Su Kang raised his right hand, studying it with quiet focus. It was time to test his control. He would have to use highly advanced Qi skills in the realm. Control over Qi was important in such situations. It could shorten the time needed for techniques.
A single, shimmering thread of spiritual Qi emerged. With a simple exertion of his will, the thread responded instantly. It split. Not twice, but dozens of times. A delicate web of thousands of fine threads of light now danced at his fingertips, each one responding to the slightest shift in his intent.
He guided them with his thoughts. Weaved them together in the air, forming the intricate, flowing character for “Su.”
The lines were sharp. The control was absolute. The previous strain was gone.
His control over his Qi was more than just fine. It was better than it had been when the fissures marred his soul foundation. A satisfied smile touched his lips.
He let the threads of Qi dissipate back into the air. He thought about the remaining, stubborn cracks near the Star Imprint. Would this hold in real combat? The question surfaced. A life-or-death confrontation was different from a calm test in a quiet room. The slightest miscalculation could be fatal.
He considered this for a moment. But for that, I can rely on my body cultivation as well. His Starforged Physique was a source of new power, independent of his Qi cultivation. It should be fine.
Satisfied, he rose to his feet. The lingering scent of the Soul Lotus Petal had faded from the air. A new sense of wholeness settled within him. He left the cultivation chamber, only to realize two days had passed.
He made his way to the main hall of his courtyard, where Bai Yunxi was already sitting and chatting with her maid, Xian’er.
Xian’er saw him coming. She stood and bowed with a knowing smile. “Young Master has emerged from seclusion. Then I will take my leave now and give both of you some privacy.” Without waiting for a response, she slipped away.
Bai Yunxi could smile at this. She was already used to her maid’s personality. She turned to Su Kang, her smile bright and warm. “You’re out. Did everything go well?”
“It did,” Su Kang said, taking a seat beside her. He had not told her about his soul injury.
“I am glad,” she replied, seeing the satisfied look on his face.
“I will be leaving soon for the secret realm,” he said, his tone turning serious. “I will start the preparations for it.”
She nodded, her smile fading slightly, replaced by a look of quiet understanding. “I know.”
For a while, they sat together. Then he left. His first destination was the clan’s main hall, where Su Jinhai was sitting with a stack of jade slips, his expression focused.
Su Kang bowed. “Uncle, I’ve completed my preparations. I’ll depart within the next few days.”
Su Jinhai set a jade slip aside, his brow furrowing. “So the people from the empire have arrived?”
“They have.”
Su Jinhai studied Su Kang for a moment. “Very well. Is there anything you need from the clan before you leave?”
“Yes,” Su Kang replied. “I need some high-grade talismans and some healing pills.” He knew Zhu Zhihao would have superior supplies, but he would not go empty-handed.
“You’ll have access to the treasury. Take what you need.” Su Jinhai’s tone sharpened. “But the Ancestor set one condition. You have two months inside the realm—no more.”
Su Kang looked confused. “Why?”
“The Ancestor told me that you could explore the realm, but you must come out within two months,” Su Jinhai explained.
“I understand, Uncle,” Su Kang said with a bow. “I’ll leave the realm after two months.”
He is probably being cautious, he thought, Or it must have been done by Father or the elders.
“Thank you, Uncle,” Su Kang replied with a bow. Two months was enough when a nascent soul cultivator was helping as well.
From there, he went to the Treasure Pavilion. It was a tall stone building, guarded by two elders. Inside, shelves lined the walls with countless boxes, jade slips, and artifacts. After selecting what he needed, he left for his parents’ courtyard.
He informed them of his departure.
Dong Yue said nothing to stop him. She knew the decision was already made. Still, she could not hide her maternal fear.
“Kang’er, take care of yourself out there,” she said in a soft but firm voice. “Your own safety is more important than any treasure. You must remember that.”
Su Kang looked into her worried gaze. Then gave a reassuring nod. “I understand, Mother. I promise I will return safely.”
Su Chen spoke some words of caution. “Do not rely entirely on others for your safety, even if they call themselves your allies,” he said sternly. “In the face of greed, people abandon their character first.”
“Yes, Father. I will keep this in mind,” Su Kang nodded.
They talked for a long time after that, discussing his plans while repeating their warnings. Finally, he bid them farewell and left their courtyard.
His next stop was Yue Mei’s residence. He found Zhu Zhihao and Fei Yan in the main pavilion, talking to each other as he entered. He gave a storage ring for the lotus petal.
