Gu Xun'er stood there for a moment, dazed. Slowly, the realization dawned on her, and her fair cheeks flushed a deep crimson. She wanted to clarify that it wasn't like that, but words failed her.
She hadn't expected that her time spent observing Zhou Yi would lead Gu Yuan to misunderstand—believing she harbored feelings for him.
However, when she thought of Zhou Yi's peerless visage, his overwhelming strength, and his mysterious air as though he knew all secrets—like a bottomless abyss drawing her in—her heart wavered.
"The ceremony is complete!"
"Send the bride to the wedding chamber!"
A chorus of cheers erupted from the front. Gu Xun'er looked up to see Feng Qing'er being escorted to the bridal chamber, a surge of unexplainable envy welling up in her heart.
Once Feng Qing'er was seen off, Zhou Yi began to greet the guests.
Of course, with his status, he only needed to exchange a few words and share a cup of wine with the most distinguished guests.
Naturally, this included Gu Yuan and Gu Xun'er.
"Miss Xun'er becomes more beautiful with each passing day!" Zhou Yi praised as he shared a drink with Gu Xun'er.
"Master Zhou is too kind!" Gu Xun'er's face reddened deeply. She had heard countless compliments since childhood, but this time, her heart pounded unusually fast.
Seeing this, Gu Yuan couldn't help but smile inwardly.
There's definitely something there.
After greeting the guests, Zhou Yi made his way to the wedding chamber with a spring in his step.
Inside, Feng Qing'er sat in a resplendent red wedding gown, radiating a cold elegance.
Zhou Yi gently lifted the veil, revealing a delicate, slender face with flawless features.
Her amethyst eyes sparkled like precious gems, exuding a noble aura that could not be concealed.
"H-husband…"
Feng Qing'er's phoenix eyes shimmered with shyness, her gaze lingering on Zhou Yi's handsome face before she timidly looked down, her voice soft and tender.
Before this, she had been solely focused on cultivation, never imagining herself getting married so soon.
Yet, she did not regret it.
In fact, she was filled with anticipation.
Because—
Her husband was a legendary hero.
Remembering Zhou Yi's gallant rescue from the Soul Hall, Feng Qing'er's heart pounded like a fawn caught in headlights.
"My lady, you are truly beautiful!" Zhou Yi marveled, his gaze drinking in her delicate features. His arm slipped around her slender waist, feeling the softness and warmth against him.
The subtle, enchanting fragrance from her skin invaded his senses, igniting a flame in his heart.
Unbeknownst to Feng Qing'er, Zhou Yi was hiding another divine treasure besides the Qiankun Ring and the Hun Tian Ribbon—
The Flame Spear, one of Nezha's fabled weapons.
The Qiankun Ring had just demonstrated its terrifying power, obliterating the Soul Clan's ancient stronghold with a single strike, eradicating their entire lineage.
Who knew what devastation the Flame Spear could unleash?
Feng Qing'er's heart quivered, her long, slender legs pressing together as she dared not meet Zhou Yi's eyes.
"My lady, let us drink this cup together!"
Caught in her wandering thoughts, Feng Qing'er noticed Zhou Yi had filled two cups of wine, offering one to her.
"Husband, please!" she responded bashfully, accepting the cup. They exchanged glances, then drank in one swift motion.
"Alright, it's time for us to rest."
Setting down his cup, Zhou Yi's eyes locked onto his beautiful bride, her curves accentuated by the candlelight, his eagerness clear.
"Please, be gentle…"
In that moment, her usual aloofness melted away, leaving only tender vulnerability. She lowered her head, unable to meet his gaze.
That slight lowering of her head was a delicate grace, like a water lily bowing to the gentle breeze, shy yet enchanting.
Desire surged through Zhou Yi as he scooped her into his arms.
"Husband, the lights…"
"No need. I want to see my Qing'er in all her beauty."
Outside, the pale moon sensibly hid behind a blanket of clouds.
Two birds chirped from their perch on a tree, fluttering their wings in their cozy nest.
The grand hall remained lively, filled with laughter and clinking glasses.
Jia Xingtian, Yun Shan, and Hai Bodong, the elders of the Jia Ma Empire, sat together. Once rivals and old acquaintances, they were now family through marriage.
All of them had reached the Dou Ancestor level.
