Chapter 109

Under the moonlight, Lin Wanqiu’s delicate features appeared even more enchanting. Her skin was as fair as snow, her eyes like rippling water, and her lips a deep crimson, resembling a blooming rose that one couldn’t help but pluck.

“Alright!”

Xiao Minghuang replied without hesitation.

After officially establishing their relationship, she had already begun treating this girl as her wife.

Sharing a bed with her wife naturally posed no problem.

Lin Wanqiu’s face instantly turned bright red. She shot a coquettish glare at Xiao Minghuang, lowered her head, and whispered:

“Your Highness! Aren’t you embarrassed?”

Xiao Minghuang smiled warmly, wrapping her arm around Lin Wanqiu’s slender waist as she said softly:

“Wanqiu, we’re wives. You don’t need to be so reserved.”

“Mmm…”

Lin Wanqiu’s voice was as faint as a mosquito’s hum, barely audible.

Although they had officially established their relationship, doing such things always felt somewhat indescribably awkward.

Especially on a night like this, with the moonlight dim and the lanterns faint.

“Let’s go! We’ll head inside!”

Xiao Minghuang took Lin Wanqiu’s delicate hand and led her toward the house.

Along the way, she vaguely felt that she had forgotten something.

But…

“If I can’t remember it, it probably isn’t important… No need to worry about it!”

Before long.

Lin Wanqiu followed Xiao Minghuang into the room. After Xiao Minghuang closed the door, she scooped Lin Wanqiu up in her arms and placed her on the bed.

Lin Wanqiu’s face was flushed like a rosy cloud, her eyes tightly shut, her eyelashes trembling like butterfly wings.

Xiao Minghuang’s gaze burned intensely as she stared at Lin Wanqiu’s face, momentarily dazed, feeling that Lin Wanqiu had become even more beautiful than before.

Without any unnecessary movements, Xiao Minghuang leaned down and kissed Lin Wanqiu’s cherry-like lips.

Lin Wanqiu’s lips were warm and soft, making Xiao Minghuang instantly intoxicated. Just this one kiss made her reluctant to stop.

Lin Wanqiu’s body trembled slightly, her hands clenched tightly. She, too, was stirred with emotion.

Their soft bodies pressed closely against each other, entwined as if slowly melting, gradually heating up like a blazing fire.

Xiao Minghuang could feel that Lin Wanqiu’s skin was soft, delicate, and elastic, the touch of it incredibly pleasant, as tender as a baby’s, making her crave more.

Lin Wanqiu let out a soft moan, her body shivering as she opened her eyes and looked at Xiao Minghuang, who was so close, her face adorned with a shy blush.

“Your Highness…”

Gazing into those misty eyes, Xiao Minghuang leaned down and kissed her again.

…

After their passionate encounter, Lin Wanqiu fell into a deep, peaceful sleep, her breathing even and calm.

Xiao Minghuang got up, walked to the table, and poured herself a glass of water. Suddenly, she remembered that she still had ten cups of spirit wine left untouched.

So, she took out one cup of spirit wine and drank it.

A cool stream of energy flowed from her throat into her abdomen.

It was an incredibly refreshing sensation, and she could faintly feel the spiritual energy within her body surging, as if on the verge of a breakthrough.

Xiao Minghuang was astonished.

This spirit wine brewed by her daughter was unexpectedly potent.

Without delay, she continued to drink the remaining ten cups of her daughter’s brew in one go.

As the cool streams of spirit wine entered her stomach, Xiao Minghuang felt a flame burning within her body. Her robes gradually turned crimson, and a scorching heat emanated from her skin, making her feel increasingly restless.

What is this…?

What’s going on?

Xiao Minghuang frowned. Could there be poison in these spirit wines?

In the next moment, she understood.

Spiritual wine is different from elixirs.

Elixirs are refined from various medicinal herbs and, aside from impurities, usually have no side effects.

But spiritual wine is different.

Spiritual wine is typically fermented from spiritual herbs, and at its core, it is still a type of wine. Since it is wine, it carries some of the effects of alcohol.

Moreover, the properties of the ingredients used to brew the spiritual wine can have a significant impact on the final product.

In an instant.

Xiao Minghuang seemed to realize something.

“This spiritual wine seems to be called ‘Daughter’s Brew,’ something that young members of cultivation families drink on their wedding night…”

No wonder the fiery sensation inside her body was so intense.

Having figured this out, Xiao Minghuang also knew how to alleviate this burning sensation.

That was through dual cultivation, expelling the swollen and scorching spiritual energy and infusing it into Lin Wanqiu’s body.

Thinking of this, Xiao Minghuang couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief.

“If it weren’t for Wanqiu’s innate Yin spiritual body, such a massive amount of spiritual wine would have been hard to handle.”

Xiao Minghuang knew that the spiritual energy contained in ten cups of spiritual wine was enough to help her leap through several minor realms.

