The cold, crisp air was refreshing and made the noses of the beauties around Wu Long slightly red, giving a cute look to even the usually sharp-looking Shen Min and valiant Feng Yi. Wu Long and Ye Ling who knew the way to do so did not shield natural perception of temperature or flow of wind either, feeling something beautiful in this fleeting moment of the still strong but showing signs of the inevitable departing winter.

As they went through the shopping district, Wu Long noticed that while the others went inside one of the shops, Ye Ling lingered before the door, her gaze seemingly glued to a weaponry shop where a master was sharpening and cleaning a sword, and his lips went up in a smile.

“I wanted to clean it up and get it into presentable shape before giving it to you, but I seem to have forgotten that you like taking care of your swords yourself”

He chuckled as three talismans spread in circle around them and a light barrier shielded the two while he took out a long object wrapped in cloth from his spatial ring. Ye Ling’s eyes widened and as she received it, and when she opened up the cloth her pupils dilated in shock.

“This is… a 1st tier Profound Grade sword? Where did you get something like this?” .

She looked up at him, unable to believe he brought her a Profound Grade weapon. It was nothing much compared to her sword collection from past life, but in their current situation it was akin to having taken a star out of the night sky and presenting it to her.

One of the problems they ran into preparing to the upcoming conflict was weaponry as the absolute majority of Profound Grade weapons that could aid them in battle against Seven Profound Realms cultivators were in the possession of Gu Zhen’s side, who have strictly controlled any possessing of practitioners of their level dying of old age throughout the time this world was closed.

“Haha, this is something Old Man Zhao was able to provide”

“But, it would be better if you used it…”

She replied as this was the only weapon sturdy enough to contain Spiritual Qi which was of acceptable density, quantity and quality to deliver attacks capable of hurting anyone shielded by Protective Spiritual Qi above Mortal Transcendence Realm.

“Don’t worry. I have this”

He chuckled as he took out a spear.

“This is… the spear you took from that Senior Grand Elder of the Dawn Concealing Sect? But… it is only an 8th tier Mortal Grade weapon”

She instantly recognized the spear in his hands as at the time she considered it a good find. But for their needs it seemed lacking, especially compared to the Profound Grade sword she just received.

“Haha, look again”

He chuckled, urging her to take it into her hands.

“…!”

As she placed her hand on the spear shaft, her eyes widened as she looked up at him.

“An inscription, no… not one, three?”

“Indeed, this is truly an 8th tier Mortal Grade spear, but a skilled master have placed decent quality inscriptions on it and it could then be considered a quazi-1st tier Profound Grade Treasure Weapon.

And even if the sword is still of higher quality, you have to have a weapon capable of withstanding the part of your skills that you would need in this fight. I don’t suppose you suddenly became a spear-wielder?”

He looked at her with a grin and her face eased into a smile as well.

“Haa~ I suppose this will at least put me at ease. As I can’t wield a spear I’ll accept this sword with gratitude”

“Really? You seemed to handle mine quite well last time…”

Wu Long chuckled and Ye Ling’s rosy from cold cheeks began to gain more color as her eyes danced to the sides.

“Wu Long!”

“Hahaha!”

She bashfully exclaimed in a tiny voice as he joyfully laughed.

“Haa~, you really are too cute Ling’er”

He chuckled as he bent his torso and leaned forward, bringing his face right in front of hers, and then gave her a smooch on the rosy nose.

She hugged the sword he gave him and swirled in place, only stopping and not running away because of the formation shielding perception around them. As she took a moment to store the sword into her spatial ring he used that opening to hug her from behind, not letting her escape.

Her still reddening face was showing puffed cheeks and pursed lips, but even that did not hide her pleasure from this warm embrace as her eyes bashfully turned to the side and down while her hands went on top of his.

“Seriously, I’ll find a moment to tease you soon enough”

She mumbled as he laughed and kissed her as she turned her head to face him.

After a few moments of being in his embrace she calmed down, looking into the shop the beauties went into, watching their laughing faces together with him as his face was right beside her over her shoulder.

“If you really don’t want Min’er to use her Lighter side to be the last bastion against deceptive enemies and traitors you should tell her that”

She then said after a brief moment of silence, as his eyes turned to the beauty Ye Ling in his arms talked about.

“I did, but she insisted. It is her decision, and she does it for us… for me. Even if I don’t like it, it doesn’t mean I want to suppress her will”

He said and Ye Ling chuckled.

“But you still would do everything in your power to keep her safe while she does that. It is just play-pretend at that point as you’re just letting her think she is protecting us while in reality it is you who’s protecting her”

“Maybe. But that is my prerogative”

“Haa~ Wu Long, I know you are kind, and love to give us the freedom of our choice. Believe me, I love that considerate and thoughtful side. But sometimes, in cases where it really matters to you, it is okay for you to be a little more selfish, you know?”

Ye Ling sighed as she spoke.

“Haha, you think I am not selfish?”

He chuckled as he slightly tightened the embrace around her, greedily taking in this feeling of soft and fragrant body in his arms.

“If you think about what we want before thinking about what you care deeply about you are clearly not selfish enough”

“… it may be so”

Wu Long nodded, finding her words reasonable. For all his experience, his relationships were mostly fleeting, and where they were not his partners never did anything opposing his wishes, and thus he was not used to exert his will over any of his women. And yet this was a situation he could not back down in either.

He knew that he would not allow anything to happen to Shen Min because of the path she chose so her determination to do it did lose its meaning since he always moved in the background to control the situation, even if he borrowed Ye Ling’s hand to do so.

And even if he wanted to respect Shen Min’s will to do things for him, this was a matter the risks of which he could not just accept leaving things to fate, resulting in the half-baked situation where he allowed her to do what she wants in principle but did not in actual reality.

“Besides, for some of us it turns us on when our man puts down his word and shows his selfishness. But then you already knew that about her”

She then chuckled as her eyes followed Shen Min.

“Heh, I guess I didn’t think it would apply to bigger decisions she put her mind to”

He smiled as well as he knew she liked him being selfish with her. But considered that more of a play, and a play did not involve stakes as high as life-changing decisions and choices.

“My wise and thoughtful Ling’er, I would have to thoroughly appreciate your help and advice sometime later”

He grinned making her blush again as he turned to her and placed a kiss on her neck a little behind her pink from cold or something entirely different ear.

“Haha, something tells me you will be occupied tonight. So maybe another day”

After a bashful silence, she widened her eyes as if remembering something, and then suddenly mysteriously chuckled as he raised his eyebrows, but did not pursue it since he knew she would not tell him, because someone of the beauties currently in the shop confided with their worries or asked her for advice, in which case her lips were too tight.

They soon removed the formation and entered the shop to join the others.

𝑖.𝘤ℴ𝘮