Zi Xunyi spoke with a mix of shyness and irritation.
“I understand how you feel, but you just promised to respect me. I hope you’ll keep your word—I hate people who go back on their promises.”
With that, she gave Yan Zhen a deep look before forming a series of Mystic hand seals and forcibly severing the dream connection.
“Wait, Zi Ji…”
Yan Zhen had barely opened his mouth when Zi Xunyi’s figure began to fade away. He reached out to grab her, but his hand closed on empty air, leaving his heart feeling just as empty.
“Oof~” He rubbed his forehead and let out a long sigh. “All that goodwill I just built up—gone. And now there’s resentment brewing inside her. Sigh~”
Rip. A crack split through the dream realm, and the mature version of Zi Xunyi stepped out once more. She spoke weakly.
“It’s all this wife’s fault for clinging to her husband…”
Yan Zhen took the hand of this future Zi Xunyi and said warmly, “Don’t worry about it. I’ll go smooth things over. Zi Ji, you know better than anyone how easy you are to coax.”
“Husband…” Zi Xunyi thought for a moment before dropping a bombshell. “Why don’t you just take her by force?”
“Huh?”
Yan Zhen blinked, wondering if he’d misheard.
“This version of me is on high alert right now. It’ll take a long time for her to warm up to you, and Ling’er might not be able to wait that long.” The light in Zi Xunyi’s eyes dimmed, a shadow creeping in. “So why not go all in? Drug her, knock her out, lock her up, and keep going until this version of me is pregnant. Hehehe~”
The blackened wife had emerged!
The normally noble and elegant Purple-Clothed Goddess occasionally revealed her scheming side—and it was downright terrifying.
Yan Zhen wiped away a bead of cold sweat in his mind.
“Zi Ji, calm down. No matter what, forcing her isn’t right—and this is you we’re talking about!”
Zi Xunyi cupped her cheeks, her voice shy and coy. “It’s fine. Husband can do whatever he wants to this wife~”
Urgh.
As if. If he so much as laid a finger on Zi Xunyi, the higher-ups of Holy Land Academy—not to mention those of Jialan Holy Land—would skin him alive.
Even continuing to pursue her like this might earn him a warning from the higher-ups.
“Don’t worry. I’ll handle it. Just give me a little more time. I’ll win your heart again with my personal charm. I’m confident I can do it!”
“Husband… so handsome~”
Zi Xunyi struck a fangirl pose, making it hard to connect her with her current self—but Yan Zhen loved seeing his future wife like this.
“Then I’ll be off. Take care of yourself and Ling’er.”
“Mmm, this wife respectfully sees husband off.”
Under the gaze of his future wife, Yan Zhen left the dream and returned his consciousness to reality.
He opened his eyes and rubbed his brow, feeling his spiritual power had grown considerably.
He had dual cultivated with the reborn Zi Xunyi multiple times, always circulating the Divine Intercourse Chapter. His spiritual power had increased far faster than in the script’s mere chit-chat.
At this rate, he’d break through to the Manifestation Mid Realm in under two months.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t keep it up. Otherwise, the current Zi Xunyi would never forgive him.
Outside, the sky was still dark, with dawn still some time away. Yan Zhen hesitated about whether to go find Zi Xunyi.
In the end, he decided to let his wife cool off first. When a girl was mad, she wouldn’t listen to reason anyway—talking would be pointless.
With that thought, Yan Zhen stayed in bed and pulled up the system interface. He reviewed each of his special trump cards, memorizing their abilities to prepare for any situation.
Holy Land Academy was far more complex than Mystic Academy, teeming with experts. One misstep could mean capsizing in the gutter. Even Yan Zhen didn’t dare get careless. He couldn’t just whip out an Extreme Flame Nuclear Bomb whenever he met someone he couldn’t beat—that would be too reckless.
After going through them and experimenting with some deck combinations, the sky had already brightened.
Yan Zhen got up, washed up, and opened the window to gaze at the Cliffside Small Building. It stood quietly as ever.
“Sigh. I’ll head over tonight… maybe bring some gifts.”
Knock knock. A sudden rap at the door startled him. His spiritual power instinctively swept out, only to be bounced back.
Seeing this, Yan Zhen quickly opened the door. Sure enough, Elder Yu Yan stood there.
She was squinting her narrow eyes as usual, a faint smile on her lips, exuding warmth and generosity.
Her loose elder’s robe did little to hide her voluptuous curves, radiating mature allure.
“Good morning, Great Elder. What brings you here?”
Elder Yu Yan stepped into the room and glanced around the furnishings. Nothing had changed.
“I went back to the Yu Family and spoke to my sister—Xuan’er’s mother and the current family head—about you.”
Yan Zhen had expected as much and stayed calm. “What did Family Head Mother-in-Law say?”
Elder Yu Yan turned, fixing her squinted eyes on him. “She doesn’t approve.”
“I figured as much.”
Yan Zhen pursed his lips. In the script, he’d met that mother-in-law a few times. She was stubborn, cold to everyone. Even when he was already the Jialan Holy Son, she’d only been politely distant, showing no warmth.
“Then didn’t you—Great Aunt—say anything in my defense?”
Elder Yu Yan shot him a look. “Of course I did, but Xiao Lu is set in her ways and won’t budge.”
“She doesn’t want a son-in-law as outstanding as me?” Yan Zhen grumbled. “As family head, she needs to think long-term! Isn’t a future Half-Saint son-in-law a great catch?!”
“Xiao Lu only cares about results, so I negotiated a trial for you.” Elder Yu Yan’s smile deepened. “Climb to the top of the General Star List within a year, and we’ll approve you and Xuan’er.”
“A year?”
“What, scared? Fine, I’ll make it a year and a half. No more than that.”
“Great Elder, you underestimate me.” Yan Zhen knew better than to be humble now. A wild grin tugged at his lips. “No need for a full year—just a bit over half, and I’ll claim the top spot on the General Star List.”
“Half a year? You sure?” Elder Yu Yan raised a skeptical brow. “The current top, Gu Tiange, is at Mystic General Peak, just a step from Mystic King. A Mystic King powerhouse can draw on a bit of the power of heaven and earth, boosting their combat strength immensely. It’s not as easy for a Mystic General to leapfrog one anymore.”
Yan Zhen fell silent for a long moment before speaking. “…Does the Great Elder know how powerful the Three Extreme Flames are when fused?”
Elder Yu Yan paused, her watery blue eyes widening slightly. “The move you used to threaten Xiao Qing?”
“Mm-hmm~ In any case, I’ll win—no matter who the opponent is.” Yan Zhen spoke with utter confidence. “I have to win!”
“Having that resolve is good.” Elder Yu Yan narrowed her beautiful eyes again. “You went to the Firmament Nine-Story Tower yesterday, right?”
“Yes.”
“The tower tempers mystic power and accelerates cultivation—the higher the floor, the better the effect. But reaching higher floors requires a matching high-level academy card. Yours is a special exam reward, only a Level Two Courtyard Card. You’re limited to the first and second floors, which probably aren’t ideal for you.”
“Cough cough. Great Elder, could you give me a higher-level academy card?”
He rubbed his hands together expectantly.
