Wu Zhaohua’s entire body shimmered with flowing sword light, her gaze heavy and locked onto the bound Zhuxin nearby, emotions swirling in her eyes—complex and unfathomable.
‘Is this the Pure Yang Body that can elevate Jiang Huai’s cultivation further?’
The thought of other women touching Jiang Huai, of other women riding atop the man she loved and roaming freely—it tore at Wu Zhaohua’s heart mercilessly.
Before she knew Jiang Huai carried the Yin-Yang Body, unaware of his astonishing talent, her thoughts were pure and simple.
She poured all her resources into helping him reach the Earth Immortal Realm or scoured for Immortal Longevity Materials, only hoping he would stay with her for the long haul.
She never demanded that he possess extraordinary combat strength or charge into battle—Wu Zhaohua herself was Jiang Huai’s strongest power.
She was willing to brave the perilous path of cultivation to fight for the Celestial Immortal Form, but Jiang Huai could not.
Celestial Immortal Form? That was far too dangerous—not about strength, but luck and fate.
Whether it was Wu Zhaohua or Qin Qingyue who touched that realm, none but the fortunate could make it.
Without Jiang Huai, one a woman and one a dragon, one might have long since perished in Human Tribulation, the other most likely broken on the Juexian Secret Realm.
Yet now, a path straight to the Celestial Immortal Stage—and even higher—lay before Jiang Huai.
Wu Zhaohua’s heart wavered violently.
Torn and anguished.
Paving a comfortable path for him and severing his chance at greater achievements, forcing him into ease—that was two entirely different matters.
Qin Qingyue stared intently at the flickering light in Wu Zhaohua’s eyes and instantly discerned her thoughts.
Her delicate face was instantly overcast with frost, even the dragon tail covered in scales tensed rigidly, her voice cold as ice:
“Wu Zhaohua, I will never tolerate you ruining Jiang Huai’s future.”
“No matter which path he chooses, I, Qin Qingyue, will do everything in my power to support him.”
“If you dare obstruct him—”
She spoke deliberately, her killing intent chilling:
“I will kill you.”
Zhuxin, though bound and only half understanding, vaguely guessed the situation.
Her ‘Husband Lord’ seemed to have certain physical needs.
Probably to enhance his cultivation—could it be that she was his ‘expendable’?
“You and I both know what kind of world this is.”
“We’ve witnessed each other’s struggles all along and understand the iron laws of this world,” Qin Qingyue said calmly.
They had climbed upward together, struggling toward the highest peak, never fearing life or death in pursuit of cultivation advancement.
This world was untrustworthy, unreasonable, and unforgiving to the weak.
To stop was to become an ant crushed beneath others’ feet.
For Qin Qingyue herself, rules could be twisted at will; trust was a luxury—the only thing reliable was strength.
But now, on her list of those she could trust, Jiang Huai held a special place.
“No need for your reminders!”
Wu Zhaohua shook her head fiercely, as if trying to shake off the bone-deep pain, her sword tip aimed straight at Zhuxin:
“Give her to me!”
Whether Zhuxin was needed for Dual Cultivation with Jiang Huai or not, as a Pure Yang Body, her milk combined with secret methods could help Jiang Huai refine his body painlessly, reaching the ninth layer of Qi Refining.
Before the words even faded, Wu Zhaohua ceased speaking further. Sword light flashed like a rainbow, carrying absolute resolve, stabbing forward.
At the same time, Qin Qingyue rose abruptly, her long spear humming in hand, battle intent surging skyward.
Wenxuan Sect.
Su Yingman arrived.
She floated in the air, her feet untouched by dust.
Dressed in radiant Heavenly Grade Robes that refracted myriad hues under sunlight, she exuded an icy, unapproachable nobility.
Her gaze was indifferent, settling on the protective array light screen of the Wenxuan Sect.
A faint curve lifted the corner of her mouth.
After watching Qin Qingyue’s battles through the Great Ascension Stage for so long, it was finally her turn!
Though it was just bullying a sect without a Merging Stage cultivator.
Her slender jade fingers flicked, and a palm-sized, black dragon scale radiating a dark, destructive aura appeared in her palm.
This was the Array-Breaking Item given to her by Qin Qingyue.
