Picking Up Attributes In Martial World

Chapter 207: Peaceful Times

Ye Jun was clearly happy to go with Song Liangxue. He knew these few days were likely the only peace he would get to enjoy in a long while. After all, his macro-schedule was already packed tightly.

He had concrete plans to focus entirely on growing even stronger, visit the Heavenly Frost Palace, and then venture into the fracturing depths of the Heaven Opening Chasm. Once those gears started turning, they wouldn’t get these quiet, domestic moments anymore.

But as the excitement settled, a sudden thought crossed his mind. He turned his gaze toward Meihui, who was still sitting quietly under her Young Master Rong disguise.

"Wait, how are you going to join us?" Ye Jun asked, his brow furrowing slightly. "You can’t exactly walk around the central districts dressed as a southern young master while we browse the clothiers. It wouldn’t suit the local environment for the three of us to act like lovers in broad daylight. The North might be open-minded about many things, but that would just look bizarre to the public."

A flash of genuine sadness passed through Meihui’s eyes behind the illusion. She squeezed her hand fan slightly, lowering her head. "It’s fine. I’ll stay behind in the guest wing. I can use the quiet time to finish translating and writing out the second part of the *Grand Genesis Foundation Sutra* for you anyway. You’ll need it soon."

The response left a distinctly bad taste in Ye Jun’s mouth. Beside him, Song Liangxue’s expression also turned cold. She didn’t like the arrangement at all.

She had already declared within the privacy of their chambers that they were a family, and leaving Meihui out of their rare free time felt like a betrayal of that bond.

"That’s completely unnecessary," Song Liangxue said, her tone firm. "We aren’t leaving you cooped up in a room like a prisoner while we explore my hometown."

Sitting at the head of the table, Song Yanyan watched the three of them with a soft, thoughtful expression. She set her cup down, a knowing smile playing on her lips.

"Well, I actually have an idea that might solve your logistical bottleneck. But I don’t know if our little friend here will approve of it."

Ye Jun looked at her. "What is it, Yanyan?"

"In our world, it is perfectly common for powerful, influential cultivators to have multiple partners," Song Yanyan explained, shrugging her shoulders. "From a standard legal standpoint, there is absolutely no problem with Ye Jun taking another wife. However, Liangxue’s unique status as the direct heiress of the Northern Sovereign causes a massive political complication. The proud northern noble clans might create unnecessary drama if they see a southern youth openly taking a secondary wife on equal terms with our princess right after his arrival."

She leaned back, her dark silk sleeves rustling softly. "So, my suggestion is simple. Meihui can alter her active disguise. Instead of a man, she can shift her features to appear as a beautiful maid who is also Ye Jun’s personal concubine. It might still upset a few traditional old cogers in the lower councils, but it won’t matter in the grand scheme. No one will dare say anything out loud because Liangxue remains the sole, undisputed legal wife."

Ye Jun’s brow furrowed heavily, his bold nature immediately rejecting the idea of placing a lower social label on the woman who had risked everything to run away with him. But before he could utter a single word of protest, Meihui hurriedly spoke up, her face lighting up with sudden eagerness.

"I’ll do it! I genuinely don’t mind it at all," Meihui said, her voice filled with absolute resolve. She looked directly into Ye Jun’s eyes, her gaze clear and completely unbothered by the external metrics.

"As long as the three of us can explore the city together and have fun, the label doesn’t matter to me. I know you love me equally, dummy. It doesn’t matter if the rest of the world thinks of me as a mere maid concubine."

Song Yanyan was mildly surprised to see such unyielding resolve and pure love from a girl who clearly originated from a high-status southern lineage. Her expression instantly shifted back into her usual, sweet warmth, a mischievous glint sparkling in her eyes as she turned her gaze toward Ye Jun.

"My, my," the Matriarch teased with a bright chuckle, shaking her head. "I am truly amazed, son-in-law. Just how did a young master from a tiny city manage to completely ensnare two such beautiful, fiercely loyal ladies? You must teach the old men in the branch clans your secrets."

Ye Jun accepted the praise shamelessly, a lazy, confident grin spreading across his face as he leaned back. "It’s nothing special, Yanyan. Just a natural combination of my absolute charm and relentless effort."

Song Liangxue rolled her eyes at his posturing, but a soft, happy smile remained on her lips.

"Alright, since we have a plan, I will handle the cover story for Young Master Rong," Song Yanyan declared, rising from the table. "I’ll let the outer court attendants know that I have temporarily taken the southern young master with me to the restricted archives to discuss some private southern mercantile registries. That will keep anyone from tracking his absence."

With the logistics settled, Song Liangxue immediately stood up, her regal demeanor fully shifting into an excited, protective older sister phase.

She grabbed Meihui’s wrist, pulling her toward the inner dressing chambers. "Come on, Meihui. Since you’re making such a massive compromise for us today, I am going to treat you like a true sister. I’ll personally help you select the robes and adjust your new disguise layout."

Ye Jun sat alone at the sandalwood table for a short while, finishing his tea while listening to the faint laughter echoing from the dressing rooms. *’A maid concubine disguise,’* he thought, a wave of quiet determination settling into his marrow. *’The world can think whatever it wants for now. Once I harvest enough attributes from the Chasm, I’ll make sure no one on this continent dares to question her position.’*

When the inner doors finally reopened, Ye Jun’s breath caught slightly.

Meihui stepped out, her appearance completely transformed. She had dialed down the advanced artifact, shifting her features away from the sharp, arrogant Young Master Rong into a softer, incredibly beautiful visage that perfectly matched her true feminine grace, though she kept just enough structural alterations to prevent any recognition from southern spies.