But with her current cultivation level, it was impossible for her to absorb such a vast amount of spiritual energy on her own. She could only share it with Lin Wanqiu through dual cultivation.

With this in mind, Xiao Minghuang sat down beside Lin Wanqiu and extended her slender, jade-like index finger, pressing it against Lin Wanqiu’s chest.

A faint, delicate fragrance wafted over, refreshing and soothing.

Having just gone through an intense battle, a faint blush still lingered on Lin Wanqiu’s snow-white skin.

But what Xiao Minghuang was about to do would benefit both of them.

Not only would it help her improve her cultivation, but it would also help Lin Wanqiu advance, killing two birds with one stone.

“Wanqiu is already asleep, so I won’t wake her.”

Gazing at Lin Wanqiu’s sweet, sleeping face, Xiao Minghuang murmured to herself, then took out a pill from her storage bag and placed it in Lin Wanqiu’s mouth.

This pill was a spoil of war she had obtained from somewhere—she wasn’t sure where or who had given it to her.

Its effect was to induce a deep sleep, ensuring that no matter what happened during the dream, the person wouldn’t wake up. The duration was about four hours.

Of course, this pill also had its limitations.

It had no effect on martial artists at the Spring realm or above.

So, this pill was just right for Lin Wanqiu in her current state.

After giving Lin Wanqiu the pill, Xiao Minghuang could no longer hold back. She reached out, embraced Lin Wanqiu, and leaned in for a kiss.

The two pressed close together, and as their lips met, waves of scorching spiritual energy flowed from Xiao Minghuang’s body into Lin Wanqiu’s.

The moment the fiery spiritual energy entered Lin Wanqiu’s body, it was enveloped by the cool, icy Yin energy, gradually becoming warm and gentle. It circulated through her body once before finally flowing back into Xiao Minghuang’s.

In this cycle, nearly one-third of the spiritual energy did not return to Xiao Minghuang but was instead absorbed by Lin Wanqiu.

Xiao Minghuang felt a refreshing and soothing warmth coursing through her body, flowing along her meridians into her dantian, and finally converging into her spiritual spring.

As time passed.

The sky grew bright.

Xiao Minghuang’s spiritual spring delved deeper, reaching thirty feet underground before gradually slowing its pace.

Finally, it stopped at thirty-nine feet, completely ceasing its advance.

This signifies that Xiao Minghuang’s cultivation has reached the peak of the third level of the Spring Realm!

“Breaking through from a twenty-foot spiritual spring to a thirty-nine-foot spiritual spring is almost equivalent to two minor realms,” Xiao Minghuang murmured to herself.

She had a premonition that if she consumed all ten cups of spiritual wine this time, she could at most break through the barrier of the fourth level of the Spring Realm, reaching a forty-foot spiritual spring. However, thanks to Lin Wanqiu’s innate Yin spiritual body, the efficacy of the spiritual wine was amplified to one hundred and twenty percent, allowing half of its potency to achieve nearly two-thirds of the effect.

In other words, although she absorbed less spiritual wine, the results were even greater.

Moreover, after this dual cultivation session aided by the spiritual wine, Lin Wanqiu’s strength had also significantly improved.

A few days ago, Lin Wanqiu’s innate Yin spiritual body had awakened, and after a long accumulation, she directly broke through to the ninth level of the Qi Refining Realm. After this dual cultivation session, she had leaped from the ninth level of the Qi Refining Realm to the first level of the Spring Realm!

Such a terrifying advancement could only be described as fearsome.

However, Xiao Minghuang neither felt that using the spiritual wine on Lin Wanqiu was a waste nor was she jealous of her cultivation progress. Xiao Minghuang knew that she and Lin Wanqiu were a single entity. Whoever benefited would ultimately benefit their collective whole. Between her and Lin Wanqiu, there was no distinction.

It was around this time.

“Mmm…”

Feeling a warm and cool sensation against her skin, Lin Wanqiu opened her eyes to see Xiao Minghuang’s gentle gaze fixed upon her.

Lin Wanqiu’s face showed a hint of confusion, as if she hadn’t yet grasped the situation.

“Wanqiu, you’re awake?” Xiao Minghuang asked softly upon seeing her awaken.

“Yes…”

Lin Wanqiu gradually regained clarity, but as the memories of last night’s events replayed in her mind, her delicate face flushed crimson, resembling a blooming peach blossom, utterly captivating.

Seeing Lin Wanqiu’s shyness, Xiao Minghuang smiled and reached out to caress her cheek, gently stroking it as if to comfort her.

“Your Highness…”

“I’m here!”

Xiao Minghuang responded softly, then chuckled lightly, reminding her:

“Wanqiu, try to sense if there are any changes within your body.”

Hearing this, Lin Wanqiu’s expression froze momentarily.

The next moment.

