The silence of the crafting realm was broken only by the faint hum of energy pulsing through the air. Tianzun sat cross-legged, his breathing calm, his body wrapped in a soft glow as streams of qi coiled around him. After hours of cultivation, he slowly exhaled, the lingering haze of power dispersing into the chamber.
A flicker of light appeared beside him—Ling Yuan, ever watchful and ever sharp-tongued.
"You practice like an old hermit, Master," Ling Yuan teased, arms crossed as his incorporeal form drifted lazily in the air. "One would think you're trying to bore the heavens themselves."
Tianzun opened his eyes and gave a faint smirk. "And you complain like an old wife. If I don't cultivate, you'll call me lazy. If I do, you say I'm boring. Which is it?"
Ling Yuan laughed, the sound echoing across the chamber. "Fair point. Still, you should spend less time glaring at jade slips and more time enjoying life. The world outside doesn't pause just because you hide here."
Their banter went back and forth for a while, lighthearted and filled with small jests, until finally Tianzun waved him away. "Enough, I'll consider your advice. Now let me return to the clan before you start nagging about that too."
Leaving the crafting realm behind, Tianzun returned to the Xiao Clan. The afternoon sun washed over the training ground, where disciples and clan members sparred with one another. Among them, Xun'er stood out like a flame in the dark, her golden eyes sharp with focus, her movements elegant yet fierce. Tianzun lingered at the audience seats, quietly observing her.
He had no intention of disturbing her training, but when Xun'er finished her routine and caught sight of him, her expression softened. She walked toward him, a mischievous smile tugging at her lips.
"Tian," she called, her tone playful and teasing.
Tianzun raised an eyebrow, a rare smile flickering across his face. "So, after all these years, you finally call me Tian?"
Xun'er tilted her head and chuckled. "Do you have any problem with it?"
He shook his head slowly. "No. I was just wondering why it took you so long."
"Then from now on," she said with mock seriousness, "I'll keep calling you that."
Their laughter mingled as they walked together. Tianzun brushed a loose strand of her hair behind her ear, his touch gentle. Xun'er's cheeks warmed, and her heartbeat quickened, though she tried to maintain her calm. Her chest rose and fell with a rhythm she could not control, and Tianzun, amused, let a teasing smile play across his lips.
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" she muttered.
"Of course," he replied simply.
Unable to hold back her embarrassment, she pouted, then suddenly bolted after him as he stepped back with a grin. The two of them ran across the Xiao Clan grounds, laughter echoing between the walls. Tianzun deliberately restrained his strength, relying only on his Meteoric Break Step footwork to keep just out of her reach.
From the clan market to the edge of the forest, they darted past startled onlookers until finally they found themselves at the clearing where they had once fought side by side. The air here carried traces of old memories, unspoken yet vivid.
Tianzun leaned against a tree, catching his breath in mock exhaustion. Xun'er, however, wasn't finished. She rose into the air, golden energy swirling around her as she prepared a playful strike. Tianzun glanced up at her, then lifted his hand in surrender before she even attacked.
"I admit defeat," he said calmly, his tone laced with amusement.
She descended with a laugh. "You didn't even try to stop me."
Later, the two sat side by side atop a mountain, gazing at the starlit sky. The quiet stretched comfortably between them until Xun'er finally asked, "You could have stopped my attack back then. Why didn't you?"
Inside, she already knew the answer, but her heart wanted to hear his reason.
Tianzun smirked and teased, "Why would I? There's no need to show off in front of my future wife."
Her cheeks turned crimson, and before she could retort, he chuckled and suddenly leapt to his feet, dashing down the slope with a mischievous laugh.
"Catch me if you can," he called.
Xun'er stood for a heartbeat, torn between embarrassment and delight, then ran after him once more, their laughter trailing into the night.