Concubine Qinglin

The corners of her lips curled slightly, her tone carrying a hint of playfulness:

"Husband, you certainly moved fast..."

She paused, her voice gaining more of a teasing edge, "You've only been out for a few days? That girl Qing Lin is shy by nature; she usually blushes just looking at you in the mansion. I wonder how you managed to get your hands on her."

Shen Wen gave a light cough and rubbed his nose.

Could he say it was Qing Lin herself who knocked on his door in the middle of the night with tea and snacks?

If he said that, he feared Cai Lin would laugh at him for three years.

Xiao Yi Xian, however, looked calm, with only a faint smile and seriousness in her eyes:

"Sister Qing Lin has followed Husband for so long; we've all seen her feelings."

Her voice was soft yet firm, "Giving her a formal status is only right."

Hearing this, Cai Lin also reined in her teasing expression and nodded slightly.

They had seen clearly over the years how Qing Lin treated Shen Wen.

That girl never fought or grabbed for anything, being quiet to the point of being nearly transparent, yet her gaze would always unconsciously follow Shen Wen.

Now that there was a result, she was happy for Qing Lin.

"Then we'll just wait for Sister Cao to return and handle the arrangements," Cai Lin said. "Taking a concubine isn't like marrying a wife; it doesn't need such a grand spectacle, but the proper etiquette must still be observed."

Shen Wen nodded, his heart settling slightly.

Two days later, Cao Ying returned from the Pill Tower.

She had been busy these past few days, with several resolutions from the Council of Elders requiring her mediation; a faint weariness still lingered between her brows as she entered.

Cai Lin told her about the matter.

After hearing it, Cao Ying showed no surprise on her face.

She handed her outer robe to a maid and sat down in a chair, her tone flat:

"If it's taking a concubine, there's no need for a big fanfare. Pick an auspicious day, set two tables of wine in the mansion, and invite close friends over for a gathering."

Pausing, she raised her eyes and gave Shen Wen a look that wasn't too heavy or too light.

That glance wasn't exactly angry, but more like the helplessness of "I knew this would happen," carrying the subtle, needle-in-silk implication unique to a mistress of the house.

"Husband... really never misses."

Being stared at by that beautiful eye, the bit of serious pretense on Shen Wen's face immediately crumbled, and he could only give a sheepish laugh.

He was about to say a few soft words when his expression suddenly turned serious.

"...The Hall of Souls has made a move."

Cao Ying's gaze sharpened, and the previous teasing instantly vanished.

"Lion Underworld Sect?" She immediately caught the key point.

Shen Wen nodded, his voice sinking a bit:

"Information from the Heavenly Serpent Mansion says this Sect has moved its entire strength into the depths of the Twilight Mist Mountain Range, having settled there for several months. Externally, they claim to be moving to avoid enemies, but in reality, they are secretly controlling the surrounding areas, acting with extreme secrecy."

He paused, his fingertip tapping lightly on the armrest:

"I have ordered the Heavenly Serpent Mansion to monitor them closely, but so far there has been no actual movement. This instead makes me a bit uncertain."

Cao Ying frowned, quickly organizing the intelligence:

"The Twilight Mist Mountain Range is adjacent to the Black-Corner Region; the terrain is complex and the energy is chaotic, making it very easy to hide one's aura. They likely intend to construct several more space channels."

"I was thinking the same," Shen Wen said.

He was silent for a moment, a cold glint flashing in his eyes:

"I'm hesitating—"},{

He raised his eyes, his voice calm yet sharp:

"Whether to strike first to gain the upper hand."

The hall fell silent.

Cai Lin's fingertips gently stroked her lower abdomen, her purple eyes slightly lowered, and she didn't speak. She wasn't good at intervening in such decisions.

Xiao Yi Xian was also quiet, her gaze merely resting on Shen Wen with wordless trust.

Cao Ying pondered for a long while before slowly saying:

"Striking first has its pros and cons."

She spoke with clear logic, "The advantage lies in the element of surprise, taking advantage of their unstable Foundation to uproot the stronghold in one go and destroy this hand the Hall of Souls has extended into the Northwest. Even if we can't annihilate them all, it will be enough to make it difficult for them to recover for several years."

