26: Chapter 26 Breakthrough, the Seven Apertures of the Mysterious Gate!

Early morning, before dawn.

Tang Xiaowu walked lightly and returned to the East City Small Courtyard.

She heard Tang Liu's steady breathing coming from the room next door.

Only then did she let out a long sigh of relief, and her tense body relaxed.

Sixth Brother should have been asleep last night and didn't notice she wasn't in her room.

She looked down at her slightly wrinkled long dress.

Everything that happened at the Zhenguo Marquis Mansion last night involuntarily surfaced in her mind.

Chen Shanzhi actually dared to come over and hug her, and she was actually convinced by him.

Letting the two of them Cultivate in that heart-pounding, blushing way.

"Bah, what a lecher."

Tang Xiaowu bit her red lips lightly, forcing those suggestive scenes out of her mind.

Then she silently opened the door and walked in.

But she didn't know that after she entered the room...

In Tang Liu's room, the originally steady breathing began to become rapid.

Tang Liu looked in the direction of Tang Xiaowu's room, his eyes carrying a hint of guilt.

Last night, although that stone pendant could hide his tracks...

It would also make his personality furious.

So when he saw the behavior of Tang Xiaowu and Chen Shanzhi, he had those thoughts.

Even if it weren't for the Divine Turtle Art he Cultivated, which gave him greater tolerance, he might have charged in on the spot.

But when he returned and the effect of the stone pendant disappeared, he carefully recalled their movements.

It was obvious that Chen Shanzhi had forced her.

Thinking back to how Chen Shanzhi was able to get him out...

Xiaowu must have made many compromises and concessions without him knowing.

And Xiaowu was so light-footed when she left and returned, fearing he would notice.

She was looking after his damn self-esteem.

Xiaowu...

Killing intent flared in Tang Liu's eyes; that damn Chen Shanzhi, he was the one making trouble.

As long as he disappeared, he and Xiaowu could return to their former days.

Chen Shanzhi, just you wait, the Sihai Academy Martial Arts Competition isn't many days away.

...

Yihong Pavilion.

Chen Shanzhi was in a good mood, humming a little tune as he walked into Heaven No. 1 Room.

As soon as he entered, he saw Jiang Yingrao sitting at the desk, holding a piece of Xuan paper, reading it with great interest.

"What are you looking at so intently?"

Chen Shanzhi leaned over to take a look and was suddenly stunned.

What was written on the paper was exactly what he had written some time ago under the pseudonym Chen San.

To attract Madam Li's attention, he had written that poem "little pond" in the Yiyuan Garden.

"The spring's mouth is silent, cherishing the thin flow..."

Jiang Yingrao read softly, her eyes shining with brilliance, a slight smile on her lips.

"This..." Chen Shanzhi's heart skipped a beat, "How did this poem end up in front of Jiang Yingrao?

Clearly, when he recited this poem, only Madam Li and her party were there; there was no one else around.

And Madam Li was slapped to death by Minister Li the next day.

Those maids, after the incident at the Ministers Mansion, were all secretly dealt with by the Li family.

Logically speaking, besides Tang Xiaowu, no one else should know this poem."

Chen Shanzhi felt strange, but on the surface, he showed a disdainful expression, curled his lips and said:

"What kind of broken poem is this? It's written quite averagely, much worse than what I write."

"You?"

Jiang Yingrao rolled her eyes at him, looking at him as if he were an uneducated illiterate:

"You, a playboy who only knows how to drink and visit brothels, what do you know about poetry?

Don't talk nonsense if you don't understand, lest you make people laugh."

She pointed to the poem on the Xuan paper, her tone full of praise:

"This poem is currently the hottest masterpiece in the capital!

Even the Great Scholars of the Hanlin Academy are full of praise, saying it's a rare work of Spiritual Qi that has been seen in hundreds of years!

Especially the last two lines, 'The little lotus has just revealed its sharp tip, and a dragonfly has already stood on top,' it's simply a stroke of Genius!"

Chen Shanzhi rubbed his nose, his face showing a dazed look, but in his heart, he was secretly pleased.

He didn't expect a poem he casually copied to be so highly regarded.

"I heard that the one who wrote this poem is a reclusive talent named Chen San."

Jiang Yingrao said while admiring the masterpiece:

"I heard this poem was made on the spot to please the woman beside him, letting her set the topic.

Composing a poem in five steps, it truly makes all the talents in the capital feel ashamed."

Speaking of this, a hint of longing appeared in Jiang Yingrao's eyes: "If someone could write such a poem for me, I would have no regrets in this life."

Chen Shanzhi curled his lips, thinking that if you let me Dual Cultivate every day, I'll copy one or two for you, no problem.

