Chapter 118: Chapter 108: New Mystic, Cultivating Again, Touching Feng Bei

When it was about time for his meeting with Feng Bei and the others, Zheng Xiu prepared to enter the dungeon.

But just then, Pingping and the other women hesitantly clung to him again. With their pretty faces flushed red, they stammered that they wanted to cultivate.

Yes, purely for cultivation. They hoped the Master wouldn’t get the wrong idea.

"You’re all putting me in a very difficult position!"

Since that night, Master Zheng’s reputation had been ruined. Everyone in the Zheng Family, including Second Lady, was radiating murderous intent, believing that Zheng Xiu had taken all four women to bed at once. The problem was, he couldn’t explain himself. Who would believe him if he said he kept them overnight just to cultivate?

He wouldn’t even believe it himself.

"Then..."

The four women looked at each other. Only they knew the gains they had reaped after a night of being bound in the dungeon. Having tasted the benefits, they absolutely could not give up now.

At this, Jing Xuemei made a suggestion. Since the Master had his concerns and things had already come to this, they might as well announce to the world that he had taken the four of them as concubines. That way, even if he spent his nights with all four of them, the rumors would only serve to highlight his might and valor. Zheng Xiu’s eyes went wide. ’Pulling a stunt like this,’ he thought, ’won’t that just confirm that I’ve been throwing parties in my dungeon?’

For the sake of the Deep Path, they were even willing to make a reputation-damaging request like "take the four of us as concubines." It was clear their determination was firm, and he couldn’t refuse them.

If he refused, they would eventually go to Zheng Erniang, and Zheng Xiu, who was always powerless against her, would only be able to agree in the end.

Since the outcome would be the same, Zheng Xiu decided not to waste any more time and gave in.

However, Zheng Xiu’s final decision was a compromise. He would have them take turns cultivating in his dungeon each night.

He also warned them not to gossip carelessly outside.

Unexpectedly, Lily suddenly piped up, "Master, if outsiders ask, what if we say we only attended to you in bed? That we lay on the same bed while you slept soundly through the night, and we just stayed awake until dawn. Wouldn’t that... make people misunderstand you...?"

Lily trailed off, her face blushing. She raised her index finger, then slowly let it droop. She raised it again, and again it slowly drooped. After a few times, her face grew redder and redder. She blinked at the Master and whispered, "That doesn’t seem very good for your reputation either, does it?"

Damn it.

Zheng Xiu covered his face. "Whatever. Do as you please."

His unspoken words seemed to be, ’Go on, gossip all you want.’

He didn’t blame anyone. He only blamed the absurd cultivation rules of the Orchid Path.

The final result was that everyone was happy.

They played rock-paper-scissors to decide the order. First up was Aiwen, the fallen princess of the Dayue Clan from Persia in the Western Regions—in other words, it was Pingping’s turn.

He securely cuffed Pingping to the wall. With eyes closed and a seductive look, her fragrant breath catching in her throat, Pingping stammered an offer to try "something else" to accelerate her cultivation. But after a long moment with no reply, she opened her eyes to find the Master had hidden himself far away. Frustrated, Pingping squirmed against the wall with a look of utter defeat.

Zheng Xiu’s mind was heavy with worry. He had the upcoming trip to Shuzhou with Feng Bei, so he had no time for parties. Sitting in a corner, Zheng Xiu entered the Heart Prison and selected "Feng Bei’s home" on the Game Table.

A new option had appeared on the Game Table: "Post Station Sun Erming." Zheng Xiu had never imagined that Sun Erming was a natural-born Mystic. However, since he already had Feng Bei, his need for other "Post Stations" wasn’t urgent. Plus, he didn’t know Sun Erming well, so he hadn’t rashly requested permission to enter the "Post Station" at the time.

With a shift of his thoughts, Machoman Zheng Shan appeared. On a lonely peak, the Mighty Man’s figure solidified from illusion, taking form in the blink of an eye.

