Weapon seller in the world of magic

Lu Shan nodded obediently and ran off toward Shen Yi, who was already attempting to climb a low ice sculpture on her own. Song Yue caught her just in time, shaking her head with a helpless smile.

Mark walked over to Lan Xia, brushing the snow from his sleeves. ”What is it?”

Lan Xia handed him the scroll without ceremony. ”A message just arrived.”

Mark took it, his fingers pausing slightly as he felt the seal. ”From the imperial palace already?” He raised an eyebrow. ”They’re being far too impatient if that’s the case.”

Lan Xia shook her head. ”It’s not from the Emperor.”

Mark looked at her again, surprised this time. ”Then who?”

”Lord Hei,” she replied calmly. ”He sent word that he will arrive at the sect this afternoon. He wants to speak with you in person.”

Mark’s expression shifted immediately. The casual ease he had while playing with his children faded into thoughtful seriousness. ”Lord Hei...” he murmured. ”That’s unexpected.”

He glanced down at the scroll again, but didn’t open it yet. If Lord Hei was coming personally, the contents were likely secondary to the visit itself.

”I assume this isn’t something that can be postponed,” Mark said.

Lan Xia nodded. ”No. His tone was... deliberate. Whatever he wants to discuss, he considers it important.”

Mark let out a quiet breath. ”Alright. I’ll be there.”

As he turned slightly, his gaze drifted back to the courtyard. Lu Shan had managed to trip Shen Yi in his excitement, and now both children were sitting in the snow, laughing as Song Yue scolded them half-heartedly. Shen Ling stood nearby with her arms crossed, watching with amused patience, while Sylvandria remained a short distance away, gently rocking the twins in her arms.

Lan Xia followed his gaze.

After a moment of silence, she spoke again, her voice softer this time. ”You know... I’ve heard countless stories about households where multiple women share the same husband.”

Mark glanced at her.

”They’re usually filled with schemes, jealousy, silent battles, and endless competition,” Lan Xia continued. ”Even powerful cultivators are no exception to that.”

She looked back at the courtyard, at the women talking quietly, the children laughing freely, and the absence of tension that should have been there.

”But your family is different,” she said. ”There’s no hostility. No hidden knives behind smiles. They treat one another like real family.”

She smiled faintly. ”You’re lucky, Husband. Truly lucky.”

Mark let out a soft breath and replied, ”Maybe it’s because I wasn’t a king or anything important when they married me. Back then, I was just a normal guy running a weapon store.”

Lan Xia blinked in surprise. ”But you told me before that your father was the Emperor of the land you lived in.”

Mark smiled faintly, the kind of smile that carried more weight than humor. ”Like I said before, it’s a long story.” He paused, then added, ”But I’ll tell you the short version.”

His gaze drifted toward the courtyard, where Song Yue was crouched beside Lu Shan, brushing snow from the boy’s hair while Shen Yi toddled around them, laughing without restraint.

”There was a prophecy,” Mark began calmly. ”One that spoke of the Empire’s destruction. Because of it, my mother exchanged me with another child at birth and sent me away. I grew up not knowing who I really was. Years later, when I finally learned the truth, I was already deep into planning revenge against my parents and the Empire that abandoned me.”

Lan Xia listened quietly, not interrupting.

”That was when I met Song Yue,” Mark continued. ”She came from a noble family and was already engaged to someone else. At first, she was just a customer at my shop. She helped me promote my business, gave me advice, even argued with me over prices.” His lips curved slightly. ”I never thought much of it back then.”

He paused, his expression darkening just a little. ”Her fiancé was insecure and cruel. With help from one of his friends, he hurt her badly. She had nowhere to go, so she ran. I gave her shelter. Nothing fancy. Just a place where she could feel safe.”

Lan Xia felt the steadiness in his voice, but also the emotion beneath it.

”We became friends,” Mark said. ”Then closer than friends. We went through hard times together. Dangerous times too. And some very beautiful ones. Around that time, my business grew faster than I ever expected.”

He glanced briefly at Shen Ling, who was standing a little apart, watching the children with a composed smile.

