Chapter 93: Chapter 93: Magnificent Bath Pool

「Three days later.」

「In the West Wing of Xuanzhen Studio’s rear courtyard.」

The faint morning light filtered through the window.

A delicate fragrance wafted from within the warm gauze curtains.

Fang Cheng sat cross-legged on the bed, a wave of joy washing over him as he felt the explosive surge of Magical Power within his body.

His Cultivation Realm was still at the initial stage of the Seventh Layer of Sensing, but his Qi Sea had doubled in size!

The Magical Power it could contain was also far more potent than it had been right after his breakthrough.

’The Joyful Zen Skill truly is extraordinary...’

This Divine Technique used a Buddha Heart to cultivate a Demon Skill, making it extremely easy to suffer a cultivation deviation. However, since both Fang Cheng and Wen Qianqian were familiar with the method and cooperated with great tacit understanding, the risk was greatly reduced.

Furthermore, Fang Cheng’s deep comprehension of the Red Nether Condensing Light allowed him to draw parallels and better resist the danger of succumbing to his demons.

But that alone wasn’t enough. The most crucial factor was Wen Qianqian herself. She was a rare top-grade Tripod Furnace with a pure Primordial Yin Body, as described in the Joyful Zen Skill, which was why Fang Cheng had obtained such a heaven-defying fortune.

With such a foundation for his Qi Sea, his future accumulation in the Sensing Realm would be incredibly robust, surpassing even the so-called prodigies of noble families and the Inner Sect Disciples!

Feeling the unprecedentedly powerful and surging Magical Power in his body, Fang Cheng turned to look at Wen Qianqian with an apologetic expression.

After she had dual cultivated with him, Wen Qianqian would need at least half a year to recover her original cultivation.

At this moment, the beautiful young woman with skin like snow and a face like a flower was still sleeping soundly.

The silk brocade quilt traced the alluring curves of her waist. A pair of beautiful, fair, jade-like feet peeked out from under the covers, their slender soles and rounded insteps as tender as jade, lustrous and lovely.

Fang Cheng didn’t disturb the sleeping beauty. He got out of bed, dressed, and then took up a brush to leave a note before quietly departing from Xuanzhen Studio.

...

「Dragon Spine Archipelago, Outer Sect Cave Mansion.」

Fang Cheng first used magic to eliminate the fragrance on his body before forming a hand seal for a spell to open the restrictive seals on his Cave Mansion.

After stepping inside, he found the place had changed so dramatically that he almost didn’t recognize it.

Ye Yan had decorated the Cave Mansion to be elegant and comfortable. The furniture was simple and classic, and beautiful calligraphy and paintings adorned the walls, creating a sense of tranquility.

The Golden Silk Spirit Nan pull-step bed placed in the Cave Mansion was exceptionally luxurious. It was surrounded by layers of openwork, flower-shaped surrounding fan frames, and purple-gold, phoenix-patterned curtains hung low, a faint fragrance lingering in the air.

Ye Yan was chatting amiably with a guest in the main hall. They were talking and laughing, and the atmosphere was harmonious.

"Husband, you’re back." Ye Yan’s beautiful eyes lit up when she saw Fang Cheng walk in, and she rose with a smile to greet him.

The guest also stood up, smiling. "Fellow Daoist Fang, it’s been a while."

The speaker was a tall female cultivator with a delicate, coolly beautiful face.

She wore a purple dress and had a cool, elegant expression. She was stunningly beautiful, and standing next to Ye Yan, the two of them were like a pair of vibrant, dewy flowers, their beauty beyond compare.

It was none other than the Outer Sect Disciple, Chen Yu Yan.

Fang Cheng asked in surprise, "Fellow Daoist Chen, what are you doing here?"

Chen Yu Yan glanced at Ye Yan and said gently, "I noticed some activity at your Cave Mansion, so I came over to have a look. I didn’t expect to find your esteemed wife here."

Ye Yan added, "Husband, Sister Chen and I were just talking about you. Sister Chen is planning to go to the Southern Mang Mountains for the Demon Cleansing Conference and wants to invite us to go with her."

"The Demon Cleansing Conference?" Fang Cheng had heard about this from Die’Er before. It was said to have been initiated by several True Disciples of the Yinluo Sect to specifically hunt the Southern Mang Demons and clear the area of their baleful influence.

Chen Yu Yan nodded and added, "That’s right. Our sect’s situation in the Southern Mang is currently very favorable. Many disciples who have gone there have reaped rich rewards, and the merit points given by the sect are not low. A good number of Outer Sect Disciples like us have already gone." 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

Ye Yan came to Fang Cheng’s side and sniffed the air lightly. Then, she discreetly took his arm and said with a smile, "It’s perfect. Mother also wants me to get out more to accumulate combat experience. Shall we go take a look?"

