The light of dawn filtered through the cracks of the cabin, painting golden hues over the rustic wood.
The air was steeped in the subtle scent of sweat and intimacy, mingled with the fresh morning breeze of the Illusory Demon Realm.
Ren Zu was the first to stir, slowly opening his eyes to the low ceiling. He felt the light, warm weight of the Little Demon Empress's body nestled against his, her head resting on his chest, her jet-black hair spilling like an ebony cascade across his skin.
The sheet covered them only partially, revealing the graceful curve of her back, the elegant line of her waist, and the leg entwined with his. Her breasts pressed softly against his torso, and her arm lay possessively across his waist, as if even in sleep she refused to let him go.
He smiled faintly—a rare moment of peace on his usually indifferent, calm face. Careful not to wake her, he traced his fingers along her spine, feeling the softness of her skin and the slight shiver his touch provoked, even while she slept.
The Little Demon Empress murmured something incoherent, snuggling even closer. Her face, serene and peaceful, stood in stark contrast to the image of the ruthless empress the world knew. Her slightly parted lips released a soft breath, and Ren Zu tilted his head to place a gentle kiss on her forehead, inhaling the unique fragrance that belonged only to her…
With utmost care, he slid the arm that held her away, replacing it with a soft pillow so her head would not lose its support. The Little Demon Empress mumbled something unintelligible but did not open her eyes; she simply burrowed into the pillow, her black hair falling over her tranquil face.
Ren Zu smiled again and pressed one last light kiss to her temple before rising.
His feet touched the cold wooden floor. Moments later, a set of clothes materialized magically in his hands: a snow-white hanfu. The fabric was simple, without embroidery or ornamentation—just as he preferred. He dressed calmly, tying the wide belt around his waist and leaving the high collar slightly open, enough to reveal his snow-white collarbone. The white contrasted sharply with his loose black hair that fell to the end of his back…
Before leaving, he turned back to the bed. He adjusted the sheet over her body, covering her up to the shoulders, and gently brushed aside a lock of hair that had fallen across her eyes.
"Sleep a little longer, Caiyi…" he whispered, as softly as the buzz of a mosquito. "I'll be back soon."
The cabin door creaked faintly as it opened—the only sound that broke the silence.
Ren Zu stepped out and closed it with the same care.
He immediately headed toward the pavilion where his parents lived, determined to discuss how the Little Demon Empress had dealt with the traitors. Yun Qinghong had shown great interest in the matter after learning that she had summoned them yesterday; he had even used a sound transmission talisman to ask whether Ren Zu knew anything, as her future husband. In any case, Ren Zu had also finished refining all the herbs from the garden into pills over the past three days and planned to ask his father to sell them…
When he arrived at the pavilion, he saw his father, Yun Qinghong, seated at the stone table beneath the eaves, a steaming porcelain cup held between his fingers. Beside him, Mu Yurou was pouring tea with graceful movements, her gaze calm yet carrying the tenderness she always reserved for her son and husband.
The sound of footsteps made Yun Qinghong look up. Upon seeing Ren Zu, a faint smile appeared on his face—that discreet, restrained smile that nevertheless conveyed silent pride.
"Zu'er, you're up early…" he said in a calm yet firm voice, gesturing for him to approach. "Come, the tea is still hot…"
Ren Zu greeted them politely. "Father, Mother…"
Mu Yurou smiled, pleased with the formality, and poured a third cup with an elegant motion.
"Sit down, dear. It's colder today, and this spiritual petal tea will warm you…"
Ren Zu took the seat opposite them. Steam from the tea rose slowly, forming small spirals before dissipating in the breeze. He lifted the cup and took a sip; the flavor was delicate, with a faint floral note that evoked memories of ancient, peaceful mornings in the Yun Family residence from his predecessor's recollections…
For a moment, the three of them sat in silence. The gentle sound of the wind through the trees was enough to fill the space.
Yun Qinghong was the first to break the silence.
"Zu'er… I heard that the Little Demon Empress personally dealt with the traitors yesterday. You said you would tell me the details in person… What happened?"
Mu Yurou also looked at him with interest, her gentle eyes attentive.
