Ye Tinglan in the room was feeling quite pleased.

If she could intentionally make “mmm” sounds to make the Saint Lord adult imagine what they were doing all morning, then Sect Master Shen must have been squatting outside all night, imagining what was going on in the room now.

It was fair.

Ye Tinglan comfortably reached out and scratched the little man’s chin, her mood finally much better. She smiled and said, “A few more ‘woo-woo’ sounds?”

At this moment, let alone the two tragic figures squatting outside, even Lu Xingzhou inside felt like a tragedy, as if he was tied to the bed with a gag.

Although in reality, it was just his mute acupoint that was sealed to prevent him from speaking indiscriminately and affecting the Saint Lord adult’s strategy, Lu Xingzhou still felt a strong yandere tendency.

Lu Xingzhou “mm-mm” for a long time but couldn’t speak, so he reluctantly took paper and pen to write: “Unseal my mute acupoint, I promise not to yell.”

Ye Tinglan expressed doubt, but couldn’t bear to keep her little lover’s acupoint sealed. She unsealed it, saying, “But it’s give and take, don’t play favorites, okay?”

Lu Xingzhou sighed: “Now I increasingly feel that you and Yuan Muyu are truly sisters; some things in your bones are too similar…”

Ye Tinglan retorted, “How are we similar?”

Besides having an eye for the same man, Ye Tinglan really didn’t think she was similar to that annoying sister at all. If you asked anyone in Tianyao Holy Land, they would say they were clearly two extremes…

Lu Xingzhou couldn’t explain it to her, only saying, “But Sir, I don’t think your revenge will be very successful.”

“As long as you don’t yell and cooperate with me, how could it not be successful?” Ye Tinglan said, “Your little princess is still squatting there playing with ants with A’nuo.”

Actually, Lu Xingzhou didn’t know why he had such a judgment. He instinctively felt that Shen Tang was not an incompetent wife who would let others bully her, but he had no reason to explain, so he just kept silent.

Ye Tinglan ignored him. At this moment, it was time to enjoy the scene of her opponent’s defeat, so she smiled and extended her divine sense to listen.

“You know Sir can’t go to your father to complain, so why are you threatened by this?” A’nuo’s voice.

“Give the old woman some face. She’s really my lifesaver; without her, I wouldn’t exist.” Shen Tang drew circles on the ground: “I can’t really run in and argue with her, what would that make me…”

A’nuo looked at her sympathetically: “Then it’s too pathetic for you to squat here.”

Shen Tang said, “Isn’t it pathetic for you to squat here?”

“It’s not my man being stolen, what does it have to do with me?”

“But the end result is that we’re both squatting here, what’s the difference?”

A’nuo’s eyes turned into circles.

Could it be put that way? If it had to be put that way, then she was right.

A’nuo thought for a moment, took out the sunglasses she had worn for fun when fortune-telling, and put them on Shen Tang.

Shen Tang asked curiously, “What is this?”

A’nuo said, “If you cry with these on, I won’t be able to tell. No need to pretend to be strong.”

Shen Tang took off the sunglasses: “I really wasn’t crying! It depends on how you look at things. I was uncomfortable at first, but I quickly figured it out.”

A’nuo: “Ah? Elaborate.”

“Oh, you’re still young, some things aren’t good to tell you.”

“Just whisper it.” A’nuo chuckled, “I’ll give these sunglasses to Shiniang.”

Shen Tang glanced left and right, then whispered, “For various reasons, I temporarily cannot be a true couple with your Shifu. Since there’s a concubine who’s willing to serve, then let her serve. Older is better; they know how to cherish people.”

Lu Xingzhou didn’t know what was being said outside, but he watched in horror as Ye Tinglan’s expression changed from a smile of appreciating the enemy’s defeat to a blazing blush.

In just one day, the Saint Lord adult had reached “red zone” three times.

Shen Tang’s combat power was probably stronger than the pressure her father and the Demon Emperor put on the Saint Lord adult.

“Bang!” Lu Xingzhou was thrown out the window.

Shen Tang seemed to be prepared, soaring past with a “whoosh” and quickly disappearing with Lu Xingzhou in her arms.