Jiang Yingrao didn't notice Chen Shanzhi's expression and whispered:

"I heard rumors that this Young Master Chen San relied on this poem to fascinate the wife of the Minister of Rites.

In the end, Minister Li discovered Madam Li's change of heart, as she was calling out Chen San's name even in her sleep, which led the Minister to kill his wife in a fit of rage."

"Pfft—"

The tea Chen Shanzhi had just taken into his mouth was sprayed out directly.

"Cough, cough, cough... This is too outrageous, isn't it?"

He wiped his mouth, looking speechless.

The imagination of the people in the capital is too big, right? They can even link these together?

However, this imagination was actually very close to the reason that ultimately led to the incident at the Ministers Mansion.

"Are there any other rumors?" Chen Shanzhi wiped his mouth, showing a gossipy expression.

Jiang Yingrao shook her head: "No more, that's all."

Hearing this, Chen Shanzhi breathed a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, there were no rumors linking this matter to him.

But what's with the Li family?

They couldn't even handle such a small matter cleanly and let such rumors spread?

Chen Shanzhi secretly despised them.

But for him, it was actually a good thing.

The more this poem spread, the greater Chen San's reputation would be.

The persona of a "reclusive expert" would be more stable.

In this way, no one would link the brilliant Chen San with his playboy heir self who only visits brothels.

After all, he cannot appear in the sight of certain interested parties now.

Otherwise, he might follow in his parents' footsteps.

"Just these few rumors, how boring."

Chen Shanzhi showed a look of lack of interest, then plopped down on the soft couch and stretched:

"Let's not talk about this. What's the situation with that Shroud Shop? Still no movement?"

Mentioning serious business, Jiang Yingrao's face suddenly darkened, and she shook her head:

"No. That mole is more patient than we imagined.

In the past few days, let alone going to meet up, there hasn't even been a single abnormal action."

"No rush."

Chen Shanzhi comforted: "The Old Farmer's side has been watched by us.

If they want to make contact, they will definitely activate this contact point.

We just need to wait for the rabbit to come to the tree, and sooner or later we can catch this mole."

...

The next few days.

Chen Shanzhi led an extremely regular life.

During the day, he spent his time in indulgence at the Yihong Pavilion, but in reality, he was Cultivating.

After Cultivating, he would flirt with Jiang Yingrao and ask about the progress of catching the mole.

However, during these few days at the Yihong Pavilion, Jiang Yingrao once again refused Dual Cultivation.

The reason was still that her cultivation had regressed after the last Dual Cultivation, and she needed to consolidate and recover first.

Chen Shanzhi also knew that although Jiang Yingrao's physical sensitivity was one reason...

Essentially, the gap between his cultivation and hers was too large.

That's why Jiang Yingrao's cultivation would regress after Dual Cultivating with him.

Then at night, Tang Xiaowu would appear in Chen Shanzhi's room at the Zhenguo Marquis Mansion on time.

However, this girl's attitude was getting colder day by day, and it was becoming more like a routine.

"Let's Cultivate."

This was the first and only sentence she said every night after entering the door.

Chen Shanzhi didn't care either, chuckled, climbed onto the bed, and naturally reached out to pull her into his arms.

Tang Xiaowu's body stiffened slightly, but she didn't resist; she just closed her eyes and began to circulate her Cultivation Technique.

Late at night on the fifth day.

Zhenguo Marquis Mansion, the Heir's courtyard.

The candlelight in the room flickered, and two figures snuggled closely on the bed.

Tang Xiaowu closed her eyes, her hands forming seals, continuously drawing in the surrounding Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi.

Chen Shanzhi held her, feeling that soft and tender body, but his mind was immersed in his own body.

As time passed, the true essence in the sixth Xuanguan aperture in Chen Shanzhi's body had gradually accumulated to the peak.

It was like a flood about to burst a dam, surging and powerful.

Now is the time!"

Chen Shanzhi shouted low in his heart.

He mobilized all the true essence in his body and fiercely struck the barrier of the seventh aperture!

Once, twice, and again...

That solid barrier began to show cracks under the impact of the violent true essence.

"Break for me!"

Chen Shanzhi suddenly opened his eyes, a sharp light bursting from them.

Crack!

A crisp sound of breaking rang out inside his body.

That barrier collapsed, and the seventh Xuanguan aperture in Chen Shanzhi's body opened!

Boom!

A terrifying aura erupted from Chen Shanzhi's body, instantly sweeping through the entire room.

True essence was like a sea, galloping and roaring!

On the surface of Chen Shanzhi's body, a layer of faint golden light suddenly appeared, like a solid suit of armor, wrapping his entire person inside.