“Break.”
Su Yingman’s vermilion lips parted, uttering the cold word.
Hum.
The black dragon scale suddenly burst with dark radiance, an extremely condensed beam of light silently striking the Wenxuan Sect’s protective array light screen.
No earth-shaking explosion followed, only the intense, teeth-grinding sound of glass shattering bit by bit.
A dull boom, and the entire light screen shattered violently.
“Without a Great Ascension Stage cultivator presiding over the formation, this is all it is,” Su Yingman muttered.
“Enemy attack!!!”
A piercing alarm finally rang through the skies, belatedly alerting everyone.
Two figures, one in blue and one in white, shot forth like arrows loosed from a bow.
They were Bai Lei and Qi Yuyong, who responded immediately upon sensing the protective array’s destruction.
“Who dares invade Wenxuan Sect?” Bai Lei roared, her long sword drawn, sword light flickering as she unleashed her full Nascent Soul Stage power.
Qi Yuyong followed closely, her expression grave, spiritual energy surging around her.
Yet, when they saw Su Yingman floating above, holding a Heavenly Grade Immortal Sword, her aura deep and unfathomable like the sea, their hearts plummeted.
A Merging Stage cultivator—and one wielding a Heavenly Grade Immortal Sword.
The enormous gap between realms was like an impassable chasm before them.
“Like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.” Su Yingman’s eyes revealed no ripple, as if watching two moths fly into flames.
She didn’t even bother to ask names, casually swinging the Heavenly Grade Immortal Sword.
A pink sword aura silently sliced out, heading straight for the two.
Bai Lei and Qi Yuyong’s pupils shrank abruptly.
They poured all their lifetime cultivation into their swords, weaving a joint sword barrier.
The sword aura clashed fiercely with the sword barrier.
There was no stalemate, only crushing force.
Bai Lei and Qi Yuyong’s protective sword light shattered instantly like paper, the terrifying residual sword energy striking them hard.
Two muffled thuds sounded as Bai Lei and Qi Yuyong were struck like hammers hitting nails, their bodies flying backward like kites with broken strings.
Bai Lei’s cyan battle attire was covered in dust as she leaned on her sword, struggling to stand.
“Looks like your Nascent Soul Stage isn’t very strong,” Su Yingman shook her sword with a hint of disdain.
Their Nascent Soul quality was low, vastly different from Wu Zhaohua’s.
With just one sword strike, two Nascent Soul elders were utterly defeated.
Su Yingman’s face was expressionless as she moved with Lotus Steps, stepping lightly through the void, heading toward the main peak.
Her target was clear—Jiang Huai.
“You’re not allowed—” Bai Lei coughed harshly, attempting to stop Su Yingman.
She would never allow anyone to trample on Wenxuan Sect, trample on her home.
How else could she answer to her senior sister?
A sharp light flashed in Su Yingman’s eyes as she raised her long sword high.
She was eager to bring Jiang Huai home. Showing mercy was already her way of leaving a line to meet again; how could anyone be reckless enough to keep rushing forward?
“You, a Nascent Soul cultivator, really think it necessary to fight to the death with someone like me at Merging Stage?”
“Stop!” A clear shout rang out.
A pale blue figure hurried over, blocking Su Yingman’s path.
Following behind came Wenxuan Sect’s elders and disciples, numerous and imposing.
Wenxuan Sect’s cohesion was far stronger than other sects.
Jiang Huai quickly helped Qi Yuyong up, brushing dust from her.
“Sorry,” he apologized.
Though Jiang Huai hadn’t reached the necessary realm to sense the newcomers’ auras, the Black Dragon Mark on his lower abdomen reacted, resonating with the dragon scale in Su Yingman’s hand, prompting his swift arrival.
Su Yingman’s footsteps finally halted.
Her cold face melted into a smile as gentle as spring thaw the moment she saw Jiang Huai.
She sheathed the Heavenly Grade Immortal Sword and, before the countless stunned eyes of Wenxuan Sect’s disciples and elders, bowed gracefully to Jiang Huai, her posture elegant and precise, her voice clear and melodious:
“I have come on the order of the Main Wife to escort the Husband Lord back to the Dragon Palace.”