Ch 144: The Discount, The Dessert, and The Sword

Tina finished her calculations and looked up from the records in front of her.

"Sir... the Guild will purchase these monster corpses for 212 High Grade Spirit Stones and 40 Mid Grade Spirit Stones. The corpses from all three monster grades have been valued separately according to their respective market prices. As for Guild Points, you will receive 12,000 GP."

"Guild Points...?" Su Wen asked.

Tina gave a small nod. "Guild Points, also known as Contribution Points, measure a member's contributions through missions, completed assignments, and other Guild-approved activities."

She paused before continuing, "They can also be used as the Guild's internal currency to purchase Guild-exclusive techniques, resources, and other items that cannot be bought with ordinary Spirit Stones."

"I see." Su Wen rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

Tina continued, "You already received 250 GP for the Golden Tooth bounty this morning. As for the five Peak Foundation Establishment bandits, your reward is 200 Mid Grade Spirit Stones and 1,250 GP."

She then looked towards Du Yue. "And for the bandit boss, the reward is 40 High Grade Spirit Stones and 1,500 GP."

She turned back towards Su Wen. "As for your D-Rank promotion, you've already accumulated enough GP to reach Gold Class. Since Miss Du Yue has also completed her first mission, she can now be promoted to C-Rank Bronze Class."

"Amazing!" Su Wen immediately perked up. "Wait... does that mean I'll get a 15% discount on this technique?" He immediately tossed the Heavenly Yin-Yang Sun-Moon Scripture towards Tina.

She caught the booklet and raised an eyebrow at him. "Although this technique is quite valuable, are you sure you're willing to spend so many Guild Points on it? You could use them to purchase other treasures or rare herbs instead."

"It's fine." Su Wen brushed off her concern. "We can always hunt more monsters to earn more GP."

Tina opened her mouth to speak, then suddenly stopped. "Ah... I just realised something. Unfortunately, you aren't eligible for a discount on this technique."

Su Wen frowned. "What?"

Tina pointed towards the booklet. "It's a Grade 3 item. Your D-Rank Gold Class discount only applies to items Grade 2 and below."

Su Wen's expression froze. "What... That's not fair."

Tina gave him an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, but those are the Guild's rules."

She suddenly seemed to remember something and glanced towards Du Yue. "However, Lady Du Yue can still receive a 5% discount on Grade 3 items as a Bronze Class member."

"Oh, really?" A spark of hope returned to Su Wen's face.

But Tina's smile quickly became awkward. "There's just one problem..."

Su Wen's hopeful expression vanished.

"She doesn't have enough GP... and Guild Points cannot be purchased or transferred between members, so..."

Su Wen's face immediately fell. He looked at Tina as though she'd just delivered the cruelest news imaginable. "Noo... isn't there any other way?"

Tina gave him a helpless look. "No."

'It's like having discount coupons but not being eligible for a single one!' Su Wen's shoulders slumped. He stared at the Heavenly Yin-Yang Sun-Moon Scripture for a moment before letting out a long sigh. "Never mind... we can't do anything about it."

With a resigned smile, Tina took both Guild tokens and updated their information before handing them back.

Name: Du YueRealm: Golden Core (Mid)Rank: Bronze C-Rank MercenaryRank Contribution GP: 1,500Available GP: 1,500

Name: Su WenRealm: Foundation Establishment (Peak)Rank: Gold D-Rank MercenaryRank Contribution GP: 13,500Available GP: 4,510

The two Guild tokens began glowing.

Su Wen's token slowly changed from its previous bronze colour to a brilliant gold, while Du Yue's turned from colourless to bronze.

"13,500 GP..." He admired the number for a moment, but the satisfaction didn't last. 8,990 GP had already been deducted from his Available GP for the technique.

"Ah..." Su Wen stared at the remaining 4,510 GP with a pained expression. His happiness had come and gone far too quickly. After finishing everything, Su Wen and Du Yue said goodbye to Tina before leaving the Contribution Hall.

As they walked out of the Guild, Su Wen glanced back one final time, his eyes lingering on the Guild Master's office. Aldren had already disappeared, but Su Wen still remembered their conversation. He couldn't help but wonder what the future would bring.

