My Wife Turns Out to be an Empress of the Dynasty

As her words fell, Mu Yuyan conjured the Linglong Pagpda into existence.

She had been using this item for quite some time, and it was about time to return it.

But Gu Lan didn't take it. Instead, he pushed it back toward Mu Yuyan.

"I don't need this thing right now. It'll be of greater use in your hands."

With that, Gu Lan infused it with a strand of true qi.

The wonders of the Linglong Pagpda weren't limited to its ability to contain all things.

More importantly, its defensive power was extraordinarily strong.

The reason he hadn't used it before was simply that he hadn't needed to.

And by choosing to leave it with Mu Yuyan, Gu Lan admittedly had his own selfish motives.

He hoped the Linglong Pagpda could protect Mu Yuyan and keep her safe for a while.

The troubles ahead would only grow, and the strength of the enemies they'd face would continue to rise.

Mu Yuyan initially wanted to refuse, but Gu Lan gave her no chance to speak.

"With this in your hands, I can rest easy. There's no need to say more."

Seeing Gu Lan's resolute expression, Mu Yuyan ultimately swallowed the words she'd intended to say.

Since it had come to this, anything more she said would be pointless.

…

After some conversation, Gu Lan left the place.

By now, the sky had darkened, and no traces of any aura could be felt in the surroundings.

Gu Lan cast a calm glance around before heading toward the secret place where he cultivated.

Though he had already earned the recognition of the Great Path's qi,

Gu Lan was well aware that he hadn't fully mastered this power.

The moment he entered the secret place, Gu Lan unleashed his true qi without hesitation.

The qi of the Great Path shimmered as he sat cross-legged.

At the same time, the true qi from all around began to gather toward him.

This aura was no ordinary force—it instantly enveloped everything in all directions.

Under this dense true qi, the power within Gu Lan's body grew bit by bit.

This time, Gu Lan wasn't in a rush. Haste would only hinder progress, especially when it came to mastering the Great Path's qi.

…

As time passed—how long, he couldn't tell—Gu Lan finally opened his eyes slowly.

At that very moment, a figure stepped into the area outside his cultivation grounds.

Seeing it was Gu Simu, Gu Lan paused, a hint of confusion crossing his face.

Before he could speak, Gu Simu had already approached him.

Stopping before him, Gu Simu gave a slight bow.

"Daddy."

"You little girl, just say what's on your mind."

Gu Simu never came without a reason—Gu Lan knew this girl all too well.

She must have something to ask for; otherwise, she wouldn't have shown up here.

Under Gu Lan's questioning, a meaningful smile appeared on Gu Simu's face.

After a brief second of hesitation, she spoke to Gu Lan.

"Daddy, that Blood Demon Kung Fu you cultivated before—could I give it a try?"

At those words, Gu Lan's expression darkened instantly.

He'd thought this girl had some other matter, not that she'd come for the Blood Demon Kung Fu.

Gu Lan stared at Gu Simu with a grave expression before shaking his head.

"No. This technique isn't something you can handle."

The trials he'd gone through with it were still vivid in his memory—how could he let Gu Simu attempt it too?

Anything else he could agree to, but not this.

Gu Lan refused outright, expecting the girl to drop the idea. But to his surprise, it had no effect.

Gu Simu's eyes turned pleading as she spoke to Gu Lan again.

"I have some strength of my own—I definitely won't let anything go wrong."

She knew Gu Lan was only looking out for her.

But she wasn't about to give up. This technique, after all, wasn't just any ordinary power.

Gu Lan had once taught the Blood Demon Kung Fu to Ding True Man and Lin Tan'er.

But when Gu Simu sought them out, both had refused her outright.

The reason was simple: when Gu Lan taught them the technique,

he had explicitly told them it must not be passed on to others.

"If Daddy won't teach it to me, then I'm not leaving this place."

With that, Gu Simu plopped down on the ground, showing no intention of moving.

Gu Lan had long known this girl could be stubborn, so he'd kept a trick up his sleeve.

With a wave of his hand, thousands upon thousands of techniques appeared before them.

"Besides the Blood Demon Kung Fu, you can pick anything from here as you please."

These were thousands of techniques, many of them exceptional.

He'd thought Gu Simu might be tempted.

But she didn't even glance at them, waving her hand dismissively.

"I'm not interested in these things."

That single sentence left Gu Lan speechless.

For a moment, he didn't even know how to respond.

Gu Simu was dead set on getting what she wanted—she wouldn't leave without it.

Gu Lan felt a headache coming on.

He knew full well that once this girl made up her mind, no one could sway her.

After some deliberation, a faint golden light flickered at Gu Lan's fingertip.

"Daddy will only pass you the insights of its cultivation. You'll have to acquire the aura's source yourself."

Hearing this, Gu Simu was overjoyed.

The moment Gu Lan finished speaking, she nodded eagerly.

"Thank you, Daddy!"

As this power flowed into her, Gu Simu stood up, thrilled beyond measure.

"Worthy of the Blood Demon Kung Fu!"

Seeing how excited she was, Gu Lan could only sigh helplessly.

Unease stirred in his heart—he couldn't shake the feeling that this girl might stir up trouble.

But he couldn't say much now; he'd have to take it one step at a time.

How things would turn out would only become clear later.

Having gotten what she wanted, Gu Simu had no intention of lingering.

But just as she took a step to leave, Gu Lan suddenly spoke.

"Has there been any trouble outside lately?"

Gu Lan didn't know how long he'd been cultivating—he hadn't paid attention to recent events outside.

At his question, Gu Simu replied thoughtfully.

"The movements of those two clans have slowed down quite a bit. But someone calling himself Xuan Feng came here once."

At that, Gu Lan's expression darkened again.

He'd thought he'd already shaken that guy off—how could he show up here again?

"Did he say why he came?"

This time, Gu Simu shook her head, saying no more.

"He didn't."

She was telling the truth. This Xuan Feng had only come asking about Gu Lan's whereabouts.

When no one told him, he left the place.

He'd come quickly and left even faster.

"Daddy, anything else?"

Gu Simu was growing impatient and turned to ask.

With her words, Gu Lan shook his head faintly.

He'd originally planned to cultivate further, but it seemed he wouldn't get the chance now.

He was certain of one thing: this fellow named Xuan Feng hadn't gone far.

If he went out, he'd surely run into him.

"Stay here and cultivate."

Gu Simu was about to step out, but Gu Lan moved first.

His speed was astonishing—in an instant, he vanished without a trace.

Gu Simu was left dumbfounded, her face full of confusion.

She didn't know why Gu Lan was in such a hurry, but judging by this, he must be off to handle something big.

Gu Lan didn't pause for a moment. In a few breaths, he reached the clouds.

The instant he stopped, he unleashed his aura without holding back.

Since the other party had lured him here, they must be watching from the shadows.

"Young Master Xuan Feng, isn't it a bit rude to keep watching from the dark?"