Eternal Life by Dual Cultivation-Chapter 172 - 137: Fu Yin Xue: Junior Brother Ling, You’re in Big Trouble?
If you walk by the river long enough, your shoes are bound to get wet.
Ling Changqing would never have dreamed that just by coming out to fleece a few Little Fairies, he would end up running into such a terrifying existence—one he absolutely could not afford to provoke.
Blind dates are risky; proceed with caution...
’The hard-won wisdom of countless predecessors, forged in blood and tears, was truly a golden rule!’
Perhaps even the heavens couldn’t stand Ling Changqing’s unscrupulous fleecing and decided it was time to up the difficulty on him.
Hearing Ling Changqing’s plea, Luo Qingxuan finally relaxed her grip slightly, allowing him to pull his face from the depths of that snowy ravine. He let out a sigh of relief, as if a great weight had been lifted.
’To come out on a simple trip, only to nearly be suffocated to death by the magnificent bosom of a nation-toppling beauty...’
’It would be too humiliating if word of this got out. If Ling Qiyue, Tang Qiu Yao, and the others were to find out, wouldn’t I become their laughingstock? They’d probably make fun of me for centuries!’
"Miss, you..."
Having caught his breath, Ling Changqing carefully chose his words, attempting to persuade Luo Qingxuan to give up this unrealistic idea.
"Hmm?"
Luo Qingxuan lowered her head slightly, her dark brows furrowing as she stared at the young man’s incomparably handsome, sculpture-like face.
Her enchanting, jade-like arms were fragrant, smooth, and supple, yet they contained an unimaginable, terrifying strength, and she still held Ling Changqing fast.
Given the near-absolute disparity in their power, escaping her grasp was virtually impossible.
Ling Changqing sighed. "Miss, where are you from? Since you’re out looking for a match, shouldn’t we follow custom and meet with your elders?"
Luo Qingxuan blinked her beautiful eyes and broke into a smile that seemed to instantly light up the entire room.
"I was recently in Cultivation in Seclusion in my Cave Mansion Hall, comprehending the Celestial Secret, when on a sudden whim, I decided to go out and travel for a bit,"
Luo Qingxuan said softly. "Coming to play in this Human Race Cultivator Marketplace was also on a whim. I never expected to run into you."
"You’re proficient in the Path of Celestial Secret Art and Divination as well?"
Ling Changqing asked, confused.
As everyone knew, the Dragon Race did not excel in the Celestial Secret Calculation Domain. It was rare to hear of a Dragon Race Great Power who was proficient in the Path of Celestial Secret Art and Divination.
"Legend has it that a reclusive master once visited my clan’s territory and passed down a rather powerful Celestial Secret Technique to my ancestors.
Afterward, all pure-blooded descendants of my clan would cultivate that Secret Technique. In any case, I’ll tell you the details later!"
Luo Qingxuan smiled. "I wasn’t confident I could handle that matter successfully, but now that I have you as my Lifebound Dao Companion, it should be a sure thing!"
Half a year ago, this Long Nu had used a mystical Secret Technique to divine her own fate, concluding that a fated opportunity might be awaiting her in the territory of the Human Race Cultivators.
Thus, she left her Deep Sea Cave Mansion Hall and set out to travel the lands of the human world.
Coming to a place like the Celestial Fate Pavilion was just a whim on Luo Qingxuan’s part, something she did out of curiosity.
However, upon seeing Ling Changqing, the Long Nu instantly became convinced that he was the fated opportunity she was looking for, which led to the earlier scene.
"I think... you’ve most likely made a mistake, Miss,"
Ling Changqing said with a frown. "The Human Race and the Deep Sea Dragon Race have never gotten along. If you make such a decision on your own, will your elders tolerate it?
So your fated opportunity must be elsewhere; it has nothing to do with me."
He was still trying to persuade the Long Nu to change her mind.
’Otherwise, am I really going to be dragged back to be her Village Chief’s Husband?’