Zhu Zhihao accepted them with an incline of her head. “When do you plan to leave?”
“My preparations are done,” Su Kang replied. “I am ready to leave when you are, Senior.”
“Then let’s leave tomorrow!” Fei Yan interjected. Her usual polite smile was filled with an eager excitement. Venturing into an unknown realm was clearly appealing to her despite initially showing caution.
“Good,” Su Kang agreed. “We will leave tomorrow evening, then.” After deciding this, he took his leave.
Lanterns were already lit by the time he returned to his courtyard; their soft light cast a warm glow on the wooden halls. A private space and a small garden, open to the sky. Near Bai Yunxi’s cultivation chamber was this open-air courtyard.
He found her there. She was just exiting her cultivation chamber. She saw him. Her expression softened into a welcoming smile.
“How did it go?” she asked, her voice a quiet murmur.
“It went well,” he said, taking her hand. “I am leaving tomorrow evening.”
Her smile faded into a look of quiet seriousness. She had known this was coming. “I understand,” she said softly.
The moon was rising. A pale crescent in the darkening sky. They talked for a while about small, inconsequential things, carefully skirting around the topic of his departure.
He told her about the Ancestor’s two-month time limit. “I will be back before the spring blossoms fall,” he promised.
She listened. Her hands rested in her lap. After a moment of silence, she looked at him thoughtfully.
“Husband,” she began, her voice a little hesitant. “Did you forget your promise related to the lotus mark?”
A warm smile crossed his face. “I asked Senior Ma about it. He refused to help, but he gave me the basic instructions.”
He took out a small wooden box from his storage ring. Inside was a vial of clear, viscous liquid—spiritual ink, the base for the symbol. “Since this is just a symbol for us,” he said, his gaze tender, “I decided I would do it for you myself.”
Her eyes lit up with quiet delight.
He prepared a small amount of the ink base in a porcelain dish. Then, he paused. He looked at her. His expression turned serious for a moment. He closed his eyes. With a controlled exertion of his will, a tiny drop of crimson light emerged from his mouth with a cough. It was his blood essence. The droplet hovered for a breath before falling into the dish, where it instantly turned the clear liquid into a vibrant, rosy pink.
He channeled a wisp of spiritual Qi to his fingertip, shaping it into a fine, steady brush of light. “Give me your hand,” he whispered.
She extended her left hand. Palm facing up. Just as his glowing fingertip was about to touch her skin, she spoke again, her voice soft but questioning. “But… it only has your blood essence. You didn’t ask for mine.”
“You are about to break through soon,” he told her, his gaze unwavering. “You shouldn’t expend your blood essence now.”
“But,” she insisted gently, “it wouldn’t mean as much if I didn’t contribute.”
“You have already done more than enough,” he said. His voice was a low, sincere murmur. “You choose to marry me.”
“You are just sweet-talking me now,” she whispered, taking back her hand.
He saw the stubborn look in her eyes and sighed, a soft smile playing on his lips. “Xi’er, my body and Qi cultivation are higher. My blood is refined and more pure. It works better with spiritual ingredients, while yours would only add impurities because of your low cultivation.”
Her expression fell after hearing this. Seeing her disappointment, Su Kang’s heart softened.
“In the future, when you are stronger, we will do it again,” he promised tenderly. “Then we can do it the way you want.”
She looked up at him. A sweet, understanding smile returned to her face. She extended her hand again. “I will remember your words.”
He took her hand again. He used his finger and spiritual Qi as a brush to make a small bloomed lotus mark on her inner arm. She felt a faint, warm energy enter her veins. It was not just spiritual ink; it was his Qi, his blood essence.
As the petals were drawn one after another, her mark was complete. A rosy pink lotus tattoo seemed to bloom on her skin. She traced a finger over the new markr. The lines were smooth and seamless against her skin.
“It looks beautiful,” she murmured with a content smile on her lips.
Su Kang watched her with a gentle smile. “It is made of my blood and my Qi,” he explained softly. “And if you are ever in danger, you can push your own Qi into it. It will break and create a protective barrier around you.”
“Thank you, Husband,” she whispered, her. She looked upto him. Her hands came up to cup his cheek. She leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to his lips.
—
[Author Note]
Exams are coming up, so I won’t be updating for the next month.
I know the first hundred chapters are slow-paced and not everyone will stick around until the end, but that’s okay.
Thanks for your patience.
