Chapter 296: Putting Plan B Into Motion
His wife, Cao Shuying, was an entirely different story. Her loyalty was absolute, deep, and unshakeable.
By passing superior, high-tier alchemy techniques directly to her, Shen Yu would perfectly secure his fallback if Plan A experienced any unforeseen friction.
At the same time, he would ensure that the true authority of the clan remained firmly within the hands of someone he could fully control, keeping the Patriarch effectively neutralized.
The moment his silhouette materialized within his private courtyard inside the Cao estate, Shen Yu glanced at the guard standing straight outside.
Summon Patriarch Cao to my chambers immediately."
Half an hour later, Patriarch Cao arrived, bowing low with a tense, anxious reverence.
Shen Yu looked down at him from his seat, his golden eyes unreadable.
"For the upcoming Imperial Competition, I have decided to personally pass down a set of advanced alchemy techniques. I will be training your wife, Cao Shuying, to lead the clan’s entry."
Seeing a golden opportunity to elevate his own skills under the mysterious master, Patriarch Cao opened his mouth to eagerly suggest himself.
But before he could utter a single syllable, Shen Yu cut him off, his voice dropping into a chilling, dismissive register.
"I would have considered you," Shen Yu interrupted ruthlessly, "but from the time I have observed you, your foundational habits are far too rigid. You lack the fluidity to grasp my techniques. Your wife possesses the adaptable nature required for this level of craft. She is the better option."
Hearing the blunt, humiliating rejection, the Patriarch didn’t dare voice a single word of protest.
Swallowing his pride out of sheer terror, he bowed even lower.
I understand, Senior Mo. I will inform my wife immediately so she may begin her duties."
Shen Yu gave a sharp, dismissing nod.
Another half an hour passed before the heavy wooden doors clicked open, and Cao Shuying stepped into the quiet pavilion.
The moment the doors sealed shut behind her, the cold, distant mask on Shen Yu’s face dissolved into a dark smile.
He stepped directly into her personal space, pulling her flush against his massive frame.
His large hand slid down aggressively, wrapping around the full, soft curve of her ass and squeezing it tightly.
"From now until the official commencement of the competition, your schedule belongs entirely to me," Shen Yu purred darkly into her ear, his fingers digging into her hip
"You will be learning under my strict guidance. Ensure you keep those lewd thoughts of yours entirely out of our daytime training."
He leaned back slightly, his thumb tracing her jawline as a wicked smirk spread across his handsome features.
"However, to ensure your internal channels can withstand the strain of these high-tier techniques, we will be thoroughly dual cultivating every night to rapidly force your cultivation upward."
Hearing his absolute command, Cao Shuying’s face flushed a deep, beautiful crimson.
Her breath caught in her throat, her body trembling with a mixture of intense anticipation and submissive obedience as she nodded softly against his chest.
"Yes, Master... I will do exactly as you command."
Shen Yu smiled, thoroughly satisfied with her immediate compliance.
Releasing his hold on her hips, his demeanor shifted back into that of an exacting instructor.
With a flick of his wrist, he summoned a pristine jade slip from his storage ring, and the grueling, high-intensity training of his secondary weapon officially began.
The next seven days passed in a blur of intense preparation, calculated instruction, and raw, carnal indulgence within the secluded walls of the Cao estate.
During the daytime, Shen Yu was a ruthless and exacting instructor.
He stood over Cao Shuying as she worked before the blazing cauldron, his eyes tracking every micro-movement of her hands.
Whenever her old, rigid habits from the Cao Clan’s traditional teachings resurfaced, he didn’t hesitate to discipline her.
He would strike her hands or deliver a stinging slap to her backside right there in the training chamber to correct her posture and force her focus back to the fluid, high-tier techniques he was drilling into her mind.
Shuying took every bit of the harsh guidance with absolute, submissive devotion, her skills sharpening at a terrifying pace under his pressure.
When the sun dipped below the horizon, the daytime discipline dissolved into deep, exhausting carnal refinement.
True to his word, Shen Yu used the quiet nights to thoroughly dual cultivate with her.
He would pin her to the grand bed or bend her over the heavy wooden desk, driving into her body with a heavy, grounding rhythm that forced his potent spiritual energy deep into her channels, rapidly expanding her cultivation base to handle the strain of the high-tier techniques.
On three of those nights, the door to the pavilion would softly creak open, and her daughter, Cao Wanru, would quietly slip into the room.
Drawn by the thick aura of desire and wanting to elevate her own standing before the mysterious master, Wanru would eagerly join them.
Shen Yu showed the mother and daughter no mercy, dominating both of their bodies simultaneously, leaving them tangled together in the sheets, thoroughly spent and overflowing with his essence by the time dawn broke.
Yet, he never neglected his primary asset.
Twice during that week, Shen Yu utilized his Phantom Steps to vanish from the Cao estate and materialize within the room of Bai Ruolan. There, he checked on her progress.
Her Primordial Soul-Weaver Bloodline was stabilizing beautifully, turning her into an absolute monster of alchemical talent.
To reward her dedication and solidify his absolute ownership over her heart, Shen Yu thoroughly claimed her body during his visits.
He fucked her ruthlessly against the stone walls of her isolation chamber and pinned her to the floorboards, letting her scream out her lust and devotion as he filled her core with his hot seed.
Ruolan thrived under his rough, possessive touch, her motivation to dominate the upcoming tournament for her master reaching an absolute fever pitch.
Between refining Cao Shuying’s secondary spearhead and fueling Bai Ruolan’s primary brilliance, the week vanished like a passing shadow.
The grueling seven days of psychological torment for the rest of Crimson Iron City finally came to an end.
The morning of the official announcement finally arrived.
A heavy, expectant silence hung over the entire metropolis as the massive, bronze gates of the City Lord’s fortress slowly ground open, and the imperial heralds stepped forward to lay bare the true parameters of the competition that would decide the absolute hegemon of the southern region.
-x-
A/N:
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