Chapter 13: On the Eve of the Breakthrough

Wuzhou, the residence of the Minister of Works.

As dusk settled, the spacious and imposing gates opened wide, and the servants passing by inside the mansion peered out with great curiosity.

I don't understand who these guests are, that the head of the family would personally come out to greet them.

Situ Dezong stood at the door with a big, round belly and a smile on his face. His fat eyes were narrowed to slits. When his gaze fell on the seventeen or eighteen beautiful young girls in front of him, he was already very excited.

The Maidens' Gate was truly extraordinary. These dozen or so delicate beauties were all exceptionally beautiful and dressed provocatively. They had thrown countless flirtatious glances along the way, completely unconcerned about the gazes of the men around them. They were bold and open, and some of the stewards and managers behind them had already blushed.

At this moment, a stunningly beautiful woman stepped out of a carriage among the girls of the Maidens' Gate. Her eyes sparkled, and the men who met her gaze felt as if her almond-shaped eyes could electrify them, sending shivers down their spines.

"It was actually the head of the Situ family who came out to greet me personally. How could I possibly accept such a favor?"

A beautiful woman, exuding charm, came to greet them.

"Hehehe."

Situ Dezong, his obese belly protruding, stepped forward and said, "With such an honored guest, how could I, as the host, not offer some thanks? May I ask how the lady is addressed?"

The beautiful woman said with a smile, "Master Situ, you are too kind. Everyone calls me Mei Niang."

Situ Dezong's fat eyes lit up immediately, realizing that the beautiful woman before him was none other than the Mingyue girl the servants had been talking about. He asked somewhat impatiently, "May I ask, Meiniang, are there any other distinguished guests in this carriage?"

"The Situ family head truly has discerning eyes; the one in the carriage is our Miss Mingyue."

Mei Niang covered her mouth and chuckled softly.

He secretly thought to himself that, just as the lady had said, that old fellow Situ Dezong was extremely picky about women and would never touch a woman who was dissolute.

A delicate, white hand pulled back the curtain of the carriage, and then, a pretty yellow embroidered shoe emerged from under the skirt.

Her eyes were like water, her skin like jade, and she wore a pale yellow floor-length dress. Although she wore no makeup, she looked like a fairy who did not eat the food of this world.

What is most impressive is that she gives the impression of a well-bred young lady from a prominent family, dignified, elegant, gentle and self-possessed, yet possessing a captivating charm that sets her apart from other women.

Two completely different qualities appeared on her at the same time, yet they blended together perfectly.

Situ Dezong was completely stunned. The women he had been so eager to see just moments before now seemed like ordinary, vulgar beauties in comparison to the stunning woman before him.

Gazing at her long, slender legs, barely concealed beneath her long dress, her delicate waist, and her small, exquisite embroidered shoes, Situ Dezong felt a small fire suddenly rise within him.

"Mingyue greets Patriarch Situ."

The beautiful woman's voice was like the warbling of orioles and the chirping of swallows, which was extremely pleasing.

A fragrant breeze wafted over, startling Situ Dezong awake. He quickly said, "Miss Mingyue, please come in, please come in. I have already had my servants prepare a feast, please don't stand on ceremony."

Miss Mingyue bowed gracefully: "Thank you for your trouble, Patriarch Situ."

Her elegant and dignified movements set Situ Dezong's heart ablaze with passion; she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

Apart from the Sword Maiden of Penglai, he had never before decided to conquer a woman at first sight.

Although she appeared dignified and elegant, and her demeanor seemed different from the other young women, with Situ Dezong's extraordinary experience of having seen countless women, he could tell at a glance that this Miss Mingyue was not a virgin.

Given the style of the "Girls' Sect," getting intimate with her shouldn't be a problem; the key is whether he can offer something that satisfies her.

Then, he would remove her clothes piece by piece, press her soft body beneath him, and ride her freely on the bed, watching her writhe and submit beneath him—what an intoxicating feeling that would be.

Thinking of this, Situ Dezong could no longer contain himself.

At the banquet, Situ Dezong was extremely hospitable, making the group of girls feel right at home.

