Chapter 233: Helping the Empress Put On White Stockings, the Tangible Weight of That Foot (1)
Su Qing slowly let out a breath.
He had finally locked onto the elusive mountain gate—this mission was officially underway.
"Just finding the location isn't enough. The Heavenly Dao Sect is special because it's protected by an ancient formation."
"Even though the ancient array is already damaged, my senior sister has spent years modifying it, and it's now become the sect's guardian formation."
"She has high attainments in Daoist techniques. When I left, she had already integrated her skills into the formation."
"By now, it's probably impenetrable."
Yun Rong gazed at the mists ahead, sighing softly.
Finding the location didn't mean they could just attack it—breaking through the formation would be extremely difficult.
"Don't worry. This isn't our job to handle—let the professionals deal with professional tasks."
"The master of Qiong Tower, one of the Twelve Towers in charge of formation-breaking, is already on the way."
"Our task is done. Let's go."
Su Qing smiled and naturally wrapped his arm around the older woman's waist as he spoke.
As he did, he gave her waist a casual squeeze.
That soft, supple feel—it was as satisfying as always.
"Husband, you're really something..."
Yun Rong let out a soft, teasing complaint, her pretty face flushing.
It wasn't like they hadn't interacted like this before, but this was right at the sect's entrance!
If no one noticed, fine—but if anyone they knew saw this… it'd be way too embarrassing.
Finding the place had taken them a while, but leaving it was much easier.
When they returned to Floating Life City, Su Qing's eyes were full of eager anticipation.
Having completed the reconnaissance mission, it was time to investigate the local customs and culture (read: slack off).
After all, when they entered this town surrounded by mountains, they'd seen plenty of unique things.
Bringing back some local specialties… doing some "research" on them later… that was perfectly reasonable!
"Aunt Yun, how about being my tour guide?"
Su Qing turned to the local beauty.
"I've done some procurement runs for the sect before. I'm just not sure if things have changed recently."
"But if husband wants, I can accompany you…"
Yun Rong hadn't even finished when she was abruptly cut off.
"Yun Rong, go take care of your own matters. I have something to discuss with him."
That calm yet commanding voice of the Empress rang out behind them.
"Yes."
Yun Rong glanced at the now-stiff Su Qing and gave him a look of pity.
Then, without hesitation, she turned and left.
"No—"
Su Qing didn't even finish saying the word before he was cornered against a wall.
"Brother, where do you think you're going?"
The Empress stared at Su Qing with a playful, half-smiling look.
One long, black-stockinged leg in high heels lifted high and slammed into the wall beside him with a loud thud.
That commanding pose—this was exactly what a predatory queen looked like.
And yet, only Su Qing was getting to enjoy the sight.
"Ahem, Your Majesty, please restrain yourself. I'm not that kind of person!"
"If your soldiers see us like this, it won't look good."
Su Qing coughed awkwardly, offering a considerate reminder to the fierce Empress.
"You... you treacherous subject, you think I'm doing this for your pleasure?!"
The Empress blinked, only now realizing how suggestive her posture was.
A flush of embarrassed anger flashed in her eyes, and she raised her leg again—
Crack!
Behind Su Qing, the naturally formed boulder cracked under the pressure, several fractures appearing.
He felt a few small stones drop onto his head, completely dumbfounded.
Had he even done anything to piss her off?
Ah. He had completely forgotten about what happened last night.
"Brother, don't say I'm bullying you. Honing your skills before battle is essential—I'm here to help you sharpen your edge."
"I'm going to teach you how to survive under Celestial-level killing intent."
The Empress spoke with a calm tone.
There wasn't a trace of vengefulness in her expression—only seriousness.
"Uh… Qinglan sis, no need for the special training, right? I'm already exhausted."
"How about I take you shopping instead, Qinglan sis? Let's enjoy the scenery together."
Su Qing instinctively sensed danger and tried to act pitiful.
He was an expert at this sort of thing.
Usually, when he pulled this face, the Empress would go easy on him.
However… things rarely went as hoped.
"When Heaven places great responsibilities upon someone, it first grinds their will and fatigues their body."
The Empress flashed a devious smile, gently patting Su Qing's head.
Su Qing: "..."
His scalp tingled as if a huge warning sign had just lit up over his head.
Something was definitely wrong—seriously wrong!
He swallowed hard, racking his brain for a way out of this mess.
The next second, he was grabbed and carried off to an open area.
What awaited him there?
By dusk.
The bruised and battered young man lay sprawled on the ground, gasping as he stared at the sky.
His eyes were empty—he had only one thought in his head.
The night sky… it was so beautiful.
He didn't know how this compared to the grueling training of that witch, but he was completely numb.
"You... stop looking so pitiful. I trained with you all day and didn't even complain."
The Empress rolled her eyes, planting her black-stockinged foot firmly on the ungrateful traitor's chest.
She had excellent control over her strength—there was no way it would actually hurt him.
At most, his body and spirit were just a little exhausted—one night of rest would basically fix everything.
And today's training wasn't just about venting a bit of irritation.
It was all to mentally prepare him. It was, honestly, for his own good.
"Qinglan sis, thanks for your hard work."
Su Qing murmured weakly.
The physical fatigue wasn't too bad—what drained him the most was the mental strain.
The pressure of a Celestial's aura struck directly at the spirit.
His earlier training with Yun Rong didn't involve actual combat.
Today made up for that in full.
"The power of a Celestial—the mere raise of a hand stirs the winds and clouds."
"The collateral damage caused is wide-ranging and easily leads to accidents."
"You need to understand my good intentions. It's all about preparing you in advance."
The Empress smiled as she spoke.
The irritation from last night had completely dissipated at this point.
She stretched her long, beautiful legs, a small frown appearing on her face.
Her originally smooth black stockings had a tiny split—clearly from the intense training.
That was unavoidable. After all, training involved kicking.
Kick after kick—it was bound to happen.
Through that little tear, a hint of pale skin was visible.
The contrast of black and white was stark—and stunning.