Proud Sword Soaring Clouds

And now, she had actually reached the strength of a Middle-tier Demon Swordsman! As for Ye Zi’s state of mind, it had already entered the Heartbeat Stage during these past few days of Soul Dual Cultivation with Ling Xiao. She was walking the same path as him.

In the end, the surrounding Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi seemed to have been completely drained. Ling Xiao could barely sense any Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi within a 500-meter radius. Only then did the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi inside Ye Zi’s body gradually calm down, becoming as tranquil as a deep, still autumn pool.

Ling Xiao couldn’t help but feel a little envious. ’If Ye Zi were placed in the Cultivation Realm, wouldn’t she become the kind of Spirit Child that all the major sects would go crazy over?’

’It took me fifty years to reach the Golden Core, and I was still called a genius in the Cultivation Realm,’ he thought. ’But this Ye Zi, if nothing goes wrong, she might not even need a year to break into the Golden Core Stage on this Canglan Continent!’

With this thought, the last trace of amorous fantasy in Ling Xiao’s mind vanished. After they separated, he immediately taught her the Cultivation Heart Method of the Shushan Inner Sect. Ling Xiao believed that as long as Ye Zi cultivated diligently, it wouldn’t be long before she gave him a huge surprise.

The joy of personally forging an unparalleled expert was indescribable, especially when that expert was a woman who was deeply in love with him.

After this session of Dual Cultivation, Ling Xiao’s strength had also improved again. The True Essence in his body had grown stronger, and he was vaguely showing signs of breaking through from the Early Golden Core Stage to the Mid-Golden Core Stage.

Ling Xiao was overjoyed. Looking at the incredibly shy Ye Zi in his arms, he couldn’t help but lean down and gently kiss her lips. But Ye Zi suddenly erupted with immense passion, responding to Ling Xiao fervently.

The two figures gradually merged into one.

The next morning, Ling Xiao woke up early. He saw that Ye Zi was still sound asleep, a sweet smile on her rosy face, as if she were having a wonderful dream.

He quietly got dressed, planted a gentle kiss on Ye Zi’s face, and then got up to leave. Hearing the door close softly, Ye Zi’s eyes stealthily opened, revealing a brilliant smile.

"Ling Xiao, don’t you worry! Ye Zi... will never hold you back. Hehe... Sister Ming Yue, just you wait, I’m going to surpass you!"

Ling Xiao and Song Mingyue were galloping on two swift horses along the road to the East Sea Shore. The reception for the gathering of hidden families had, in fact, already begun. Moreover, in a few more days, the last ship bound for the island would depart. So, their time was rather tight.

Song Mingyue was dressed in a simple, short-tunic outfit, her head veiled. Her body swayed with the rise and fall of her steed, giving her a heroic and dashing appearance—a true warrior beauty.

Ling Xiao’s attire was equally simple, though he wore a black cloak over it that fluttered in the wind. His star-bright eyes were fixed on the distance.

Song Mingyue drew close to Ling Xiao and suddenly asked, "Last night... you spent the whole night at little sister Ye Zi’s place?"

Ling Xiao glanced at Song Mingyue but couldn’t detect any displeasure on her face. He replied, "That’s right. I was just teaching her a Cultivation Technique."

"Sigh... My dear husband, last night when I was cultivating, I couldn’t feel a single shred of Spiritual Power fluctuation in the entire Lord’s Mansion. You were *just* teaching her a Cultivation Technique... is that all?" Song Mingyue wore a teasing smile. She knew that when she and Ling Xiao had their first Dual Cultivation session, they had also drained all the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi from the entire underground cave. That was why Song Mingyue was so sensitive about this.

Ling Xiao coughed twice, trying to change the subject. "Ye Zi, she has excellent aptitude!"

"Forget it, you stingy thing. I was just... just wondering what the difference was between me and Ye Zi, that’s all. And you’re being all secretive. You’re no fun for a grown man." Song Mingyue huffed and turned her head away. She squeezed her horse’s belly with her two long, jade-like legs. The steed neighed and sped up again, leaving Ling Xiao behind.

Riding behind her, Ling Xiao couldn’t help but chuckle helplessly. ’This girl really dares to say anything,’ he thought. ’Has she gotten too used to dressing as a man? Has her personality become this forthright, too?’

The two of them traveled without any delays. Two days later, they arrived at a large city on the East Sea Shore. The city was named East Sea Dragon City. Its prosperity, while not quite matching the major southern hubs of Cameron and Penzes, wasn’t far behind.

Especially since the gathering for the hidden families and sects was about to be held on the East Sea Island, East Sea Dragon City was now incredibly bustling!

The streets were filled with all sorts of people; individuals from every nation on the Eastern Continent had gathered here.

The soldiers guarding the city didn’t dare to stop any of them. They had probably learned a hard lesson before or had been warned. Otherwise, given the usual disposition of city guards everywhere, such a large influx of people would be a golden opportunity for them to "generate income"—just like the lockdown of Seven-colored City back then, which had lined the pockets of many a bold member of the City Gate Army.

"Good, our timing is perfect!"

In their room at the inn, Song Mingyue soaked her entire body in the warm water of a wooden tub. She stretched out her two fair arms to grip the rim, her small legs gently kicking at Ling Xiao opposite her under the water. Her face was flushed. Although the two of them had already become husband and wife in truth, this was the first time they had so brazenly soaked in the same tub together.

Even with Song Mingyue’s outgoing personality, she couldn’t help but feel a little bashful and tried to change the subject.

"Tomorrow, are we boarding the ship to the island?" Ling Xiao asked in a serious tone, even as his legs were playfully tangled with Song Mingyue’s long, slender, jade-like ones beneath the water.

"Mhm. I have the token from the Sea Domain Song Family. We’ll board the ship and leave tomorrow. It’s chaotic here right now. There are a lot of minor sects and schools from the fringes of the hidden families who don’t qualify to go to the island, all looking for a chance. It’s best we leave quickly."

Ling Xiao noticed a faint trace of disdain flash through Song Mingyue’s eyes as she spoke. He was suddenly reminded of another girl, one who was a bit headstrong but incredibly kind-hearted. ’Where are you right now?’ he thought to himself. ’Are you okay?’