Seeing Situ Dezong's bloated face flushed from drinking and his ridiculous ramblings to Miss Mingyue, Meiniang chuckled inwardly, recalling the conversation between the two of them before the lady left.

"That old fellow Situ Dezong forgets all about his parents the moment he sees a beautiful woman. There must be some powerful force supporting him. When you get to Wuzhou, act according to the situation, but always prioritize your own safety."

"Don't worry, Madam. The disciples we've brought this time are all the best that my senior sister and I have trained. In addition, Miss's martial arts skills are no less than mine, so there's no need to worry too much about her safety. It's just that Miss will have to go through a lot of trouble dealing with that old lecher Situ Dezong. I'm afraid he might take advantage of her."

"As long as we find out who is backing Situ Dezong, these small sacrifices are nothing. Madam, just wait for good news from me and Meiniang."

At this moment, Situ Dezong was surrounded by a group of bold and beautiful women, whose delicate hands kept pouring wine into his mouth, making the stewards and servants sitting below the banquet table extremely envious.

From the moment she took her seat, Miss Mingyue remained elegantly seated, a stark contrast to the reactions of the other women around her.

Situ Dezong's slightly intoxicated, fat eyes were constantly fixed on her, but she remained unmoved.

"I have long admired your school, and seeing you today, I can say that hearing about you is not as good as seeing you in person. I am truly captivated and reluctant to leave."

The young lady Mingyue smiled slightly and said leisurely, "This is the home of the Situ family head. How can you say that you linger here? My sect does not restrict the personal behavior of its members. If the Situ family head takes a fancy to any of the girls, as long as she is happy, the Situ family head can take her to bed if he wants, without any problem."

The women burst into giggles.

None of the men present expected that such bold and explicit words would come from the mouth of a dignified and reserved young lady.

If ordinary people heard such words in a brothel, they would think it was nothing out of the ordinary and would not react at all.

However, when such words came from this beautiful woman who seemed to be from a respectable family, all the men present felt a surge of heat rising in their lower abdomen.

Situ Dezong was the most unbearable. His eyes were fixed on Miss Mingyue, watching her elegant sitting posture, and his heart was already filled with lustful thoughts about her.

Upon suddenly hearing the bold words from the beautiful woman, his penis immediately hardened.

He said, his breathing slightly rapid, "Oh, then may I ask, Miss Mingyue... are you among them?"

The girl with bright red lips curled up: "What do you think?"

She subtly winked at Meiniang beside her, who immediately understood, smiled, picked up a wine cup, and stood up to join Situ Dezong.

One of the women immediately gave up her seat, and Meiniang moved closer to him, whispering in his ear.

"Oh dear, Patriarch Situ, although our Miss Mingyue is among them, no man has yet appeared who could make her willingly offer herself to him."

Situ Dezong, true to his reputation as a lecherous old man, immediately grasped the key point.

"So, there's another way to spend the night with Miss Mingyue?"

Mei Niang smiled and said, "Patriarch Situ is indeed clever. If you wish to win her favor, there are ways, as long as..."

She leaned close to Situ Dezong's ear and whispered something.

Situ Dezong's fat eyes grew brighter and brighter, until finally, when he looked at Mingyue sitting opposite him, his eyes were burning with desire.

◇◇◇

Under the bright moon, Lin Zixuan followed Lu Zhongming to the outside of the Prince Yi's mansion. He saw the mansion's grand gate bustling with people, and guests coming to offer their congratulations in an endless stream.

Lu Zhongming handed the invitation to the doorman, who recognized him and respectfully ushered the two inside. This was Lin Zixuan's first time stepping into the Prince Yi's mansion.

The current emperor has nine younger brothers. Apart from the Prince of Yi, the other eight live in their respective fiefdoms. The Prince of Yi is an exception. He has a spacious mansion in the capital and has been granted permission by the emperor to command his own army of three thousand men. This shows how much the emperor trusts the Prince of Yi.

Led by the doorman, Lin Zixuan and his companion arrived at the main residence of the Prince's Mansion. The main residence looked magnificent and imposing, facing south with towering walls covered with glazed tiles, extending outwards in a flat manner. It seemed to surpass even the Penglai Palace in grandeur.