”That growth caught the attention of Shen Ling,” Mark went on. ”She was a princess of a neighboring kingdom. Her father wanted me as a matrilocal husband. He offered wealth, protection, and a future that most people would never dare refuse.”

Lan Xia slowly nodded, beginning to see the shape of the past.

”When Song Yue heard about it,” Mark said quietly, ”she didn’t get angry. She didn’t cry in front of me. Instead, she thought about Shen Ling. About how Shen Ling treated her like a sister, how that kingdom had given her a sense of home she never really had.”

He swallowed lightly. ”Song Yue sacrificed her own feelings. She told me to marry Shen Ling. She said it was the best path for everyone.”

Lan Xia’s eyes softened.

”I think that was the moment,” Mark continued, ”when Shen Ling truly understood what kind of person Song Yue was. From then on, they stopped being rivals in name and became closer than most sisters I’ve ever seen.”

He fell silent, watching as Song Yue lifted Lu Shan into her arms while Shen Yi clapped happily at the falling snow.

”That’s why,” Mark said at last, his voice steady again, ”there was never room for schemes or jealousy. They didn’t come into my life because of power. They stayed because of trust.”

”And later on,” Mark continued in a quieter voice, ”while I was searching for clues about my brother, I ended up in an elven world by accident.”

Lan Xia listened without interrupting.

”That’s where I met Sylvandria,” he said. ”Back then, she was a priestess. Pure, upright, and devoted to her faith. Probably the purest person I had ever met. Fate pushed us together through a few life-and-death situations. If we hadn’t relied on each other, neither of us would have survived.”

He paused briefly, then went on.

”At first, she didn’t have a close bond with Shen Ling or Song Yue. When she followed me, she was just a powerful elven demigod from another world. A companion. A friend. Nothing more.”

His gaze softened. ”But when I was gone, she stayed. She fought my enemies, protected my family, and stood beside them when I wasn’t there. She even became Lu Shan’s godmother. After all that... how could anyone truly hate her?”

Lan Xia nodded slowly, but her thoughts moved in a different direction.

No... he doesn’t really see it, she thought. He couldn’t. But she could.

She had noticed it clearly.

The sadness and longing were hidden deep in Sylvandria’s eyes. The hesitation that appeared whenever the elf looked at Lu Shan, as if she wanted to step closer but restrained herself.

She had also seen Shen Ling’s gaze. Calm on the surface, but always lingering for half a breath longer on the boy. A look filled with restraint, ambition, and something quietly buried.

Only Song Yue... Lan Xia realized, seemed truly pure in her thoughts. Open, warm, and without calculation.

Maybe even she knows, Lan Xia thought, that Lu Zhen loves her the most.

Lan Xia’s eyes drifted to Mark, who was still watching Song Yue from afar. That gaze... she had never seen that look when he looked at her. It wasn’t something he could fake. It was deep, natural, and unquestionable.

So this is what he meant back then, she thought.

When she had confessed her feelings and proposed marriage, he had told her clearly that even if he loved her and married her, she could never be his first priority. At the time, she had thought he was simply being honest, maybe even overly cautious.

Now she understood.

That place was already taken.

But it was fine.

She had chased after him, knowing all of this. She had married him with her eyes open, not blinded by illusions.

If she couldn’t replace Song Yue, then she would take the place that belonged to her.

Second place.

And if that wasn’t enough, she would make sure that among all his wives, she stood firmly there. Not above Song Yue, but never beneath anyone else.

Lan Xia shook her head lightly, as if brushing the lingering thoughts from her mind. Her tone returned to calm practicality.

”Anyway,” she said, ”so far, there’s no news about the void stone you asked about. None of the elders or sect channels have reported anything.”

Mark frowned slightly. ”Then... do you think I should ask Lord Hei?”

”Lord Hei?” Lan Xia repeated, raising an eyebrow. ”Yes. He’s the first person that came to my mind.”

Mark hesitated. ”I’ve been keeping him as a last resort. If he does me a favor, I’m worried I’ll have to compromise too much with the imperial palace afterward. His position is... sensitive.”