A’nuo’s sympathetic gaze fell on Ye Tinglan’s room, always feeling that Sir seemed to have been tricked.

The little dumpling secretly pulled out a small notebook and started taking notes. Shiniang’s unique skill was still very much worth learning…

Meanwhile, Shen Tang sped off with Lu Xingzhou to Danxia Mountain, to her sect master’s bedchamber. The maids and servants outside the hall had already been dismissed in advance, as if they had anticipated this moment. Lu Xingzhou looked at Shen Tang with awe, as if he was just meeting her.

Shen Tang placed him by the bed and elegantly smoothed her beautiful hair: “What, do you think I’d just draw circles feeling wronged… That old woman has monopolized you for two months, and she still wants to monopolize you in front of me when you’re back? No way.”

Lu Xingzhou couldn’t help but laugh: “Alright, alright, little princess, tonight’s spoils of war are yours.”

“Bah, what spoils of war? You’re mine to begin with.” Shen Tang smiled and hugged him: “Don’t talk, lights out, hold me to sleep.”

Lu Xingzhou complied, embracing her. Shen Tang leaned into his arms, her eyes shining in the darkness: “Did I make you miss out on enjoying yourself tonight?”

Lu Xingzhou said, “Sir and I never got to that point; you’re mistaken. Besides, I’m not someone who needs to do something every night… Just holding each other to sleep is very good.”

Shen Tang pursed her lips. She wasn’t always thinking about how to make a man enjoy himself; who wanted to think about that? But since she couldn’t give it to him and was taking him away from someone else, she felt a little guilty.

She reached out again, softly saying, “Let me help you again…”

“Don’t.” Lu Xingzhou caught her hand, leaned down, and kissed her forehead: “I said I’d hold you to sleep; I don’t want anything else.”

In the darkness, Shen Tang looked at Lu Xingzhou’s face. Perhaps Lu Xingzhou felt it was dark, but her night vision, reaching Third-Rank, made every reaction clearly visible in her eyes. Yet, no matter how Shen Tang looked, she could only see Lu Xingzhou’s seriousness.

Her body gradually softened, completely nestling into the man’s embrace, and she softly said, “Okay, hold me to sleep.”

What she wanted most was this, and the man understood her heart.

This made Shen Tang feel warm and peaceful inside, and before long, she was asleep in his shoulder.

Since breaking through to Third-Rank, she had only been able to sleep soundly when with Lu Xingzhou; other times she meditated.

Lu Xingzhou, however, didn’t fall asleep. While provoking disciples of the Demonic Path was enjoyable for a while, this was the first time he truly faced the headache of balancing a shura field and the slight guilt in his conscience, feeling that being unfair to either side was wrong.

Previous small shura fields, like with the little demoness and the melon girl, were not serious at all. The little demoness simply sold some tea, and the melon girl retreated… Moreover, his relationship with the melon girl hadn’t reached that level. This time was truly direct; he felt that sleeping with one would be unfair to the other, and nothing he said would feel right.

So, one really shouldn’t have a conscience; being a pure Demonic Path cultivator wouldn’t have such troubles.

Shen Tang was already very magnanimous. She didn’t mind him having other women and didn’t throw a fit over it. But they were always rushing, gathering little and parting often. In this one night, what woman wouldn’t want to sleep holding her husband?

Shen Tang slept straight until the sun was high in the sky.

Lu Xingzhou had been holding her, watching her until that time.

When Shen Tang woke up groggily and saw Lu Xingzhou’s smiling eyes, her heart felt sweet, but also a little worried: “You didn’t sleep, did you?”

“I did, I just woke up earlier than you.” Lu Xingzhou told a white lie: “Little lazy pig, don’t you see what time it is?”

Shen Tang glanced out the window; the sun was almost at its zenith. She rolled over and sat up with a gurgle: “Oh no, oh no…”

“What’s wrong? Is there an important sect meeting today?”

“No, what will that old woman imagine about us tonight… it’s already dragged on until noon…”

Lu Xingzhou chuckled: “You wanted her to imagine these things, so why are you panicking now? Is it because of too much indulgence?”

