48: Chapter 48 is still two hours away!

Composing his mind, Chen Shanzhi very decisively withdrew his consciousness from his Sea of Consciousness.

Since this cluster of golden flames could not be commanded for the time being, he would just leave it aside for now.

After all, haste makes waste; there would always be a way later.

At this moment, a faint fluctuation of True Essence came from his embrace.

Chen Shanzhi looked down and saw that the specks of starlight surrounding Tang Xiaowu had all been completely internalized.

The aura within her body was climbing steadily at an extremely exaggerated speed, only to be firmly suppressed by her immediately after.

Tang Xiaowu's eyelashes trembled, and she slowly opened her eyes.

In those pair of watery, beautiful eyes, there was now unconcealable shock.

As the Saintess of the Witch Clan, she was originally at the strength of the Xuanguan Peak of the Twelve Mysterious Apertures.

The True Essence within her body had long been polished to be as responsive as an arm to a finger, condensed to the extreme.

Yet just now, after absorbing this starlight.

She discovered that the True Essence within her body, which had originally had no room for further progress.

Had actually been forcibly condensed a few more notches!

Now, with the Foundation of True Essence inside Tang Xiaowu's body, if not for the fact that.

She still shouldered the task of entering the Four Seas Academy Secret Realm and had to keep her Realm stuck at the Profound Gate Realm.

Tang Xiaowu could now sit cross-legged right here and attempt to knock open the Heavenly Gate in her body and ignite the Life Fire in her Sea of Consciousness!

"With my Foundation at Xuanguan Peak, to be able to obtain such great benefits..." Tang Xiaowu secretly clicked her tongue in wonder.

She subconsciously thought of Chen Shanzhi, who was holding her.

This lecher's strength before was only at the Xuanguan Seven Apertures.

Having absorbed such massive Origin starlight, he could probably directly break through several major apertures, right?

Thinking this, Tang Xiaowu curiously and quietly raised her head.

She wanted to see Chen Shanzhi's current absorption situation, whether he was gritting his teeth while trying to break through.

Unexpectedly, the moment she raised her head, her gaze collided directly with Chen Shanzhi, who had been staring at her all along.

Their eyes met, at such close range.

Chen Shanzhi could even feel the warm, fragrant breath exhaled from Tang Xiaowu's nostrils.

Tang Xiaowu's mind instantly went blank.

With a 'hum', her entire pretty face, at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Turned red from the base of her neck all the way to her earlobes, so red it was almost dripping blood.

The next second, like a frightened ostrich, she abruptly tucked her head down and buried it tightly into the crook of Chen Shanzhi's neck.

Playing dead, she must play dead.

Just now in the new bridal chamber within the Secret Realm, the two of them could be said to have done everything that could and could not be done.

That kind of zero-distance crazy contact—thinking back on it now, Tang Xiaowu felt her whole body go limp.

Her mind was a complete mess right now; she had no idea how to face Chen Shanzhi.

She could only keep her eyes tightly shut, hugging Chen Shanzhi's neck tightly, acting like an ostrich with its head buried in the sand.

Feeling the scorching temperature coming from his neck, as well as the slightly trembling delicate body of the beauty in his arms.

Chen Shanzhi smiled silently.

He did not expose Tang Xiaowu's pretense, nor did he tease her again.

Women, after all, have thin skin; if pushed too hard, they are liable to bite.

The bite he had just received on his shoulder was still throbbing with pain.

Chen Shanzhi steadily supported Tang Xiaowu's breathtaking curves.

He walked directly to the stone pillar in the middle.

He extended his free left hand and pointed at the second ball of light floating above the stone pillar.

"Pop."

The ball of light made a soft sound and dissipated into the air as countless tiny specks of light.

Gradually, it revealed the outline of the item wrapped inside.

This was a small wooden figurine only the size of a palm.

The carving was rough, lacking even facial features, with only a few extremely complex and cryptic vermilion runes carved all over its body.

In the game, the name of this item was Puppet Substitute Talisman.

It was a Yellow Rank treasure tool, and its effect was extremely practical.

When the holder encounters a fatal blow.

This wooden figurine would instantly take all the damage for the user, saving the user's life.

To put it bluntly, it was an extra life!

The only restriction was that the damage-bearing limit of this substitute talisman.

