Facing the request of the Dragon Ritual Princess, Qing Muling found himself in a difficult position, unable to outright refuse due to their still budding relationship.
“Junior Brother, is there a problem?”
The Dragon Ritual Princess keenly sensed Qing Muling’s reluctance. A hint of confusion surfaced on her innocent and naive face. Wasn’t it normal for Dao companions to cultivate together in seclusion?
“There wouldn’t be a problem, except…”
Qing Muling hesitated, his gaze turning to Xuebing Xuan: “Senior Sister, perhaps you should explain to her.”
“Alright.”
Xuebing Xuan nodded slightly and communicated with the Dragon Ritual Princess and Su Yuanzhen through spiritual thoughts. In an instant, the noble princess’s face flushed with embarrassment, her radiant beauty resembling the dawn’s light on snow, feeling somewhat mortified.
Despite knowing she would eventually belong to Qing Muling and willing to cultivate a relationship with him, such intimate behavior right from the start was quite embarrassing for the Dragon Ritual Princess.
But could she really back down just because she was shy? Obviously not!
“If Your Highness finds it difficult, then let me start,” offered Su Yuanzhen with a more generous reaction. Her graceful and luscious beauty was accompanied by a faint smile. Since she was to accompany the Dragon Ritual Princess eventually, it was only natural for her to step in if the princess couldn’t let go.
As long as she was by Qing Muling’s side, she could ensure the Dragon Ritual Princess’s presence was felt. Once she became more accustomed, she could naturally join in.
Little did they know, after a moment of hesitation and resolve in her moist eyes, the Dragon Ritual Princess whispered, “No need, let’s cultivate together! Since I belong to Junior Brother, it’s only right for me to serve him in his cultivation.”
Was it just a change of clothes? If she let go a little, it wasn’t a big deal. After all, she was a mighty Golden Immortal, the only daughter of the Qinghuan Emperor. Surely she could overcome such a hurdle.
Luo Wanqing silently curled her lips without saying anything. The Senior Sister was right; the princess would eventually be a sister in Junior Brother’s household. Being jealous was pointless. It was better to get along sooner to avoid making things difficult for Junior Brother later.
Thus, a moment later, in the secret chamber of seclusion, under the incredulous gaze of the Dragon Ritual Princess, Xuebing Xuan calmly shed her exquisite skirt and undergarments, revealing a collar, blood droplets, and fiery red underwear with the door wide open, along with bright red lace-edged long garter stockings. Her voluptuous and enchanting body was on full display.
“Senior Sister, you…”
The Dragon Ritual Princess’s mouth fell open, her bewitching eyes filled with disbelief. She hadn’t expected the dignified and graceful top disciple of the Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace, the future Supreme Sect Master, to be so bold and unrestrained in private. It was… quite the image shatterer.
To the uninformed, she might be mistaken for the Saintess of the Huaqing Divine Palace.
“What’s the big deal? Junior Brother likes to see this, so of course we should satisfy him. Besides, these are all his own inventions!”
Xuebing Xuan’s smile was soft and serene. The other Senior Sisters followed suit, one by one shedding their skirts to reveal various boldly styled undergarments, or what could hardly be called garments at all, just simple straps and silks. Their radiant and enchanting bodies, with curves so alluring, left little to the imagination.
Su Yuanzhen’s cheeks flushed, but her eyes were filled with focus as she carefully examined the styles of the garments, gaining a deeper appreciation for Qing Muling’s talents in certain areas.
Hmm, she would have to report this to the Emperor, as she had been specifically instructed.
“Alright, come and change. Choose whatever style you like!”
Xuebing Xuan took out a pile of indescribable garments and various odd props from her Space Bracelet, speaking cheerfully to the Dragon Ritual Princess.
Eventually, with the help of the Senior Sister, the Dragon Ritual Princess and Su Yuanzhen also changed into blood droplets, collars, and black and white lace-patterned garter stockings. Their dazzling bodies were just as stunning as the Senior Sisters’.
Then the two women were brought before a floor-length dressing mirror. Gazing at the mirror, they saw a beauty that could topple empires and enchant all beings. The Dragon Ritual Princess, despite her bashfulness, couldn’t help but take a few more glances, confident in her own allure.
Then, with blushing faces, the two women and the Senior Sisters entered the embroidered chamber, tiptoeing onto the wide and luxurious bed, sitting around Qing Muling with shy unease.
