Chapter 9

The second time was clearly much smoother than the first. Xiao Xihe had somewhat grasped the techniques of how to kneel and exert force, and it didn’t hurt as much either. Compared to the first time, it was relatively easier, but—

Why was it suddenly taking so long?

At first, Xiao Xihe secretly prided herself on her natural talent, but slowly, that pride faded. By the latter half, she was gradually falling apart.

“…Demon Lord, aren’t you done yet?” she sobbed.

Xie Zhaixing’s back was rigidly tense, his expression somewhat strained. Even his breathing was scorching hot as he spoke: “Shouldn’t I be the one asking? Why is it taking so long this time?”

With that one sentence, Xiao Xihe realized the truth—he was a virgin. Choking back tears, she reluctantly gave him a crash course in physiology: “Generally speaking… this is normal, um, but you can still somewhat control the timing yourself…”

Xie Zhaixing’s temple throbbed: “How?”

Tears welling in her eyes, Xiao Xihe swayed slightly, thinking for a long moment before tentatively suggesting, “Could you… move too?”

Xie Zhaixing: “…”

“…If it’s just me, I don’t know when this will end,” Xiao Xihe whimpered, on the verge of crying again.

Xie Zhaixing took a deep breath, stiffened for a long while, then finally moved his hips slightly.

“Mmm…”

An entirely different, peculiar sensation instantly surged through her. Xiao Xihe couldn’t suppress a muffled moan, quickly covering her mouth afterward, afraid of provoking Xie Zhaixing’s disgust.

Xie Zhaixing didn’t notice her reaction, but his breathing grew even heavier. A certain emotion akin to losing control threatened to erupt but was forcefully suppressed by him.

At all times, he despised losing control. So once he regained some composure, he intended to shove the woman off him, but—

“Demon Lord, hurry up…” Xiao Xihe urged pitifully, her nose red from crying.

Xie Zhaixing clenched his fists but ultimately obliged.

The not-so-sturdy bed creaked and swayed for a while before finally coming to a stop. Sniffling, Xiao Xihe climbed off him and curled up by the bedside as before, absorbing the Elixir Sun. By the time it was all over, Xie Zhaixing had already vanished.

…Just like a middle-aged man who couldn’t perform well, nitpicking every time he had to fulfill his duty. Rubbing her sore waist, Xiao Xihe mused that while she didn’t have the energy for a second round, it didn’t stop her from silently mocking him.

Though these two sessions were but a drop in the bucket for detoxification, they at least delayed the onset of the Gu Poison by two or three months. Moreover, the cultivation strengthened her body and improved her constitution, so she wasn’t in too much of a hurry anymore.

To avoid giving the Demon Lord the impression that she was just using him as a tool, Xiao Xihe decided to treat him even better. As for the remaining hundreds of sessions, she would take her time with them.

The first way to treat him better was to put more effort into cooking for him. Before, when preparing meals, she had relied on the fact that this world was a culinary wasteland and Xie Zhaixing had never experienced anything truly delicious, so she had been somewhat perfunctory. But now, every meal was up to the standard of four dishes and a soup, with the occasional small barbecue.

Xie Zhaixing naturally noticed her increased effort, though he never praised her for it—at most, he simply ate a bit more than before.

For Xiao Xihe, that was enough.

The second way to treat him better was to help improve his living conditions.

Although Xie Zhaixing lived in the only spot in Shady Valley where one could see the sky, sleeping under the open heavens wasn’t exactly conducive to good health. To ensure he maintained a robust physique, she decided to follow through on her earlier idea and make him a simple little tent.

It was easy enough—just a piece of waterproof fabric to create a small sheltered space, ensuring he wouldn’t get drenched by rain or battered by wind, with a bed laid out for sleeping.

Xiao Xihe spent the entire morning setting it up, even picking a bouquet of flowers to place beside the tent. Then she turned to Xie Zhaixing with a proud grin. “How is it?”

Xie Zhaixing: “Great. It can be used from life all the way to death.”

Xiao Xihe deliberately ignored the tent’s resemblance to a burial mound. “…I knew you’d like it. Come try the bedding, see if it’s comfortable.”

Xie Zhaixing didn’t move.

“I’ll make you egg tarts,” Xiao Xihe coaxed.

