304: Chapter 304 A Moment of Spring Night

Hun Feng held Qing Yanjing's hand as they walked through the corridor, his pace a bit faster than when they had arrived.

Qing Yanjing was pulled along by him, her outer robe fluttering slightly in the night breeze. She couldn't help but look back toward the direction of Mu Chen's bridal chamber—the candlelight there had already been extinguished, the moonlight was thick, and it was so quiet that only the chirping of insects remained.

"Why are you walking so fast?" she asked in a low voice.

"It's getting late, let's rest early." Hun Feng didn't even turn his head, his tone serious.

Qing Yanjing looked at his back, her lips curling slightly.

She had been married to him for some time now, and she knew perfectly well when this man meant it literally when he said "rest early," and when he had ulterior motives.

Pushing open the door to the guest room, Hun Feng let her enter first before turning to latch the door.

Qing Yanjing had just taken off her outer robe from her shoulders and hung it on the rack; before she could turn around, a pair of arms suddenly wrapped around her waist from behind.

A burning chest pressed against her back, his chin resting in the hollow of her shoulder, his breath spraying against the sensitive skin behind her ear, carrying a faint scent of wine.

"Husband—" She turned her head, trying to dodge, but was held even tighter by him.

"Hush." His lips pressed against her earlobe, his voice low and hoarse, "Tonight is the wedding night."

"It's Chen'er's wedding night, not yours." Qing Yanjing was unable to move, trapped in his embrace, her earlobes already flushed a light red, yet her voice still tried to maintain its usual cold composure, "Stop it. This is too close to Chen'er's room; what if we are heard—"

"We won't be. I will be careful." Hun Feng's lips slid from her earlobe to the side of her neck, his fingers already beginning to untie the silver silk soft armor belt at her waist.

The metal buckle made a very faint, crisp sound, which was exceptionally clear in the quiet guest room.

"When have you ever said you wouldn't be careful—mm—"

Hun Feng turned her body directly and lowered his head to seal her lips.

The rest of Qing Yanjing's words were swallowed by this kiss.

She raised her hand to push him away, but her fingers touched his chest and were immediately caught by him and pressed against the bedpost behind her. As their fingers interlaced, the temperature of his palm was so hot that her heart skipped a beat.

She turned her head, trying to catch her breath, her voice already softened by more than half: "Husband, really, no—"

"Yes, it is." He kissed her again, his other hand already untying the last ribbon at her waist.

Her plain white dress slipped from her shoulders, revealing a large expanse of lustrous skin.

He picked her up horizontally and strode toward the bed.

Qing Yanjing was placed into the soft brocade quilt, her scattered long hair covering the pillow. Her amber phoenix eyes were still veiled with a faint mist, but there was no longer any sign of refusal.

The candlelight flickered behind him, casting his features into sharp relief.

He looked down at her, the heat in his eyes undisguised.

"You didn't drink wine tonight, did you? It was something else." Qing Yanjing raised her hand to stroke his cheek, her thumb grazing lightly over his brow bone.

"I drank you." Hun Feng leaned down, and the bed curtains slowly fell behind them, shielding the room full of warmth and fragrance.

The next morning, sunlight filtered through the window lattices into the gauze curtains of the guest room.

Qing Yanjing sat at the bronze mirror to dress, holding a comb, looking at the back of the figure behind her who was tying his belt in the mirror. Her tone was calm but carried a hint of helplessness: "Who said they would be careful last night?"

"I wasn't wrong—I was careful all night. Look, your throat isn't even hoarse." Hun Feng tied his belt and walked behind her, picked up the comb and clumsily combed her long hair a few times, then lowered his head and planted a kiss on the top of her head.

Qing Yanjing looked at his matter-of-fact expression in the mirror and finally couldn't help it; she raised her hand and pinched the soft flesh at his waist hard.

Hun Feng gasped, but the corners of his mouth curled up, unable to be suppressed.

In the main hall of Mu Mansion, the morning tea had already been prepared.

