When Zhuang awoke, it was not to the cold dungeon, but to the warmth of a well-furnished room. She was lying on a soft bed, her body wrapped in gentle bandages. The room was lit softly by lanterns, and the air was filled with a soothing scent of medicinal herbs.

The still pregnant Nianhua, who she met months before and a beautiful woman she hadn’t met before, was at her side. Their presence was comforting and imposing. They were working diligently to heal her battered body, their skilled hands weaving healing spells and applying ointments.

Zhuang’s first instinct was to panic, but Nianhua’s calming demeanour reassured her. She winced slightly as Mei Lin’s magic worked to mend her wounds, but the pain was far less than what she had endured in the dungeon.

“Where am I?” she asked weakly, her voice hoarse.

“You’re safe now,” Nianhua replied, her tone soft but firm. “Xiuying brought you back to the domain. She’s taking care of your friends, and she even brought Mei Lin back to make sure you recover properly.”

Zhuang’s mind raced. The memories of her time in the dungeon were still fresh, and the sight of Xiuying was so vivid that she felt it was a dream.

She looked at Mei Lin, who was hard at work with sweat beads going down her forehead. Recalling the memories of her time when she was here before, she recalled the healing herbs and nervously asked, “Are you her second wife?”

Their eyes met briefly, and she smiled with a nod but didn’t answer as she was fully absorbed in healing her.

After they finished their work, they left her to rest. The silence of the room was a stark contrast to the chaos she had experienced. The healing process was slow. Her thoughts were consumed by the strange encounter with Xiuying and the pain of her captivity.

As the days passed, her condition improved. Her body healed, and her spirit, though scarred, was peaceful with the care she received. Xiuying visited whenever she wanted, but their interactions were brief. Xiuying just stared at her. The tension between them was like as vast as a desert.

Mei Lin knocked on the bedroom door, peeking her head through it. She saw Zhuang sitting on the bed covered with the bedsheet only. Smirking, she asked, “Has Xiuying seen how delicious you look?”

She blushed and shook her head. “No, unfortunately. You can come in if you want.”

Sitting down on the edge of the bed, she asked, “How are you feeling?”

“Better thank you,” Zhuang answered, observing Lin as she observed her physical condition. Nodding her head in approval, she clapped her hands twice and placed them in her lap. Looking out the window, she explained, “She never calls me out to help her. Nianhua is capable enough to deal with things, but your spirit and soul were tortured, too. Why would you do something so dangerous? Did you have to go so far to get back at Xiuying?”

She was confused, “No? What are you talking about?”

Turning to her, they shared a moment of silence before she said, “Did you not know she was going to save you?”

Zhuang shook her head. She could feel her tears burning her eyes. Rubbing them, she mumbled, “I thought I was going to die. I thought I was seeing her in my dreams. I didn’t think I’d wake up.”

Mei Lin nodded slowly, then tapped the bed. Standing up with a jump in her step, she said, “Welcome to the family. I’m Mei Lin.”

Zhuang looked at her hand that was stretched out. This woman was Xiuying’s second wife. There wasn’t a sign that she was angry that Xiuying brought another woman here. What was their deal?

The pixie?

The giantess and now her?

What about the Dragon Clan’s daughter?

What about me?

As if she could read her thoughts, she said, “I don’t know what it is, but I just can’t leave her. I’ve learnt to love her. Maybe I had no choice but to love her. You’re different, not like us, and I think you know that too. Xiuying isn’t your ordinary cultivator. None of us know who she is besides that. She saved us and she loves us. How when we’re so many? And who knows, there might be more in the future, but that’s for her to decide and don’t bother trying to fight it. She could have left you to die, but you caught her heart and gave her a reason to save you.”

She bent down and kissed Zhuang on the cheek, saying, “How about you smile now? Ye Zhuang, you’re part of a family that’s going to change what’s written in history.”