Rebuilding Zilan Pavilion, Yan Lingji Breaks Through

"...I will help you manage the Jinyiwei well."

"Mm..."

Zhao Linchuan responded lazily and continued, "You all have enough strength now to establish a foothold on the continent."

"Once we return this time, you and Zi Nü should rebuild Zilan Pavilion."

"After that, have those Jinyiwei break up into smaller units and integrate into every corner of the continent, each attending to their own tasks."

"Yes."

Nong Yu responded softly again, her fingers gently pressing against his shoulders, one stroke after another.

She opened her mouth, preparing to say something more, but for some reason, Zhao Linchuan suddenly raised his left hand and placed it over the back of Nong Yu's hand, which was resting on his right shoulder.

"Y-Young Master..." Nong Yu stiffened.

Zhao Linchuan continued, "How about I don't leave tonight?"

Nong Yu's fingers trembled slightly, and her face flushed a deep red.

She lowered her head, not daring to look at Zhao Linchuan's back, her voice flustered and at a loss.

"Y-Young Master... if you stay, I can give this room to you, and I will go squeeze in with Sister Zi Nü..."

"If you leave, then why would I stay?"

Zhao Linchuan pulled firmly, and with a startled cry, Nong Yu was swept into his arms.

She sat on his lap, her hands braced against his chest, her heart beating like a drum.

Zhao Linchuan looked down at her, his gaze sliding from her eyes and brows to the tip of her nose, then to her lips, before finally meeting her eyes.

"If I stay, naturally I want..."

"Creeeak—!"

The door was suddenly pushed open from the outside.

Zi Nü stepped inside, carrying a pot of tea, her gaze naturally falling upon the two people by the window.

She blinked, her footsteps faltering for a moment, then she turned around without changing her expression, left behind a "I walked into the wrong room," and retreated, closing the door behind her.

"Bang—!"

The door remained tightly shut, and the room fell silent for a moment.

Zhao Linchuan looked down at the face in his arms that was red enough to drip blood, hooked her chin, chuckled, and let her go.

"What a pity, the good moment was ruined by your Sister Zi Nü."

He stood up, straightened his collar, and returned to his usual calm and indifferent demeanor.

"You don't need to squeeze in with your Sister Zi Nü."

"Tell her I've headed back."

"Take good care of yourselves."

Having said that, he strode toward the door, pulled it open, and left without looking back.

The sound of his footsteps gradually faded away, disappearing at the end of the corridor.

Nong Yu sat alone by the window, her hands pressed against her chest, feeling her heart beating as if it were about to break through her ribcage.

She gasped for air, feeling parched, as if a ball of cotton were stuffed in her throat.

The sunlight from outside the window shone on her face, making her flushed complexion appear even more vibrant.

She swallowed hard, and the scene from just moments ago involuntarily surfaced in her mind—him looking down at her with a burning gaze, that wicked smile hanging on the corners of his lips...

"Huu—"

"Stop thinking about it!"

She took a deep breath, stood up abruptly, and walked quickly toward the bathroom.

She had to wash up and calm herself down.

Otherwise, she was really going to break!

The sunset was infinitely beautiful.

At home, by the stone table under the old locust tree, Zhao Linchuan and Yan Lingji were sitting opposite each other, eating dinner.

Zhao Linchuan shoveled a mouthful of rice, picked up a piece of braised pork, stuffed it into his mouth, and spoke vaguely while chewing:

"Wife, didn't Dong'er say she would send us a few servants?"

"Why haven't I seen any?"

"She sent them, but I didn't want them."

Yan Lingji paused in the middle of her meal, set down her chopsticks, and picked up her soup bowl to take a small sip before explaining unhurriedly:

"The first time, she sent over sixteen Great Soul Master maids. Fearing that someone might be desperate enough to take anything, I sent them back."

"Desperate enough to take anything?" Zhao Linchuan froze for a moment before realizing what she meant, nearly choking on the rice in his mouth. "The way you put that... am I really that kind of person?"

"You aren't, but that doesn't stop others from throwing themselves at you."

Yan Lingji glanced at him, her tone indifferent.

"The second time, she sent sixteen Great Soul Master servants. I didn't want to see strange men in our home, so I sent them back as well."

"Our home isn't exactly small, though. Can you handle all the work?" Zhao Linchuan shoveled another mouthful of rice into his mouth, speaking indistinctly. "Besides, busying yourself with these trivial matters will only hinder your cultivation."

"I can."

Yan Lingji smiled faintly. She extended her hand, palm upward, and a cluster of white flames ignited slowly in her palm.

With a flick of her wrist, the flames dropped to the floor and danced for a moment. Immediately after, another Yan Lingji stepped out from the fire.

Identical face, identical figure, identical dress.

She stood beside Yan Lingji, tilted her head slightly, and glanced at Zhao Linchuan with a charming smile on her lips.

"My torso bone has a clone skill."

Yan Lingji continued:

"It can release a physical clone with independent intelligence."

"And when the two of us use our clone soul ring skills together, we can finish the housework very quickly."

"Furthermore, my cultivation progress hasn't been delayed in the slightest. With the help of that head soul bone, I have successfully broken through to level eighty."

"I plan to refine my foundation for a while longer before I go to absorb a soul ring."

Zhao Linchuan looked at the two identical Yan Lingjis—one sitting across from him, the other standing beside her—both wearing the same smile. He swallowed hard and asked:

"...How long can this clone of yours last?"

"As long as I don't retract her, she can exist indefinitely."

"If you truly care about me, bring those few from outside back here to help me share the load."

"I'll have them come meet you in a while," Zhao Linchuan said jokingly. "Just make sure you don't start a fight when the time comes."

"What kind of talk is that?" Yan Lingji rolled her eyes. "What kind of person do you take me for? Do I look like the type who would get into fights with people?"

"You don't." Zhao Linchuan shook his head, then added, "You look like the type who would make people so angry they'd want to fight you."

"Get lost!"

Yan Lingji raised her foot and gave him a light kick under the table.

Zhao Linchuan didn't dodge. He finished the last of his rice, set down his chopsticks, and fixed his gaze on Yan Lingji's face before suddenly changing the subject:

"By the way, my lady, you mentioned just now that you have a physical clone soul bone skill..."

"What about it? Isn't she standing right in front of you?" Yan Lingji raised an eyebrow.

"It's nothing." Zhao Linchuan stood up, walked around the stone table to her side, leaned down, and whispered a few words into her ear.

"You—!" Yan Lingji whipped her head around to glare at him, blushing with indignation. "What on earth is going through your head all day long?!"

"Thinking of you," Zhao Linchuan replied righteously.

"Is that what you call thinking of me?!"

Yan Lingji took a deep breath, then stood up, grabbed the wrist of the clone that was still standing there blankly, and turned to walk into the house.

"You're sleeping with her tonight," her voice drifted back from ahead. "I'm sleeping on the sofa."

"That won't do." Zhao Linchuan followed after her. "How could I possibly neglect my own wife...?"