The Wife Has Four Dao Companions

However, after that night of humiliation, Ye Xuan did not receive his wife's comfort; instead, he received an official transfer order from the sect.

The bell of the Disciplinary Hall tolled three times, the summons acting like a death warrant.

Inside the grand assembly hall, everything was resplendent with gold and jade.

Several elders sat high above, their faces cold and detached.

Ye Qingcheng stood in the center of the hall. She had changed into a brand-new flowing cloud brocade dress, a fabric reserved only for core disciples, which made her look even more radiant.

The cultivation fluctuations of the Foundation Establishment realm flowed around her, making her appear completely unattainable.

Meanwhile, Ye Xuan, wearing the washed-out gray robe of an outer sect disciple, stood in the corner like an insignificant speck of dust.

"Given that Ye Qingcheng possesses the Profound Yin Charm Physique, she is a heaven-chosen seedling rarely seen in our sect in a thousand years,"

The Great Elder's voice rang out like a massive bell, echoing through the hall without a trace of emotion. "To ensure her cultivation speed and prevent the emotional poison from backfiring again, the sect has decided to bestow upon Ye Qingcheng four core Dao companions."

Ye Xuan jerked his head up, his heart pounding wildly.

Immediately after, the Great Elder waved his hand, and four men walked out from the side hall.

Each of them stood tall and straight, exuding an imposing aura.

The first, carrying a longsword on his back with sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, was the Sword Hall's chief disciple, Li Changfeng.

The second, holding a folding fan and looking suave and unrestrained, was the Pill Hall's genius alchemist, Su Chen.

The third, with bulging muscles and a wild aura, was the outstanding talent of the body refinement lineage, Wang Ba.

The last one was none other than Zhao Tianba, who had kicked open Ye Xuan's door that night. At this moment, he was looking at Ye Xuan provocatively with the posture of a victor.

"These four are all heaven-chosen talents of our sect at the peak of the Foundation Establishment realm or even the False Core realm. Their primal yang is pure, and their talents are extraordinary."

The Great Elder announced indifferently, "From this day forth, these four will serve as Ye Qingcheng's exclusive auxiliary Dao companions, assisting her in cultivation to scale the Great Dao together."

Ye Xuan's mind went blank. Even though he had a premonition, when the judgment was truly handed down, he still felt as if the sky had collapsed.

"As for Ye Xuan,"

The Great Elder finally cast a charitable glance at the gray-robed youth in the corner. "Considering that although you are an ordinary mortal, you have merit in discovering a genius and share past affection with Ye Qingcheng. I grant you special permission to retain the title of 'nominal husband.' However, because your cultivation is low and your primal yang is impure, you are not to interfere with Ye Qingcheng's cultivation anymore. From this day forth, you will move back to the outer sect."

"I object!"

A hoarse, angry roar shattered the majesty of the hall.

Ye Xuan, drawing strength from nowhere, rushed to the center of the hall. With bloodshot eyes and a trembling body, he pointed at the four men.

"Elder! Qingcheng is my wife! We bowed to heaven and earth and tied the knot! How can this be? She is my only Dao companion, and I am hers..."

"Insolent!" Zhao Tianba sneered coldly, releasing a burst of oppressive aura that directly forced Ye Xuan to his knees. "This is the Joyous Union Sect, not the mortal realm. Here, maximizing the use of resources is the rule!"

Ye Xuan struggled to lift his head, ignoring Zhao Tianba, and stared fixedly at Ye Qingcheng, who had kept her head lowered.

"Qingcheng... say something!"

Ye Xuan's voice carried a crying tone, like a drowning man grasping at the last straw. "Tell them we are husband and wife, we don't need anyone else... I will cultivate hard. Even if I have to risk my life, I will catch up to you..."

Ye Qingcheng kept her head bowed, her delicate shoulders trembling slightly.

Hearing Ye Xuan's call, she slowly raised her head, her breathtakingly beautiful face filled with struggle and pain.

She looked at Ye Xuan's miserable state, her lips moving, but she hesitated to speak.

It was a suffocating silence.

Even if she just said the word "no," even if she showed the slightest attitude of preferring death to submission, even if it could not change the final outcome, Ye Xuan would feel that he could die without regrets.

But she did not.

She finally avoided Ye Xuan's burning gaze, lowered her head again, and said in a voice as soft as a mosquito, "This disciple... obeys the elder's arrangement."

In that instant, Ye Xuan heard the sound of his own heart breaking.

On the day he moved back to the outer sect, there was no rain, and the sunlight was dazzlingly bright.

Like an abandoned old dog, Ye Xuan carried his worn-out knapsack and walked out of the room that had once belonged to him and Ye Qingcheng under the watchful eyes of the crowd.

Behind him, several servant disciples were joyfully cleaning the room, preparing to welcome the four "new male masters" moving in.

The outer sect residence was dark and damp, with only a hard wooden bed.

Ye Xuan sat on the bed, staring blankly out the window.

However, the true hell had just begun.

The Joyous Union Sect was not large, and the Spirit Lake bank, where the core area bordered the outer sect, was a necessary path for disciples to travel.

