Ling Qingcheng felt she needed to know this.
Chen Fan froze. So that was what this was about.
"Qingcheng, you already know."
Wonderful. Even now, I can still drag Su Chanyue out and use her for another flogging.
After all, the Lord of Illusory Sound had a point.
Ling Qingcheng hummed in acknowledgment, waiting for Chen Fan to explain.
Chen Fan said solemnly, "My Lineage arranged this childhood betrothal for me when I was little. It wasn't something I could decide."
"As for her breaking off the engagement, I suppose she looked down on my Chen Lineage."
"Don't overthink it. There's nothing between us now!"
"Really?"
"Of course."
Hearing that, Ling Qingcheng agreed that it was indeed the case.
Likewise, thank goodness her Great Emperor husband had had his engagement broken off. Otherwise, she could only have been the lesser wife. Wouldn't she have been furious enough to kill after awakening her past-life memories?
"All right." Then she let Chen Fan lead her away by the hand.
Chen Fan continued his PUA. "Since you know now, let's return to our previous topic..."
"Wait, let's go to your residence first." Ling Qingcheng hurriedly interrupted him. Stop rushing me, stop rushing me.
Chen Fan smiled at her slight embarrassment. "You want to see our bridal chamber first? That works too. Let's go."
Ling Qingcheng: "..."
Can I choose to say nothing? Then she smiled faintly.
Soon, they arrived at the Chen Lineage's ancestral hall!
The ancestor's residence.
Chen Fan turned back. "Qingcheng, can we do what we can do now?"
Ling Qingcheng finally understood. She absolutely owed him something from her previous life!
So impatient. Honestly.
Her large, beautiful eyes fixed on Chen Fan, then slowly closed. Her long lashes fluttered a few times before she rose onto her toes and brought her red lips closer...
Seeing this, Chen Fan immediately reached out and blocked her.
Ling Qingcheng was thrown into disarray, her eyes opening in disbelief! It took so much for me to make up my mind...
She heard Chen Fan say, "That's it?"
Then he scooped Ling Qingcheng up in a princess carry.
"Better let me do it."
Ling Qingcheng's delicate body trembled, a little deer bounding wildly in her heart.
She couldn't beat Chen Fan.
"Chen Fan, you..."
"This is our time alone together. Once we have a little one, we won't have opportunities like this anymore. Cherish them as we go." Chen Fan gazed at her lovely face.
He continued his PUA. "You can't beat me, no matter how we do it."
Ling Qingcheng wanted to roll her eyes. There really was no getting around this.
"Not necessarily! Someday, I'll catch up to you!" But all her attention was focused on this.
She set herself a small goal.
"Why wait for someday? You've already caught up to me now." With that, Chen Fan leaned toward her exquisite, stunning face and little red lips.
Ling Qingcheng dipped her chin slightly to evade him. She didn't want to be so passive!!!
But she truly couldn't beat her Great Emperor husband now, and in the end, she failed to dodge him.
Their lips could only meet, and she closed her beautiful eyes as Chen Fan held her.
A good while later.
Ling Qingcheng's breathing was somewhat uneven. "Why did it have to last so long?"
She stared at Chen Fan with utter seriousness. It was her first time, after all. That had been a little excessive.
Chen Fan said, "Qingcheng, there's something you don't know. Have you heard of a certain folk legend?"
Ling Qingcheng was briefly puzzled. Tilting her head, her long hair spilling down, she asked, "What legend?"
"Kissing can get you pregnant. What if it worked?"
Pfft. Ling Qingcheng nearly burst into merciless laughter. "You're childish!"
There really is no getting around this! Just how much do I owe him?
"No, no. How could I be childish? Our child will be childish."
Ling Qingcheng began staring at Chen Fan again. I'll just quietly watch you keep rushing me.
Meanwhile.
At the Falling Cloud Sect.
Inside the main hall.
Yun Lan sighed with emotion. "Even Great Emperor Taihuang has fallen..."
She hadn't gone very far earlier, only beyond the area affected. How could the upheaval from that battle have been fake?
At the time, not a single person had escaped. Heaven and earth had gone dark.
It was all thanks to one person-her disciple's former fiancé!
Unbelievable, but she had seen it with her own eyes. This time, there could be no mistake.
Beside her, Su Chanyue was utterly silent. Great Emperor Taihuang, whom her master hadn't dared oppose at all, a Great Emperor of his generation, had died just like that.
And her former fiancé had killed him.
Fate truly toyed with people.
