The Master and His Wealthy Fiancée

As the colossal twin moons set and the sun rose, Chen Dong was soaking in a scenic Cold Pool.

This place was located several miles north of Tian Family City. He had spent all last night wandering through the city, taking the opportunity to touch many people. In fact, he'd touched nearly everyone except for the members of the Tian Family at the Outer Appearance realm or higher, yet not a single person had caused the inscription on his left hand to light up.

He had touched plenty of people, but the wicked fire in his heart only grew stronger, forcing him to leave Tian Family City. He was afraid he would do something against his will.

After leaving the city, Chen Dong chanced upon this Cold Pool. Its frigid energy could suppress the wicked fire within him, so he submerged himself completely in its waters.

"GAK… GAK…" With two squawks that sounded like a chicken's, the Corpse Dove arrived at the edge of the Cold Pool.

"Instead of doing your job, you little brat, you run off here for a bath. You sure know how to live it up. But when Lord You finally has you killed, don't expect this lord to plead on your behalf!" the Corpse Dove transmitted in a snide, passive-aggressive tone.

Chen Dong's head broke the surface. His face was completely flushed, as if it had been boiled.

"It's not like I want to be! Something's wrong with my body!"

Chen Dong's complexion startled the Corpse Dove. "What happened to you, kid?" it asked in surprise. "Did your training go awry? A cultivation deviation?"

Chen Dong shook his head. "The problem is physical. I need Calm Heart Grass or some kind of Purifying Heart Divine Artifact. Otherwise, I don't dare get out of this Cold Pool."

Although the frigid energy of the Cold Pool could suppress the wicked fire, it couldn't eradicate it. The moment he left the water, the fire would erupt and corrode his will with even greater ferocity.

With his own considerable medical knowledge, he had already diagnosed the issue. His body was currently unable to absorb the Jiao Blood Essence within him, and it had permeated every fiber of his being. This was no longer a problem that could be solved by taking matters into his own hands. Not even draining himself of blood would quell the inner agitation. Only by balancing yin and yang could he calm the physical frenzy, which would in turn allow him to fuse more perfectly with the Jiao Blood Essence.

He silently cursed himself. He'd once had a charming married woman right before him and hadn't cherished the opportunity. Now, with lust burning through his body, the regret was unbearable.

The Corpse Dove paced back and forth by the Cold Pool. "You useless brat!" it transmitted irritably. "You can't get a single thing done, and yet you have a whole flock of problems! Don't tell me you expect this great one to go find this stuff for you!"

Chen Dong said quickly, "You could summon Lord You! With his level of cultivation, he could surely suppress this problem in my body!"

"Lord You left the Qiankun Realm a long time ago!" the Corpse Dove retorted angrily. "Where am I supposed to find him? When the deadline hits and the mess in the Qiankun Realm isn't sorted out, I'm not the one who'll be killed! If you want to die so badly, just stay here and soak!" With that, it flapped its wings, ready to depart.

"Wait, wait!" Chen Dong cried out in desperation.

"What now, kid?" the Corpse Dove screeched telepathically. "You want this lord to find that stuff for you? In your dreams! Don't even think about it!"

"You featherless bird," Chen Dong said urgently, "just think! If we fail Lord You's mission, what do you think will happen to you, the Military Supervisor? You might not die, but you might just get to taste the Netherworld for a few days!"

The Corpse Dove was dismissive at first, but upon hearing the word "Netherworld," its crimson, pupil-less eyes shot wide. It squawked, "This lord is NOT going to the Netherworld! I'd rather die than go to the Netherworld!"

Chen Dong's gaze hardened. 'So the mere name of the Netherworld is enough to scare this stupid bird like this,' he thought. 'All the better.' He then gave a cold smile and said, "You don't want to go to the Netherworld? If you really don't want to go, then hurry up and find what I need! If we can't find Calm Heart Grass or a Purifying Heart Divine Artifact, we'll both be punished!"

The Corpse Dove thought it over. What Chen Dong said was very likely to happen. To avoid being tossed into the Netherworld, it had no choice but to compromise. "GAK~! Fine! This lord will help you this one time. No, wait, this lord is helping himself! You damn bald-head aren't worthy of my help! Just wait here! This lord will be back in a flash!"

With that, the Corpse Dove flapped its wings and flew away from the Cold Pool.

Chen Dong breathed a sigh of relief. 'The Qiankun Realm is full of treasures. As long as that bird actually tries, it should be able to find what I need.'

However, what Chen Dong didn't know was that Purifying Heart-type Divine Artifacts were precisely the rarest treasures in the Qiankun Realm. Every family had homes built of tranquility wood, making the demand for such artifacts almost nonexistent. As for Calm Heart Grass, it was a priceless herb one could only stumble upon by chance, never find by searching. Locating either in a short amount of time would be next to impossible.

Meanwhile, Tian Sisi had taken the Jiao Heart and returned to the Liu Family's city. As someone who was practically a member of the Liu Family, not to mention her position in the Divine Department, she had her own private residence there.

Upon returning to her residence, over a dozen maids were already waiting respectfully for her commands.

Tian Sisi's expression was as icy as ever. "Prepare my bath at once," she ordered. "And bring me everything I had you prepare!"

The maids, long accustomed to Tian Sisi's manner, immediately sprang into action.

An hour later, having bathed and burned incense, Tian Sisi sat cross-legged in a quiet chamber. An array of medicinal pills, Divine Artifacts, and herbs were laid out around her, along with the Heart of the Flood Dragon.

There was only one Jiao Heart. Tian Sisi hadn't considered refining it into a pill, both for fear of failure and for lack of a suitable recipe. A flicker of resolve flashed in her beautiful eyes. She lifted the watermelon-sized Jiao Heart and took a raw bite.