Chapter 63: The Main Course Has Arrived—Who Still Eats the Side Dishes!

In the emperor’s chambers, Li Chen was guiding Li Si’s cultivation.

Li Si had exceptional cultivation talent, but she was playful.

She completed only what Li Chen assigned her each day, never practicing a single extra bit.

At this moment, Li Chen was teaching Li Si the movements from the Nine Heavens Dragon Vein Scripture.

Because Li Si could not “tame” her own limbs, her movements were chaotic; Li Chen grew dizzy watching, forced to manually adjust every posture for her.

At that moment, a tall woman appeared.

Chu Ruoyan wore an elegant deep robe, similar to the qipao Li Chen knew.

The high slits artfully outlined the contours of her long thighs, each step radiating endless allure.

Her waist was slender, as if a light squeeze would reveal astonishing flexibility and strength.

Her chest was full; the low-cut design revealed fleeting glimpses of tender, snowy skin that swayed as she walked, stirring intense appetite in Li Chen.

Merely seeing her made Li Chen feel feverish.

Last time had been at the Matchmaking Mountain, surrounded by many people.

This time was inside the palace—she wouldn’t be allowed to leave.

Sensing Li Chen’s unhidden gaze scanning her, Chu Ruoyan felt a quiet pride: I knew you liked this—I dressed this way on purpose!

Women in this world were still reserved, but reserve was for other men; Li Chen was clearly the exception.

“Your Majesty, are you teaching Si Ning to cultivate?” Chu Ruoyan walked beside Li Chen, curiously watching Li Si’s strange posture.

“This child is excellent in every way, but her limbs are uncoordinated. How has your own cultivation been lately?”

Li Chen slowly shifted the topic from Li Si to Chu Ruoyan.

The main course has arrived—who still eats the side dishes!

Chu Ruoyan said her cultivation hadn’t slipped; she was on the verge of breaking through to the middle stage of Void Penetration Realm.

Li Chen asked her to demonstrate her cultivation technique and movements.

As a Saint Realm cultivator, he could still offer her guidance.

To say “guidance” was really just to warm up the dish first!

Chu Ruoyan began demonstrating her movements, and Li Chen personally corrected her flaws with his hands.

“Don’t bend your arm too much—this could injure you during the follow-through.”

“Don’t arch your chest too straight—press it down slightly, so you generate full power when executing this move.”

“Tighten your lower abdomen—yes, sink it a little more, slowly feel it.”

Especially with Chu Ruoyan’s legs—whether inner thigh or calf—any part misaligned with the movement, Li Chen personally adjusted it.

After sufficient correction, Li Chen said: “Your legs are excellent.”

Chu Ruoyan blushed and said: “Thank you, Your Majesty, for the compliment.”

The sound of instruction faded, replaced by increasingly rapid breathing.

At this point, Li Si had long since slipped away discreetly.

Seeing the main course properly warmed, Li Chen picked up Chu Ruoyan and carried her into his room; she offered no resistance—perhaps even desired it more than he did.

Meanwhile, in the Chu family’s back courtyard.

Xiao Ming was scaling the wall—he had prepared today to take Chu Ruoyan away.

Just a few steps more, and he would see the goddess he longed for!

For days, he’d been so focused on cultivation he hadn’t even seen Chu Ruoyan’s face.

But he’d gained something—he’d reached the late stage of Breakthrough Realm, his strength greatly enhanced.

Right now, the Saint’s residual soul was the most panicked—he’d spent the morning trying to stop Xiao Ming.

Claiming his state wasn’t fully restored, he urged Xiao Ming to wait a few more days.

Xiao Ming paid no heed—he wouldn’t wait a single moment, and came running straight over.

On the way, the Saint’s residual soul even claimed he sensed the killer’s aura near the family’s attackers, urging Xiao Ming to investigate.

Xiao Ming didn’t care—his family had already been slaughtered, his mother’s disappearance wasn’t new, and he didn’t care about this moment. But if he lost the goddess, all his years of groveling would be wasted!

Hearing this, the Saint’s residual soul was furious: You’re truly born to be a lapdog.

The Saint’s residual soul wasn’t in a hurry—he had one final trick.

He’d visited this place often and knew the Chu family had an Observation Realm ancestor.

When Xiao Ming moved, he’d create a disturbance to alert the Observation Realm ancestor.

The ancestor would surely come to stop Xiao Ming.

As his master, he’d honor his promise and help Xiao Ming once.

Then he’d strike lightly.

Because he needed to possess Xiao Ming and activate his meridians.

This placed enormous strain on Xiao Ming.

The Saint’s residual soul could at most boost Xiao Ming to the middle stage of Six Harmonies Realm—still insufficient against an Observation Realm cultivator, but enough to escape.

!

But could the Saint’s residual soul escape?

He was merely buying time—draining Xiao Ming’s strength and meridians until he collapsed.

Then the Saint’s residual soul could take control of Xiao Ming’s body, abandon Chu Ruoyan, and flee.

Since Xiao Ming knew the Chu family’s ancestor, and the ancestor knew he came for love, and now he’d abandoned Chu Ruoyan, he’d likely let Xiao Ming go.

By the time Xiao Ming woke, it would be impossible to take Chu Ruoyan away.

He’d comfort him, say there was still hope, urge him to cultivate harder.

At that point, Xiao Ming would surely take cultivation seriously.

The Saint’s residual soul, as director, had the script ready.

To prevent Xiao Ming from taking Chu Ruoyan, the Saint’s residual soul had prepared not just three layers of plans.

But when Xiao Ming arrived at Chu Ruoyan’s chamber, she was gone.

Only her training robe and her sword remained.

He touched her robe—it still held faint warmth; the sword bore signs of having been drawn.

A terrible premonition surfaced in Xiao Ming’s mind.

He rushed into the courtyard and seized Chu Ruoyan’s maid.

“Where is your mistress? Tell me!” Xiao Ming forced out each word, suppressing his roar.

“Miss Chu? She was summoned to the palace by His Majesty,” the maid replied—she knew Xiao Ming, as he and the other two were Chu Ruoyan’s lapdogs who’d once bought her gifts to learn her preferences.

The maid had a decent impression of Xiao Ming.

But his expression now terrified her.

“What happened?” Xiao Ming gritted his teeth.

His grip was crushing; the maid felt unbearable pain in her shoulder.

“My mistress wore her training robe this morning.”

As she recounted everything about Chu Ruoyan—even how she’d been frightened by Chu Ruoyan drawing her sword—

Xiao Ming released her and stood there, powerless.

Xiao Ming felt his heart ache—more than when his entire clan was slaughtered.

He could imagine: this morning, Chu Ruoyan wore that training robe to prepare to elope with him.

Only the right training robe allowed a cultivator to perform at full capacity—it was the ideal choice for escape.

When Chu Ruoyan drew her sword upon seeing the maid, Xiao Ming realized: she didn’t want to enter the palace to meet that dog emperor—she intended to kill herself!

How helpless she was!

How desperately she had hoped for my arrival!

I was wrong—I should have come sooner!

If Xiao Ming knew Chu Ruoyan drew her sword to defend against him, what would he think?

(End of Chapter)