Night fell, and at the entrance of the Tian Dou Grand Hotel, Chu Chengzhou quietly awaited Hu Liena's arrival.
He didn't have to wait long. A carriage bearing the emblem of an angel approached.
Sensing the familiar aura, Chu Chengzhou quickly moved forward.
"Hmph~!"
Descending from the carriage, Hu Liena saw Chu Chengzhou standing there with a smile. A flicker of joy appeared in her heart, but it quickly faded as she feigned displeasure with a cold humph.
No one could imagine how awkward that night had been for her, and the culprit behind her embarrassment was none other than Chu Chengzhou right before her.
"Nana, don't be angry. Let's go inside and talk!"
With a smile, Chu Chengzhou directly took Hu Liena's hand and led her into the hotel.
A few minutes later, in the reserved private room.
"I'm sorry~"
Holding the delicate hand of his companion, Chu Chengzhou apologized with deep affection in his eyes.
"So, how are you going to make it up to me?"
Raising an eyebrow slightly, Hu Liena asked.
"Everything is up to you! Even if you want a star from the sky, I'll pluck it for you!"
Without hesitation, Chu Chengzhou puffed out his chest and made the promise.
"Is that so? Then pluck one for me and let's see?"
Instantly, Hu Liena teased with a playful expression. She didn't believe Chu Chengzhou could actually pluck a star from the sky for her.
"No problem!"
Without hesitation, he activated his illusion technique, Void Illusion Realm, pulling Hu Liena's consciousness into the illusion.
Hu Liena felt her vision shift, and suddenly, she found herself in a starry expanse within the illusory realm.
The next moment, she saw Chu Chengzhou beside her, smiling as he raised his hand. A distant shining star rapidly flew toward them.
In the blink of an eye, a glowing object identical to the stars in the night sky appeared in Chu Chengzhou's hand.
"Nana, I've plucked a star for you!"
With those words, Chu Chengzhou handed the 'star' to Hu Liena.
Hu Liena: "…"
Hu Liena twitched her lips. This was what he called a star?
At this moment, the 'star' in Chu Chengzhou's hand dispersed, forming three glowing words—"I love you."
"Nana~"
Licking his lips, Chu Chengzhou softly called out to her.
No further words were needed. Soon, an intense battle erupted in the starry illusion.
Before the four girls reached a consensus, Chu Chengzhou hadn't dared to sneak around in reality, fearing that the three girls at home would discover something suspicious and throw a tantrum.
Two hours later, Chu Chengzhou left the hotel, boarded a carriage, and returned to his estate.
As soon as he entered the door, Xiao Wu and the others surrounded him. Without a word, they leaned in to sniff him.
"Not bad. The scent we left on you before you went out hasn't dissipated, which means you didn't bathe. And there's no strange smell either, so it looks like you didn't cheat."
After carefully sniffing him, Xiao Wu nodded in satisfaction.
Chu Chengzhou: "..."
"Xiao Wu, you know me—I'm the most honest person!"
Chu Chengzhou nodded solemnly.
Instantly, he received three pairs of rolling eyes from the girls.
"Brother, did that fox vixen agree to our conditions?"
Xiao Wu asked Chu Chengzhou, while Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing perked up their ears.
"What fox vixen? Xiao Wu, you're the eldest sister. Nana will be your fourth younger sister from now on—you can't call her that."
Chu Chengzhou emphasized this point.
"Tch~, just tell us whether she agreed or not!"
Pouting, Xiao Wu spoke irritably.
"She agreed."
Chu Chengzhou nodded.
What had happened had already happened, and due to various reasons, both Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong had no choice but to accept Hu Liena as a new sister.
Out of the three sisters, two had accepted her, leaving Zhu Zhuqing without support. Coupled with being disciplined several times by Chu Chengzhou in the illusion realm, and after some sweet talk, she unknowingly accepted as well.
However, though the three sisters reluctantly accepted her, terms weren't absent.
The most important condition was that Hu Liena couldn't live in their home.
For someone else, this might be unacceptable. After all, if she couldn't move in, wouldn't this relationship remain forever underground?