She wore a set of high-grade, fitted dark-blue maid robes trimmed with silver northern fur, her long hair tied back with a simple silk ribbon. She looked completely stunning, though her cheeks were flushed a deep red as she awkwardly fidgeted with her sleeves under his intense gaze.

"Stop staring, dummy," she mumbled shyly, hiding her face behind her closed hand fan.

"You look beautiful, Meihui," Ye Jun said honestly, his gaze warm as he stood up to join them.

The three of them left the ancestral palace shortly after, boarding an open-topped carriage drawn by two massive, obsidian-furred Rhyshadiums. Without the heavy armored vanguard crowding their perimeter, the ride felt incredibly free and unburdened.

As the carriage descended into the central districts of Everfrost Capital, the true depth of Northern culture fully unfurled before them. Unlike the southern cities, which favored delicate silk banners and ornate, fragile wooden arches, the architecture of Everfrost was built entirely from massive blocks of dark ironstone and frost-veined white marble. Every structure looked like a minor fortress, built to endure the ancient blizzards of the outer wastes.

The local fashion was equally unique. The streets were filled with tall, broad-shouldered northmen draped in heavy, layered cloaks made from the thick pelts of tundra beasts. The garments were dyed in deep indigos, crimson, and stark whites, cinched with thick leather belts embedded with protective runic brass buckles.

Their way of talking was blunt, loud, and entirely devoid of the veiled, slippery pleasantries common in the southern courts. When two merchants disagreed over the price of a spiritual pelt, they didn’t smile and plot behind each other’s backs; they simply barked their metrics at each other until a compromise was reached, followed by a hearty clash of ale cups.

The three of them spent the next few hours thoroughly enjoying their time. They visited multiple high-tier storefronts, sampling hot local pastries sweetened with rare mountain honey, and browsing through rows of unique northern artifacts. Throughout the entire excursion, the sound of their combined laughter never stopped, the heavy anxieties of the Convergence completely melting away beneath the soft, falling snow.

The local citizens and shopkeepers were genuinely surprised to see their Young Miss. For years, Song Liangxue had been known across the capital as a cold, unapproachable ice beauty who rarely displayed a single shred of emotion in public.

Yet today, she was smiling brightly, her laughter melodious and clear as she walked hand-in-hand with the tall, handsome youth beside her. A collective wave of happiness settled over the street vendors, who silently noted how much vibrant life Ye Jun had brought into their princess’s world.

However, the crowd was also a little surprised by the exact layout of their group. Walking half a step behind them was Meihui, clearly dressed in the uniform of a personal maid, yet her physical interactions with Ye Jun were filled with an undeniable, quiet intimacy.

More interestingly, Song Liangxue didn’t show a single ounce of jealousy or coldness toward her; in fact, the Young Miss was constantly pulling the maid into the conversations, pointing out beautiful fabrics and treating her with the genuine warmth of a true sister.

Since their highly respected princess was on such excellent terms with the girl, the straightforward northern citizens naturally adapted without a single question. Shopkeepers treated Meihui with immense hospitality, handing her the premium cuts of dried winter fruits and offering her the highest-grade spiritual teas with respectful bows.

Eventually, they arrived before the grand plaza of the central district, heading toward the capital’s premier clothier to select Ye Jun’s formal attire. But before they could reach the entrance archway, their carriage path was smoothly obstructed.

A group of five young men stepped out from the side plaza, stopping a few paces away. They were dressed in luxurious, high-grade northern cloaks trimmed with silver fox fur, their belts embedded with elite family crests that identified them as the top tier of the young nobility in Everfrost. Every single one of them possessed a solid, well-refined cultivation base, their Qi buzzing with the crisp resonance of the early Origin Realm.

The lead youth, a tall, broad-shouldered young master with sharp features and an unyielding posture, stepped forward. He didn’t carry any hidden malice or cheap arrogance in his eyes. Instead, his gaze was completely serious and direct.

He stopped before the open carriage, rendering a flawless, deep warrior’s bow strictly to Song Liangxue first. "Greetings, Young Miss Song. Welcome home to the capital."

Song Liangxue’s expression smoothly reverted back into her cool, noble mask. She offered a brief, polite nod. "Young Master Yuan. Is there a reason your deployment is blocking our path?"

Young Master Yuan straightened up, his focus shifting entirely onto Ye Jun. He looked at Ye Jun’s broad frame, measuring his presence with the blunt honesty the North was famous for.

"We mean no disrespect to the Song Clan, Young Miss," Yuan said, his deep voice carrying clearly across the busy plaza, drawing the immediate attention of dozens of passing cultivators. He raised his hand, offering a respectful but firm salute directly to Ye Jun.

"The rumors of the Nine Purple Tribulations have shaken the entire northern domain. But our Northern Frostwall Brotherhood has defended these lands for generations through raw capability, not rumors. If a southern cultivator wishes to become the Lord Son-in-law of our absolute capital, we need definitive proof that he truly deserves you. Ye Jun, as a man of the North, I formally challenge you to a martial bout."

Normally, facing a group of generic noble youths trying to initiate a standard face-saving challenge, Ye Jun would have given some lazy, completely shameless reply to bypass the unnecessary hassle and return to his comfortable shopping trip.

But as he looked into the lead youth’s eyes, he found no petty jealousy or underhanded schemes. There was only the blunt, honest desire of a northern warrior wanting to measure the strength of the man who was set to inherit their domain. It was the exact straightforward nature Liangxue had praised.

Ye Jun’s lips twitched upward into a bold, confident grin. He slowly stepped down from the open carriage, his broad frame towering over the stone pavement as his Soul Tempering base subtly rippled through the cold air.

"Alright," Ye Jun said, his voice casual but entirely unyielding. "I accept."