47: The Holy Maiden's "Self-Salvation" - The Ninth Princess is here to watch the show again.

The blood rain in Wanbao City lasted for three full days.

The Su Family's methods for taking over this giant city were simple, crude, and efficient.

Myriad Dust Ancient Sage's direct lineage was completely purged by Su Jie overnight. Those vampiric families who clung to the old order either knelt down to be dogs or were uprooted, clearing the foundations for the Su Family to plant their trees.

"Buzz!"

A brilliant starlight spanning ten thousand miles suddenly rose from Tianyan City, crashing into the underground Spiritual Vein of Wanbao City like a giant silver Dragon.

That was the ninth-Rank clan-protecting Formation—the [Zhou Tian Xing Dou Great Array].

On the day the Formation was completed, a starlight bridge appeared out of thin air between the two giant cities.

Spiritual Qi poured back in, and ten thousand rays of divine light shone.

Standing atop the tallest Star-Plucking Tower in Wanbao City, Su Xuanchen looked down at this cornucopia that had completely changed its surname to "Su." With a wave of his hand, he set the tone for the next hundred years:

"From this day forth, Tianyan and Wanbao shall stand together as twin cities."

"The Su Family shall no longer be content with a corner of the world."

On this day, the Su Family's territory not only expanded by millions of miles geographically, but also planted a seed named "Overlord" in the hearts of all Cultivators... Meanwhile, hundreds of millions of miles away.

Feiyue Sect, Saintess's bedchamber.

Deep within layers of pink curtains, the air was abnormally hot and dry.

An Wanrou curled up on a Cold Jade Bed, draped only in a layer of red gauze as thin as a cicada's wing. Large patches of snow-white skin were exposed to the air, glowing with an eerie flush.

She bit her lip hard, drenched in fragrant sweat, seemingly enduring immense suffering.

"Saintess, the medicine is here."

An old woman with a face full of wrinkles walked over quickly, holding a bowl of medicinal soup that emitted an aura of extreme cold.

An Wanrou took it with trembling hands and downed it in one gulp.

As the cold entered her body, the dry heat that seemed like it would burn her Soul to ashes finally subsided slightly.

"Heavenly Desire Divine Body..."

An Wanrou smashed the bowl on the ground, her voice hoarse, filled with despair and self-mockery.

"What bullshit God Physique."

"This is a curse! A curse that will turn me into a slut!"

This Physique was born with seductive bones, making it the world's top Dual Cultivation cauldron.

As her cultivation progressed, the fire of desire within her body would grow stronger. Without a man to harmonize it, she would eventually die from her body exploding.

The Feiyue Sect treated her as a treasure not to help her achieve Immortal Ascension, but to offer her to a great figure in the Fentian Demon Palace—a Demonic Path giant known for his cruel methods of harvesting and replenishing.

That was a dead end.

It was also Hell.

"Saintess, we don't have much time left."

The old woman picked up the shards, her gaze sinister and resolute.

"The Demon Palace's messenger will arrive in three years. By then, you will be meat on the chopping block."

"To survive, there is only one way."

She pulled a scroll from her sleeve and slowly unfurled it.

On the painting was a young man wearing a star-patterned robe, treading through the Void Realm, crushing a quasi-emperor weapon with a single palm.

Su Xuanchen.

Looking at that face, a spark of madness belonging to a "gambler" gradually lit up in An Wanrou's previously dim eyes.

"Su Family Ancestor..."

"I heard his standards are extremely high, accepting nothing but God Physiques and Saint Physiques."

"I heard he is extremely protective, even daring to clash head-on with the Ninth Princess of the Imperial Court."

The old woman leaned into her ear, her voice low like a ghost:

"Saintess, your body is your only bargaining chip."

"Su Xuanchen even dared to kill Myriad Dust Ancient Sage. In this Sacred Ruins Continent, only he dares to challenge the Fentian Demon Palace for your sake."

"Instead of being harvested to death by a Devil Head, it's better to sell yourself to this Saint Su."

"At least he's handsome, generous, and can protect you."

An Wanrou reached out, her fingertips gently tracing the man's features on the scroll.

Her heart beat violently.

Was she afraid?

Yes.

But she was even more afraid of death.

"Then I'll take the gamble."

An Wanrou took a deep breath, a look of determination flashing in her eyes.

"Nanny, prepare everything."

"I'm going to Wanbao City."

"I'm going to... offer myself to his bed."

...Spring went and autumn came, time flying like a white horse passing a gap.

In the blink of an eye, two and a half years had passed.

For the Cultivators of the Sacred Ruins Continent, these two and a half years were spent living in the shadow of the Su Family.

The Su Family was like a gold-swallowing beast, frantically devouring all surrounding resources and then spitting out one scalp-numbing Prodigy after another.