Everyone knew the might of a Great Emperor. Moreover, the Chen Lineage now possessed resources that could tempt even a Great Emperor.
Had what happened before never occurred, perhaps she, too, could have legitimately cultivated on the Chen Lineage's territory and enjoyed the richest Spiritual Qi...
She would also have been a Great Emperor's wife.
Yun Lan knew what her disciple was thinking.
She said, "Chanyue, your master was too inflexible, bound by rules and dogma. I ruined things for you."
Even so, who could have known Chen Fan really was an Emperor Realm expert! Anyone else still wouldn't have been worth breaking the rules for.
And this marriage bond, which should have been so easily secured, was now gone just like that. She feared her disciple's unwillingness to accept it would leave a hidden flaw in her state of mind.
"Master, it has nothing to do with you. This was my fault." Su Chanyue was filled with conflicting feelings.
If she hadn't also been willing, how could things have turned out this way?
Yun Lan said no more.
"All right. Once I've recovered from my injuries, we'll go to the Chen Lineage and see Chen Fan. You may leave for now."
Great Emperor Taihuang had covertly injured her earlier. Though it wasn't serious, she still needed time to recuperate.
"Yes, Master." Su Chanyue left, looking utterly lost.
Yun Lan shook her head, somewhat worried.
But her disciple would have to walk this cycle of cause and effect herself.
"It seems I'll need some gifts." Whether Chen Fan thought anything of them or not, they would still express her goodwill.
The nearby powers would likely be unable to escape the Chen Lineage's clutches. Establishing friendly relations in advance was no bad thing.
With that thought, Yun Lan rose and went out.
[Ding, check-in successful. Congratulations, host, on receiving 500 million cc of Pangu Blood.]
Another day had come. After checking in for his guaranteed reward, Chen Fan froze.
Holy shit.
Drained dry, drained dry. Not a single drop left.
"Too bad it isn't blood essence."
Still, Chen Fan was satisfied. Pangu Blood could be used to improve the bloodline power of his Lineage's disciples.
It was nothing short of a terrifying enhancement.
Over these past few days, the Chen Lineage had also been putting its internal affairs in order.
He also had to give Ling Qingcheng some time to accept and adapt to her surroundings.
Still, they had enjoyed their time together yesterday.
...In a certain sense, it could count as negative distance, too.
With that thought, Chen Fan rose and went out.
This Pangu Blood could be used to create a blood pool, turning it into a treasure trove for the Chen Lineage.
Once he finished building it, he would have to go out for a while.
After all, people's hearts were complicated, and there weren't many he could trust. At least, not now.
So he intended to capture some powerful demonic beasts and ferocious beasts to control, helping him protect the Chen Lineage's land.
Elsewhere.
Following Chen Fan's instructions, Mo Qingyin was helping Ling Qingcheng strengthen her divine soul.
The melodies of her divine music could bewilder and kill without a trace.
Likewise, they could serve as a form of tempering, especially on the mental level.
At this moment, they were together, with Mo Qingyin's hands moving over the zither.
As for Ling Qingcheng, she hadn't refused and was sitting in meditation.
Her bearing was cool and aloof, her mind free of distracting thoughts, utterly undisturbed by that strange business of her Great Emperor husband pressing her to have a baby.
And the Lord of Illusory Sound's Spirit-Concentrating Melody truly had extraordinary effects.
It benefited her greatly.
At some point.
The melody beside her ears suddenly changed.
Ling Qingcheng opened her eyes.
She looked at Mo Qingyin in puzzlement. "Lord of Illusory Sound, what is this?"
Mo Qingyin said with complete seriousness.
"Qingcheng, cultivating without respite burdens both your body and your mind. Balancing work and rest and relaxing your mind would produce better results."
Balancing work and rest? Ling Qingcheng didn't dwell on it and closed her eyes again to listen.
She listened attentively, yet the more she listened, the more something seemed wrong.
She still couldn't help asking.
"Lord of Illusory Sound, what piece is this?"
It was very strange, yet somewhat familiar.
Mo Qingyin didn't want to admit it.
"Qingcheng, would you like to learn it? I can teach you."
Hearing this, Ling Qingcheng was even a little pleasantly surprised. The Dao of Illusory Sound seemed rather good, too.
"All right, I'd like to learn."
Then she began learning.
Yet the more she learned, the more something seemed wrong.
Suddenly, something occurred to her, jolting her alert. "Lord of Illusory Sound, could this be...?"
"Yes, a lullaby." Mo Qingyin nodded.
Since she wanted to learn, she should learn it properly.