C9 The Crown Prince Was Furious..

"Let's hear it, what are the three conditions?" Du Shaomu asked, standing with his hands clasped behind his back.

"Firstly, within half a month, you must ensure that I can reach the Martial Spiritual Stage!" Lee Ling'er declared.

"You're so eager to reach the Martial Spiritual Stage in half a month; there must be something crucial at stake for you. I'll promise you that," Du Shaomu said with a nod, indicating it wouldn't be a problem.

"Secondly, I've heard that my parents intended to have you officially join our family and hold the wedding in ten days. But you've just said you want to marry me with great fanfare. So, in ten days, I expect you to arrive in Fengling City and marry me with all the pomp and circumstance you've promised," Lee Ling'er said, her lips a teasing red, her eyes sparkling with a mix of fiery allure and temptation.

"To marry you in a grand fashion is only fitting, especially since your father is a city lord himself. It's the proper way to marry off a daughter, and of course, I'll agree to that," Du Shaomu replied, nodding decisively.

"And the third..."

The third condition seemed to make Lee Ling'er blush with shyness, her cheeks turning a deeper shade of red, her beauty even more captivating. She bit her lip and hesitantly said, "For the third, I won't keep secrets from you—I've offended the crown prince. I don't want to put my parents in a difficult position, but after we're married, we cannot consummate the marriage... unless, one day, I truly feel that you are someone I can wholly trust. Then, I will have no regrets."

"Furthermore, if you fail to keep your promises, or if I decide you're not someone I can trust, I won't hesitate to divorce you."

After laying out her terms, Lee Ling'er quickly added another line, then looked at Du Shaomu with a shy anticipation, wondering if he would agree to all her demands.

Du Shaomu burst into laughter and said, "You've been honest with me, so I won't make this hard for you. I accept all three conditions. Winning over one's wife and earning her trust is as it should be. I agree to everything."

"You really agree to all of it?"

Lee Ling'er could hardly believe it, her heart fluttering at the thought of winning over her own wife and earning her trust—words that warmed her from within.

"Absolutely, I agree," Du Shaomu confirmed with a nod.

"Then I'll go speak to my father right away," Lee Ling'er said with determination.

"Hold on a moment," Du Shaomu interjected with a smile. "Close your eyes."

"What for?"

Lee Ling'er was taken aback but, for some reason, she complied and closed her eyes.

Du Shaomu moved closer, gazing at her beautiful face, then leaned in and kissed her.

"What are you doing..."

Caught off guard by the unexpected kiss, Lee Ling'er's eyes flew open to find Du Shaomu's face just inches from hers. The shock of their lips meeting sent her mind reeling, and she instinctively pushed him away like a startled deer.

"Ha! I've agreed to your many conditions, even being used by you against the crown prince. We've already paid our respects to heaven and earth, so consider that kiss a little interest on my agreement. Besides, it's also to remind you that from now on, you are my woman," Du Shaomu said with a chuckle.

Du Shaomu couldn't help but smile. Despite her youth, after spending the past couple of days with her, he had grown quite fond of her.

"You're nothing but a flirt. Live up to your words first; otherwise, I might divorce you at any moment."

Lee Ling'er's cheeks were a rosy red. It was her first time being so close to a man. Just last night, he had nearly touched every inch of her, and today he was brazenly close again.

Yet, for some reason, anger wasn't what filled Lee Ling'er's heart. Instead, she found herself longing for the sensation of their lips meeting, feeling dizzy, nervous, and even a touch of sweetness.

"I'm going to find my father."

With those words, Lee Ling'er didn't dare linger and fled the room as if on wings.

"Mother would surely take to this girl as well."

Du Shaomu watched Lee Ling'er's retreating figure, a smile playing on his lips. He wondered what his mother would say if he told her he was married again. Knowing her, she would probably take a liking to Ling'er too.

...

The grand hall was a place of shifting power.

In the opulent side chamber, adorned with glimmering gold, Yuv Loongquan sat in his silver-white robe, handsome and with an air of devilish charm. He sat in the seat of honor, high above, as if surveying all beneath him.

The Imperial Guards, clad in their armor, stood with reverence on either side, their presence formidable.

"What a Marquis Fengling, what a Lee Ling'er!"