Yet as they surveyed the guests—mighty Dou Venerates aplenty, with even Dou Saints among them—their eyes were opened to a grander world.
Their hearts brimmed with amazement.
Master Zhou's brides are becoming more extraordinary with each union.
They had initially believed Feng Qing'er to be merely the disciple of Lei Zun from the Wind and Thunder Pavilion. Who would have thought she hailed from the Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan?
A clan guarded by a Five-Star Dou Saint, one of the three great magical beast families of the Dou Qi Continent.
Little did they know that Zhou Manor was also home to a pure-blooded royal Void Ancient Dragon—
Zi Yan, the daughter of the Ancient Dragon King.
Elsewhere, Yao Chen shared a table with Xuan Kongzi and Xuan Yi.
Gu He served them respectfully.
After all, Yao Chen was his master, and Xuan Kongzi and Xuan Yi were both pinnacle eighth-tier alchemists—two of the three great leaders of the Alchemist Association.
For an alchemist like Gu He, meeting such figures was a rare and fortunate opportunity.
"There seems to be a history between my master and Master Xuan Yi…" Gu He mused privately, sensing an unusual dynamic.
His thoughts drifted to Yun Yun, the woman he had pursued for years.
Now, she was wed to another, having borne Zhou Yi's child.
His heart ached, a river of sorrow flowing within him.
The Next Morning.
As the sun rose high in the sky, Zhou Yi awoke first, checking his new rewards:
[Reward 1: Phoenix Essence Blood.]
[Reward 2: Beauty Mission Card.]
"Another Mission Quest Card!"
Zhou Yi was pleased with the reward, knowing it would bring another enchanting companion into his life.
And he loved all beautiful women.
As for the Phoenix Essence Blood, it was perfect for Feng Qing'er.
Gazing at her sleeping face nestled against him, Zhou Yi gently infused the Phoenix Essence Blood into her body.
Feng Qing'er's eyes fluttered open, sensing a surge of newfound power.
"What is this?"
"I've merged a drop of Phoenix Essence Blood into your body—blood from a divine phoenix far stronger than the Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan."
"This essence will elevate you to the Dou Ancestor, even Dou Venerate. Becoming a Dou Saint will be within reach."
Her heart swelled with emotion. Zhou Yi had given her an invaluable treasure while she slept—without a second thought.
"Thank you, Husband!"
"You're only at the Dou Emperor level now, so refining this will be tough. Let me assist you."
"Mhm." Feng Qing'er blushed, knowing exactly how Zhou Yi planned to help.
After all, he had taught her the Yin-Yang Creation Technique just last night.
With their synchronization, they could cultivate as one, unhindered.
And as the Phoenix Essence Blood merged with her, her cultivation surged rapidly.
In the Dou Qi system, no profound comprehension of laws was needed—
Only the accumulation of Dou Qi.
As long as one's cultivation was sufficient, enlightenment would follow naturally.
To reach Dou Venerate, one would instinctively grasp the mysteries of space.
Dou Ancestor.
Without the slightest pause, Feng Qing'er effortlessly shattered the bottleneck of the Dou Ancestor realm and ascended.
One-star Dou Ancestor.
Two-star Dou Ancestor.
Three-star Dou Ancestor.
…
Feng Qing'er's rising aura was not concealed by Zhou Yi.
After all, he himself kept a low profile to hide his true strength, preserving his trump cards.
But Feng Qing'er had no such need.
The faster she advanced, the greater the transformation—the more others would realize the benefits of marrying him.
By then…
Wouldn't the beauties of the Dou Qi Continent be even more eager to marry him?
"Someone's advancing to Dou Ancestor!"
"This aura…"
"It's Miss Feng!"
The many guests attending the wedding at the Zhou Manor were roused by the overwhelming energy of Feng Qing'er's breakthrough, their intoxicated eyes snapping open.
However, upon realizing it was Feng Qing'er ascending to Dou Ancestor, no one was surprised.
After all, Feng Qing'er was already a powerful Dou Emperor.
With Zhou Yi's assistance, advancing to Dou Ancestor was merely a matter of course.
But—
When she didn't stop at Dou Ancestor and continued ascending, everyone was shaken.
"She's advancing so fast!"
"What kind of treasure did Master Zhou give her?"
Gu Yuan sensed the surging aura and secretly speculated.
"Nine-star Dou Ancestor!"
