Li Ran stared at the curse inside his dantian, which had weakened considerably, completely dumbfounded.
Clutching the bottle of Spirit-Recovery Pills he had bought from Huayun Pharmacy, he could barely contain the wild joy surging through his heart.
Ever since he had unfortunately been cursed by a demonic creature during a trial, his position within the sect had plummeted. He was only a second-rank cultivator and possessed very few spirit stones. He had believed that the rest of his life would simply be wasted away like this.
Who could have imagined that the pills would truly work?
Li Ran had never expected a single rumour to change his entire life.
Holding the jade bottle tightly, he immediately contacted his closest friend, hoping to stockpile some of the Spirit-Recovery Pills before they became famous.
However, he had underestimated how quickly news could spread.
He had barely recovered when word of Huayun Pharmacy’s miraculous Spirit-Recovery Pills seemed to grow wings and spread rapidly throughout the marketplace.
Li Ran refused to give up.
Early the following morning, he dragged his friend back to Huayun Pharmacy, only to discover that a crowd had already blocked the entrance.
“They’re opening!”
An excited voice rang out.
The crowd that had been waiting outside immediately surged forwards, frantically squeezing into the shop beneath Uncle Zong’s stunned gaze.
“Shopkeeper, I want four bottles of first-rank Spirit-Recovery Pills!”
Li Ran had been pushed to the very front. Meeting Uncle Zong’s gaze, he shouted at the top of his lungs.
Despite being a lion beastman, Uncle Zong was almost frightened by his desperate manner.
Before Uncle Zong could respond, the crowd exploded.
“Damn it! There are only eleven bottles in total, and you want four for yourself? Aren’t you afraid someone will kill you the moment you leave?”
“Shopkeeper, I’m willing to offer a higher price! I want three bottles!”
The shop instantly filled with deafening arguments.
Uncle Zong could no longer tolerate it.
The powerful pressure of a high-ranking lion beastman spread through the room.
“All of you, shut the hell up!”
After his roar, no one dared to speak.
Uncle Zong was about to announce that the pills would be sold according to who had arrived first when the calculating Uncle Chen suddenly entered from outside.
His gaze swept over the crowd, and he narrowed his eyes in a mild smile.
“There are not enough pills, so purchases will be limited. Each person may buy no more than one pill. Each pill costs five low-grade spirit stones, and only sixty pills remain.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the formidable pressure of a tiger beastman spread through the shop.
The expressions of the cultivators immediately changed.
Li Ran, who had been pushed to the front, was especially affected. Facing the smiling Uncle Chen, he trembled so badly that he could barely speak.
He looked completely different from the man who had shouted so boldly at Uncle Zong moments earlier.
“O-One first-rank Spirit-Recovery Pill.”
Li Ran weakly took out five low-grade spirit stones.
The people behind him also quietened down.
After all, beastkin who could own shops within the marketplace were not people who could be easily provoked.
Once all the pills had sold out, those who failed to obtain any were filled with resentment.
Partly because they were unwilling to accept it, and partly because they thought, *If I can’t buy them, none of you should expect to buy them easily in the future either*, they immediately spread the news even further.
The people who benefited most were naturally the members of Uncle Zong’s and Uncle Chen’s families, who happily closed the shop and began counting the spirit stones.
“Calculate it. How much did we earn?”
Aunt Yun had been feeling considerably better recently.
The Snow Condensation Pills Mu Wanwan had brought were extremely effective against the witchcraft curse inside her body. Even the fine lines at the corners of her eyes had diminished, making her appear almost as she had ten years earlier.
When speaking to Uncle Zong, her tone now carried a faint trace of youthful coquettishness.
“We earned much more from the later sales,” Uncle Chen said. He was much quicker when it came to calculations. “Based on the price we previously gave Xiao Qian, we still need to pay her an additional seven mid-grade spirit stones.”
Aunt Yun smiled.
“That girl will definitely be delighted. It was also our good fortune to meet her here.”
Uncle Chen nodded.
“But have none of you ever suspected her identity?”
Aunt Hua fiercely glared at her husband.
“Why bring that up when nothing has happened?”