Lin Wanqiu closed her eyes, using her spiritual sense to examine her body. After a while, she opened her eyes and asked in astonishment:

“Your Highness, my cultivation has actually broken through from the ninth level of the Qi Refining Realm to the Spring Realm?!”

A cool breeze drifted through the window crack from outside, and Lin Wanqiu’s beautiful eyes widened in surprise.

Her cultivation had indeed leaped from the ninth level of the Qi Refining Realm to the first level of the Spring Realm!

Xiao Minghuang then recounted everything that had happened the previous night, omitting the part where she had secretly fed Lin Wanqiu a sleeping pill.

After all, such pills sounded like the tools of certain unscrupulous individuals and were not something to be openly discussed.

She, the dignified Princess Ziwei, radiant and virtuous, would never resort to such underhanded methods.

Xiao Minghuang blinked her bright eyes, her expression calm and unruffled.

Lin Wanqiu had no doubts about this.

“Sigh! How could I have slept so soundly?”She felt a bit frustrated, as this had been an important life experience, yet she had slept through it so deeply.”

Could it be that the first battle last night had been too exhausting?

Lin Wanqiu was left in the dark.

The two lay in bed, embracing each other for a while. Xiao Minghuang’s gaze turned to Lin Wanqiu, and she said softly:

“Wanqiu, let’s go out for a walk together!”

Lin Wanqiu nodded in agreement.

After getting dressed, the two stepped out of the room.

A spring breeze blew in, carrying the scent of flowers.

The two strolled through the courtyard, feeling an indescribable sense of ease.

It was around this time.

Suddenly, a series of light yet steady footsteps approached.

Xiao Minghuang knew that Ye Ruoshui had arrived.

She turned her head and saw Ye Ruoshui walking briskly toward them.

“Your Highness!”

Ye Ruoshui called out as she approached.

“Ruoshui, good morning!”

Xiao Minghuang smiled.

Ye Ruoshui nodded, her expression extremely serious, and replied:

“Good morning, Your Highness. I was just about to go to the palace to fetch some medicinal herbs when I encountered a strange woman at the training grounds. She claimed to be the granddaughter of Prince Wu’an. I’ve already tied her up. Please decide how to handle her!”

As she spoke, Ye Ruoshui waved her hand, and several delicate, doll-like girls carried a bound figure, resembling a rice dumpling, to Xiao Minghuang.

Seeing this, Xiao Minghuang’s eyes widened in realization.

She suddenly remembered what she had forgotten last night.

Xiao Minghuang chuckled. She had originally entrusted Xu Xiu’er to Lin Wanqiu for arrangements, but since they had gone to bed early, they hadn’t attended to Xu Xiu’er.

Thus, the current misunderstanding had arisen.

“It’s a misunderstanding. Miss Xiu’er is my friend. Quickly untie her!”

Hearing this, the adorable little girls’ faces showed surprise. They knew that Her Highness had once been assassinated by someone sent by Prince Wu’an.

How could the granddaughter of Prince Wu’an be Her Highness’s friend?

Shouldn’t she be an enemy?

But.

They had unconditional loyalty and obedience to Xiao Minghuang. Without hesitation, they immediately laid Xu Xiu’er on the ground and quickly untied all the ropes.

Once the ropes were removed, Xu Xiu’er’s blindfold and gag were also taken off, and she finally saw the light of day again.

The moment she saw Xiao Minghuang, Xu Xiu’er burst into tears.

“Your Highness! I truly mean you no harm! Please, spare me!”

Xu Xiu’er knelt on the ground, weeping and pleading.

Seeing Xu Xiu’er’s tearful appearance, Xiao Minghuang felt a pang of guilt.

She actually felt a trace of pity for this young girl who had been taken as a hostage.

Moreover, she had promised to treat Xu Xiu’er well, yet on her very first day in the residence, she had suffered such unjust treatment.

“Xiu’er, please stand up first!”

Xiao Minghuang said softly.

Xu Xiu’er stood up, still sobbing, her head bowed low.

She had expected to face cold treatment or exclusion upon entering the princess’s residence, but she never imagined such a terrifying welcome.

Xiao Minghuang walked up to Xu Xiu’er, slightly bowed, and said:

“Xiu’er, I know you were wronged last night. This was my oversight, and it has nothing to do with Ruoshui or the children.”

She took a storage bag from her sleeve and handed it to Xu Xiu’er.

“Inside this storage bag are some medicinal pills. Please accept them as a token of my apology.”

As she looked at the storage bag before her, Xu Xiu’er’s eyes revealed a hint of complexity.

She was well aware of her situation.

Living in the Princess’s residence, she had no control over anything.

Whether Princess Ziwei’s kindness was genuine or feigned, she had no choice but to accept it!

At this moment, she deeply resented being a cultivation failure.

If her talent had been exceptional, she would have been qualified to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Princess.

Instead, she was like a beggar, passively accepting charity.

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Translator: Glariosa
Editor: Ruu

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