In a small courtyard within Clearwind Stronghold on Sunrise Peak, deep in the Blackwind Mountains.
Ian Song lay dozing on a lounge chair, two top-grade spirit crystals in his hand, looking utterly relaxed. Beside him, Susie—dressed in a simple white gown—held a novel and read aloud in a soft, melodious voice. Her tone was clear and pleasant, with a gentle, tender quality; just listening was a delight.
Susie was quiet by nature and easily satisfied. A simple word of affection or a small gift could keep her happy for a long time.
Even as her cultivation grew stronger, she still treated Ian as her sky, her everything.
Where else could you find a woman like this?
Just yesterday, Ian had laid everything out and asked Susie if she would be willing to follow him to an unknown world.
Susie didn’t worry about whether she could adapt to a brand new world; she only worried about whether she’d cause trouble for Ian.
This moved Ian deeply, and he held her in his arms for a long, heartfelt moment.
When Ian first met Susie, he was touched by her kindness. Now, he truly loved her to the bone—for a woman like Susie, who could bear to hurt her?
To win the favor of such a woman—what more could you possibly want?
"Chief, there's a woman outside who calls herself Kara Moran and wants to see you!"
Bull Bolton’s arrival broke the peaceful moment. Now an Innate-stage cultivator, Bull’s status in the stronghold was high thanks to surviving hardship with Ian. As his cultivation rose, his confidence grew and his old stutter vanished.
"It's Sister Murong."
Joy lit up Susie's face.
Moments later, Ian and Susie walked to the stronghold’s main gate.
At the stronghold gate.
After more than a year apart, Kara Moran was still dressed in her signature bright red, but her beautiful face showed deep exhaustion and weariness. Clearly, she’d been through a lot since she left.
"Sister Murong!"
"Susie!"
The two women stepped forward at the same time, warmly clasping hands—faces full of genuine emotion. In this world, there was no custom of hugging.
At the welcome banquet, the two women never let go of each other's hands. Their closeness was so obvious that even Ian felt a little jealous.
After the banquet, Susie took Kara Moran to explore Sunrise Peak.
To amuse Susie, Ian had ordered his men to build various amusement facilities on Sunrise Peak—simple swings, seesaws, and even 'space rockets' and 'pirate ships.'
Susie loved flowers.
Ian also opened a garden on the mountain and ordered the Black Heaven Cult Master to collect rare flower species from all over the land. The hundred-acre garden bloomed with a riot of colors all year round, ignoring the constraints of season thanks to Sunrise Peak’s rich spiritual qi.
By evening, Susie and Kara returned to the stronghold together.
"Sister Murong, you and my husband haven’t seen each other in ages. You two should catch up—I'll go make some cakes."
Susie pushed Kara into Ian’s courtyard and dashed off.
"Greetings, Chief."
Kara Moran, a bit nervous, saluted Ian respectfully.
Ian pocketed his top-grade spirit crystals and flashed a playful smile. "When did the fiery Kara Moran become so polite? I much prefer your old, bold style."
Kara blushed, glared at Ian in annoyance, and snapped, "You rotten scholar—still as infuriating as ever! I can't stand your mouth."
Ian burst out laughing.
"What's so funny? Just because you're the Number One Bandit Under Heaven doesn't mean I can't handle you!" Kara grew even more annoyed and drew her sword with a hiss.
"All right, show me how much you've improved this past year!" Ian beckoned with a finger.
The taunting gesture infuriated Kara, and she lunged, sword flashing toward Ian.
Her sword was as swift as lightning, aimed straight for Ian’s shoulder.
Ian nodded in satisfaction—Kara’s cultivation and swordsmanship had improved greatly over the past year.
She’d reached the Innate Third Layer, and her sword now followed her heart.
With a flicker, Ian dodged the attack and appeared behind Kara, patting her shoulder. "Hey, I’m over here."
Kara reacted quickly, kicking back with her leg and reversing her sword for a counter-thrust.
Ian caught her raised leg between his hands and, instead of retreating, stepped in. As Kara turned, she stumbled straight into his arms—soft fragrance and warmth pressed against him.
"...You...!"
Crashing into a strong, masculine embrace, Kara froze, her face instantly flushing red.
"You must've suffered a lot out there." Ian’s gentle voice sounded in her ear, tinged with concern.
For some reason, hearing Ian’s words warmed Kara’s heart, filling her with a sense of being protected. Her eyes grew misty. Since leaving Ian, she’d set out on a path of vengeance, and the past year had been a life-or-death struggle.
Many times she’d been driven to the brink, but whenever she wanted to give up, that infuriating, smirking face would flash through her mind. That was what kept her going until she finally avenged her family.
"None of your business!"
Kara’s tone had softened, even carrying a hint of unconscious coquettishness—though she herself didn’t notice.
Ian’s eyes lit up in surprise; he hadn’t expected this "rouge mare" to act spoiled. He wrapped his arms fully around her.
"W-What are you trying to do? Let go of me!" Kara struggled, but found that the scholar’s embrace seemed almost magical—she couldn’t muster any strength at all.
"Heh, how could I let go of a beauty in my arms? You’ll never escape from me, so just be my stronghold bride!"
"Dream on! I’m not going to be your bride!" Kara retorted, annoyed but secretly delighted.
"That’s not up to you. I’m a bandit, after all!"
Ian sneered, then bent down and kissed Kara on the lips.
"Mmm!"
The moment he kissed her, Kara’s eyes went wide. Instinctively, she swung a fist at Ian’s face.
"Ouch!"
Ian clutched his eye and howled in pain.
Kara froze, then panicked. "Are you okay? I didn’t mean to!"
As the saying goes, concern leads to confusion—there’s no way Kara’s little punch could actually hurt Ian.
"You busted my eye! It hurts so much!" Ian kept up the act.
"Ah, I’m so sorry! I really didn’t mean to!" Kara said, nearly in tears.
"Relax, I’m fine—I was just messing with you!"
Seeing Kara about to cry for real, Ian decided it was enough and dropped his hand from his eye.
"You—you tricked me!"
Furious, Kara turned to leave, but Ian was faster. He grabbed her and pulled her back into his arms, sneering, "Hit me and think you can run? Not so easy!"
With that, Ian pressed a fierce kiss to her cherry lips!