Ancient Strengthening Technique

AST 1630 - Bringing Tantai Lingyan to Haohan Continent

Previously, when Yu Ruyan had gone to Qing Clan, it was as Qing Shui’s senior. Now, her status had changed and this made her feel awkward, but only Qing Shui knew that he was Yu Ruyan’s first man.

Qing Yi was a very open-minded woman who did not interfere in her son’s matters. Once she saw Qing Shui bringing the two women home, Tantai Xuan in one hand and Yu Ruyan in the other, she already knew what was going on.

People who visited the Qing Clan all knew Yu Ruyan, but only after years had passed did they realize she was also Lady Duanmu. These couple of years had also seen major changes for Yu Ruyan - her temperament seemed to be much better and she also seemed to look more youthful.

Everyone was not familiar with Tantai Xuan, so they said hello and exchanged some pleasantries. This was necessary, as she would inevitably interact with the husband’s family.

Qing You, Qing Hu and the rest were all beaming at Qing Shui. They marvelled at his ability, as all the women he had brought back were kingdom-toppling beauties. In Qing You’s mind, he was better looking than Qing Shui, but just why did not as many women like him?

……

……

Tantai Xuan and Yu Ruyan stayed at the clan for two days and after each receiving a pair of bracelets from Qing Yi, they left for Feng Yan Lake. Qing Shui remained behind for another day.

Qing Shui went to his mother’s room to take a look, since he knew that his mother would have something to say. Even if his mother did not say anything, he felt he had to visit her in order to make her a little at ease. Perhaps she was already at ease.

Seeing Qing Shui approach, Qing Yi smiled widely and beckoned him to sit beside her. Qing Shui smiled as he sat: “Mother, do you have something to say?”

Qing Shui was straightforward. His mother had not objected even when Mingyue Gelou brought Yuchang to the Qing Clan and she even treated her as her own daughter. In the Nine Continents, such an open-minded mother was extremely rare.

“Who says that I have anything to say?” Qing Yi laughed.

Qing Shui realised had mother grown as the clan’s strength had grown, and her cultivation was also increasing. Maybe it didn’t increase that much but she was actually able to let go a little.

“Actually, Duanmu Lingshuang isn’t Ruyan’s daughter.” Qing Shui smiled. Some words did not have to be explicit but mothers would always know.

“Silly boy, I will like whoever you like. As long as you’re happy, Mother will always support you.” Qing Yi shook her head and smiled.

Upon going out, he saw Wenren Wushuang and Di Qing bringing, respectively, her son and daughter out to play. Both the little kids were already more than two years old and could play on their own, but still needed supervision from the adults.

Father!

Both the little kids were elated to see their father and Qing Shui picked them up in each arm. Their ages differed by only a few days and they looked like they were carved out of jade; their baby-sweet voices made people joyful upon being heard.

Right now, other than Yehuang Guwu’s child Yan Lang, these two were the youngest. Qing Jun wasn’t that old either. While she didn’t know how to talk yet, she’s very smart. It was unclear if she knew that she was adopted, as memories were always a little hazy at that age.

Yuchang still had not clearly said it, but Qing Shui and the rest of the clan members treated her as if she was born into the clan. Luan Luan knew that she was not actually of the Qing Clan, but now, both her blood parents were here and she knew her aunt was part of the Qing Clan already. Moreover, she grew up in the Qing Clan and Qing Shui had mentioned that Yiye Jiange was his wife and that they would also soon hold a wedding banquet.

Luan Luan had already grown up and seen a lot of the world. This relationship was very precious, but she also had her own ambition and dreams. After all, many things are interlinked and it’s difficult to let one thing decide everything else.

The distance between Yuansu and Qing Shui was a little murky - sometimes close but sometimes distant. Yet, they’d already kissed and touched each other. Although not officially married, in Qing Shui’s eyes, she was already his. Ultimately though, Yuansu wanted to let nature take its course, for she had yet to think through it entirely.

……

……

Two days later, Qing Shui returned to the Demon King’s Palace. There were three days left of the one-month journey when Qing Shui remembered that he killed the Demon King’s Inheritor from the Divine Beast Sect.

The Beast King’s Sword had also been given to Luan Luan!

Other than that, the Wild Ghost Valley also had a Demon King’s Inheritor and the Divine Sound Sect’s Sound had the Demon King. It was only that the Divine Sound Sect and the Demon King’s Palace were a little unique. They were not that evil like the Divine Beast Sect and Wild Ghost Valley who had disappeared without a trace, leaving the other two sects.

Qing Shui thought of Shen Ling but his memories seemed to have become a little murky. He immediately entered the Demon King’s Palace upon returning this time and walked into a small courtyard.

This was the small courtyard he shared with Tantai Lingyan. There were only two small pavilions here and each stayed in one.

Upon entering the small courtyard, he saw Tantai Lingyan sitting on a violet sandalwood chair with her eyes closed. Closing those beautiful ice-cold eyes, she looked a little indolent under the sun, giving off an indescribable beauty with that slender, perfect body of hers.

Qing Shui’s steps could be heard, but she did not open her eyes.

“Do you want this knight to wake the princess up with a kiss?” Qing Shui laughed.

Princesses did exist in this world. In fact, there were plenty.

Tantai Lingyan opened her beautiful ice-cold eyes and threw a glare towards Qing Shui. It might seem very bland and unfeeling but it was filled with femininity. “You’re back!”

