The Master and His Wealthy Fiancée

Chen Dong had been right to leave so decisively. Not long after their departure, a sharp-beaked, eagle-eyed, middle-aged Demon Cultivator dressed in golden-yellow silk hovered in the air, scanning the battlefield. The oppressive demonic aura of the Nascent Soul Stage emanated from him.

Fortunately, concealed by Mu Qingzhu's Void Sword Intent, they went unnoticed by the Nascent Soul Great Demon. Chen Dong and his group had narrowly escaped disaster.

While carrying Meng Yingluo, Chen Dong was finally able to examine her. Her injuries were severe. It wasn't just the external wounds; her internal Spiritual Power was faint, her meridians were in disarray, and demonic qi had invaded her body. If she didn't receive immediate treatment, her life would be in danger. Even with a slight delay, if she were saved at all, the best-case scenario was a regression in her cultivation. The worst-case scenario? She would never be able to advance again.

'The strike that shattered the barrier must have been an all-or-nothing gamble,' he thought. 'No wonder she was contemplating suicide afterward.'

Having already saved her, Chen Dong couldn't bring himself to just abandon her. He decided to find a hidden place to give her some preliminary treatment. Fortunately, Chen Dong had abundant resources and wasn't short on any type of healing medicine.

After finding a secluded cave, Chen Dong scanned it with his Divine Sense. Inside were a bed and some daily necessities, but they had all rotted away. It seemed to have been a temporary shelter for hunters. Lightly buried animal bones in a corner confirmed his suspicion.

After all, these territories once belonged to the Human Race. Based on the state of decay of the items, Chen Dong estimated they had been there for a little over two years.

Chen Dong wasn't the type to take advantage of someone's vulnerability, so he spoke with Liu Ling, asking her to handle the healing. Besides, Liu Ling's Innate Divine Technique, the Celestial Profound Transformation Technique, was a top-tier art for healing living creatures. In the Floating Shadow Realm's classification system, it would be considered Supreme-Grade.

When an art reaches the divine, it becomes a Divine Technique; when practiced to its absolute limit, an art becomes a Divine Technique. Poor Chen Dong, without resorting to the Six Paths Light Pillars in his sea of consciousness, had not a single art that could be called a Divine Technique. Even his most mastered art, the Phoenix True Fire, could only be considered a nascent form of one.

The Demon Race, however, was different. They were born with such gifts, possessing one or more Innate Divine Techniques from birth. As their cultivation base grew, so too did the might of their Divine Techniques.

Because of this, a cultivator was generally no match for a member of the Demon Race at the same realm. Even Sword Cultivators, who specialized in offense, were no match for their Demon Race counterparts below the Nascent Soul Stage.

Chen Dong stood guard over Ao Jun outside the cave. Man and demon stared at each other in silence. Chen Dong had no desire to speak, while Ao Jun was so thoroughly restrained he couldn't even move, let alone talk.

About the time it takes to drink a cup of tea later, Liu Ling emerged, asked for a set of a female cultivator's clothes, and went back inside.

From within the Jade Embryo, Mu Qingzhu cried out in protest, "You! You're always giving my clothes to other people. I put up with it at first because I thought that Liu Ling girl was just a little sister, but it turns out she's not 'little' at all! And now you're giving my clothes to this 'Bandit Senior Aunt'? If you expect any help from me in the future, you can forget it!"

Chen Dong quickly placated her. "There, there. I'll buy you lots and lots more in the future!"

"Hmph, I don't believe your crap! You're out here risking our body on an adventure, and for what? Some Murong Qing? If you were doing this for the Dao Essence Liu Ling mentioned, I'd at least feel a little better about it!"

"Don't be mad. In the future, I'll buy you the most expensive, most beautiful Magic Robes!"

Here in the territory of the Demon Race, Chen Dong didn't dare offend Mu Qingzhu. Without her Great Divination and Void Sword Intent, he wasn't confident he could ever make it back.

Mu Qingzhu snorted. "Hmph! This is the absolute last time. If you ever give my clothes to another female cultivator, just see if I ever speak to you again!"

Chen Dong quickly replied, "I won't, I won't! From now on, the most I'll do is wear them myself!"

Mu Qingzhu chided, "Pervert!"

Then, her voice transmission returned, tinged with amusement. "It's not entirely out of the question if you want to wear them... just let me control your body to do it!"

Chen Dong's head throbbed. Ever since the Jade Embryo had reached its third stage, Mu Qingzhu had been able to control his body, provided he consented. It was like playing chess in a courtyard, with each of them controlling half of his body as they faced off.

Thinking of this, Chen Dong retorted, "And you said you'd be reborn by the time I broke through to Extreme Dao Qi Cultivation! I'm already at the Third-Layer Golden Core, and your Jade Embryo is still only at its third stage."

Mu Qingzhu's voice took on an apologetic tone. "You can't blame me for that. I didn't expect you to break through so quickly either. I mean, I've been with you through three worlds now—have you ever seen anyone reach the Golden Core Realm with a bone age in their twenties? Back then, I thought completing the rebirth in twenty years would mean our aptitude was exceptional. Now, in just over two years, the Jade Embryo is already at the third stage. That's something I would have never dared to imagine."

"Besides, ever since your epiphany in the black mist, the art of the Jade Embryo seems to have become even more profound. I haven't fully grasped the changes yet, so I can't say for certain what's going on with it! But... isn't our current situation nice? I actually think it's great. I get to comprehend the Yuqing Immortal Technique, and whenever I'm bored, I can just talk with you. I don't have to think about any of my old troubles. This is what it means to be a cultivator, isn't it?"

For a moment, Chen Dong was stunned...

Meanwhile, at the Cyan Sky Sect, outside the main hall of Cyan Sword Peak, Zisang Jin sat perched on a willow branch. She was hugging a wine gourd and sipping from it. Though her large eyes were hazy, she remained alert to her surroundings. Her small face was flushed, and she let out a little hiccup, clear signs that she had had quite a bit to drink.

Just then, a female cultivator with an elegant and virtuous air approached, holding a flying sword message. Her hair was coiled up high, giving her a mature and composed look.

The moment she saw the female cultivator, Zisang Jin instantly hid the gourd and pretended to be resting. But her beet-red face gave her away.

The female cultivator's brows furrowed the instant she saw this. "Master," she said, a hint of anger in her voice, "how could you be sneaking drinks again!"

Zisang Jin scrambled to deny it. "I... I wasn't!" she protested, only to let out a loud—HIC!