This Tribute Was Hard to Offer!

For Ye Qinglian, cultivators could accomplish many things, but there were far too many things beyond their control.

Her relationship with Chu Ning, the two children in her womb, and how things between her and Chu Ning had changed.

Cultivation couldn't change any of that, especially the last thing.

But it was certainly useful for traveling quickly.

The Ancestral Temple of the Great Gan Dynasty was a magnificent, imposing structure.

Countless cultivators guarded it, and among the crowd, one elderly man stood out.

Chu Ning recognized his cultivation at a glance.

Seventh Realm, Void-Breaking Sage Level!

Hadn't the Great Gan Dynasty only had one Sage, who had just broken through?

Chu Ning hadn't paid much attention to this place before.

The old man was merely guarding the Ancestral Temple. He looked at the two of them, then at Chu Ning, but said nothing before leaving.

"He is the Great Gan Dynasty's First Grand Offering. Outsiders have always believed he had fallen, but in truth, he only faked his death back then. Now he guards the Ancestral Temple of the emperors of past generations."

"He is the trump card our Great Gan Dynasty keeps in reserve against the other major dynasties. If I hadn't broken through to Sagehood, he would have been the piece that turned the tide—able to take the Luohan Dynasty emperor's head directly."

Chu Ning nodded in understanding.

"Feigning weakness to lure in the enemy, then striking by surprise. A fine strategy."

Ye Qinglian gave a soft snort. "The Luohan Dynasty has been eyeing my Great Gan for years. Did you think I hadn't been making plans all this time? They planted spies in my dynasty, so naturally, I had plenty of measures in place within theirs."

"Elder Fang was the person the Former Emperor trusted most. The Luohan Dynasty used schemes to sow discord back then, and he was eventually executed. But how could I not trust someone my father trusted? So he withdrew into the shadows. Until recently, I was the only one who knew the truth. Even Xiao Bing didn't know."

Chu Ning smiled at Ye Qinglian. "Aren't you afraid I'll let it slip?"

"What would you gain from that? I can share the realm with you. Could the Luohan Dynasty do the same? Even if you were sent by them, would you be willing to go back now?"

Chu Ning smiled without answering. He simply clasped his hands behind his back and studied the imposing Ancestral Temple before them.

All sorts of mythical beasts stood in rows on either side. White bricks and golden tiles gave the place the full grandeur of royalty. The old man who had guarded it had already left, and no one else was around.

They entered the hall, where incense drifted through the air. At the head of the hall was the founding emperor of the Great Gan Dynasty, Ye Wuji.

Beside him was the memorial tablet of the Empress from that era.

"After the founding emperor ascended, people from the Ye Family Holy Land served as rulers in each generation. But when my turn came, I handed control of the Holy Land to other members of the Ye family. I simply didn't have the energy or time to deal with its affairs."

Before the countless memorial tablets stood three thick incense sticks. Ye Qinglian stared intently at the tablet beneath them, then slowly explained.

"That is the Former Emperor's tablet. After I die or ascend, mine will be placed here too. Your tablet might be put here even earlier than mine."

"As for cultivation, I advise you to take it seriously. Longevity pills can extend your life, but only by five hundred to a thousand years at most. Void-Breaking cultivators, however, can live for three thousand years. If nothing unexpected happens, someone at your level will be gone within a thousand years."

Chu Ning smiled at that.

"That's not necessarily true. I told you, I'm an otherworldly expert."

"Heh. Do otherworldly experts not need to cultivate? Do you want your descendants to send you off within a few hundred years, while I stay looking just as I do now?"

"Mm... I suppose not."

"Then cultivate properly."

Ye Qinglian turned toward the incense table and picked up three sticks of incense. Noticing that Chu Ning hadn't moved, she gave him an displeased look.

"What are you standing there for?"

Had she brought him here to sightsee?

These were the ancestors of the Ye family. As her Emperor Consort, shouldn't he offer incense? Did he not even know that much etiquette?

Chu Ning hesitated.

He was afraid the ancestors' memorial tablets would just fall over!

The statue of the Old Ancestor at the Ye Family Holy Land had exploded after he bowed to it twice!

If these tablets exploded too, who knew what kind of trouble that would cause?

Ye Qinglian looked displeased.

"Chu Ning, I brought you here because I recognize you as my Emperor Consort. Do you not recognize me, or do you think your current status is beneath you?"

On this matter, Ye Qinglian wouldn't give an inch.

You won't bow? Are you looking down on my father, my grandfather, and my ancestors?

Chu Ning paused.

Right. He was Ye Qinglian's husband now, which made him half a member of the Ye family.

By rights, the Ye family's ancestral temple ought to be able to withstand this offering of incense.

Chu Ning smiled and nodded, then walked over.

"As your husband?"