Gu Xun'er's beautiful eyes flickered with a complex emotion as she murmured in a crisp voice.
Boom!
At that moment, a loud and resounding phoenix cry pierced the heavens, drawing every gaze upward.
A colossal phoenix phantom emerged in the sky.
A true divine beast—Phoenix.
Even though it was merely a phantom, the divine pressure it exuded bore down on countless powerhouses like a mountain.
"How is this possible?!"
The patriarch of the Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan, Huang Tian, widened his eyes in disbelief.
From that phoenix phantom, he could feel a bloodline pressure far surpassing that of his own Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan.
The Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan prided itself on having one of the most supreme bloodlines among the magical beasts of the Dou Qi Continent.
What kind of phoenix was this? How could it be so powerful?!
Whoosh!
Feng Qing'er's figure appeared in the sky, clad in a dazzling seven-colored phoenix robe. Behind her, the phoenix phantom soared majestically, her presence radiating an overwhelming force.
Finally—
The surging energy reached its peak, breaking through the shackles of Dou Venerate.
At this moment—
A tide of terrifying energy erupted like a tsunami.
Feng Qing'er's cultivation soared from nine-star Dou Ancestor straight to Dou Venerate!
"Dou Venerate!"
"How is this possible?!"
"She advanced from Dou Emperor directly to Dou Venerate?!"
The entire crowd was in an uproar.
They could hardly believe their eyes.
That was Dou Venerate!
And just like that, she had become one?
"Qing'er, how did you suddenly become a Dou Venerate?"
After Feng Qing'er's breakthrough, Huang Tian and the others hurried over, their curiosity barely contained.
"Because my husband gave me a drop of divine beast phoenix essence blood!"
"This is the essence blood of a supreme divine beast phoenix, one that surpasses even Dou God upon reaching maturity!"
Feng Qing'er's gaze brimmed with admiration and devotion as she declared with pride.
In truth, the phoenix essence blood Zhou Yi had given her was equivalent to the supreme divine beast phoenixes of the Great Ruler world.
Those legendary creatures could reach the Heavenly Sovereign realm upon adulthood.
"A supreme divine beast phoenix's essence blood? Surpassing Dou God?"
Hiss!
Everyone gasped sharply. Even the experts of the Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan were filled with envy.
"Essence blood of a supreme divine beast phoenix that surpasses Dou God…"
Fenghuang's eyes burned with fervor.
Despite being named Phoenix (Fenghuang), she was not a true phoenix herself.
She had lived for many years and was only a two-star Dou Saint.
In this lifetime, even reaching four-star Dou Saint seemed impossible.
Yet, this young Feng Qing'er had obtained the blood of a supreme divine beast phoenix.
Even if she couldn't become a Dou God in the future, reaching nine-star Dou Sheng would be guaranteed.
That was the blood of a supreme divine beast!
Fenghuang, usually calm and composed, felt ripples of emotion in her heart.
She had lived a long life—
But as a Dou Saint of the Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan, she still had a vast lifespan ahead.
"If Qing'er can do it, why can't I?"
The more she thought about it, the more her heart wavered.
She had to fight for her future too.
It wasn't about craving phoenix essence blood.
She simply admired Master Zhou's character.
"… Essence blood of a supreme divine beast phoenix, surpassing Dou God…"
As one of the three great heads of the Pill Tower, the revered Xuan Yi was deeply shaken.
In her youth, she had confessed her love to Yao Chen, only to be rejected under the pretext of training his disciple, Han Feng.
She had remained alone all these years.
To her, men like Zhou Yi, who seemed to be in an endless cycle of marrying wives, never held much appeal.
Yet at this moment, she couldn't deny—Zhou Yi truly treated his women well.
Even she felt envious.
If only she had someone who cherished her like that…
"Aah! Xuan Yi, what are you thinking?!"
She mentally scolded herself, feeling an unusual warmth rise to her cheeks.
"Oh my god, Master Zhou is unbelievably generous to his women!"
"If only I could marry Master Zhou, I'd die happy!"
"I want to marry Master Zhou so badly!"
Countless female guests at the wedding gazed at Zhou Yi with glittering eyes, including quite a few married women.
Their husbands, burning with jealousy, could only suppress their emotions.
They dared not say a word.
What if their wives started demanding phoenix essence blood too?
Where on earth would they find such a thing?
Better to keep quiet.
Pretend they saw nothing.
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