Tina stood near the entrance and watched their backs disappear into the distance. For some reason, she had a feeling that this wouldn't be the last time she heard about these two.

Outside, snow began falling from the night sky, and a chilling wind swept through the streets.

Back on the mountain...

Su Wen took out the ingredients and set up a simple barbecue. Soon, the sound of sizzling meat filled the quiet surroundings, and its rich aroma spread through the air.

He carefully turned the meat over before sprinkling a mixture of spices across it, making sure every piece was evenly seasoned. Du Yue sat beside him, watching the meat with unusual patience.

The moment Su Wen finished cooking the first piece, she reached out and grabbed it. She didn't bother waiting for it to cool down and took a large bite, completely abandoning her graceful, aloof image. Her cheeks puffed up as she chewed happily, clearly enjoying every bite.

Su Wen watched her for a moment before shaking his head helplessly. "Where did that elegant and cold beauty go?"

Du Yue huffed and continued eating for a moment before speaking. "She died of hunger."

Su Wen's mouth twitched. "Alright, alright. She'll be alive again once her belly is full. And be careful... it's hot. Eat slowly; no one's going to snatch it from you."

Du Yue replied calmly, "Husband, don't worry about me. Instead, you should cook faster. I won't let you slack off while working."

"Working?" Su Wen raised his eyebrows as he flipped the meat. "Wife, are you treating me as your personal cook?"

"Are you not?" Du Yue asked, her sharp eyes fixed on his face as if she were studying every expression.

"Of course I am." Su Wen answered without hesitation. "Not just a cook, but your personal attendant, caretaker, bodyguard... and everything."

Satisfaction flickered across Du Yue's face.

Su Wen chuckled and placed another piece of meat onto her plate. "Your Majesty Du Yue, please eat more."

Du Yue gave him a shy glare at the teasing title, but she happily accepted the food nonetheless. The two continued eating beside the warm fire until all the food was gone. Du Yue leaned back in her chair and let out a satisfied burp before rubbing her round belly like an old man. "Much better..."

Su Wen laughed. "See? I told you she'd come back to life."

Du Yue nodded seriously. "The resurrection was successful."

Su Wen shook his head, amused. After cleaning up the barbecue, he suddenly seemed to remember something. "Wait..."

Du Yue turned to him. "What?"

"I promised you something earlier today." Su Wen quickly stood up and took out the frozen milk.

Du Yue's eyes immediately lit up.

He began preparing the dessert, carefully shaving the frozen milk into fine flakes before adding sweet syrup and a few other toppings. After a short while, he placed the finished bowl in front of her.

Du Yue examined the bowl with open curiosity. "Is this the dessert you promised me earlier?"

Su Wen smiled. "That's right. It's Bingsu. Try it and see how you like it."

Du Yue eagerly picked up the bowl and took a spoonful. The delicate flakes melted in her mouth, followed by the sweet and fruity flavour of the syrup and toppings.

"It's delicious." A satisfied smile spread across her face.

"I knew you'd like it," Su Wen said.

Du Yue happily took another bite before holding the spoon towards him. "Husband, try it."

Su Wen leaned over and tasted it. "It's tasty." He nodded. "But I think it tastes even better because you like it."

Du Yue tilted her head slightly. "Are you saying that if I didn't like it, you wouldn't think it was tasty either?"

"Of course. How can I like something my wife doesn't like?" Su Wen said solemnly. "But if you don't like something... then I'd have no choice but to eat all of it myself. We can't waste food, can we?"

"You only want to eat it all by yourself." Du Yue huffed and landed a series of punches on his chest.

Su Wen laughed and gently caught her hand. "Alright, alright. I won't steal your dessert. After all, you are my dessert!"

A deep blush spread across Du Yue's cheeks. She quickly turned back towards the bowl and continued eating, occasionally feeding Su Wen a spoonful with a satisfied huff.

Su Wen watched her with quiet amusement. The cold night, the falling snow, and the quiet mountain made the moment feel strangely peaceful.