Yuv Loongquan's grip tightened on the armrests, his eyes narrowing fiercely, his aura intimidating. He hadn't anticipated Lee Ling'er's cunning move, nor Marquis Fengling's seizing the chance to reject the imperial edict.

"Your Highness, after your seclusion, you've emerged to such boldness from Marquis Fengling. It seems he's outright defying the decree."

The armored middle-aged man approached, the very one who had led the search for Lee Ling'er the day before, having seen everything firsthand.

"What's this about heaven and earth as witnesses, a blood oath for marriage? No one can thwart my claim to the woman I desire!"

Yuv Loongquan's expression turned icy as he commanded, "Should Du Shaomu vanish from this world, I'd like to see what Marquis Fengling can say then. How will he defy the decree without anything to leverage? Remember, leave no trace, and give no one grounds for gossip."

"Understood, Your Highness. The task will be carried out discreetly," the armored man assured, before hastily departing.

In the hall, Yuv Loongquan's gaze darkened, his voice a cold whisper, "A mere mortal, an ant, dares to covet the woman I desire? He should be erased from existence. And as for Lee Ling'er, she won't slip through my grasp."

...

In Fengling City, within the Castellan Mansion.

Marquis Fengling, Lee Changkong, stared at his wife, his face a mask of utter astonishment.

Sikong Lann had relayed the news, but it was only upon witnessing his wife's breakthrough to the Second Empyrean of the Martial Marquis Stage that disbelief filled his eyes.

The gap between the peak of the ninth level of the Martial General Stage and the First Empyrean of the Martial Marquis Stage was vast. The difficulty of such a breakthrough was immense.

The Martial General Stage and the Martial Marquis Stage seemed adjacent, yet worlds apart.

Everyone knew that there was a vast difference in strength between the two, akin to the disparity between heaven and earth!

Moreover, Lee Changkong was acutely aware that his wife had been stalled at the peak of the ninth level of the Martial General Stage for three years.

Yet now, not only had she advanced to the Martial Marquis Stage, but she had also soared to the Second Empyrean of that realm. Such a breakthrough was nothing short of extraordinary!

"The Second Empyrean of the Martial Marquis Stage, it truly is the Second Empyrean!"

Lee Changkong's eyes widened in astonishment as he gazed at his wife, Sikong Lann, his expression one of incredulity. "So, everything you just mentioned is true? Du Shaomu merely had to make a gesture to eliminate your bottleneck and enable your breakthrough?"

"Of course, why would I lie to you?"

Sikong Lann's aura subsided as she had just made her breakthrough and was in high spirits. With a slight smile, she playfully tapped Lee Changkong's forehead with her fingertip. Now at the Martial Marquis Stage, her presence had taken on an even more enchanting quality.

"So, all that Du Shaomu said is true, then? It's unbelievable, and even you can't fathom it?" Lee Changkong inhaled sharply.

"Indeed. That young man is no ordinary individual. He unlocked the acupoints in my body and even utilized Origin Energy, confirming he's a martial cultivator. Yet, I can't discern his aura, and what's more, there's something quite intriguing about him. For some reason, I find myself rather fond of him."

Sikong Lann mused with a smile, considering the prospect of the young man becoming her son-in-law, which didn't seem too shabby.

"This young man certainly has an extraordinary background; he's not just anybody."

Lee Changkong pondered deeply. Between his wife's account and his own observations, it was clear that the young man was far from ordinary.

"If he doesn't join the Lee Family and instead wishes to marry Ling'er, what are your thoughts?"

Sikong Lann inquired, knowing that her husband would have the final say in the matter.

"This..."

Lee Changkong furrowed his brow, the weight of the decision heavy upon him. Given the current circumstances, their initial plans were no longer feasible.

Furthermore, this issue involved the crown prince and the royal family, and the crown prince was unlikely to let it rest.

Yet the idea of marrying his daughter off to the Du Family, without any knowledge of them, was unsettling. He knew his daughter, Lee Ling'er, would not be content with such an arrangement, and he had his own set of concerns and reservations.

"Father, mother..."

In the midst of Lee Changkong's worries, Lee Ling'er gracefully approached.

Without mincing words, Lee Ling'er had come to her parents with a purpose. She relayed everything Du Shaomu had told her and also shared her three conditions.