36: The flute played silently; this was the Empress's "return gift."

Purple Heaven Palace, Back Hall.

The atmosphere was somewhat frozen.

Gu Lingshuang sat on the soft couch covered with snow-white fox fur, her phoenix eyes narrowing slightly, her gaze cold as a knife as she scanned back and forth between Su Xuanchen and Bai Lingxi, who was hiding behind him.

"Heh."

A cold sneer broke the dead silence.

"Saint Su really has such elegant interests."

Gu Lingshuang picked up her teacup, her tone so cold that ice shards could fall from it.

"You just wiped out a Sect and killed tens of thousands of people, and the next moment you bring back such a little beauty."

"What? Are you tired of this 'old hag' being in your way, or do you think the Su Family's bed isn't big enough and you won't be satisfied until you've stuffed all the beauties of the Eastern Region into it?"

The scent of jealousy could be smelled from two miles away.

Bai Lingxi had never seen such a scene; her small face turned pale with fright, and she gripped the corner of Su Xuanchen's clothes tightly, wishing she could shrink herself into a ball of air.

"Sister... I..."

"Who is your sister?"

Gu Lingshuang didn't even lift her eyelids as she slammed the teacup heavily onto the table.

"This Palace is..."

Before she could finish, she suddenly paused.

That was her way of referring to herself in her past life.

Now, she was just the Mistress of the Su Family, a Mortal whose Cultivation was Sealed.

This sense of disparity made the anger in her heart burn even brighter.

Su Xuanchen looked at his bristling Empress; instead of panicking, he couldn't help but want to laugh.

Being jealous was good.

Being jealous meant he was in her heart.

If she truly didn't care, then he would be in real trouble.

"Alright, don't scare the child."

Su Xuanchen reached back and took Bai Lingxi's small hand, giving it a reassuring pat, then strode over to Gu Lingshuang.

"What 'old hag'?"

He reached out and unscrupulously pinched Gu Lingshuang's delicate chin, forcing her to look up.

"In my eyes, you are the most beautiful woman in this world."

"Even the Fairies in the heavens are not one ten-thousandth as good as you."

Cheesy pickup lines.

But they were very effective.

The tips of Gu Lingshuang's ears instantly turned red, and a moment of panic appeared in her previously sharp eyes.

"Slick-tongued..."

She turned her head, trying to break free from his hand, but Su Xuanchen took the opportunity to scoop her up.

"Ah! What are you doing?!"

Gu Lingshuang cried out in surprise as her body was lifted into the air.

"What am I doing?"

Su Xuanchen grinned wickedly, carrying her as he strode toward the inner chamber.

"Naturally, I'm going to help my wife 'cool down' her anger."

"And while we're at it, discuss the grand plan for the growth of the Su Family's population."

"Su Xuanchen! Let me go! There's someone else here..."

"It's fine, Lingxi is very well-behaved; she'll keep watch outside."

"Bang!"

The door slammed shut.

Outside the door.

Bai Lingxi stood alone in place, blinking her large innocent eyes as she looked at the closed door, her face full of confusion.

Keep watch?

What did her husband want her to watch for?

Could there be some kind of danger inside?

...The next morning.

Sunlight filtered through the window lattices, spilling onto the somewhat messy bed.

Su Xuanchen pushed the door open and walked out feeling refreshed, stretching lazily.

Gu Lingshuang followed behind him; although her face was rosy, there was a lingering sense of shame and annoyance between her brows, and her walking posture was a bit unnatural.

This bastard.

Last night, he had practically come up with all sorts of ways to torment her!

"Husband! Sister! You're finally out!"

A crisp voice rang out.

Like a cheerful little skylark, Bai Lingxi jumped up from a nearby stone stool and greeted them with an expectant look.

She had been waiting outside for the entire night.

Seeing the girl's pure eyes, the anger in Gu Lingshuang's heart dissipated slightly.

After all, she was just a child who hadn't grown up yet.

"Lingxi, so early?"

Gu Lingshuang tried her best to make her tone sound gentle, wanting to maintain her dignity as the primary wife.

However.

Bai Lingxi's next words instantly broke her composure.

"Sister, last night Husband said he was going to help you cool down."

Bai Lingxi tilted her small head, looking innocent, her eyes full of curiosity.

"But I kept watch outside all night; why did I hear such strange noises?"

