The silent room held only a few faint sounds, which now seemed unusually clear.
Tang Zhaoxue closed her eyes, her hearing becoming exceptionally sharp.
Her breathing grew involuntarily heavier, her throat subtly moving as she instinctively tilted her face upward, leaning slightly closer toward him.
In response to this uplifted, beautifully reverent face, Jiang Huai quickened his movements a little.
Her expression seemed to say: Stay here.
Tang Zhaoxue moved closer and closer, until the tips of their noses barely touched.
Just a slight touch, and a surge of emotions flooded her heart.
Jiang Huai halted his actions, gently flicked her face, and softly said, “Don’t get so close.”
“I have a wife. We need to keep our distance,” Tang Zhaoxue’s cheek twitched slightly as she reluctantly retreated a bit, silently grumbling in her heart: Keeping distance? She was practically soaked in his Spiritual Liquid already.
She forced herself to resist the urge to open her eyes and see for certain.
Remembering her earlier firm resolve, she endured and kept them closed.
There would be a chance—one day she would… make it up.
As time passed, the breath finally settled as expected, fully landing on her uplifted cheek and slightly parted red lips.
As a Sect Master of the Mystic Polaris Immortal Sect, this beautiful flower bore many mottled marks.
Su Yingman, as the Hehuan Sect Master, produced pills of undeniably extraordinary quality, with lasting effects.
The heat lingered for a long time, shrouding the air until Tang Zhaoxue’s face was nearly obscured, visible only in vague outline.
“Cough, cough…”
Such a beautiful face, now nearly unrecognizable, looked as if covered by a mask.
The fluid slid slowly along her smooth skin, sinking into the aglow Spiritual Liquid below, merging into one.
In an instant, the wooden tub hummed softly and trembled, emitting a strange gentle radiance.
The Innate Primordial Qi inside received a tremendous boost, its brilliance swirling, growing ever more refined.
“This should… be enough.” Jiang Huai panted weakly.
Though not the second time, he couldn’t resist the pill’s aftereffects.
His legs trembled uncontrollably as he shakily climbed down from the small stool, each step laborious, collapsing onto the soft couch as if drained of all strength.
“I can’t hold on. I really can’t… I need to rest…”
If he didn’t rest now, the next “refill” might truly be impossible.
“Mm…”
Tang Zhaoxue felt a vast, gentle vitality surge into her meridians.
She immediately switched from kneeling to sitting cross-legged, slowly sinking into the water, seizing the moment to absorb and refine.
Not long after Wu Zhaohua and Chi Hong returned to the Xianzhou, Qin Qingyue set out with Zhu Siyao toward the Mystic Polaris Immortal Sect.
“This world’s passageways are only known to the White Dragon Clan, Red Dragon Clan, Wenxuan Sect, and our Nine Heavens Palace.”
“Let’s visit the Mystic Polaris Immortal Sect first and see how we can divvy up this world’s resources later.” Qin Qingyue told Zhu Siyao casually, as if deciding where to go shopping.
If they were coming, it wouldn’t be empty-handed; taking some loot was Qin Qingyue’s usual mindset.
Zhu Siyao had stood by Jiang Huai through life and death and was also the daughter of Zhuxin.
Both publicly and privately, Qin Qingyue had regarded her as one of her own and was determined to bring her back to Nine Heavens Palace.
Even though Zhu Siyao’s talent was average, Qin Qingyue resolved to devote resources to nurture her.
Forget about the Blazing Sun Sect or the Showy Repressive Sect—not worth the bother.
“Don’t worry, once you come to Nine Heavens Palace, Big Auntie and your dad will watch over you!” Qin Qingyue boldly patted Zhu Siyao’s shoulder.
“Looking across the entire Five Provinces Continent, I can walk through it all with confidence!”
“And your dad? He’s just like that among his peers!” she gave a thumbs-up.
With this, whether it was the Five Provinces Continent or Secret Realm training, Zhu Siyao could roam freely.
Zhu Siyao stumbled back from the sudden pat and started coughing, caught off guard by the unexpected self-introduction of “Big Auntie.”
Big… Auntie? If that’s the case, then Second Auntie would be Su Yingman, and Third Auntie would be her own mother?
Would that mean after returning, her relationship with Jiang Huai could only be…?
A strange, indescribable feeling surged in the young girl’s heart, her mind tangled in thought as she muttered gloomily, “I understand…”
Qin Qingyue glanced at her and thought inwardly:
This girl is just like her mother—can’t even say something flattering.
If it were disciples from other sects promised such things by her, they’d probably be shedding tears of gratitude and begging to kowtow.
