Lu Chengsha’s return to Tingjian Manor and his impending marriage to the demonic sect maiden were two pieces of news that took everyone by surprise.
After the Sword Tournament, Jiang Louyue returned to Dongfeng Buye Tower. Under multiple pressures, he quickly began investigating who was involved in the Miyin Dragon Cave case all those years ago, and who participated in the murders intended to incite conflicts between the demonic sect and the righteous path over the years. Despite being imprisoned for many years, Jiang Louyue’s skills and influence remained. Many of Lu Zhusheng’s former confidants either committed suicide or fled upon hearing the news. Ultimately, within the given deadline, a list of culprits that could convince everyone was produced, along with a bounty order.
This act preserved Dongfeng Buye Tower.
She no longer wore a mask and showed her true face, personally going to Tingjian Manor to apologize. She explained that at that time, she was momentarily confused and threatened by Bai Hengjue, which led her to conceal Lu Huaixian’s whereabouts. Over the years, she had been deeply remorseful. She had indeed paid a heavy price for this matter, losing her entire family and being imprisoned for years, losing a leg and an arm. Even Lu Zhenxing couldn’t say much, as he also had a share in Lu Zhusheng’s mistakes.
Both sides only needed this gesture.
Dongfeng Buye Tower even published a free booklet detailing Lu Zhusheng’s actions over the years, which helped to clear part of the Zhengyi Sect’s name. Coupled with Sect Leader Xie Yingxian’s strict governance in recent years, where he seldom targeted innocent people, the two factions gradually became less hostile and didn’t immediately resort to violence upon meeting.
Even so, the news of the marriage alliance between Tingjian Manor and the Zhengyi Sect still shocked everyone.
They were really going to have a grand ceremony!
It was said that even the people from both sides couldn’t quite believe it. Other sects were easier to deal with, but the Zhengyi Sect and Tingjian Manor had been enemies for so long that the animosity wasn’t something that could be resolved overnight. However, since the higher-ups had agreed, the marriage had to proceed, and the subordinates had no choice but to endure the tension.
Originally, the wedding was scheduled for three months later, but after a month, the two sides had met seven or eight times without reaching an agreement, almost coming to blows several times. They argued for days over where to hold the wedding, how grand it should be, who to invite, and whether the ceremony should follow the customs of Tingjian Manor or the Zhengyi Sect.
Because Jiang Louyue returned to Dongfeng Buye Tower and Xie Yingxian had helped a lot, Dongfeng Buye Tower decided to assist with the wedding preparations without charging a penny, dedicating all their resources to ensure the success of the event.
With three factions involved, the arguments became even more intense.
Hua Yan initially had her own ideas about her wedding, but after attending one discussion and being overwhelmed by the quarrels, she immediately decided to give up—she would just go along with whatever was decided and go through the motions on the day!
Lu Chengsha’s return to Tingjian Manor encountered little resistance. His biggest crime had been colluding with the demonic sect, but since the demonic sect was no longer the same as before, this charge no longer applied. Baiya Peak had its own issues to deal with and no time to bother with him.
When he returned, even the guard disciples at the gate of Tingjian Manor congratulated him nervously.
Lu Chengsha’s temper had improved significantly; he even softly thanked them.
Hua Yan tugged at his sleeve beside him, taking her first open and legitimate steps through the steps of the mountain gate, finding everything fresh and the air very clean, with bright sunlight.
Walking beside Lu Chengsha made her quite noticeable, but Hua Yan, used to it, didn’t mind the stares from others.
Lu Chengsha cared even less.
Thus, the two of them walked openly and nonchalantly back to Lu Chengsha’s courtyard under the occasional glances from the surrounding disciples.
Hua Yan had worried that his place, after being uninhabited for so long, would have accumulated a thick layer of dust. But it seemed someone knew he would return and had instructed for the place to be cleaned beforehand; it was unexpectedly clean, no different from the last time she saw it.
Excitedly, she said, “Isn’t it nice to be home?”
Lu Chengsha nodded and said, “Yes.”
Upon entering his room, Hua Yan immediately noticed the tightly closed cabinet and remembered its chaotic contents. She couldn’t help but laugh and reached out to open it. Lu Chengsha quickly held her hand and said, “…You’ve seen it already.”
“Just one more look! I’ve almost forgotten!”
Lu Chengsha had no choice but to let go.
