Cultivating Immortality, Starting from Childhood Sweethearts

As he left Tianxuan Sect, Xu Ming did not feel particularly at ease.

It had simply become a habit—remaining vigilant at all times. Even when surrounded by a thousand Dragon-Leopard Iron Cavalry in his sleep, Xu Ming would always keep his guard up. After all, no one ever knew what might happen in the next moment.

Especially with Zhou Wanfeng by his side.

Zhou Wanfeng was like a wild animal in spring, constantly releasing her hormones throughout the day.

Honestly, if she was really that desperate, Xu Ming felt she could just find a right-angled wooden board or even a tree to take care of herself.

Zhou Wanfeng was always getting too close to him, deliberately using certain… sensitive areas to tease him.

During meals, she would always try to feed him, pouting as she said, “Look at me, I just want to take care of my dear brother~”

And every time she said that, she would intentionally glance at Wu Yanhan, whose anger visibly built up day after day.@@novelbin@@

But Wu Yanhan wasn’t anything to Xu Ming—she had no reason to chase Zhou Wanfeng away.

Wu Yanhan was so enraged that she punched a nearby tree in half.

Of course, there was no way Xu Ming was going to help Zhou Wanfeng with that.

Otherwise, he had a feeling Yanhan’s fist wouldn’t be landing on a tree—it would be landing on him.

And it wasn’t just during the day. Every single night, Zhou Wanfeng would slip into Xu Ming’s carriage, wearing nothing but a sheer nightgown.

That thin fabric barely concealed anything that wasn’t meant to be seen. But it lingered like a faint mist over her skin, creating a hazy allure.

Though Xu Ming had always told himself he wouldn’t ride the bus, he still had to grit his teeth and resist every time, eventually kicking Zhou Wanfeng out of his carriage.

But as a hot-blooded warrior, he still found himself struggling to sleep after her teasing.

He thought that if he could just share a carriage with Wu Yanhan, maybe Zhou Wanfeng wouldn’t be so brazen.

But that was out of the question.

In the eyes of many, he was already the consort prince of Wu Kingdom.

But he wasn’t. If he really did share a carriage with Wu Yanhan, what would happen to her reputation? And if things became official, then there would be no way for him to escape. 𝘙ΆＮỖ฿Ɛṩ

Still, Zhou Wanfeng wasn’t entirely useless.

Along the way, they had encountered several assassination attempts. But before the Dragon-Leopard Iron Cavalry could even act, Zhou Wanfeng had already taken the assassins’ heads.

“Blood Robe Tower~” Zhou Wanfeng tossed a badge from the assassin organization at Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan’s feet. “They even hired the Blood Robe Tower—looks like someone really has their eyes on us. I wonder if they’re after you, little brother Xu, or Her Highness? Or maybe… both?”

Wu Yanhan’s expression remained cold as she looked at the badge. “Whoever they’re targeting, Blood Robe Tower is digging their own graves.”

“Oh my, how domineering, Your Highness~ But I should remind you, I’m only here to protect little brother Xu. I have no obligation to protect you.” Zhou Wanfeng smiled playfully.

“I don’t need your protection.” Wu Yanhan shot her a frosty glare before turning to Xu Ming with an annoyed look. “Just keep hiding under her skirt!”

“I—”

Before Xu Ming could explain, Wu Yanhan huffed and walked away.

“Keh keh keh~” Zhou Wanfeng let out a laugh that sounded oddly like a clucking hen. “Looks like Her Highness is jealous~”

“…”

Xu Ming’s brow twitched.

Was Zhou Wanfeng just bored out of her mind after being locked up for hundreds—maybe thousands—of years? Did she escape just to make herself feel something?

As they neared the borders of Wu Kingdom, the assassination attempts grew more frequent. But with the thousand-strong Dragon-Leopard Iron Cavalry and Zhou Wanfeng’s protection, both Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan remained unharmed.

When their convoy finally crossed into Wu Kingdom’s territory, Xu Ming felt a slight sense of relief.

The assassins had all but disappeared.

However, Xu Ming made sure to remember the organization Blood Robe Tower.

They had tried to assassinate him before, and now they were coming after him again. Like lingering ghosts, they just wouldn’t let go.

A true man never leaves a grudge unsettled. Just you wait!

By the time Xu Ming arrived in Jiangnan Commandery, the governor himself came to welcome Wu Yanhan and Xu Ming. Finally, the weight that had been pressing on his heart eased almost completely.

This was Jiangnan, the economic heart of Wu Kingdom, where every official—inside and out—was handpicked by the Emperor himself. Xu Ming truly didn’t believe that anyone could infiltrate a place like this.

The governor hosted a grand banquet to welcome the two of them.

After spending seven days in Jiangnan, Xu Ming felt his exhaustion completely wash away, and the injuries he had sustained earlier were now fully healed.

However, he could sense that his cultivation realm was becoming increasingly difficult to suppress.

Once he returned to Wudu (Wu Capital), he would need to find a place to break through into the Dragon Gate Realm and undergo the heavenly tribulation.

With their rest completed, Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan were ready to continue their journey.

When the governor learned that the Blood Robe Tower had targeted Xu Ming and the princess, he immediately assigned five Nascent Soul Realm experts to accompany them. Additionally, he dispatched twenty thousand Rouge Army soldiers as their escort.

Despite the name, the Rouge Army was composed of men, not women. The unit had been founded by a former princess of Wu, a woman of unparalleled beauty who had earned great military achievements. After her passing, the army was named in her honor.

Far from being an insult, the name Rouge Army sent chills down the spines of many sects.

With such formidable protection, assassins from the Blood Robe Tower would find it nearly impossible to eliminate their targets.

The rest of the journey proceeded smoothly.

When Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan were just two days away from the capital, news of the top scholar and the princess returning together had already spread throughout the bustling streets of Wu Capital.

The Xu and Qin households had begun hanging lanterns and preparing feasts, ready to welcome Xu Ming home.

Even within the imperial palace, Emperor Wu’s mood was exceptionally good.

This year-long journey of Xu Ming’s had won tremendous honor for Wu Kingdom!

“Our son is finally coming home~”

Meanwhile, in a secluded courtyard of the Xu estate…

Chen Suya sat in front of a mirror, her brows tightly furrowed, her pearly teeth biting down on her soft lips.

She remained silent, but the reflection in the mirror… spoke on its own.

“He is my son…” Chen Suya’s face was pale.

“I am you, and you are me. Naturally, he is my son as well,” the reflection in the mirror responded.

“Who are you?! Get out of my body!” Chen Suya’s chest heaved violently.

“That won’t do,” the mirror-image’s lips curled into a wicked smile. “I’ve only just woken up. How could I possibly leave now?”

Then, its grin widened further.

“Tell me… do you think he will notice me?”