Was only effective against attacks from the Life Fire Realm Early Stage and below.

And the user's own Realm must also be in the Profound Gate Realm.

Once one breaks through to the Life Fire Realm, this thing becomes a useless piece of wood.

In the original game's storyline, this was the top-tier life-saving item that the protagonist, Tang Liu, found in the Zhenguo Marquis Mansion Secret Realm.

It was precisely by relying on this substitute talisman that Tang Liu was able to, in the subsequent certain-death scenarios.

Forcibly survive, successfully completing the satisfying trope of a counter-kill with a sliver of health remaining.

"The protagonist's things really are all good things.

It's just a pity that now they are mine."

Chen Shanzhi's lips curled into a mischievous smile as he gently stroked the small wooden figurine twice.

Now, Tang Liu's life-saving trump card had been intercepted by him.

I wonder how our favored-by-fate Child of Destiny, who possesses great Luck.

Will deal with those dangerous death scenarios later on without this substitute talisman to block the blade?

If, because of lacking this item, Tang Liu simply dies from a scripted plot death... that wouldn't be a bad thing at all.

Chen Shanzhi did not hesitate; he directly circulated his True Essence, forced a drop of crimson essence blood from his fingertip, and flicked his finger.

"Plop."

The essence blood dripped onto the wooden head of the Puppet figurine.

Those few vermilion runes instantly lit up with an eerie glow.

Like a living thing, it instantly absorbed this drop of essence blood completely.

Immediately following this, a magical scene occurred.

The face of the wooden figurine, which originally had no features, actually began to twist and squirm.

In just a few breaths of time, it transformed into the likeness of Chen Shanzhi!

Even the expression between the brows was imitated vividly.

At the same time, in the depths of Chen Shanzhi's heart.

A faint connection was born, a link of blood and a subtle, distant bond with this Puppet figurine.

"Done."

Chen Shanzhi stuffed the substitute talisman into his bosom, keeping it close to his body.

He turned and came to the last stone pillar, which was also the tallest one.

The ball of light on this stone pillar was a size larger than the previous two combined.

The light pulsed uncertainly, exuding an extraordinary aura.

Chen Shanzhi stared at this ball of light, his eyes filled with emotion.

In the early game settings, the clearable rewards for this Zhenguo Marquis Mansion Secret Realm were only for the first two stages on the surface.

And this last ball of light corresponded to the most disgusting hidden Boss in the Secret Realm!

The difficulty of that hidden boss was simply insane!

It had a full two-stage transformation; the first stage had various large-scale AOE group attacks, and the second stage even possessed locking skills and life-steal effects.

The skill mechanics were more perverted than the last.

It could be said that this was the most torturous and hardest-to-fight boss in the early game.

To get the reward from this third ball of light, one had to step over the corpse of that hidden boss.

"A blessing in disguise," Chen Shanzhi chuckled softly.

Entering the Secret Realm this time, because of a series of accidental butterfly effects.

He had directly walked into the Wu Clan hidden storyline, which had never been encountered before.

Although the process was a bit twisted, and he had also helped Miao Aman fulfill her obsession.

But not having to lock horns to the death with that perverted hidden boss.

For Chen Shanzhi, this was definitely a huge profit.

You have to know, in the game, this hidden boss.

Was only ground to death by Tang Liu and Tang Xiaowu working together, and even then, it was extremely dangerous.

If it were himself now, even with Tang Xiaowu, he would likely have ended up here and directly hit GG.

So, could this be considered him exploiting a bug to skip class?

Thinking of this, Chen Shanzhi slowly extended his hand and pressed it onto this largest white ball of light.

"Shoo!"

The ball of light did not explode but directly turned into a stream of light.

Following Chen Shanzhi's arm, as fast as lightning, it crashed directly into the Sea of Consciousness between his brows!

"Boom!"

In Chen Shanzhi's mind, hundreds and thousands of ancient, cryptic golden characters instantly emerged.

These characters, as if they had life, arranged and combined themselves in the depths of his memory.

Forming an incomparably profound general outline of a Cultivation Technique.

The Cultivation Technique was named Spirit Refining Art》, and it was one that could, while in the Profound Gate Realm.

