Chapter 97: Five Years of Quiet Happiness

In his room, with his two wives beside him, the air still hummed faintly from his earlier confession. Yet as the silence settled, Gu Yuan felt an unexpected lightness in his chest.

Was it because he had finally told them about his previous life? No. If he was honest, it was more because he had told them about his previous relationship.

Not to mention, Ji Yue might have appeared upset, but Gu Yuan knew how to appease her.

"Do you know where the mortal world Gu Yuan came from might be?" Ji Yan suddenly asked her sister.

"I can’t be sure yet." Ji Yue shook her head. "But I’ll look into it."

It seemed the Myriad Fate Empress’s list of priorities had undergone some changes. Gu Yuan, however, paid little attention to that. He moved closer to Ji Yue, his hands finding their way to her clothes as he began to undress her, enjoying the softness of her body beneath his touch.

They had only just married, and he still hadn’t had enough of them. Not only did he want to indulge in their company longer, he also wanted to savor the closeness they shared and the intimacy of being together. Their honeymoon wasn’t over yet, as far as he was concerned.

-----

Two weeks later.

Instead of remaining indoors, Gu Yuan stood in the side courtyard adjoining the palace, cooking over a simple stove. The twins sat nearby, watching him with the wide-eyed curiosity of children at a street performance.

Apparently, despite being millions of years old, neither of the two Immortal Empresses knew how to cook.

How was that even possible? Gu Yuan had no idea.

Regardless, since he hadn’t been able to prepare a proper wedding gift for them, he decided to cheat his way, with a meal.

Cooking demonic beast meat was beyond his skills, so he settled for the next best thing. He went to the Outer Sect, bringing an ordinary hen, along with the rest of the ingredients.

Stir-fried Vegetables with Thin-Sliced Meat. When it was done, the warmth of a home-cooked meal seemed to rise from the dish itself along with the steam, and he set it down before them.

They stared at the food for a moment before finally taking a bite. Gu Yuan watched them expectantly, waiting for their reactions.

He didn’t get the amazed response he’d been hoping for, but before long, Ji Yan looked at him and asked, "Do you have more?"

"Naturally." Gu Yuan nodded with a smile and served her another plate.

"So, how is it?" he asked Ji Yue.

"It’s good."

"Only good?"

"...Very good."

Gu Yuan had never been a Michelin-starred chef in his past life. He knew his cooking was modest at best. He was only teasing her, so hearing her praise made him genuinely happy.

"Husband, why don’t you cook every day from now on?" Ji Yan suddenly demanded.

Gu Yuan chuckled. "Every day is a bit much. How about every now and then?"

"That works, too."

The two Immortal Empresses seemed surprisingly down-to-earth. Their usual dignity was nowhere to be seen. At that moment, they were simply two beautiful wives enjoying a meal prepared by their husband.

Gu Yuan genuinely treasured these ordinary moments with them. For someone who had wanted nothing more than a quiet life, there was something deeply satisfying about sharing such simple happiness with the two women beside him.

Unfortunately, his sweet time with them was soon interrupted. Not by strangers, but by his master Luo Yunjin, accompanied by Ruxi.

Ji Yue invited them into the courtyard, and as soon as Luo Yunjin arrived, she looked as though she had been struck on the head.

Mortal food, laid out before her master and martial aunt. It was the last thing she had expected to see. Whether Ruxi thought the same was unclear, though she, too, seemed a little taken aback.

Nevertheless, Luo Yunjin kept her thoughts to herself and simply greeted the twins respectfully.

When her eyes landed on Gu Yuan, she was about to greet him with the same respect, but he quickly stopped her.

"Please continue to treat me as usual, Master."

At his words, Ji Yan stifled a laugh, but Gu Yuan ignored her.

"Understood," Luo Yunjin said with a slow nod, and turned her attention back to Ji Yue to report on some sect matters.

"All the guests who had been staying in the sect have left, and I plan to close the teleportation array. What do you think, Sect Master?"

"Do as you see fit." Ji Yue casually waved her hand. "I don’t plan to interfere much in the sect’s affairs from now on. Unless something truly important comes up, you can handle everything yourself."

Luo Yunjin looked troubled, unsure which problems she should still bring forward and which she shouldn’t.

Seizing the moment, Ruxi spoke. "Madam, should I prepare some food for you, if you feel like eating?"

"No need." Ji Yue shook her head. "Since you’re here and wish to fulfill your duties as a maid, look after the place. There isn’t much for you to do, but you can clean whenever necessary."

Ruxi bowed humbly before excusing herself.

Ji Yue then turned back to Luo Yunjin. "So, what problems do you consider pressing enough to bring to my attention?"

"That’s..." Luo Yunjin hesitated, still uncertain about where to begin.

So much had happened over the past few years. There had been the war, the incorporation of numerous cultivation sects and clans into the Black Desolation Sect, and now the wedding of the sect master. Other forces from different regions had also begun paying attention to the sect. Not everything had gone smoothly, and plenty of matters still required her attention.

Yet none of that was the real difficulty. The problem was deciding which matters were important enough to trouble Ji Yue with and which she should resolve herself. Luo Yunjin wasn’t entirely confident that she could handle every situation perfectly, especially now that her master had made it clear she intended to step back from the sect’s affairs.

Gu Yuan watched her struggle for a moment before deciding that this was a good time to make a tactical retreat. He took Ji Yan with him, leaving the two women alone.

What followed was a digestive exercise that lasted far longer than any digestion required. By the end of it, Gu Yuan felt he had played enough. After nearly three weeks of near non-stop indulgence, it was time to return to his old schedule of cultivation and practice.

He decided to start by refining the Yin Essence the twins had given him.

He had a tub prepared and drained the vial into the water. At once, the clear water bloomed into a faint crimson, like peach blossoms spreading through a pond. He sank into it and began to absorb the Yin Essence.

Most of its benefits flowed into his body, and only a small part went into his cultivation. Even so, the results were impressive.

By the time he finished refining the Yin Essence, Gu Yuan had reached the Third Stage of the Spiritual Core Realm. His physical strength had also grown tremendously. Even without relying on his cultivation, his body alone was now powerful enough to defeat any Foundation Establishment cultivator. He might even be able to contend with an early Golden Core cultivator.

Feeling the strength coursing through his body, Gu Yuan couldn’t help smiling.

Is this how body cultivators feel?

Physical strength was far more straightforward than a cultivator’s spiritual power. There were no complicated techniques to circulate or subtle fluctuations to sense. He could simply feel the power in his muscles and the toughness of his body.

For some reason, that made him even happier than his cultivation progress.

With that done, he resumed his usual routine.

He practiced his techniques, both his movement technique and his saber techniques. He continued studying forging and array formation, with Ji Yue occasionally helping him with the latter. Naturally, he also kept up with his cultivation.

His days settled into a comfortable rhythm. Sometimes, he would visit the twins in their rooms. At other times, one of them would come to him alone, or both would arrive together. He also occasionally cooked for them, much to their satisfaction.

Nothing particularly dramatic happened during those days. Gu Yuan cultivated, practiced his skills, spent time with his wives, and enjoyed the quiet life he had always wanted.

Like that, five years passed.