Luo Qingxuan snorted coldly. "I don’t care. I saw you, so you’re mine!"
Ling Changqing said helplessly, "But the gap in our Cultivation is too vast. How could we possibly be suitable as Dao Companions? I don’t even know if I’ll ever be able to reach the Golden Core Realm. I’ll definitely hold you back!"
"A low Cultivation is no problem. I’ll just raise you in my Cave Mansion Hall. I don’t lack resources anyway. I can spend a few centuries and easily pile on enough to get you to the Nascent Soul Realm!"
Luo Qingxuan said softly, having made up her mind not to let go.
Ling Changqing couldn’t help but sigh. ’When you’re stuck with someone this unreasonable, it seems even the greatest Luck and Fortune are of no use.’
’I can’t beat her, and I can’t run away. It seems I’ll have to outsmart her.’
"Alright, since your mind is made up, Miss, let’s discuss the matter of the betrothal gift..."
Ling Changqing had intended to say that he was broke and couldn’t possibly offer a betrothal gift that would satisfy the Long Nu.
Little did he know, Luo Qingxuan immediately interjected, "Oh, so you Human Race Cultivators have to give a betrothal gift when finding a Dao Companion? That’s no problem."
She swiped a hand over the Jade Belt at her waist, and with a flash of light, an exquisitely carved Jade Box appeared in her hand.
Inside the Jade Box were six fist-sized, iridescent pearls, gleaming with a treasured light and emitting an immense, unfathomable pressure.
In that instant, Ling Changqing felt his breath catch, and he wondered if his eyes were deceiving him. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮
Those were no ordinary Treasure Pearls; they were the Lifebound Cores of Rank Four Nascent Soul Great Demons!
Six such pearls meant that six Nascent Soul Great Demons had been slain by a Dragon Race Great Power, their Inner Cores taken as trophies.
Judging by the quality of these Inner Cores alone, they were flawless and could be used as the core materials for Refining Rank Four High-grade Elixirs.
Ling Changqing didn’t even dare to imagine the value of a single Rank Four High-grade Elixir. Even among the established Nascent Soul powers, such a strategic resource was exceptionally precious.
"Take it. This is my betrothal gift to you,"
Luo Qingxuan shoved the Jade Box into Ling Changqing’s hands and said with a smile,
"I came out to travel on a whim this time, so I didn’t bring anything particularly good with me. When we get back to my Cave Mansion Hall, I’ll give you a few even better treasures!"
"..."
What else could Ling Changqing say? ’Isn’t this solid proof that my status as a kept husband is confirmed?’
But he couldn’t bring himself to say no. If he truly angered her, she had at least ten thousand ways to deal with him.
"Stop daydreaming. Let’s go!"
Beaming, Luo Qingxuan wrapped an arm around Ling Changqing’s waist.
"And from now on... you must remember to call me ’Wife,’ and I will call you ’Husband.’ That seems to be the custom in your human world, correct?"
Ling Changqing said, "Alright, but Miss, could you perhaps..."
"Hmm?"
Luo Qingxuan’s dark brows stood on end, and the temperature in the surrounding space plummeted.
"Er, I mean, Wife!"
Ling Changqing’s expression flickered, and he quickly corrected himself.
Only then did Luo Qingxuan’s expression soften. "Don’t you forget that again! Now, speak. What is it?"
Ling Changqing said, "I want to go see a friend to tell her a few things, and then I’ll go back with you."
"That’s no problem."
Luo Qingxuan nodded, agreeing readily.
She wasn’t worried at all that Ling Changqing might try any tricks; in the face of absolute power, such things were entirely meaningless.
Stepping out of the VIP room, they found two neat rows of Long Nu guards standing at attention. Each wore Jade-colored Soft Armor, had a face as beautiful as a flower, and boasted a tall, stunningly curvaceous figure. Their light golden eyes stared straight ahead, disciplined and unwavering.
