Not only Cai Lian and Yi Xian’er, but also between the Colorful Snake and the Yin Sparrow, there lay a pink little dragon snoring away. Faint outlines of spatial phoenix wings traced across its back, sheltering her.
All three women advancing to the Mystic Venerable Realm together?
“Master, what’s going on here?” Yan Zhen quickly asked. “They’re not forcing a breakthrough, are they?”
“No need to worry, Zhen’er,” Chen Xi explained. “Xian’er took the Soul Suppressing God Pill that I refined for her. She Ji has awakened the Snake God Bloodline within her body, and Long Ying refined all of the Nirvana Fruit’s medicinal power with Jialan Fairy’s help. That’s how they’re breaking through to the Mystic Venerable Realm… It’s a bit rushed, true, but it doesn’t count as forcing growth. After all, they’re all reincarnators who already know how to wield the power of higher realms.”
Ordinary cultivators needed to comprehend spatial power to break through to the Mystic Venerable Realm, but these three were already intimately familiar with it. As long as their mystic power met the requirements, advancing would be effortless!
Yan Zhen finally relaxed a little. He glanced at the three again, a sour feeling stirring in his heart.
“You didn’t have to rush like this. I could handle it all by myself—”
“—Yan’er.” The Jialan Fairy interrupted him. “I understand your desire to protect them, but don’t they want to support you from behind just as much? Don’t shoulder every burden alone. Doing so will only waste their feelings for you.”
“Exactly, Little Zhen Zhen,” Jiu Youyue said with a playful laugh. “You were just advising me a moment ago, and now you’re the one stuck in a rut.”
“What rut? I was just saying it offhand,” Yan Zhen shot a glance at the demoness. “Alright, you talk with the Holy Lord Master. Master and I need to discuss fusing the Taiyin Primordial Fire.”
At those words, Chen Xi’s expression shifted. She stood and yielded her seat to Jiu Youyue, then walked over to her precious disciple and said softly, “Zhen’er, you’re going to fuse the Taiyin Primordial Fire? Combining the Solar Essence Flame and Taiyin Primordial Fire creates the Xuan Huang Dual Qi Flame, ranked eighth on the Extreme Flame List. It carries chaotic properties—a single wisp weighs as much as a mountain. You haven’t advanced to the Mystic Ancestor Realm or undergone the baptism of heaven and earth power yet, Zhen’er. I’m afraid you won’t be able to withstand its might.”
Yan Zhen scratched his cheek. “I’ve maxed out my Divine Soul True Realm, Master.”
Chen Xi peered closely and saw a small illusory figure flickering at her disciple’s brow. Surprise colored her features. “A pure primordial spirit, True Realm perfected… Zhen’er, how did you—”
He hadn’t even reached True Realm perfection yesterday.
“It’s because of this.” Yan Zhen flipped open his palm, where a faint wisp of firefly-like flame kindled—utterly ordinary, without even any heat. “I found this fire seed eight thousand one hundred depths beneath the waters of my sea of consciousness. After making contact, my divine soul became flawless. Then my primordial spirit emerged to bathe in the heavenly tribulation, achieving pure perfection.”
Chen Xi gazed at the unremarkable little fire seed, her lovely brows furrowing. “What kind of flame is this? I have no memory of it.”
“Even Master doesn’t know?” Yan Zhen rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “It feels familiar, though. Probably something I left behind in my previous life.”
“Your past self, Zhen’er? My memories of my previous life are incomplete. Why don’t we ask Jialan later?”
“Mm.”
Yan Zhen withdrew the fire seed and continued, “I need to forge the Xuan Huang Dual Qi Flame before the Enfeoffment Ceremony. That way, if a fight breaks out, I won’t be forced to use my trump card prematurely against the Demon Domain’s venerables… Please act as my guardian, Master.”
A blush tinted Chen Xi’s delicate face, but her tone turned plaintive. “Just a guardian, Zhen’er?”
