: in the meals he’d grilled, the daggers he’d forged, the cake with ten million written across it, the nights, the years. He had never asked to hear it. Maybe because once, in another life, he had heard it, and then watched it evaporate the moment the illness turned out to be permanent.

This was different. Hearing it from her was a joy he didn’t know where to put. His chest felt too small for it.

The kiss held no tongue, no hunger. It was only lips against lips, intense and passionate, and unlike any kiss they had shared before. For the first time, it asked for nothing.

"Am I interrupting you two lovebirds? Should I leave?"

Ji Yue’s voice suddenly sounded nearby, breaking the quiet moment.

"Yes." Ji Yan pulled her head back just enough to answer, but clung to her husband even more tightly. "From now on, Yuan only recognizes one wife."

"Is that so?" Ji Yue asked calmly, her gaze settling on Gu Yuan.

He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he looked at her, taking in the changes brought about by her successful transformation.

At first glance, the most noticeable difference was her hair. Its former silver had acquired a platinum-blonde luster, as though starlight had settled among its strands.

Beyond that, she seemed almost unchanged. So why did she look even more beautiful to him than before? He chuckled and opened his free arm. It was a silent answer to her question.

Ji Yue smiled, and settled into his right side, giving her sister a triumphant glance as she did.

Gu Yuan buried his face in her hair and breathed her scent in, filling the void left by fifty years of absence. Ji Yue, who had missed him just as much, closed her lips around his neck and marked her rightful place once again.

Ji Yan, who suddenly felt like a third wheel on her own husband’s lap, looked displeased. But Gu Yuan and Ji Yue stayed absorbed in each other.

For a while, the three of them simply remained beneath the Bodhi Tree, enjoying the quiet intimacy of their reunion. Gu Yuan had both his wives in his arms again, and for the moment, there was nowhere else he would rather be.

Eventually, curiosity won out.

"So, did you succeed in transforming your physique?"

"Naturally!" Ji Yue replied, a hint of pride entering her voice.

Gu Yuan smiled and kissed the top of her head. "Congratulations."

Ji Yue returned his smile, closed her eyes contentedly for a moment, then lifted her face to give him a brief kiss on the lips.

"Thanks."

She had achieved a goal that she once thought would remain beyond her reach for many more years. Yet rather than celebrate with a grand display, Ji Yue was content to enjoy her accomplishment quietly, nestled in the arms of her man.

There was, however, another matter she couldn’t ignore.

"How did your strength increase so dramatically? And are there any repercussions?"

"Don’t worry. There aren’t any."

How is that possible? She didn’t ask it. Instead she said, "Then how much longer will you stay in the Immortal Ascension Realm?"

"About a day I think. Why? Is there an enemy you want to deal with but don’t have the strength to handle?"

Gu Yuan wore a faint, cocky smile as he asked.

Ji Yue blinked.

This was a rather unfamiliar side of her husband. Not that she disliked it. Quite the opposite. Just like her sister, she found his newfound confidence incredibly appealing.

But another thought soon occupied her mind.

I wonder what he’ll be like in bed now.

Would he be rougher? More dominant? Heat flickered through her at the mere thought.

Unfortunately, before she could indulge in that pleasant daydream any further, Ji Yan abruptly stood up. She brought one fist against her open palm with a sharp clap, her golden eyes burning with renewed fighting spirit.

"Let’s fight!"

Gu Yuan looked at her with a seemingly concerned expression. "I’m afraid I might hurt you. Are you sure you want to fight me?"

"Hurt me? Don’t get cocky!" Ji Yan’s fighting spirit was fully roused.

Gu Yuan smiled. He could already feel a little anticipation building inside him as he rose to his feet. Then his gaze shifted to Ji Yue, the one he wanted to beat even more. "How about you two come at me together?"

"Oh, and if you’re worried about your cultivation still being stuck at the Second Stage of the Embryo Realm, I’ll make things fair. I’ll restrict my cultivation to the Core Spiritual Realm, one major realm below yours."

Ji Yue smiled sweetly, like a flower finally blooming after countless years.

"Is that so? Then thank you for your consideration."

It seems my husband needs a little disciplining.