Ye Luoxue returned, a breakthrough.

"Yes, Your Highness."

Ye Luoxue nodded and answered respectfully.

"However..."

Qi Zhaoyue looked at Ye Luoxue, her eyes narrowing slightly, and spoke again. "Even after the Divine Maiden Sect is established, do not slack off on spreading word of it."

"I want everyone throughout the Great Yu Dynasty, wherever there are people, to know of the Divine Maiden Sect's existence."

"Even in Great Xia, Great Li, Northern Liang..."

"I want every female cultivator in the White Jade World to regard the Divine Maiden Sect as the sacred cultivation ground in her heart!"

Ye Luoxue cupped her fist. "This general will not disappoint Your Highness!"

Then she paused. "Does Your Highness have any other matters? If not, this subordinate will take her leave and prepare for tomorrow's opening of the sect."

Qi Zhaoyue fell silent for a moment. Only after quite some time did she slowly speak.

"After midnight, go see Xu Changsheng."

"After tomorrow, we will need to keep some of Xu Changsheng's Divine Yang Sacred Physique origin in reserve."

"I intend to select a few disciples with the best aptitudes from the Divine Maiden Sect and let them experience the benefits of the Divine Yang Sacred Physique first, setting an example of soaring cultivation for those geniuses who are hesitating and watching from the sidelines."

"Only then can we attract more geniuses to join the Divine Maiden Sect and make the disciples who have already joined even more devoted."

At Qi Zhaoyue's words, a faint flush crept over the pale roots of Ye Luoxue's ears.

Her legs drew slightly together, and she bit her lower lip, a barely perceptible trace of hazy distraction and nervousness flashing through her eyes.

She took a deep breath, forcibly suppressed the strange feeling, and nodded respectfully. "Yes, Your Highness."

Qi Zhaoyue waved a hand. "You may leave."

Just as Ye Luoxue rose and turned to leave, Qi Zhaoyue suddenly spoke again in an indifferent tone. "However, I heard you threatened Xu Changsheng with a saber before?"

"I do not want it to happen again."

Ye Luoxue's steps faltered slightly before she quickly nodded respectfully. "Yes, Your Highness."

"Such a thing will never happen again."

Qi Zhaoyue did not answer, merely waving her hand again.

Ye Luoxue walked out of the palace and looked up at the blazing sun in the sky.

"I always thought Xu Changsheng was nothing more than a 'tool' in Her Highness's heart."

"But now, it seems..."

Ye Luoxue shook her head, stopped dwelling on it, and strode toward her residence.

That night, at midnight.

All was silent, and almost the entire imperial capital had fallen asleep, yet a lone lamp still burned in a courtyard within the eldest princess's residence.

Ye Luoxue stood before a bright mirror, looking at her reflection.

Today, she was no longer wearing her usual black battle armor, having changed into a black cross-collared qipao instead.

The proud curves usually concealed by her armor were now fully revealed, retaining her battlefield valor and sharpness while adding a few touches of feminine softness and charm.

Her long legs, in particular, looked even straighter and more enticing wrapped in the qipao.

Her long hair was no longer tied up high, either, but spilled over her shoulders, its raven strands falling against her snow-white neck in a striking contrast that added a touch of allure.

Yet, somewhat at odds with this elegant black qipao...

Her delicate feet were clad in a pair of tall, red-soled, high-heeled boots.

Ye Luoxue lowered her head, looked at her boots, and shook her head.

"I have no idea why he likes me wearing boots at that sort of time... what is so nice about looking at them?"

With that, Ye Luoxue turned to look at the thick stack of books sitting on the table beside her.

The next moment, she raised her right hand and activated the lotus mark on her palm.

A faint white light radiated from the lotus mark, enveloping her body.

With a flash of light, Ye Luoxue's figure vanished from the room.

Lotus Grotto-Heaven.

Moonlight spilled like water over the entire bamboo grove, gilding the emerald leaves with a layer of silver radiance.

Xu Changsheng stood bare-chested, holding a stalk of green bamboo.

"Hah!"

With a low shout, he slashed the green bamboo in his hand down, stirring up a sharp whistle of wind.

With a crisp crack, a century-old iron bamboo as thick as a bowl's rim beside him was actually cleaved straight through at the middle by the ordinary green bamboo in his hand.

The cut was as smooth as a mirror, making it clear that Xu Changsheng possessed tremendous strength and extremely precise control over his force.

"Haha, this Daoist master has done it!"

Xu Changsheng stood with his "saber" withdrawn, looking at the severed bamboo on the ground, his face full of delighted surprise and emotion.

"After eleven years, I've finally entered the second realm, the Bone Refining Realm!"

"To think the Dragon Bone talent's body-strengthening effect could also help me break through in my physical cultivation."

"In that case..."

"I'll probably reach the third realm, the Blood Refining Realm, sooner than the three months I originally expected."

Xu Changsheng felt that his future was bright.

As long as he kept lying low and continuously copied Qi Zhaoyue's and the other women's talents, one day, he would completely surpass Qi Zhaoyue!

"However..." Xu Changsheng frowned slightly. "Although the increase in cultivation is a pleasant surprise, apart from the first, second, and third realms, as well as the seventh and eleventh..."

"I don't even know what the other realms are called."

"And the basic cultivation method I practice only goes as far as the peak of the third realm."

"Without a cultivation method, given that my grasp of basic cultivation knowledge is six of seven apertures open-the one that matters still completely blocked-trying to create a cultivation method for myself..."

"No matter how I think about it, it's completely unrealistic!"

"What a hassle!"

Xu Changsheng felt rather helpless. "For now, it looks like I can only slowly wait for Accumulation over Days and Months to copy talents related to cultivation methods from Qi Zhaoyue or Ye Luoxue."

And just as Xu Changsheng was thinking about how to obtain a follow-up cultivation method as soon as possible...

Rumble!

Xu Changsheng looked up and saw the heavenly gate above the Lotus Grotto-Heaven suddenly begin to open slowly.

"Has that wicked woman Qi Zhaoyue come again?"

Xu Changsheng stopped agonizing over it and rubbed his fists, eager to have a go.

"It looks like my wish to make her cry will come true tonight!"

Xu Changsheng looked forward to it, not forgetting to deposit the spiritual power he had cultivated that day into his Accumulation over Days and Months talent.

In an instant, Xu Changsheng once again became an ordinary person with only a tiny amount of spiritual power in his body, absorbed "naturally and unconsciously."

Of course, his cultivation realm remained.

As for the green bamboo emanating saber intent, Xu Changsheng did not make a point of dealing with it this time.

After all, Qi Zhaoyue would eventually notice his changes. Xu Changsheng had never dared underestimate her intelligence.

But Xu Changsheng was also very certain...

As long as the spiritual power in his body did not increase at all, Qi Zhaoyue would not pay too much attention even if she discovered his changes.

After all, spiritual power was the foundation of everything.

Without spiritual power in the body to sustain it, everything was merely a castle in the air. This was a limitation of the world, not Qi Zhaoyue.

"But unfortunately..."

A hint of amusement rose in Xu Changsheng's heart. You'll never imagine that I've merely deposited my spiritual power in a 'bank'!

Whenever I need it, I can withdraw all of it at any time, and it can even earn interest!

Xu Changsheng shook his head and looked at the surrounding bamboo grove, not returning to the Hall of Longevity.

"Today, right here in the bamboo grove..."

A trace of an expectant smile flashed in Xu Changsheng's eyes.