Chapter 24

Chapter 24: Aftereffects

Yan Country, White Egret Capital.

The sleeping palace of Consort Ning, the current favorite of the ruler.

Guan Ju Palace!

Deep within the palace, curtains hung low, shutting out all light.

Faintly visible were scattered garments piled upon a screen.

Inside the canopy, dim shadows revealed two figures beneath brocade covers.

Two breaths, like receding waves after the tide, suddenly separated.

“Your Highness has made a move?”

A soft, breathless, alluring voice suddenly asked.

The other party did not respond immediately.

After a pause, the Second Prince finally spoke.

“I had no choice. Father Emperor is gravely ill… he doesn’t have much time left.”

“But Your Highness shouldn’t have chosen to let those cultivators act.”

“The Crown Prince is lustful by nature. That Fairy Lü from the Taiyi Talisman Palace is beautiful—beautiful enough to make him lose his mind… everyone will think so. No one will know it was our doing.”

Consort Ning sighed. “Those are people from the Twelve Orthodox Paths.”

“They fear the imperial dragon fortune.”

“Not fear—just caution.”

The former came from fear.

The latter was merely avoiding trouble; once entangled, there would be no need for caution.

The difference between the two was like heaven and earth.

The Second Prince rested his face against the woman’s chest, full of affection:

“I have no choice, Ning’er. The Crown Prince covets you and sees me as a wolf. I truly cannot imagine losing you…”

“This concubine knows. I have always known.”

Consort Ning’s phoenix eyes softened, filling with mist.

She placed the Second Prince’s hand upon her flat abdomen and choked with emotion:

“This concubine and the child have always understood.”

The Second Prince trembled all over, disbelief filling his voice. “Th-this… there’s really a child?”

Consort Ning had entered the palace two years ago. At the time, the old emperor had still been in decent condition and she had once conceived imperial offspring. Unfortunately, she later fell in the imperial garden and miscarried.

After that miscarriage, the old emperor fell ill and never recovered, his condition worsening ever since.

Though Consort Ning remained favored, the emperor was now aged and powerless.

For the past half year, she had been secretly involved with the Second Prince.

Only now did she finally have another chance at pregnancy.

Consort Ning shed tears, pitiful to behold.

“This concubine does not wish to force Your Highness, but as things stand, only if Your Highness ascends the throne can this concubine and the child survive…”

The Second Prince had not realized she was suffering so much.

His heart ached unbearably.

“Ning’er, rest assured. I… no matter what, will never fail you!”

The two embraced and wept.

In the moment when the Second Prince’s gaze shifted away, a trace of Spiritual Essence flickered in Consort Ning’s phoenix eyes, intertwining with the already unstable imperial dragon fortune around them, gradually twisting into something distorted.

...

...

“You’re saying that Consort Ning, who is currently favored in Yan Country, is from the Planting Jade Path?”

Golden Roc Inn.

Inside the room.

Zhao Yuntong stood with her back to the candlelight, her entire figure pale and faintly glowing.

The crimson ru skirt she had just bought was only half worn; the fabric on her left shoulder had slipped down, pooling at her elbow and revealing a broad expanse of bare shoulder and back.

“That’s imperial dragon fortune—how would she dare?”

“On the contrary.”

Fang Chang held a copy of 《Great Sun Burning Heart Technique》, flipping through it idly. “She’s targeting the imperial dragon fortune.”

This technique had been given by Luo Yi when they parted.

Dai Bojun and Fang Chang each had a copy.

Who knew what he had been thinking—

handing out Pure Yang Path techniques as if in bulk.

Zhao Yuntong still had not tied her waist sash.

With one hand, she held the fabric across her chest.

In the candlelight’s shadow, the rising and falling curves became even more defined—

“She has a death wish?”

“The Planting Jade Path never lives long to begin with. Compared to the influence of imperial dragon fortune, taking a gamble is more worthwhile for her.”

Zhao Yuntong sneered. “Trash.”

Fang Chang chuckled softly.

“We are all seekers of the Dao—just walking different paths.”

Zhao Yuntong suddenly turned around.

A feminine fragrance rushed forward.

