“Immortal Venerable!” The disciples of Beichen Sect and the immortal attendants snapped out of their daze, calling out in delight.

Rong Xueci gave them a faint nod before turning to Shen Qixi. “Were you frightened, Madam? Are you injured?”

Shen Qixi shook her head.

She tried to pull her hand free, but Rong Xueci’s grip on her wrist only tightened.

Rong Xueci was perceptive—he had noticed Shen Qixi’s earlier instinct to retreat.

She must have been terrified.

My heart aches for her.

“Madam, I’ve come to save you. Don’t be afraid,” Rong Xueci said gently, his voice steady.

“Mm, I’m not afraid,” Shen Qixi forced a smile.

She glanced at the labels floating above Rong Xueci’s head:

[Immortal Venerable], [Untouchable Flower on the High Peak], [Elegant and Aloof], [Indifferent], [Ascetic], [White Moonlight], [Heaven’s Chosen], [The Eternal Light of the Cultivation World].

Even though she already knew Rong Xueci was the protagonist, seeing these labels—filled with praise and adoration—still made her feel a bitter irony at the gap between them.

Moreover, just moments ago, she had personally experienced Rong Xueci’s power through the [Temporary Power Card].

So overwhelming, so far above mere mortals.

After truly sensing his strength firsthand, Shen Qixi became even more convinced that someone like Rong Xueci would, in theory, never fall for someone like her.

…Kill the Wife to prove the Dao.

Does Rong Xueci know about this?

“Why would I die early?” Shen Qixi asked the system.

[Side characters can die under many circumstances.]

[For example, in this secret realm, you might meet an early end. After your death, the protagonist arrives too late, is traumatized by your demise, and grows even stronger.]

“What about ‘kill the wife to prove the Dao’?” Shen Qixi pressed.

[Huh? Kill the wife to prove the Dao?]

It seemed even this system didn’t know.

Shen Qixi thought it would be better to ask Rong Xueci directly rather than interrogate the system.

[Oh, right, host—your husband is just too powerful. If I communicate with you telepathically in his presence, he might detect it. When he’s around, I’ll try to cut off our connection.]

Shen Qixi fell silent.

She glanced at Rong Xueci, about to speak, when a Beichen Sect disciple excitedly asked him, “Immortal Venerable, was it you who killed the Mirage Serpent just now?”

Rong Xueci’s attention shifted.

“It was not me,” he replied coolly, without hesitation.

The atmosphere wasn’t right for personal discussions.

Shen Qixi swallowed her words.

Rong Xueci was upright—he wouldn’t take credit for others’ deeds.

He truly was an outstanding cultivator.

If she weren’t his wife, she would probably feel safe, awed, and happy to be by his side.

But now, she only felt an overwhelming pressure, instinctively lowering her head to stare at her toes, as if unworthy of standing beside him.

“Then it must have been Madam Immortal Venerable who saved us,” the immortal attendant said.

“Madam Immortal Venerable, thank you,” the attendant said gratefully.

The Beichen Sect disciples echoed their thanks.

“We never knew Madam Immortal Venerable possessed such strength!”

Under Rong Xueci’s questioning gaze, Shen Qixi tensed. “I merely relied on a magical artifact.”

“You’re too modest,” the attendant said.

In his eyes, the fact that Madam Immortal Venerable had risked her life to save them—people she wasn’t even close to—was already worthy of deep gratitude.

“Madam is kind-hearted,” Rong Xueci praised.

“Immortal Venerable, what should we do next?” a disciple asked. They all looked at Rong Xueci as if he were their lifeline.

“This secret realm is abnormal. I need to investigate where the interference lies and rescue the other cultivators,” Rong Xueci said calmly, his exquisite brows faintly furrowed.

“Stay here. I’ll set up a protective barrier. Once I dismantle the realm, you may leave on your own.”

With a wave of his hand, a shimmering shield enveloped the Beichen Sect disciples and the immortal attendant.

“Madam will accompany me.”

Then, holding Shen Qixi’s hand, Rong Xueci soared through the wind. Moments later, once they were out of sight, he swept her into his arms, carrying her bridal-style.

Shen Qixi’s face pressed against his chest. She stiffened slightly, but just then, a strange, fluffy sensation brushed against her calf.

Puzzled, she glanced at Rong Xueci. Odd—he wasn’t wearing anything furry. He seemed to have come in a hurry, dressed simply in plain white robes without adornment.

Rong Xueci’s eyelids twitched imperceptibly.

He had just suppressed his feline transformation and wasn’t entirely stable yet.

Tail, don’t move wildly.

He commanded inwardly, his expression serene and unflappable.

“Madam, did you use the protective talismans I left you to kill the Mirage Serpent?” he asked.