37: Su Yunniang advances to Golden Core cultivator

As the night grew as dark as ink, Situ Jun and Su Yunniang moved silently through the city, avoiding the bustling streets and any potential eyes.

Like two spectral souls, they used the cover of night to speed toward the outskirts of the city.

Along the way, Situ Jun held Su Yunniang's hand tightly; he could feel her palm trembling slightly, a mix of nervousness and the anticipation and unease of an impending Breakthrough.

Neither spoke a word as they sped toward the outskirts under the cover of night, with only their rapid breathing echoing in the silence.

Finally, they arrived at a secluded valley outside the city.

The area was surrounded by layers of mountains, forming a natural barrier. Dense vegetation grew wildly, isolating the place from the outside world, and few ever set foot there.

Situ Jun looked around vigilantly, and after confirming there was nothing unusual, he carefully led Su Yunniang deeper into the valley.

Finding a suitable spot, Su Yunniang took out a Spirit Array Talisman from her Storage Pouch and quickly set up a simple Concealment Formation to hide their presence, preventing any passing Cultivators from noticing them.

She nodded to Situ Jun, then sat cross-legged on a flat boulder, took a deep breath, and began to guide the surging spiritual energy within her body.

In an instant, the winds and clouds between heaven and earth shifted, and countless wisps of spiritual energy surged toward Su Yunniang like a raging tide.

A brilliant light erupted around her, and her clothes fluttered loudly under the impact of the spiritual power.

Situ Jun stood to the side, his eyes full of concern and tension. He watched Su Yunniang's expressions and movements, ready to respond to any sudden situation at any moment.

As time passed, Su Yunniang's aura grew increasingly powerful, and the surrounding Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi became even denser.

Dark clouds began to gather in the sky, with the faint rumble of thunder—a celestial phenomenon triggered when breaking through to the Golden Core Realm.

Situ Jun's heart tightened; he knew that if anyone discovered the commotion here now, the consequences would be unthinkable.

Meanwhile, Su Yunniang was at the critical stage of her Breakthrough and could not afford any distractions.

Her forehead was covered in fine beads of sweat, her face was flushed, and her body trembled slightly under the impact of the spiritual power, as if she might be torn apart by this powerful force at any moment.

Situ Jun was extremely anxious. He understood that if Su Yunniang failed this Breakthrough, it would be incredibly difficult for her to attempt the Golden Core Realm again in the future.

Just as Su Yunniang was about to reach her limit, unable to compress the spiritual energy into a Golden Core, Situ Jun suddenly remembered the Intermediate lottery chance awarded by the System.

With a thought, he urgently called out in his mind:

"System, use the Intermediate lottery chance!"

[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for drawing one 'Nine-Revolution Mysterious Yellow Pill.' Note: This pill increases the chance of a Realm Breakthrough by twenty percent.]

Looking at the pill in his hand radiating a mysterious light, Situ Jun was overjoyed.

He stepped quickly to Su Yunniang's side, his voice carrying an irrepressible excitement:

"Yunniang, open your mouth and take this pill."

Su Yunniang opened her eyes with difficulty, and though she felt a flicker of doubt, she still obeyed and opened her mouth, swallowing the pill Situ Jun fed her.

As the pill entered her stomach, a miraculous change occurred instantly.

The previously violent spiritual power in her body became much more docile, like a tamed wild horse. Her Divine Sense guided the spiritual energy to compress at her Dantian, and the surrounding Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi seemed to receive a summons, drilling into Su Yunniang's body even more frantically.

An hour later, as a violent surge of spiritual power erupted from Su Yunniang, light flared brilliantly, and a powerful yet steady Golden Core aura radiated from her entire body.

Su Yunniang had finally successfully broken through to the Golden Core Realm!

Her whole being seemed transformed; she looked much younger, her skin becoming even more supple and smooth like a newborn baby's, radiating a charming glow.

She slowly stood up and shared a smile with Situ Jun.

This smile dispelled all the tension and worry in Situ Jun's heart, leaving only endless joy and peace of mind.

"Let's go, we should head back and get some proper rest."

Situ Jun gently took Su Yunniang's hand and, under the shroud of night, walked toward the distance.