Xie Zhaixing glanced at her but still walked over and sat on the bed.

The bed was layered with two quilts, making it soft and plush.

Just one look at his expression told Xiao Xihe he was satisfied. Beaming, she said, “Since you don’t hate it, sleep in the tent from now on. No more waking up drenched in dew… Speaking of which, where do you usually wash your clothes?”

Xiao Xihe suddenly grew curious about Xie Zhaixing’s personal life.

She knew Shady Valley was damp, so before coming, she had packed plenty of Soap Dust Beads. Whenever her clothes got dirty, she’d crush one, and the spiritual energy-infused bead would instantly clean them.

But when Xie Zhaixing was sealed here, he surely hadn’t brought anything like Soap Dust Beads, right?

“…Wait, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you change clothes,” Xiao Xihe murmured, leaning in to sniff him. “Not a trace of sweat. How do you stay clean?”

Xie Zhaixing lazily raised a hand, pushing away the little dog-like sniffing figure clinging to him, and answered plainly, “Dust Removal Spell.”

Xiao Xihe laughed. “Who are you trying to fool? Shady Valley is riddled with barriers—you don’t have an ounce of cultivation here. How could you possibly use the Dust Removal Spell?”

Every barrier and seal in Shady Valley was the painstaking work of the World of Cultivation’s great masters. If the seal hadn’t weakened thirty years later, he wouldn’t have been able to leave, let alone cast spells now.

Seeing Xiao Xihe’s disbelief, Xie Zhaixing couldn’t be bothered to explain further and simply ordered, “Go bake the egg tarts.”

“Right away!” Xiao Xihe chirped, turning to leave—only to pause halfway and shamelessly circle back. “I’ll also make you a pizza. Let’s cultivate together tonight, okay?”

“You think this is paying for services?” Xie Zhaixing scoffed in amusement.

“I’ll throw in a pair of honey-glazed chicken wings.”

Xie Zhaixing: “…”

That night, Xiao Xihe got her wish and cultivated, sniffling and sobbing in her deluxe tent for half the night.

After this, the two reached an unspoken agreement. Whenever Xiao Xihe made a few extra dishes and approached Xie Zhaixing with a pleading look, he would automatically stay the night, rocking and rolling until the wee hours.

The only imperfection was that no matter how many times they did it, Xie Zhaixing insisted on the same position every time, his thin lips pressed tight and brows furrowed as if enduring torture. It often made Xiao Xihe feel like she was forcing herself on him. If *The Immortal Venerable and the Demon Lord’s Decisive Battle at Kunlun Summit* hadn’t been a romance novel, she might’ve seriously questioned Xie Zhaixing’s orientation.

The two of them stumbled along, and life went on like this. Having stayed in Shady Valley for so long, Xiao Xihe had almost forgotten the outside world, feeling only that the days in the mountains were long, with everything smooth and unhurried.  

One morning, a series of crackling explosions suddenly sounded in the distance. Xiao Xihe jolted awake and rushed outside without even putting on her shoes. When she dashed out of the tent, she unexpectedly locked eyes with Xie Zhaixing, who was having breakfast.  

The two fell silent for a moment. Xie Zhaixing raised an eyebrow. “Is a dog chasing you?”  

Xiao Xihe was both startled and confused. “…I think something exploded.”  

As soon as she finished speaking, another round of crackling echoed outside the valley, sounding just like…  

“That’s called firecrackers,” Xie Zhaixing said, as if looking at an idiot. “You’ve never seen firecrackers before?”  

“…Of course I have,” Xiao Xihe snapped out of it. “But why are they setting them off?”  

“Because it’s New Year’s Eve.”  

Xiao Xihe froze. “New Year’s Eve already…” She had been in this world for nearly half a year.  

Xie Zhaixing glanced at her frost-reddened toes, continuing his meal with a mocking tone. “These Immortal Sects claim to be above worldly affairs, yet they’re still a bunch of vulgar fools. When it comes to mortal festivals, they can’t resist their innate love for bustle. Truly—”  

Before he could finish, Xiao Xihe had already pulled out a string of firecrackers from her treasured Cosmos Sack.  

“Demon Lord, let’s set off firecrackers too!” Xiao Xihe grinned.  