Just as Lin Zixuan was admiring the scenery of the Prince's Mansion, a whooshing sound came from beside him.

Without turning his head, Lin Zixuan pointed a finger at his ear. With a crisp "snap," the object shattered, white smoke and dust scattered, and a foul stench filled the air.

Not far away, a chubby boy, about thirteen or fourteen years old and dressed in fancy clothes, was clapping his hands happily, while a large slingshot lay on the ground.

"Hit! Hit!"

After saying that, he picked up the slingshot from the ground and then prepared to aim it at Lin Zixuan.

Lin Zixuan frowned immediately.

The doorman in front stared at the chubby boy, unsure whether to go forward or backward, looking utterly embarrassed.

Just as Lin Zixuan was about to teach this mischievous boy a lesson, Lu Zhongming stopped him.

"I'll do it."

After saying that, Lu Zhongming took a step forward and shouted menacingly at the chubby boy, "Who taught you to use a slingshot to shoot at guests? Are you itching for a beating? If you are, I don't mind giving you a good spanking for your father..."

Startled by Lu Zhongming, the chubby boy threw away his slingshot and ran away without a trace.

The young doorman breathed a sigh of relief and said to Lu Zhongming, "Only Mr. Lu would dare to scold the young master like that. If anyone else had scolded him, the young master might have called someone to beat him up."

Lin Zixuan asked Lu Zhongming with some doubt, "Could he be that...?"

Lu Zhongming nodded. "He is the only child of the late Princess Yi. He was originally very clever and bright, but when he was very young, he fell into a dry well and injured his head. After being rescued, he became like this. Because Princess Yi died in childbirth, the Prince dotes on this only son. Even though he injured his head, he still indulges him in everything. Although I have a good relationship with the Prince, it would be quite troublesome if you hit his precious son."

There had been rumors for some time that the Prince of Yi had a mentally challenged son. It was only after Lu Zhongming explained that he learned the son had suffered a head injury from a fall, rather than being born with it.

"Does the Prince of Yi seem to have no intention of remarrying?"

Lu Zhongming stroked his mustache and said, "Because Prince Yi and his late queen were childhood sweethearts, he was deeply in love with her, and he was devastated when she passed away. Afterwards, His Majesty tried to arrange a marriage for him several times, but Prince Yi refused each time. In the past ten years or so, no other woman has appeared by his side. Prince Yi holds a high position and great power, yet he has remained steadfast for over a decade. He is truly worthy of respect."

Lin Zixuan nodded in agreement.

It is quite common for men to have three wives and four concubines, but a man as devoted as Prince Yi is extremely rare.

The doorman led the two into the main hall of the house and then left.

The hall was brightly lit, and a large number of elegantly dressed guests filled the room. The moment the two stepped into the hall, they immediately attracted the attention of everyone present.

"Zhongming, I've been waiting for you for so long! Tonight, my brother, we must drink until we drop!"

Prince Yi was not tall, and was slightly short and stout. He was wearing a blue brocade robe and walked over with a smile on his face, without any airs.

If it weren't for his master-like demeanor, Lin Zixuan would never have guessed that he was the Prince of Yi. He looked more like a wealthy merchant than a prince.

Lu Zhongming smiled and said, "Then tonight, Zhongming will drink with Your Highness until we're both drunk."

The guests present were all of extraordinary status, and naturally everyone recognized Lu Zhongming, so they all came up to greet him.

At this moment, Prince Yi came to the two men, exchanged a few pleasantries with Lu Zhongming, and asked, "This young man has an imposing presence; why don't you introduce him?"

Lu Zhongming smiled and said, "This is Lin Zixuan, the son of the Sword Maiden of Penglai Palace."

A strange look flashed across the King of Yi's face. Hearing this, he chuckled and said, "So you are the son of the Sword Maiden. No wonder, no wonder. Zixuan is so young yet has such an extraordinary bearing. He will surely achieve great things in the future."

Lin Zixuan replied neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Your Highness flatters me."

Some of the guests around, upon hearing his identity, came over to greet him, and Lin Zixuan returned their greetings one by one.