“Bah.” Shen Tang hurriedly got up to dress: “On official matters, she didn’t acknowledge my status verbally, but everyone understands she’s testing me. Before the succession struggle even begins, the monarch is already missing morning court. What will she arrange in her mind…”

“I think she’s arranging me.” Lu Xingzhou stepped forward to help her comb her hair: “She won’t judge you based on these kinds of things. If you genuinely want to delve deeper, I think it’s better to discuss your political ideas with her face-to-face.”

Shen Tang looked in the mirror and smiled faintly: “Too early.”

Lu Xingzhou said, “Furthermore, she may not be as concerned about the succession struggle of Da Gan and other national policies as she once was.”

Shen Tang was startled: “What do you mean?”

“Tianyao Holy Land should originally be transcendent, but it was too deeply tied to Da Gan, causing it to really act like a national preceptor. Now that Tianyao Holy Land’s influence has extended to Tianshuang Kingdom, once her perspective broadens, she naturally won’t be as concerned about Da Gan as before. And her cultivation approach will also be different from before. Previously, she prioritized public interest, mostly truly selecting the best and most capable, but now she might care more about personal closeness. Now, worrying about whether the monarch attends morning court or not, or being a bit more incompetent, might even better suit the Holy Land’s needs.”

Shen Tang thought for a while in a daze, then suddenly smiled: “Breaking free from the shackles and becoming a dragon… I wouldn’t be surprised if she ascended after this. Hmm… or perhaps she’s been bound by new shackles?”

“What?”

“Romantic love.”

Lu Xingzhou: “…”

“Being a bit more incompetent is more in line with the Holy Land’s needs, but that’s only after the demon problem is resolved.” Shen Tang stood up, smiling as she turned her head: “At least for now, she will still want to support a proper monarch.”

“…Even if you almost angered her to death?”

“That counts too, does an ordinary person have this ability?” Shen Tang took Lu Xingzhou’s hand and whispered, “Xingzhou, this trip to the capital is different from before. You also need to be prepared; it’s best to break through to Third-Rank before going. After crossing the great hurdle of Third-Rank, your level will be greatly elevated.”

Lu Xingzhou nodded: “I know.”

“Then let’s go, your Sir is waiting impatiently.”

The two flew towards Lingquan Mountain peak, where Ye Tinglan had already conjured a small boat and was waiting at the bow.

A’nuo squatted to the side, eating from a bowl.

Ye Tinglan’s expression showed no sign of last night’s “red zone”; she seemed to have rested quite well. Seeing the two approach, she spoke faintly as if nothing had happened: “Rested enough?”

Lu Xingzhou said, “Enough.”

“It’s not that I don’t want you two to linger for a couple more days, but the capital, the demon race, the ancient realm—all sides are in flux, a time of great change. You and I have already returned late; there’s no time for leisurely rest.” Ye Tinglan said lightly, “The next reunion might be even longer than this one. I hope you two are mentally prepared.”

Her last words sounded like a declaration of war, yet not entirely. Shen Tang didn’t quite grasp it, so she simply offered a polite remark: “We will prioritize cultivation.”

“That would be good.” Ye Tinglan reached out and lifted A’nuo onto the small boat: “Let’s go.”

Lu Xingzhou stepped onto the small boat. Shen Tang looked into his eyes: “I remembered what you said yesterday… Just go ahead and charge; Tianxing Sword Sect will become your increasingly strong backing.”

Lu Xingzhou cupped his hands: “I will handle the matters in the capital.”

Shen Tang smiled slightly: “You and I have always been like this, haven’t we?”

Ye Tinglan could no longer bear to listen. The small boat swiftly ascended to the sky, moving from slow to fast, and sped eastward.

Shen Tang looked up, watching it depart, her Second-Rank aura gradually dissipating.

Ye Tinglan looked back, muttering to herself, “Truly a prodigy.”

Typically, such on-the-spot breakthroughs are due to some kind of sudden enlightenment.

What did Shen Tang enlighten? Was it the “green功” that allows a man to go with other women?

She had merely found a deeper meaning in cultivation—besides her own goals, she could also be Lu Xingzhou’s backing, not wanting her so-called “number one in the world” title to exclusively shine before him, nothing more.

End of Volume Three.

(End of this chapter)