After noticing Chen Fan's movements, she did not find them strange. He could touch her if he wanted, but a Great Emperor sneaking around like that really did seem rather sloppy.
Chen Fan's hand trembled, and he immediately pressed it down, teasing, "My wife, I was getting something. I was just afraid of disturbing your rest."
Ling Qingcheng rolled her eyes at Chen Fan. Now that I'm awake, you're not afraid of disturbing me, then.
"Husband, how did you... feel?"
Satisfied now, so you shouldn't be suffering from holding it in anymore, right?
How did he feel? Chen Fan thought about it and answered honestly, "Very comfortable."
It really had been very comfortable.
Then he reluctantly let go. She would be the mother of his child in the future, after all. He leaned over again, pressing against her tender skin and resting his chin on her fragrant shoulder.
If the child they produced did not have the potential of a Great Emperor, that child would truly be letting their efforts down.
Hearing this, Ling Qingcheng was immediately very satisfied and smiled faintly.
It wasn't easy. Finally, I won't have to be urged anymore.
"Husband, I really like it here," she said softly.
It was just those "senior sister" girls outside who made her feel somewhat constrained. Fortunately, they still did not know.
As long as she, their "master," refused to admit it, that would do.
Chen Fan murmured in agreement. "If you like it, come back to visit often."
"Oh, right. You must be tired after last night. Let me give you something to replenish your body."
At once, Chen Fan used a porcelain bottle to draw some Nine Heavens Divine Spring from his system space.
Ling Qingcheng sniffed with her delicate nose. "What is this?"
One sniff left her feeling refreshed, as though even her soul had been cleansed.
"This is Nine Heavens Divine Spring Water. It'll be useful to you," Chen Fan explained.
Hearing this, Ling Qingcheng's beautiful eyes lit up. "Nine Heavens Divine Spring..."
Something like this was extremely precious. Even a holy land probably would not have such a small bottle of it. Then she thought about last night...
"Husband, you should keep it to replenish your own body."
Chen Fan immediately objected. "My wife, I still have plenty. Go ahead and use it without worry."
Still, his wife was looking out for him.
"Really?"
"Of course... You don't believe me? There's even enough for a bath."
Then Chen Fan simply pulled Ling Qingcheng away to soak in the spring water.
The sun was already high in the sky.
Only then did they walk out of the room.
Immediately afterward, they saw his senior sisters crowding over.
It was as though they had formed a group to stake out the place.
"Junior brother!"
A golden thigh!
A golden thigh!
Ling Qingcheng took a deep breath. My disciples won't recognize me. They won't recognize me. She composed herself, as cool as could be, as though nothing had happened.
Chen Fan smiled. "Senior sisters, what's all this?"
They had not seen each other in twenty years, so there was indeed some distance between them. Still, they belonged to the same branch of disciples, and that connection was bound to bring a sense of closeness.
Mainly, before he turned three, these senior sisters had probably experienced what it was like to raise a child. He had often been picked up and spanked, too.
"We were waiting for you. Did you and Qingcheng rest well last night?" Jiang Luoli greeted him, dressed in a pale yellow gauze gown.
"Eldest senior sister, I haven't visited Empress Cliff in so long. Of course I was comfortable," Chen Fan said with a smile.
Of course he had been comfortable. He stayed in his master's place, slept with his master, and she even had to bear his child.
Ling Qingcheng felt slightly guilty. "S-senior sister, we rested very well." To avoid exposing herself, she forced the words out, hurriedly covering her embarrassment.
Su Hanshuang, dressed in an ice-blue gown, smiled. "That's good. Come to think of it, little junior brother, it's been a long time since we last saw each other..."
The little fellow from back then had grown so much. And he was so strong, too. It was rather a crushing blow. She did not know what had happened to him, and as his senior sister, she did not dare ask.
Chen Fan murmured in agreement. "A few decades pass in the flick of a finger. But senior sisters, have you been well?"
Senior sisters, please don't say the wrong thing. I warned you before.
As long as they did not say the words "went to reincarnate," it would be fine. After all, that was what he had used to fool his master.
Shangguan Yuheng wore a dark gown and carried an air of chivalry. She said, "Junior brother, ever since you and Master left, we've stayed here guarding the place. Aside from some factions making trouble for us, it's been quiet."
