Xu Ping’an’s arms, wrapped around her, paused ever so slightly.
The voice of the woman in his embrace was muffled, carrying a softness that bordered on yielding, yet it was like the finest of needles, piercing precisely through the facade of calm he struggled to maintain.
Lowering his eyes, his gaze fell upon Pei Qingxuan’s raven-black hair, where, between the strands, the faintly visible nape of her pale neck was now slightly tense.
He didn’t answer immediately, only tightened his hold around her.
With his other hand, he gently, almost tenderly, stroked her back, soothing the little cat nestled in his arms.
“So you saw through me?”
He finally spoke, his voice lower than before, with less forced lightness, replaced by a helpless affection and indulgence.
“I thought I’d ponder it on my own for a while, didn’t want to disturb your cultivation.”
Pei Qingxuan shook her head in his embrace, not lifting her face.
Her voice remained muffled, but clearer now, with a hint of nasal tone:
“If I couldn’t even notice this much of your mood, how could I ever be your… Confidante?”
The words “Confidante” came from her lips softer and more intimate than even “wife”.
A gentle tickle stirred the softest part of Xu Ping’an’s heart.
How could he not know her sharpness and sensitivity?
It was just that, this matter was tangled and complex, and it involved her too deeply.
For a moment, he hadn’t figured out how to tell her without making her worry.
“It’s just a small problem.”
He chose his words carefully, not concealing everything.
“The ‘grand phenomenon’ you mentioned… there’s something unclean entangled within, causing some trouble.”
“How much trouble?”
Pei Qingxuan finally lifted her head, her eyes slightly red, yet bright and clear as she looked straight into his, refusing to be brushed off.
“Is it… the kind of trouble that’s really bad for the Nation’s Destiny?”
She asked directly, and Xu Ping’an knew there was no avoiding it. He nodded, but kept his tone deliberately light:
“Mm, it’s a bit of a bother, but in this world, is there any trouble your Husband can’t resolve? It just needs a little more thought and caution.”
He didn’t say “the Nation’s Destiny is exhausted,” nor mention anything as alarming as the “Wu Tribe,” and avoided analyzing the hopeless grand forces at play between Heaven and Earth.
He simply described it as “a problem that needs some careful solving.”
This intentional understatement loosened Pei Qingxuan’s tightly-strung nerves a little, but his certainty—that he could handle all things—warmed her heart and deepened her trust even more.
“That… the thing entangling it, is it very powerful?”
She followed his tone, unconsciously drawing closer to him, soaking up his warmth and reassuring aura.
“It’s got a bit of a background.”
Xu Ping’an held her, idly twirling a lock of her hair between his fingers, as if merely chatting about the weather.
“But no matter how fierce, it’s still just a dead thing, or something manipulated by others. Find the key, and there’s always a way to deal with it.”
He skirted around its true origin, only emphasizing that it could be resolved.
Listening to his calm, unhurried tone, and seeing that though his brow was thoughtful, it wasn’t clouded, the heavy stone pressing on Pei Qingxuan’s heart seemed to shift.
Yes, he was her Husband, the one who always managed to work miracles.
The matter of Dragon Qi was indeed grave, but if he said so, perhaps… things truly weren’t at their worst yet?
“So, have you thought of any solutions?”
She asked, unconsciously tinged with hope, like a girl waiting to hear an answer from her all-capable husband, looking at him with complete trust.
Xu Ping’an saw the light return to her eyes and his heart softened.
The heavy gloom he’d felt after witnessing the sorry state of the Dragon Qi was eased by the reliance shining in her gaze.
He lowered his head, gently bumping his forehead against hers, their noses almost touching, breath mingling.
“As for solutions, there’s always a way.”
He curled his lips, revealing a sly, doting smile.
“But, I might need a little help from my Sect Leader’s wife.”
“What kind of help?”
Pei Qingxuan immediately asked. As long as she could help him, she’d never refuse.
“First, I need to borrow the Floating Cloud Sect’s ‘eyes’ and ‘ears’ to investigate whether there’s been anything particularly strange or sinister happening in secret over the past few decades—especially anything to do with Ancient Secret Techniques or Yin Evil Formations.”
Xu Ping’an said. This was, indeed, a necessary step in tracking down clues.
“That’s easy. I’ll send out orders in a bit and have every branch and our intelligence network conduct a thorough check.”
Pei Qingxuan nodded in agreement.
For someone who commanded a whole sect, this was no difficult matter.
“Second…”
Xu Ping’an’s smile deepened, with a hint of teasing. “I might need my lady to offer a bit of…”
Pei Qingxuan blinked. “Blood?”
“Not real blood.”
Xu Ping’an couldn’t help but laugh, pinching her nose.
“I just want to borrow some ‘stones’ and ‘Ancient Jade’ from your Vault of Sect—preferably those that are old and full of pure spiritual energy. Your Husband plans to tinker with a little something to see if we can trip up that ‘clingy thing’ a bit.”
He made it sound light, as if just building a toy.
But Pei Qingxuan knew that any ‘little something’ in his mouth was never so simple.
Still, she didn’t hesitate at all:
“The key to the sect’s secret vault is with me. Whatever you need, just take it. If it’s not there, I’ll send word to have the branches gather it. With all the rare treasures under heaven, we’re sure to find a few.”
Such unconditional trust and support filled Xu Ping’an with a gentle warmth.
He tightened his arms, holding her fully in his embrace, his chin resting on the crown of her head as he whispered softly:
“With a wife like you, what more could a husband ask?”
Held tightly in his arms, Pei Qingxuan listened to the steady beat of his heart and felt the weight of his words.
The dread and chill brought by the words ‘Dragon Qi’ were completely dispelled by the warmth of his embrace and his easy manner.
She even began to believe, perhaps things really weren’t so bad after all. With him here, everything would turn out fine.
“What about the third thing?”
She asked quietly from within his embrace, her tone back to its usual coolness, but tinged with a subtle tenderness.
“The third…”
Xu Ping’an drew out his words, deliberately keeping her in suspense, until she wriggled in his arms in mock impatience.
Only then did he smile and go on.
“The third is that I may have to trouble you, my lady, to act as my Array Core from time to time.”
“Array Core?”
Pei Qingxuan looked up in confusion.
“Mm.” Xu Ping’an nodded, his eyes filled with appreciation and a hint of mischief.
“My wife’s cultivation is profound, your sword heart is clear, your true spirit pure—you’re the perfect person to channel and harmonize spiritual energy. For some precise arrangements, with you guiding by my side, we’ll get twice the results with half the effort.”
Half of this was true, half was just teasing.
Sure enough, the moment Pei Qingxuan realized she could help directly, her eyes shone even brighter, with a faint eagerness:
“What do you need me to do? Just tell me.”
Seeing her like this, Xu Ping’an couldn’t help but lower his head and plant a resounding kiss on her smooth forehead:
“No rush. Let me sort out my plan and draw up the diagrams, then I’ll teach you myself. When the time comes, my lady must learn with all your heart.”
Pei Qingxuan’s cheeks grew slightly warm at his kiss, but she didn’t dodge, instead pressing her lips into a gentle smile—a smile like melting snow, carrying a warmth belonging only to him:
“All right.”
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