308: Chapter 308 I wish to cultivate with you

The stars and moon cast their light.

The palace was brightly lit, and strange sounds drifted out intermittently until just before dawn.

As the first light of dawn appeared, a silver bird landed on the roof of the Stargazing Palace's side hall, holding a Spiritual Qi-infused fruit and curiously fiddling with it.

Inside the side hall, a delicate voice whispered, sounding as if she were complaining.

"Your... hair..."

After a moment of silence, another voice responded teasingly: "Yours isn't... uh, that just slipped out. Yours is indeed different from others."

The scene inside the hall was slightly disheveled. On the smooth jade wall, a pair of small handprints were pressed, sunk three points deep into the stone.

The position of those handprints was extremely high, far beyond the reach of Ye Xinglan's petite stature.

Ye Xinglan had finished tidying up her moon-white undergarments. She swallowed, raised her eyes to look at Ling Hao, and said softly: "I've already done as you said and called out as you wanted. Please don't tell Fengyi, okay?"

(Can't help it, read the comments to fill in the blanks)

Ling Hao raised an eyebrow: "No..."

"You..." Shame and annoyance welled up in Ye Xinglan's eyes.

Seeing her like this, Ling Hao chuckled: "Alright."

"However, since I've helped you so much, I should receive some compensation, right? The Wutong Divine Dynasty belongs to me? That's the dowry, it doesn't count as extra."

Ye Xinglan frowned: "Then what do you have in mind?"

Ling Hao looked at her youthful face, suddenly reached out, and naturally ruffled her loose silver hair with a doting motion, asking in return: "Then what do you have in mind?"

Ye Xinglan's body stiffened.

"You pushed her to me, do you feel better yourself?"

Ling Hao's voice deepened, and he said gently: "You don't have absolutely no feelings for me, do you? For example, last night... didn't you call me..."

Ye Xinglan abruptly turned her head to look out the window, the tips of her ears turning bright red.

"Shut up!"

"Why can't I say it... last night you..."

"If you say it again, I won't come next time!"

The corners of Ling Hao's mouth curled up. He pressed close from behind, spread his arms, easily encircled her petite body in his embrace, and sat down on the nearby cushion.

Ye Xinglan struggled symbolically for a moment before leaning softly against his chest, no longer resisting.

The two were in an intimate position. Ling Hao's chin rested lightly on the top of her head, one hand encircling her slender waist, while the other naturally rested on her flat, soft lower abdomen, the warmth of his palm slowly caressing through her nightclothes.

After a good while, Ling Hao's cheek pressed against her slightly cool face, rubbing affectionately.

"My thoughts are very simple," Ling Hao whispered against her ear, "I will help with Fengyi's matter. But I am a greedy person. As for you, I will never let go. Do you understand, my little State Preceptor?"

Ye Xinglan leaned in his arms, silent, only her slightly hurried breathing exposing the turmoil in her heart.

After cuddling for a moment, Ling Hao straightened up and gently placed the person in his arms onto the now-dry bed. He walked to the door, and before leaving, left behind a meaningful sentence.

"Rest well. For now, I will do as you ask and keep it from her temporarily. But afterwards... Xinglan, fate may be hard to defy, but the human heart can choose its own path."

The palace doors closed.

Ye Xinglan sat alone on the bed, gazing at the flowing clouds outside the window, her deep purple eyes misting over.

"Actually, my fate is also you..."

"Cough... cough..."

Ye Xinglan covered her mouth as she coughed. When she opened her palm, there was a smear of bright red, and also...

...

Just as Ling Hao exited the Stargazing Palace, his gaze was drawn by an unusual phenomenon outside the city.

In the wilderness on the outskirts of the city, two giant Dharma Images collided with a bang, the shockwave tearing through the clouds.

"Dharma Image?" Ling Hao raised an eyebrow as he looked, "Yu Qing? And... that eldest Disciple of Ye Xinglan?"

Outside Wutong City.

Above the wilderness, the gale winds howled.

Two figures, one red and one black, collided at high speed. Every strike erupted with a dull roar, causing the earth to tremble slightly.

An Hongxiu, dressed in crimson sportswear, relied solely on her fists, channeling the Dao of Power, unleashing it freely. Where her fist wind passed, the air exploded, and crimson Protective Aura ripples swept across.

Opposite her, Du Yuqing was dressed in black sportswear, her movements steady. Facing the storm-like onslaught, she met it with fists and palms. Her world-purifying lotus heart beat steadily, providing a continuous source of stamina and recovery.

After fighting for hundreds of rounds, it was hard to tell who was stronger.

After a fierce collision, both retreated dozens of zhang. A look of satisfaction appeared on An Hongxiu's heroic face. She looked around, confirmed no one was approaching, and said: "That was exhilarating! Fellow Daoist, your strength is astonishing! How about we make a bet? If I win this round, you help me with a favor?"

