Bai Qingyue had not planned a response in advance, and instead answered best he could at that moment.

"To be honest, I struggled, but I managed to drag you back inside the cabin with my inner powers. I licked you clean and used my low-level Foxfire to dry us."

It was partly true – Bai Qingyue had licked her, and he had used his Foxfire to dry them. From his perspective, it could almost be considered as him being honest.

"You've worked hard, Snowball," Li Meirong said, kissing the tip of the fox spirit's nose. She remained ignorant to his conniving nature, and was instead just glad to have him by her side. "Thank you for taking care of me when I should be the one taking care of you."

Li Meirong was surprised by his words, but for a different reason than one might think. She hadn't even been aware of her little Snowball's capabilities, and could hardly imagine him having enough strength to drag her at his young age.

If anything, she was a little envious. That such a young fox was already so much stronger than her… she couldn't help but feel a bit ashamed, and wanted to seriously devote herself to training, to hone her newfound energy.

She had to practice cultivation until no one would be able to bully her or her loved ones ever again!

"It was my duty and pleasure to do so," Bai Qingyue answered, rather conceitedly, from his position on her lap.

Li Meirong was grateful for her little one's consideration. She should be tending to her fox spirit, and yet it had ended up being the other way around.

Nighttime arrived swiftly. Shadows submerged the cabin's confines into darkness, and in an attempt to make the surroundings a little cozier, Li Meirong lit a few candles and assembled a collection of fluffy blankets. She wanted to make sure Snowball was content, and that he felt welcome in her modest little home.

Light and comfort sorted, Li Meirong used a charcoal stove to prepare a light meal. She placed a slice of cured mutton in the greased iron pan, and a fragrance of savory meat immediately spread throughout the room. She then chopped and arranged a plate of vegetables, seasoned with herbs from her gardens, with swift, practised movements.

Bai Qingyue observed his wife from his place on the bed, watching her meander back and forth while a pleasant aroma wafted up from the frying pan. His appetite grew at the scent, just as his other 'appetite' did at the sight of Li Meirong's pert backside. His eyes lingered unabashedly as he recalled how soft and comfortable it had felt to be between those warm, tender cheeks during—

"Snowball!" Li Meirong's scolding tone snapped him from his absentmindedness. His ears perked up as his gaze snapped to hers.

"I told you to come here; the food is ready! Honestly…" Li Meirong grumbled, indignant. She had called him multiple times already!

They ate in silent companionship, meeting each other's gaze from time to time as they ate. Li Meirong picked up one slice of meat after another and placed them all in Bai Qingyue's bowl, watching him gobble the food with a satisfied expression.

Licking his mouth clean, Bai Qingyue found himself becoming surprisingly obsessed with his little wife's cooking, but was uncertain as to the reason. He used to practice abstinence with ease, not only abstinence from physical intimacy, but from eating as well. Fundamentally, gods were able to indulge, but did not necessarily need to.

Perhaps his wife was simply so highly skilled? He silently mused. She outclassed the chefs at his palace with ease. When they returned to the heavens, he would have to make sure all meals met her expectations.

Thoroughly sated from the sumptuous yet simple meal, Snowball returned to the bed and Li Meirong washed the used dishes in a bucket. Except for the sound of Li Meirong scrubbing the plates, the room was silent, but it felt snug and homely to Bai Qingyue.

'Never mind the palace,' he thought to himself, changing his mind as he curled on the bed. He would just stay here, with her, in the mortal realm for as long as she wished. Was he not the Sovereign Lord? He could simply move his workload here.

A short while later, Li Meirong finished her chores and went to sit by the fox spirit's side, contemplating her next course of action as she stroked the silver fur on his back gently.

Tomorrow, she would have to attend the morning ceremony in the presence of Grandmaster Zhu Zhang – and Zhu Qingyue – and take on the mantle of a personal disciple of the Grandmaster, as well as being a student to his son.

Well, that would be the case, if the events with the Spirit Beast shop didn't condemn her to go on trial again.

Her cheeks heated at the thought of facing the domineering man she'd had wild fantasies about. Wouldn't she have to see him every day, now that he had been assigned to teach her martial arts?

Li Meirong shook her head vehemently. Whatever her thoughts were, she would never let him find out!

Meanwhile, the fox spirit covertly observed his wife. Even with her simple garb, her beauty and gentle nature managed to shine through, enrapturing all who laid eyes on her. Her dark tresses were, as he now knew, as soft as silk, just as they looked to be. Her rosy cheeks only added to her innocent demeanour, and heightened his desire to ravage her.

The red marks he left on her skin stood out in stark contrast to her tender, pale flesh.

Pleasure rolled through him at the sight of his claim upon her.

Unfortunately, Li Meirong was about to discover them, and would think otherwise.

The soreness of her neck prompted Li Meirong to grab her hand mirror from the nearby storage closet, and she brought it up to examine the tender spots.

The mirror slipped from her quivering fingers, almost shattering on the floor, as she stared in shocked horror at her own reflection. Her eyes went wide, hands shaking.

She looked as if she had been abused!

Dark red marks, some almost purple, covered her neck.

Bai Qingyue hurried to clarify before she could question the anomaly, alerted to her fright by her sudden trembling.

"Oh, it was terrible! After you fainted, a swarm of mosquitoes passed by!"