Ren Zu hid nothing from Yun Qinghong. In a neutral tone, he recounted how the Little Demon Empress had handled the seven Guardian Families and the rest of the Duke Palaces. Yun Qinghong gasped in shock, and Mu Yurou's eyes widened as she brought a hand to her chest in astonishment…
The Little Demon Empress was truly terrifying! Branding most of the traitors with slave marks or inflicting such cruel punishments! Given the current situation, the final outcome and foreseeable future had been arranged in the most perfect way possible.
After hearing all the details from Ren Zu, Yun Qinghong changed the subject. "Zu'er, do you remember when I 'carelessly' revealed your medical skills to everyone at our banquet that day? You need to be mentally prepared for what comes next; some people already wish to meet you…"
Ren Zu knew Yun Qinghong had not been careless at all—it had been deliberate. He remained silent for a moment before saying, "Father, you want me to build reputation and connections, right?"
Yun Qinghong nodded slightly. "Although you have already built an enormous reputation as the Little Demon Empress's husband and a Divine Profound Realm cultivator, it is mostly superficial admiration and reverence. If you wish to make the Illusory Demon Realm your home, your medical skills are an effective means. Ten gates of awe are not worth a fraction of gratitude… much less the gratitude for saving a life."
Mu Yurou added softly, "And the gratitude for a saved life opens doors that even the crudest power cannot. You already possess strength, Zu'er. Now you need connections—especially as the future ruler of the Illusory Demon Realm."
"Understood. Very well, I'll do it then…" Ren Zu nodded, took out a white jade box, and placed it in Yun Qinghong's hand. "Father, inside this box are one hundred Sovereign Pills; give them to the best young disciples of our family."
"One hundred Sovereign Pills." The four words made Yun Qinghong's mind freeze. Even with the sharp hearing of a Sovereign Profound Realm cultivator, he doubted his own ears. Only after Ren Zu finished speaking did he ask, stunned, "You said… what is inside this box?"
"Sovereign Pills. One hundred, exactly."
Mu Yurou leaned forward slightly, her eyes wide with amazement, her delicate hand covering her lips.
Yun Qinghong opened the jade box and was instantly assaulted by a pure, dense medicinal fragrance of the highest quality.
From his knowledge and experience, he immediately recognized the scent of the Sovereign Pill. He carefully picked one up… It was almost identical in appearance and aura to those he knew, yet rounder, with a purer and denser aura than any he had ever touched. He injected a strand of profound energy, and his expression changed for a long time. It was undoubtedly a nearly perfect-quality Sovereign Pill.
He took out a second… a third… a fifth… Each one increased his astonishment. After the tenth, he sealed the box and stared at Ren Zu in prolonged silence.
Mu Yurou, still speechless, simply reached out and lightly touched her son's arm, as if to confirm he was real.
"…You refined all of them, Zu'er?"
Ren Zu nodded and continued in an unchanged tone:
"As you and Mother know, my pill-refining ability surpasses my medical arts. Any pill—once I know its composition, quality, and have the ingredients—I can refine perfectly in a short time. Without failure. Use these hundred without reservation. With the ten-thousand-year foundation of the Yun Family's Medicinal Pavilion, we have ingredients for thousands. The ones I made were from my own ingredients…"
Yun Qinghong felt as though he were in an unreal dream. Duke Bao Qing Palace spent fifty years to produce a single Sovereign Pill. In Ren Zu's hands, it had become mass production, and by his tone, as trivial as a casual gesture. If he were not holding the hundred pills, he would not believe it, no matter how sincere it sounded. He laughed lightly and stored the box away. "Zu'er, once again you leave me speechless… Calling you a little monster is no exaggeration."
Mu Yurou also smiled. "…You truly are incredible, Zu'er. Now I understand why your master from the Divine Profound Realm accepted you as a disciple—your talent in medicine and pill refinement is unmatched…"
Hearing his mother's words, he recalled the "story" he had fabricated when he cured them. Ren Zu replied without humor: "If I am a little monster, what would Father be? And Mother, I am only slightly talented—I cannot yet call myself unparalleled in this world…"
His words made his parents exchange glances.