But Hu Liena was different. As the Holy Maiden of the Spirit Hall and the first in line to succeed the Pope, unless she willingly abandoned her identity in the Spirit Hall and the Spirit Hall agreed, she wouldn't live in Chu's estate.
Even if Xiao Wu and the others invited her warmly, she would only visit as a guest, not as the fourth wife living in the house.
Perhaps Hu Liena was love-stricken, but abandoning her identity in the Spirit Hall was out of the question.
It wasn't that being the Holy Maiden of the Spirit Hall was particularly important—it was that she couldn't betray Teacher Bibi Dong's years of nurturing.
Of course, Chu Chengzhou understood the art of speech. He didn't directly tell Hu Liena that Xiao Wu and the others forbade her from moving in; instead, he actively invited her to do so.
As expected, Hu Liena declined.
Though the process differed slightly, the outcome was the same.
"That's good! Brother, I'm telling you, you're not allowed to flirt with other girls anymore! Otherwise..."
Though Xiao Wu's tone was gentle, the pair of scissors she raised conveyed a clear warning.
"Mhm mhm, from now on, I won't flirt with any other girls!"
Chu Chengzhou hurriedly nodded in assurance.
Note the emphasis on "again" and "other"—those he had already flirted with didn't count.
And wasn't twenty-five too old to still be considered a "girl"?
"You big scoundrel, when are you going to marry us?"
At this moment, Ning Rongrong asked.
In Ning Rongrong's view, the reason why Chu Chengzhou had strayed was because they hadn't married yet.
If Chu Chengzhou were already a married man, how could a proud genius like Hu Liena have been seduced by him?
Falling for a single playboy was different from falling for a married man—it wasn't the same concept at all.
"All three of you are only fifteen now. How about after you turn sixteen, we get married?"
Chu Chengzhou said thoughtfully.
He didn't plan to drag this out for too long. After all, they were already living together, and the issue of formalizing their relationship had to be resolved sooner rather than later—it wouldn't sound good otherwise.
Of course, one shouldn't be too beastly, and the age shouldn't be too young either. Sixteen was a suitable age.
"How disgusting~"
Instantly, Ning Rongrong blushed.
For ordinary commoners, sixteen wasn't early, but for talented soul masters, sixteen was still quite young.
At the very least, within the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, among her uncles, aunts, older brothers, and sisters, few married at sixteen.
"Disgusting? There's more disgusting stuff coming!"
As he spoke, Chu Chengzhou revealed a smile that didn't belong to upright individuals.
It was late, time to rest!
Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, eight months had passed.
Yue Xuan, Fifth floor.
In the tranquil and elegant hall, romantic and graceful melodies echoed.
In front of the desk, Chu Chengzhou sat behind Tang Yuehua, arms encircling her slender figure, lightly inhaling her faint fragrance, eyes closed in bliss as he gently stroked the strings of the instrument, duetting with Tang Yuehua on a piece titled Stellar Love.
Stellar Love, one of the most famous love duets in the continent's music scene.
"Yuehua… Sister, what a beautiful piece!"
After a long while, as the piece concluded and Chu Chengzhou came back to his senses, he couldn't help but exclaim.
"Yes, such a beautiful piece~"
Tang Yuehua nodded, her eyes slightly unfocused.
Of course, Tang Yuehua wasn't thinking about the Chu Chengzhou behind her but rather the person she shouldn't have fallen in love with.
If only they weren't siblings, and if he also understood music, how wonderful it would be!
No, he was a renowned powerhouse on the continent, like the dazzling sun in the sky, while she was merely a tiny Level 9 Soul Scholar, akin to insignificant dust on the ground. Even without sibling ties, even without that blue-clad woman from the past, they still wouldn't be able to be together.
"Yuehua, do you have someone you love?"
Suddenly, Chu Chengzhou asked Tang Yuehua.
"Pfft—"
Tang Yuehua couldn't help but laugh, then said with slight annoyance, "What, little brother Chu, are you in love with me?"