Hua Yan opened the cabinet door, and the clutter inside was just as she remembered. She casually took out a few items, such as the mementos from when Lu Chengsha won the Sword Competition. She had one of those this year too. Then there were those old things: a sword tassel, a candle lamp, sword manuals, and healing salves…
Actually, she hadn’t forgotten anything.
Lu Chengsha cherished everything and could hardly bear to throw anything away. He was a very nostalgic and serious person, treasuring every item that had been part of his life.
What could she do? The more she thought about it, the more she liked him.
Hua Yan couldn’t help but quickly peck Lu Chengsha on the cheek.
Caught off guard, Lu Chengsha didn’t quite understand what had just happened, but a slight smile had already formed at the corner of his mouth.
Hua Yan continued to look around. The bedding in Lu Chengsha’s room had also been freshly washed and dried, feeling very soft and exuding a sunny scent.
She suddenly remembered the time when Lu Chengsha insisted she sleep on the couch while he refused to sleep there himself. She couldn’t help but flip onto the couch and pat the spot next to her, invitingly saying, “Come, lie down with me for a while!”
Lu Chengsha hesitated.
Hua Yan said seriously, “You’re already a married man! After getting married, you should sleep together!”
Lu Chengsha seemed to be persuaded by her. After hesitating for a moment, he walked over.
Hua Yan made a bit more space for him.
Watching his movements from behind, it was clear he was a bit tense. He sat down with his back to her, then climbed onto the couch fully clothed, lying down beside Hua Yan, his body as straight as a sword. The only problem was his posture was way too stiff.
Even though neither of them was overweight, the single bed was still a bit cramped.
Hua Yan could see Lu Chengsha’s face up close just by turning her head. She couldn’t help but turn on her side and hug him.
Lu Chengsha immediately tensed up, but soon he relaxed and slowly embraced Hua Yan in return.
In the quiet room, they could hear each other’s hearts gradually beating faster.
Both were unpracticed in this position and there was no further action. They just lay there awkwardly, which was somewhat comical. Apart from the time they were under the influence of “Xiangsi Wujie,” they hadn’t had any real moments of intimacy before.
Now, they were both a bit unaccustomed to it.
But they both wanted to be close to each other.
Hua Yan rested her head on Lu Chengsha’s chest, listening to his heartbeat while he held her by the waist. There was an indescribable sense of satisfaction. She lifted her head slightly and met Lu Chengsha’s gaze.
In his dark eyes, there were tiny flickers of light, and Hua Yan couldn’t help but want to explore them.
As she looked deeper, they kissed again.
Their breathing became erratic.
This wasn’t the first time in recent days that this had happened. They truly liked each other, and after holding back for so long, neither could resist the desire to be close. However, they had been on the road recently, and their keen hearing made it impossible to do anything inappropriate with others around. They had no choice but to light the fire and then forcibly extinguish it.
But now, because Lu Chengsha’s courtyard was quite secluded, they could barely hear any extraneous noises.
It felt as though they were the only two people in the world.
Thus, they became even more uninhibited.
Lu Chengsha felt he was nearing his limit. As he pressed her into his embrace and kissed her, he couldn’t help but reach for her belt, very cautiously and carefully.
However, she didn’t seem to notice, nor did she show any sign of resistance.
Lu Chengsha, emboldened, peeled her long dress from her shoulders, and then his breath caught.
Today, she was wearing…
Hua Yan felt a chill on her shoulders and immediately became nervous. She cooperated by slipping her arms out of the outer robe. Her body tensed up unconsciously, and she reached out to undress Lu Chengsha.
Although it took a while to describe, it all happened in an instant.
Their lips never parted, staying tightly glued together.
Lu Chengsha pulled down the bed curtains, concealing the intimate scene within. One by one, their discarded clothes were thrown outside, the last being a woman’s undergarment, still warm from her body.
This time, there were no red candles from “Xiangsi Wujie,” and the sky hadn’t even fully darkened. Bright daylight could still be seen outside the bed curtains, while inside, only a faint light seeped through.
Hua Yan soon began to sweat. She felt both shy and flustered, somewhat dazed, as the last time had been almost two or three years ago.
The light she could see was completely blocked by Lu Chengsha. His long hair draped down, and he too was sweating slightly.
Hua Yan gripped the fabric beneath her with her fingers, her chest rising and falling with nervous anticipation.
