75 - Little Peasant Wife

Though before her death, the spatial ring remained a tightly held secret within the base, known only to a select few, she found herself on the outside. Despite her talents, she lacked the connections and authority to get involved. Spatial rings, she had heard in whispers, required both jade and someone with spatial abilities to create. Initially, jade was overlooked. It was only after the base uncovered its value that there was a frenzied acquisition. By the time she realized its usefulness, jade had all but disappeared from the market. She sighed, gently stroking the stone in her hand, as she tentatively infused it with her wood-based abilities. The jade reacted with nothing more than a faint glow of green; its quality may have improved, but there was no other noticeable change. Disappointment initially crept in, but then a thought sparked with excitement: she could enhance the low-quality jade with her abilities and sell it for a higher price. Even though she wasn't lacking in money now, who would complain about having more? The idea ignited a new resolve in Jing Ao Xue's eyes as she extracted low-grade jade stones from her pouch and infused them with her wood abilities. After she had managed another piece, she noticed that Shen Lü Man had already set up a spirit-gathering formation on the ground. The formation covered an area of no more than forty square meters, encompassing the most rare and expensive herbs among those they'd planted. Dusting herself off, Jing Ao Xue approached and asked, "Is this all it takes?" Shen Lü Man nodded and replied, "If you're curious, you can step inside and try it." Jing Ao Xue cast her a glance before crossing into the formation. Instantly, she felt an immense surge of wood energy permeate her body, rivalling even what she encountered in the mountains. Delighted, she remarked, "Impressive. The herbs should flourish well. Set up a defensive barrier too; I worry children might come over to play and accidentally step on it, ruining our efforts." Agreeing with the sentiment, Shen Lü Man began crafting a basic defensive array. Given limited materials and her current cultivation level, she could only create the most rudimentary protections. By the time they finished one plot, it was nearly noon. Noticing Shen Lü Man's sweat-dappled forehead, Jing Ao Xue suggested, "There's no rush. Let's head home for lunch and continue afterwards." Glancing at the field, Shen Lü Man observed that in just a single morning, the formation's effects hadn't yet manifested visibly. But soon enough, the difference would become clear. Acknowledging it was late, she accompanied Jing Ao Xue back home to prepare their meal. After lunch, they returned to the fields to set up more formations. Jing Ao Xue eventually stopped her, saying, "The other herbs are too far from home and of ordinary quality. There's no need to waste jade on them." Shen Lü Man, not being particularly inclined towards the herbs except for Jing Ao Xue's sake, readily ceased her efforts. That night, as they lay in bed, Jing Ao Xue remarked, "Tomorrow, come with me to the mountains." Half-dozing, Shen Lü Man asked, "For what purpose?" Jing Ao Xue explained, "Now that the fields are taken care of, it's time to focus on cultivation. Even though my spiritual roots are damaged, I can still sense the abundant spiritual energy in the mountains. You'll benefit from training there. Plus, with the spirit-gathering formation, your cultivation will advance more rapidly." Shen Lü Man glanced at her, wanting to provide comfort, but Jing Ao Xue continued, "I also want to try whether I can mend my damaged roots. Thanks to a jade slip left by a golden core cultivator, I've made slight progress, but let's discuss more once we're on the mountain." Buoyed by the possibility, Shen Lü Man eagerly responded, "Really? Your spiritual roots..." Jing Ao Xue chuckled, "Just a feeling, not a certainty. Let's not get too excited. We'll see how things pan out tomorrow." Shen Lü Man nodded in agreement. Watching her eyes sparkle, Jing Ao Xue's heart stirred, leading her to lean in, placing one hand on the pillow behind Shen Lü Man's head and gently caress her cheek with the other, before softly kissing her lips. The tentative gesture made Shen Lü Man stiffen momentarily, then relax entirely. Jing Ao Xue didn’t push further; she simply pulled back, tucked the blanket around Shen Lü Man, kissed her forehead, and settled back, whispering, "Get some rest. Goodnight." Feeling slightly frustrated as Jing Ao Xue truly turned to sleep, Shen Lü Man murmured, "Goodnight." Chapter 48: Strange Fire Jing Ao Xue, owing to her past survival environment, had mastered the skill of falling asleep at any given moment. Yet, Shen Lü Man found herself unable to sleep. She bit her lip, staring wide-eyed at the ceiling, her ears filled with Jing Ao Xue's soft, rhythmic breathing. In complete slumber, Jing Ao Xue neither snored nor made any obvious sounds; so soft and steady was her breathing that it was nearly imperceptible unless one listened closely. Turning her head, Shen Lü Man confirmed that Jing Ao Xue was indeed deep asleep. For two consecutive nights, she expected something more from Jing Ao Xue, having mentally prepared herself to reciprocate if