35: I like the way you look in your wedding dress

Su Yunxia's body stiffened imperceptibly: "Your Majesty, I'm just feeling a little dizzy."

"Then let me see." Lingxiao Emperor raised his hand, a wisp of spiritual energy condensed in his palm, and he was about to grasp Su Yunxia's wrist.

"Your Majesty, I'm fine." Su Yunxia quickly dodged, cold sweat seeping from her back, and the hand hidden under her sleeve involuntarily clutched the corner of her clothes.

Lingxiao Emperor's hand paused.

Having been husband and wife for several hundred years, how could he not notice Su Yunxia's abnormality?

Thinking back, she must be upset that he had neglected her.

"Yunxia, a moment of spring night is worth a thousand pieces of gold. Let us marry once more."

Lingxiao Emperor's voice carried an irresistible tenderness.

He picked up Su Yunxia and walked towards the bed.

No, this can't go on.

Su Yunxia lowered her brows, pondering a countermeasure.

Lingxiao Emperor gently put Su Yunxia down, his fingertips tracing her hair, his gaze so fervent it almost melted her.

Su Yunxia's palm was already marked with deep crescent moons from her nails.

What to do? Is there really no other way?

Just as Lingxiao Emperor leaned in, Su Yunxia turned her face, revealing a shy and troubled expression.

"Your Majesty," her voice trembled slightly, carrying an apology: "Your concubine is unwell today, and fears spoiling your mood."

Lingxiao Emperor's movements halted.

"Monthly period?" He frowned slightly, a hint of disappointment flashing in his eyes.

Su Yunxia lowered her eyes, not daring to meet his gaze, and could only nod softly, muttering "Mm."

Lingxiao Emperor gazed at Su Yunxia.

After a long while, he sighed deeply, his fingertips caressing Su Yunxia's cheek: "Then you rest well. I will come another day."

Su Yunxia secretly breathed a sigh of relief, forcing a smile: "Your Majesty, why not go to Consort Han's place instead?"

Lingxiao Emperor shook his head: "Never mind, I'll return to the Imperial Study."

With that, he turned and left.

Not until the sound of the palace door closing did Su Yunxia's tense body finally relax.

"You're on your monthly period."

A low voice came from beside her, and Su Yunxia's heart tightened as she abruptly turned to look.

It was Cao Nie!

Her tense nerves immediately relaxed, and she threw herself into Cao Nie's arms, her arms tightly embracing his waist, her cheek pressed against his chest, listening to his steady, powerful heartbeat.

"You finally came." Her voice trembled slightly, with a hint of grievance and joy: "I thought I wouldn't see you tonight."

Cao Nie gently stroked Su Yunxia's back, inhaling the clean, faint fragrance from her hair, and asked again: "You're on your monthly period."

Su Yunxia looked up, a hint of triumph in her eyes: "No, I lied to him."

Cao Nie raised a hand to caress her cheek, a half-smile on his face: "Is it good to lie to him like that?"

"Shh." Su Yunxia extended a slender finger, gently pressing it against Cao Nie's lips, her eyes like water, deep and fervent: "Don't mention him, okay? Tonight... I only belong to you."

Before her words finished, she stood on tiptoe, closed her eyes, and offered her kiss proactively.

Tongues entwined, souls trembled, even time forgot to flow. This kiss seemed to draw out their very souls, willing to drown in each other's breath.

Her fingertips trembled as she began to unfasten her wedding dress.

Cao Nie suddenly raised his hand, stopping her action.

Su Yunxia froze, her heart sinking abruptly.

He doesn't want to continue?

Is he going to end this relationship?

Fear surged, and tears welled up in her eyes.

But the next second, Cao Nie's low voice echoed in her ear, with a hint of playfulness and an irresistible dominance: "I like you in your wedding dress."

Su Yunxia's pupils constricted slightly, then she suddenly understood.

The intense stimulation made her body thrill with excitement.

She looked up at Cao Nie, a charming smile playing on her lips: "I'll listen to you."

Red candles flickered, and gauze curtains swayed gently.

Cao Nie held Su Yunxia's slender, jade-like hand, fingers intertwined, and slowly walked towards the bed.

An hour later.

Su Yunxia nestled in Cao Nie's embrace, her dark hair scattered, and a faint blush still on her fair skin.

