Chapter 858: Third Tier of Imperial Control, Divine Vision

Chapter 858: Imperial Realm Third Layer, Divine Vision

Under normal circumstances, dual cultivation does not help break through realms. In the past, it only allowed one to gain some reference insights from the mutual exchange and interplay, aiding subsequent personal breakthroughs—not that the energy from dual cultivation directly caused the breakthrough.

Relying solely on energy accumulation could never affect the threshold beyond the Imperial Realm; the matter of "imperial" is such that if you don't grasp it, you simply don't.

But Ye Jiuyou gave far too much—not just enough energy to aid the breakthrough, but also a vast amount of insights into heaven and earth.

Previously, Zhao Changhe's path to breaking through the second layer lay in the soul's wandering, being omnipresent. Every blade of grass, every tree, every brick and stone could become an incarnation beyond the self. After breaking through this realm, he could traverse different realms at will through the connection of a single object, freely roaming and shifting between Chang'an and the Abyss of Nine Nether, like a god descending.

In this regard, whether it was the Ye sisters or Piaomiao, they could all do it with effortless grace.

On the surface, Zhao Changhe seemed to have achieved much the same as them... but in truth, there was still a vast difference from the desired omnipresence.

Let alone the range—being in Kunlun, he certainly couldn't see the distant seas; that was a matter of insufficient quantity, incomparable to the Blind One's panoramic view of the world... As for the Blind One, she could already traverse spaces that broke through realms to Earth, and even bring others along—this was a qualitative change, likely due to her half-step Heavenly Dao strength, not the third layer of the Imperial Realm.

Beyond the differences in range and level, when he first broke through the second layer, he knew the most typical gap lay in his inability to process information from multiple sources simultaneously. The sheer volume of information from ten thousand li around was immense, impossible to receive and analyze in an orderly manner. Just handling that many images was difficult, let alone the countless sounds.

The Blind One overlooked the world, knowing clearly what happened everywhere; he could not. When he first broke through the second layer, he could only focus his spirit on one place to receive its information; without deliberate attention, it was as if he saw and heard nothing. Now he could roughly divide his attention among several places, but there was still a qualitative difference from the Blind One.

Forget the Blind One—he couldn't even compare to Piaomiao. Piaomiao seemed to be here with him, sharing this story, yet she clearly knew of Xia Chichi's sacrificial prayer in the capital; she learned of Wanzhuang's private ritual the moment it happened—not through deliberate spying, but because the mountain and river's vital energy was omnipresent.

This was the typical characteristic of the third layer of the Imperial Realm. Only by breaking through could one truly be omnipresent, like the night hanging high, covering the world.

The Blind One never needed to constantly follow him; whatever he did, she naturally knew.

And when he merged with Ye Jiuyou, Zhao Changhe fully shared her spiritual sea of consciousness—a vast, boundless darkness with no end. As her spirit extended, it went on infinitely.

Far away at the easternmost Tianya Island, the flowering trees were so clear, the tiny insects crawling on the flowers rustling, their sounds as if right beside his ear.

To the northern extreme, amidst the ice for ten thousand li in the deep sea, waves crashed, and various marine creatures tore at each other. The Southern Brightness Lihuo burned in the prison of fire, flames leaping and crackling—that was the shadow of the Vermilion Bird, already sent back by Ye Jiuyou, turning into a sea of fire.

Within the capital, Tang Wanzhuang was discussing state affairs at court, debating many topics. So Ye Jiuyou had praised Tang Wanzhuang before—unlike what people perceived from various rumors—she had actually been watching everyone's actions all along, whenever she wished.

The marketplace buzzed with voices, every shop and stall's sounds clear and distinct. She could even hear the prayers to the Night Emperor at the Four Symbols Sect's altar, the vital energy and faith transferring toward herself.

Zhao Changhe noticed that many new demons had appeared in the world... along with alien creatures. These seemed to have escaped after the collapse of the Heavenly Demon Illusion Realm earlier, which everyone had been too preoccupied to deal with. Among the topics Tang Wanzhuang was discussing now was this very matter. The Demon Suppression Bureau, which had little to do recently, had resumed high-intensity operations. At this moment, the Bureau seemed more aptly named than ever. Among its members was a newly joined round-faced middle-level officer, no longer sweeping the gate, but leading troops to vanquish demons, her agile figure very different from usual.

That dead girl was just putting on an act in front of Brother Zhao.

In the southwestern Miaojiang, Sisi sat high on her throne, completing the final steps of the Ling tribe's relocation. From now on, the Ling tribe's secret realm would be empty of a single person.

A murderous aura and sword intent lurked in the Ten Thousand Great Mountains—was that the Sword Emperor and Lie?

This was what it meant to be a god, receiving and processing all information in the world simultaneously.

No, what was this? He was in the middle of his wedding night, why was he seeing so many things?

Zhao Changhe's spirit recoiled, landing on the face of the beauty beneath him. Ye Jiuyou's eyes were hazy, her cheeks flushed, her unconscious moans sweeter than any celestial music in the world.

