Promise

Zhou Hao straightened his clothes and said, "You've improved too! Not bad."

Murong froze slightly, then looked at him with amused eyes and nodded. "You even know how to seize the initiative now."

She had always been the one praising Zhou Hao before. Unexpectedly, before she could say anything this time, Zhou Hao had beaten her to it.

Zhou Hao smiled smugly.

He and Murong were becoming increasingly at ease around each other.

Seeing this, Murong shook her head with a laugh. "Look at you, all full of yourself. Once you've dealt with your inner demon someday, I might allow you to show off in front of me. But right now... no."

She lightly tapped Zhou Hao on the head.

Zhou Hao did not feel any pain, but he still instinctively rubbed the spot she had hit before asking, "Will that thing you mentioned work?"

"You'll know once you try it, won't you?" Murong shot him a glance.

Zhou Hao lowered his head in thought. In truth, he was recalling the incantation Murong had just taught him.

The moment he tried to recall it, Murong's alluring, captivating appearance filled his mind, along with the scenes of their fierce battle. Those images made his face flush faintly.

Murong rolled her eyes slightly and pursed her lips. "Focus."

Zhou Hao snapped back to his senses, awkwardly rubbing his nose. He spread his hands helplessly. "I can't help it. Those ambiguous, enchanting scenes keep surfacing in my mind on their own."

Murong's expression turned serious in an instant as she said lightly, "Focus."

Though her tone was gentle, Zhou Hao's body trembled involuntarily.

Zhou Hao immediately became solemn. "I'll focus right away."

Good grief, she really is the Empress—her moods are as changeable as the wind and clouds.

He grumbled inwardly, then truly began recalling the incantation Murong had taught him this time.

The incantation Murong taught him was called the "Calming Incantation." Every sect and school possessed something of the sort, collectively referred to as "Calming Incantations." Though they bore the same name, their contents differed, yet their purpose was the same: to prevent inner demons from taking root.

It was perfectly suited to Zhou Hao's current situation.

Following the circulation method Murong had taught him, Zhou Hao slowly activated the "Calming Incantation." When he completed one full cycle within his body, he could clearly feel his mind becoming much lighter, as though everything had suddenly opened up before him.

After confirming its effect, he slowly withdrew from the state of the "Calming Incantation."

"How does it feel?" Murong asked softly.

Zhou Hao opened his eyes, looked at Murong, and said in delight, "It works."

Murong replied as though it were only natural, "Of course it works. This is the 'Calming Incantation' I cultivate."

Zhou Hao smiled and flattered her, "Naturally. You're the Empress, after all!"

Unfortunately, Murong did not buy it. She looked at him expressionlessly and said, "The 'Calming Incantation' treats the symptoms, not the root cause. If you want to eradicate it completely, you can only rely on yourself. No one else can help you.

"But if you recite the 'Calming Incantation' for several thousand years, you could indeed avoid being affected by your inner demon."

Zhou Hao broke out in a cold sweat. Several thousand years? He did not even know whether he could live that long.

Murong gave him one final reminder. "No matter what, practice it more often from now on, whether you have something to do or not. It will benefit you."

"Understood." Zhou Hao had only cultivated for a brief moment, yet he already knew the benefits of the "Calming Incantation." Naturally, he would practice it often from now on.

Murong nodded in satisfaction, then looked up at the formation above and asked, "When do you plan to leave this place?"

Zhou Hao's mind did not catch up at once. He blanked for a moment, then followed her gaze upward before understanding. He sighed. "I originally planned to leave a few days ago, but you know what happened with the inner demon. It delayed me until today, so I plan to leave after you go."

Murong walked to the coffin and examined the groove where it had risen. She immediately understood how it worked.

She turned back to Zhou Hao and said, "I suggest you master the basics of the 'Calming Incantation' before leaving. It will help you when you venture outside, especially when it comes to certain... women."

Zhou Hao paused, then grinned. So she was afraid women would beguile him!

"What are you laughing at?" Murong suddenly stared at him with a stern expression.

Zhou Hao's smile came to an abrupt halt. He immediately promised, "I definitely won't be tempted."

Murong nodded faintly. "It had better be so. Otherwise..."

As she spoke, her gaze shifted toward Zhou Hao's lower body.

Cold sweat instantly burst from Zhou Hao's forehead. No words were needed—one look from her was enough for him to understand the consequences.

He solemnly promised again, "I absolutely, positively, definitely will not."

"Time will bear witness to everything. There is no need for promises. I hope you will still be a whole man by then." Murong's icy voice echoed through the cramped secret chamber.

Zhou Hao sucked in a breath. Though he truly would not be tempted, those words were terrifying enough to make a chill run through his crotch.

He stood there in a daze for a while before looking up and asking, "What about you? What if you're tempted by a man?"

Better to lose a person than lose momentum. Murong could ask him, so naturally he could ask her too.

Murong paused in her movements. She looked at Zhou Hao seriously and said with solemn sincerity, "If I make that kind of mistake, you can kill me."

Zhou Hao's pupils contracted sharply. Looking at Murong's serious expression, a thought involuntarily rose in his heart. She means it.

Murong possessed a presence that could make people believe her in an instant, and he was infected by that presence as well.

Zhou Hao slowly came back to his senses. Once his reason returned, he silently grumbled inwardly, How could I possibly kill you?

Murong clearly knew what Zhou Hao was thinking. "When the time comes, I'll stand still and let you kill me. If you can't kill me, I can kill myself."

Zhou Hao opened his mouth. Big sister, do we really have to take this so far? We're only a fake married couple.

Strangely enough, they were clearly a fake married couple, yet they now had a promise between them like that of a real husband and wife. The feeling was truly hard to put into words.

Murong knew how shocked he was, so she explained, "I like devotion. Whether it is the path of cultivation or one's emotional life."

Back then, she had possessed the Chaos Divine Body and could cultivate all techniques under heaven together, yet she had chosen only the single path of ice. It was because she liked devotion; she believed that only by focusing on one path could she surpass the peak.

That was right. What she had always wanted was never the peak, but to become an existence beyond the peak.

Unfortunately, she likely could no longer achieve that goal.

"I'm the same." Zhou Hao smiled as he replied.

Murong turned to look at him, nodded seriously, and said softly, "I believe you. I hope you won't betray my trust."

Zhou Hao paused. He opened his mouth as if to say something, then closed it again, sighing inwardly. She truly is the Empress—overbearing to the extreme.

He suddenly raised his head and met Murong's bright eyes directly. Smiling, he said, "I won't say much else. Let time prove it!"

Though they were a fake married couple, their relationship was real, and he had enjoyed it.

He would never allow himself to be involved with Murong while liking someone else. That would disgust him with himself, and it would bring no good outcome for anyone.

Moreover, it seemed that he was not entirely without feelings for Murong, though those feelings were somewhat impossible to explain.