On this day.

Wanbao City, Central Plaza.

Banners blotted out the sun, and the crowd was boisterous.

The Su Family's triennial clan competition was being held grandly here.

This time, the scale was unprecedented.

Not only were all ten thousand Cultivators of the Su Family present, but even the Taichu Sect, the Yunlan Imperial Family, and the top powers from several surrounding continents had sent observation groups.

In the center of the plaza, ten giant arenas made of Black Gold Stone floated in mid-air, with Formation light screens flowing and emitting a heart-palpitating Spiritual Pressure.

"Boom!"

A youth from a side branch of the Su Family sent his opponent flying with a single punch. His blood Qi surged like a Dragon, and he actually possessed a cultivation of the Tongxuan Realm.

"That's a Su Family side branch? Tongxuan Realm?"

On the observation deck, a Sect Master from a neighboring continent watched with eyes nearly popping out of his head.

"A seed like this would surely be a True Disciple in our Sect! In the Su Family, he's just a side branch?"

"You'll get used to it."

The Taichu Sect Elder beside him spoke calmly, though his hand holding the teacup was trembling slightly.

"You haven't seen that monster named Su Zining from the Su Family; that's true despair."

The main observation deck, at the highest point.

Su Xuanchen leaned lazily against a grandmaster's chair, playing with two Supreme Grade Origin Stones in his hand, clicking them together like walnuts.

Over two years had passed, and the aura on him had become increasingly unfathomable.

Even just sitting casually, the surrounding space seemed to pulse with his breathing.

"These little brats are alright."

Su Xuanchen gave a brief comment.

They were indeed alright.

The Family System's Rank was high now, and under the influence of various buffs, even a watchdog in the Su Family could Cultivate.

Just then.

"Buzz—"

There were no earth-shattering entrance effects.

Just a faint, delicate fragrance that drifted into Su Xuanchen's nose without warning.

Immediately following.

A noble and pressing figure in a pale golden flowing immortal dress, like a golden cloud, landed lightly beside Su Xuanchen.

Without any politeness.

And without any intention of greeting him.

The newcomer sat directly on Su Xuanchen's armrest.

Yes, not the chair next to him.

The armrest.

The distance between the two instantly closed to a negative value.

"Su Xuanchen, you're living quite the comfortable life."

Ninth Princess Ji Lanxi.

She was still holding that snow-white spiritual cat. Her pale golden Phoenix pupils held a hint of playfulness, a hint of scrutiny, and a hint of undisguised possessiveness as they swept over Su Xuanchen's face.

"Two years without seeing each other, and the Ninth Princess is still as familiar as ever."

Su Xuanchen didn't move; he just shifted slightly to make some room for her and naturally stuffed a peeled grape into her mouth.

This action was as practiced as if he were doing it for his own wife.

Ninth Princess Ji Lanxi wasn't polite either, biting the grape as her tongue seemingly brushed past Su Xuanchen's fingertip.

Moist.

Warm.

Su Xuanchen raised an eyebrow; this little Phoenix's level was getting higher and higher.

"What? Is this princess not welcome?"

Ninth Princess Ji Lanxi swallowed the grape and leaned forward slightly, whispering into his ear with breath like orchids.

"I specifically sneaked out of the Imperial Court."

"Just to see how much 'water' is in this so-called 'First Ancient Family' of yours."

Su Xuanchen scoffed.

"Whether there's a lot of 'water' or not, won't you know once you try?"

"Pah."

Ninth Princess Ji Lanxi gave a light spit, her cheeks slightly flushing, and then her gaze became sharp.

She extended a fair finger, subtly pointing toward the black-clad man standing in the corner of the plaza like a shadow.

Su Jie.

"Su Xuanchen, you're hiding quite a lot."

Ninth Princess Ji Lanxi's voice was very low, audible only to the two of them.

"Two years ago, I felt something was off."

"Although Myriad Dust Ancient Sage was trash, he was at least holding a quasi-emperor weapon. Someone who could slap him to death is definitely no ordinary Saint."

"That man in black..."

She narrowed her eyes, golden runes flickering deep within her pupils.

"He has no life force, yet possesses the combat power of a Nine Heavens Saint."

"Is this a Puppet? Or a death soldier?"

"Such trump cards, even my royal brothers in the Imperial Court don't have them."

Su Xuanchen's expression remained unchanged as he grabbed her restless finger and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Ninth Princess, knowing too much can lead to being silenced."

"What? You want to silence me?"

Instead of being afraid, Ninth Princess Ji Lanxi grabbed his hand back, their fingers interlocking.

"Could you bear to?"

She stared intently at Su Xuanchen, then suddenly changed the subject.

"Your strength has also improved."

"Two years ago, I could see through seventy percent of you. Now... I can't even see through thirty percent."