He had just been reborn when he was imprisoned by his nemesis, the Empress?

Xu Yi looked at the expectation in her eyes, his heart softened, and he nodded.

"it is good."

This agreement brought a gentle smile to Jiang Xuange's lips.

Her movements became increasingly gentle, the handkerchief slowly tracing across Xu Yi's chest and back, wiping every part with meticulous care.

An occasional, unintentional touch of his fingertips made Xu Yi tremble involuntarily.

After a while, her upper body was finished being wiped, and Xu Yi, seeing her preparing to continue, quickly said...

"Let me wash myself from now on, my wife."

Jiang Xuange shook her head, her tone carrying a hint of coquettish persistence.

"How can that be? Xu Yi can't clean himself up."

What do you mean it can't be washed clean...?

Xu Yi felt helpless. How could an adult like him not be able to get properly clean even after taking a bath?

Although he was inwardly complaining, he didn't directly say no. Instead, he silently had Jiang Xuange take a handkerchief and continue to carefully wipe his body.

His cheeks flushed involuntarily, and his eyes darted away, unable to look her in the eye.

Jiang Xuange noticed Xu Yi's shyness. In fact, she herself was even more embarrassed, her cheeks burning hot.

My husband has such a great physique...

Thinking this, her heart beat faster and faster, and even her breathing became a little rapid. She had no choice but to use the excuse of changing the water to quietly calm herself down.

After finally finishing his shower, Jiang Xuange took some clean clothes and helped Xu Yi put them on.

She leaned closer to him and smelled him again, making sure that only a faint trace of mugwort remained on his body before kissing his forehead with satisfaction, and then took his hand and walked towards the main hall.

Xu Yi let her lead him, but he felt a little amused and exasperated.

Why do they always act like children?

My life goal is to be a tough guy...

......

After returning to his bedchamber, Xu Yi saw Su Qingluan still fiddling with needlework by the window and couldn't help but go up and peek a few times.

Upon seeing this, he couldn't help but laugh—Su Qingluan had also woven something quite small.

Small and round, it clearly looks like a glove, and the size is just right for a miniature version of myself.

This is clearly for myself; I was just being stubborn and saying I was going to knit it for someone else.

Su Qingluan noticed his gaze, paused in her actions, but her tone remained indifferent.

"What are you looking at?"

Xu Yi looked away, scratched his neck, and said...

"I didn't see anything, but I felt your knitting was pretty good."

After saying that, he turned around and walked onto the bed, silently moving closer to Jiang Xuange's embrace.

Jiang Xuange reached out and gently embraced him.

The fresh scent emanating from him filled my nostrils, and the discomfort in my heart finally dissipated considerably, revealing a relieved smile on my face.

......

Nighttime, in the dream world.

Inside the carriage of the Heavenly Donkey, Xu Yi kicked Liu Rui, who was tied up in the corner. She was the woman in the white cloak from the Black Demon Sect.

"Is it about three more days' journey?"

Xu Yi asked, his tone tinged with impatience.

Because of Qingqing's terrible sense of direction, they took many detours when they set off, which slowed down their journey considerably.

Liu Rui flinched from his kick, then quickly nodded, her voice trembling slightly.

"Yes... Starting from here, cross the Soul-Severing Ridge ahead, then pass through a dark forest and snow-capped mountains, and you'll reach the southernmost headquarters of Starfall Pool."

She paused, as if remembering something, and a hint of apprehension appeared on her face.

"However... there are many rogue cultivators who rob and plunder ahead of Broken Soul Ridge. Most of them are at the Cave Heaven Realm or above. You may need to be a little careful."

Xu Yi waved his hand dismissively and shook his head.

"It's okay, it's okay, it's just a robbery."

"Over the past few days, I have come to realize just how abnormal the people of Xingyuntan are. What kind of people haven't I seen?"

Liu Rui sighed softly and shook her head.

"This time it might not be as simple as you think..."

Just then, a sharp, piercing laugh suddenly rang out from outside the donkey cart, shattering the tranquility of the night.

"Oh ho ho ho ho ho... Stop the donkey cart ahead, I'm robbing it!"

Xu Yi raised an eyebrow and lifted the carriage curtain to look outside.

There stood a dozen or so cultivators in the air, each dressed in tattered black robes, their faces bearing fierce and menacing expressions.

Seeing this, Xu Yi did not hesitate at all and flew out directly. He circulated his spiritual power, and a faint black light emanated from his body. His aura instantly soared.

The highest cultivation level among these robbers was only at the Cave Heaven Realm, which was nothing to him.

Xu Yi moved through the crowd like a ghost, exchanging blows with his fists and feet, his spiritual power surging.

In just a few dozen rounds, they killed all of the dozen or so cultivators, and their corpses fell into the mountains below.

He returned to the donkey cart and muttered to himself.

"The strongest among them is only at the fourth level of the Cave Heaven Realm, how dare they?"

As a result, only half an incense stick's time later, a large group of cultivators appeared in front of the donkey cart again.

The leader was a one-eyed man, wielding a huge axe, who chuckled grotesquely.

"Hey hey hey hey hey, I planted this tree, I opened this road, if you want to pass, leave your toll!"

Xu Yi rolled his eyes in exasperation and had no choice but to fly out and take action again.

The robbers this time were slightly more powerful than the previous group.

There were more than a dozen peak-level Cave Heaven Realm cultivators, and it took him almost an incense stick's time to deal with all the robbers.

However, less than half an hour of silence followed, and then a familiar, eerie laugh came from outside again.

"Oh ho ho ho ho ho... This mountain is mine, this space is mine, hand over the goods in the cart, and I'll spare your lives!"

Xu Yi was completely dumbfounded. How could these people be like monsters in a game, automatically respawning after a while?

He mustered his strength and flew out again, only to find that this time the robbers were of even higher quality.

There were a hundred people, and three of them were at the Star Realm. Xu Yi fought for another half an hour before he finally killed them all.

When he got back to the donkey cart, he was so exhausted that he slumped into a chair.

Bai Li quickly came over.

It rubbed its furry head against Xu Yi's arm, then stuck out its tongue and gently licked the back of his hand, making soft whimpering sounds.

Xu Yi took out a pill, poured out one and swallowed it. After catching his breath, he said, somewhat devastated.

"Why are there so many robbers here? And they're all so brainless..."

Liu Rui, huddled in the corner, heard his words and explained softly.

"Soul Ridge is the most chaotic place on the outskirts of Starfall Pool, and no force governs it."

"Moreover, spiritual energy is scarce and resources are limited, so many desperate cultivators and demons gather here and make a living by robbing others."

"As for why there are so many, it's probably related to the old traditions of our Starfall Pool."

"That means having children if you can, and having them even if you can't. You always feel that having one more child means having one more chance, and that one of them will be successful."

"A family can easily have dozens of children, and some can even have hundreds."

"This has led to the fact that three billion people live in such a small place as Starfall Pool."

"A place that was once brimming with spiritual energy has gradually become barren due to overpopulation and excessive consumption of it..."

"Although there are many reckless people and many deaths on ordinary days, there are still many newborns, which is why robbers keep coming in."

Xu Yi's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Huh? Is it really necessary to exaggerate like that? Aren't cultivators supposed to have difficulty conceiving?"

"Even an ordinary person couldn't possibly have that many children, right?"

Liu Rui blushed slightly and said somewhat shyly.

"Cough cough cough, the elixirs we have here are especially potent in that area."

"There are pills that, once taken, keep you energetic and full of vitality for twelve hours."