Her fingertips gently traced her flat lower abdomen, her eyes filled with an unresolvable tenderness.

"I'm pregnant." She looked up, her voice very soft: "It's your child."

Cao Nie's long fingers tucked her messy hair behind her ear, his tone firm: "Give birth, I'll raise him."

Those simple five words made Su Yunxia's eyes well up.

She hugged Cao Nie tightly: "Take me away. I don't want to see him. I just want to belong to you completely."

Cao Nie stroked her beautiful hair: "After I return from the Spiritual Firmament Secret Realm, I will take you all away."

"You all? Besides Lingxi, who else?"

"Zhao Ling Shuang."

Su Yunxia playfully punched Cao Nie's chest: "Getting me and Lingxi isn't enough? You're truly greedy."

Cao Nie explained seriously: "Ling Jiu's talent is extraordinary. I'm taking Ling Shuang to let him focus on cultivation and not be entangled by romantic feelings."

"Bah." Su Yunxia lightly bit his chin: "You clearly just covet her body."

"My wife knows me best," Cao Nie admitted frankly.

The person in his arms once again playfully chided him.

"Can I see your true appearance?" Su Yunxia's eyes held anticipation.

Cao Nie smiled slightly, removing his disguise.

Su Yunxia trembled as she caressed Cao Nie's face, murmuring infatuatedly: "You're much more handsome than Xiao Bei."

"You are even more captivating than Lingxi."

"Tell me your name."

"Cao Nie."

The next morning.

In front of a stone wall in the back mountain of the Spiritual Firmament Immortal Palace.

Dozens of people had gathered.

Besides Lingxiao Emperor's descendants, there were also the descendants of high-ranking officials and nobles.

Lingxiao Emperor stood at the very front.

He raised his hand and waved out a majestic spiritual energy that shot towards the stone wall in front of him.

He softly recited obscure incantations, his hands forming seals before him, his movements constantly changing.

This lasted for about a few breaths.

Lingxiao Emperor pointed forward and shouted: "Spiritual Firmament Secret Realm, open!"

On the stone wall, spiritual energy began to swirl madly, forming a vortex-like light portal that resembled a passage.

"Alright, you may enter now. As for how much you can absorb, it all depends on your own abilities," Lingxiao Emperor turned and admonished the crowd behind him.

Ling Jiu took "Zhao Ling Shuang's" jade hand and walked into the passage.

Cao Nie and Lingxi followed behind.

And then came the others.

The moment he stepped onto the swirling light portal.

Cao Nie felt a spatial force acting upon him.

In a blink of an eye, he had already arrived in an unfamiliar place.

This was a circular stone platform resembling an altar.

Beneath his feet were dense, intricate array patterns.

Each time the array patterns flickered, a person would appear.

In just a few breaths, all dozens of people had entered this place.

"The Immortal Pool is over there, let's go." Ling Jiu raised his hand, pointing towards the top of the only mountain peak in the distance, and led the way, flying towards the peak.

After landing on the peak.

Everyone saw a circular Immortal Pool with a diameter of a hundred meters.

White mist rose from it, and the pool water was milky white, resembling a heavenly paradise on earth.

Ling Jiu turned and instructed everyone: "You have half a month. Absorb as much as you can."

With that, he gestured to Cao Nie.

And flew into the Immortal Pool with "Zhao Ling Shuang."

Cao Nie took Lingxi's small hand and led her to a spot not far from Ling Jiu and "Zhao Ling Shuang," so he could monitor "Zhao Ling Shuang."

As soon as Cao Nie entered the pool, he felt a gentle energy drilling into his body.

However, the energy was too small to be of much help to him.

Even if he absorbed all the energy in the entire Immortal Pool, it might not be enough to help him break through.

Cao Nie gestured to Lingxi.

They began to pretend to cultivate.

In reality, they were monitoring "Zhao Ling Shuang's" every move.

"Zhao Ling Shuang," just like him, closed her eyes and began to cultivate.

Over a hundred breaths passed.

Everyone had fallen into deep cultivation.

"Zhao Ling Shuang" was still cultivating, without any movement.

A day passed like this.

Everyone was diligently absorbing the energy from the pool.

"Zhao Ling Shuang", however, moved.