After careful consideration, Xie Xingwen also felt it was inappropriate to throw Chu Xuan into the mountains for training at this moment.
If she were truly eaten by wild beasts, he would have to accompany her in death.
After comprehensive deliberation, he agreed that Chu Xuan should stay home. However, before leaving, he handed her a wooden sword—one he had hastily crafted overnight.
Since he intended to teach Chu Xuan swordsmanship, a sword was naturally necessary.
“Your task today is to practice one thousand sword strikes.”
Merely a thousand strikes? How could a simple wooden sword possibly challenge her?
Chu Xuan happily reached for the wooden sword, but the moment it landed in her hand, she stumbled and fell to the ground, sword and all.
Chu Xuan: “What kind of wooden sword is this? Why is it so heavy?”
“This is an ordinary wooden sword, but I’ve inscribed a gravity array on it.” Xie Xingwen crouched down to meet her gaze, smiling encouragingly. “Practice well. This sword was tailor-made for you. I’ll check your progress when I return tonight.”
With that, he stood up and walked away. After a few steps, his voice drifted back lightly: “By the way, if your sword strikes are incorrect, you’ll face punishment.”
At first, Chu Xuan didn’t understand what Xie Xingwen meant by punishment—until one of her strikes went awry. A surge of electricity shot from the hilt into her palm, jolting her entire body awake.
Only then did she realize that Xie Xingwen hadn’t just inscribed a gravity array on the wooden sword—he had also layered a lightning array as well.
How… despicable!
As the last rays of sunlight vanished below the horizon, Chu Xuan finally completed her one thousand strikes.
She tossed the wooden sword aside and collapsed onto the ground, splayed out in a starfish shape, her arms trembling uncontrollably at her sides.
Mo Jingxing was the first to return. He set the game he’d caught in the yard, then approached Chu Xuan, crouching beside her.
“Female Master, what happened to you?”
They had all left earlier than Xie Xingwen that morning, so none of them knew about the training task he had assigned Chu Xuan.
Meeting Mo Jingxing’s amber eyes, Chu Xuan suddenly felt as if she had suffered an immense injustice. Her lips quivered, and tears began to fall in large, relentless drops.
“Jingxing, my arms hurt so much. Can you massage them for me?”
Mo Jingxing had never seen Chu Xuan cry before. This was the first time, and he was instantly flustered.
“Female Master, please don’t cry. I… I’ll take you back to your room first.”
He carried her back to her room and gently began massaging her arms.
Chu Xuan sat on the edge of the bed, quietly watching him. Mo Jingxing had long eyelashes; with his gaze lowered, they cast deep shadows across his face, obscuring his amber irises. His thin lips were pressed together in concentration as he diligently attended to her arms.
In truth, all five Beast Husbands were exceptionally handsome. Xie Xingwen had a domineering, cold demeanor; Yu Jinglan, with his fiery red hair and crimson pupils, possessed an alluring, almost bewitching beauty.
Shen Lingjun’s features were as cool and detached as his personality, while Jian Ze exuded a steady, dignified aura.
As for Mo Jingxing—if he were in the modern entertainment industry, his looks would undoubtedly classify him as a pretty-boy idol.
Chu Xuan couldn’t fathom what the original host had been thinking. How could she have been so cruel as to abuse five such stunning Beast Husbands? It was nothing short of a waste of heaven’s gifts!
“Female Master, are you feeling better now?”
Mo Jingxing looked up and met Chu Xuan’s intense gaze.
Her eyes were too direct, carrying an almost predatory hunger that seemed ready to devour him whole.
Mo Jingxing’s expression stiffened momentarily before a blush crept across his cheeks. He rose uncomfortably and said, “Female Master, please rest for a while. I’ll go heat some water for you.”
With that, he practically fled from Chu Xuan’s room.
Only after his figure disappeared did Chu Xuan touch her own cheek and murmur to herself, “Was I really that intimidating just now?”
[You were!] The system suddenly chimed in mischievously: [Host, even Mo Jingxing was afraid you might eat him.]
[But host, if you complete intimate contact with your Beast Husband, you’ll receive an unexpected surprise!]
Hearing this, Chu Xuan’s eyebrows twitched with a sense of foreboding. She asked with feigned calm, “What counts as intimate contact?”
[Aiyo~] System 38 pretended shyness before explaining: [It means doing the deed!]
As if worried Chu Xuan might not understand, it thoughtfully translated: [In the terms of your Hehuan Palace, it means dual cultivation! Would you like to try it? That wolf seems quite innocent, probably easy to conquer. Starting with him would be perfect…]
“Enough, I understand. You can stop talking now.”
Before the system could finish, Chu Xuan immediately cut it off.
[Host, don’t be shy! Remember you come from Hehuan Palace – what scenes haven’t you seen? Don’t chicken out! Even if you don’t do it now, based on my understanding of the main system, it won’t be long before it assigns such a mission anyway. When that happens, you’ll have to do it whether you want to or not.]
“Let’s talk about it when the time comes!” Chu Xuan replied.
She just wanted to tease Mo Jingxian a little. As for dual cultivation…
She admitted she felt some attraction toward her five Beast Husbands, but she lacked the courage to act on it!
The next day, Chu Xuan practiced sword techniques in the courtyard all day.
Over two days, the five Beast Husbands had caught plenty of game, making for a substantial harvest.
The third day marked the opening of the Mutual Market.
That morning, Chu Xuan woke early to accompany her Beast Husbands to the market.
The moment she awoke, System 38’s voice echoed in her mind: [Host, today is the final day for your mission. Please remember to complete it.]
Chu Xuan: “…”
“Alright, alright, I know. Stop nagging.”
After breakfast, the group discussed their departure.
Remembering the system’s mission, Chu Xuan approached Mo Jingxing and cooed sweetly, “Jingxing, can you carry me?”
If Mo Jingxing agreed to carry her, he would surely transform into his beast form. Then she could take the opportunity to stroke his tail and complete the mission.
Chu Xuan thought herself incredibly clever.
Jian Ze had originally intended to carry Chu Xuan, but seeing her ask Mo Jingxing instead, he swallowed his words, a faint disappointment flashing in his eyes.
Mo Jingxing looked at the expectation in Chu Xuan’s eyes, recalling how much she had changed recently. She was different from before, treating them more gently, and he didn’t feel as resistant toward her as he once had.
Besides, as her Beast Husband, carrying her was his duty.
Mo Jingxing nodded, then directly transformed into his true form before Chu Xuan. Crouching before her, his wolf mouth uttered human speech: “Female Master, please climb on.”
This was Chu Xuan’s first time seeing Mo Jingxing’s true form—a tall, majestic wolf with jet-black fur. In this form, he exuded an untamed aura that left Chu Xuan momentarily stunned, her eyes filled with awe.
Mo Jingxing didn’t miss the admiration in Chu Xuan’s gaze. He slightly lowered his head and called out again in a deepened voice: “Female Master!”
Only then did Chu Xuan snap back to reality, quickly climbing onto the wolf’s back.