Chapter 117
Dantai Yuruo hurried back to her cave abode.
No sooner had she stepped inside than she spotted Duanmu Yao sitting on the edge of the bed, staring blankly ahead as if lost in thought.
Her heart clenched, and she quickly approached.
“A-Yao, are you alright?”
Before entering, Dantai Yuruo had already used her spiritual energy to heal her body, especially the area around her thighs, so she wasn’t worried about reopening any wounds.
Hearing the voice, Duanmu Yao turned her head. Seeing the radiant, mature face so close to hers, she patted her slightly muddled head and responded with a dazed expression, “I’m fine, Mother Consort. I just woke up and am sitting for a bit.”
She had intended to visit Father again last night, but somehow, she had fallen asleep.
Just woke up?
Dantai Yuruo didn’t believe that.
If she had just woken up, why had she run into her earlier at the Demon-Suppressing Tower?
Could it be that A-Yao was already suspicious of her actions?
Dantai Yuruo’s thoughts spiraled, unaware that Duanmu Yao had indeed just woken up.
Though Duanmu Yao’s physique and recovery abilities were exceptional, she had still been exposed to the “Immortal’s Downfall”—a drug potent enough to affect even Divine Transformation cultivators. Without an antidote, an ordinary Nascent Soul cultivator would likely sleep for three days after just a whiff. The fact that Duanmu Yao had woken up after just one day was already extraordinary.
But Dantai Yuruo didn’t know that.
She assumed that her past habit of drugging the Emperor had caused A-Yao, born from a palace maid, to develop a natural resistance. She even began planning to increase the dosage next time before visiting Ning Chen.
“Mother Consort, where did you go? Why are you only coming back now? And why have you changed into such plain clothes?”
Duanmu Yao shook her head, now fully awake, and couldn’t help but ask curiously.
“Ah, me? I went to the hot springs for a bath and soaked all night,” Dantai Yuruo lied, using a pre-prepared excuse.
Such a facility did exist—the Green Lotus Sect’s mountains had natural hot springs, which were repurposed for communal use after the sect transitioned to an all-female membership.
The spring water carried trace amounts of spiritual energy, beneficial for long-term body cleansing.
It was also a key surveillance area for Ning Chen, who often tuned in for entertainment—purely for his own amusement, of course.
Duanmu Yao nodded, then scrutinized her mother and let out a soft “Huh?”
“Mother Consort, why is your face so red?”
She inexplicably found this state familiar.
It reminded her of how her master, elders, senior sisters, and junior sisters looked after… certain activities.
As for herself, Duanmu Yao couldn’t see her own face, so she wasn’t sure.
Could it be…
Had Mother gone somewhere to… take matters into her own hands?!
“Perhaps the hot spring was too steamy,” Dantai Yuruo replied, oblivious to her filial daughter’s thoughts. She laughed it off and instinctively touched her cheek—it was indeed warm.
Her entire body’s energy had been thoroughly stirred earlier, and it wasn’t so easy to calm down.
“Is that so?”
“Of course!”
“Alright.” Duanmu Yao remained skeptical.
The explanation made sense, but when she realized she could no longer sense the woman’s aura, her eyes widened in shock.
“Mother Consort… you actually broke through?!”
Duanmu Yao blurted out, stunned.
There was no other explanation—she could sense her cultivation before!
“Y-Yes.” Dantai Yuruo admitted.
Now, Duanmu Yao was truly anxious. She sat up straight.
“But Mother Consort, didn’t you say it would take about ten years to break through?!”
She had been hoping to catch up in cultivation, but how was she supposed to compete now?
Her hands clenched the sheets tightly, heart filled with resentment.
Even with Father’s… guidance, it would be difficult now!
Dantai Yuruo gave an awkward smile.
That had been the original trajectory.
But who could’ve predicted that Senior would directly elevate her—straight to Divine Transformation, second layer?
Clearing her throat, she tried to explain, “I was already at the peak of Nascent Soul, just one step away. Breakthroughs sometimes come in sudden epiphanies, saving years of arduous cultivation.”
She said this without batting an eye.
After all, this “epiphany” had indeed come straight to her… heart.
Well, the palace heart counted as a heart too.
