Jiang Wuhen took his leave of the others in a hurry.
He didn’t stop until he reached a secluded spot. There, his brow knotted tightly, and he opened his mouth and spat out a spray of blood.
His face turned pale.
“Lin Ziyan… successor of the Azure Nether Sword Emperor. Truly extraordinary…”
“Had I not pushed the nether god sword prison to peak heaven grade in time to break her sword formation, and had I not relied on the formidable defenses of my heaven-bestowed divine armor and emperor devil tyrant body, I might very well have lost to her in front of everyone…”
Jiang Wuhen raised his hand to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth, murmuring to himself.
Though Jiang Wuhen’s strength was exceptional, at the end of the day, his cultivation was only at the second layer of the divine martial realm.
Against an ordinary opponent at the seventh layer, he could have handled things easily. But someone like Lin Ziyan, a daughter of fortune, whose true strength was far beyond what her surface cultivation suggested…
Thankfully, the nether god sword formation he had unleashed in a desperate gamble had shattered her momentum first, winning him the battle.
I need to return to the temporary palace. No one can find out I’m injured…
Jiang Wuhen thought to himself.
And just then—
“Master, you’re injured?”
A voice sounded from behind him.
Jiang Wuhen’s expression tensed.
He spun around sharply, and the figure of Dragon Peng Venerable came into view.
“So what?”
“Even injured, I could take your life in the span of a single thought!”
“Don’t believe me? Try it.”
Jiang Wuhen said coldly.
At these words, Dragon Peng Venerable quickly waved his hands. “Master, please don’t misunderstand! I have absolutely no intention of acting against you!”
“From the moment I learned that the brand you planted in my sea of consciousness was a primordial forbidden art, the soul-controlling art, I made up my mind to follow you with absolute loyalty.”
Hearing this, Jiang Wuhen silently breathed a sigh of relief.
Smart of you. “Let’s go.”
Jiang Wuhen turned and headed toward his temporary palace.
“Master…”
Dragon Peng Venerable hesitated.
“What else is there?”
“I’m warning you, don’t try any tricks!”
Jiang Wuhen said warily.
“I wouldn’t dare. It’s just… someone has been following us…”
Dragon Peng Venerable cautioned.
“Oh?”
Jiang Wuhen raised an eyebrow, a look of intrigue crossing his face.
This was the Heavenly One Immortal Sect. Even Yun Lan wouldn’t dare send someone to tail him.
Besides, even if he couldn’t detect it, there was no way it would escape Luo Qingning’s notice.
Since Shizun isn’t doing anything about it, whoever it is probably isn’t an enemy. Never mind. Let them be. I’ll return to the temporary palace and heal my injuries first.
Jiang Wuhen thought to himself.
Soon, Jiang Wuhen was back in the temporary palace. Using his double pupils, he cast endless vitality, releasing extraordinarily pure life essence.
His injuries healed at a pace visible to the naked eye.
To the side, Dragon Peng Venerable watched all this with growing astonishment.
“Such pure life essence. Such terrifying recovery ability. Is this… the power of the ancient double pupils?”
“I’ve heard that ancient double pupil possessors are natural born sages. Cultivated to the peak, they can slay immortals!”
“Yet the double pupil possessors recorded in the ancient texts were often physically fragile. But this man, with his thick and robust blood qi, rivals a pure-blooded primordial fierce beast.”
“This venerable one has roamed the Great Desolation Domain and seen many youthful prodigies, but the only one who could match Jiang Wuhen is probably… that one.”
“That one, who seems to… share the surname Jiang…”
Dragon Peng Venerable mused.
Soon, nourished by the life essence, Jiang Wuhen’s injuries were fully healed, and he restored his condition to peak.
During this time, Yi Shanjin had come by once, bringing people to deliver the items Jiang Wuhen had purchased from the spirit cultivator market.
The moment Jiang Wuhen gathered his aura and opened his eyes, a powerful pressure erupted from within his double pupils.
Though he hadn’t broken through to a new realm, his aura had grown deeper and more substantial.
He was another step closer to the third layer of the divine martial realm.
Beyond that, his mastery over the double pupils had deepened further.
The ancient double pupil possessors could open heaven and earth with a single glance and slay immortal kings with another.
What I’ve mastered now… perhaps doesn’t even count as scratching the surface.
Jiang Wuhen thought to himself.
Seeing Jiang Wuhen’s injuries fully healed and his strength advancing, Dragon Peng Venerable cupped his fists at once.
“Congratulations, Master! Not only are your injuries healed, but your strength has risen to the next level!”
Jiang Wuhen nodded inwardly. Then his gaze sharpened. His double pupils pierced through the void, locking onto a direction outside the hall.
“You’ve hidden long enough. Time to come out.”
Jiang Wuhen said in a low voice.
Long after his words fell, there was still no response.
