[Flying Dragon Cloud Exploring: A saint-grade divine ability containing the laws of the void. Allows the user to seize objects from a distance, silently and without a trace.]
The system’s voice echoed in the depths of Jiang Wuhen’s consciousness.
Jiang Wuhen breathed a mental sigh of relief. So Flying Dragon Cloud Exploring was actually a phantom thievery hand technique.
Just hearing the name, he had almost thought it was some kind of indecent divine ability.
…
A moment later, their lips parted.
Jiang Wuhen’s face carried a look of lingering satisfaction as he glanced at Mu Yunxi beside him.
“What’s wrong? Angry?”
Mu Yunxi’s cheeks were burning red. Though her back was to Jiang Wuhen, even her tiny ears were flushed, completely unable to hide her embarrassment.
Hearing his words, she turned her head slightly, puffed out her cheeks, and shot him a resentful glance.
“What do you think?”
Jiang Wuhen chuckled.
“I’ll admit I was a bit overbearing just now. But you’re going to be mine sooner or later. What I did was perfectly justifiable.”
As he spoke, Jiang Wuhen spread his hands in a casual, unapologetic gesture.
“It’s not because you were overbearing. It’s…”
“How are you so experienced at this!”
Mu Yunxi studied him, suspicion coloring her embarrassment.
Jiang Wuhen: …
“Cough, cough. Yunxi, I have a gift for you!”
Jiang Wuhen cleared his throat and changed the subject.
Before Mu Yunxi could protest, he grabbed her small hand and led her toward the rear hall.
There, piles of assorted odds and ends lay scattered about.
These were all the things Jiang Wuhen had bought from the spirit cultivator market today.
With practiced ease, he picked out one item from each pile.
A broken pagoda, a beast hide, a jade sword pendant, damaged bamboo slips…
These were all the treasures Xiao Chen had taken a fancy to, only for Jiang Wuhen to snatch them out from under him and trigger the system notifications.
But for now, he couldn’t yet discern the fortune hidden within these treasures.
After a quick sort-through, Jiang Wuhen pulled out the jade sword pendant, the one item that still looked presentable, and held it up before Mu Yunxi.
“Here. A gift.”
Jiang Wuhen smiled lightly.
Mu Yunxi studied the jade sword pendant, then glanced at the mess around them. Her delicate brows furrowed.
“Where did all this come from? It feels a bit… grimy…”
Mu Yunxi said with some distaste.
“Don’t want it? I’ll keep it then…”
Jiang Wuhen said, moving to take the pendant back.
But before he could finish the sentence, Mu Yunxi darted out her hand and snatched the jade sword pendant.
“Who said I don’t want it!”
“Whatever it is, as long as it’s from you, I love it!”
Mu Yunxi beamed.
Jiang Wuhen smiled at this.
“You… since when did you become so easily satisfied?”
“Hehe…”
Mu Yunxi laughed and lowered her head to examine the jade sword pendant.
But just then—
Shing!
A surge of profound meaning erupted from the pendant.
A pure white light, luminous as jade, rippled outward in an instant.
The jade pendant rose slowly, taking on an ethereal quality.
And in the next instant—
The aura turned razor-sharp. The jade sword shot skyward, circled once around Mu Yunxi, then plunged directly into the glabella between her brows.
In that instant, Mu Yunxi’s delicate body trembled, and her eyes drifted shut.
Jiang Wuhen’s brow furrowed at the sight.
“Yunxi!”
He rushed forward to check on her.
Mu Yunxi slowly opened her eyes, and in those spirited orbs, faint points of starlight glimmered.
At the center of her forehead, an elegant, lively sword-shaped mark flickered in and out of view.
“Don’t worry, I’m fine…”
“Eh? What are you doing!”
Before Mu Yunxi could finish, she felt her body go light. Jiang Wuhen had scooped her up in his arms and was striding toward the outside of the hall.
“Where are you taking me?”
Mu Yunxi asked in confusion.
“To see my Shizun!”
“That jade sword pendant is no ordinary thing. I need to make sure it won’t harm your body!”
Jiang Wuhen said with a serious expression.
Mu Yunxi puffed out her cheeks at this.
“Mmm, Wuhen, I know you care about me, but could you… put me down first…”
“I don’t know what that jade pendant you gave me is, but it doesn’t seem to mean me any harm.”
“Besides, I can walk on my own…”
“The Heavenly One Immortal Sect is full of prying eyes. Us hugging and cuddling in broad daylight… it’s… improper…”
Mu Yunxi’s voice grew smaller and smaller.
“Don’t talk. Hold on tight…”
“Illusory Dragon Roaming!”