Start tempering the Martial Artist's Divine Soul—a Heaven-Defying Cultivation Technique!

You must know, in the common logic of the Martial Dao, the Profound Gate Realm only cultivates the Physical Body and True Essence.

A Martial Artist can only, after knocking open the Heavenly Gate in their body, igniting the Life Fire in their Sea of Consciousness, and stepping into the Life Fire Realm.

Utilize the nourishment of the Life Fire to nourish and temper their own Divine Soul bit by bit.

Yet this Spirit Refining Art》 dropped by the hidden boss had forcibly broken this iron rule!

In the game, this was a Cultivation Technique only second to the highest-level orange grade!

One must know that beginning to temper the Divine Soul while in the Profound Gate Realm brings immeasurable benefits.

The most intuitive combat benefit is that after the Divine Soul strengthens, the five senses become extremely sharp.

During a duel, one can easily capture the opponent's attack trajectory, muscle movements, and even the flow of True Qi.

Thereby achieving the legendary ability to anticipate the enemy and predict moves in advance!

But that is not even the most insane part.

Its greatest strategic significance lies in the moment a Martial Artist reaches the Xuanguan Peak and attempts to knock open the Heavenly Gate within their body.

An extremely powerful Divine Soul Foundation can make the ignited Life Fire become incomparably vigorous!

The more vigorous the Life Fire, the greater the gifts from heaven and earth and the benefits of life evolution when breaking through to the Life Fire Realm.

This Cultivation Technique is simply a technique for building a solid Martial Dao Foundation while in the Profound Gate Realm.

As Chen Shanzhi digested the cultivation incantations in his mind, he suddenly thought of that clump of golden flames in his Sea of Consciousness that he could never command.

Could it be that he couldn't control it before because his Divine Soul was too weak?

Then if... he were to strengthen his Divine Soul through this "Soul Forging Technique," would he be able to control that golden flame in his Sea of Consciousness?

Once this thought emerged, a glimmer of anticipation faintly arose in Chen Shanzhi's heart.

As long as he could use even a sliver of that flame's power, his trump card for self-preservation would be that much stronger.

The moment Chen Shanzhi completely imprinted the "Soul Forging Technique" into his mind, the last light orb dissipated completely.

Immediately after, the originally silent stone chamber suddenly emitted a series of slight vibrations.

Rippling, water-like teleportation patterns began to appear on the stone walls.

"Is this the Secret Realm closing, preparing to send us out?" Chen Shanzhi said softly as he felt the vibrations beneath his feet.

Tang Xiaowu, who had been burying her head in Chen Shanzhi's neck and playing dead, suddenly opened her eyes upon hearing this.

She poked half of her head out from Chen Shanzhi's embrace, looking at the teleportation patterns lighting up on the surrounding walls.

An undisguisable look of joy instantly erupted in her watery, beautiful eyes.

Finally... finally, she was going to leave this torturous Secret Realm!

Tang Xiaowu now had only one thought in her mind: once she got out, she must leave the Zhenguo Marquis Mansion immediately and run as far away as possible!

Her heart was now a complete mess.

It was tangled and impossible to sort out.

She had no idea what identity or perspective she should use to face the man holding her.

Just like they had agreed before entering the Secret Realm—that it was just a transaction, and after leaving, they would each go their own separate ways? How could that be possible?

After experiencing that unforgettable, heart-and-Soul-merging wedding night in the Secret Realm—that Soul-deep compatibility, that shiver of knowing the taste of marrow.

Even if she could deceive others, she couldn't deceive her own body.

Deep down, it was impossible for her to lie to herself and pretend that nothing had happened between them!

But if she really were to become Chen Shanzhi's lover, his woman? Tang Xiaowu bit her red lips, her eyes dimming slightly.

Not to mention the deep guilt she still felt in her heart towards Tang Liu, who had always called her sister and cared for her so attentively.

Just looking at Chen Shanzhi himself, with his reputation as the head of the capital's four great playboys, and his philandering ways of frequenting the Yihong Pavilion and spending his nights in brothels.

She, Tang Xiaowu, the dignified Saintess of the Witch Clan, could absolutely never stoop to becoming just one of Chen Shanzhi's lovers!

Women of the Wu Clan would only follow one man for their entire lives.

They were loyal to one until the end, unwavering until death.