Uncle Zong laughed heartily.
“What do you think?”
Uncle Chen sighed.
“As long as you understand the situation. Her enemy is far too powerful. Everything is fine while nothing has happened, but who knows how much longer these peaceful days will last?”
Uncle Zong patted him on the shoulder.
“We’ll deal with it when the time comes. Although your Sister Yun and I cannot protect her husband, protecting her alone may not be impossible.”
Meeting her friend’s concerned gaze, Aunt Yun smiled as well.
“Don’t worry. If something truly happens, we cannot promise anything else, but we will certainly keep her safe.”
“We’re already so old. We probably won’t ever have children of our own in this lifetime. Had we been able to have a daughter back then, she would probably be around the same age as Wanwan now.”
Aunt Hua sighed and then smiled too.
In truth, she was not particularly worried that anything would happen to Mu Wanwan.
With her ability to cultivate spiritual plants and refine pills, even if Ao Qin—the one currently holding power—truly intended to kill His Lordship, he would probably not involve her.
As long as they handled matters properly on their end, she should remain safe for the time being.
As for her husband, however, there was truly nothing they could do to help him.
—
The sky gradually darkened.
Unaware that she was being secretly protected, Mu Wanwan sat inside the room, staring at Mr. Dragon, who might not be so easy to protect.
The atmosphere was extremely delicate.
Both human and dragon were troubled.
What troubled them was nothing other than the sleeping arrangements for the night.
Strictly speaking, cultivators did not need to sleep all the time.
However, the palace contained only one bedroom and one bed.
They had both already washed up.
Mr. Dragon sat beside the bed and glanced at Mu Wanwan, who was pretending to play with Mengmeng.
Countless thoughts turned through his mind.
He had been unconscious before.
Tonight was the first night since he had awakened.
Did that mean tonight was technically their wedding night?
Her body was always soft.
He knew that.
However, he thought it would be better to remain colder towards her while she had no feelings for him.
That way, if something happened to him, she would not be heartbroken.
The dragon’s heart twisted itself into a knot.
He felt terribly aggrieved but remained silent, unable to decide what to say.
Mu Wanwan was the first to speak.
“My Lord…”
She had originally intended to ask, “Would you mind sharing the bed with me tonight?”
Yet what emerged from her mouth was:
“We only have one bed. Why don’t I refine pills in the study tonight?”
The moment she finished, Mu Wanwan wanted to smash her head into the wall.
Nevertheless, she continued looking forward to Mr. Dragon’s answer.
Upon hearing her words, disappointment flashed through the depths of Mr. Dragon’s dark eyes.
His fan-like eyelashes brushed down twice. He tugged faintly at the corner of his lips but said nothing.
Mu Wanwan noticed his lowered head.
Carefully choosing her words, she thought that as long as he said he did not mind, she would stay.
Clinging to the faint hope that he might stop her, she asked, “My Lord, shall I really leave, then? Will you truly be all right alone?”
Would he stubbornly drag his injured legs onto the bed by himself again?
Mu Wanwan felt both heartbroken and angry.
Mr. Dragon’s chest felt as though it had been stabbed.
His hand tightened and then slowly loosened.
His voice was hoarse, yet as cold as snow falling through the winter night.
“It is nothing.”
This time, even though Mu Wanwan saw his drooping ears and knew about his habit of saying the opposite of what he felt, she was still furious.
She decided to leave this dragon alone for a while.
Coincidentally, she had already planned to attempt refining second-rank Spirit-Recovery Pills tonight.
Mu Wanwan did not remain any longer.
She glanced at the drowsy Mengmeng and could not bring herself to seize the fat chirp and force it to accompany her.
She went alone to the side hall.
Mr. Dragon stared at the closed door.
He slowly blinked his slightly stinging eyes and reached out to touch the fox-fur cloak she had spread across his knees.
Then he gently closed his eyes.
This was good.
If she remained beside him, he would certainly be unable to control himself.
This was good.
It was already good enough.
The oil lamp gradually burned out, plunging the room into darkness.
Sharp pain travelled through his calves, but Mr. Dragon seemed not to notice.