"This time, it's all thanks to you coming back in time."
"Fourth senior sister, it was only right. Empress Cliff is my sect, too. Even with Master away, I should protect it," Chen Fan replied.
Fortunately, he had come to Empress Cliff to make a baby this time. Otherwise, Empress Cliff would have fallen into danger, too.
"No matter what, junior brother, thank you." Li Miaoxin wore a green gown and had a more natural air about her.
Reunited with their junior brother under such circumstances, they all exchanged knowing smiles. This counted as an unexpected delight. With such an incredible disciple, Master would surely get a fright when she returned, wouldn't she?
They themselves could hardly believe it!
Just then...
"Junior brother, please lower your head and look at me." Di Yao wore a pinkish-purple gown, her eyes filled with indignation. She kept feeling that she had been ignored.
Our bond has faded, has it?
"Fifth senior sister." Chen Fan reached out and patted her head. Heh, that's for patting my head back then.
Compared with his other mature, elegant senior sisters, however, his fifth senior sister seemed rather petite. She was also the youngest of them.
Di Yao immediately froze.
Since junior brother is a Great Emperor, I'll let it slide. Sandbag-sized fists are no laughing matter.
One punch from him could leave her crying for a long time.
"Oh, right, senior sisters, I have gifts for you." Chen Fan said no more, and a pile of porcelain bottles appeared before them.
"Junior brother, what are these?" Di Yao stood on tiptoe and craned her neck to look.
The others were quite puzzled, too.
"Fifth senior sister, this is Nine Heavens Divine Spring Water. It can assist your cultivation," Chen Fan explained.
"Nine Heavens Divine Spring!" They were all shocked. There was so much!
That was precious nectar useful even to Emperor Realm powerhouses.
But thinking of their junior brother's current realm... We're not envious at all.
"Junior brother, this..." As his senior sisters, they really felt too embarrassed to accept it.
Chen Fan simply pushed the bottles into their hands. "Senior sisters, there's no need to stand on ceremony with me."
"With Master away, it's perfectly reasonable for me to look after you."
"Then we won't stand on ceremony, junior brother!" Di Yao immediately said at top speed.
It was not that she was greedy for wealth. Clinging to her junior brother's thigh was a skill in itself. If he gave her something, she only needed to take it.
Chen Fan was in a lovely mood.
"In that case, senior sisters, Qingcheng and I will return to the lineage. My Chen Lineage in the Heavenly Abyss Domain welcomes you to visit anytime."
The women, who had accepted the Nine Heavens Divine Spring Water and were still trembling as they stared at the porcelain bottles, felt somewhat wistful upon hearing this.
He was leaving so soon.
"Junior brother, we'll definitely visit," Jiang Luoli said.
With a Great Emperor junior brother around, why keep guarding their home? Even if they gave Empress Cliff away, they could take it back.
They could finally go out and see the world, and study just why their junior brother had grown so terrifyingly strong along the way! He was astonishing beyond belief!
"It's a promise." With that, Chen Fan took Ling Qingcheng with him, summoned the Imperial Qilin, and swiftly departed.
His senior sisters were guarding their home, too. He could understand that.
But he had also been guarding his home and could not spare any attention for Empress Cliff. He had not returned all these years, either, and hoped his senior sisters would understand.
Watching Chen Fan leave, the women knew they could still talk to him because of the bonds between them.
Otherwise, they were already people from entirely different worlds.
Di Yao tipped her little head up and gazed into the distant sky. An emperor beast. She wanted to ride it, too.
Turning back, she looked at Jiang Luoli with her large eyes. "Eldest senior sister, why don't we set off for the Chen Lineage in the Heavenly Abyss Domain right now?"
The women looked at Di Yao. Junior sister, that's going too far.
Still, she had a point.
The Chen Lineage.
After resting and recuperating for a few days, Yun Lan finally came with Su Chanyue.
At this moment, they had already arrived beneath the gates of Chen Lineage City.
Back then, this city had also been guarded by the Chen Lineage, which stood alone as its dominant power.
Its branch bloodlines had been scattered throughout the cities of the various Dao domains, with substantial holdings.
It could not compare to the top lineages, but it had not been bad, either.
...Of course, these were the relevant details she had found in her sect's historical records.
It had been far too long!
Apart from veteran powerhouses, few people nowadays remembered it clearly.