The warmth of her body rested against his, her familiar fragrance lingering around him. Each time she turned slightly to feed him another spoonful, her silky hair brushed against his face. With his left hand, he brushed her hair aside, revealing her pale neck and shoulder.

Acting on impulse, he slowly moved his lips from her neck to her shoulder, his warm breath tickling her skin. He felt the softness of her skin beneath his lips, an irresistible temptation that made him want to linger. He gently bit near her collarbone, the coolness of her skin contrasting with his warmth.

"~Mmm..." Du Yue let out a quiet sound as a faint tingling sensation spread through her body.

"Wife... you taste so good. Truly, you're my dessert." He murmured as he kissed the spot he had bitten before moving towards her ear. At the same time, his arms slipped around her slim waist, his hands resting gently against her tender belly.

Du Yue took her last bite, set the bowl aside, and closed her eyes as her heart began beating faster. She felt his arms tighten around her, and his words made her cheeks flush with happiness and shyness.

Su Wen lost himself in the moment as he kissed her ear, then her cheek and forehead. He held her chin and turned her face towards him. He gently kissed her eyelids, then her nose and cheeks, before finally capturing her pink lips.

Their eyes fell closed as their lips met. The kiss began gently, but as they became lost in the moment, it gradually deepened, their breaths mingling as they held each other tightly.

For a moment, the world around them seemed to disappear. There was only the closeness between them, Du Yue's fragrance, and the gentle crackling of the fire nearby. Du Yue lightly bit his lower lip before soothing the tiny mark with her tongue, her playful gesture making his heart race.

However, kissing Du Yue always gave Su Wen a strange sense of calm. For a moment, that familiar feeling grounded him, but the presence in his arms made it difficult to hold onto that composure.

His heart pounded like a drum, blood rushing through his veins as heat spread throughout his body. His face was completely flushed, and his breathing gradually became heavier.

Su Wen's smile gradually stiffened.

He swallowed and tried to focus on anything other than the woman in his arms. Yet the effort only made him more conscious of her presence.

"Husband?" Du Yue slowly regained her composure, but she could still feel his body temperature rising. "You seem to be burning!"

"Wife..." He didn't answer, but held her a little closer, as if he wanted to merge her with himself. "Wife... let me hug you for a little while. Just stay here with me."

"Hmm..." Du Yue relaxed in his arms. She turned around in his lap to face him and hugged him tightly. "Hug as much as you want, husband... I'm right here."

He rested his cheek against hers, enjoying the quiet intimacy. Du Yue's smile deepened as she held him, her hands slipping beneath his robes to rub his back.

Neither of them spoke for a few moments. The only sounds were the crackling fire and their breathing.

"Husband..." Du Yue called out softly. But Su Wen didn't respond. She waited a moment before drawing back to study his face. "Husband, are you alright?"

Su Wen finally blinked, his gaze settling on Du Yue as he emerged from his daze. His face burned. "I'm fine."

Du Yue stared at him suspiciously. "You don't look fine."

"I'm... perfectly fine," he replied immediately.

Just then, Du Yue frowned as she felt something pressing against her.

"Hmm...?" She shifted slightly in his lap before feeling something strange. "Husband... why are you keeping your sword on your lap?"

Silence.

Su Wen couldn't say a word as he realised what was happening, and his face turned completely crimson. He quickly helped her back onto the chair, then turned his back to her, too embarrassed to meet her eyes. "I need to go."

Du Yue blinked. "Go where?"

"The bathroom." Before she could say anything else, Su Wen hurried towards the bathroom.

Du Yue watched him disappear into the bathroom, feeling confused. 'What kind of sword makes someone so desperate to go to the bathroom?' she wondered innocently.

A moment later, she heard the loud splash of water coming from the bathroom.

Inside, Su Wen grabbed a wooden bucket, filled it with cold water, and poured it straight over his head. The icy water washed away the lingering heat and helped clear his mind.

He stood there for several seconds, letting the cold water drip from his hair. "Thank god... Still safe." He took a deep breath. 'I really need to start cultivating that technique as soon as possible...'

Outside, Du Yue sat quietly and thought to herself, 'Why does husband feel so strange tonight?'