“Actually, it’s quite nice!”
Qing Muling enjoyed the unparalleled beauty of the two exquisite women, smiling slightly: “In the future, when we’re in the inner chamber, you can dress like this. I believe you’ll like it too.”
“Okay…” agreed the Dragon Ritual Princess, her voice barely audible, overwhelmed by the unexpected discovery of Junior Brother’s indescribable preferences.
Su Yuanzhen gave Qing Muling a coquettish glance, proudly presenting her ample and firm bosom, her mind filled with thoughts. It was a good thing that Junior Brother had these special preferences and was willing to make such requests of her. It provided a perfect opportunity to grow closer and cultivate their relationship.
“Alright, Junior Brother, let’s start!”
As the women sat in a circle around Qing Muling, Qi Yalan couldn’t wait to speak, her eyes shining with obvious anticipation.
The Dragon Ritual Princess: “???”
Su Yuanzhen: “???”
As the two women looked on, puzzled and bewildered, Qing Muling closed his eyes slightly and soon entered a deep state of cultivation.
Immediately, a mysterious and profound light emerged from his body, spreading out to a radius of ten meters before gradually solidifying and stabilizing, enveloping him and the women within.
“This, this is…”
The Dragon Ritual Princess sensed the pure light’s characteristics and her expression changed dramatically, with Su Yuanzhen also showing a shocked face.
“This is Junior Brother’s unique Light of Dao Enlightenment,” Xuebing Xuan explained calmly. “As long as you’re within the range of this light, you can enter a state of Unity of Heaven and Man, making it easier to perceive the mysteries of the Dao and greatly improving cultivation efficiency.”
“This wonderful benefit is something you two should keep to yourselves. After all, you wouldn’t want to see thousands of seductive women coming after Junior Brother, right?”
“Understood, we’ll be discreet.”
The Dragon Ritual Princess nodded vigorously, finally understanding the immeasurable value of Qing Muling, something no chance encounter or treasure could match. It was key to her future ascension to Quasi Holy Emperor and eternal life.
No wonder the Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace’s higher-ups valued him so much, protecting him so closely and normally forbidding any casual contact with outsiders. After all, this was a matter of the sect’s rise or fall.
After careful consideration, Su Yuanzhen concluded that a month of cultivation in the Light of Dao Enlightenment was equivalent to about ten years of her past solitary cultivation, a truly astonishing benefit.
As for Xuebing Xuan and the others, with their lower cultivation realms, the effect would be even more significant. And once Junior Brother advanced to Elemental Immortal, the power of the Light of Dao Enlightenment would surely increase accordingly.
Thinking of how close she was to the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm, yet unable to break through, she realized that if she could continue to cultivate by Qing Muling’s side, this issue might no longer be a problem. It wouldn’t be long before her wishes were fulfilled, far more effective than any peerless elixir or scripture.
Thus, the two women focused their minds and began to quietly comprehend the mysteries.
…
Near the Main Altar of the sect, on a Floating Land beneath a range of mountains, lay an unremarkable courtyard.
In a secret chamber a hundred meters underground, in front of an exquisitely crafted ritual platform, stood a slightly slender figure veiled and cloaked in heavy black robes, exuding a subdued pressure.
Above the platform, a dark golden flame the size of a human head flickered and danced, emitting a low, raspy voice like metal scraping:
“…The sect is determined to succeed in this matter, no matter what methods or costs are involved, it must be done.”
“This is indeed difficult!”
A soft, sweet voice came from the veiled female cultivator: “The higher-ups protect him so thoroughly that aside from the Supreme Sect Master’s personal disciples and a few Supreme Elders from her faction, it’s impossible for others to interact with him, let alone get close. Not to mention…”
“But you are also a Supreme Elder!”
“Yes, but I’m not part of the Supreme Sect Master’s faction, so their trust in me is limited. They won’t allow me to approach him, and if I dare to act rashly, I’ll be exposed immediately.”
“Whether you’re exposed or not doesn’t matter. The key is to bring him back unharmed. The sect’s future plans cannot proceed without him, and the higher-ups are willing to invest everything!”
“How exactly do you plan to proceed?”
The veiled female cultivator asked: “I must remind you, he hardly ever leaves Imperial Dao Peak. You know how difficult it is to breach the defenses of that Innate Spirit Treasure, right? Without special permission, it’s impossible to get close.”
