9: Times have changed. Before, we gave you a chance; now...

"Ruyan, quickly take this Medicinal Pill!"

Saintess of the Hehuan Sect was shocked by the unprecedented spiritual energy filling her body and the subtle evolution of her Pure Yin Physique. Hearing this, she swallowed the pill without hesitation.

"Boom!"

A spiritual energy fluctuation even more pronounced than last night erupted from her!

The Myriad Manifestations Early Stage Bottleneck shattered, and she directly stepped into the Grand Void Middle Stage, with a stable Foundation and her spiritual energy still climbing!

She opened her eyes, which were filled with incredible joy and shock: In a single night, her cultivation had broken through two major realms, and her Physique had also improved!

This effect was more than a hundred times stronger than any secret Dual Cultivation method in the Sect!

What Chu Ye said was actually true!

The two dressed themselves and pushed open the palace doors.

In the small garden outside the door, Old Ancestor, Chu Tianxing, and the Hehuan Sect's Three Old Ancestors and Sect Master all stood still, clearly paying close attention to the movements inside the palace.

When they saw Chu Ye and Saintess of the Hehuan Sect walking out side by side, everyone's gaze sharpened.

Chu Ye's aura was even more refined; he was clearly in the Spirit Sea Middle Stage!

As for Saintess of the Hehuan Sect, who was in the Myriad Manifestations Early Stage yesterday, her spiritual energy was surging and powerful, clearly in the Grand Void Middle Stage.

Moreover, the flow of her charm was more rounded than before her Breakthrough, and the perfect compatibility of her Pure Yin Physique had greatly increased, replaced by a radiant new brightness and gentleness... This effect was simply immediate and dazzling!

Supreme Second Elder of the Hehuan Sect was the first to be unable to restrain herself. She flashed to Saintess of the Hehuan Sect's side, placed her jade finger on her wrist pulse, and carefully examined it.

A moment later, her charming face was filled with shock. She looked at Su Wu and Supreme Third Elder of the Hehuan Sect, nodding repeatedly.

Su Wu took a deep breath, looked at Old Ancestor, and for the first time, a trace of undisguised emotion appeared on her cold and beautiful face, finally turning into a soft sigh: "Senior... what you said is not false."

Supreme Third Elder of the Hehuan Sect whispered, "This Opportunity... it seems... we profited."

The Hehuan Sect disciples looked at each other, then at Saintess of the Hehuan Sect, and then at Chu Ye, each with different thoughts. Could this Seventh Prince truly possess such Heaven-Defying ability?

Old Ancestor stood with his hands behind his back, a confident expression on his face.

Chu Tianxing was even more beaming, as if he had already seen the future of the Hehuan Sect completely siding with Great Chu, and Chu Ye's path of continuous advancement.

Chu Ye held Saintess of the Hehuan Sect's hand and walked to the crowd, bowing to Old Ancestor. Then he looked at the Hehuan Sect members and said with a smile, "Seniors, do you believe what this Junior said now?"

The Hehuan Sect's Three Old Ancestors exchanged glances. Su Wu stepped forward and bowed to Old Ancestor, saying, "Senior, it was our ignorance. We hope you can forgive us. The Hehuan Sect is willing to form an alliance with Great Chu, and Saintess of the Hehuan Sect, Liu Ruyan, shall be formally betrothed to His Highness the Seventh Prince as his consort!"

The Hehuan Sect's Three Old Ancestors, along with the Sect Master, suppressed their anger and a hint of curiosity, and personally "inspected" Chu Ye.

The so-called inspection was merely using various secret methods to probe his Physique and bone structure, and secretly stimulating his Luck reaction.

The results startled them. Although this child's cultivation was still shallow, his Foundation was unprecedentedly solid, his spiritual energy pure, and faint Dragon roars and Dao sounds echoed within him.

Moreover, a strange Luck, indescribable yet subtly stirring their dormant Quasi-Emperor Realm Bottleneck of many years, enveloped him! That "Heavenly Mandate Marriage Fate Physique" seemed... to truly have something to it!

After the inspection, the Three Old Ancestors maintained a cold demeanor on the surface, but their eyes became lively, exchanging glances with hidden thoughts.

Emperor Old Ancestor, who had been calmly drinking tea, didn't even lift an eyelid. He slowly spoke, "Done with the inspection? How does it feel?"