Lu Chengsha held one of her hands, leaned close to her ear, and asked a question that made her even more embarrassed. She, with not much more experience than him, could only softly and slightly angrily tell him to stop asking and just continue.
However, in the end, she couldn’t help but say, “…Be gentle, okay?”
Lu Chengsha, breathing heavily near her ear, replied, “Mm.”
Even without her saying, Lu Chengsha would be very gentle. However, his gentleness seemed to last quite a long time… and there were quite a few times, too!
At first, Hua Yan didn’t realize the seriousness of the situation.
After all, the first time didn’t seem too bad; it wasn’t her first time. She did enjoy it, and although she couldn’t help but kick her legs and feel like punching him when Lu Chengsha surrendered, it wasn’t entirely unbearable…
So, when Lu Chengsha shyly whispered in her ear, asking if he could go another round, she readily agreed.
Afterwards, he tormented her for two more rounds.
Fortunately, there was no one around, otherwise the sounds alone would have been enough to cause immense embarrassment.
Hua Yan felt as though she had been pulled out of water, her body covered in sweat and marked with the traces of their passion. Just a touch from him made her body tremble, and she felt utterly drained.
Yet, Lu Chengsha still appeared unsatisfied.
Outside, the sky was darkening, the last sliver of orange sunlight seeping through the gaps in the bed curtains, casting a glow on Lu Chengsha’s face. His normally aloof features were anything but calm, his dark eyes seemed to burn with a fiery light, intensely scorching, as if someone had poured all seven emotions and six desires into them.
He still bore some scars on his body.
Sweat ran down his strong and broad chest, highlighting the defined muscles of his waist and abdomen. Hua Yan had touched them earlier, finding them even more impressive than she had imagined, making her feelings even more complicated.
He leaned in to kiss her, and every touch felt electric.
What could she do?
Hua Yan was at a loss!
He whispered in her ear again, in that voice.
She found it incredibly hard to refuse him…
Besides, Hua Yan truly enjoyed being intimate with him, even though it sometimes left her sore and fatigued, and occasionally too stimulated, making her unable to contain her voice.
But… she still liked it.
And so, they continued until nightfall.
***
Originally, they had planned to wander around casually, and Lu Chengsha was supposed to meet Lu Zhenxing. However, this delay extended until the morning.
When Lu Chengsha left, Hua Yan barely noticed. She was in a deep sleep, only vaguely feeling someone covering her with clothes, tucking in the blanket, and then quietly leaving.
She slept in Lu Chengsha’s room until late morning, undisturbed, eventually waking up from hunger.
Lu Zhenxing also wanted to know why Lu Chengsha, having arrived by noon the previous day, delayed until the next morning to see him, but he couldn’t ask directly. When Lu Chengsha arrived, Lu Zhenxing could only respond with a nonchalant attitude.
Lu Chengsha’s long hair was slightly damp, and he appeared energetic and refreshed, a visible joy radiating from his features.
Lu Zhenxing felt a slight comfort.
He had been stern and serious all his life, only showing a softer side during the ten years Lu Huaixian was around. Now, it was difficult for him to say anything gentle.
Seeing Lu Chengsha now, he couldn’t help but feel a bit of guilt.
Upon returning, Lu Zhenxing also reflected on why, when he knew it was the evil deeds of the Demonic Sect, he could unhesitatingly charge in to kill, yet he wouldn’t think the same if it were another righteous sect.
Because it was the Demonic Sect—it was only natural to vent his anger on them. He couldn’t even remember when he started having such thoughts.
Right and wrong are determined by heavenly principles, and it shouldn’t be right to prejudge based solely on one’s origins.
The righteous sects could commit wrongs, and the Demonic Sect could do good deeds. One shouldn’t find excuses to exonerate the righteous sects just because they are righteous, nor should all the blame be indiscriminately placed on the Demonic Sect just because they are the Demonic Sect.
Though this reasoning is simple, accepting it is difficult.
He had been stubborn for so many years, making an immediate transformation was indeed challenging.
Lu Zhenxing sighed inwardly, picked up a black wooden box placed nearby, and handed it to Lu Chengsha.
Lu Chengsha was puzzled.
Lu Zhenxing said, “This is for you.”
Lu Chengsha naturally took it, hearing Lu Zhenxing cough as he did, “Next time, bring her along.”