The group chatted in the hall, and then it was time for the banquet to begin and for everyone to take their seats.

Elder Shi, who was also one of the Martial Sects, was present during the event. When he saw Lin Zixuan, a strange look appeared in his eyes.

Then, without leaving a trace, he whispered something in the ear of the Prince of Yi.

A hint of seriousness appeared on the Prince of Yi's face, but it vanished in an instant, and he cheerfully clinked glasses with everyone again.

Among those present, apart from Prince Yi, Lu Zhongming and Lin Zixuan were the highest in status, and the guests were the most enthusiastic towards them.

Even the Prince of Yi, who commanded a million soldiers and held a high position of power, frequently raised his cup to the two of them.

Seeing Lu Zhongming drinking one glass after another, Lin Zixuan quietly leaned close to his ear and said, "Uncle Lu, don't drink too much. We still have a mission tonight."

Lu Zhongming looked at him helplessly: "Judging from the way Your Highness is acting, I can forget about getting away tonight. I can only wait until tomorrow night to take action."

"Has the target gotten away?"

Lin Zixuan asked with some concern.

"No, it's only been one night. Where could he have gone? We'll see tomorrow night."

Sitting at the table, Lin Zixuan appeared calm on the surface, but was actually quite anxious inside.

One thing after another happened to him. The crisis at Penglai Palace was not yet over, the matter of the Blood Skull was not resolved, he had just discovered that his beloved fiancée Sima Jin'er had a new lover, and on the other hand, the dual cultivation nun was about to be forced to marry someone else.

At present, only the "Cultivation Divine Technique" can turn the tide. Even if we don't reach the level of my father Lin Tianhao, as long as we have strength close to that of a Martial Grandmaster, we can reverse the current decline.

These days, he has been constantly practicing the "Cultivation Divine Technique," and even during the day, he would silently circulate his inner energy.

The feeling was particularly strong tonight. Lin Zixuan couldn't figure out why before, but now he finally understood.

He's about to break through! Lin Zixuan was extremely excited, wishing he could sprout wings and fly back immediately, but he knew he couldn't rush things. This was a crucial moment, and he had to be careful.

As soon as the banquet ended, Lu Zhongming was indeed kept behind by Prince Yi, while Lin Zixuan politely declined Prince Yi's attention and returned to his residence first, immediately heading into his room.

He has now reached the peak of Foundation Establishment, and his internal strength has doubled since the beginning of his cultivation.

Tonight, he will attempt to break through the sixteenth cycle of the Heavenly Cycle. If successful, he will enter the Qi Refining and Spirit Transformation stage, also known as the Meridian Condensation stage. At that time, his cultivation speed will be greatly improved compared to now, and his inner strength will be condensed into a stronger and higher level of spiritual power.

Only by breaking through can he be considered to have the capital to rival powerful enemies.

Judging by the time, his letter to Yuejian should have arrived yesterday at the earliest, and the Dual Cultivation Maiden is getting engaged to Xuanyuan Gui tonight at the Dual Cultivation Pavilion. I wonder if Yuejian did as he wrote in his letter.

There's no use thinking about it now. Once things are settled here, he will personally head to the Dual Cultivation Pavilion.

Now is the time to put aside all distractions and begin preparing for a breakthrough.

◇◇◇

Yunmeng Ridge, Shuangxiu Pavilion.

The Shuangxiu Pavilion is brightly lit and decorated tonight, filled with a joyous atmosphere.

Although it was the engagement night of the dual-cultivation nun and Xuanyuan Gui, its grandeur was no less than that of their wedding.

The Dual Cultivation Mystic Maiden appeared in public for the first time without makeup.

She was dressed in a festive bright red dress, with rouge on her lips and a touch of powder on her face, and she smiled radiantly.

A tall, honest-looking young man dressed in bright red brocade accompanied her as the two of them went from table to table toasting the guests.

The thirty seats present were all occupied by representatives of forces that were on good terms with the Dual Cultivation Pavilion. The majority of them were men, and they all looked on with envy at the honest young man who had won the heart of the beauty.

However, some observant female guests noticed that the man's smile seemed somewhat forced, though they weren't sure if they were mistaken.

