Chương 26: I Love You, Xuan!

"Open your eyes, Xiao Xuan." The whisper brushed against his ear, sharp and commanding. Xiao Xuan recognized the voice instantly. It belonged to Su Luoyang, but the tone carried a distinct, frigid edge of indifferent annoyance he thought they had already moved past. Xiao Xuan's heavy eyelids fluttered open. Instantly, the blinding glare of the midday sun assaulted his vision, burning through his retinas.

He staggered backward, his boots scraping loudly against polished stone as he threw an arm up to shield his face. The air around him was thick, carrying the sweet fragrance of blooming plum blossoms and burning incense. When his eyes finally adjusted to the intense light, his breath hitched in his throat. He was standing dead in the center of the Su Clan's grand courtyard. The usual racks of iron weapons and scarred wooden training dummies were gone.

In their place, vibrant crimson banners fluttered elegantly from the high stone walls. Elaborate paper lanterns, strung together by thick gold cords, swayed in the gentle breeze. Hundreds of guests clad in luxurious silks filled the vast courtyard, their joyous, overlapping chatter merging into a lively, festive hum.

"Are you okay?" A soft hand gently gripped his forearm from his side, steadying his unbalanced frame. Xiao Xuan turned his head. The moment his eyes landed on Su Luoyang, his mind went blank. She was not wearing her usual pristine, unyielding icy blue robes. Instead, she was draped in a breathtaking, traditional crimson wedding dress. The heavy red silk hugged her graceful figure, intricately embroidered with brilliant golden phoenixes that seemed to dance as they caught the sunlight.

A delicate, masterfully crafted gold crown rested in her dark hair, framing her flawless face.

"What happened?" Su Luoyang murmured.

"No…nothing…" Xiao Xuan stammered. A thick, unnatural shadow rapidly swallowed the courtyard. Xiao Xuan looked up. The clear blue sky had been replaced by ink-black clouds violently churning directly above the Xianghai District, spiraling inward to form a vortex. The joyous chatter of the wedding guests abruptly died, instantly replaced by silence. A deafening crack of thunder shook the solid stone ground beneath his feet.

"The heavens have cursed the Su Clan for this foolishness!" A guest shrieked from the crowd, pointing a trembling finger upward. From the dead center of the swirling black vortex, the sky tore open. A majestic bolt of purple lightning materialized. It descended downward, ripping through the atmosphere, aimed directly at Xiao Xuan's head. He felt the blistering heat wash over his face before the bolt even struck. Instinctively, he threw his hands up and squeezed his eyes shut. Gasp!

Xiao Xuan jolted upright, his chest heaving. He frantically patted his chest, his arms, his face. No burns. No blood. His skin was cold and intact. The soft, pale light of the moon filtered through the paper windows, casting long, familiar shadows across his bedroom floor. He was sitting in his own bed, his silk sleeping robes plastered to his back with cold sweat. Xiao Xuan let out a long, ragged exhale, dragging a trembling hand down his sweaty face.

His heart was hammering against his ribs so hard it physically ached. The dream had felt too real. He could still vividly remember the terror of the purple lightning that had originally brought him to this world, the smell of ozone and the searing heat. Suddenly, a cold chill ran down his spine. How did I get on the bed? Creak. The subtle noise of the heavy wooden door shifting open instantly snapped him out of his thoughts. A silhouette slipped into the room, quietly clicking the latch shut behind them.

Xiao Xuan tensed, instinctively reaching for the edge of the mattress, but as the figure stepped fully into the beam of moonlight, all the tension evaporated from his muscles.

"Luoyang?" he whispered, his voice hoarse. She stepped closer to the edge of the bed, and Xiao Xuan felt his jaw physically drop. Once again, her attire had drastically changed. Su Luoyang was dressed in a loose night robe made of crimson silk. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. The garment was tied loosely at her slender waist, the smooth fabric slipping dangerously off one of her pale, flawless shoulders.

The moonlight filtered through the thin silk, highlighting the soft, graceful curves of her figure in a way that made Xiao Xuan's breath catch in his throat. But what paralyzed him was her face. The ice princess was looking down at him with a warm, heavily flushed, and dangerously seductive smile.

"What happened, Su Luoyang?" Xiao Xuan asked, his voice barely a breath. His heart, which had just started to slow down, resumed hammering against his ribs like a war drum. She reached out, her cool, delicate fingers gently tracing the side of his cheek. Xiao Xuan froze, his wide eyes tracking her every movement.

"Xuan… I have hurt your feelings for far too long," she murmured, her voice carrying a husky, intoxicating melody that he had never heard before.

"I want to make it up to you." Before he could speak, she leaned over him, pushing him gently back against the pillows. She crawled onto the edge of the bed, her face hovering mere inches from his, the faint scent of lotus and winter chill washing over him.

"I love you, Xuan," she declared softly. She closed the distance, pressing her soft, warm lips directly against his. Xiao Xuan's eyes widened in disbelief—"Are you okay, brother-in-law? You have been staring at Big Sister nonstop!" Xiao Xuan blinked. The dark bedroom vanished. The moonlight evaporated. The intoxicating scent of lotus was abruptly replaced by the rich, savory aroma of roasted spirit-boar. He was sitting upright on a carved hardwood chair in the main dining hall.