Yan Zhen flushed too, murmuring softly, “Everyone’s here, after all. I can’t let Master lose face again. Besides, the Xuan Huang Dual Qi Flame is a top-ten extreme flame—unlike the honest and docile Rootless Earth Spirit Fire, it’s incredibly violent. If you share the burden, Master, it’ll be tough on you too. I don’t want you working so hard for me anymore.”
“I’m not afraid of hardship. Being able to give for you makes me happy, Zhen’er.”
“I said I’d protect you, Master. Starting with refining an extreme flame on my own… I want to share all happiness with you, not make you share my pain.”
“Sounds nice, but it just means you’re starting to disdain your master,” Chen Xi turned her face away, uttering disingenuous words. “Is the Evil Consort that great? Before, when the Fire Refining Starry Sky wasn’t with you, she must have helped you refine the Solar Essence Flame, right? Did she give you the Taiyin Primordial Fire too?”
Ah… So Master was jealous after all?
“No, Master,” Yan Zhen hurriedly explained. “I refined the Solar Essence Flame on my own. The Great Crimson Heaven Flame completely suppressed it, and with the Rootless Earth Spirit Fire protecting me, it went exceptionally smoothly. The Evil Consort had nothing to do with it.”
Though he’d considered dual cultivation at the time, that was separate.
Before the beautiful master could respond, Yan Zhen pressed on. “How could I disdain you, Master? I’d love to be intimate with you every day. I-I like you the most~”
Chen Xi still wouldn’t turn back. It was the first time Yan Zhen had seen his beautiful master like this. Though he knew it wasn’t quite right, he found it utterly adorable.
“Master~”
Emboldened, he cupped her flawless, peerless face and turned it toward him. Then he leaned in and kissed her.
Their lips met, and both master and disciple felt a warmth bloom in their hearts. Before Chen Xi could react, her disciple’s tongue slipped in cleverly, claiming hers in an instant.
“Mmph~”
Jiu Youyue and the Jialan Fairy, chatting at the altar’s center, both sensed it at once. They turned as one toward the embracing pair at the altar’s edge. The Jialan Fairy’s eyes narrowed slightly, while Jiu Youyue’s gaze turned peculiar.
They’d seen more intense scenes before, but those had felt somewhat unreal. Now, watching the pair attempt such intimate contact stirred a rush of taboo thrill.
—Quite stimulating. Next time, I’ll play some role-playing with Little Zhen Zhen too. Pretend to be the Evil Consort Lady and… Ahem.
The demoness snuck a glance at the Jialan Fairy and spotted a hint of jealousy in those platinum eyes. She broke into a sweat.
—No way. Even the Jialan Fairy feels something for Little Zhen Zhen…?
Jiu Youyue didn’t dare make a fuss—it felt absurd, yet upon reflection, perfectly understandable. After all, it was her beloved Little Zhen Zhen.
No wonder the Evil Consort had snatched him up; there was a layer of that intent too.
—Mmm, Little Zhen Zhen just loves seducing older big sisters!
Chen Xi naturally noticed the stares from her confidante and her disciple’s “wife.” Though her heart sweetened from the kiss, she had to pull away swiftly.
“Wait, Zhen’er. Stop.”
Yan Zhen licked his lips, his handsome face flushed, eyes burning as he stared at his beautiful master. “Do you believe me now, Master?”
“Good Zhen’er, don’t be mad. Your master believes you.” Chen Xi was both shy and delighted. “I was wrong just now, saying those unkind words. I apologize—don’t take it to heart.”
“It’s already in my heart. You’ll have to kiss me to make it go away.”
“You child… Don’t let Jiu Youyue and Jialan see and laugh.”
Even so, Chen Xi cupped her disciple’s face and pecked his lips.
“There.”
Yan Zhen beamed. “So, you’ll act as my guardian, Master?”
“Yes, yes. Your master agrees to anything you want.”
“Yay!”