Lady Shuangxiu looked at everything before her with satisfaction and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Lin Zixuan ultimately did not arrive. The die was cast, and even if he knew that his daughter was engaged to another man, it would be of no use.

To be honest, Lin Zixuan's conditions are far superior to Xuan Yuangui's, but right now the Dual Cultivation Pavilion is facing the greatest crisis in its history. The Dual Cultivation Lady does not believe that Penglai Palace, which is behind Lin Zixuan, will extend any help to them.

The key lies with that woman.

At the foot of the mountain behind Shuangxiu Pavilion, in a courtyard, Yuejian stopped Xuanyuan Lin and angrily questioned him.

Did you tell your brother what I said?!

Xuan Yuanlin was intimidated by her imposing manner and stammered, "I... I told my elder brother."

Upon hearing this, Tsukimi became even more indignant.

"You told him? Then why did he dare to get engaged to my young lady? Do you know what he's doing? My young lady is practically his future young mistress, and he actually wants to marry her?"

Xuan Yuanlin turned pale and replied weakly, "I... I really did tell my elder brother. After hearing this, he said he wanted to be alone for a while. I don't know what my elder brother is thinking."

Yuejian's face turned pale with anger, and she said hatefully, "I hate you all."

He stamped his foot and left.

Xuan Yuanlin scratched his head, sighing repeatedly, at a loss for what to do.

As night deepened and the guests gradually left, the engaged couple returned to their new home.

"My lord, tonight is our engagement night, why do you not seem very happy?"

The dual-cultivation nun poured her fiancé a cup of sobering tea. Seeing him sitting blankly at the round table, she asked him with some confusion.

Xuanyuan Gui looked at her quietly for a while, as if he had mustered up the courage to say something. But as soon as he opened his mouth, the Dual Cultivation Mystic Maiden covered his mouth.

"Now, don't say anything, Guilang, carry me to bed."

Faced with her beauty, Xuan Yuangui almost instinctively picked her up and gently placed her on the large bed not far away.

Under the candlelight, the slightly intoxicated female cultivator had an alluring flush on her face.

The beautiful leg of the dual-cultivation nun peeked out from under her red dress, her pretty face hazy as she said, "What are you standing there for? Hurry up and take off my shoes."

Xuan Yuangui grasped her supple calves with his large hands, and with a gentle hook, the red embroidered shoes fell to the ground, revealing a delicate jade foot encased in white socks before his eyes.

Xuanyuan Gui suddenly felt a heat in his lower abdomen.

He opened his mouth and took it in, kissing and licking the jade toes of the dual-cultivation nun through the thin white socks, inhaling deeply the faint fragrance emanating from her feet.

The face of the dual-cultivation nun turned even redder, as if it were about to bleed, but she did not refuse his actions. Instead, she stretched out her other foot under her red skirt in front of Xuan Yuangui, letting him take off his other red embroidered shoe and watch him kiss, lick and caress her pair of jade feet.

Xuanyuan Gui kissed him with rapt passion.

Since that night, he and the dual-cultivation nun have been boating on the lake, enjoying the scenery.

During this time, the two often embraced and kissed intimately. He also saw the embroidered shoes and jade feet that were faintly visible under the Shuangxiu Xuan Nu's skirt, which brought him an extremely strong temptation.

However, Xuanyuan Gui still dared not make any inappropriate moves towards the dual-cultivation goddess, fearing that he might offend the beauty.

Although he longed to play with the exquisite jade feet beneath the Shuangxiu Xuan Nu's skirt, he only dared to think about it but not to do it.

The intense stimulation he was experiencing made Xuan Yuangui cast aside all his worries and fully enjoy this incredibly enviable bliss.

As Xuan Yuan Gui caressed and kissed her, waves of tingling sensations traveled from the Dual Cultivation Maiden's jade toes and soles to her sensitive flower bud.

The white socks on her jade feet were wet with Xuan Yuangui's saliva at the toes. The dual-cultivation goddess finally turned her body to the side, pressed him down on the bed, and her slender hand went to Xuan Yuangui's waist. With a gentle loosening, the belt fell to the ground, and a huge, hard penis appeared before her eyes.