Night fell, and a blizzard raged. Zheng Shan wore only a thin shirt, yet he seemed completely unaware of the bitter cold. He spread a single wing and dove into a forest of withered trees. When he emerged from the woods, Feng Bei, Dou Xie, and Yue Yan were already waiting by the official road, having set up camp.

"Master Zheng?" The moment Zheng Shan appeared out of the blizzard, wearing that familiar face, both Dou Xie and Yue Yan were momentarily stunned.

’How could such a peerlessly mighty man, both handsome and valiant, exist in this world?’

At first, in their daze, they thought they were seeing Master Zheng. But looking closer, this Mighty Man’s features possessed an indescribable radiance that Zheng Xiu lacked. It was as if he were shrouded in a sacred glow, like a Saint emerging from the blizzard.

Feng Bei clenched her fists, her hands trembling slightly. A moment later, she calmly stepped forward. "Greetings, Senior."

"Senior?"

Feng Bei’s greeting made Dou Xie and Yue Yan turn their heads in shock.

Zheng Xiu, as the Mighty Man, chuckled. "No need to be so formal. I am Zheng Shan. ’Zheng’ as in Zheng Haoran, and ’Shan’ as in ’kindness.’ If you don’t mind, you can call me Brother Zheng. Oh, right." Zheng Shan pointed specifically at the dumbstruck Dou Xie, who looked as if he were in a dream, and smiled. "You’ll have to call me Uncle Zheng."

After the simple introduction, they were acquainted. In a few words, Zheng Xiu explained to Yue Yan that he had a chance meeting with Little Feng Bei twenty years ago. Yue Yan had a sudden realization. No wonder the great Upper Three Feng Bei was so respectful to Zheng Shan—he was a figure from two decades past.

’But the more I look at this man, the more he resembles Master Zheng...’

’Isn’t the Zheng Clan line passed down to a single heir? Where did the late General Zheng suddenly get a younger brother?’

Though filled with doubt, Yue Yan quickly cast her worries aside. Feng Bei had only said one thing that indirectly described Zheng Shan’s power: twenty years ago, he had walked out of the Darkness, safe and sound.

With that, Yue Yan and Dou Xie secretly gave "Senior Zheng Shan" the label of "Hidden Master."

Spreading out a map, Feng Bei pointed out the fastest route to Shuzhou.

Abandoning the carriage and galloping on horseback would be the quickest way to reach Shuzhou.

But it was a well-known fact that Feng Bei could not ride a horse. Just as Yue Yan brought this up, Feng Bei looked toward Zheng Shan. "It’s fine. I’ll ride with Brother Zheng."

Yue Yan was shocked yet again.

’What does Feng Bei mean?’

’Does she intend to send Zheng Shan to his death with her own hands?’

"Is that alright, Brother Zheng?" Feng Bei looked at Zheng Shan, tucking away a strand of black hair that the snowy wind had blown astray. She looked back at him, a sliver of deep anticipation hidden in her calm eyes.

Zheng Xiu felt uneasy.

He had a feeling there was a hidden meaning in Feng Bei’s words.

To this day, Zheng Xiu still wasn’t sure if he could withstand Feng Bei’s Omen, or if holding her hand twenty years ago without incident had been a mere coincidence or an accident. But the mood was already set. The Mighty Man let out a hearty laugh. "Hahaha! Of course!"

Vaulting onto his fine steed, the Mighty Man, from his position on horseback, extended a broad hand toward Feng Bei. "Come."

Feng Bei cautiously extended her hand.

Little by little, inch by inch.

Her movements were slow, revealing her own apprehension.

She was scared.

She was afraid.

Even she wasn’t certain if Zheng Shan could withstand the "Omen" she carried.

’Or was their touch twenty years ago just an accident?’

But Zheng Shan’s smile gave her immense confidence.

Yue Yan’s and Dou Xie’s eyes grew wider and wider, as if they were watching two monsters.

CLAP.

After twenty long years, as if crossing time and space itself, the hands of Feng Bei and the Mighty Man clasped tightly once more.

THUD.

Dou Xie collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air with a look of utter disbelief on his face.