Sang Dai stepped forward with a smile and asked, “Young Master Liu, are your injuries serious?”
Liu Lixue waved his hand nonchalantly, indicating he was fine. “Nothing to worry about, I won’t die. I’m a medical cultivator myself. During the fight, I was clever enough to protect my vital points. The vines only caused superficial wounds.”
Tan Huai chimed in with praise, “Young Master Liu is truly brilliant.”
Liu Lixue’s grin was as carefree as ever. “A single Rejuvenation Pill will fix me right up.”
He extended his hand.
Su Xuan: “…What are you doing?”
Liu Lixue blinked innocently. “My Qiankun Pouch, of course.”
The three of them: “……”
Sang Dai hesitated before softly saying, “It’s gone.”
Liu Lixue: “…I ate it all?!”
The peacock’s voice rose in disbelief. “You fed me all those spiritual pills? That stuff can kill you if you take too much!”
Su Xuan turned his head away, avoiding eye contact.
Tan Huai gave an awkward chuckle.
Sang Dai, looking embarrassed, clarified, “Not quite what I meant… it’s just that your Qiankun Pouch is gone.”
Liu Lixue: “…What do you mean?”
Su Xuan spoke bluntly, “It means exactly what it sounds like. Your Qiankun Pouch, along with all your precious elixirs and pills, is gone.”
Silence fell over the room.
The peacock’s face was devoid of expression as he asked, “Where did it go?”
Su Xuan turned to him and said coldly, “You’re asking me? By the time I got there, your Qiankun Pouch had already been stolen. You didn’t even notice?”
Liu Lixue clenched his fists so hard his knuckles cracked, his face turning ashen. Invisible peacock feathers seemed ready to explode from his body.
“My… my Qiankun Pouch… Waaaah…”
He flopped back onto the bed, pulling the blanket over his head as if he’d lost the will to live.
Sang Dai and Tan Huai exchanged helpless glances before looking at Su Xuan.
Su Xuan shot a glance at Liu Lixue and said, “Dai Dai, go downstairs with Tan Huai and have breakfast.”
Sang Dai assumed he wanted to comfort Liu Lixue and save the peacock’s dignity, so she nodded hesitantly. “Alright, I’ll wait for you.”
The door closed.
Su Xuan sat lazily at the table, sipping tea. “Stop pretending. Get up and talk.”
Liu Lixue threw off the blanket and sat up abruptly.
Su Xuan rolled his eyes at him again. Entrusting the Peacock to manage the Beast Realm always made him feel like he could see the bleak future of Xingque Palace at a glance.
Liu Lixue’s sudden movement aggravated the still-healing wound on his shoulder, and he winced in pain, drawing a sharp breath.
The peacock seethed, “Good thing I didn’t keep too many valuable pills in that Qiankun Pouch. I thought the thief was a skilled figure, but turns out they’re just a skilled thief!”
Su Xuan had known Liu Lixue long enough to understand his habits. He always carried many elixirs when he went out, but he never brought all of them. With his own pill-refining techniques, losing a single pouch of pills shouldn’t have been enough to make him look so devastated. If he were so easily defeated, he wouldn’t have survived the countless brushes with death they’d faced together during their rebellion years ago.
Liu Lixue threw off the blanket and climbed out of bed, clutching his shoulder as he hobbled over to the table. He held out an empty teacup to Su Xuan.
The little fox scowled but poured him a cup of tea. “You’d better have something important to say. I gave up breakfast with Dai Dai for this.”
Liu Lixue took the tea and muttered, “…You two have eaten together so many times. Missing one meal won’t kill you, will it?”
Su Xuan responded as if it were the most natural thing in the world: “Missing one meal makes me unhappy.”
Liu Lixue sighed helplessly. He dared only to grumble inwardly, not saying more, as he sipped his tea in small gulps. “I just don’t want anyone to see me like this—haven’t even washed my face, and my hair’s a mess.”
Su Xuan looked at him coldly, knowing full well how vain this flamboyant peacock was and how much he cared about his appearance.
Liu Lixue added in a quieter voice, “Also… I just remembered something and thought I’d better remind you.”
Su Xuan lazily sipped his tea. “Speak.”
“Lord Su, your mating season is coming up.”
Su Xuan froze mid-sip.
Liu Lixue continued softly, “It’s already October. You should calculate how much time you have left. Now that you’ve entered the Grand Ascension stage, your mating season will intensify along with your cultivation. How do you plan to endure it?”
“And we absolutely have to return to the Beast Realm before your mating season starts. Staying here isn’t safe. If we encounter danger, you’ll have a hard time dealing with it in that state.”
Su Xuan didn’t respond, his expression remaining calm and composed.
Liu Lixue was shocked. “Wait, you’re not even a little worried?”
Su Xuan sneered. “What’s there to worry about?”
Liu Lixue gave him a thumbs-up. “Alright, you’re impressive. This year, find somewhere else to deal with it. Just don’t use the back mountain of the Beast Palace again. If you destroy the palace like last time, I’ll have to fix it.”
