NOVPUBA deathly silence descended upon the forest outside the Rebirth Pool.
Lightning flickered in the dark sky, illuminating the stunned faces of the onlookers.
Countless gazes were fixed on the couple, the Jade Empress’s hand on the back of Mu Zhi’an’s head, her lips pressed against his.
Though they couldn’t see clearly from a distance, they could tell what was happening.
The silence stretched on, then a disciple finally spoke, his voice strained. “If I’m not mistaken… that fairy is… kissing Mu Zhi’an?”
If their earlier assumption was correct, she was likely a Dao Integration expert, on par with the master of the Forbidden Zone. And yet she was… being intimate with a mere Core Formation cultivator?
And right before her tribulation…?
Envy filled their hearts as they watched the scene unfold.
Their relationship was clearly more than just… acquaintances…
And he was already the Dao Companion of their Holy Maiden.
He had one Holy Maiden, and now he was involved with another woman?
Though he seemed to be the “passive” one, with the Empress taking the initiative.
The disciples weren’t the only ones stunned. Even the elders stared at them, their expressions blank.
Why would a Dao Integration expert be interested in a Core Formation cultivator…?
Even if she had been residing within his body, even if they had been communicating daily… it shouldn’t have led to this.
…
Behind the crowd, two girls watched the scene unfold.
“Is she truly the Jade Empress…?” Ye Siyu murmured, her voice filled with disbelief.
She then turned to Ye Lingxuan, her eyes filled with concern.
Lingxuan, clad in her purple dress, stood calmly on her aunt’s flying sword, her gaze fixed on the couple.
I almost forgot. He’s Lingxuan’s Dao Companion. Seeing this…
“Lingxuan…” she began, wanting to offer some words of comfort.
“There’s no need for comfort, Sister Siyu. They’re not truly being intimate,” Lingxuan replied, her voice flat, her expression unreadable.
She met her aunt’s gaze. “Have you forgotten Brother Mu’s physique, Sister Siyu?”
Realization dawned on Ye Siyu. “The Innate Celestial Vessel… so she’s using him to replenish her spiritual energy?”
Lingxuan smiled faintly. “She doesn’t have a vessel now, so she has to obtain spiritual energy from others. And only Brother Mu can provide it.”
The spiritual energy within the Innate Celestial Vessel could only be given passively, and the stronger the recipient, the more they could obtain.
Though Mu Zhi’an was only at the Core Formation Realm, the spiritual energy within his vessel had already surpassed the Nascent Soul level.
The Jade Empress could easily draw upon his vast reserves, even with a simple kiss.
“But they’re still kissing, even if it’s just for spiritual energy,” Ye Siyu grumbled.
“…!”
Lingxuan’s composure faltered, and she took a deep breath, forcing a smile.
“It’s fine. I was prepared for this.”
However, as she looked away, a flicker of anger flashed in her eyes.
It’s just a kiss now, but what about later?
Would he really… with her…?
She banished the unpleasant images from her mind, her expression returning to its usual calmness.
…
The crowd watched, their emotions a mixture of shock and disbelief.
Even Mu Zhi’an was stunned.
He mentally typed a question mark.
What’s going on?
Did she just take advantage of me?!
He had been… attracted to her… for a while, and he wouldn’t have resisted her advances.
But her sudden “attack” had caught him off guard.
He savored the softness of her lips, the coolness of her skin, her delicate fragrance filling his senses, and even he, a seasoned playboy, felt a wave of dizziness wash over him.
The rumbling of thunder snapped him out of his daze, and he was about to ask her what she was doing when her voice echoed in his mind.
“Relax. Open your mouth.”
What the hell are you doing?! We’re about to be struck by lightning!
He met her gaze, her green eyes bright and intense, and realization dawned.
The tribulation was gathering. Why would she suddenly become intimate with him at such a time?
… It actually made sense.
He could sense her drawing upon the spiritual energy within his Innate Celestial Vessel, replenishing her own reserves.
She’s doing this to prepare for the tribulation… He calmed down, relaxing his body as he savored the softness of her lips.
He boldly wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer.
He felt her body tremble slightly, and she opened her eyes, glancing at him, her gaze hazy.
She then closed her eyes again, enjoying the sensation of her depleted spiritual energy being replenished, a feeling she had missed for a long time.
Boom!
A thunderclap echoed through the sky, the dragon of lightning roaring as if to obliterate them.
After what felt like an eternity, she opened her eyes, releasing him. Her gaze, no longer hazy, was clear and sharp.
As their lips parted, she exhaled softly, her delicate finger wiping his mouth.
If you’re going to steal a kiss… you have to clean up afterwards.
“Apologies. I didn’t ask for your permission,” she said, her voice, usually ethereal and distant, now laced with a hint of laziness and a subtle allure.
“I understand your intentions, Fairy Sister,” he replied, shaking his head.
He met her gaze, his voice softening. “Besides, anything for you.”
He knew she had absorbed some of his spiritual energy, but he hadn’t resisted.
No man would have.
However… being “attacked” like that… it was still a bit frustrating.
He watched her turn away, her back to him, a faint, silver light emanating from her fair skin, then he called out, taking a step towards her. “Fairy Sister.”
She turned back to face him, and he leaned in, kissing her cheek.
Then, under her surprised gaze, he grinned. “Now we’re even.”
She had stolen a kiss from him, and now he had stolen one from her… fair’s fair.
She raised an eyebrow, glancing at the crowd outside the forest, then at him, his smile smug and self-satisfied, and she felt a strange warmth spreading through her heart.
“Step back. You don’t want to be caught in the tribulation,” she said, her voice calm and steady, though a hint of amusement flickered in her eyes.
