"Mother, this son went to the brothel today exactly for the plan I mentioned before," Yang Cheng said.
Yun Liyue's eyes shifted slightly. "You said you were going fishing… don't tell me you actually caught something?"
"Exactly," Yang Cheng replied. "The fish has taken the bait, but right now it's just a small one. We can't rush. There's a bigger fish behind it."
"Then be careful," Yun Liyue said. She clearly trusted him very much.
"You also know I have a Space Teleportation Talisman. If there's danger, I can escape," Yang Cheng said.
He didn't explain where the talisman came from. Yun Liyue had always assumed it was given by Cheng Junyi.
And over on Cheng Junyi's side, whenever Yang Cheng took out something good, she thought it came from the palace.
"Don't get careless," Yun Liyue warned.
"I'll be careful," Yang Cheng said. "Hu Po, prepare some bedding, snacks, and food for me. I think I'll be staying outside for a few days."
Hearing that he would be gone for a few days, Hu Po didn't dare slack.
Before long, a pile of things appeared in front of Yang Cheng, making him feel like he was moving house.
He accepted it all without fuss, storing everything into his Heaven-Earth Spatial Domain.
Then he took the Golden Dragon Chariot to Autumn Water Courtyard.
He was going to pick someone up.
Tang Xingyu had the Tai Sui Divine Body, which would make absorbing Earth Spirit Stalactites even more efficient.
Plus, whenever Tang Xingyu was near him, his Tai Sui Breathing Technique always ran faster.
"Chengcheng." Tang Xingyu's eyes sparkled.
"Teacher, I'm taking Tangtang out to play for a few days," Yang Cheng said.
"Alright, just be careful," Cheng Junyi said, completely confident in him.
Yang Cheng brought Tang Xingyu onto the Golden Dragon Chariot.
He had Hu Po drive the chariot back to the palace, while he and Tang Xingyu vanished from the carriage.
Buzz!
Space rippled, and the two appeared inside the stalactite cavern.
Cultivating together really was faster than alone.
In that moment, it felt like they had stumbled into a golden treasure hoard.
They freely drew in the Earth Spirit Stalactite essence all around them.
In just one night, Yang Cheng's cultivation broke through twice, from Martial Grandmaster Sixth Layer to Martial Grandmaster Eighth Layer.
Tang Xingyu went from Martial Grandmaster Second Layer to Martial Grandmaster Fourth Layer.
The next day—
Gu Wentian appeared in the cavern again.
The moment he stepped in, he froze, wondering if he had gone to the wrong place.
The once empty cave was now filled to the brim.
Luxurious bedding, washbasins, delicate snacks… everything was there.
"You're here? Want some milk?" Yang Cheng asked casually.
He was happily sipping a cup of milk—not ordinary milk, but milk from a spiritual cow.
"Where did you get that milk?" Gu Wentian asked, eyes wide.
"If I said I spat it up from my stomach, would you believe me?" Yang Cheng replied.
"Believe you? If I did, I'd be an idiot," Gu Wentian said. "If your stomach can hold milk, then what, it can also hold a whole bed of bedding?"
Yang Cheng lifted his right hand. "Are you blind? Can't you see the void ring on my hand?"
Gu Wentian finally breathed out, feeling he had found a reasonable answer.
But he couldn't help feeling a little jealous.
He had lived for over a hundred years and never had a void ring.
Yet this brat, still wet behind the ears, had one. Truly worthy of being the Crown Prince of Great Zhou—utterly extravagant.
Just then—
Gu Wentian felt a small hand push him from behind.
His hair stood on end, and he quickly turned around.
There he saw a little girl, delicate as carved jade, bright-eyed, with baby fat still softening her cheeks.
"Uncle, can you move aside? You're blocking my way."
The girl only reached his chest in height, tilting her head up as she spoke, her big watery eyes like a lucky doll stepped straight out of a New Year painting.
Gu Wentian's mind blanked for a moment. "You… where did you come from?"
Tang Xingyu glanced at him like he was an idiot. "From behind you, of course."
"No, I mean, how did you end up in this cave?" Gu Wentian's voice was trembling.
Tang Xingyu shook her head, looking at him with pity like he was slow-witted. "Besides you and me, only Chengcheng is here. If you didn't bring me, obviously Chengcheng did."
"Impossible!"
Gu Wentian was nearly losing it. "The stone door to this cave is tightly shut. How could he possibly bring you in?"
He turned to Yang Cheng. "You said earlier those things came from your void ring, but this is a living person. Don't tell me you had her hidden inside it beforehand."
"It was clearly you and Miss Yan who invited me here, but looking at your face, it doesn't seem like you really welcome me," Yang Cheng said with displeasure. "If that's the case, I'll just leave."
Gu Wentian quickly slammed the stone door shut. "Go on then, let me see you try."
"Tangtang, let's go."
Yang Cheng got out of bed, took Tang Xingyu's hand, and walked straight toward the opposite wall.
When they reached it, he silently activated Shrinking the Earth to an Inch.
Buzz!
In an instant, he and Tang Xingyu vanished from where they stood, reappearing outside the wall.
It was as if he really had a wall-walking technique.
Gu Wentian rushed out, and when he saw Yang Cheng and Tang Xingyu standing outside the cave, he was completely dumbfounded.
He had thought this cave was impregnable, yet to Yang Cheng it might as well have no barriers at all—he could come and go as he pleased.
"Don't go, come back," Gu Wentian called.
Yang Cheng paused and smiled. "Seems you've got a sharp tongue but a soft heart—you can't bear to see me leave."
He led Tang Xingyu back into the cave.
Then he ordered Gu Wentian, "The clean water in my void ring is running low. Go fetch me some more."
"You're treating me like a servant now?" Gu Wentian said, frustrated to the point of collapse. "Bedding, snacks, milk, and even a playmate… are you treating this place like a holiday resort?!"
Yang Cheng said matter-of-factly, "Miss Yan invited me here so warmly—obviously it's for me to enjoy myself. But your hospitality is terrible. I've had to prepare most things myself."
"What's going on, Elder Gu?"
A voice came from outside—it was Jin Yanyu.
She stepped in, looking guilty, unable to meet Yang Cheng's eyes. After all, he had saved her, yet she had repaid him with ingratitude.
But when she saw the state of the cave, she was surprised. "Elder Gu, you actually prepared everything so well for His Highness. I didn't even think to be this thorough."
"This wasn't me," Gu Wentian said bitterly.
"It wasn't you?"
Jin Yanyu froze. When she spotted Tang Xingyu, she was even more shocked. "Miss Tang, how are you here?"
"Why are you two making such a fuss?" Tang Xingyu said, displeased.
Yang Cheng also frowned. "Both of you, get out. You're disturbing me and Tangtang."
Jin Yanyu was still stunned when Gu Wentian hurriedly pulled her outside.
Tang Xingyu closed the stone door with a bang.
Outside, Gu Wentian recounted what had just happened.
"Young Mistress, this is trouble," Gu Wentian said. "That Crown Prince of Great Zhou seems to have a wall-passing technique. This place can't hold him at all."