"Can't I? Yuehua, you're so beautiful. I bet the people pursuing you could line up from Tian Dou City to Spirit City!"
Chu Chengzhou smiled.
"I'm just a cultivation failure, and time spares no one. I'm already over forty!"
Turning to look at Chu Chengzhou, Tang Yuehua shook her head.
"Who says so? Yuehua, you don't look old at all—you still look like a stunning beauty in her twenties!"
Chu Chengzhou hurriedly refuted.
"Little brother Chu, save your flattery for your girlfriends. Don't tease me."
Tang Yuehua intended to extinguish any budding thoughts in Chu Chengzhou's mind.
She naturally sensed the subtle hints radiating from the young man.
Not to mention that she had already decided to live alone for the rest of her life. Even without that intention, choosing Chu Chengzhou was out of the question!
After all, her nephew Tang San was about the same age as Chu Chengzhou! If anything happened between them, how could she, Tang Yuehua, ever face others?
"Yuehua, let me take you somewhere!"
As he spoke, Chu Chengzhou activated Void Illusion Realm, pulling Tang Yuehua's consciousness into the illusion.
Instantly, Tang Yuehua felt her vision shift, and she found herself beneath a star-filled night sky.
"Where is this?"
Looking at the unfamiliar surroundings, Tang Yuehua curiously glanced at Chu Chengzhou beside her.
"Yuehua, this is an illusion. Everything you see and hear here is false."
As Chu Chengzhou's voice trailed off, a rain of celestial flowers descended from the night sky. At the same time, the melody of Stellar Love they had played earlier at Yue Xuan began to play.
Upon hearing this, Tang Yuehua raised her jade-like hand and caught a petal drifting down from the sky.
The touch she felt and the floral fragrance lingering in the air made Tang Yuehua realize that although this was a false illusion, everything seemed real.
"Yuehua, let's release all our constraints in this false illusion!"
As he spoke, Chu Chengzhou took Tang Yuehua's hand.
Tang Yuehua wanted to refuse, but somehow, in a daze, she suddenly noticed a shadow of that person in Chu Chengzhou.
"Yuehua, come! Let's forget all our troubles."
This voice seemed to carry a peculiar magic, stirring Tang Yuehua's heart.
Moreover, the youth before her resembled the person she couldn't forget. For a moment, Tang Yuehua became entranced.
Perhaps what was impossible in reality could become possible in this false illusion?
Tang Yuehua thought dreamily.
The power of Void Illusion Realm wasn't something Tang Yuehua, who wasn't even a proper soul master, could resist.
As the master of the illusion, it was simple for Chu Chengzhou to subtly adjust his demeanor and guide Tang Yuehua's mind trapped in the illusion.
Without giving Tang Yuehua much time to hesitate, Chu Chengzhou pulled the beauty into his arms. Lowering his head, he moved toward her moist red lips.
Gradually, the silver palace gown slipped away, revealing a perfect, graceful figure before Chu Chengzhou's eyes.
Soon, accompanied by a shy moan, another woman whose soul was no longer pure emerged into the world.
Chu Chengzhou: In the name of father, achieved!
One word—moist!
Two hours later, Chu Chengzhou left Yue Xuan.
On the fifth floor of Yue Xuan, in the bedroom, Tang Yuehua tightly hid herself under the covers.
"I actually... actually..."
Thinking of the wild scenes in the illusion earlier, Tang Yuehua couldn't help but blush deeply.
She couldn't understand why she had acted that way... Could it be that she was a shameless woman?
---
Three days later, evening.
Still on the fifth floor of Yue Xuan, in the elegant hall, a white-robed youth fresh from the illusion embraced a silver-gowned beauty whose blush hadn't yet faded, passionately kissing her.
Ever since taking Tang Yuehua in the illusion that day, Chu Chengzhou had visited Yue Xuan every afternoon for the past three days.
Tang Yuehua welcomed him.
Perhaps having tasted forbidden fruit, the mature woman could no longer suppress her feelings. Though her mouth said no, her body was very honest.