A few years back, Su Xuan had indeed caused the collapse of a section of the palace during his mating season, leaving Liu Lixue scrambling to find workers to rebuild it.
Su Xuan sipped his tea leisurely. “I’m not worried. You can stop sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong.”
Liu Lixue marveled at how formidable his lord was. He couldn’t believe Su Xuan, having entered the Grand Ascension stage, could suppress even his mating season.
He silently sipped his tea, wisely deciding to say no more.
—
Sang Dai had already finished her meal by the time she noticed neither of them had come downstairs.
Two quarters of an hour had passed.
Sang Dai furrowed her brows slightly and said to Tan Huai, “I’ll go check on them.”
Tan Huai, happily munching on a steamed bun, nodded. “Alright, Miss Sang. While you’re at it, ask Young Master Liu if he wants anything else to eat.”
“Got it.”
Sang Dai went upstairs and turned down the left corridor.
Just as she was about to reach Liu Lixue’s door, a door behind her suddenly opened. A hand grabbed her arm and pulled her inside.
The door shut with a click, and she found herself pressed against it, a figure standing close in front of her.
Sang Dai’s eyes turned cold. “Zhiyu!”
Her sword, Zhiyu, flew out instantly, but Su Xuan pressed it back into its scabbard. With a flick of his hand, he snatched her Qiankun Bracelet along with her longsword, Changmang, tossing them both into his own Qiankun Pouch. He even took his own sword, Qingwu, and threw it in as well.
Zhiyu, Changmang, and Qingwu: “?”
The entire sequence of actions was fluid and seamless. Sang Dai blinked in surprise, finally realizing who was in front of her.
Her expression faltered, and she hastily retracted the elbow that had been braced against Su Xuan’s chest.
“Did I hurt you?”
Su Xuan clutched his chest, feigning fragility. “You hurt my heart.”
“…Huh?”
Sang Dai looked up in confusion, meeting his amused gaze.
[So adorable, let me steal a kiss from Dai Dai.]
The little fox cupped the sword cultivator’s face and planted several kisses, starting from her forehead and moving downward.
Sang Dai pushed him away lightly. “What are you doing? Why aren’t you downstairs eating? Didn’t Young Master Liu say he was hungry?”
“I just sent the innkeeper to deliver food to him.”
“Then what are you doing here? Why aren’t you eating?”
The little fox buried his head in the crook of her neck. “I remembered something very important. Now I’ve lost my appetite.”
“Is it something urgent?”
“Very urgent.”
Sang Dai grew concerned, tilting her head to glance at the little fox nestled in her neck.
“What is it? Do you need my help?”
Su Xuan kissed her neck softly, murmuring, “Would you be willing to help me?”
Sang Dai, feeling ticklish, instinctively shrank back, her voice soft. “If I can help, I will. There’s no need for formality between us.”
The little fox raised his gaze to meet hers, his Adam’s apple moving slightly as his eyes grew darker and more intense.
“Really?”
[Would you even help with this kind of matter?]
At first, Sang Dai didn’t quite understand what “this kind of matter” referred to. Her eyes were innocent as she replied, “If I can help, I’ll definitely help.”
Su Xuan kissed the tip of her nose and wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her up. Supporting her by the underside of her thighs, he sat down on a wide chair with Sang Dai on his lap.
“Dai Dai, my mating season is approaching,” Su Xuan said softly, brushing back a strand of her hair. His voice was gentle. “You can help me. In fact, only you can.”
Sang Dai finally understood, and the places where her body touched his felt as if they were on fire. Her face heated up instantly, the flush spreading to her neck.
“Ma… mating season?”
She stammered, her words becoming incoherent under the weight of nervousness.
Su Xuan nodded. “Mating season.”
The little fox kissed the base of her ear, nibbling lightly on the small ornament hanging there.
“November marks the beginning of my mating season. Around mid-November, the Beast Realm will be blanketed in snow, and the cold helps suppress the heat in nine-tailed foxes. That’s why the nine-tailed fox clan typically experiences their mating seasons in winter. I’ve been so busy lately, I forgot to tell you the exact timing.”
Sang Dai shrank back, avoiding his kisses. “Can’t you… hold it back?”
Su Xuan froze, looking up at her in disbelief.
“You’re asking me to hold it back?!”
[How could you ask me to endure it? How can you say something so cold?]
Feeling guilty, Sang Dai asked hesitantly, “You can’t?”
She wasn’t drunk this time, unlike last time when she’d boldly urged Su Xuan on. Thinking back to that incident, she wanted to punch herself—how could her courage inflate so much after drinking?
But the little fox vehemently objected. “No, I can’t! Not even a little!”
[It’s unbearable, absolutely unbearable. Every time, I feel like I’d rather smash my head into a wall. There were so many times I almost went to the Immortal Realm to drag you back to the Beast Realm, but I held back.]
Sang Dai: “…”
So he had actually done such things before.
Su Xuan bit her neck hard, his frustration evident.
Sang Dai winced, her body curling slightly as she softly cried out, “That hurts.”