prompted even slightly. Yet, Jing Ao Xue behaved as pure as untouched paper—simple lip-to-lip kisses with no further exploration. While Shen Lü Man felt reassured by this restraint, she couldn't help but question her own appearance. Could it be that she wasn't attractive enough, or perhaps something was wrong with her physique, making Jing Ao Xue maintain her saintly composure? Lowering her eyes, Shen Lü Man pulled the blanket up to hide her cheeks. Among the demon tribe, she wasn't considered top-tier in beauty, though she wasn't unattractive either. On entering the human domain of the cultivation world, her distinctive features initially caused her trouble, leading her to conceal her natural looks, adopting a face with only sixty percent of her original beauty. This face, over time, matured into her current appearance. However, it still wasn’t her true self, but it served well enough to avoid excessive attention and trouble among humans. Over time, she’d fully adapted to this visage. Now, touching her own cheeks, she quietly rose from bed, moving to a mirror. Gently, she ran her hand over her face, causing a shimmering green aura to peel away, revealing a more alluring face in the mirror. Her features were sharper, with larger eyes, a straighter nose, and redder lips—traits more striking and pronounced than common human softness; a signature of the demon tribe's more bold and vivid beauty. Her cheeks and forehead bore markings associated with the vine demons, which easily identified her as a half-demon. Complete demons, who could fully transform, would present entirely human appearances. She traced the glowing green patterns on her face. Through the lens of the demons, these were marks of a lesser status; to humans, they marked her as an outsider, a monster. Being half-demon was an awkward identity, rejected by both humans and demons alike. If it weren’t for her father... But no matter, she thought, lowering her gaze and wiping her face again, restoring the green aura. She didn't want to dwell on her past in the demon tribe; after leaving, she'd been exiled, severing her ties with them. It was senseless to blame her looks. Reflecting more, she realized Jing Ao Xue's past distaste for women could be a barrier. Such a psychological obstacle wouldn’t dissolve easily. Perhaps in time, when Jing Ao Xue truly opened her heart, they could address it. She was, after all, part vine demon—lacking the mating seasons of beast-type demons, with little in the way of physical urges. Her worry stemmed largely from uncertainty about Jing Ao Xue's feelings. Returning to bed, Jing Ao Xue’s hand instinctively sought her out. Half-asleep, she murmured, "Where did you go?" Shen Lü Man turned, saying, "I was thirsty. Had some water. Sleep well." Jing Ao Xue mumbled an acknowledgment, slipping back into slumber, her hand remaining atop Shen Lü Man. Smiling softly at her sleeping face, Shen Lü Man returned Jing Ao Xue's hand under the blanket and closed her eyes to sleep. The following morning, after breakfast, Jing Ao Xue said, "Darling, pack up. We’re heading up the mountain soon." Liu Er, busy feeding her two little pets, curiously asked, "Mother, why are we going to the mountain?" Shen Lü Man went to fetch hunting tools, realizing they were low on meat. It was an opportunity to hunt some game for Jing Ao Xue's enjoyment. Approaching Liu Er, Jing Ao Xue explained, "We're just going to have a look. Would you like to come along, Liu Er?" Considering for a moment, Liu Er shook her head. "No, I'm going to visit Sister Meng Qiu." Amused at Liu Er feeding the bunnies, Jing Ao Xue commented, "You’ve made those bunnies quite plump." Giggling, Liu Er replied, "Yes, Da Bai has a great appetite." Of course, his appetite was great—Jing Ao Xue rolled her eyes internally, thinking the creature was constantly munching, reminiscent of a pig being fattened for market. Fortunately, these weren’t end times or she might actualize the thought of turning that plump rabbit into stew. Unwilling to dwell further, she glanced at the large horse standing quietly. Since recovering from its injuries, the horse mostly remained reserved, its long white lashes drooping thoughtfully. Yet, whenever Liu Er was home, it always approached, causing Liu Er to laugh heartily. Just for that, Jing Ao Xue felt Liu Er’s purchase of the horse was well worth it. With tools in hand, Shen Lü Man joined them. Jing Ao Xue urged, "Alright, let's go. Liu Er, remember to come home for lunch." Nodding obediently, Liu Er discarded the grass for Da Bai before heading to the yard with Xiao Bai. Sitting nearby, she sensed Xiao Bai seemed unusually distracted, gazing towards the mountains between bites. Frowning, Liu Er asked, "Xiao Bai, do you want to go to the mountain?" Xiao Bai turned, nodding in response. At her young age, Liu Er didn’t grasp that her intelligent horse marked it as an anomaly among humans; she simply felt proud of Xiao Bai’s cleverness. Seeing his nod, Liu Er looked towards the mountain. She longed to accompany her mother during hunts but was warned of mountain dangers. Yet, with both mother and Jing Ao Xue there, a quick pursuit might let her catch up. However, aware of her vulnerability, she knew encountering a ferocious beast would distress her mother.