Looking at his lovely wife’s pretty face, how could Fang Cheng bear to refuse? Besides, his Magical Power and Divine Techniques had both greatly increased, and he was eager to test his skills. Even if he encountered danger, he had the life-saving Vertical Earth Golden Light Talisman from Madam Ye, so his safety was at least guaranteed. He therefore agreed, "Alright, I’ll follow my wife’s arrangements."

Ye Yan was overjoyed, her face breaking into a radiant smile. Even Chen Yu Yan, standing to the side, was affected by the atmosphere and smiled along with them.

Chen Yu Yan said, "There are two other fellow disciples who will be joining us. How about we meet at Eagle’s Beak Cliff on the south shore of the island at 7:00 AM tomorrow?"

"No problem," Fang Cheng nodded.

Chen Yu Yan looked at the affectionate couple and said with a teasing smile, "Well then, I won’t disturb you two any longer. See you tomorrow."

With that, she departed gracefully.

Ye Yan then gave Fang Cheng a "tour" of the newly renovated Cave Mansion.

She was particularly proud of a stone chamber she had newly carved out, inside of which she had installed a magnificent, gilded, and jade-inlaid bath.

Twenty-four fist-sized pearls were embedded in the walls, emitting a brilliant glow that bathed the entire bathroom in soft, bright light.

The bath was thirty feet long and thirty feet wide, making it spacious and comfortable. Clear Spiritual Spring water rippled within it, and extremely pure Spiritual Qi, almost tangible, filled the air.

"Husband, what do you think of this place?"

Ye Yan asked, a little proudly. She had put a great deal of thought into designing this bath.

Fang Cheng said approvingly, "You certainly know how to enjoy life."

The Spiritual Spring in the pool was created by mixing Spiritual Liquid with fresh spring water from the mountains. It was supplemented with nineteen types of precious spirit flowers, medicinal herbs, and spices. A fire-elemental array at the bottom of the pool kept it warm, and it had the effect of cleansing the physical body, calming the soul, and nourishing one’s being.

It was perfect for relieving fatigue after a long period of seclusion or a difficult battle.

Ye Yan leaned close to Fang Cheng’s ear, her breath as fragrant as an orchid. With a seductive look on her face, she whispered, "Husband, let’s try it out~"

A trace of allure had crept into her clear, pleasant voice.

...

「The next day.」

Fang Cheng and Ye Yan arrived on time at the appointed location: Eagle’s Beak Cliff, on the south shore of the island.

Chen Yu Yan and two others had arrived early and were chatting on the shore.

The other two were both Outer Sect Disciples of the Yinluo Sect. One was a man in his thirties, powerfully built and clad in armor—clearly a Body Refining Cultivator.

The woman had delicate features and wore a long, cyan dress, with a jade flute tucked into her sash.

Their intimate behavior suggested they were more than just fellow disciples.

Seeing Fang Cheng approach, Chen Yu Yan immediately smiled and made the introductions. "Fellow Daoist Fang, this is the Senior Brother Liu and Senior Sister Yang I told you about yesterday. They entered the Outer Sect more than ten years before us and are both Late-stage Sensing Cultivators."

Fang Cheng cupped his hands in greeting.

Senior Brother Liu and Senior Sister Yang also sized him and Ye Yan up with curiosity. The former let out a hearty laugh and said, "I’ve long heard of Junior Brother Fang’s great name. Seeing you today, you are truly a dragon among men!"

Senior Sister Yang also smiled. "Junior Brother Fang, I heard you saved over a dozen of our fellow disciples at the Xiao Family’s estate. Among your cohort of Outer Sect Disciples, they all consider you the leader."

Fang Cheng exchanged a few pleasantries with them and soon learned that both had started out as pure Servant Disciples—Immortal Seeds found in the mortal world by the Yinluo Sect’s Outer Sect Elders!

After joining the sect, they had been looked after by an Outer Sect Elder and hadn’t faced any major setbacks. They had cultivated all the way to the Late Sensing Stage and had a chance to participate in the Inner Sect trials in the future.

If they couldn’t enter the Inner Sect, they could still become an elder in the Outer Sect if they had the fortune to break through to the Life Talisman Realm. Alternatively, they could leave to establish a small family of their own, spreading their lineage and living a carefree life.

But Fang Cheng could clearly sense that their compliments were nothing more than empty pleasantries.

They were likely just trying to get closer to him on account of Ye Yan, a core disciple of the Ye Family, or perhaps because the influence of the Ye Family behind him was too great for these two worldly-wise seniors to ignore.

In reality, however, these two Outer Sect Disciples, who had been cultivating for far longer than Fang Cheng, looked down on the cultivation and strength of this live-in son-in-law of a noble family.

It was the kind of disdain that elders often feel for the young, born from their greater experience and age.

...