He possessed an Innate Spiritual Body, but from this distance, with the tribulation’s oppressive aura filling the air, it was difficult to sense the situation outside.
When she had kissed him, he could claim to be “innocent.”
But now?
He would worry about that later. For now…
She looked up at the vast tribulation clouds, the dragon of lightning writhing within.
Her heart, which had been beating faster than usual, gradually calmed down. She raised her hand, her delicate fingers tracing a pattern in the air.
An azure lotus bloomed from her palm.
He watched her, her thin dress billowing in the wind, her long hair flowing behind her, her aura commanding respect and awe.
Only now did he truly sense her power.
“Was the spiritual energy I gave you enough?” he transmitted his voice.
“It’s enough,” she replied, her gaze fixed on the sky.
“It’s just a Ninefold Tribulation.”
Boom!
The dragon of lightning, having gathered its energy, roared, its voice shaking the Nine Realms.
Countless cultivators trembled, even those far from the Forbidden Zone.
He leaned against a tree, staring at her, fighting the urge to collapse.
So this is a Dao Integration Body Tempering Tribulation…
Even though the second tribulation would be weaker, it was still terrifying.
The elders outside the forest watched, their expressions grim.
The shock of witnessing her kiss hadn’t faded, and the tribulation’s destructive aura filled them with dread. Some even regretted coming to watch.
However…
They might never witness such a spectacle again. Given the choice, they would still choose to be here.
“With a tribulation like that… she must be a Dao Integration Empress, right?” a disciple whispered, his voice trembling.
“Only a Dao Integration expert could summon such a tribulation,” an elder replied, his voice filled with awe.
His words confirmed their suspicions. She was a Dao Integration Empress!
Even Nascent Soul experts were filled with fear. Only a Dao Integration expert could command such power.
However, there were only a handful of Dao Integration experts in the Nine Realms… who was she?
The question lingered in their minds.
“Look! That lotus… isn’t it the same as the one Mu Zhi’an used before?!” a disciple exclaimed, pointing at the azure lotus hovering above the Jade Empress.
Those who had witnessed his battle with Zhou Hao stared at the lotus, their expressions changing.
“Could it be that… Mu Zhi’an received her inheritance?”
The lotus he had used to defeat Zhou Hao was identical to the one she was using now!
The lotus glowed, bathing the forest in a green light, and many felt an urge to kneel, their bodies trembling with awe.
The elders exchanged glances, then nodded, channeling their spiritual energy to resist the pressure.
Even they felt a sense of reverence as they looked at the lotus.
“How can Mu Zhi’an stand beside her without any fear…?” a disciple whispered, his voice filled with disbelief.
Thunder rumbled in the sky, but no one answered his question.
They couldn’t understand.
They were struggling to resist the urge to submit, and yet he seemed completely unaffected?
And he had not only been kissed by her, but he had even kissed her back?
The dragon of lightning, its roar echoing through the sky, emerged from the tribulation clouds, its head massive, its jaws wide open.
It roared at the Jade Empress, then, in a blinding flash of light, it struck!
It was so fast that no one could react, but the azure lotus glowed, its gentle light enveloping the dragon.
The dragon’s size seemed to shrink under the lotus’s light.
She flicked her finger, sending a green seed flying towards the dragon.
The seed sprouted instantly, countless vines erupting, wrapping around the dragon’s massive body.
It roared and struggled, lightning crackling around it, its body radiating an intense heat, as if to melt the vines.
Steam rose from the vines, but they held firm, and the dragon, its struggles weakening, its size shrinking as its spiritual energy was drained, its roars turning into whimpers.
She’s terrifying. What are those vines? They’re absorbing the dragon’s spiritual energy! Mu Zhi’an watched in awe, his heart pounding.
The dragon’s destructive aura faded as the vines tightened, and once its spiritual energy was completely drained, they released it.
It had been massive, but now it was as thin as a snake.
It fell to the ground, shrinking until it was the size of a pill, then floated into her hand.
The tribulation, which should have been a terrifying spectacle, had ended quietly, thanks to the azure lotus.
The pill in her hand, a Lightning Pill, radiated a chaotic aura, its fragrance intoxicating.
“The Heaven Mending Pill?!” an elder exclaimed, his eyes filled with greed.
It wasn’t a pill refined by an alchemist, but a rare treasure that occasionally appeared during tribulations.
Even Nascent Soul experts would trade anything for it.
However, as they looked at the Jade Empress, their greed subsided.
The pill was tempting, but… they knew it was beyond their reach.
Boom!
Another deafening roar echoed through the sky, signaling the tribulation’s end.
Several gazes, fixed on the Forbidden Zone from afar, withdrew.
The Jade Empress had rebuilt her body, and the Nine Realms trembled.
Later, the history books of the Eastern Realm would record: “In the year 473 of the Great Qian Dynasty, on the eighteenth day of the second month, a celestial dew phenomenon appeared. Lightning filled the sky above the Forbidden Zone, and the people prayed for peace, countless cultivators bowing in respect.”
Of course, the history books wouldn’t mention the Jade Empress kissing Mu Zhi’an in front of the Holy Maiden of the Forbidden Zone.
And they wouldn’t mention her being teased… by a Core Formation cultivator.
…
“Is it over?” he asked, looking up at her alluring figure.
He felt like he was jinxing it, but the tribulation clouds had dissipated.
“The Body Tempering Tribulation is over,” she replied, turning the Heaven Mending Pill over in her hand, then glancing at Ye Lingxuan, who was watching from outside the forest.
She turned back to him, her lips curving into a smile.
“But the real trouble… has just begun.”