Imperial Dao Peak, the core of the Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace’s Mountain Protection Array, has always been personally overseen by the Supreme Sect Master. Even other Supreme Elders would find it extremely difficult to meddle there.
Now that they understood Qing Muling’s importance, the Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace’s higher-ups would never make a low-level mistake. They would surely take the highest security measures to protect him. Not to mention, there was a peak Quasi Holy Emperor standing guard.
Even if this high-level spy had incredible luck and managed to reach Qing Muling, did that mean he had no hidden means of protection? Without mentioning anything else, just a few talismans personally crafted by the Xinyu Emperor would be enough to thwart all schemes.
After a moment of silence, the voice from the dark golden flame continued: “The sect has a long heritage and profound foundations, naturally possessing means to temporarily suppress and counter a Quasi Holy Emperor. I will send you the necessary items later. Discuss with the others how to proceed. After this mission, you can end your infiltration and return to the Calamity Fate Palace.”
“If you successfully bring him back, you’ll be the sect’s greatest contributors. As a reward, the sect will provide you with enough resources to help you advance to the Great Golden Immortal realm as soon as possible…”
This was a promise of great rewards, and although the Calamity Fate Palace had a good reputation in this regard, the veiled female cultivator knew that this promise would only be fulfilled if she completed the mission and safely returned to the Calamity Fate Palace; otherwise, it was all for naught.
But how easy could it be to target Qing Muling now? It was no longer a matter of life and death but a guaranteed death sentence.
The veiled female cultivator did not wish to die. Although she knew from the start of her undercover work that this day would come, after so many millennia, she had advanced from an obscure disciple to the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm, enduring countless hardships and tribulations along the way.
After so much effort to reach her current level of Dao, was she to throw it all away for a hopeless mission?
“You should consider one more thing,”
After weighing her options, the veiled female cultivator continued: “The Qinghuan Emperor arrived at the Main Altar a few days ago, apparently intending to take Qing Muling as a husband. Xinyu Emperor and she had several closed-door discussions, likely reaching some secret agreement. That’s why the Dragon Ritual Princess has also been staying at Imperial Dao Peak and not leaving.”
“Is that so?”
The voice from the flame showed obvious surprise. Although the Calamity Fate Palace was usually well-informed, many methods were ineffective when it came to two Quasi Holy Emperors, so it was understandable that the news was somewhat delayed.
The whereabouts of the Qinghuan Emperor were not a big secret, but the content of her secret talks with the Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace’s higher-ups was something outsiders couldn’t know.
The alliance of two Quasi Holy Emperors was no small matter at any time or place. It was an action that could stir up huge waves and affect the situation in the Great Void.
“I’ve said what I had to say. How you proceed… is up to you to consider.”
The veiled female cultivator sighed. Targeting Qing Muling now meant making enemies of two Quasi Holy Emperors, a fight to the death. Any Supreme Dao Lineage’s power or ancient race would have to think thrice before acting.
“The sect will make proper arrangements regarding this matter.”
After a moment of silence, the voice spoke again: “Soon, a group of reinforcements will come to aid you. Your task is to act as an inside agent, helping them enter the Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace’s Main Altar. They will handle the rest, and afterwards, you can consider withdrawing.”
“Understood.”
The veiled female cultivator was skeptical. Steal a person from the hands of two Quasi Holy Emperors? Was this a child’s game?
…
A month later, Qing Muling and the Senior Sisters concluded their secluded cultivation.
“The results are good. How about trying a formation with a thousand times time acceleration next time we seclude ourselves?”
Qing Muling asked. This time, they used a formation with three hundred times time acceleration, meaning one month was equivalent to three hundred months, or twenty-five years inside. If it were a thousand times, that would be over seventy years.
“That depends on the specific situation. It’s not always better to go higher.”
Xuebing Xuan explained with a smile. Time acceleration formations couldn’t solve all problems, and the lifespan consumed was real, as was the demand for resources. Without sufficient confidence, cultivators usually wouldn’t choose such extravagance.
The Dragon Ritual Princess and Su Yuanzhen, however, were completely satisfied. One month of secluded cultivation with Qing Muling was equivalent to three thousand years of their past efforts. As long as they remained diligent, wouldn’t the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm be within reach after a hundred or so more sessions?