A joyful smile appeared on Qing Shui’s face. He walked behind her and started to knead her shoulders with both his hands. From the beginning, her body was a little stiff, which showed that she was resistant and nervous but she gradually loosened up.

“Lingyan, we’ll head to the Haohan Continent tomorrow!” Qing Shui said as he massaged her.

“En!”

As his hand trembled, the sound she made might have been one of agreement or one akin to a charming moan; perhaps it was both.

Tantai Lingyan actually agreed with Qing Shui, but the moment she made that sound, she was embarrassed beyond measure. He wanted to tell her that he’d heard way more pleasurable sounds from her before, but he didn’t dare to say….

As if Tantai Lingyan thought of the same thing, she immediately stood up, not wanting to let Qing Shui continue with the massage. With the image of the previous Constitution Nurturing fresh in her mind, she wanted to hide her face.

“Sister Yan, I like you!” Qing Shui beamed as he pulled both her hands.

There was a leap in Qing Shui’s strength after he had cleared the eleventh Heavenly Meridian and the third Earthly Meridian and there was also a change in his personality. He knew how Tantai Lingyan thought. Therefore. he knew it was alright to profess himself. At most, she might just disagree, which was better than waiting a lifetime for her to express herself.

Tantai Lingyan was taken aback but she was not furious. She smiled sweetly at him and asked: “What do you like about me?”

“I like you as a person and you are constantly on my mind. I sometimes suddenly think of you and feel like hugging you and cuddling you in my arms. When I think of the joyous look on your face, I want to make you happy, to let you feel all the beauty in the world and warm your heart.” Qing Shui slowly but seriously said these heartfelt words.

Tantai Lingyan’s long eyelashes twitched as she broke into a broad smile. It was as if her smile could bring all things back to life, an earthshaking kind of impact that could bring about a visible sprouting of life and blooming of flowers.

“I can feel it. I treat you as a bosom friend. Thinking about your existence beside me warms my heart and fills me with longing.” Tantai Lingyan lightly grasped Qing Shui’s hands.

If it was some other woman, this sentence might feel like a rejection – everyone else would feel the same – but Qing Shui was happy instead. This was something that Tantai Lingyan had said and getting her to say such words was not easy, since everything had to proceed orderly.

Standing in front of her and holding her hands while saying these words was something only he could do.

Qing Shui nodded and smiled: “I feel extremely fortunate.”

He did not dare to ask her if she liked him, or what she liked about him because of the beautiful misunderstanding during their first meeting. For a woman, especially an ice-cold one, behaving in this manner was good, although there’s a possibility of making a fool of oneself instead.

It was really not easy to get Tantai Lingyan’s heart to open up and if he followed the normal method, he probably wouldn’t even have managed to hold her hands now. So now, Qing Shui was thankful to the person who poisoned her.

The Soaring Dragon Sect was gone, but this resulted in the emergence of the the Five Tiger Immortal Sect. Qing Shui did not know how far he was from the Divine Realm now, but he knew that it was tough to find someone below the Divine Realm who could challenge him. That said, there were countless of people and powerful freaks were to be expected. There were even Sure Kill Heavenly Techniques meant to target False Gods.

Tantai Lingyan didn’t say anything but the faint smile on her face demonstrated her joy.

Qing Shui pulled on one of her hands and walked through the front and back courtyards. This place wasn’t small and it was filled with greenery, artificial hills, arch bridges, ponds, etc. Both of them strolled leisurely as Qing Shui tightly grasped her hand.

Qing Shui enjoyed the present feeling, the tranquility of strolling while holding her hand was an indescribable happiness . Her side profile was one of a quiet woman who was as beautiful as powdered snow, just like a beautiful snowflake.

She was actually really lonely, without a single kin – it was an indescribable loneliness. Although Hua Rumei wasn’t her blood sister, she could already be considered one at some level because without kin, one would subconsciously look for someone to rely on.

However, at some level, Qing Shui was more important than Hua Rumei and this was a completely new feeling, so much so that it was there after the incident in the crystal coffin. Perhaps it was due to this that Tantai Lingyan didn’t kill Qing Shui.

Qing Shui’s appearance and growth as well as his affection for her, and even more so the interaction between their hearts allowed her to see the hope of life and feel its warmth. This was also the reason why she was able to smile recently; in the past, she was unable to find a reason to smile.

Both of them ate together until the sky turned dark before Qing Shui left.

The next day, Qing Shui and Tantai Lingyan bade goodbye to Zhanyu and Hua Rumei. After flying out for a short distance, Qing Shui immediately activated the Divine Five Flags ability and appeared in the Divine Cave in the Ice Ocean Domain with Tantai Lingyan.

Their sudden appearance gave Yiye Jiange and Muyun Qingge a shock despite the surroundings having had a slight initial ripple.

Next they saw Qing Shui and Tantai Lingyan and were surprised by this woman’s ice-cold beauty. Similarly, Tantai Lingyan was taken aback by the two women, since this was her first time seeing such beauties, much less two.

Qing Shui laughed instantly: ”We’re all one family. Let me introduce you guys for a bit.”

Qing Shui made a quick introduction without saying anything, but the few women were all intelligent and could accept it. However, there was nothing much between Muyun Qingge and Qing Shui.