Chapter 618: Willing to Be Your Concubine

Zhao Changhe was genuinely furious. He had exhausted every single option, with his sole desire being to cure her. He had traveled far and wide for so long, and no matter where he went, his mind was constantly consumed by thoughts like, *“Will this help Wanzhuang’s illness?”* or *“Can the Rejuvenation Mantra save Wanzhuang if it reaches this level?”* She was always on his mind, a thought so persistent it had practically become an obsession.

The moment he landed on the shores, his very first worry was that Wanzhuang was in grave danger. He spurred his horse and galloped across a thousand miles, travel-weary and burning with anxiety, rushing from Yangzhou to the capital in a matter of hours.

Yet, she did not treat her own life with the gravity it deserved. That was not merely her own life she was disregarding; she was simultaneously casting all of Zhao Changhe's painstaking efforts straight into the mud.

He did not want to speak to her in harsh terms, and the absolute harshest thing he could bring himself to say was that she would spend the rest of her life with him.

But then Tang Wanzhuang had looked into his eyes and responded with utmost seriousness, "Very well. If there is a rest of my life to speak of... Wanzhuang... is willing to be your concubine."

This time, it was Zhao Changhe's turn to stare in dumbfounded shock. What she spoke of was not becoming his wife, it was a damn *concubine*... Did she even know what that concept implied? Could it just be a self-deprecating, humble expression?

"No, wait, do you not realize that you can actually live? You can't possibly think I'm just boasting, thinking you're doomed anyway and just letting yourself go, right?"

Tang Wanzhuang smiled faintly, offering no answer.

She did not know whether Zhao Changhe was boasting or merely speaking out of anger, but her heart was filled with both love and guilt. If one could say Xia Longyuan had never failed her, that was merely the righteousness of a sovereign and a minister being fulfilled. Zhao Changhe was the one who truly cared for her as an individual, descending like a divine warrior from the heavens even at a time like this, crashing straight into her heart and shattering everything else.

At that very moment, Tang Wanzhuang truly felt that the ultimate belonging of her life lay right here.

This life had already reached its end. She had truly given her life for the Great Xia, owing nothing to anyone, except to him alone.

If there was still a chance to be reborn from the ashes, then she would live another lifetime because of his deep affection. From then on, the Chief of the Black Clothes Bureau would exist no more, and there would only be a woman of the Zhao family. If that were the case, why would she ever possess the desire to vie for favor with others?

It was just a pity... perhaps it was nothing more than a dream...

Weariness washed over her, and Tang Wanzhuang’s eyelids began to fight against each other as her consciousness gradually turned hazy.

In her blurred state, she felt Zhao Changhe stuff a pill into her mouth, but there was no kiss to transfer breath as she had imagined.

*He doesn't even want to kiss me anymore...*

In truth, how could Zhao Changhe possibly find the leisure to kiss anyone? Tang Wanzhuang was dazed and could no longer grasp the situation. At this moment, they were trapped within Wang Daoning’s wall of Qi. This wall of Qi was not designed merely to imprison enemies; it was fully capable of squeezing a person until they literally burst.

Earlier, when Tang Wanzhuang’s condition was still relatively stable, the wall of Qi could not budge her. But right now, she clearly could not withstand it. Having originally leaned against the wall of Qi, she could no longer resist being compressed toward him, squeezed tightly against Zhao Changhe’s chest, pressed flush against him.

To say nothing of treating her, if Zhao Changhe could not handle this, he would have to watch the woman he loved be crushed into mincemeat right in his arms, and even he himself might not survive.

Zhao Changhe wrapped Tang Wanzhuang securely in his embrace, using his own body to shield her from the crushing pressure. He scanned his surroundings, looking left, right, up, and down. The confinement was incredibly tight, even the ceiling was completely sealed off.

Yet, his mind arrived at the exact same conclusion that Tang Wanzhuang had reached earlier—the Wang family’s technique of Upending Heaven and Calming the Sea was composed of Qi, not an actual sea. If Wang Daoning had broken through to the Imperial Realm by combining his power with the yin energy left in his soul by the Sea Emperor, then that path did not truly align with his own martial way. His Imperial Realm had to be somewhat flawed... He wondered if Wanzhuang's failure to be instantly taken down earlier was related to this. In short, it was not as overwhelmingly powerful as imagined.

Earlier, when he delivered an arrow and a saber strike, he had admittedly taken the initiative of a surprise attack and benefited from the divine weapon that was the Soul Bow. However, the fact that he was merely repelled without sustaining any injury suggested that the gap between their realms was truly not an unbridgeable chasm.

Therefore, this wall of Qi only looked heavy and unbearable, but in reality, it ought to be riddled with major flaws.

Zhao Changhe's thoughts spun at lightning speed. Suddenly, he let out a fierce shout and slammed a brutal punch directly onto the ground.

This fist was no longer what it used to be; it was now a fist capable of halting ocean waves! A deafening explosion resounded as the palace floor was smashed downward at an angle, violently blasting open a hollow path that passed right underneath the wall of Qi.

