Wuchen released a Spirit Beast resembling a plum blossom deer from his space and helped Weiwei onto its back. The Spirit Beast struggled for a moment, seemingly unwilling to let Weiwei ride it. Hmph, an ordinary mortal with no Spiritual Power wanting to ride it? How infuriating. How unlike its master, who possessed not only complete Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth Spirit Roots, but also the Dark Spirit Root that devoured all things—a once-in-a-ten-thousand-years cultivation physique.
Wuchen frowned and gave a light reprimand: "Behave yourself. Weiwei is your future mistress. Even though she currently has no Spiritual Power, once I help her cleanse her meridians with medicinal herbs and activate her Spirit Root, she will soon become a powerhouse."
The Spirit Beast immediately quieted down. Though it still snorted discontentedly, it stopped struggling. Weiwei grabbed the mane on the deer's back in fear, her small face turning somewhat pale. Wuchen swung himself onto the deer's back, sitting behind Weiwei, and reached his long arms around her to hold her securely. "Don't be afraid, I am here," he comforted her softly. Feeling the warmth radiating from behind her, Weiwei's heart settled a great deal.
She turned her head to look at Wuchen's mesmerizing face: "Are you really going to help me cultivate? Don't I lack Spirit Roots?"
Wuchen's slender fingers brushed against Weiwei's delicate face, and a cool cedar scent drifted into her nose: "You and I have already shared the intimacy of husband and wife, and we are betrothed. We will be married when we return to the Northern Wasteland, and you will be my wife. This is acknowledged by the Heavenly Dao. Look at your chest—is there a Twin Lotus? I have one too. It is a mark that only appeared after we consummated our union. If the Heavenly Dao did not acknowledge us as destined for one another, no mark would appear even after intimacy."
Weiwei hurriedly pulled open the collar of her garment to look at her chest: there, a bright red Twin Lotus looked as if it were alive. She then pulled open Wuchen's collar, and a bright red Twin Lotus, identical to her own, appeared on his chest.
Looking at the little thing's crude movements, Wuchen smiled at the corners of his mouth: "Do you believe me now?"
Weiwei's eyes rolled playfully: "But do you like me?"
Wuchen chuckled, realizing that this was what the little thing cared about. He looked intently into Weiwei's expressive eyes: "I only know that seeing you brings joy to my heart and makes me happy! I know you don't have feelings for me yet, but it doesn't matter; I will wait for you to slowly fall in love with me."
Although taking a Spirit Boat could get them to the Northern Wasteland in ten days, Wuchen wanted to slow down their pace, riding the Spirit Beast along the way to slowly cultivate their affection and make the little thing develop feelings for him. Having depended solely on his master since childhood, he had never experienced family warmth and longed for a normal family with loving parents and mischievous children. He had taken a liking to Weiwei's personality at first glance—innocent and pure like a blank sheet of paper.
Weiwei blushed as she stroked the deer's horns: "What kind of Spirit Beast is this?"
"This is a Spirit Deer, a tier-three Spirit Beast. Weiwei, it's not that you don't have Spirit Roots; your Spirit Roots are sealed. This is likely related to your congenital detoxification sacred physique, or perhaps your biological mother sealed them to protect you. Your blood emits a fragrance that attracts the greedy and Demonic Beasts, so I am giving you a Dharma Artifact to shield you from the scent." As he spoke, he took a purple crystal necklace out of his space and helped her put it on.
"This necklace not only masks your scent but also defends against attacks, protecting you when I am not by your side. If someone attacks you, this necklace can also connect with me and notify me that you are in danger," Wuchen said, holding Weiwei's small hand.
"Why are you treating me so well? Do you also have a space?" Weiwei asked with lingering anxiety. This man was a powerhouse with both status and strength; surely there must be many women around him who fancied him?
"Yes, I have a space. It is the Karma Space, just like yours. You should have activated your space as well. Tonight, when we arrive at Holy Sword Manor to rest, I will first use pills to cleanse your meridians and then see if we can activate your Spirit Root." Weiwei nodded gently, her heart filled with anticipation and nervousness.
The Spirit Deer carried them all the way as they galloped forward, the scenery along the route as picturesque as a painting. From time to time, Weiwei let out gasps of amazement, her eyes full of novelty. Wuchen looked at his naive little fiancée, his eyes full of smiles. But right at that moment, a pack of Demonic Beasts suddenly appeared ahead, staring with covetous eyes at the two people on the Spirit Deer. The Spirit Deer also grew nervous, its pace becoming flustered.
Wuchen hugged Weiwei tightly and said in a deep voice: "Don't be afraid, I am here." With that, he formed hand seals, and bolts of Spiritual Power shot from his hands, attacking the Demonic Beasts. Thrown into disarray by this sudden assault, the Demonic Beasts quickly regrouped and launched an even more ferocious attack.
Weiwei tightly grasped Wuchen's arm, feeling afraid in her heart yet firmly believing that he could protect her. Just as the Demonic Beasts were about to close in, a flash of light appeared in Wuchen's hand, and a treasured sword materialized. Wuchen brandished the sword, instantly slaying several Demonic Beasts. Seeing that the situation was turning against them, the remaining Demonic Beasts scattered in all directions.
Weiwei breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Wuchen with adoration: "You are amazing!" Wuchen smiled and stroked her head: "Rest assured, I will always protect you from now on." Afterwards, the Spirit Deer continued carrying them toward Holy Sword Manor.
Just then, a sharp whistling sound suddenly came from afar, and a giant black hawk swooped down from the horizon, targeting precisely the two of them. Sensing the threat, the Spirit Beast broke into a wild gallop. Wuchen drew the long sword at his waist, his gaze turning stern. The black hawk moved at extreme speed, closing the distance in the blink of an eye, and lunged at them with a pair of sharp talons. Wuchen swung his sword to parry, sword and talons colliding with a shower of sparks. Terrified, Weiwei closed her eyes and hugged Wuchen tightly.
"Weiwei, hold on tight!" Wuchen shouted, channeling his Spiritual Power as the long sword blazed with brilliant light and slashed fiercely toward the black hawk. The black hawk nimbly dodged and launched another attack. At that moment, the Spirit Deer suddenly accelerated, executing a sharp turn that caused the black hawk's attack to miss.
Opening her eyes and seeing how clever the Spirit Deer was, Weiwei felt somewhat relieved. Taking advantage of the hawk's missed strike, Wuchen attacked once more, shooting a powerful wave of Spiritual Power at the black hawk. Struck by the blast, the black hawk let out a miserable screech, its body swaying for a moment before it quickly stabilized its form, its eyes brimming with ferocity.
"This black hawk is a bit tricky," Wuchen muttered under his breath. He held Weiwei tighter, racking his brain for a countermeasure. Suddenly, an idea struck him. He retrieved a pill from his space and fed it to the Spirit Deer. After consuming the pill, a flash of light washed over the Spirit Deer, making its speed even faster and its strength significantly enhanced.
With the Spirit Deer cooperating, Wuchen seized the right moment and pierced the black hawk's fatal spot with a single sword stroke. The black hawk let out a mournful cry and plummeted from the sky. Carrying them onward, the Spirit Deer soon brought the outline of Holy Sword Manor into view before their eyes.