In an instant, the two of them blurred into afterimages and vanished, leaving only Mu Yunxi’s screams trailing behind them.
…
The Heavenly One Immortal Sect. Heavenly One Divine Hall.
“Empress, a month ago, the ancestor of the Yaoguang Sacred Ground perished beneath the third nirvana major tribulation. The entire sacred ground has been left leaderless.”
“Now, with hostile powers eyeing them from without and the elders of various clans jockeying for power within, each with their own agenda, the Yaoguang Sacred Ground faces crisis both inside and out. It is on the verge of collapse.”
“The Yaoguang Sacred Lord has sent an envoy to our immortal sect with a message, expressing willingness to submit to our sect in exchange for protection.”
“In your view, Empress, how should this matter be handled?”
The first elder slowly rose and spoke.
At these words, the senior members of the sect present exchanged glances.
“The Yaoguang Sacred Ground never had a great emperor to anchor them. Among the various sacred ground families, they were only ever a second-rate power. Now, their sole eighth-layer nirvana realm ancestor has died under the tribulation. The strongest remaining is the Yaoguang Sacred Lord himself, who just barely survived one nirvana tribulation at a fourth-layer nirvana realm. Naturally, he cannot hold the vast Yaoguang Grotto-Heaven.”
“The law of the Desolate Ancient Continent has always been the strong devouring the weak. The people of Yaoguang cannot protect their ancestral legacy, and being carved up by other powers is only to be expected. Our Heavenly One Immortal Sect, though hegemon of the Eastern Divine Immortal Domain, cannot conveniently intervene at will.”
“These years, the Yaoguang Sacred Ground’s talent has withered. Among the younger generation, the only one worth mentioning is the Yaoguang Saintess, Su Moyan. And those at the nirvana realm or above are exceedingly few. Such a power meeting its end is only natural. Our Heavenly One Immortal Sect needn’t go against the natural order and human morality. The costs far outweigh the gains.”
“On the contrary, I think everyone’s thinking is too conservative. The Yaoguang Sacred Ground is, after all, a sacred power with ten thousand years of heritage. Though the Yaoguang Grotto-Heaven isn’t on par with our Heavenly One Immortal Sect’s blessed lands, it’s still ranked among the top ten grotto-heavens of the Eastern Divine Immortal Domain. I’ve heard that within the Yaoguang Grotto-Heaven, there is a ‘ten-thousand-year cold pool’ capable of tempering a supreme precious body. The imperial son possesses the ancient double pupils, and double pupil possessors are often physically weak. If we could subdue the Yaoguang Grotto-Heaven, we could use this ten-thousand-year cold pool to temper the imperial son’s body. Wouldn’t that be wonderful!”
“Ahem, this old man has also heard that the Yaoguang Saintess possesses the ‘immortal jade spirit body,’ a physique seen perhaps once in ten thousand years. The world calls it the ’empress consort body.’ Anyone who dual cultivates with her will obtain supreme fortune and will certainly become a great emperor. If we bring her in as a concubine for the imperial son, she could one day assist him in becoming the Human Emperor of the Desolate Ancient Continent!”
As everyone debated, the gates of the divine hall thundered open.
Under the watchful eyes of all, Jiang Wuhen strode in carrying Mu Yunxi in his arms.
“Shizun, it’s urgent— Hmm? So many people!”
Jiang Wuhen paused in surprise.
Mu Yunxi wished the floor would swallow her whole.
So humiliating!
Luo Qingning regarded Jiang Wuhen and gave a slight nod.
“I have heard everyone’s thoughts.”
“I will consider the matter…”
At these words, the crowd bowed one after another.
“The Empress is wise!”
“We shall… take our leave!”
With that, everyone filed out.
As for Jiang Wuhen and Mu Yunxi, they chose to look the other way, as if the two didn’t exist at all.
Soon, only the three of them remained in the Heavenly One Divine Hall.
“Wuhen, I’m really fine. In front of the Empress, please put me down…”
Mu Yunxi whispered in Jiang Wuhen’s ear, her tone filled with awe.
In her eyes, the empress was majestic, supreme above all.
How could one behave improperly before the empress?
Jiang Wuhen gave her a faint smile.
“It’s fine. Shizun won’t mind.”
With that, he carried her up to Luo Qingning.
“Hen’er, what’s this about…”
Luo Qingning asked, puzzled.
“Shizun, Yunxi she…”
Jiang Wuhen was about to explain, but Luo Qingning had already lowered her gaze to study Mu Yunxi.
Suddenly, her delicate brows furrowed.
“This is…”