Sure enough, the wall of Qi lacked the fluidity to automatically adjust and fill the space. It was exceptionally rigid, showing absolutely no reaction even as wind draft surged from underneath it.

Zhao Changhe's heart settled with absolute certainty. He threw two consecutive punches to widen the passage, wrapped his arms around the unconscious Tang Wanzhuang, and rolled forward, completely escaping the enclosed area. Wang Daoning had arrogantly assumed this could trap them for at least the time it took an incense stick to burn, but in reality, only a few words and three punches had passed, taking less than half a minute.

If Wang Daozhong were present, he would likely curse his elder brother, asking how on earth he could perform like this against a mere youth.

The nearby halls had collapsed, leaving no place to stand. Zhao Changhe carried Tang Wanzhuang and leaped further away, ducking into a side hall whose purpose was entirely unknown. There was no bed inside, only tables and chairs. Fortunately, one of the tables was quite long, so Zhao Changhe laid Tang Wanzhuang out upon it, finally breathing a sigh of relief.

Only now did they have an environment suitable for medical treatment; otherwise, her condition would only deteriorate.

Zhao Changhe reached into his ring and pulled out a separate small paper packet. Inside was some powder made from boiling herbs and drying them out. He had not yet had the chance to refine it into pills, but the efficacy was roughly the same—this was medicine he had specifically paid attention to while gathering herbs on Tianya Island, noting which ones would be useful for Tang Wanzhuang’s illness. At the time, he had collected them while San Niang and Chichi remained utterly oblivious. Later, when he went to brew medicine for San Niang on the ship, he had conveniently brewed a portion for Tang Wanzhuang as a backup.

His mind had indeed been constantly occupied with Tang Wanzhuang’s illness, a fact the heavens could bear witness to. Naturally, he would never dare to flaunt this in front of San Niang and Chichi, otherwise, how could he ever balance his relationships? He would surely be beaten to death.

The benefit of his foresight was that he had no need to temporarily compound and brew medicine right now; it was ready for immediate use. Otherwise, this brief window of time would not have sufficed at all... It could be considered a case of heaven not failing a man with a purposeful heart.

Zhao Changhe pinched open Tang Wanzhuang's cherry-like lips and poured the medicinal powder inside. Seeing that she was about to cough it out, he immediately leaned down and pressed his lips against hers, completely blocking it back down her throat. At the same time, he silently activated the Rejuvenation Mantra. The surging, abundant power of the Azure Dragon's Rejuvenation quickly healed the trauma Tang Wanzhuang had just suffered from the impact, followed immediately by repairing her meridians and nourishing her soul.

The entire sequence of movements flowed like water, leaving one to wonder just how many times he had rehearsed it in his mind.

Tang Wanzhuang was in a daze, yet her mind had remained aware throughout, leaving her moved beyond words.

If this life of hers was truly saved, it would not be an exaggeration in the slightest to say it was entirely bestowed by him.

She fluttered her eyes open slightly, looking straight into Zhao Changhe's tense, watchful eyes.

Seeing her open her eyes, Zhao Changhe paused his kissing motion, intending to lift himself up.

Tang Wanzhuang reached her arms around his neck, holding him close and refusing to let him rise. As their soft gazes met, both could see their own reflections mirrored in the other’s eyes.

Zhao Changhe gently nudged with his tongue. Tang Wanzhuang understood his intent and obediently parted her pearly teeth a fraction, allowing him to probe inside and claim her.

After kissing for a brief moment, Zhao Changhe parted from her slightly, breathing softly. Tang Wanzhuang's chest heaved as she whispered in a low voice, "Am I... alive?"

Not even the time for half a cup of tea had passed—at most two minutes—yet she had walked to the gates of hell and back, ultimately pulled back to reality.

Zhao Changhe let out an "Mhm" in response. "You won't die. If you want to be completely cured, it will probably require true dual cultivation... I'm not trying to trick you out of your virtue... I have to make that clear to you."

Tang Wanzhuang closed her eyes slightly, turning her head to the side as she murmured softly, "H-Here?"

Her pale face had already begun to flush with a deep crimson.

Zhao Changhe, on the other hand, was utterly stunned by her words, his expression becoming exceedingly peculiar.

Of course it could not be here. This was neither the place nor the time. You are supposed to find a place to hide and recuperate, and once the dust settles, I will come back to look for you... How could someone as intelligent as Wanzhuang fail to understand even this...

Wait, what her words actually expressed was, *“As long as you desire it, any place is fine”*?

Zhao Changhe scratched his head and leaned close to her ear, whispering in a low voice, "You should go back now, find a safe place to hide, and then... wash yourself clean and wait for me."

—*“Not only am I a bandit, the next thing I covet might very well be Tang Wanzhuang! Tell her to wash herself clean and wait!”*

The memory of that line surfaced in both of their minds simultaneously. What had been a wild, arrogant declaration back then had now become reality