Seeing her resistance wavering, Yi Chen immediately added with the intention of completely winning over her trust.

"This means you still have more than half a year until your father chooses an heir! When we are out of this place, you can still prove your abilities to your father and win over the next Guild Leader’s position!"

Just like Yi Chen had intended, his earlier words indeed became the final blow Gao Zhen needed in order to believe his words.

There was no reason for him to lie to her, and from the way he was acting, it was obvious that he had no intention of playing with her emotions. This, complemented by what he had told her a few moments ago, left only one possibility.

The possibility that what he had just said was the truth.

However, her irrational side still needed more assurance, so looking straight into his eyes, she asked the next moment, "Can you make a vow in your wife’s name that you’re not lying?"

Knowing him well by now, she knew that he might lie to her face, but when his wife’s name was on the line, he would never resort to such a thing.

"Yes," Yi Chen firmly nodded the moment he heard her question, "I vow in my wife’s name that just like I had stated, this realm is one eighty times faster than the outside world."

As he finished those words, he let out a smile and asked, "Do you believe me now?"

He understood how absurd his words were, so if using Feng Yu’s name would be able to win her trust, then he didn’t mind.

They had gone through a shared sense of difficulty in all these years, so despite it being difficult to convince her, he still wanted her to know the truth.

"Yes... Yes, I do," Gao Zhen finally answered while letting out a deep exhale. Anger and irritation left her the moment she had seen Yi Chen making a vow, and what remained in its stead was hope.

A hope for a future she thought she would never be able to attain.

A smile naturally formed on her face as she thought about all the possibilities this new path held for her.

Seeing this expression on her face, Yi Chen couldn’t help but feel glad. All the earlier misunderstandings and feelings of discontent vanished the moment a smile of hope and relief appeared before his eyes.

"Tch," Gao Zhen suddenly clicked her tongue and said with a soft chuckle, "...just when I had started looking forward to living the next phase of my life in the shadows away from my father’s reach, you hit me with this news. I can’t help but feel a little disappointed, you know?"

"Haha, we both know that’s not true," Yi Chen answered with a light laugh and added, "However, if Madam Gao wishes, you still have the option of giving up on the future heir’s seat."

"When someone jokes, you should just laugh along, you know?" Gao Zhen snorted in an amused manner, hearing his words, and added while chuckling, "As if I’ll give up on that!"

Hearing her response, Yi Chen started laughing along as well.

Suddenly thinking of something, Gao Zhen asked him the next moment, "Though you still haven’t answered this one question that’s been in my mind until now..."

"Mhm? What is it?" Yi Chen asked curiously.

"This morning, you disappeared all of a sudden without informing me at all. You know, I really thought something bad had happened and was about to go and look for you when I finally saw you returning from afar..."

’Ah, that explains why she wasn’t practising beside the black tablet like usual...’ Yi Chen thought in his mind while Gao Zhen continued.

"...So what was the reason behind that unusual act? You mentioned that you were returning from the coastline. Why did you go there in such a hurry?"

Gao Zhen asked with curiosity apparent in her voice. However, someone more observant than Yi Chen would notice a subtle hint of blame laced in her words.

"Ah, that," Yi Chen paused as if he was recalling things. However, in reality, he was creating a suitable reason to get around this question.

His eyes glimmered as the answer came to him right away.

Looking Gao Zhen straight in the eye, he answered while scratching the side of his cheek with his finger.

"I don’t know how, but I was suddenly struck with an epiphany regarding the Spirit Guiding Technique. It prompted me to rush immediately towards the coastline to observe the raging waves that constantly hit the shore.

Seeing them constantly flowing despite colliding with the sharp, icy boulders along their way gave me the push I needed to overcome the plateau I was stuck in."

As Yi Chen said that his eyes shone with white light, and the next instant, a few strands of Gao Zhen’s hair rose in the air, immediately drawing her attention.

"!!!"

Gao Zhen’s eyes widened when she saw her hair strands floating right next to her eyes.

"Y-You’ve progressed this much in just six months?!" She found it all very difficult to believe. However, a second later, she just shook her head.

"Haha...I almost forgot for a second that the man standing in front of me was a monster. Congratulations.

With this pace, you would definitely be able to master the Spirit Guiding Technique in another six months’ time. Who knows, by the time we are out of this realm, you’ll already be in the Qi Absorption Stage."

"I’ll try my best," Yi Chen replied with a humble smile.

If she were to know that he had already mastered the Spirit Guiding Technique more than a week ago, then he could imagine just what kind of face she would make.

Just thinking about it made him laugh inwardly. However, as much as he wanted to see that look of surprise on her face, it was still not the right time to inform her about it.

He had yet to refine the Godly Meridians, and, with no idea how long it would take to refine all four sets, he wanted to have an explanation ready for why it was taking him so long to enter the Qi Absorption Stage.

With these thoughts in mind, the two of them soon walked back towards their campsite.

"Then I’ll go and contemplate more on my new understanding," Yi Chen said with a smile.

"Yes, do that. I’ll go and do the same." Gao Zhen smiled back.

Seeing Yi Chen leave for his tent, she finally went to the Black tablet and sat cross-legged next to it, as before.