……
And so, for an entire month, a silent battle raged between mother and daughter.
Of course, at Ning Chen’s place, the sounds were anything but silent.
Duanmu Yao rushed to the Demon-Suppressing Tower whenever she had free time, while Dantai Yuruo, left alone and restless, secretly increased the drug dosage.
The two engaged in a covert struggle.
In the end, the Twelve-Clawed Golden Dragon Physique proved its might—Duanmu Yao’s formidable constitution adapted to the Immortal’s Downfall’s effects.
One day, barely half an hour after Dantai Yuruo left, Duanmu Yao woke up despite the doubled dosage.
……
“You two really are like fire and water, aren’t you?”
At the top floor of the Demon-Suppressing Tower, Ning Chen watched as the elegantly dressed, mature woman approached. He waved his hand.
Pop.
Li Yiya, who had been nurturing a sword in her abdomen, knowingly stood up and vacated her spot.
As she passed by, her eyes flickered with hidden amusement.
This woman still had no idea who had set her up.
Picking up her chest wrap, she swayed her hips and left with a seductive gait.
Dantai Yuruo barely glanced at her, feeling no jealousy.
Having spent years in the imperial harem, she was no stranger to concubines vying for favor.
No matter how highly she thought of herself, she would never assume that a man as divine as Ning Chen could belong to her alone.
The moment she experienced the effects of his “nectar,” she understood the secret behind the Green Lotus Sect’s rapid growth.
Thus, she positioned herself correctly—without a trace of her former imperial arrogance.
Yet, her innate noble demeanor remained, especially when kneeling at his feet, evoking an irresistible urge to conquer.
“A-Yao mentioned that the sect’s core disciples will return soon. I was afraid you might forget me, so I thought to visit more often—lest I fade from your memory,” Dantai Yuruo said softly, performing a concubine’s bow.
A loose strand of hair fell by her cheek, softening her dignified elegance into something more alluring.
Ning Chen’s expression remained unmoved. “Speak plainly.”
Dantai Yuruo’s body swayed slightly, her cheeks flushing.
In a whisper:
“I… missed it.”
Ning Chen smirked.
Was that so hard?
All that flowery talk—he wasn’t swayed by those clumsy harem tactics.
Here, with him, it was simple:
Come. Burn. Serve.
That was all.
Raising a hand, he crooked a finger.
Taking the signal, Dantai Yuruo stepped forward.
Without her elaborate palace robes, the high slit of her dress perfectly showcased her legs—long yet shapely, full but not heavy.
The curve from her thighs to her knees tapered elegantly, resembling a wine glass when pressed together.
Her hands were busy too.
With each step, another garment fell away.
By the time she reached the bed, she wore only the “new attire” of an imperial consort.
Melting snow trickled down the mountain peaks, filling the room with a faint, sweet fragrance.
“Same rules as always. Need I remind you?” Ning Chen asked.
“Of course not.”
Dantai Yuruo’s lips curled into a besotted smile.
Without another word, she took her position.
Squelch.
The drainage system activated.
Ning Chen: “…”
Damn it, he’d just changed the sheets.
Every time this woman came, she made a mess.
Deploying the *Ace Exclusive Driver into the cockpit. (*also Ace Designated Operator)
Dantai Yuruo threw her head back with a soundless sigh.
Her brows were half-tensed, half-relaxed.
She’d craved this for so long—every day away felt like an eternity.
She was utterly addicted.
If her initial motivation had been rapid cultivation progress, now it was pure indulgence.
Perhaps she had always been an unrestrained woman.
She’d just never had the right key to unlock the box within her.
Of course, aside from Senior, no one else was worthy of entering!
Watching Dantai Yuruo’s ravenous desperation, Ning Chen couldn’t help but remark, “You’ve come three days in a row now. Hasn’t Duanmu Yao grown suspicious?”
“It’s fine—ah!—she’s asleep! I tripled the Immortal’s Downfall dose after last time,” Dantai Yuruo panted.
Ning Chen: “…What a devoted mother.”
Splitting his focus, he pulled up Duanmu Yao’s live surveillance feed.
At the sight, he paused, then grinned.
He said nothing, letting Dantai Yuruo continue her work.
He was looking forward to the scene that would unfold soon.
……