Of course, Tang Yuehua had a sense of propriety—all indulgence occurred only within the illusion.
In reality, intimacy was limited to a certain extent. Anything beyond that was impossible—Tang Yuehua could never cross that mental barrier.
Because everything experienced in the illusion was false, akin to a vividly remembered dream.
In reality, though she and Chu Chengzhou addressed each other as siblings, they were separated by a generation. Moreover, Chu Chengzhou knew her nephew, Tang San. Reason told her she couldn't act recklessly.
After a long while, their lips parted.
"You naughty brat, you bullied me again!"
Tang Yuehua pouted and pinched Chu Chengzhou.
"Did I? Then does Yuehua like it or not?"
Chu Chengzhou smiled.
Tang Yuehua blushed slightly, didn't respond, and pinched Chu Chengzhou again.
"Don't come looking for me anymore. We shouldn't be together."
Suddenly, Tang Yuehua said seriously.
"Why? If you're having trouble accepting it for now, we can limit ourselves to the illusion."
Chu Chengzhou asked, somewhat puzzled.
"You're one of the few geniuses on the continent, while I, who have no cultivation talent, am old. In a few more years, I'll be an old woman. We can't..."
Before Tang Yuehua could finish, Chu Chengzhou interrupted her: "Yuehua, believe me—age cannot stop us!"
Tang Yuehua shook her head. She wasn't an ignorant girl. She knew that perhaps Chu Chengzhou liked her now, but in ten or twenty years, when she was gray-haired and wrinkled, a continent-renowned genius like Chu Chengzhou surely wouldn't still like her.
Rather than that, it was better to sever this inappropriate relationship early.
Chu Chengzhou earnestly said, "Yuehua, the limitations of your spirit aren't insurmountable. Achieving the rank of Titled Douluo grants a lifespan far exceeding ordinary people, and ascending to godhood grants eternal life.
Our age gap of twenty to thirty years means nothing compared to a lifespan of thousands of years, or even eternity."
Hearing this, Tang Yuehua couldn't help but look astonished and said, "You have a way to break through my spirit's limitations?"
"Though I can't guarantee absolute success, there's a ninety percent chance."
Chu Chengzhou said solemnly.
After Dugu Bo took the Ink Jade Bamboo for his granddaughter Dugu Yan, there were three remaining unpicked immortal herbs in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well: the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum, the Snow Swan Kiss, and the Aromatic Silk Beauty Immortal Herb.
The Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum was reserved for Dugu Bo, and the Snow Swan Kiss was a viral amplifier—untouchable—but the Aromatic Silk Beauty Immortal Herb was consumable.
Although this immortal herb's effect was toxin resistance, it didn't mean it couldn't be consumed. Otherwise, Tang San in the original storyline wouldn't have been able to lure soul beasts with the Aromatic Silk Beauty Immortal Herb.
Immortal herbs could enhance a soul master's talent. Even if it couldn't transform or evolve Tang Yuehua's spirit, it likely could break through her current spirit limitations.
"This method must involve precious treasures. Don't waste them. Besides, I'm already so old. It's impossible for me to achieve anything in cultivation."
After hesitating for a moment, Tang Yuehua refused again.
Soul masters who hadn't reached the rank of Titled Douluo didn't live much longer than ordinary people. Tang Yuehua was already over forty, missing the prime years for cultivation. Even if she could break through her spirit's limitations, what level could she reach?
Soul Elder, or perhaps Soul Ancestor?
Anything less than nine rings meant nothing.
"Don't worry, Yuehua. If you can break through your martial soul's limitations, you will definitely become a Titled Douluo! I, Chu Chengzhou, guarantee it!"
Chu Chengzhou immediately puffed out his chest and assured her.
Tang Yuehua wasn't wrong. If she cultivated honestly, even with the help of an immortal herb, breaking through her martial soul's limitations would still result in limited achievements because she had wasted too much time.
Tang Hao's cultivation speed wasn't slow—he was once hailed as the youngest Titled Douluo on the continent—but even he took nearly forty years from awakening his martial soul to becoming a Titled Douluo.