"The disadvantage is alerting the enemy." She paused, "If the Hall of Souls has more than one arrangement in the Northwest, or if this place is just a scout, our move will instead expose our intentions and eyes."

Shen Wen nodded; that was also what he was thinking.

"So I'm waiting," he said. "Waiting for them to move first, or for more intelligence."

Cao Ying looked at him and suddenly asked:

"Is Husband afraid?"

Shen Wen shook his head, his tone flat:

"It's not fear. It's just that moving now might not necessarily pull them out by the roots."

He paused, a light flashing through his eyes:

"If we're going to fight, we must hit them where it hurts. Not just uprooting a stronghold, but making the Hall of Souls know for years to come that the Northwest is a forbidden zone."

Cao Ying looked at him and didn't speak further.

She suddenly felt that her husband's appetite was growing larger and larger.

Cao Ying pondered for a moment and slowly shook her head:

"Not for the time being."

Her fingertip tapped lightly on the table, her logic clear:

"The Hall of Souls indeed has few high-level Dou Zun, but they have many low-level ones. If a full-scale war breaks out in the Northwest, the Hall of Souls here in the Central Plains will certainly take action. At that time, fighting on two fronts with insufficient manpower, we might not be able to manage both."

She looked at Shen Wen, her tone certain:

"Besides, time is on our side."

"Husband, I, and Dan Chen are all Alchemists. Husband can refine zong ji pills, I can refine seventh-grade pills, and Dan Chen is only a step away from the seventh grade. As long as we have time, we can continuously cultivate Dou Zong combat power that belongs to us."

"Plus, with Husband's Great Universal Salvation Technique—"},{

Cao Ying paused, the corners of her lips curling slightly:

"With every passing day, our chances of winning increase. And the longer the Hall of Souls' layout in the Northwest is delayed, the more flaws will be exposed."

After Shen Wen finished listening, he nodded slightly.

These words made sense.

It wasn't that he couldn't fight, but that he didn't want to flip all his cards onto the table before the time was ripe.

"Then we'll wait a bit longer," Shen Wen said. "Have the Heavenly Serpent Mansion keep a closer eye; report any abnormal movements immediately."

Cao Ying agreed, then changed the subject:

"By the way, there's a lead on the nine-colored origin stone Sister Cai Lin needs."

Shen Wen raised his eyes.

"This item once appeared at a small trade fair," Cao Ying said. "But the seller didn't know its specific use, treating it only as a rare material and asking a high price. Since no one recognized its value at the time, the transaction didn't go through."

She paused, "I'm still in contact with the organizer of that trade fair; following this line, I should be able to dig out the person who brought out the nine-colored origin stone. It just needs some time."

Shen Wen nodded. Having a lead was a good start, better than looking for a needle in a haystack.

"What about the Void Ancient Dragon's side?" he asked.

Cao Ying shook her head, a look of helplessness on her face:

"No progress. That group of dragons has hidden themselves too deeply; the void space is already elusive, and after their internal strife, they are extremely wary of the outside world. Our people can't even touch the periphery."

"The Nine Serene Earth Nether Python's side is even more troublesome," Cao Ying's voice sank. "Demon Crow won't be able to hold out for much longer. He is an Elder after all; if there's no progress or information for a long time, suspicion will surely arise within the clan."

She looked at Shen Wen, "We must find an opportunity to resolve it quickly. Otherwise, this hidden piece will not only be wasted but might even backfire."

Shen Wen didn't respond immediately.

He leaned against the back of the chair, his fingertip tapping the armrest, memories of the Nine Serene Earth Nether Python tribe flashing through his mind.

This tribe... he remembered they had internal troubles.

The current Clan Chief, Yao Xiaotian, didn't succeed the throne legitimately back then.

The true heir to the Clan Chief position was his Elder brother—who, for some reason, was Sealed and imprisoned deep in the clan's dungeon, still alive today.

If he could find this person and rescue him... a light flashed in Shen Wen's eyes.

"Have Demon Crow find a way," he spoke, his voice steady. "Using the search for the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils as a pretext, lure out some key figures from the clan in batches."

He paused, "For every one that comes, I'll convert one."