Su Qingxue was at a loss, gazing blankly at Ye Fan.

Ye Fan spoke, "Gongsun Chou, is Flame Valley truly willing to protect the Witch?"

"Absolutely! We will guard her until death!" Gongsun Chou immediately replied.

"Great," Ye Fan said. "Su Qingxue is your Witch, then."

"Husband, I..."

Before Su Qingxue could finish, she saw Gongsun Chou suddenly cough up a mouthful of blood. The Witch actually called this man ’husband’? Is he even worthy?

Gongsun Chou immediately rebuked him, "How dare you disrespect the Witch! This old man won’t let you get away with this!"

Ye Fan was incredibly frustrated. What is wrong with all of you? The Yan Clan wants to stop me, and now you want to stop me too. Am I really that bad? So what if she’s the Yan Clan Saintess? So what if she’s Flame Valley’s Witch? Aren’t they both my women—the women of Ye Fan, the King of Heaven?

Just as Gongsun Chou was about to strike Ye Fan, Su Qingxue shouted, "Stop!"

Instantly, Gongsun Chou froze, not daring to make a move.

Su Qingxue asked, "Will you listen to me?"

"I will!" Gongsun Chou answered at once.

"If you are willing to listen to me, then do not fight," Su Qingxue said. "If you try to interfere in my life, then I will no longer be your Witch!"

"We wouldn’t dare! We wouldn’t dare!" Gongsun Chou said, his tone aggrieved. He had no choice but to let Ye Fan act arrogantly for now.

At this point, Gongsun Chou said, "Actually, this old servant has come only to escort the Witch back to the valley."

"This old servant?" I’m getting goosebumps. Damn it, I’ve seen disgusting people before, but never someone this shameless, completely abandoning his dignity just to suck up to the Witch. The man is an expert on the verge of the Emperor Level; couldn’t he have some self-respect?

"I’m not going back for now," Su Qingxue said. "I like the mundane world."

No, no, no... The Witch has completely fallen for him. It seems I have no choice but to accept this fact. Gongsun Chou hadn’t expected the Witch to misunderstand him. He quickly explained, "The Witch has misunderstood this old servant’s meaning! My intention was to take you back to consolidate your power, allowing you to fully absorb the strength you’ve integrated and make it your own!"

Su Qingxue was unsure and looked at Ye Fan.

"That is indeed a good idea," Ye Fan said. "Qingxue, you should go back with him for now. Otherwise, you’ll never be able to truly wield the power of the Flame Witch."

"But I’ll miss you!" Su Qingxue pouted.

Seeing the couple so affectionate, Gongsun Chou knew it was all over. To think that the Witch, so proud a millennium ago, would one day fall for someone.

"Silly girl, this is a good thing," Ye Fan said with a doting smile. "The separation is only temporary. I’ll come find you soon. And with your power then, you’ll be able to protect me, your husband, won’t you?"

"Okay!" Su Qingxue nodded helplessly. The thought of being able to truly master the Flame Witch’s power and help Ye Fan in the future convinced her to agree.

"But what about my company?" she asked immediately. She managed her company personally, and her absence would have a major impact.

"Don’t worry," Ye Fan said. "Have your deputies handle company matters. I’ll have Heavenly King Hall keep a close eye on it."

"Okay! Husband, I’m going to miss you so much!" Su Qingxue was on the verge of tears.

Gongsun Chou was surprised to see the aloof Witch display such a womanly side. She had certainly changed, but he was still confident in her. The fused Witch would surely grow to the pinnacle of her power.

After much persuasion from Ye Fan, Su Qingxue finally agreed to leave with Gongsun Chou. This trip would take at least a month, possibly longer.

After Su Qingxue left, Ye Fan felt lonely and bored. With the woman he loved most gone, everything seemed dull.

Just then, his phone rang. The caller was Wu Shiyin. "Ye Fan," she said, "I’ve cooked a big meal tonight. Will you come eat?"

"Of course!" Ye Fan chuckled. "The company of a beautiful woman and a feast? That’s one of life’s greatest pleasures. I’ll be right there."

