"I want to keep it a secret," Bai Yunxi said after a moment of thought, her gaze earnest.

  "Li Fang is well known in the Jiang State. Many people must have investigated his background. They may not know my current whereabouts, but they know me. If we reveal our relationship, then they will come to know about this as well."

  She paused, a faint tremble hidden beneath her calm tone. "I don’t want to bring any shame to Li Fang. If people start speaking badly of him because of me..." Her voice trailed off, the unspoken fear hanging in the air.

  Su Kang’s expression softened. "Xi'er, don’t worry. I’ve already thought about this." He reassured her, "The Su family doesn’t even know your real identity. They don’t need to know everything; all they need to know is that I’m the one taking care of you. If I use the Su family’s influence to help, they won’t doubt it. They already know I’m close with Li Fang."

  He continued, addressing another of her likely concerns. "As for the Li family, they’re not involved. I’ve arranged for them to stay hidden. If they want to work, they can take jobs in our businesses under different names. Or if they prefer, they can live quietly elsewhere."

  Su Kang wasn’t worried about Li Fang. He wouldn’t kill him. Bai Yunxi wouldn’t allow it; she had already accepted Su Kang from the depths of her heart. There was no way she would let him die before her eyes. And he had another reason, he wanted to slightly damage Li Fang's heart. Once it wavered, Fate could plunder some of his destiny.

  Fate had already advised him that being her lover and being her husband were entirely different matters. Only a husband could truly share her fate, and it was within that marital bond he could potentially bask in Li Fang's fortune.

  This was crucial because Su Kang didn’t know if Li Xiao, Li Fang's father, was truly dead. His fate was definitely not ordinary, but Su Kang wasn’t willing to spend his precious destiny points to confirm it.

  Instead he planned for the worst. If Li Xiao ever returned, Su Kang needed to ensure Bai Yunxi would never leave with him. And the most effective way to bind her? Through the ties of their own family—their own child.

  He brought his attention back to her, his voice gentle. "Xi'er, if you don’t want others to know, I won’t tell them. But shouldn't we at least tell our families?"

  He wasn’t planning to hide her from his parents. Once they returned, they would find out either way. He had no intention of lying to them. His mother might feel conflicted because of Bai Yunxi’s past, but she would never stand in the way of her son’s happiness. And his father? As long as Bai Yunxi didn’t announce it to the world, he could tolerate it, since the family’s reputation would suffer otherwise.

  The Su family had few direct descendants, and the male members were not overly indulgent in women compared to other powerful clans. His father wouldn’t object, not if Bai Yunxi gave them healthy grandchildren.

  The only real problem was their reaction to Li Fang being her son. He decided to ignore that complication for now.

  Bai Yunxi thought quietly for a moment. She had no qualms about telling her mother. As for the Li family, she had grown distant from them over the years. There was no need to involve them.

  "But," she began, her tone laced with self-doubt, "do you think your parents will accept someone like me? My cultivation is weak... my background is just ordinary and my past is..."

  "Don’t worry. My parents and family won’t object to our relationship," he said without hesitation. He told her about the Su family. His father had never taken a second wife. His uncles had two wives each, but that was their choice.

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  "Your cultivation will improve again now that your heart is no longer clouded. Without a heart demon, you’ll return to being the cultivation genius of Qin City."

  He added, a touch pragmatically, "And for my family, as long as we give them a few children, they’ll have no reason to oppose you."

  She lowered her gaze slightly, considering his words, seemingly convinced, at least in part. But then her voice dropped, so quiet it was almost a whisper, yet heavy with an unspoken weight

  "About having children... I think this is bad.

  Su Kang’s face fell slightly. The unexpected declaration caught him off guard. He processed it for a moment, then nodded, his own desire secondary to her discomfort.

  "If you don’t want to, I won’t force you."

  Seeing his reaction, Bai Yunxi hesitated, a flicker of uncertainty in her eyes. This was all happening so fast. They looked at each other in silence for a moment before Su Kang spoke again, his voice softer than before, imbued with a sincerity that aimed to soothe her anxieties.

  "Xi'er, I want to marry you."

  "Even if we keep the relationship hidden, I still don’t want you to suffer injustice without a proper status." Keeping her as a mere mistress didn’t sit right with him, and it would also go against Fate’s plans. She was going to be his first woman in both of his lives. That alone deserved recognition. A hidden wife was still a wife—far better than a mistress.

  "We don’t have to hold a big wedding. Even a small one here in the village will do."

  Children could be discussed later. For now, marriage was paramount. Fate had already told him that vows exchanged under Heaven carried a special power, real consequences in the realm of destiny.

  He added, with quiet confidence, "Your mother will also feel at ease knowing we're married."

  Bai Yunxi nodded thoughtfully, a gentle smile touching her lips as she considered his words. A small, discreet wedding would indeed bring peace of mind to her mother.

  "You’re truly caring," she said softly. "Alright, we’ll marry here in the village."

  "Good," Su Kang replied, a grin spreading across his face. "Now let’s head back."

  He wrapped an arm around her waist and soared into the sky, holding her close. As they glided through the night air, he looked at her face, his voice a quiet reassurance. "Don’t worry. We’ll land in the dark. No one will see us like this.

  She didn’t reply immediately, her gaze sweeping across the moonlit, star-dusted sky.

  "It’s been a long time since I’ve seen such a beautiful sky," she murmured, a wistful note in her voice.

  "In the future, I’ll make sure you see many such beautiful nights," he promised, gently brushing her hair back. "I’ll show you as many wonders as I can."

  "I’m really lucky," she muttered shyly, her cheek warming under his touch.

  "It’s me who hit the jackpot," he replied with a soft laugh.

  Soon, they reached the outskirts of the village. Su Kang landed quietly and escorted her back to her mother’s hut, then left without much more said.

  Since they would marry soon, he had a lot to prepare. The first step was a proper place to live. Buying a house in the city would attract attention, so to keep a low profile, he decided to build one near the village. Wood from nearby trees would suffice, and he had furniture in his storage ring. Other materials could be purchased from the city or brought in by skilled workers under different identities.

  He would start the preparations tomorrow. For now, he returned to his spiritual boat and went inside, sitting quietly on the bed.

  "Fate, tell me now," he said in his heart.

  "Since she accepted your confession, I was able to extract some power of destiny."

  "How much did we get?" he asked.

  "Two thousand destiny points, for your convenience."

  Su Kang frowned slightly at the number. "Only two thousand? I already lost a thousand before... and Li Fang has over thirty-two thousand. This doesn’t feel like much."

  "She’s only accepted your confession for now. When your marriage is consummated, we can extract more. You haven’t claimed her body yet."

  Fate paused, then continued.

  "And when you marry her, there is something important I want to tell you."

  "There are marriage vows in many cultures. Vows taken under Heaven possess the power of destiny. When couples make such vows or express them through rituals, their destinies become linked to some degree."

  "So our destinies will merge?" Su Kang asked.

  "Not entirely. You’ll gain around ten to fifteen percent of her destiny. But if she dies, you’ll lose it. Likewise, she’ll gain a portion of yours—also lost if you die."

  "This bond only remains active as long as your marriage remains intact."

  Su Kang silently absorbed this information. The benefits of a proper wedding, he now realized, were far greater than he had originally considered.