Xuanyuan Gui's penis was quite large. As the dual-cultivation nun leaned close to it, a strong masculine aura rushed towards her.

The dual-cultivation nun looked at the thick, hard penis with a flushed face. On the large glans, the urethral opening was slightly open, and a trace of clear liquid was flowing out.

So she took it in her slender hand and began to stroke it gently.

Seeing that Xuan Yuangui looked like he wanted to say something but hesitated, the Dual Cultivation Mystic Maiden knew that he was still undecided, so she did not give him a chance to speak.

She bent down and buried her face between Xuan Yuangui's legs, her red lips slightly parted, and then took his thick penis into her mouth, slowly swallowing and releasing it.

Xuan Yuangui, who had been wavering, suddenly felt a jolt throughout his body. A warm, moist pleasure shot from his penis to his tailbone and then into his brain.

In an instant, his mind went blank.

Seeing the aloof and superior dual cultivation nun now condescendingly using her small mouth to hold his urinating, ugly thing with a spring-like look in her eyes, as if savoring some delicious delicacy, this erotic scene made him forget everything else.

The dual-cultivation nun is of noble status and does not need to undergo bedroom training from the elders of the Southern Academy like other female disciples in the pavilion.

But that doesn't mean her skills in this area are inferior to others.

On the contrary, as the future head of the Dual Cultivation Pavilion, she had watched from beginning to end every time the Dual Cultivation Lady engaged in dual cultivation with Elder Nan of the Pavilion, since she was fourteen years old, through a thin gauze curtain.

Although she had never actually been with a man, she was confident that she was no less skilled than her mother in how to please a man in bed.

The dual-cultivation nun held Xuan Yuangui's penis in both hands, sucking it up and down incessantly. Between swallows and spits, she would occasionally reveal her white teeth, and then her fragrant tongue would curl up again, taking Xuan Yuangui's enormous head into her mouth.

The ribbon in her hair fluttered with her movements, stimulating Xuan Yuangui's vision.

"Ah...ah..."

As he swallowed, Xuanyuan Gui let out a comfortable cry.

Hearing his voice, the dual-cultivation nun raised her head to exchange loving glances with him while sucking on his lips. Her beautiful face, as lovely as a flower, revealed the full bloom of spring.

Xuanyuan Gui saw her suck on his penis for a while, then bury her pretty face under his testicles and suck them with a sizzling sound.

Her fragrant lips licked up and down his penis, then she took the whole thing deep into her throat.

Before half a cup of tea could be brewed, Xuanyuan Gui could no longer endure it, his penis opened wide, and he lost control of his seminal vesicles.

"ah……"

Xuanyuan Gui's face showed pain, but in reality, he had reached the peak of pleasure.

The dual-cultivation nun immediately quickened her movements, her slender hands gripping his shaft and stroking it rapidly, while her red lips deeply embraced his penis.

The next moment, the dual-cultivation nun felt a strong, pungent, and foul-smelling yang essence gushing out from the tip of her tongue, shooting into her mouth in spurts.

The dual-cultivation nun let Xuan Yuangui ejaculate freely in her mouth until he completely stopped and collapsed on the bed. Only then did she lightly get off the bed, pick up a teacup from the table, and spit the thick semen from her mouth into the cup.

As the passion between the man and woman subsided and returned to calm, Xuan Yuangui felt a cool sensation in his lower body and finally woke up.

He wanted to slap himself hard.

He finally couldn't resist and couldn't control his desires. He not only desecrated the goddess in his heart, but also did something unforgivable to his young mistress.

The dual-cultivation nun sat down on the edge of the bed and asked in surprise, "What's wrong, my lord? Why do you look so pale?"

Xuan Yuangui's face showed pain, struggle, guilt, and self-reproach.

He picked up his pants from the ground and put them on, then knelt down in front of the Dual Cultivation Goddess, saying painfully, "Goddess, Xuan Yuan Gui is sorry for you and is not worthy of you. This marriage agreement is hereby declared null and void."

After saying that, he stormed out.

The dual-cultivation nun watched his departing figure silently, letting out a soft sigh.