The morning sun was streaming through the wide windows, illuminating the sprawling rosewood table. He was gripping his chopsticks mid-air, a piece of roasted meat dangling precariously from the wooden ends, frozen like a statue. Across the rosewood table, Su Luoyao was waving her hand frantically in front of his face, her head tilted in confusion. Xiao Xuan slowly turned his head, his neck joints feeling stiff as rusted iron. Sitting directly across from him was Su Luoyang.

She was wearing her pristine, heavily layered, unyielding icy blue robes. Her posture was flawless, sitting straight with the aristocratic grace of a reigning queen. Her face was a mask of untouchable winter. She was currently glaring at him, her delicate brow furrowed in sharp irritation. Xiao Xuan swallowed hard. He looked into her cold, judgmental crystalline eyes, then mentally compared them to the heavily flushed, coquettish smile from his dream just seconds ago.

Su Zhongtian and Liang Shufen sat at the head of the table. They exchanged a brief, silent glance, ignoring their son-in-law's bizarre behavior, and calmly continued eating their porridge. Su Luoyang finally cleared her throat, the sound like cracking ice.

"I'm okay," Xiao Xuan blurted out. He quickly shoved the cold piece of meat into his mouth and chewed, hoping the redness creeping up his neck wasn't visible to the entire room.

"Aww… you're blushing brother-in-law!" Su Luoyao, however, unapologetically teased him, leaning over her bowl with a grin.

"Luoyao!" Two distinct voices snapped in unison. Both Liang Shufen and Su Luoyang glared. Su Luoyao immediately ducked her head, stuffing a steamed bun into her mouth, but not before shooting her big sister a playful wink. For a few minutes, the only sounds in the grand hall were the polite clinking of porcelain and the rustle of silk sleeves. Xiao Xuan focused on his bowl, keeping his gaze firmly away from his wife. Finally, Su Zhongtian set his teacup down.

The porcelain clicked sharply against the rosewood table. He looked over at everyone at the table, his majestic aura instantly settling over the room, commanding silence. Even Su Luoyao stopped chewing her bun, sitting up a little straighter.

"This matter is important," the Patriarch began, his deep voice carrying a strange, complex weight.

"Xuan, I received a message from the Divine Alchemist this morning. He has a request for you." Xiao Xuan instantly stopped chewing. He placed his chopsticks neatly across his bowl and straightened his back.

"What is it, Father?"

"He wants you to let his disciple, Zu An," Su Zhongtian announced, his deep voice carrying a note of disbelief, "observe you concocting a new batch of the pills you sold him yesterday." Xiao Xuan blinked.

"Furthermore," the Patriarch continued, leaning slightly forward, "the Divine Alchemist explicitly stated that you are free to charge Zu An whatever fee you deem appropriate for your time." Xiao Xuan sat still. What the hell is that old man thinking?!

"I don't know what to say, Father…" Xiao Xuan replied.

"The Divine Alchemist stated you can inform him of your decision by tonight," Su Zhongtian added. He reached into his robes, retrieved two delicate jade vials, and placed them gently on the rosewood table. The vials were translucent, radiating a faint, mesmerizing golden glow that instantly filled the dining hall with dense Qi. Liang Shufen's breath hitched. Even Su Luoyang's cold expression cracked, her eyes widening slightly as she stared at the table.

"He sent these two vials of Foundation Building Elixir," Su Zhongtian explained. His tone was flat; he still couldn't process the absurdity of the wealth sitting on his breakfast table.

"They are a gift. You are free to decline his request, but he insists you keep the vials regardless as a token of his goodwill."

"Wow," Su Luoyao's low whisper was clearly audible in the silence. Xiao Xuan stared at the valuable elixir.

"I accept, Father," Xiao Xuan declared, his voice steady and polite. He looked up at everyone at the table and back at Su Zhongtian.

"I think this will help build a strong relationship with the Divine Alchemist." Su Zhongtian's eyes softened. He gave a slow, heavy nod, his majestic aura radiating deep satisfaction.

"You have a mature perspective, Xiao Xuan. If you handle this well, it will indeed be a great boon for our clan."

"I hope you maintain your best behavior with Zu An," Liang Shufen interjected, her voice stern, though her eyes lingered on the glowing jade vials with undisguised respect.

"Zu An is a genius, but he is known to be prideful. I don't want any misunderstandings like what happened back at the Tang House. Do not provoke him unnecessarily."

"Don't worry, Mother," Xiao Xuan replied with a polite smile.

"I will be careful." … The heavy, dark hardwood doors of the dining hall clicked shut behind Xiao Xuan. Wei Tu stood at the corridor, waiting patiently with a stack of thick ledgers tucked under one arm. Seeing Xiao Xuan approach, Wei Tu immediately straightened his posture, shifting the heavy books to bring his hands together in a crisp, enthusiastic clasped hands bow.

"Good morning, Young Master!" Wei Tu greeted, his voice as bright as ever. Xiao Xuan returned a brief, polite nod.

"Good morning, Wei Tu. I'm afraid I won't be doing lessons with you today." Wei Tu blinked, slightly lowering his clasped hands. He shifted the heavy ledgers against his side, his brow furrowing slightly.

"Is anything the matter, sir?"

"I plan to practice my martial technique at the courtyard today," Xiao Xuan said, gesturing vaguely toward the sprawling eastern wing of the estate.

"You may leave early today." Wei Tu's posture relaxed, a respectful and understanding smile forming on his face. He bowed once more, dipping his head lower this time.

"That's alright, sir. All the best."

"Thanks." Xiao Xuan turned away, his boots tapping a steady, rhythmic cadence against the carpet.