This was the sign of the Xuanguan Seven Apertures: Protective Astral Qi!

At this moment, Chen Shanzhi felt his whole body filled with explosive power.

If someone sneaked an attack before, he might have needed reaction time.

But now, with just a thought, the Protective Astral Qi would automatically protect its master, and ordinary swords could hardly harm him at all!

And this Protective Astral Qi was not just for automatic defense.

He could also drive this Protective Astral Qi to actively resist the enemy.

Compared to before, his strength was worlds apart.

With this Protective Astral Qi, he could be considered to have truly stepped into the level of a Martial Artist!

"Phew—"

Chen Shanzhi let out a long breath of turbid air and slowly opened his eyes, which shone with a sharp light like two bolts of lightning piercing the darkness.

"Congratulations."

A cold voice suddenly sounded in his ear.

Tang Xiaowu had already opened her eyes and was quietly looking at him.

She really didn't expect that Chen Shanzhi would actually Breakthrough to the Xuanguan Seven Apertures in such a short period of time!

One must know that going from the six apertures to the seven apertures is a hurdle in the Xuanguan; many people might be stuck here for their entire lives.

Even a Genius would take at least half a year or even a year to polish.

But he... only used less than a month!

This kind of talent was simply unheard of!

"If it weren't for hiding his strength for fear of suspicion from the one in the palace, he would definitely have a place in the top ten of the immortal stele hidden dragon ranking!"

Tang Xiaowu sighed inwardly.

After the shock, a complex emotion surged in Tang Xiaowu's heart.

Since he had already reached the Xuanguan Seven Apertures, it meant...

Their transaction had come to an end.

She didn't have to sneak here every night anymore.

Nor did she have to endure that shameful way of Cultivating.

And she didn't have to face her inner torment every time she went back.

This was clearly the result she had been looking forward to, a relief like a weight lifted.

But why...

Did her heart feel a bit empty, and there was even a trace of inexplicable sadness?

But then, Tang Xiaowu took a deep breath, forcing down that trace of inexplicable reluctance in her heart.

Her face also returned to its usual coldness:

"Since you have already reached the Xuanguan Seven Apertures, our transaction is considered complete."

"From tomorrow on, I won't have to come to help you Cultivate anymore."

After saying this, she felt a sense of relief.

This was good.

Ending this absurd relationship, she could return to her original life, continue to be the sister who only belongs to Sixth Brother, and go back to the days when the two of them depended on each other.

Chen Shanzhi didn't say much upon hearing this, but nodded.

He didn't cling as Tang Xiaowu had expected; instead, he agreed quite readily:

"Okay."

"Wait until I consolidate my cultivation for two days, and I'll go find you.

Then we'll go together to open the Marquis Mansion's Secret Realm and help you get back the first three transformations of the Nine-Turn Golden Body Art of the Witch God."

Tang Xiaowu was stunned.

Looking at his calm appearance, an indescribable bitterness and grievance surged in her heart.

As expected, were all those previous tenderness and gestures of goodwill just for the transaction?

Once the goal is achieved, can he withdraw without any hesitation?

"Heh, men."

Tang Xiaowu laughed at herself and said coldly:

"Okay."

After speaking, she quickly put on her shoes and socks and tidied her slightly messy clothes.

Without looking back, she pushed open the door and walked into the night.

Watching Tang Xiaowu disappear into the night.

The calmness on Chen Shanzhi's face disappeared instantly, replaced by a confident smile.

"Trying to walk away after getting what you want?"

"Naive."

He was a pro player who knew the plot well; how could he spit out the meat that was already in his mouth?

Let Tang Xiaowu return to Tang Liu's side?

What a joke!

The Zhenguo Marquis Mansion and Tang Liu had an irreconcilable blood feud.

Tang Liu, that cheater, already had a very strong Protagonist Halo.

If he were also allowed to get the help of the Witch Clan behind Tang Xiaowu, what would happen?

Moreover...

"I've been touched and hugged by you, Xiaowu, and we've even been intimate together."

Since he Transmigrated, he was still a pure man until now.

Chen Shanzhi looked at his palm, the corners of his mouth slightly raised:

"Want to not take responsibility for me? No way!"

As for why he didn't try to keep her now?

With Tang Xiaowu's personality, if he pushed too hard, it would be counterproductive.

The current level was actually just right.

Of course, if he just wanted Tang Xiaowu to leave Tang Liu, Chen Shanzhi had other more effective methods.

However, Chen Shanzhi was quite greedy; he wanted more than just the Witch Clan behind Tang Xiaowu, he also wanted...

So there's still a long time, he has to take it slow and not be in a hurry