The little fox released her neck and licked the spot he had bitten with his tongue.
Then, he deployed his ultimate move against the sword cultivator—soft whining and pleading.
“Dai Dai, my sweet Dai Dai, just become my wife, alright? I promise I’ll treat you so, so well, and I’ll spend my whole life by your side.”
Sang Dai’s ears tingled at his words, sending shivers down her spine and making her body go half limp.
“The nine-tailed fox clan experiences a mating season every year. Now that I’ve entered the Grand Ascension stage, my mating season will only get stronger. I don’t know if I can endure it this year. Dai Dai, have some pity on me.”
He kissed her ear, taking her earlobe between his lips as he mumbled and acted pitiful.
Sang Dai buried her face in his neck, retreating into her familiar shy demeanor like a little quail.
She didn’t respond, but Su Xuan was determined to make her talk.
“Can we try it? Just once, alright?” The little fox kissed her flushed cheek, coaxing her softly. “Dai Dai, doing this with someone you love feels really good. Don’t you think so?”
Sang Dai was dizzy, barely understanding what he was saying. Without thinking, she followed his words and asked, “…Does it feel good?”
“It feels amazing, I wouldn’t lie to you.”
Su Xuan gently turned her face to him, holding her chin as he leaned closer.
“Dai Dai, open your mouth.”
At times like this, Sang Dai was the most muddled. Whenever Su Xuan acted sweet and clingy, her rationality would vanish completely. Obediently, she parted her lips.
The little fox leaned in, kissing her deeply, capturing her lips and soft tongue, exploring every inch of her mouth. His kisses trailed to her ears and neck, and he felt her body grow softer and weaker as she melted into his embrace.
He kissed her for a long while until Sang Dai gently pushed at his shoulder.
Su Xuan released her, resting her head against his shoulder and patting her back softly.
“Was the kiss nice?”
“…Mm.”
“If just kissing feels this good, then that wouldn’t feel bad at all.”
The little fox spoke with conviction, trying to reassure her through his actions.
“…But you’re a Grand Ascension stage demon cultivator.” Sang Dai closed her eyes, too flustered to meet his gaze, and explained hesitantly, “I’m scared of your nine-tailed fox clan’s mating season… that you might lose control.”
Su Xuan finally understood what was troubling her.
He chuckled softly, his chest vibrating with the sound, making Sang Dai uneasy even with her eyes shut.
He kissed her forehead gently, his voice husky. “But I would never hurt you. Something like this isn’t about just me feeling good—it’s only right if you feel good too. You’re more important than I am. Only if you’re comfortable can I—”
Sang Dai quickly clamped her hand over his mouth. “Stop! Stop saying such nonsense!”
She had grown up in a strictly disciplined sword sect, where even swearing would result in punishment. Sang Dai couldn’t even think of uttering a curse, and no one had ever scolded her, let alone dared to say such outrageous things to her.
The sword cultivator was naturally thin-skinned, but Su Xuan, born and raised in the Beast Realm, had grown up accustomed to the teachings surrounding mating seasons. To him, this was nothing shameful—it was simply a natural expression of love between Dao companions.
It was also a symbol of intimacy, a way to give oneself completely and without reservation.
He wanted to give her everything he had—only to her.
Su Xuan’s brows arched slightly in amusement as he found himself silenced by Sang Dai’s hand over his mouth.
Sang Dai had forgotten—Su Xuan didn’t need his mouth to speak.
The little fox could chatter away in his mind.
[“Already shy? Such thin skin. Just a little teasing, and her face turns red.”]
[“Dai Dai is scared of this, but once she tries it, she won’t be anymore. I need to find a way to form a bond with her first. She’s so cute when she’s dazed, she agrees to everything. With a proper title, I can justify doing it.”]
[“Should we go to the cave or stay at the Beast Palace? The cave might be a bit cold… Wait, no, with this kind of thing, it can’t get cold—”]
“Su Xuan!”
Sang Dai slapped him across the face.
The little fox froze in place.
Sang Dai’s face was flushed bright red, her long lashes fluttering nervously.
“Shut up! Stop saying anything! You—you’re so shameless!”
That was the only scolding she could manage.
Su Xuan’s fox-like eyes narrowed slightly. With one swift motion, he grabbed her as she tried to jump off his lap and firmly pinned her back down. She wasn’t going to draw her sword on him, and without spiritual power, Sang Dai didn’t stand a chance against his strength.
Girls with thin skin like her needed someone shameless like him to pursue them.
Su Xuan brushed his thumb against her reddened lips before leaning down to kiss her again.
“Such sweet lips—like they’ve been dipped in honey. Even scolding sounds delightful.”
“Su Xuan!”
Su Xuan secured her waist, his other hand holding her chin to make her look him in the eyes.
“Dai Dai, are you hiding something from me?”
Sang Dai blinked, realizing what she had just blurted out. She froze, too afraid to move.
Su Xuan stared intently into her panicked eyes.
“I didn’t say a word, so why is your face so red? Why are you so flustered?”
“This has happened so many times, Dai Dai. Are you hiding something from me?”