If Tang Yuehua, after consuming the immortal herb, achieved cultivation talent comparable to Tang Hao's innate full soul power—or even surpassed him—she still wouldn't reach the rank of Titled Douluo in under forty years.
Because Tang Hao started cultivating during his prime years, whereas Tang Yuehua was starting at over forty. It was practically impossible for her to reach the Titled Douluo level before eighty or ninety.
And at eighty or ninety, one was nearing the grave. Simply avoiding a decline in soul power would be fortunate—how could she continue advancing?
However, the premise of struggling to become a Titled Douluo applied only to honest cultivation.
Cultivating step by step couldn't make her a Titled Douluo, but cheating was a different story.
Lack of talent? Cheats could compensate!
As long as the Aromatic Silk Beauty Immortal Herb could break through Tang Yuehua's martial soul limitations, he could stack her up to become a Titled Douluo within ten years!
Even before reaching the Soul Emperor level, his spiritual power intensity surpassed that of a newly minted Soul Douluo. After advancing to the sixth ring, along with cultivating Eternal Thought, his current spiritual power strength wasn't far behind that of a newly minted ninth-ring Titled Douluo.
By the time he advanced to the Soul Saint, his spiritual power strength would surpass that of an average newly minted Titled Douluo.
At that point, hundred-thousand-year spiritual-type soul beasts were out of the question, but other types of hundred-thousand-year soul beasts likely couldn't resist his Void Illusion Realm.
Controlling a hundred-thousand-year soul beast to sacrifice itself—eight hundred-thousand-year soul rings and six hundred-thousand-year soul bones—how much time would that save in cultivating to become a Titled Douluo?
Similarly, it wasn't just Tang Yuehua—his grandparents could also enjoy this "benefit" in the future.
As for his own girls? They didn't need this. When it was time for them to add soul rings and advance, they'd go to Sea God Island to mooch from a certain wealthy benefactor.
Compared to obtaining hundred-thousand-year soul rings by hunting soul beasts, perfectly compatible divine-bestowed soul rings suited them better.
Helping Tang Yuehua become a Titled Douluo wasn't empty talk.
Moreover, in Chu Chengzhou's view, Tang Yuehua's Wishful Ring martial soul could bring its own innate domain. As long as she broke through her soul power limitations, this martial soul wouldn't disappoint.
There was no such thing as malignant martial soul mutations—only insufficient talent to support powerful martial souls, leading to so-called malignant mutations.
Just like his Summoning Flag martial soul back then, or Yu Xiaogang's Luo Sanpao.
Looking at Chu Chengzhou's earnest expression, Tang Yuehua smiled but didn't take it too seriously. However, ripples stirred in her heart.
If everything he said came true, what was wrong with being with a junior twenty or thirty years younger?
If she were just a cultivation failure, gossip would surely follow.
But if she became a Titled Douluo, who would dare speak ill? Deep down, no one would.
No other reason—it was because she would be a revered Titled Douluo respected by tens of thousands on the continent.
"I'll be leaving for a while tomorrow. Wait for me!"
Kissing Tang Yuehua's forehead, Chu Chengzhou said.
"Are you going out to find that treasure? Listen to me—if it doesn't work, don't force it."
Upon hearing this, Tang Yuehua's first reaction was that Chu Chengzhou was going to find something to help her break through her spirit's limitations. She hurriedly said a word of caution.
Such a treasure was undoubtedly precious. She didn't want Chu Chengzhou to pay too high a price, or worse, risk his life.
"I know!"
Chu Chengzhou smiled and nodded.
The Aromatic Silk Beauty Immortal Herb was in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. Retrieving it wouldn't be difficult at all.
Of course, his outing tomorrow wasn't solely for harvesting the immortal herb—it was also to hunt a soul beast in the Great Star Dou Forest for his seventh soul ring. He could pick up the Aromatic Silk Beauty Immortal Herb on his way back.
That's right—after half a year of cultivation, plus his previous foundation, his soul power level had broken through to 70 last night. All he needed was a seventh soul ring to advance to the Soul Saint.
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