Ye Qinglian's mouth twitched. "What else would you be? If you were a minister, you wouldn't be qualified to come here!"

Chu Ning nodded vigorously and picked up three sticks of incense as well.

Together, they lit them before the candles on the offering table.

"Why don't you go first?"

Ye Qinglian didn't object.

Since Chu Ning had never been to the royal ancestral temple, it was only natural that he didn't know the rules. Besides, he only had to offer incense and pay his respects. It was no big deal.

She quickly stepped forward with utmost reverence and knelt on the cushion, holding the three incense sticks above her head.

Given Ye Qinglian's status, she only bowed to Heaven and Earth and her ancestors. It was perfectly proper.

After bowing three times, she stood and placed the incense in the holder, then rose and made way for Chu Ning.

"Got it? Just be sincere."

"Got it."

Chu Ning had been thinking about what to say. By the time Ye Qinglian stood up, he had nearly worked it out.

He slowly stepped forward, holding the three sticks of incense.

At that moment, the memorial tablets inside the ancestral temple were braced for disaster. Cracks had even begun to appear across the wooden tablets!

Just as he'd expected...

They were cracking before he'd even knelt. If he actually bowed like Ye Qinglian had, her ancestors' graves would probably explode...

Ye Qinglian stood to the side, watching Chu Ning intently.

Why was he taking so long? He was a grown man, yet he was dragging his feet. Couldn't he just get on with it?

"I am the husband of the current Great Gan Dynasty emperor!"

"I have come today to pay my respects to the ancestors of the Qinglian I love, together with her! I offer my reverence before all the ancestors of the Ye family!"

The many tablets clattered, their noise growing louder. They could no longer withstand such an overwhelming offering of incense.

"No matter who I was before, I set all past causes and effects aside. Now, I am only Qinglian's husband!"

Ye Qinglian froze.

Had she just imagined it? She could've sworn the Ye family's ancestral tablets had cracked.

Why had they disappeared?

Still, that damn man had picked a good time to say something like that. He knew she couldn't beat him up in a place like this...

Hmph. Husband, my foot. A husband in name only!

Only after this did Chu Ning offer his respects.

He emphasized his identity.

Who he was didn't matter.

What mattered was that he was Ye Qinglian's husband.

So there was no need for the ancestors to be nervous. They could withstand this offering of incense!

The tablets that had just begun to crack instantly returned to normal.

It was as though the ancestors of the Ye family had all breathed a sigh of relief—and even seemed a little excited...

Chu Ning then placed the three incense sticks before the tablets.

Suddenly, the three thick incense sticks in the hall blazed fiercely, and the incense within the ancestral temple surged countless times over!

Above the entire imperial city, a gigantic Golden Dragon seemed to coil in the sky, its mighty presence shaking Heaven and Earth!

Ye Qinglian suddenly froze and turned to look at the blazing incense.

Incense filled the sky, and fortune enveloped the land—a sign of great auspiciousness!

Just bringing this man to offer incense at the ancestral temple had produced such an omen?

Did this mean that one or even several beings who surpassed the ancestors would surely be born into the Ye family?

Even when the Ye Family Old Ancestor had ascended, the incense hadn't burned this brightly!

Could it be because of Chu Ning? And was the being in question the child in her womb?

Could it really be Heaven's will that Chu Ning become her Emperor Consort?

Chu Ning stood there with sweat covering his head as he looked at the Ye family ancestors' tablets.

They hadn't cracked or exploded.

It was finally over.

He'd been afraid something might go wrong...

These people were Ye Qinglian's forebears, and she was his wife. That made them his elders too.

Otherwise, even if Chu Ning had said all that, the Ye family wouldn't have been able to handle the incense. They would've been crushed by it!

Chu Ning smiled and turned around. When he noticed how brightly the incense was burning, he wasn't surprised.

"Qinglian, what does this count as—a good omen or a bad one?"

Only then did Ye Qinglian come to her senses. She looked at Chu Ning and gave a soft snort.

"It's not bad, I suppose. Looks like our ancestors approve of you."

Chu Ning nodded repeatedly.

"It's still early. Why don't we go back and eat, then come out for a stroll?"

Ye Qinglian sighed at that.

"What? Do you still have things to take care of?"

"No."

She just hadn't gotten used to it yet.

After all these years as emperor, it was the first time she'd had so much free time...

Meanwhile, in a Holy Land in the Upper Realm, Ye Wuji's cultivation suddenly broke through, and his aura surged!

He also felt that powerful fortune enveloping him, protecting the Ye family—and him as well!

"Hahahaha!"

"Senior, I will never forget your great kindness! Thank you for protecting me!"

"Haha! After cultivating for tens of thousands of years, I've finally entered the Boundless Realm. Even in the Upper Realm, I now have a place of my own!"