“Dragon Peng. Go. Drag her out.”
Jiang Wuhen said lightly.
“At once!”
The instant Dragon Peng Venerable cupped his fists, he turned into an afterimage and appeared outside the hall.
The overwhelming pressure of the nirvana realm descended.
And just then—
“Ahh!”
A familiar scream rang out. Jiang Wuhen’s brow furrowed.
“Hold!”
At these words, Dragon Peng Venerable’s palm froze in midair.
Outside the hall, from behind the rockery, a figure in white stepped gracefully forward.
It was Mu Yunxi!
“Master, this is…”
Dragon Peng Venerable asked in confusion.
Jiang Wuhen waved his hand.
“Leave us.”
“Yes!”
Dragon Peng Venerable cupped his fists and departed.
Jiang Wuhen rose and walked slowly toward Mu Yunxi, offering a faint smile.
“Why sneak around when you come to see me?”
“Is something the matter?”
Mu Yunxi puffed out her cheeks and deliberately turned away, her back to Jiang Wuhen.
“You don’t want to say?”
“Very well. If there’s nothing else, head back. I have matters to attend to.”
Jiang Wuhen said, turning to go back into the hall.
But the moment he turned, he felt a soft warmth close around his hand.
He looked back to see Mu Yunxi holding his hand, her head slightly lowered as she murmured quietly, “I heard that you… you want to make Lin Ziyan your maidservant…”
“Can you tell me… what exactly are you thinking?”
Her tone carried a faint trace of jealousy.
Jiang Wuhen smiled.
“Lin Ziyan. Successor of the Azure Nether Sword Emperor, and the Purple Cloud Saintess of the Divine Maiden Sect, treasured like a jewel by the entire sect.”
“Now I have a perfect opportunity to dispose of her as I see fit. Keeping her under my command as a maidservant would easily give me control over the lifeblood of the Divine Maiden Sect.”
“What’s wrong? Don’t you want me to?”
Jiang Wuhen asked with a smile.
Hearing this, Mu Yunxi’s delicate brows furrowed slightly, and she shook her head gently.
“No, it’s not that…”
“You are the imperial son of the Heavenly One Immortal Sect, a man destined to become an emperor. It’s entirely reasonable for you to think this way.”
“However…”
Mu Yunxi trailed off.
Jiang Wuhen laughed and picked up where she left off. “However, my actions have made you jealous. Is that it?”
As he spoke, he reached out and lightly tilted up her chin.
“Mmm…”
Mu Yunxi had meant to dodge this frivolous gesture, but her body seemed beyond her control, yielding to Jiang Wuhen’s touch.
In that moment, Jiang Wuhen gazed at the stunningly beautiful young woman before him, still like a flower yet to bloom. Her shy, willing submission stirred something in his heart.
Then, the corner of his lips curved upward.
“But if someone were willing to take Lin Ziyan’s place as my maidservant and stay by my side… then I could consider keeping my distance from Lin Ziyan.”
At these words, Mu Yunxi’s delicate body trembled.
She was sharp and perceptive; of course she caught the meaning behind Jiang Wuhen’s words.
He wants me… to be his maidservant…
That’s not impossible. After all, we’re not married yet. If I stayed at the Heavenly One Immortal Sect for long, word getting out would be awkward and invite gossip.
The role of a maidservant would give me a legitimate reason to stay by his side.
To be with me… he really went to such lengths…
Mu Yunxi pondered inwardly, deeply moved.
Then she looked up at Jiang Wuhen, her expression earnest. “That Lin Ziyan, she’s arrogant, domineering, willful, and wild. It’s clear she doesn’t know the first thing about serving others. Besides, you taught her such a harsh lesson today. She’ll definitely hate you. Keeping her at your side restricts her, yes, but it also puts your own safety at risk.”
“S-so…”
As Mu Yunxi spoke, she lowered her head slightly.
[Ding! Congratulations, Host, for completing the long-term quest—Destiny Is With Me (Progress 1/5). Reward: one chance at the lucky grand draw!]
The system notification rang out, and Jiang Wuhen couldn’t help but feel a surge of joy. He swept Mu Yunxi into his arms.
The sudden embrace left Mu Yunxi at a loss.
“Eh?”
“I only agreed to be your maidservant. I didn’t say you could hug me…”
“Hmph, taking advantage of me at the first opportunity, you bad man!”
Mu Yunxi murmured softly.
Jiang Wuhen heard her words but pretended not to, savoring the soft warmth in his arms.
But just then, a figure in white appeared at an untimely moment in their line of sight.
It was Xiao Chen!
For a moment, the three of them stood staring at one another.
Not far away, Xiao Chen looked awkward.
“Perhaps… I’ve come at a bad time…”
Jiang Wuhen smiled.
“No. You’ve come at exactly the right time…”