Her stunning face carried a faint flush in the shadows.

Her open clothing hung loosely; beneath her smooth collarbones, fullness lifted the fabric on both sides.

Despite such fullness,

below that, the lines tapered into a slender waist, faint ribs barely visible beneath a thin layer of flesh.

Her waist curved naturally, like a stream narrowing as it flowed.

“I’ve been lying down too long today. My fingers feel stiff—help me tie it.”

This woman…

Fang Chang tossed aside the technique, stepped forward, grabbed the ties, and pulled hard.

“Mmm~~”

Zhao Yuntong let out a soft, suggestive moan, her body trembling slightly.

“……”

Seeing Fang Chang remain motionless, Zhao Yuntong snapped:

“Are you even a man?”

“You’ve only recently become a corpse. I’m worried my Yang energy might disrupt the corpse Yin within you.”

“You needn’t worry about that. I’ll force it out with my own magic.”

Zhao Yuntong’s gaze flickered. She had no intention of forcing anything out—she wanted it all, including what was in the “basket.”

“Impressive.”

What else could he even say?

Fang Chang lay flat on the bed, turning his head stubbornly aside, displaying an unyielding soul.

Zhao Yuntong licked her lips, her gaze burning, completely filled with domineering intent.

...

At the same time.

Canglan Mountain, rear quarters.

Cheng Hua, who had been asleep, suddenly opened her eyes.

Her cool, slender hand pressed against her lower abdomen.

Her body temperature was alarmingly high.

The circulating heat drove her blood, causing her entire body to flush red.

Her usually cold face was tinged with a faint blush.

Cheng Hua remained expressionless.

Only as she lowered her head to look at her abdomen did a trace of confusion appear in her eyes.

Canglan Mountain was spring-like year-round, and cultivators naturally had strong physiques. At night, she only covered herself with thin bedding and light clothing.

The fabric clung to her waist and abdomen.

The smooth, clean lines of her lower abdomen and the soft indentation of her small navel were faintly visible.

And now—

surging, dizzying heat.

Cheng Hua’s brows furrowed. Her other hand unconsciously gripped the bedding, twisting it into a small vortex.

“Again…?”

She had already experienced something similar in her dreams last night and hadn’t paid it much mind upon waking.

But now it was happening again—and while she was awake.

The sensation was even more intense!

Her thoughts surged uncontrollably.

In the darkness, she vaguely saw Fang Chang’s face—he lay beneath her, head turned aside, looking stubborn.

...

In the latter half of the night.

Fang Chang supported himself against the wall as he walked to the inn’s viewing platform.

In his hands were not only that pot of orange fruit tea, but also a pot of goji berries for himself.

Good, very good, Zhao Yuntong.

Once my cultivation improves, just see how I deal with you.

Ordinarily,

dual cultivation emphasized subduing the Red Dragon and restraining the White Tiger.

During the process, the Spiritual Essence within both parties resonated, each extracting and refining for themselves.

In this way, both would repair losses and maintain balance, achieving circulation through the entire body.

But Zhao Yuntong was a Yin Corpse.

There was no need to expend effort suppressing the Red Dragon.

And with the physique of 【Dual Cultivation Prodigy】, she skipped several steps compared to Fang Chang!

Completely unfair.

Fang Chang thought it over.

Even if his cultivation matched hers, he might still not win.

He probably needed to temper his body as well.

“You’re late.”

Lü Muxue’s delicate voice carried dissatisfaction, the ending tone slightly raised, like an annoyed little bird.

She stood at the edge of the viewing platform, the starry sky behind her.

In the distance, flames burned within the imperial palace of Yan Country. Armored soldiers crowded outside the city walls, blood and steel intertwined.

Her knee-length skirt swayed gently in the breeze.

The ice-silk fabric, thin as cicada wings, clung to her slender legs, outlining smooth lines.

Her apricot eyes were wide as she glared, her fair cheeks flushed with faint anger.

Fang Chang glanced at Zhang Su standing in the distance.

She remained hidden in the shadows, prayer beads turning continuously in her hand.

Fang Chang sighed. “After what happened during the day, I thought you wouldn’t come.”