For the first few days, Ye Xuan locked himself in his room. But a person always had to eat and collect their monthly allowance.

When he had to step out of his door for the first time, a cruel scene crashed into his sight without any buffer.

It was under a willow tree by the Spirit Lake.

The sunlight was dappled, and a gentle breeze was blowing.

Ye Qingcheng was wearing a goose-yellow dress. The fabric was extremely thin, faintly outlining her graceful figure in the sunlight.

She was no longer the little girl who would only follow behind him calling him "husband." She was now a fairy surrounded by stars.

Li Changfeng stood on her left, pointing at the lake and recounting some amusing anecdote that made Ye Qingcheng cover her mouth and chuckle.

Her smile was bright and moving, a radiance Ye Xuan had not seen in a long time.

And Zhao Tianba, the man who had brought Ye Xuan endless humiliation, was now extremely naturally extending a hand and wrapping it around Ye Qingcheng's slender waist.

Ye Xuan's pupils contracted sharply.

He stared intensely at that hand.

That hand was improperly caressing her waist, filled with a strong possessiveness.

Ye Qingcheng felt uncomfortable, her body stiffening slightly, but she did not push him away.

Even when Zhao Tianba leaned into her ear and whispered some lewd sweet nothing, a blush appeared on her cheeks. She glared at Zhao Tianba reproachfully and lightly pounded his chest with her delicate fist.

This scene was like a red-hot dagger plunging fiercely into Ye Xuan's eye sockets.

This was not just betrayal.

This was an extremely natural and rightful integration.

She was adapting to that circle; she was adapting to this atmosphere of being surrounded by the strong.

"Oh, isn't this Junior Brother Ye?"

Zhao Tianba had sharp eyes. Even from a hundred meters away, he spotted Ye Xuan standing rigidly behind a tree at a glance.

He deliberately raised his voice, and the hand around Ye Qingcheng's waist tightened, even pulling half of her body into his embrace.

Ye Qingcheng trembled all over and looked over, following Zhao Tianba's gaze.

Their eyes met.

Across the bustling crowd, across the sparkling surface of the lake.

Ye Xuan was wearing a dusty servant's uniform, holding two cold, hard steamed buns in his hand.

Ye Qingcheng was dressed in fine clothes, surrounded by young talents, like a pair of celestial lovers.

Ye Qingcheng's face instantly turned pale, and the smile in her eyes froze immediately.

She subconsciously tried to break free from Zhao Tianba's embrace, but his hand was like iron pincers.

She struggled twice, seemed to think of something, and finally gave up. She only lowered her head deeply, not daring to look at Ye Xuan again.

Ye Xuan stood rooted to the spot, trembling all over.

It was a shudder born of extreme anger, a physiological reaction to having his dignity trampled into the mud.

None of the passing disciples mocked him.

Because in the Hehuan Sect, this kind of thing was all too common.

A few outer sect disciples even cast envious glances his way, envious that his wife could climb up the social ladder and perhaps leave some scraps for him.

However, this apathetic normalcy caused Ye Xuan to break down even more than mockery would have.

In this devil's den, he was the only anomaly.

As time passed, the situation only grew worse.

Ye Xuan began to bump into them on various occasions.

In the Alchemy Hall, he saw Su Chen teaching Ye Qingcheng how to control fire hand in hand, their bodies pressed tightly together;

In the back mountain, he saw Wang Ba carrying Ye Qingcheng on his back as they flew through the forest, Ye Qingcheng's cries of surprise crisp and melodious.

With every passing minute and second, Ye Xuan's sanity was being frantically sliced away.

Finally, on a dark and windy night, Ye Xuan could bear it no longer.

Like a madman, he rushed to the inner sect cave dwelling where Ye Qingcheng now resided.

Outside the cave dwelling, formations flowed with light.

Ye Xuan frantically beat against the restrictive barrier. Ye Qingcheng! Come out here! Come out!

After a long time, the barrier opened a crack. Ye Qingcheng walked out.

Her hair was draped loosely over her shoulders, and she carried the fragrance of a recent bath. Her face was flushed, clearly having just finished a cultivation session.

Seeing Ye Xuan's bloodshot eyes and messy hair, a trace of pity flashed through Ye Qingcheng's eyes.

She hurriedly stepped forward and tried to take Ye Xuan's hand. Husband, why are you here? It's so late...

Don't touch me!

Ye Xuan violently threw off her hand and took a step back, his eyes full of disgust. You just finished cultivating? With who? Zhao Tianba? Or Li Changfeng?

Ye Qingcheng's face paled, and she bit her lip. Husband, don't be like this... I did it for cultivation.

For cultivation? Ye Xuan sneered, his laughter incredibly shrill in the night. For cultivation, you can let other men hug your waist? For cultivation, you can let them blow air into your ear? For cultivation, you can let them touch you however they please?

Ye Qingcheng, tell me, is this cultivation, or are you just acting like a slut?!

Ye Xuan! Ye Qingcheng grew anxious as well, her eyes instantly turning red with tears swirling within. How could you say such awful things? In the Hehuan Sect, everyone is like this! I just want to survive, I want to become stronger!

