Qi Zhaoyue, Ye Luoxue

Lotus Grotto-Heaven.

On the white jade plaza before the Hall of Longevity.

Xu Changsheng was practicing his punches, bare-chested.

His fists were clenched tight, each punch whistling through the air with fierce force. Sweat covered his cheeks, torso, and arms.

Every muscle bulged as he put strength into his punches, brimming with explosive power.

"Whew-"

Only after finishing an entire set of punches did Xu Changsheng settle his stance and let out a long, stale breath.

"Just as I thought!"

Xu Changsheng shook out his slightly aching arms and looked down at his fists, his eyes full of barely concealed excitement.

He could clearly feel that his body had grown a little stronger.

"Even though I immediately seal all the spiritual energy I cultivate into my Accumulation over Days and Months talent to earn 'interest.'"

"Since the spiritual energy is only sealed inside my body in a different way, rather than vanishing as if I'd been sucked dry, I can still cultivate normally."

Xu Changsheng clenched his fists, his knuckles cracking.

"Qi Zhaoyue, just you wait."

Xu Changsheng eagerly awaited the day when that lofty eldest princess of the Great Yu Dynasty, the world's third-ranked female sword immortal, a peerless beauty on the Rouge Ranking...

Would have to kneel at his feet even in the outside world and respectfully call him Master.

As for why he did not kill Qi Zhaoyue, the wicked woman who had imprisoned him for ten years?

The Shared Life and Death Pact Xu Changsheng had signed with Qi Zhaoyue bound their lives together.

This was also why Qi Zhaoyue obeyed his every wish inside Lotus Grotto-Heaven.

She did not want to die, yet she could not release Xu Changsheng.

Thus, Qi Zhaoyue could only do everything in her power to satisfy all of Xu Changsheng's demands, so that he would still have something to live for and would not give in to despair and take her down with him.

Until her cultivation broke through to a higher level, where she could ignore the backlash of the Shared Life and Death Pact.

"If the Divine Yang Sacred Physique's essence weren't limited, and excessive depletion didn't drain a mortal's life force even though it barely affected the powerful..."

"She probably wouldn't have signed that pact and given me a way to hold her in check, would she?"

Xu Changsheng shook his head, feeling somewhat reflective.

"Qi Zhaoyue, you really are a... ruthless overlord?!"

Xu Changsheng did not know whether that was the right way to describe Qi Zhaoyue, but he had to admit that, deep down, he did somewhat admire that madwoman.

After all, in her place, even he might not have been able to act with such decisiveness and ruthlessness.

Ruthless toward others and even more ruthless toward herself, she had actually dared to stake her own life on becoming stronger.

After all, if Xu Changsheng ever happened to despair and kill himself, she would die along with him.

"That kind of daring..."

"Isn't something just anyone possesses!"

Xu Changsheng shook his head and stopped dwelling on it.

"Every minute and every second right now is incredibly precious."

"I have to seize every moment to improve my strength. After all, Qi Zhaoyue is progressing far too quickly."

"If I don't work hard, even with the system, I might never turn things around in this lifetime."

With that thought, Xu Changsheng continued practicing his punches.

Xu Changsheng had once thought that he would be better off dead than imprisoned inside Lotus Grotto-Heaven for his entire life.

But now, he could cultivate again, and he also had the system.

Not only did Xu Changsheng no longer wish to die, his heart was instead filled with hope and fighting spirit.

Thus, even though he was only practicing basic fist techniques, because his state of mind had changed...

His punches were no longer full of vented anger, despair, and weakness. Instead, they were fierce and powerful, stirring the air and brimming with new life.

Bang!

Just as Xu Changsheng threw a punch, its force hammering a ripple into the air before him...

He suddenly stopped.

He raised his head and looked up at the sky above Lotus Grotto-Heaven.

An enormous phantom white lotus blossomed out of thin air overhead, with a revolving silver-white gateway of light at its center.

"Qi Zhaoyue's here again?"

At the sight, the corner of Xu Changsheng's mouth twitched, and he was left speechless.

"Fuck!"

"Qi Zhaoyue, you greedy little cat. Haven't you had enough yet?"

"You only just broke through during the day, and now you're back tonight..."

"Even a capitalist like this damned system doesn't exploit people as much as you do. You won't give me a single day off. You wouldn't even work a production team's donkey like this, would you?!"

Speechless though he was, Xu Changsheng still turned and walked toward the Hall of Longevity.

"Once I turn things around, just watch me pay you back double!"

Xu Changsheng thought viciously, but soon...

"Wait, wouldn't that just be rewarding her again? Fuck!"

It was night in the outside world, and the same was true inside Lotus Grotto-Heaven.

The only place with any light in the entire grotto-heaven was the Hall of Longevity, which Qi Zhaoyue had built for Xu Changsheng.

"Your Highness, what is that?"

This was Ye Luoxue's first visit to Lotus Grotto-Heaven. She looked in surprise at the Hall of Longevity, where red candles flickered, utterly out of place amid the surrounding world.

Qi Zhaoyue did not answer her question, merely giving her an impassive glance.

"In a moment, stand outside the hall and watch what happens inside."

"But remember!"

"No matter what happens inside, no matter how confused or shocked you are, you must not make a sound or come inside..."

"Wait until I call you."

Qi Zhaoyue's tone was solemn and brooked no argument:

"All your questions will have answers soon."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Hearing this, Ye Luoxue hurriedly cupped her hands respectfully.

At the same time, she grew even more nervous and curious.

Her Highness is actually treating this so seriously. It seems the secret inside this palace is even more significant than I imagined.

What exactly could have made Her Highness's cultivation advance by leaps and bounds in just ten years, soaring all the way from the Seventh Realm Golden Core to an Eleventh-Realm Celestial Person...

Could there be an inexhaustible supply of top-grade heavenly materials and earthly treasures inside, like ten-thousand-year spirit milk?

Countless thoughts flashed through Ye Luoxue's mind.

Qi Zhaoyue said nothing more. She approached the Hall of Longevity and pushed open its doors.

"Creak-"

The heavy doors slowly opened, and Qi Zhaoyue stepped inside alone.

She did not close the doors completely, instead leaving a gap one finger wide.

Following Qi Zhaoyue's instructions, Ye Luoxue stood outside the doors and peered curiously into the hall through the gap.

The furnishings inside were luxurious beyond her imagination.

Pavilions and towers, carved dragons and phoenixes, white jade floors, and all manner of exquisite porcelain arranged around the room. Yet on the walls...

Strangely, empty picture frames hung one after another.

No!

Ye Luoxue noticed that the innermost frame did contain a painting, but it did not face the doors directly, so she could not see it clearly.

Still, she could vaguely make out a woman in the painting.

The woman was completely naked, her jade-like legs crossed as she sat beside a window. The composition was sensual yet beautiful.

"Pah!"

Ye Luoxue, the female general who had slaughtered countless people on the northern battlefield and been dubbed the Blood Princess by enemy soldiers, actually felt a little bashful.

She truly did not understand why her eldest princess would put such a...

Such an embarrassing painting inside the palace.

"And..."

"Why does the woman in that painting look a little like Her Highness the Eldest Princess?"