He remained sitting quietly in the wheelchair, completely motionless.
—
More than two hours later, Mu Wanwan, who had finally succeeded in refining three second-rank Spirit-Recovery Pills, rubbed her shoulders and looked at the pitch-black sky outside.
In the end, her heart softened.
Honestly, she already knew how awkward and contrary that dragon was.
Why was she still competing with him?
And why should she be unable to sleep in her own bed?
Could that dragon possibly do anything to her?
Mu Wanwan did not know where her confidence came from.
However, after remembering how cautious he had been while pretending to sleep and how he had behaved that afternoon, she found that she was no longer afraid.
And so, she slowly returned to the bedroom.
The door was gently pushed open.
Mu Wanwan carefully entered the room.
It was completely dark inside.
Although she had advanced in rank, she could still only make out vague shapes. However, a certain dragon’s reaction was far too obvious.
He remained in precisely the same position as when she had left, yet his ears suddenly shot upright with an extremely noticeable movement.
A faint smile appeared on Mu Wanwan’s lips.
Feeling her way through the darkness, she tried to walk farther inside.
Her toes struck something she had failed to notice.
She cried out and nearly fell.
In the next instant, a warm beam of light suddenly illuminated the room.
Another oil lamp had been lit.
Mu Wanwan saw Mr. Dragon’s fingers move faintly.
He pressed his bluish-purple lips together and clutched the fox-fur cloak with one hand.
His narrow phoenix eyes, slightly moist, cast her an extremely impatient glance.
“Noisy.”
Mu Wanwan: “…”
She could clearly see the tears gathered at the corners of his eyes.
Could this dragon possibly become any more awkward?
An indescribable feeling rose inside her.
Perhaps her importance in Mr. Dragon’s heart was greater than she had imagined.
“I’m cold.”
Mu Wanwan’s heart grew warm.
Although she felt awkward, she forced herself to say something she would ordinarily never utter.
Her words emerged stiffly, not even soft enough to qualify as acting spoiled.
Mr. Dragon pretended to glance at her casually.
Her entire body carried the chill of the night, and the tip of her nose was slightly red.
He slowly turned the wheelchair with an expression that seemed to say, *There’s truly nothing I can do with you.*
His voice was as cold as a clear spring, yet seemed to suppress a trace of anticipation.
“Come inside and sleep.”
Mu Wanwan could barely suppress the smile at the corners of her lips.
Her eyes curved as she walked towards him, her voice filled with delight.
“My Lord, you’re so kind.”
Mr. Dragon felt that he was utterly despicable.
Seeing her smile ignited a flame at the very tip of his heart.
His existence was clearly nothing but a burden to her.
Yet when he saw how wonderful she was—like a glittering star in his life—he could not stop himself from wanting to lock her beside him.
He wanted to speak harshly and make her leave.
Yet he also wanted her to call him husband and smile at him.
He wanted to recover quickly and leave her.
Yet he also wanted to tie her up and demand to know who had given her that pendant.
However, he could not bear to do any of it.
He truly could not bear to part with her.
“My Lord.”
Mu Wanwan finished preparing the bedding and turned back towards the ugly dragon wearing an expression that said, *I have no emotions.*
She sighed helplessly.
“Shall I help you onto the bed?”
She was already pushing her luck.
She no longer even used the respectful form of “you” when addressing him.
Mr. Dragon showed no response to the change in her manner of speaking.
His eyelashes merely trembled.
His strange pride suddenly began causing trouble again.
He was afraid his legs would dirty the quilt.
He did not want to waste spirit stones.
He also did not want to humiliate himself as a dragon.
He merely glanced at the soft bed and replied stiffly, “I’m not tired.”
Mu Wanwan: “…”
That “I’m not tired” was carved from the exact same mould as little Mr. Dragon’s “I’m not hungry.”
But she knew that once this dragon made a decision, even ten dragons would be unable to drag him away from it.
Mu Wanwan sat on the edge of the bed.
Perhaps she had tasted the sweetness of acting spoiled earlier, because inspiration suddenly struck her. “But I can’t sleep while you’re sitting there.”
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