If they gave their bodies, it meant they had handed over their lives.

Correspondingly, they also demanded that their men must be wholeheartedly devoted to them.

There could not be the slightest bit of unfaithfulness!

Whether you genuinely only loved her, or were controlled by their unique Wu Clan Love Gu, it didn't matter.

What mattered was: you must only have her as your woman!

If it were an ordinary man who had taken a Saintess of the Witch Clan's body and had such a philandering nature, the only thing Tang Xiaowu would do after leaving would be to slaughter him!

Then she would live out her life alone, never seeking another man for the rest of her days.

But unfortunately... Chen Shanzhi was the heir to the Zhenguo Marquis Mansion, a top-tier noble of this Great Zhou Dynasty.

And she, Tang Xiaowu, still needed to stay in the capital to compete for the qualification to enter the Four Seas Academy Secret Realm and complete the mission assigned by her tribe.

She couldn't kill him, nor could she kill him.

Unable to kill him, yet unable to swallow this frustration, the only method of check and balance left was the ultimate technique of Wu Clan women: planting the Love Gu!

As long as the Love Gu was planted, Chen Shanzhi would naturally be wholeheartedly devoted to her.

But that was exactly where the problem lay!

The reason the Love Gu was so tyrannical was that its activation conditions were extremely harsh.

It required the man being planted with the Gu to truly love the woman deep in his heart at the very moment the Gu was planted!

If there was no true affection between the two, the Love Gu could not be planted successfully.

This was actually the ultimate method Wu Clan women used to test whether their men truly loved them.

Tang Xiaowu felt that large hand resting on her buttocks, still restlessly kneading.

She didn't need to use the Love Gu to test him at all!

She knew with her toes that the current Chen Shanzhi absolutely could not be said to have any unforgettable love for her.

This lecher was currently more interested in her beauty and obsessed with her body!

This created a vicious cycle.

To control Chen Shanzhi, she had to plant the Love Gu.

To plant the Love Gu, she first had to make Chen Shanzhi fall in love with her genuinely.

But Tang Xiaowu's mind was currently full of guilt towards Tang Liu.

She couldn't even avoid Chen Shanzhi in time, so how could she possibly chase after him and make him fall in love with her?

Therefore, Tang Xiaowu didn't want to care about anything right now; she just wanted to leave this Secret Realm immediately.

Once she calmed down alone, she would then slowly plan for the long term.

Just as Tang Xiaowu was lost in thought, hoping to be teleported out quickly, suddenly, "Mmm..."

Tang Xiaowu's body trembled violently, as if struck by lightning.

She discovered in horror that at some point, Chen Shanzhi had actually lowered his head slightly and buried his face deep into her long, fair neck!

Warm breath, accompanied by a masculine, rugged scent, was rhythmically spraying onto her most sensitive neck hollow.

She could even feel two lips with scorching heat, faintly and lightly wandering across her skin!

They even reached her earlobe, intentionally or unintentionally, and began to nibble.

This was her sensitive spot.

Tang Xiaowu couldn't help but let out a faint sound.

Although her eyes were still closed, her hands were pushing hard against Chen Shanzhi's chest, trying to pull away from him.

Chen Shanzhi was pushed back slightly by her.

Looking at Tang Xiaowu, who was like a frightened little rabbit in his arms, not only did he not let go, but he instead exerted force with his hands on her waist and buttocks, holding her even tighter.

The bodies that were already pressed close together instantly became seamless, without any gap left between them.

Tang Xiaowu could even clearly feel that terrible thing that had been suppressed earlier, now raising its head again with an extremely arrogant posture.

"No... aren't we about to leave? Why is this lecher still thinking about taking advantage of me!"

Tang Xiaowu kept her eyes tightly shut, only thinking about the two of them leaving this Secret Realm quickly.

But Tang Xiaowu, this naive Saintess of the Witch Clan, did not know.

In this final reward stone chamber, if one had taken all the clearance rewards but did not actively trigger the hidden exit formation pattern on the last stone pillar...

Then this Secret Realm would only forcibly teleport the people remaining inside out after a full two hours!

In other words, there was still a full two hours of absolute private time before the two were forcibly kicked out of the Secret Realm!

Chen Shanzhi did not want to waste these two hours.