During this time, all three of their cultivation levels had improved.
Xiao Minghuang advanced to the Qi Refining Seventh Layer Realm, while Ye Ruoshui rose from the Body Tempering Ninth Layer to Body Tempering Great Perfection.
Most astonishing of all was Lin Wanqiu. In the span of barely half a month, she had leaped from the Body Tempering Ninth Layer straight to the Qi Refining First Level.
One had to know, this was not simply breaking through a major realm directly from the Body Tempering Ninth Layer to the Qi Refining First Level.
She had first cultivated to Body Tempering Great Perfection, forged an immaculate foundation, and only then broken through to advance into the Qi Refining First Level.
The difference between the two could not be spoken of in the same breath.
Yet strangely enough, Lin Wanqiu's spiritual root was merely top-grade Profound rank, the same as Ye Ruoshui's. It was not particularly outstanding.
Though Ye Ruoshui spent most of her time refining pills, her cultivation speed should not have lagged so far behind Wanqiu's.
Xiao Minghuang had considered this question more than once, yet she had never found an answer. In the end, she could only place her hopes on time. As long as her cultivation continued to rise and her horizons continued to broaden, she would sooner or later learn the truth about Lin Wanqiu's constitution.
In the blink of an eye.
Xiao Minghuang and the other two had already spent half a month sightseeing around Beiyang City. Though they had mostly not ventured too far from the city, and a large troop of guards accompanied them, they had been thoroughly relaxed and happy.
Happy times were always short-lived.
Beiyang City, City Lord's Manor.
"Two months from now will be the day of the royal tournament!"
"Now that all matters in Beiyang City have been settled, it is time to return."
Xiao Minghuang looked at Ye Ruoshui and Lin Wanqiu seated across from her, her expression solemn.
Ye Ruoshui had no particular reaction. Her expression remained as usual. She had originally followed Xiao Minghuang here from the imperial capital; now that their business was finished, they were simply returning to where they had come from.
But for Lin Wanqiu, this was truly a major matter.
It meant leaving the homeland that had raised her and traveling ten thousand miles away to another unfamiliar place, without knowing when she would be able to return home again.
Noticing the change in Lin Wanqiu's expression and the faint sorrow that flickered through her eyes, Xiao Minghuang wrapped an arm around her slender waist and drew her soft, delicate body into her embrace, saying gently:
"Wanqiu, don't be afraid. I'm by your side, and I won't let you suffer any harm!"
The gentle voice rang by her ear, followed by a soft, sweet embrace. A faint orchid fragrance curled around her, calming her flustered heart.
"Your Highness..."
Lin Wanqiu raised her little face, mist faintly gathering in her beautiful eyes.
"Wanqiu..."
Seeing tears glimmer in the beauty's eyes, Xiao Minghuang's heart ached as well. She could not help reaching out with both hands to gently cup Lin Wanqiu's little face.
The distance between them grew smaller and smaller...
Just then.
"Cough, cough! Your Highness, we should be going!"
Ye Ruoshui stood calmly right in front of Xiao Minghuang and Lin Wanqiu, her round, bright eyes fixed on the two of them.
Under her gaze, Lin Wanqiu also felt a trace of shyness.
These days, the three of them had traveled together. They rode together when going out and slept together when returning indoors, close and intimate as could be.
But in truth, they would only secretly kiss Xiao Minghuang when the other was absent.
For instance, if Lin Wanqiu wanted to kiss Xiao Minghuang, she had to wait until Ye Ruoshui went to fetch water or cook.
And if Ye Ruoshui wanted to kiss Xiao Minghuang, she had to wait until Lin Wanqiu went hunting or gathering firewood.
The two of them both understood this perfectly well, merely leaving it unspoken.
But now, carried away by her feelings, Lin Wanqiu had lost control of herself somewhat.
In truth, this was breaking the agreement between the two of them.
Thinking of this, the restless emotions in Lin Wanqiu's heart gradually calmed, and the body she had leaned forward gradually drew back.
Just as she was about to completely leave Xiao Minghuang's embrace.
A gentle, sweet kiss suddenly fell upon her lips.
A delicious sweetness flooded into her heart and lungs in an instant, as though she had tasted the finest spring water in the world—three parts more wondrous even than the legendary Fountain of Youth.
After a long while.
Their lips parted.
Lin Wanqiu swallowed all the saliva in her mouth, then extended her pink little tongue to lick clean the moisture clinging to the edge of her lips. Ripples flowed through her eyes, her charm seemingly inborn.
What Xiao Minghuang did next, however, exceeded everyone's expectations.
She.
Swiftly reached out with her other hand, swept Ye Ruoshui, who was seated beside her, into her embrace, and kissed Ye Ruoshui's lips with lightning speed.
It was likewise a gentle, lingering kiss, carrying sweet, delectable nectar that intoxicated one's senses and left an endless aftertaste.
The sudden kiss utterly stunned Ye Ruoshui. Before she could even react, she had already fallen into Xiao Minghuang's embrace, their bodies pressed together.
By the time she came back to herself, Xiao Minghuang's sweet, mellow breath had already drifted away, leaving only a cloyingly sweet orchid fragrance upon her pink lips.