Xie Zhaixing: “…”  

“Wait a second, let me put on my shoes,” Xiao Xihe placed the firecrackers on the small table and ducked back into the tent, chatting idly as she slipped on her shoes. “I bought these at the market before coming to Shady Valley, thinking I’d use them to celebrate if I ever cured the Gu Poison. Never thought I’d get to use them for the New Year before even recovering…”  

Her rambling continued from inside the tent, while the festive firecrackers lay on the table. One of them had two mud spots, like a pair of eyes mockingly staring at Xie Zhaixing.  

In the end, Xie Zhaixing didn’t set off the firecrackers—not only did he refuse to do it himself, but he also forbade Xiao Xihe from doing so.  

“If I hear even a single sound from Shady Valley…” Xie Zhaixing smirked at her.  

Xiao Xihe pouted, giving him a pitiful look.  

But she earned no sympathy. With regret, she had to put the firecrackers away.  

Today, Kunlun seemed unusually lively. After the firecrackers had crackled for a while, the sounds of small fireworks followed. Xiao Xihe itched to join in but didn’t dare defy the Demon Lord’s orders.  

Joking aside, he was her lifeline—she couldn’t afford to offend him.  

Life in Shady Valley was just the same routine day after day. Xiao Xihe had once found joy in this repetition, but now that she knew it was the New Year, she suddenly longed to go out and wander. It was like when everyone else was working, she didn’t feel her own life was dull—but once everyone else was on holiday while she was still stuck working, it became hard to stay calm.  

Ah, how she wanted to leave this place…  

Xiao Xihe tossed and turned all day, distracted even during dinner.  

“You look like you’re about to lose your mind,” Xie Zhaixing remarked halfway through the meal, noticing her silence. “Is it because I didn’t let you set off firecrackers?”  

Xiao Xihe paused. “If I said yes…”  

“I still wouldn’t agree.” Xie Zhaixing smirked.  

Xiao Xihe: “…” She should’ve known.

Dinner ended, and Xie Zhaixing left again, leaving Xiao Xihe alone by the stream.  

She sat on a small stool, listening to the increasingly lively sounds of fireworks. When she looked up, all she could see was the dense canopy of trees overhead and the faint glimmers of light filtering through.  

…No way. This was her first New Year after being reborn—she had to make it count! Xiao Xihe rubbed her hands together in excitement and quickly cleared the table.  

As night deepened, the fireworks grew louder. Even through the countless barriers, the festive atmosphere of the Kunlun Sect was palpable.  

Xie Zhaixing sat with his eyes closed, meditating, but his brows had remained furrowed since dinner. Just as his patience was wearing thin, the sound of light footsteps approached. His eyelids flickered, and the crease between his brows softened slightly.  

“What is it?” He lifted his gaze toward the figure in the distance.  

Xiao Xihe blinked. “In my hometown, we have a tradition of staying up late on New Year’s Eve…”  

“Not doing it,” Xie Zhaixing replied, closing his eyes again.  

“And we have a reunion dinner,” Xiao Xihe added.  

Xie Zhaixing opened his eyes.  

“I’ve already prepared it—eight dishes,” she said earnestly. “We can’t even set off firecrackers, so at least let’s eat together.”  

A quarter of an hour later, the small table usually placed by the stream, now laden with food, appeared in front of Xie Zhaixing’s tent. Xiao Xihe poured two cups of fruit wine and clinked hers against his with a smile. “Happy New Year!”  

Xie Zhaixing glanced at her. “This happy?” It was just New Year’s Eve—it came every year. If she went to such lengths each time, it would be too much trouble.  

“It wasn’t like this before, but this year is different,” Xiao Xihe replied, guessing his thoughts.  

Xie Zhaixing frowned. “How so?”  

Because this year, she had faced life and death and suddenly understood the true meaning of existence. But when she looked up and met his gaze, sweet words slipped out effortlessly: “Because this year, I met you.”  

Her voice, softened by the wine, was sweet and gentle, like a breeze brushing past. The next moment, fireworks exploded overhead, painting the sky in vibrant colors, bright as daylight.  

Xiao Xihe gasped in delight, her smile radiant.  

Xie Zhaixing stared at her, his throat suddenly itching.  

“Want to cultivate?” he asked abruptly.