"Is it because Sister's anger hasn't dissipated yet? Or was Husband lying?"

Silence.

A deathly silence.

Su Xuanchen's hand, which was tidying his collar, froze.

The dignified smile on Gu Lingshuang's face instantly froze and then cracked bit by bit.

Her beautiful face turned a deep liver-red at a speed visible to the naked eye, and even her neck was completely flushed.

Shameful!

So shameful!

She, the dignified Myriad Tribulations Empress, was actually being asked such a question by a little girl!

And right in front of the culprit himself!

"Su! Xuan! Chen!"

Gu Lingshuang squeezed out these three words through her gritted teeth, overcome with shame and indignation.

"What nonsense did you tell her?!"

Su Xuanchen's old face also turned red, and he coughed awkwardly twice.

This "car crash" happened a bit too suddenly.

He had just made up a random excuse last night; who knew this silly girl would actually take it seriously and ask so bluntly!

"Ahem... well... actually, your sister was making sounds of happiness."

Su Xuanchen talked nonsense with a straight face.

"Oh... so that's how it is!"

Bai Lingxi realized the "truth" and looked at Su Xuanchen with a face full of admiration.

Gu Lingshuang: "..."

She didn't want to live anymore.

Really.

Just let the world end already.

She glared fiercely at Su Xuanchen, stomped her foot, turned around and rushed back into the room, slamming the door shut with a bang.

Her face was completely lost!

...Half an hour later.

Gu Lingshuang finally calmed down and walked out again.

She had changed into a set of neat, tight-fitting clothes, her long hair tied high, restoring her usual cold and capable demeanor as the Empress.

However, her gaze toward Su Xuanchen still carried a hint of Killing Intent.

"Follow me."

She coldly dropped those words and turned toward the Cultivation secret chamber in the back mountain.

Su Xuanchen rubbed his nose, gave Bai Lingxi a "go play by yourself" look, and quickly followed.

Inside the secret chamber.

Gu Lingshuang sat cross-legged on a prayer mat, her expression turning serious.

"Sit."

She pointed to the spot opposite her.

Su Xuanchen sat as instructed, put away his playful smile, and said seriously:

"What? Are we going to start activating your Physique?"

"No rush."

Gu Lingshuang shook her head.

She looked at Su Xuanchen with a complicated gaze.

"This time, to help me gather resources, you wiped out the Myriad Spirits Sect, suppressed the Lingxiao Sword Sect, and even offended many people."

"Even though you did it for the Su Family, I, Gu Lingshuang, never like to owe favors."

Even as a married couple, she didn't want to be a useless person who only took.

This was the pride of an Empress.

"What are you going to do?"

Su Xuanchen raised an eyebrow.

Gu Lingshuang didn't speak.

She slowly raised her right hand, and a brilliant golden light lit up at the tip of her index finger.

Within that golden light, there seemed to be a surging Battle Intent; one could vaguely hear the roars of thousands of troops and horses, as well as the rumbling of heaven and earth collapsing.

A terrifying pressure instantly filled the entire secret chamber.

Even Su Xuanchen felt a trace of palpitation in the face of this pressure.

"This is..."

Su Xuanchen's pupils constricted slightly.

"This is a top-tier secret technique I created in my past life."

Gu Lingshuang's voice was low and solemn.

"It is called—the 'Myriad Tribulations Battle Method'."

"This is a pure combat secret technique born for slaughter."

"Using the body as a tribulation, sustaining battle through battle."

"Once practiced to Major Achievement, the Physical Body can withstand Imperial Weapons, and a single punch can shatter the myriad realms of the heavens!"

Having said this, she gave Su Xuanchen a deep look.

"Although your Physical Body is strong, you lack a top-tier combat technique to match it."

"This battle method will perfectly compensate for your shortcoming."

"Consider it... my return gift to you."

As her voice fell.

She pressed her finger without reservation onto the center of Su Xuanchen's forehead.

Boom!

A massive flow of information, like a river breaking its dam, surged frantically into Su Xuanchen's Sea of Consciousness.

Images exploded in his mind.

It was the twilight of the gods and demons.

It was a blood-soaked figure in an endless cycle of Heavenly Tribulations and slaughter, carving out a blood-stained path with every punch and kick—a magnificent epic!

Every move and every form was simple and brutal.

No flashiness.

Only killing the enemy.

This was the "Myriad Tribulations Battle Method"!

