Chapter 569 - 308: Overworked and Legal Tax Avoidance

That evening, Jin Yuexi remained at the family headquarters as a guest.

After a long, candlelit discussion with Shangguan Qingying and Ling Changqing, during which she promised to merge Zuiyun Pavilion into the Ling Family of the Linsha Sea Region, the beautiful woman finally received the answer she wanted.

To be precise, it was Ling Changqing’s promise that sealed her decision. He guaranteed she would advance to the Divinity Transformation Realm in the future, with a chance to go even further, all while Zuiyun Pavilion’s original territories and assets remained untouched.

Brocade curtains hung low in the lavish yet elegant inner chambers. Atop a nine-tiered flight of White Jade Steps sat an almost absurdly large Beautiful Jade Embroidery Bed, and a faint, sweet fragrance permeated the air.

Beneath a cloud-like, bright red Phoenix Harmony Brocade Quilt, Ling Changqing held two peerless beauties in his arms, speaking softly. Their black hair cascaded around them like waterfalls, and their dazzlingly fair, voluptuous bodies clung tightly to him. Their gorgeous faces, lovely whether smiling or pouting, were flushed like a sunset, and their radiant eyes shimmered with seductive charm.

"...I never imagined, Husband, that your identity and origins would be so astonishing,"

Jin Yuexi murmured, her voice alluring to the bone, as her soft, fragrant hands gently caressed his manhood.

She had never taken a Dao Companion before and never imagined she would become so intimate with such a young man. ’And now,’ she thought, ’for the rest of my life, I’m sure I’ll never be able to leave him.’

She was already beginning to experience the benefits of Cultivating with Ling Changqing. Not only had her stagnant Cultivation Realm started to loosen, but more importantly, her own Luck and Fortune had significantly increased.

’It’s easy to imagine,’ she thought, ’that as long as our relationship as Dao Companions continues, reaching the Divinity Transformation Realm will be a certainty. And the once unattainable Void Refining Realm... I might have a real chance at that, too, right?’

"As long as you understand, that’s what matters. Don’t you dare speak of this to anyone, or you’ll bring a terrible disaster upon both yourself and our husband."

Shangguan Qingying gave her a sharp look, her expression solemn as she warned her.

"Mm, of course I understand. You can rest assured, Sister."

Jin Yuexi replied with a charming laugh.

She was certainly no naive simpleton. An opportunity great enough to defy fate was something she would never breathe a word of to an outsider.

After a moment of thought, Jin Yuexi suddenly remembered her six martial sisters. They, too, had been stuck as Nascent Soul True Monarchs for a very long time. Their aptitude and fortune were even less than her own, making a future breakthrough as difficult as ascending to heaven.

’If Ling Changqing could help them too,’ she mused, ’then maybe...’

Of course, that would mean Zuiyun Pavilion would have seven Divinity Transformation Level powerhouses, allowing it to become an established Divinity Transformation power overnight.

’This matter can’t be rushed,’ she decided. ’I’ll have to serve my husband well and bring this up when he’s happy. Only then might I have a hope of persuading him in bed.’

The beautiful woman felt a pang of regret. Zuiyun Pavilion was filled with beauties as numerous as the clouds; if they had only met Ling Changqing first, they would be the ones becoming a Divinity Transformation power now. Why would the Zhao Family have ever gotten the chance?

Still, the current situation was quite good. As long as they could remain by Ling Changqing’s side, a long life was within their grasp, and the Great Dao was attainable.

After a pause, Jin Yuexi said shyly, "Husband, shall we... continue our Cultivation?"

With that, she ducked deep under the brocade quilt, lowered her head, and began to carefully massage his legs...

「A few days later」

A rumor began to circulate in secret: Zuiyun Pavilion’s leadership had decided to merge with a major power and had transferred the management rights of the Grade Five Spirit Vein in their territory to the Zhao Family.

This caused the various Nascent Soul powers, such as Vast Cloud Peak and the Yi Family, to curse endlessly in private. How could Zuiyun Pavilion pull a stunt like this? Where did that leave their former allies?

Zuiyun Pavilion was an established Nascent Soul power with a legacy stretching back over a thousand years. Including their Sect Leader, Jin Yuexi, they had a full seven Nascent Soul True Monarchs presiding over the Sect, not to mention hundreds, even thousands, of Core Formation Level Female Cultivators. Their strength was formidable.

Them joining meant the Zhao Family’s core fighting strength would increase dramatically, posing a serious threat to the other powers’ security. And yet, there was nothing they could do.

"...We’re going to get screwed over by that pack of women!"

In the Yi Family headquarters, Patriarch Yi Zhoudian cursed in a flustered rage, smashing his beloved Bright Glowing Glass Cup to smithereens.

The special envoys from the other powers seated nearby, as well as the family Elders, all wore grim expressions and gnashed their teeth.

Originally, sixteen Nascent Soul powers had banded together for mutual protection. They could muster several dozen Nascent Soul True Monarchs, and while that wasn’t enough to challenge a Divinity Transformation Powerhouse like Shangguan Qingying, it was enough to guarantee them a voice.

They had jointly decided to become vassal powers to the Zhao Family in exchange for the safety of their own territories and foundations, and Shangguan Qingying had agreed to the arrangement.

According to the leadership’s original estimates, the Zhao Family’s strength would grow over the next century, but due to their lack of Nascent Soul and Core Formation Cultivators, they wouldn’t have the capacity for large-scale expansion.

Therefore, to maintain stability, Shangguan Qingying would still have to remain on friendly terms with the surrounding powers rather than turning on them.

But now, Zuiyun Pavilion’s defection meant their alliance was weaker, while the Zhao Family’s power had grown significantly.

With this shift in the balance of power, the Zhao Family could now consider conquering one or two of the weaker neighboring Nascent Soul powers.

"What’s done is done. What can we do about it now?"

A tall, thin, middle-aged man in dark brocade robes asked with a frown.

He was the Patriarch of the Wang Family, Wang Shouzong, an early-stage Nascent Soul Cultivator whose family territory bordered Vast Cloud Peak.

Yi Zhoudian said grimly, "Perhaps we can join forces, concentrate the majority of our strength, and launch a surprise attack on Zuiyun Pavilion’s headquarters to teach them a lesson they’ll never forget!"