Hun Feng and his seven wives took their seats in turn. Today, Qing Yanjing had changed into a plain white dress embroidered with pale gold patterns, still as calm and dignified as ever, but she deliberately moved lightly when sitting down, her back held a bit straighter than usual.

Yao Yao sat beside her, her peach-blossom eyes sweeping across her face. She said nothing, but the corners of her mouth curved slightly as she lowered her head to sip tea.

Mu Chen and Luo Li stepped into the main hall side by side.

Mu Chen was still in his dark ink brocade robe, the heavenly emperor sword slung across his back. He was full of spirit, with a bit more of the calm and composure characteristic of a newlywed between his brows.

Luo Li had changed into the formal attire of the mistress of Mu Mansion—a long dress with a silver-white base embroidered with ice-blue patterns, her waist cinched with a silver silk soft armor belt. Her silver hair was tied up high, secured with an ice-blue jade hairpin, with a few stray strands hanging by her ears.

She was still as cold as ever, but there was a bit more tenderness between her brows after being nourished. Her skin was even more lustrous than yesterday, and she looked like a piece of ice jade moistened by morning dew.

Mu Chen walked up to Hun Feng and Qing Yanjing, picked up the teacups, knelt, and saluted: "Master, please have tea. Mother, please have tea."

Hun Feng took the teacup and took a sip, looked him over, and said, "You're in good spirits."

When Qing Yanjing took the teacup, her gaze lingered on Mu Chen's face for a moment, then shifted to Luo Li. Seeing the marks on Luo Li's neck that couldn't be hidden, her lips curled slightly, and she said softly, "Treat Luo Li well."

Mu Chen and Luo Li then offered tea in turn to the six mistresses: Cai Lin, Yao Yao, Xun'er, Yun Yun, Cao Ying, and Xiao Yi Xian.

Cai Lin took the teacup and nodded slightly. Xun'er was as gentle as ever, holding Luo Li's hand and saying, "From now on, we are family."

When Yao Yao took the tea, her peach-blossom eyes darted between the two, and she lowered her voice to say, "You two were up quite late last night, weren't you?" Luo Li's earlobes instantly flushed a deep red.

After the tea offering was finished, just as Mu Chen was about to sit down, a burst of crisp laughter came from behind him.

"The groom is offering tea, how could you not call us?" Hun Muxiao strode into the main hall, her fiery red fairy dress fluttering like flames in the morning light. Behind her followed her six younger sisters, the seven sisters filing in one after another, and the main hall instantly became lively.

She walked up to Mu Chen, tilted her head to look at him, her reddish-brown eyes filled with mischief: "Mu Chen, by age, I am one year older than you. Shouldn't you call me sister?"

Mu Chen and Hun Muxiao locked eyes for a moment.

Come to think of it, he and this Eldest Princess of Spirit Hall had known each other for nearly ten years—starting from the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy, they had been teammates fighting side by side, exploring secret realms together, killing the Evil Race together, and living and dying together on the Tianluo Continent.

She was Master's eldest daughter and also his most trusted comrade-in-arms.

Calling her sister was only right and proper.

"Sister Xiao Xiao." Mu Chen cupped his fists, his voice frank.

"That's more like it." Hun Muxiao nodded with satisfaction and looked at Luo Li.

Luo Li bowed slightly and also called out, "Sister Xiao Xiao," her voice cold but respectful.

Hun Muling poked her head out from behind Hun Muxiao, her peach-blossom eyes darting around on Luo Li: "Sister-in-law, you look so good today. How did you sleep last night?"

Luo Li's hand holding the teacup paused very slightly, her expression remaining cold and composed: "Very well."

"Really very well?" Hun Muling leaned closer, the mischief in her peach-blossom eyes identical to Yao Yao's.

"Really very well." Luo Li lowered her eyes and took a sip of tea, but her earlobes were turning red at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Of course she slept very well—she hadn't slept at all last night.

Hun Mulan also crowded over. The nineteen-year-old girl had grown up to be graceful and elegant, inheriting Yun Yun's gentle and beautiful features, and looked at Luo Li curiously: "Sister-in-law, what does it feel like to share a room?"

The main hall was quiet for a moment.