As the night deepened, their figures gradually vanished into the vast darkness, leaving behind only a tranquil valley to witness this thrilling Breakthrough.

Back at Xiangyun Garden.

Situ Jun pulled Su Yunniang into his arms, and the two of them dallied affectionately for quite a while.

Suppressing the excitement in his heart, Situ Jun gazed deeply into Su Yunniang's eyes and said softly:

"Yunniang, you're pregnant. I'm going to be a father soon."

Su Yunniang was so shocked by these sudden words that she froze in place, taking a long while to come back to her senses.

She hurriedly sat up and stared intently at Situ Jun, her eyes filled with surprise and disbelief, her voice trembling slightly as she asked:

"You say I'm pregnant? Is... is this true?"

Situ Jun reached out to hold her again, his palm stroking her long hair gently to soothe her agitated heart, as he said softly:

"It's true. We're having a child."

"How do you know?"

Having calmed down, Su Yunniang asked with eyes full of doubt.

Situ Jun smiled tenderly and said mysteriously:

"That's a secret. Also, I want a more flexible identity, one that allows me to enter and leave the estate freely."

Su Yunniang subconsciously stroked her flat, fair, and smooth abdomen, still feeling as if everything were a dream.

Hearing Situ Jun's request, she thought for a moment and said softly:

"Then I'll arrange another identity for you, in charge of purchasing resources for the West Courtyard."

"Mhm, that works. By the way, what is Bei Batian's current Cultivation?"

Situ Jun asked softly.

"He has probably reached the fifth layer of the Golden Core or higher; I don't know his exact Cultivation. If I really am pregnant, then we should just run away together."

After Su Yunniang finished speaking, she gave a seductive smile, her eyes full of charm and a hint of playfulness.

"Don't worry, with me here, nothing will happen to you or the child. I'm already at the Sixth Layer of Foundation Establishment; give me a bit more time, and I'll soon break through to the Golden Core Stage."

Situ Jun said with a confident smile, his eyes determined.

Hearing Situ Jun say his cultivation had reached the Sixth Layer of Foundation Establishment, Su Yunniang was startled. She quickly made him let go of her and circulated her spiritual power to investigate carefully.

Once she confirmed Situ Jun wasn't lying, she became full of worry again and began to question how his strength had increased so rapidly.

Looking at the woman who was carrying his child, Situ Jun's heart was full of tenderness. He didn't want to hide anything from her, but for safety's sake, he only said he practiced a Dual Cultivation Technique that allowed him to rapidly increase his cultivation without hidden dangers, and that the partner's cultivation would also increase quickly.

Su Yunniang's successful Breakthrough to the Golden Core Stage was a perfect example, which indeed proved that what Situ Jun said was not false, so she didn't press him further.

She knew well that this was Situ Jun's secret and that she shouldn't selfishly pry into it.

"You can't let anyone else know about you being at the Sixth Layer of Foundation Establishment. For now, reveal your cultivation as being at the Fifth Layer of Qi Refining. If anyone asks how your cultivation improved so fast, you can just shift the reason onto me."

Su Yunniang instructed seriously.

"Understood. Also, I am already a Rank One Alchemist. Help me arrange things for learning Alchemy; I want to obtain the status of an Alchemist as soon as possible."

Situ Jun said softly, his voice carrying a bit of urgency.

Su Yunniang was shocked once again. She said with a serious and solemn face:

"From now on, do not tell your secrets to anyone, including me. Unless you want to say it yourself and can ensure it won't threaten your safety, never let a second person besides yourself know! Also, if you encounter anything you can't solve, leave it to me. Your wife is a Golden Core Cultivator now."

As she spoke, her eyes were tender, and her face carried a faint, seductive expression.

"Understood, my dear wife."

Situ Jun said, giving Su Yunniang a light kiss on the cheek.

"You say I'm pregnant, but I still can't quite believe it. Let's continue... until I'm certain I'm pregnant."

Su Yunniang's face turned crimson, her eyes filled with a trace of shyness and anticipation as she spoke softly.

Su Yunniang's coquettishness warmed Situ Jun's heart. In the night, their breaths intertwined, turning all worries and fatigue into tender affection.

They lingered in their embrace for a long time, and only when the moonlight climbed onto the window lattice did they fall asleep in each other's arms.