Su Wen gently held little Suzume in his palm, bringing her closer to his face. His voice was soft and curious.
"Do you have any other powers?"
Little Suzume perched confidently in his hand, one tiny feather resting on her waist and another on her chin as she tapped it thoughtfully. After a brief pause, she grinned.
"Alright… I'll show you."
She flicked her feathers like a gangster boss, and in an instant, all three of them vanished from the dining table, only to reappear at the Lakeside Lodge. Another flick of her feathers transported them near the farm, and yet again, they returned to the dining table. Su Wen and Du Yue were left completely stunned.
Both of them gaped in disbelief, mouths slightly open and eyes wide, struggling to process what had just happened. Du Yue clutched Su Wen's arm, still trembling slightly from the sudden shifts, while Su Wen's eyebrows shot up in sheer astonishment.
Su Wen remained silent for a moment, staring at her smug little face with a mixture of awe and disbelief. Forcing himself to calm down, he gently patted her head and said softly, "You are amazing, little Suzume, but you mustn't reveal this power to anyone. It could be very dangerous if someone with ill intentions finds out."
The little sparrow nodded and said confidently,
"Don't worry, dumb Su Wen… I can tell you two because you're my only family, after all. I trust you."
She even put on an emotional act, lightly patting his head like a caring aunt. Yet in her heart, she thought smugly,
'Chirp. Unless someone at your grandparents' level shows up, I might have to lift a finger or two… hmph, hehehe.'
Both Su Wen and Du Yue felt warmth spread through their hearts. They gently stroked her feathers and cuddled her without restraint. After a brief exchange of glances, they decided that starting today, she would receive an extra sweet candy as a bonus.
The little sparrow let out a happy giggle, clearly very satisfied.
Little Suzume raised her feather like a goddess and gently placed it on Su Wen's forehead, as if bestowing him a blessing.
"Chirp. Dumb Su Wen, I will give you the authority to teleport anywhere within this mountain, and I will also grant you the authority to link its gate to wherever you go…"
She flicked her feathers lightly for emphasis.
"The mountain is fixed in space and void, so you can choose to hide or reveal it anywhere you wish. But remember, once you update the entry or exit location, you won't be able to revert it to the previous place."
She flicked her wings with an adorably serious expression.
"—Chirp. If any outsider steps into the mountain, their cultivation will be sealed, and they will become no different from mortals. With the authority, you'll be able to scan the entire mountain with a single thought, like a ruler surveying his domain. You may also allow others to live and cultivate here normally… unless you decide otherwise."
A cool sensation seeped into Su Wen's mind. His vision blurred, and in the next instant, he found himself floating within a boundless, dark void.
Before him hovered a tiny golden-brown sparrow, glowing faintly like a guiding star.
He looked around… there was nothing but endless darkness. Acting on instinct, he raised his hand and gently patted the little bird's head. The moment his fingers brushed against her feathers, the world snapped back into place.
Not even a breath had passed.
Du Yue, standing beside him, hadn't noticed a thing. Yet Su Wen felt it clearly… something profound had taken root within him.
This entire mountain… it felt like his domain, responding to his will.
To test it, he waved his hand lazily.
In the next instant, Du Yue vanished from where she stood and reappeared directly in his arms. She let out a soft gasp, her eyes widening in surprise.
Su Wen lifted her chin gently and kissed her, unhurried and tender, savouring the warmth of her lips and the calm that washed over him. When he finally pulled back, a faint smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth as he whispered,
"What an amazing power…"
Little Suzume punched his head with her feathers.
"—Chirp! Dumb Su Wen, this is the first thing you used your new ability for?!"
Du Yue giggled in his arms, though she didn't deny enjoying it at all.
Su Wen lightly tapped his finger against her forehead, silently granting her permission to make use of the mountain's powers as well.
Du Yue didn't think much of it. She simply smiled, relaxed, and nestled deeper into her husband's chest.
"Alright, back to business," Su Wen sighed, weary from everything that had happened since he left the mountain yesterday.
He took out the spoils collected the previous day from the five foolish cultivators who had tried to ambush them…only to meet their end at the hands of an enraged Du Yue, who had cut them apart like vegetables.
He first inspected the storage rings belonging to the Peak Foundation Establishment cultivators. Each ring contained three Mid-Grade Tier-3 spirit herbs, several spiritual pills, and a few low-level cultivation techniques. Aside from these, there was nothing particularly noteworthy.
He then opened the remaining rings. As expected, there was even less inside… only a handful of Mid-Grade 2 spirit herbs and several spirit stones. He stored the spirit stones away for his own cultivation and set the rest aside, already losing interest.
"Poor… only six Mid-Grade 3 Spirit Herbs, twenty-seven Mid-Grade Spirit Stones, and a few low-quality swords," he muttered. "Wife, it looks like they were preparing to break through to the Golden Core realm. These resources might have been enough for them, but they're far from sufficient for you."
"I'll refine spiritual pills from these herbs. They should be enough to support your cultivation until next month. As for the spirit stones, I'll keep them and exchange them for better resources."
He paused, his expression turning serious.
"Let's work hard until you break through to the Golden Core realm. Below Golden Core, all are ants. The gap between Foundation Establishment and Golden Core is like heaven and earth. No matter how talented a cultivator is, a Foundation Establishment cultivator can never defeat a true Golden Core expert."
"The Golden Core realm is the peak of mortal life," he continued softly. "It's the moment a cultivator gets rid of their mortal shackles with the help of Heavenly Tribulation and reaches the end of their mortal existence…"
He looked at her deeply.
"So I want you to reach the Golden Core realm. Just in case one day I run into trouble that I can't resolve with my own strength… I want to be able to rely on you."
After a brief silence, he added quietly,
"I have a feeling we'll be leaving this place soon…"
Du Yue, who had been listening quietly, instantly felt a multitude of emotions surge through her. Her expressions shifted rapidly, like passing clouds.
With a faintly cold smile, she thought to herself, 'Husband gave all these pills to me so I can cultivate faster and become stronger. He's depending on me to protect him from the scum outside. Husband is leaving everything to me…'
That smile slowly softened, then grew radiant.
'He always thinks about me first. I won't disappoint him! I have to be a virtuous wife and become stronger… to become his sword. If I'm not strong enough, how can I make Husband's wishes become Heaven's will?'
A faintly drooling smile crept onto her lips.
'Hehehe… I'm so happy… He cares so much about me. He kisses me. He loves me.'
Her eyes sparkled as excitement welled up inside her.
'We'll be leaving? Now that I think about it, he's right. If we want to grow stronger, we'll have to leave the Eastern Continent…'
She hugged herself slightly, grinning foolishly.
'And he said we'll be going together… which means he's not abandoning me. Hehehe… I'm so happy.'
"Yes, husband, leave everything to me," she replied with a calm smile.
Su Wen looked at her beautiful, adorable face, like that of a fairy. She first gave a cold smile, then her expression softened into a radiant smile. Excitement welled up inside her, forming an excited smile, and finally, thinking of leaving together with him, she broke into a foolish smile, innocent and blissful.
Su Wen let out a sigh and said with exasperation,
"Wife, what goes on in your little brain that makes you change so many expressions? Don't think too much, otherwise, it will overheat."
He pulled her closer and gently kissed her on the forehead.
Du Yue blushed like a ripe tomato and murmured,
"Mmmm, yes, husband… you are right… but you can cool it down with a kiss."