Du Yuqing also revealed a look of pleasure; it had been a long time since she had such a hearty and satisfying battle.

Except for the little Junior Sister Xia Yingying, the other Senior Sisters and Junior Sisters, while similar in strength to her, were not Body Cultivators and could not engage in a satisfying, flesh-to-flesh fight.

"What favor?"

A flash of joy crossed An Hongxiu's eyes as she transmitted her voice into Du Yuqing's ears.

After hearing this, a trace of surprise flashed in Du Yuqing's eyes. She looked at her deeply and nodded: "Agreed."

"Good!" An Hongxiu was overjoyed, her Battle Intent burning even hotter, "Come again!"

The two no longer held back and shouted simultaneously: "Crimson Sky Dharma Image, open!" "Holy Lotus Dharma Image, appear!"

Boom! Boom!

Two terrifying auras soared into the sky!

Behind An Hongxiu, a giant god Dharma Image, a hundred zhang tall and wreathed in crimson flames, rose from the ground, wielding a phantom flame battle spear, its Battle Intent soaring to the heavens.

Behind Du Yuqing, a towering twelve-petaled lotus pedestal Dharma Image, swirling with chaotic luster, emerged. The lotus pedestal rotated slowly, purifying and suppressing everything around it.

"Army Breaker, burn and destroy the Void Realm!" The crimson flame giant roared, thrusting the battle spear with the momentum to burn and destroy the Void Realm.

"World-Purifying, Holy Lotus Immeasurable!" The lotus pedestal Dharma Image was as steady as a mountain, its petals blooming with boundless clear light, transforming into a huge light shield to meet the attack.

Boom—!

Red and black, the fire that burns the heavens and the light of purification collided violently in mid-air! An energy storm swept across, plowing deep trenches into the ground, and space distorted.

Just then, the pale golden lotus mark on Du Yuqing's forehead suddenly lit up.

"Golden Lotus Mark!" "Holy Lotus Ancestral Vein!"

An invisible Domain instantly expanded, enveloping An Hongxiu and her crimson flame Dharma Image. Within the Domain, Spiritual Qi solidified.

An Hongxiu's expression changed. She felt her connection to the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi severed; the power of her Crimson Sky War Body felt as if it were shackled, its operation sluggish. Furthermore, a suppression originating from the depths of her Bloodline descended, causing her aura to drop once again.

"Ancestral Vein?!"

An Hongxiu exclaimed, the light of her crimson flame Dharma Image dimming.

In the blink of an eye, golden light flashed in Du Yuqing's eyes.

"Jie!"

Terrifying power erupted from within her! The lotus pedestal Dharma Image behind her instantly became ten times more solid, its chaotic light illuminating the heavens and earth! She gently thrust her right fist forward.

This punch was faster than the eye could follow, as heavy as if it could pierce the earth.

The defense that the crimson flame Dharma Image had hastily gathered shattered instantly. The fist passed through the broken flames like a hot knife through butter, striking An Hongxiu's Protective Aura and Spiritual Qi.

An Hongxiu was sent flying backward, crashing down heavily and kicking up dust.

As the dust settled slightly, An Hongxiu stood up, looking slightly disheveled. She wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth and looked at Du Yuqing in the distance, whose aura was stable and whose lotus pedestal Dharma Image had dissipated. She sighed with genuine admiration: "As expected of the Supreme's Disciple, I have lost!"

A flash of disappointment crossed her eyes, and she turned to leave.

"Wait."

Du Yuqing's voice came, "The bet, I accept. But whether it can be accomplished depends on Revered Master's approval."

An Hongxiu turned around abruptly, surprise bursting in her eyes: "Really?!"

"Really."

"Oh? What are you betting on? What do you want me to agree to?"

Ling Hao's figure appeared not far away, watching them with great interest.

Seeing Ling Hao, a blush instantly flashed across An Hongxiu's face, and her previously heroic demeanor faltered slightly.

Du Yuqing first turned to Ling Hao and said respectfully, "Revered Master."

Then she looked at An Hongxiu and said, "Revered Master is here now, why don't you just tell my Revered Master directly."

An Hongxiu stepped forward, looked directly at Ling Hao, and said straightforwardly: "Lord Supreme, Hongxiu has a request."

She paused, her earlobes slightly red. "I, An Hongxiu, admire the strong and desire to ascend. I am enamored by your demeanor, Lord Supreme. If you do not despise me, I am willing to engage in Dual Cultivation with you!"

The wind blew across the wilderness, stirring An Hongxiu's high ponytail. Her posture was as straight as a spear, her crimson sportswear outlining her powerful waist and straight, long legs, her eyes bright and frank.

Ling Hao: "..."

Huh? ...