Su Wu, as the eldest, said with reserve, "He indeed has extraordinary qualities. The 'Opportunity' Senior mentioned earlier..."

"Stop."

Old Ancestor put down his teacup, his voice calm but undeniably firm.

"This moment is different from that. Before, it was giving you an Opportunity. Now..."

He glanced at the three of them, his gaze like a deep ancient well. "Not just anyone is qualified to climb into my Ye'er's bed and become his woman. Let alone thinking of piggybacking on his Luck and coveting the Medicinal Pill that might help one become an Emperor."

The Three Old Ancestors' expressions changed slightly.

Old Ancestor flicked his fingertip, and a golden light transformed into a scroll, suspended in the air.

The words on it were written with powerful strokes, and the core meaning was one: voluntarily sign a blood pact to be Chu Ye's personal maid for at least one hundred years! Serving tea and water, warming his bed and folding quilts, protecting his safety... In short, doing a maid's work and obeying the master's words.

At the end, it was "thoughtfully" noted: Currently, only one contract is accepted, first come, first served, no waiting for latecomers.

"Sign it, and you'll be considered one of us. You'll naturally have a share of the Opportunity." Old Ancestor's tone was as gentle as if he were recommending a good tea.

"You...!" Supreme Second Elder of the Hehuan Sect's chest heaved with anger, her pretty face flushed red.

"Old Ancestor! You're going too far! This isn't a contract, it's a deed of sale! It's an insult!"

Supreme Third Elder of the Hehuan Sect also bit her lip, tears welling in her eyes: "We are also Supreme Elders of a Sect, how can we... how can we be slaves and maids for a hundred years?"

Su Wu's face was ashen, radiating coldness: "Can an Emperor Realm just humiliate people like this? We will never sign this contract!"

The Sect Master beside them was even more furious but dared not speak, his face extremely grim.

"Oh? Not signing?"

Old Ancestor nodded and waved his hand indifferently, "Then please leave. The door is over there, no need to see you out."

The Three Old Ancestors glared fiercely at Old Ancestor and the "ignorant" Chu Ye beside him, then exchanged a complex, inscrutable look. Finally, they snorted coldly, flicked their sleeves, and their figures vanished outside the palace in a blink.

Silence returned to the palace.

Chu Ye scratched his head, looking at the empty palace, a little bewildered: "Old Ancestor... this... they really left? Did we... set the conditions too harshly?"

Chu Tianxing, however, laughed heartily and patted his son's shoulder: "Silly boy, Old Ancestor's move is a brilliant 'Three Peaches Kill Two Warriors' strategy! Don't you understand?"

"Three Peaches Kill Two Warriors?" Chu Ye blinked.

"Exactly."

Chu Tianxing patiently explained, "Do you think that a hundred years as a personal maid is truly a humiliation? For old monsters like them, stuck at the Quasi-Emperor Realm threshold with their lifespans nearing their end, if they can achieve an Emperor Realm Breakthrough, let alone a hundred years, even signing a deed of sale for a thousand years would have countless people fighting over it!"

"Becoming an Emperor! Is that something that can be casually promised? Old Ancestor used Medicinal Pills and your Physique to prove the possibility, and now he's using a single spot and a 'humiliating' contract to set a threshold, precisely to force them to put aside their pride and compete internally!"

Old Ancestor also smiled slightly, picking up his newly brewed tea: "Their anger just now, half was genuine humiliation, the other half was just an act for each other, to maintain that pathetic bit of self-respect and alliance."

"Just wait. Within twelve hours, one of them will definitely sneak back. And, to snatch this 'only' spot, the private scheming, bargaining, and compromises have only just begun."

Chu Ye suddenly understood, looking at his Old Ancestor and Imperial Father's calm demeanor, as if "everything was under control" and they were "waiting for the show to begin."

Chu Ye couldn't help but laugh: "So... I don't have to do anything, just lie in bed and wait for them to fight over being my maid?"

"Otherwise?"

Chu Tianxing said righteously, "You are our family's 'core resource'!"

"Maintaining mystery and maintaining attractiveness is your biggest mission! The other dirty and tiring work, and this kind of manipulative cunning, just leave it to Old Ancestor and me!"

Chu Ye couldn't help but smile. This feeling... why were they even more proactive than him?