The matchmaker, Hongxi, cowered behind them, her eyes filled with fear.
She had no idea how such an incredible personage had suddenly barged into her establishment, to the point that even this "gold-medal" matchmaker, so well-versed in worldly etiquette, dared not utter a word.
Ling Changqing shook his head, took out a few Spirit Stones, and tossed them to her. "Thank you for your trouble, Fellow Daoist Hong. This is your payment."
"Then, my thanks, Fellow Daoist Mu!"
Hongxi forced a smile, but she was already wondering inwardly if she should apply for a transfer.
’This place is no longer safe. I heard a new landmass called the Changqing Continent has appeared over in the Feiyu Sea Region. Maybe I should go preside over things there for a while and try to change my luck?’
Luo Qingxuan left the Celestial Fate Pavilion with her arm linked through Ling Changqing’s. Out on the street, a magnificent, golden carriage with a jeweled roof and brilliant tassels was waiting. Exquisitely extravagant from top to bottom and shimmering with colorful light, it resembled a small palace.
A large retinue of Palace Maids in colorful skirts, servants, and guards surrounded the carriage. The men were handsome and the women were beautiful, but their eyes were cold and arrogant, and they all exuded an aura that warned strangers to stay away.
The many Cultivators in the vicinity had long since retreated to a safe distance, pointing and gesturing from several streets away, their gazes filled with unconcealable shock and curiosity.
Seeing Luo Qingxuan approach, the entire retinue bowed in unison. Two Maids brought over a footstool and helped her board the carriage.
"...Husband, where is this friend of yours?"
Luo Qingxuan asked after pulling Ling Changqing into the carriage.
Ling Changqing stated the location. Luo Qingxuan gave a command, and the massive carriage slowly began to move, heading toward the other side of the Marketplace.
Such a grand spectacle had long since alerted the upper echelons of Hanyue Gate. However, a mere two Golden Core Masters had no voice whatsoever before this mighty dragon crossing the river.
All they could do now was pray that her ladyship would leave after she’d had her fun and not completely wreck the foundation they had built here.
A short while later, the enormous carriage came to a slow stop before Fu Yin Xue’s residence.
"Wife, I’ll just go in by myself. You can wait out here for me!"
Ling Changqing said, not holding out much hope.
To his surprise, Luo Qingxuan nodded readily. "No problem. You go on, Husband!"
She took a brightly shining Red Jade Crystal Bracelet, engraved with coiling dragons and phoenixes, from her own snowy-white wrist and gently fastened it onto Ling Changqing’s.
"No matter what danger you encounter, this treasure will protect you and keep you safe, Husband!"
Luo Qingxuan said in a soft, gentle voice, giving him a few pats.
Once on Ling Changqing’s wrist, the bracelet tightened by itself, eventually leaving only a magnificent pattern, as if it had merged completely with his body.
Ling Changqing’s heart went cold. ’This Long Nu isn’t the least bit foolish. With this thing on me, I’m afraid I won’t be able to escape her senses no matter where I hide, will I?’
After exiting the carriage, Ling Changqing took out Fu Yin Xue’s Command Token, entered the main gate without needing to be announced, and headed for the inner courtyard.
Fu Yin Xue, who had naturally heard the commotion outside, was just about to step out to investigate when she saw Ling Changqing stride into the hall, his brow deeply furrowed.
"Hey, what’s wrong?"
Fu Yin Xue asked, her delicate brows knitting in confusion.
"Sister, do you have a way to make that Long Nu outside leave? Or a way for me to sneak off the Hanyue Continent?"
Ling Changqing asked, getting straight to the point.
"???"
Fu Yin Xue’s expression changed drastically. When she saw the bracelet on his wrist, the shock in her eyes was impossible to hide.
"Junior Brother Ling, you are in deep trouble!"
Ling Changqing whispered, "I was just minding my own business when disaster struck! Just tell me, can you help me or not?"