The scent was so rich and sweet that she could not help licking the edge of her lips, drawing all that sweetness into her mouth and savoring it carefully.
Xiao Minghuang held Ye Ruoshui and Lin Wanqiu in her arms. Seeing the sweet expressions on both their faces, she could not help revealing a radiant smile.
"You two are both my good girls!"
"Mm..."
Upon hearing this, Ye Ruoshui and Lin Wanqiu's rosy cheeks grew even hotter. They did not understand why Xiao Minghuang could casually say such shameful words. They were all girls, yet she did not know the slightest bit of restraint.
Yet this was precisely what they liked about Xiao Minghuang.
Bright and cheerful, passionate and generous.
Before enemies, she was the supreme Heavenly Empress of the Nine Heavens. With one word, she could decide life and death; all living beings were but ants.
But before the two of them, she was a gentle, considerate older sister, caring for them in every possible way.
Both Ye Ruoshui and Lin Wanqiu realized that they truly could no longer leave Xiao Minghuang.
After their tender moment, the three packed their luggage and prepared to leave Beiyang City for the imperial capital.
But while sorting through her belongings, Xiao Minghuang suddenly discovered that the secret Dual Cultivation Technique she had picked up from the evil cultivator leader was gone.
In its place was a small booklet titled Pure Jade and Ice Dual Cultivation Technique.
The instant she saw this new secret technique, Xiao Minghuang's expression froze.
"Pure Jade and Ice... Dual Cultivation Technique?"
Xiao Minghuang did not immediately inspect the booklet's contents. Instead, she began considering another question.
"Who did I give that secret technique to?"
She had clearly gifted that technique away, or the system would not have compensated her.
In recent days, she had frequently given gifts to Ye Ruoshui and Lin Wanqiu. The system notifications had nearly filled her mind, annoying her beyond endurance, so she had simply blocked the system prompts. As a result, she had no idea on which day she had given it away.
"If Ruoshui or Wanqiu saw that secret technique, it would be a disaster!"
Xiao Minghuang's delicate brows knitted tightly as her thoughts raced.
She and Ye Ruoshui and Lin Wanqiu were as close as sisters, like true family.
If Ye Ruoshui and Lin Wanqiu saw that little booklet, would not her image as a noble, elegant, gentle, and wise older sister collapse in an instant?
How could she ever hold her head high before Ye Ruoshui and Lin Wanqiu again?
At this point, she could only pray.
"I hope Ruoshui and Wanqiu absolutely do not find that little booklet!"
At the same time.
Inside Ye Ruoshui's room, she was sorting through the miscellaneous items in her storage pouch when she inadvertently discovered a small booklet with yellowed pages.
"What is this?"
Ye Ruoshui took it from the storage pouch and opened it.
"This!"
The moment she opened the first page, Ye Ruoshui's eyes widened, and her entire face instantly turned crimson.
She immediately snapped the booklet shut. In her fluster, she nearly dropped it onto the floor.
Ye Ruoshui felt her cheeks burning hot, her heart pounding wildly.
"This storage pouch was a gift from Your Highness, so this little booklet should also be from Your Highness..."
"Did Your Highness give me this booklet because she wants to do the things drawn inside with me?"
Ye Ruoshui took a deep breath and calmed her surging emotions. Once she had settled down, another thought could not help arising in her mind:
"Your Highness is noble and dignified, intelligent and wise. How could she possibly do something so indecent?"
Moreover, she remembered the Jade Slip Xiao Minghuang had given her before.
It had clearly recorded a martial art, yet she had taken it for...
"Could this little booklet be some ordinary martial art?"
Thinking this, Ye Ruoshui recalled having read in books on cultivation knowledge that martial artists of profound realms possessed long lives. To avoid loneliness across the endless years, they would seek like-minded martial artists and become Dao Companions.
Dao Companions were different from ordinary married couples.
The bond between husband and wife chiefly sought the continuation of descendants, or the pleasures of fish and water.
The bond between Dao Companions, on the other hand, was an oath to never leave or abandon one another, to walk the Great Dao together.
Though both were agreements, their purposes and forms were different. They could not be confused as one and the same.
At that thought, Ye Ruoshui suddenly understood, and everything became clear.
"Then Your Highness does not want to... enjoy... herself with me..."
Rather, she wanted to dual cultivate with her.
Comparing the two, Ye Ruoshui suddenly felt that it was not quite so embarrassing after all.
She vaguely remembered that Her Highness had once said that kissing and hugging between girls was perfectly normal.
Then by the same logic, dual cultivation between her and Her Highness should also be perfectly normal, right?
However, she could never do something so intimate with anyone else, whether man or woman!
Not long after.
Someone knocked on the door.
"Ruoshui, have you finished packing? We should set off."
Hearing Xiao Minghuang's voice, Ye Ruoshui's heart trembled. She shuffled to the door in small steps and slowly opened it.
"Your Highness..."
Ye Ruoshui lowered her head as she stood in the doorway, both little hands twisting the hem of her clothes as though she were making some difficult choice.
Xiao Minghuang glanced at her and could not help asking curiously:
Before you continue