After a long time.

The golden light dissipated.

Su Xuanchen slowly opened his eyes.

Within his eyes, two golden flames seemed to be burning, and his entire aura became deeper and more dangerous.

If he was a sheathed sword before.

Then now, he was a primordial Vicious Beast that had just awakened, his entire body filled with explosive power.

Good stuff!

Absolutely good stuff!

The exquisiteness of this battle method was not even inferior to the Nine Tribulations Secret Codex rewarded by his System; with the two combined, his combat power could soar by at least thirty percent!

"This is an Imperial Scripture-level secret technique."

Su Xuanchen looked at the somewhat pale Gu Lingshuang, a warm current rising in his heart.

A Legacy of this level would be a Sect-protecting treasure in any Holy Land, only to be passed down to a Saint.

And she just gave it to him like that.

"You really don't want to owe me anything?"

Su Xuanchen gave a doting smile.

"Silly woman."

"We're one family; why distinguish between what's yours and what's mine?"

Gu Lingshuang felt a bit uncomfortable under his burning gaze, turned her head away, and snorted coldly.

"Who's a family with you?"

"I just don't want you to be beaten to death later, leaving no one to activate my Physique."

Tsundere.

Stubborn to the end.

Su Xuanchen didn't expose her, just stood up and stretched.

"Alright, a gift for a gift."

"Since you've given me such a great benefit, I can't be stingy either."

"Let's go."

"Let's go activate your Myriad Tribulations Indestructible Body."

...Three thousand miles into the desolate mountains outside Tianyan City.

This place was sparsely populated and the Spiritual Qi was thin; even birds were unwilling to fly here on normal days.

But today.

Su Xuanchen had set up layers of Formations here.

"Buzz!"

Su Xuanchen waved his sleeve.

A magnificent palace, forged entirely from unknown divine gold and emitting an ancient aura, appeared out of thin air among the mountains.

This palace was a thousand zhang high, its surface inscribed with countless complex Dao patterns, and the faint sounds of dragons roaring and phoenixes crying could be heard from within.

This was not only a top-tier spatial Sacred Artifact but also possessed the Heaven-Defying effect of obscuring heavenly secrets and isolating Karma.

Doing things inside, even the Heavenly Dao would not be able to sense it.

"Let's go in."

Su Xuanchen led Gu Lingshuang and Bai Lingxi into the main hall.

The space inside the hall was vast and boundless, as if it were a world of its own.

Su Xuanchen's expression turned serious.

From his System space, he took out the looted Heaven And Earth Treasures one by one.

The tribulation crossing lotus floated in mid-air, surrounded by lightning.

The heavenly tribulation fruit was placed on a jade plate, emitting an aura of destruction.

nine heavens divine thunder liquid, contained in a jade bottle, was shimmering... Countless rare resources were laid out according to some mysterious Formation positions.

Divine light shone brilliantly, and immortal mist swirled.

The concentration of Spiritual Qi within the entire hall instantly skyrocketed by more than a hundred times!

"Lingxi."

Su Xuanchen looked at the somewhat nervous Bai Lingxi.

"You possess the Supreme Yin Sacred Body and are naturally close to the Great Dao."

"In a moment, I will channel the power of these treasures into Lingshuang's body."

"What you need to do is use your Supreme Yin Qi to neutralize that overly violent masculine thunder power, preventing her from exploding and dying."

"Can you do it?"

Bai Lingxi took a deep breath and nodded vigorously, her small face full of determination.

"Don't worry, Husband! I will definitely protect Sister!"

"Good."

Su Xuanchen turned his head to look at Gu Lingshuang.

By now, Gu Lingshuang was already sitting cross-legged in the center of the Formation.

Looking at the mountain of resources around her and the man who was busily working for her sake, the coldness in her eyes had long since melted.

"Are you ready?"

Su Xuanchen walked up to her and asked softly.

Gu Lingshuang looked up, her gaze meeting his.

"Come."

No unnecessary words.

Only absolute trust.

Su Xuanchen nodded, took a few steps back, and formed hand Seals.

"Activate the Formation!"

Boom!

The Deceiving the Heavens Sacred Hall trembled violently.

At this moment, all the Heaven And Earth Treasures shattered simultaneously, turning into a surging torrent that rushed frantically toward Gu Lingshuang in the center!

The activation ceremony...

...had officially begun!