Mu Chen's hand holding the teacup froze in mid-air, and Luo Li lowered her eyes, her earlobes red enough to drip blood, even her neck stained with a faint crimson.

Yun Yun stood up and pulled Hun Mulan to her side, a helpless smile appearing on her gentle face as she said softly, "Mulan, you cannot ask such things in front of everyone."

Hun Mulan looked innocent: "Why can't I ask? I'm just curious."

"You can't ask even if you're curious." Hun Muqing expressionlessly stuffed a piece of pastry into Hun Mulan's mouth, her movements crisp and decisive.

Hun Mulan's mouth was stuffed with pastry and she couldn't speak, only able to make muffled sounds of protest.

Hun Muxian gently pulled her and pushed her own untouched cup of tea in front of her, saying in a low voice, "Drink some water, don't choke."

Hun Musheng did not speak from beginning to end, simply pushing a plate of peeled spirit fruits in front of Luo Li, her movements quiet and considerate.

Yao Yao leaned against the back of the chair, watching this scene, the smile in her peach-blossom eyes deepening: "You girls, when you were little, you pestered us asking how your parents met; now that you've grown up, you pester your sister-in-law asking about sharing a room—is it going to be your turn next time? Xiao Xiao, you're not young anymore, when will you bring someone home?"

Hun Muxiao's hand holding the teacup stopped in mid-air, and she turned her head to look at Yao Yao, her reddish-brown eyes full of disbelief: "Mother Yao Yao, are you pressuring me to marry? I practice sword every day in the Sword Domain, where would I have time for romance?"

"You're twenty-three." Yao Yao counted on her fingers.

"So what if I'm twenty-three? When Dad was twenty-three, he hadn't married you yet." Hun Muxiao said righteously.

Yao Yao was choked by her words and turned to look at Cai Lin: "Sister Cai Lin, your daughter has learned bad habits."

Cai Lin didn't even raise her head while holding the teacup, her tone flat: "You taught her."

The main hall immediately erupted into laughter.

Hun Muying and Hun Muqing pulled Luo Li to sit on a soft couch nearby, and the girls of similar age soon started chatting away.

Hun Muying asked her if there was any possibility of merging the Luoshen Clan's sword techniques with the Mu Mansion's cultivation methods, while Hun Muxian listened quietly on the side, occasionally adding a few words from ancient records she had flipped through in the Scripture Pavilion.

Hun Musheng did not participate in the discussion, simply silently refilling tea for everyone and replacing empty snack plates with new ones.

Lin Jing also brought Jiu You over from the guest room to join in the fun.

Lin Jing had changed into a light green long dress today, and her lively eyes lit up when she saw Hun Muxiao. She stepped forward and took her arm: "Sister Xiao Xiao, is our sparring match from yesterday still on?"

"Of course it is. Let's go, to the Martial Arena." Hun Muxiao put down her teacup and stood up, her reddish-brown eyes igniting with eagerness.

She walked to the door and looked back at Mu Chen, a mischievous smile appearing at the corners of her mouth: "Mu Chen, you worked hard last night, just rest today. After I finish sparring with Jingjing, I'll fight you."

Mu Chen was between laughter and tears as he cupped his fists: "Sister, when did you become as fond of teasing people as Master Yao Yao?"

"Learned it from you." Hun Muxiao dropped this sentence and dragged Lin Jing as she strode toward the Martial Arena.

Amidst the laughter filling the hall, Hun Feng leaned against the back of his chair with his teacup, his gaze sweeping over these chattering young people in the main hall one by one, a faint smile appearing at the corners of his mouth.

Cai Lin sat beside him, taking in his self-satisfied expression, and reached out to gently pat the back of his hand under the table, saying nothing.

Qing Yanjing looked at the harmonious scene in the hall, lowered her eyes and took a sip of tea, the curve of her lips gentler than at any other time.

Her Chen'er had married Luo Li, her seven daughters were chattering around the newlyweds, and her husband was sitting right beside her—all of this was so beautiful it felt like the dream she had had for over a decade in that cold Forbidden Hall.

But it was not a dream. This was the home she truly and genuinely possessed.