Pain! It was far too painful!
As soon as that slender, fair palm made contact with his abdominal muscles, Fang Yang felt a sharp, stabbing ache.
Terror gripped his heart. Did Qin Xueyan realize that he knew who she was? Was she trying to kill him to silence him?!
Just as Fang Yang was about to struggle for his life, Qin Xueyan’s soft voice sounded in his ear:
"Husband, relax. My technique requires channeling spiritual energy into your meridians, so it will sting a little. My own energy is almost entirely depleted right now, so the pain will pass quickly."
True to her word, once the initial swelling pain subsided, Fang Yang’s meridians felt normal again. A faint, ethereal stream of spiritual energy flowed slowly through them.
Qin Xueyan’s spiritual power was currently sealed; unless she forcibly broke through the Spirit-Sealing Pill, this was the only tiny sliver of power she could muster. It was barely enough to probe the body of a low-level disciple like Fang Yang, let alone inflict any real harm.
"Husband, circulate the Black Jade Formula."
Qin Xueyan’s jade-like hand pressed firmly against his abdomen, her brows knit in concentration. Fang Yang obeyed and began to circulate the Black Jade Formula. He could feel that faint, wispy thread of energy weaving through his meridians as the formula ran, leaving a tingling sensation in its wake.
Fang Yang felt a sense of absurdity—first the swelling pain, then this comfort—why did he feel like a young bride being taken by force?
*Hot! It’s far too hot!*
How could this little thief’s body be so scorching?
On the surface, Qin Xueyan remained gentle and composed, but her palm was already slick with sweat. This was her first time being so intimate with a man, and she never imagined a man’s body could radiate such heat!
*This little thief couldn’t be harboring dirty thoughts, could he?*
Forget it. The priority is to help him improve his cultivation so we can get to Tianhuan City as soon as possible!
Qin Xueyan gritted her teeth, centering her mind. Her hand remained pressed against Fang Yang’s abdomen until he finished one cycle of the Black Jade Formula, at which point she understood the issue.
"Husband, the path this Black Jade Formula takes is indeed inefficient. Circulate it once more."
Fang Yang nodded and began again. But just as his energy left his energy field in his lower abdomen and reached the navel point, Qin Xueyan’s palm suddenly pressed against his left chest.
"Husband, channel the energy here."
Fang Yang froze, feeling a strange sensation.
"Husband, focus! Follow my instructions and circulate the energy!"
Qin Xueyan’s voice turned cold as her hand moved, guiding the flow of his energy.
An hour later, the Black Jade Formula had finally been completed. Qin Xueyan pulled her hand away, feeling a mix of shame and anger. She never thought she would be forced into such intimacy with a low-level disciple of the Demon Sect. To guide his energy, she had practically touched his entire body.
For the number one fairy of the Righteous Path, this was the ultimate humiliation. *This little thief, to take such liberties with me—I will grind your bones to dust one day!*
Yet, her voice remained gentle. "Husband, give it a try."
Fang Yang nodded and sat cross-legged, closing his eyes. Moments later, he opened them, his face filled with surprise. "My cultivation efficiency has increased several times over!"
Earlier, while training at the Panhuan Courtyard under Zhang Chunjiu, he had cycled through the Black Jade Formula multiple times with almost zero progress. Now, after just a brief moment of training, he could already feel the bottleneck that had held him back for so long beginning to loosen.
She truly was the number one fairy of the Righteous Path; her talent for cultivation was unparalleled in the world!
"Wife, you really are my lucky star!" Fang Yang said with sincere gratitude. Qin Xueyan smiled softly. "To ease your worries, Husband, is my fortune."
They gazed into each other's eyes, appearing deeply in love. Both were quite satisfied with their acting.
"Wife, I’m going to train a bit longer. Why don't you go wash up first?"
"Very well, Husband."
Qin Xueyan complied obediently. She rose and headed to the kitchen. Once she shut the door, the soft smile vanished from her face. She leaned against the door, peeking through a crack to confirm that Fang Yang was indeed sitting in meditation.
She hesitated for a moment, feeling sticky and uncomfortable. Finally, she poured hot water into a wooden tub, bolted the door, quickly stripped off her clothes, and stepped inside.
Back on the bed, Fang Yang heard the sound of splashing water. He opened his eyes, the gentleness and consideration gone from his face.
*I never expected that the first thing I’d do after transmigrating to a cultivation world is live off a fake wife.*
*Heh, I’ve fought battles my whole life—what’s wrong with a little "soft rice" now and then?*
Fang Yang cleared his thoughts and returned to his cultivation.
When Qin Xueyan emerged from her bath, Fang Yang’s cultivation had already improved slightly. In just half an hour, he had gained the equivalent of four or five days of training at the Panhuan Courtyard!
Fang Yang frowned. Zhang Chunjiu was a confidant of an Elder—why was his teaching so abysmal? Was there some hidden motive?
"Husband, go wash up now."
Hearing her soft, warm voice, Fang Yang gave a polite smile, went into the kitchen, and returned shortly after.
Qin Xueyan was already lying on the bed. He hesitated, then walked over and lay down slowly. Under the quilt, her slender body gave a slight shiver; Fang Yang could feel her hidden tension. If he made any untoward moves, she would likely strike.
"Wife, you’ve worked hard today. Let’s rest," Fang Yang said gently.
Qin Xueyan seemed surprised, her voice equally soft. "Mm, you rest as well, Husband."
*This little thief actually kept his promise. It wasn't entirely a waste of effort to improve his technique. Very well, since that’s the case, I’ll leave your corpse intact later.*
Suddenly, Qin Xueyan frowned, her delicate hand rubbing her lower abdomen. *Why is there a dull ache in my stomach?* It didn't feel like poison; the sensation was entirely unfamiliar. *Is it because I used that last sliver of spiritual energy?*
She rubbed it gently until the pain eased, then closed her eyes. The lamp was extinguished, and the small room fell into darkness.
Fang Yang lay awake, silently calculating. The Black Jade Formula had been improved, and his efficiency was up. The issue with his technique was solved for now. But to raise his cultivation rapidly, he still needed to purchase spirit marrow to aid his progress. Once he reached the Qi Refinement 5th Layer, he could join a group to hunt Monster Beasts, which would provide a massive leap in his cultivation.
But before that, the immediate problem remained: How was he going to make quick money?
Fang Yang pondered for a long time without finding an answer, eventually drifting into a deep sleep.
***
The next day.
Fang Yang woke up to a cry of shame and anger.
"Wife, what’s wrong?" He looked at Qin Xueyan, who was sleeping beside him, and asked with a puzzled expression.
What could have possibly startled the number one fairy of the Righteous Path like this?
Qin Xueyan’s face was red as a date, filled with mortification. She opened her mouth, but no words came out.
Suddenly, Fang Yang felt a dampness near his legs. He pulled back the quilt and froze.
Beneath Qin Xueyan, on the bedsheets, was a shocking, brilliant splash of crimson.