In truth, Su Qinghan felt that Jiang Lan had likely guessed her master had appeared before. Yet, he hadn’t asked any prying questions or said anything about it. More importantly, he hadn’t put up his guard against her.

This trust made her feel both guilty and deeply touched.

"Do you trust me?" Su Qinghan’s clear eyes shimmered as she suddenly looked at him with great seriousness.

"I’m your husband. If I don’t trust you, who else in this world will?" Jiang Lan smiled, reaching out to caress her flawless face, and responded with the same sincerity.

"Do you remember what you told me that night?" Satisfied with his answer, Su Qinghan leaned against him. She reached out with a slender, delicate hand and began to gently trace patterns on his chest.

"Of course."

"I told you to trust that I would never harm you," Jiang Lan said, looking at her.

At that same moment, within his Mud Ball Palace, destiny roiled. A faint sound echoed, like the cycle of creation and destruction unfolding within Chaos.

Wisps of the Power of Destiny drifted down like a trickling stream, gathering in ever-increasing amounts and surging toward the Ancient Vine.

"I want to tell you the same thing. I will never harm you." Su Qinghan tilted her face up, suddenly growing bold. She wrapped her hands around Jiang Lan’s head and pressed her petal-soft lips against his.

"Mmm... Jiang Lan, let’s go to the bedroom..."

"Is this your idea of looking out for my well-being?"

"Oh, you’re impossible..."

...

The storm passed, leaving clarity in its wake.

Su Qinghan rested her head on Jiang Lan’s chest, the flush of passion yet to fade from her cheeks. She listlessly twirled a few strands of her hair around her fingers, feeling as limp as a noodle, unwilling to move even an inch.

’No wonder that Chu Chan is so clingy with her husband all the time.’

’But constantly indulging in pleasure erodes one’s willpower and fosters laziness...’

’I wonder how my husband cultivates. I’ve never seen him train, yet his power is terrifying.’

Su Qinghan’s starry eyes were half-closed and hazy. Her mind was a fog of languor, and she simply couldn’t muster the will to get up and cultivate.

’Oh, well. I’ll just be lazy for today. I’ve already broken through to the Middle Stage of the Illuminating Nether Realm, anyway.’

The thought flashed through her mind, and Su Qinghan nestled back into Jiang Lan’s embrace, feeling perfectly justified.

Jiang Lan chuckled softly, as if he knew exactly what she was thinking. He reached out, tapped the center of her forehead, and transmitted a Cultivation Technique to her.

"What is this?"

Su Qinghan froze. She quickly composed herself and began to examine the Cultivation Technique.

"It’s a Cultivation Technique called the Great Joyful Skill, the Sect’s Secret Scroll of the Nether Abyss Sect," Jiang Lan explained casually.

As for how he knew of it, it was because the technique was recorded in the Blood-colored Forbidden Canon. A high-ranking member of the Blood Immortal Sect had once stolen it from the Nether Abyss Sect.

"A Dual Cultivation Technique?"

Su Qinghan quickly understood. She shot Jiang Lan a mock-reproachful glance before immersing her full attention in the technique.

The Nether Abyss Sect was, after all, a famous ancient sect in the Nine Provinces Land. Though its disciples were known for their bizarre, almost demonic methods, its Sect’s Secret Scroll was bound to be extraordinary.

It would be quite difficult for her to comprehend it fully in a short amount of time, but she was able to grasp the basic principles of how it circulated Magical Power.

Over the next few days, Su Qinghan dedicated herself to studying the Great Joyful Skill.

She even temporarily cast aside the Pure Girl Star-Praying Skill taught to her by her master, Yuqing Zhenren.

She took the initiative to try it with Jiang Lan and discovered its effects were indeed extraordinary.

Even the impurities in her Magical Power, a side effect of switching her Cultivation Technique, were refined away during their dual cultivation. Her energy became purer, and her foundation grew subtly more solid.

Of course, this was only a secondary benefit. While the Dual Cultivation Technique was active, the ecstatic sensation in her Divine Soul, as if it were about to soar beyond the heavens, sent uncontrollable shivers through her entire body.

This technique tempered the Divine Soul, and its benefits were immense.

Even with her firm, rock-solid Dao Heart, Su Qinghan found the experience addictive and nearly lost herself to it.

Fortunately, she began treating it as a supplementary technique rather than her main focus, allowing her to quickly regain her composure without much lasting impact.

Jiang Lan himself had only wanted to give it a try, not expecting the Nether Abyss Sect’s technique to be so corrosive to one’s mind and will.

It didn’t matter much to him; after all, he had a cheat.

But for a female cultivator, continuing like this long-term could genuinely cause problems.

But Su Qinghan was quite impressive. ’As expected of the novel’s original heroine,’ he thought. She had overcome the allure through her own willpower, relegating it to a supplementary technique, and her Dao Heart remained completely unaffected.

...

「Several days later.」

Anyang City was now incredibly lively, buzzing with the din of countless people.

The city’s pavilions and inns were all filled to the brim.

Numerous Immortal Sect Disciples had appeared, and various powerful clans and Noble Families had also dispatched their members. All the major players were gathering here.

The main streets were crowded daily with mounts and Cloud Boats passing to and fro. Among the arrivals were many young, famous prodigies whose mere appearance sparked widespread attention and discussion, all of them looking heroic and exceptionally talented.

Even the Taiyi Sect, a leader among the Immortal Sects, had dispatched disciples. Rumor had it they were True Disciples of exceptional talent and power, but very few people had actually laid eyes on them.

Disciples from the other Immortal Sects—such as Yijian Palace, the Ancient Inquiring Sect, the Nether Abyss Sect, the Celestial Demon Hall, Human King Mountain, and the Chi Yao Sect—had also been spotted.

Numerous Ancient Families, like the Nangong Family and the Beiming Chen Family, also sent their members to Anyang City to gather information.

Although large-scale battles were forbidden within Anyang City, the past few days had nevertheless seen a number of bloody conflicts, with even some Immortal Sect Disciples getting involved.