13: Chapter 13 Moonlit Firefly Skirt

Lanyun City was even more prosperous than he had imagined. Towering city walls, wide streets, and a dense flow of people where cultivators and mortals rubbed shoulders.

Shops lined both sides of the street, banners fluttering in the wind. There were stalls selling medicinal pills, magical artifacts, talismans, and spiritual materials. The sounds of hawking, haggling, and cultivators riding their artifacts through the air intertwined, creating a scene full of vibrant vitality.

He suppressed his curiosity to attend to business first. Following the list in his mind, he purchased an iron pot, ceramic bowls, wooden chopsticks, a water ladle, oil and salt jars, and also picked out two thick, soft-looking cotton quilts and some toiletries. Stuffing all these things into his storage bag, he felt much more at ease.

With his shopping done, he was in a good mood and began to stroll around the city. As he walked, he passed a shop with an exceptionally elegant decor and a plaque hanging above the entrance reading "Jinshang Pavilion." Several dresses displayed in the shop window shimmered with radiant colors in the sunlight, instantly catching his eye.

His gaze suddenly locked onto one of the ru-dresses.

It was a moon-white ru-dress made of an extremely unique material—neither silk nor satin—as if woven from countless threads of condensed moonlight. The entire garment emanated a soft, pure radiance, a glow that was not dazzling to the eyes.

In that very instant, an uncontrollable image flashed through Li Guidai's mind—the petite and exquisite Zhuge Yue wearing this ru-dress that seemed to have condensed the very essence of moon-glow. The soft halo enveloped her slender figure, making her fair skin appear even more translucent. With her doe-like, clear eyes full of shyness and her double buns looking playful and cute... it was as if a fairy from the Moon Palace had descended into the mortal world!

"Beautiful!" Li Guidai's eyes lit up, and he decided instantly, "This dress is meant for Yueer!"

Without any hesitation, he stepped into Jinshang Pavilion.

The interior was quiet and elegant, with a faint scent of incense. A pretty maidservant dressed in simple, elegant robes immediately approached him with a gentle smile: "Welcome, honored cultivator. What would you like to see?"

Li Guidai pointed directly at the shop window, his tone filled with appreciation and certainty: "Excuse me, that moon-white ru-dress catches my eye. May I ask the price?"

The maidservant looked in the direction he pointed, a flash of understanding and approval in her eyes. She smiled and introduced it: "You have a keen eye, honored cultivator! This 'Moon-Glow Firefly Dress,' while not engraved with arrays or runes and thus not considered a magical artifact, is crafted with exquisite care."

Her voice was soft as she recounted its details: "This dress is made by collecting 'Moon Condensation Dew'—which gathers the essence of moon-glow on the very first petal of the 'Ice Soul Snow Lotus' that blooms on the night of the full moon in extremely frigid lands—and fusing it with 'Moon-Glow Spirit Silk,' a thread obtained only once every thousand years from the deep-sea 'Bright Moon Pearl Clam.' It was woven by our most skilled weaver at Jinshang Pavilion, who fasted and bathed, full of piety, spending eighty-one days to complete it. Look at the light on it; it is not enhanced by spells, but is the natural spiritual radiance emitted by the material itself as it absorbs the moon-glow of heaven and earth. Wearing it is not only elegant and ethereal, but it can also calm the spirit and nourish one's spiritual consciousness."

Li Guidai nodded as he listened; the origin of this dress was indeed extraordinary, which only strengthened his resolve to buy it. "Truly a fine item. What is the price?" he asked in a calm tone.

The maidservant smiled and held up two slender fingers: "The price is twenty low-grade spirit stones."

Twenty low-grade spirit stones! Li Guidai's expression did not change, but he quickly calculated in his mind. The one hundred spirit stones rewarded by the system would be reduced by one-fifth. If it were in the past, his heart would have ached for a long time, but now, thinking of Yueer's surprised smile and that this was the first proper gift for his wife, he felt the spirit stones were well spent!

"Agreed." Without a moment's hesitation, Li Guidai waved his hand freely and took out twenty low-grade spirit stones, brimming with spiritual energy and crystal clear, from his system space. He arranged them neatly on the counter with a clean, decisive motion, showing no signs of hesitation or reluctance. "I shall take this dress as a gift for my wife."

Seeing his promptness and generosity, the maidservant's smile became even more genuine. She deftly removed the "Moon-Glow Firefly Dress" and carefully placed it into an exquisite carved wooden box that emitted a faint scent of sandalwood, presenting it with both hands: "You are generous, honored cultivator. May your wife enjoy it. We welcome you to visit again."

Li Guidai took the wooden box, feeling its slight weight, while his heart was filled with relief and anticipation. He solemnly stowed the box into his storage bag, as if he had just completed a matter of great importance.

Walking out of Jinshang Pavilion, he felt his steps were much lighter. He strolled around the city a bit more, experiencing some of the sights of the cultivation world, and then, satisfied, returned to Qingling Pass under the glow of the setting sun.

Before he even entered, Li Guidai caught a faint aroma of food. He pushed open the stone door to find two sets of bowls and chopsticks already laid out on the stone table, along with a steaming bowl of spiritual rice and a plate of fresh-looking stir-fried seasonal vegetables. Zhuge Yue was standing by the table, her small hands nervously clutching her dress, a few traces of soot on her face, and her eyes looking at him with a mix of anticipation and trepidation.

"Husband... you're back. I... I tried to make some food, I don't know if it suits your taste..." Her voice grew quieter, like a primary school student waiting to be graded.

Seeing this scene, the softest part of Li Guidai's heart was deeply touched. He had been rushing about, and to have someone waiting for him with lights on and a meal prepared upon his return—this kind of ordinary yet genuine warmth.

Li Guidai looked at her little appearance, feeling a warmth in his heart, and smiled: "Mm, I'm back. I've bought everything, and... I also brought you a little gift." His tone carried a hint of imperceptible pride.

Zhuge Yue blinked her large eyes, looking at him curiously.

Li Guidai took the exquisite carved wooden box from his storage bag, handed it to her, and signaled for her to open it.

Zhuge Yue was a bit puzzled, yet filled with anticipation, and gently lifted the lid.

When the "Moon-Glow Firefly Dress," flowing with moon-white radiance as if the moonlight of the nine heavens had been tailored into a garment, came into view, she was completely stunned. Her small hand suddenly covered her slightly parted lips in surprise. She looked at the dress, then at Li Guidai, her eyes quickly turning red, her voice choked with emotion: "This... this is too precious... Husband, why..."

"Because I think it suits you," Li Guidai interrupted her, his tone gentle and firm, "Just like this meal; although simple, it is the most heartwarming meal I have ever eaten. Hurry and try it on, and let me see what my little fairy looks like in this Moon Palace celestial dress."

Zhuge Yue looked up at Li Guidai, her eyes slightly red.

At this moment, the cold stone cave seemed to have turned into the warmest home in the world.