Before Lu Zhenxing finished speaking, he noticed a rare flush on his usually expressionless grandson’s face, his demeanor becoming slightly unnatural, showing a hint of embarrassment, almost making him seem unlike himself.
Lu Chengsha took the box and nodded, “Mm.” After a moment, he added, “Please, don’t be harsh with her.”
Lu Zhenxing: “…???”
Lu Chengsha continued, “She is very gentle and is…” his tone, embarrassed but slightly happy, “…my wife.”
Lu Zhenxing couldn’t help but feel a chill and briefly wondered if the person before him was truly Lu Chengsha or if some strange person had taken over his grandson’s body.
In any case, he waved his hand to send him away.
Lu Chengsha, holding the box, didn’t rush to open it. He looked at the sky for a moment, then went to the kitchen to request a few dishes. Remembering her sticky state before she fell asleep, he also instructed them to bring a bucket of hot water before returning to his room.
When he returned, she seemed to have just woken up, sitting up and rubbing her stomach.
Seeing Lu Chengsha holding a food steamer, Hua Yan’s eyes lit up, “Since when did you learn to sneak food from the kitchen?”
Lu Chengsha couldn’t very well admit that he had requested it openly.
The steamer contained three meat dishes and two vegetable dishes, an unusually rich spread, with a tantalizing aroma that whetted the appetite.
Hua Yan got up, washed up briefly, and prepared to dig in. The dishes were freshly cooked, and Lu Chengsha had brought them back quickly enough that they were still steaming. Since it was from their own sect, each dish was generously portioned. Hua Yan held her chopsticks without hesitation and began to eat heartily.
After a while, she noticed that Lu Chengsha was watching her, as if finding her eating to be an interesting sight.
Hua Yan couldn’t help but say, “Why are you just watching me? Eat too!”
Only then did Lu Chengsha realize he hadn’t eaten yet. Watching her eat made him feel as though he wasn’t hungry.
Picking up his chopsticks, Lu Chengsha started eating as well. But after a couple of bites, he began watching Hua Yan again, making her think there was something on her face. She had to ask him about it.
Lu Chengsha shook his head, “Nothing.”
Curious, Hua Yan asked, “Then what are you looking at?”
After a brief pause, Lu Chengsha honestly replied, “I want to look at you.”
Hua Yan blushed and said, “…Didn’t you get enough of that last night?”
Lu Chengsha didn’t reply, but his face turned slightly red.
After eating her fill, Hua Yan still felt a bit sore and sticky, but her appetite was satisfied. She wanted to ask Lu Chengsha where she could bathe since she hadn’t been here for a long time and had forgotten.
Just as she was thinking about it, there was a knock on the door. Lu Chengsha stepped out and returned with a bucket of hot water.
Hua Yan was a bit surprised, “Did you prepare this in advance?”
He had become so considerate!
Lu Chengsha simply replied, “Mm,” as he put the bucket down and was about to leave.
Hua Yan casually said, “…You don’t have to leave.”
Lu Chengsha paused in his steps and didn’t leave.
Thinking that he had seen her everything anyway, Hua Yan directly undressed and got into the tub. The water temperature was perfect, and she comfortably soaked in it, not minding Lu Chengsha. The bath seemed to alleviate her soreness, though her face still felt a bit warm.
Not wanting to put on dirty clothes after washing up, Hua Yan, without any hesitation, asked Lu Chengsha for a set of his clean clothes.
Only after putting them on did she realize that Lu Chengsha’s clothes were too big for her. Her fingers barely peeked out of the sleeves. Without a belt, the outfit felt empty; with a belt, her waist looked especially slender, but the rest of the clothes were too loose. For instance, the shoulders kept slipping down, and the overall fit was awkward and ill-fitting.
Just as Hua Yan was holding up her sleeves, wondering if Lu Chengsha had any smaller clothes, he hugged her from behind.
She couldn’t help but ask, “What’s wrong?”
Lu Chengsha didn’t respond.
The piece of clothing on her shoulder slipped down again. Hua Yan reached out to pull it up once more, but before her hand could touch it, Lu Chengsha’s lips were already on her shoulder, making Hua Yan tremble.
In a flash, she understood.
“Are you still thinking about—”
“…Yes.” His voice carried a hint of embarrassment.
Hua Yan was shocked, “…!?”
His stamina was truly astonishing!