"Hahahaha." Yun Qinghong laughed heartily. The shock remained, but his expression returned to normal. The more "monstrous" Ren Zu proved to be, the more pride, joy, and assurance he felt for the future. One hundred Sovereign Pills meant transformation: a mediocre force could rise within decades; the weakened Yun Family could return to the pinnacle within a century, even without favors from the Little Demon Empress.
After laughing, Yun Qinghong said with a grateful voice, "Zu'er, without you, neither the Yun Family nor the Illusory Demon Realm would be as they are now."
Ren Zu replied softly, "I am of the Yun Family. It is what I should do. Even though I am adopted, I will never be ungrateful enough to ignore all the love you have given me…"
Mu Yurou tilted her head, deeply moved. "Even if we do not share the same blood, we are your parents. We always will be."
"Good!" Yun Qinghong nodded firmly. "You are Yun Qinghong's son. My son."
For Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou, the days following the revelation of Ren Zu's true origins had been marked by a mixture of relief and introspection. For a long time, both had carried the burden of a secret that weighed heavily on their souls—the fact that the young man they called son did not share their blood. Yet he had been raised under the same roof, loved with the same intensity, and cared for with the same devotion as any biological child…
The truth had emerged unexpectedly, since he had learned of it from the Little Demon Empress and confronted them seeking answers…
Even so, the confession had not been easy. Yun Qinghong clearly remembered Ren Zu's silent expression, the calm and indifferent gaze with which he listened to every word. Mu Yurou, beside him, could barely hold back tears as she recounted the baby swap with his brother on the Profound Sky Continent.
Throughout the entire account, Ren Zu said nothing. He merely watched them with the indifference that had become characteristic of him over the past year—a calmness that sometimes seemed to belong to someone far beyond human comprehension. When they finished, the silence that followed felt eternal. For a moment, Yun Qinghong feared he would see the kind of cold distance appear that no words could bridge.
But Ren Zu simply looked at them both and, in a tranquil, almost serene voice, said that nothing had changed. That they would always be his parents.
In that moment, the entire weight the couple had carried for years dissolved like mist before the sun. Mu Yurou wept, but this time from relief. Yun Qinghong, who rarely let emotions overtake him, felt his chest tighten—not with pain, but with gratitude. He realized that this son, who had never been his by blood, was more truly his than many born of the same womb…
Since then, something had quietly changed between them. The existing bond grew stronger, more authentic. Yun Qinghong began to see Ren Zu not merely as the heir to the "Yun" name, but as the true legacy of his life…
Mu Yurou, for her part, became even more protective. She began watching him with a tenderness almost reverent, as if every gesture of his were living proof that love is stronger than any blood tie.
Looking at their son who revealed ever greater talent, all the two of them felt was pride…
As the tea's steam dissipated in the cold breeze, Ren Zu took the opportunity to arrange with his father the matters that would follow—especially regarding those who, after hearing of his medical abilities at the banquet, had expressed a desire to meet him personally.
Yun Qinghong took out a jade scroll and placed it on the table. On it were recorded the names and crests of the families and sects that had sent emissaries…
Ren Zu calmly examined each name before selecting those with the most serious conditions and that he judged would offer the best compensation based on his knowledge. He had no intention of wasting time on flattery disguised as medical requests…
Yun Qinghong understood the intent behind the selection.
After choosing them all, Ren Zu handed the scroll back to his father.
Yun Qinghong nodded, satisfied with the decision. He would personally send the invitations and arrange the meetings in the main pavilion—the area where the Yun Family traditionally received prestigious guests. As usual, Ren Zu showed no haste. He simply asked that the meetings begin tomorrow, so he could prepare the medicinal environment and select the appropriate herbs.
While his father made mental notes of whom to send as messengers, Mu Yurou stood, gathered the empty cups, and simply smiled as she watched the two of them.
Before taking his leave, Ren Zu mentioned one more thing—about his upcoming marriage to the Little Demon Empress. She planned to make the official announcement in three days. After settling the details with his parents, he returned to his courtyard to sleep beside his wife, who was still sleeping…
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