Wu Shiyin sounded very shy on the other end of the line.

After hanging up, Ye Fan headed to Wu Shiyin’s residence. He truly felt he owed her. After all, her manor had been completely destroyed during the recent battle, yet she hadn’t said a word of complaint. Her resilience moved him and filled him with guilt.

Around five in the afternoon, Ye Fan arrived at Wu Shiyin’s home. As he opened the door, he found her busy in the kitchen.

"Ye Fan, you’re here!"

"I’m here. Where’s Yaoyao?" Ye Fan asked. Where had that lively and adorable little girl gone?

"Yaoyao is asleep," Wu Shiyin replied. "She was so excited when she heard you were coming that she completely wore herself out."

"That’s fine. We won’t disturb her," Ye Fan said with a laugh.

"Ye Fan, are you hungry?" Wu Shiyin asked. "If you are, I’ll start cooking for you."

But Ye Fan just laughed. "No, no. I think there’s something more important we need to do first."

"What is it?" Wu Shiyin asked, puzzled.

Ye Fan replied with a sly grin, "It’s time for... hehehe!"

He lunged forward and embraced Wu Shiyin. Before she could react, he was already kissing her.

"Husband, not now!" Wu Shiyin protested. It was still broad daylight, and she wasn’t used to this.

Her words, however, had no effect. He was relentless, using both his hands and his mouth, and Wu Shiyin was overwhelmed in an instant. Pressing his advantage, Ye Fan carried her upstairs. Soon, the room was filled with the sounds of their passion.

Although Wu Shiyin had been a widow for many years and was a fully mature woman, she still couldn’t withstand Ye Fan’s fierce advances. Before long, she was begging for mercy.

But her pleas had no effect on Ye Fan. An hour later, Wu Shiyin lay limp in his arms, utterly spent and too weak to move.

She whispered weakly, "Husband, I’ll go cook."

"No need," Ye Fan said. "I’ll do it."

"Mm," Wu Shiyin hummed, not refusing. Her heart felt incredibly sweet. At this moment, Ye Fan was being so considerate, a truly caring man.

Ye Fan then showcased his exceptional culinary skills, elevating the dishes to their peak. Even in her exhausted state, Wu Shiyin found herself deeply captivated by him.

When she saw the delicious spread, Wu Shiyin took a bite and tasted a flavor she knew she would never forget. As expected of a top-tier chef, the dishes Ye Fan created were simply peerless.

Forgetting her decorum, Wu Shiyin eagerly tried another dish. Only after sampling everything did she truly appreciate the wonder of the meal. The taste was simply marvelous.

It wasn’t just about how perfect the flavors were; she discovered that each dish carried its own mood, offering a new experience with every bite. This feeling was an intoxication that came from deep within. To be able to affect a person’s mood with food—that was truly the mark of a master chef.

Putting down her chopsticks, Wu Shiyin said, "Ye Fan, you’re incredible. This is the first time I’ve ever eaten something so exquisite! Sweet, sour, bitter, spicy—it has everything!"

Ye Fan chuckled. "I put life itself into my cooking. Life is like this table of delicacies. Some dishes look ordinary, while others are vibrant and beautiful. To taste the myriad facets of life—that’s the realm my cooking has reached. I only just got here recently, so in a way, you’re my first test subject!"

"Hahaha!" Ye Fan laughed heartily.

"You’re awful!" Wu Shiyin pinched him, which only made him more smug.

Just then, Ye Fan noted, "It’s getting late. Why hasn’t Yaoyao woken up yet?"

"I’ll go check!" Wu Shiyin said, hurrying to the second floor.

"AH!"

Wu Shiyin’s scream sent Ye Fan bolting upstairs. When he reached the second floor, he found her so terrified she was gasping for breath.

Then, Ye Fan looked toward where Yaoyao was supposed to be and was stunned. That wasn’t Yaoyao. Her small body was completely enveloped in a white web, resembling a giant butterfly’s cocoon.