She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down, her eyes becoming gentle and sorrowful. Ye Xuan, believe me. No matter how many people are by my side, my heart will always be with you. I will never forget that you are my husband, the beloved I chose back in the mortal realm.

Your heart is with me?

Ye Xuan looked at her as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world. Your body tosses and turns on other men's beds for pleasure, and then you tell me your heart is with me? Ye Qingcheng, what do you take my heart for? A trash can? Used to hold your cheap guilt?

But my physique destined me to be like this! Ye Qingcheng cried out, feeling incredibly wronged. The Nine Yin Profound Charm Physique, without the primal yang of experts to suppress it, I will die! Do you want to watch me die?

Oh, so hugging others, whispering in their ears, and flirting in public are also problems with your physique?

Ye Xuan asked coldly, every word like a nail. Is it that if you don't let them touch your waist, your physique will have problems?

Ye Qingcheng was momentarily at a loss for words, her face flushing red as she stammered, That... that's just putting on an act... They are geniuses, I have to coax them to get more resources...

Saying this, she remembered something and hurriedly pulled out a heavy silk pouch from her storage bag.

Opening the pouch, it was full of crystal-clear mid-grade spirit stones, and there were even a few high-grade spirit stones.

For an outer sect disciple, this was an unimaginable fortune.

Ye Xuan, look, they gave me all of these. I didn't use them; I saved them all for you.

Ye Qingcheng cupped the spirit stones, offering them up like a treasure in front of Ye Xuan, her eyes full of anticipation. With these, you can buy pills, and you can also break through to the mid Qi Condensation stage, or even the late stage. We can become stronger together, isn't that good?

Ye Xuan looked at the spirit stones emitting an enchanting halo.

In his eyes, they were not spirit stones.

They were prostitution money.

They were the rewards his wife had begged from between the fingers of other men, using her dignity, her body, and the betrayal of her feelings for him.

Smack!

Ye Xuan violently waved his hand.

The pouch was knocked to the ground, and the spirit stones rolled everywhere, making a crisp sound that was particularly grating in the silent night.

Don't show them to me! These things are filthy!

Ye Xuan roared, his stomach churning with nausea. Take them away! Take your dirty money and get lost!

Ye Qingcheng stared blankly at the spirit stones on the ground, then looked at Ye Xuan's disgusted eyes, and her tears finally burst forth like a broken dam.

Filthy? You think I'm filthy?

She trembled all over, her voice shrill. I have no choice! In this Hehuan Sect, if I don't do this, what can I do? I am a weak woman; I can only drift with the tide!

Seeing his wife breaking down and crying bitterly, the softest part of Ye Xuan's heart was still stung.

After the momentary anger faded, what surged up was endless exhaustion.

Let's leave the Hehuan Sect.

Ye Xuan suddenly calmed down, his voice as light as a sigh. Qingcheng, give up this cultivation, give up on immortality. Let's flee to the mortal realm and find a place where no one knows us. Even if we only have a few decades to live, even if we live on coarse tea and plain rice, at least... we will be a clean husband and wife.

Ye Qingcheng froze.

She stopped crying and stared blankly at Ye Xuan.

For a brief moment, a trace of struggle and a hint of longing flashed through her eyes.

But immediately after, that trace of longing was swiftly overwhelmed by fear and greed.

Then what happens when my physique erupts? she asked. In the mortal realm, without cultivators to help me, I will die consumed by lustful fire.

If it really comes to that, just endure it. Ye Xuan looked into her eyes, almost pleading. I can help you. Although it might be a bit painful, we can get through it. Didn't we get through it in the past?

The past?

Ye Qingcheng shook her head violently as if her tail had been stepped on. In the past, my cultivation was low, and the love poison wasn't strong enough. But now, if I endure it, my cultivation will regress! I've already reached Foundation Establishment. I don't want to turn back into a mortal, I don't want to become an ant again!

Ye Xuan, I finally see this era clearly. Only by becoming stronger can one avoid being controlled by fate.

Even if we leave the Hehuan Sect, those experts will still oppress us. So the only way is for us to become experts too.

The light in Ye Xuan's eyes extinguished bit by bit.

He finally understood that what lay between them wasn't just four men.

It was that Ye Qingcheng's heart had changed.

She had fallen in love with power, fallen in love with shortcuts, fallen in love with the feeling of being surrounded by stars like the moon.

In the end, is cultivation more important, or are our feelings more important? Ye Xuan asked his final question.

Ye Liuli trembled all over. She did not dare to look into Ye Xuan's eyes, yet she still cried out, "Husband, you are the only one I love. My heart will always be with you. But I need resources. I need to become stronger. I was forced into this with no other choice. Why can't you just be sensible?"

Sensible.

So in this world, accepting one's wife selling her charm in exchange for benefits was called being "sensible."

Ye Xuan laughed.

He turned around, his back facing Ye Qingcheng, and looked out at the pitch-black mountain forest.

"If that is the case, do as you please."

At this moment, Ye Xuan's heart completely turned to dead ashes.