But Zhu Siyao wore a heavy, listless look, burdened with worries.
By the time they finished talking, they had arrived at the Mystic Polaris Immortal Sect’s mountain gate.
The enormous gate stood majestic, but its design startled even the well-traveled Palace Master Qin.
“Whose shell is this? Why is it standing here?”
The material was like jade but not jade, glowing softly in the sunlight with exquisitely lifelike carving details.
“It’s really well-carved. How did I never think of this?” Qin Qingyue stroked her chin, inspecting it with interest, showing no embarrassment but rather admiration and sudden understanding.
“Next time, I’ll have one made for Longyin Hall, sculpted exactly like Jiang Huai!”
Longyin Hall was the palace Qin Qingyue specially set aside inside Nine Heavens Palace for herself, Zhuxin, Su Yingman, and others to cultivate and live, the grandest in scale.
Hearing this, Zhu Siyao’s expression turned extremely awkward.
She opened her mouth but eventually swallowed her words.
Sculpted like Jiang Huai? That would take real skill.
“But why are these everywhere?” “Is their sect’s atmosphere really this open?”
Entering the sect, Qin Qingyue was even more amazed.
Everywhere she looked, from relief carvings on corridor pillars to decorations around the training grounds, almost all displayed a similar style—bold, explicit worship of women to an extreme degree, surpassing any sect in the Five Provinces Continent.
Zhu Siyao helplessly explained, “It’s not unique to the Mystic Polaris Immortal Sect.”
“The culture and customs of this world are just like this. Female reverence is taken to extremes, far beyond the Five Provinces Continent.” She then briefly recounted how this world had suffered from the Xie Tide invasion and how the Mystic Polaris Immortal Sect fought back with all their might.
“I see, that actually makes sense.” Qin Qingyue nodded, showing understanding.
Soon, an elder temporarily in charge of sect affairs hurried over upon hearing the news, bowing respectfully:
“Welcome, esteemed Immortals.”
“You’re the one in charge now?” Qin Qingyue asked offhandedly while still scanning the blush-inducing decorations.
“Yes, honored Immortal. Previously, Tang Sect Leader was in charge, but the Sect Master was seriously injured and has yet to return. I am currently managing sect affairs temporarily.”
Qin Qingyue wasted no time with pleasantries and said directly, “Take me to see your Treasure Vault and Scripture Repository.”
The elder’s forehead broke out in a cold sweat instantly, showing reluctance.
But under Qin Qingyue’s seemingly casual yet unyielding gaze, he had no choice but to grit his teeth and comply, escorting the two “Immortals” to the sect’s inner sanctums.
Qin Qingyue wandered through the treasure vault, brushing her delicate fingers over the Spirit Stones, magical tools, and medicinal ingredients that the Mystic Polaris Immortal Sect treasured like precious gems, her disdain growing more apparent.
She rummaged around for a long time but was stunned to find nothing that caught her eye.
“Is this all your sect’s holdings?”
She couldn’t help but complain, tossing an aged cultivation manual back onto the table, her tone dripping with “Is that it?”
“Which sect is the strongest here?” she pressed.
“Uh… currently, our sect is the strongest, and our strongest cultivator is our Sect Master Tang Zhaoxue.” The elder responded awkwardly, as if delivering an unwelcome truth.
Qin Qingyue was speechless.
She paused a moment, as if unsure how to judge such a pitiful “strongest.”
What a pathetic sect—like the Wenxuan Sect.
“Forget it. From now on, your Mystic Polaris Immortal Sect’s plaque should have ‘Nine Heavens’ added to it, understand?”
She had originally planned to plunder, but instead ended up offering aid.
Still, their spirit was commendable—treat them as subordinate sects.
“This concerns sectal heritage. Whether to rename requires Sect Leader Tang’s return before deciding,” the elder nervously replied, afraid of being blamed later for unauthorized changes.
Qin Qingyue frowned slightly. “Your Sect Master Tang Zhaoxue is seriously injured and must be taken back to Nine Heavens Palace for recuperation. She probably won’t stay here long.”
She thought to herself, not to mention Tang Zhaoxue was still soaking in Spiritual Liquid and that she knew the secret of the Yin-Yang Body, Qin Qingyue would never allow her to leave.
As for whether she counted as Jiang Huai’s concubine…
Qin Qingyue was inwardly conflicted.
Tang was at the Divine Transformation stage, with no special constitution, average talent, and not young.
Her looks were passable, but were Su Yingman or Zhuxin any worse?
A character like that could be a concubine to her own husband?
If Qin Qingyue chose concubines, she had standards and thresholds.
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.