The aura of dark stillness transferred from her body into his, striking at the threshold of his cultivation. Then, through the operation and fusion of the dual cultivation technique, it flowed back, surging waves repeatedly assaulting both their senses, intertwining flesh and spirit, each knowing the other.

Zhao Changhe leaned down to kiss her cherry lips, the tumultuous waves like a stellar explosion, bursting forth.

Zhao Changhe felt his power surge wildly—a typical sign of a breakthrough in cultivation. The third layer of the Imperial Realm was declared breached.

In truth, it had only been about two months since he broke through the second layer of the Imperial Realm; breaking through the Imperial Realm was faster than others breaking through the Profound Gate... But no one could have imagined that this fellow could, in such a short time, consecutively obtain the virginity of two top-tier demon gods at the third layer of the Imperial Realm. This fortune was unprecedented and terrifying.

He had broken through, while Ye Jiuyou nearly rolled her eyes.

Zhao Changhe rested atop her for a while, then gently kissed her forehead: "You... were contemplating the universe?"

That last wave had transmitted Ye Jiuyou's perception to him, the sensation of a galactic explosion very clear. Ye Jiuyou panted for a long time before weakly murmuring: "Can you not say something so mood-killing..."

Dual cultivation was fine in every other way, but talking during it was like playing the zither to a cow—was this the time for that? Ye Jiuyou would never, at a moment like this, ask, "You've reached the third layer?"

Still, she enjoyed Zhao Changhe's tender kisses afterward, and soon whispered: "I never knew this could be so pleasurable. Isn't it said that the joy of a breakthrough far surpasses carnal pleasure? Why does this feel stronger..."

Zhao Changhe found it amusing: "Have you ever experienced a breakthrough?"

Ye Jiuyou paused, then smiled herself: "No."

What did it mean to be a primordial demon god? She leaned back.

Zhao Changhe added: "Besides, ours is enhanced by the Ultimate Bliss Technique. Do you know what 'ultimate bliss' means? It's what we rely on."

Ye Jiuyou bit her lower lip, then suddenly rolled over, pinning Zhao Changhe beneath her, and said seductively: "I have now known the joy of the mortal world... I want more."

Zhao Changhe: "!!!"

This was it—the true awakening of newfound pleasure, the unleashing of wantonness.

"This time, no dual cultivation. I want ultimate bliss... Let's focus on pleasure..."

"I..."

"Are you already spent? Then how do you usually satisfy all those women of yours? Hey, hey, wait... Ah..."

The palace maids and eunuchs outside the bedchamber had listened to an hour of lovemaking and were catching their breath when it started again inside...

Accompanied by the man's low growl: "Still dare to say I'm spent?"

Then came the woman's pleas, tender and alluring, melting bones: "Unfair... I'm so much stronger in cultivation than you, why am I left so weak and limp by you..."

"No strength? Then stay on your hands and knees."

"...What if Ye Wuming attacks?"

"If she dares to come at a time like this, I'll release it right in her face. Let her try."

Ye Wuming: "..."

In truth, Ye Jiuyou regretted mentioning Ye Wuming's name the moment she said it. She believed that before this, when Zhao Changhe was conquering her, he hadn't thought of Ye Wuming; even if he had, it was only to study techniques. But now, there seemed to be a subtle difference.

Ye Jiuyou knew how much she resembled Ye Wuming, and she also knew the desire Zhao Changhe harbored deep down for Ye Wuming. At one point, she had even suspected whether he saw her as a substitute for Ye Wuming... When they stopped thinking about cultivation and simply indulged in ultimate bliss, what would Zhao Changhe think, looking at that face so like Ye Wuming's? Having her turn over on her hands and knees—was it just to try a new position, or was there another thought he was trying to cover up?

Ye Jiuyou lay on the pillow, biting her finger in regret, enduring.

What Zhao Changhe thought was unknown; even if he thought it, he dared not show it. But somewhere, Ye Wuming gritted her teeth, nearly grinding them to dust.

Do you think you're fucking me?

Forget it, this scene was unwatchable. Whether he thought so or not was unclear, but watching it herself, it felt exactly like she was being fucked.

Disgusting.

...

Li Boping was in a bind.

The ancestor had openly brought a man into her bedchamber, the implication clear as day. Worse, she didn't even bother to save face—according to the palace maids and eunuchs inside, sounds of lovemaking had been heard, and the lady moaned very seductively.

And they were taking forever. They had arrived in the morning, and now it was well past lunch, and they still hadn't emerged.

By the time they finished, the news would have spread—mealtime gossip traveled fastest. By now, it had probably reached all of Chang'an.

They weren't even married yet. Sneaking around outside was one thing, since there was no solid proof; strolling hand in hand was fine, as it was conventional. But openly carrying a man into the bedchamber in broad daylight, under everyone's eyes, and doing that—the sense of humiliation and conquest was far too strong.

Rumor had it she was on her hands and knees.

This wasn't an invasion with an army; Zhao Changhe had come alone.

Bare-faced humiliation, treating Guanlong as if it were nothing.

Li Boping wanted to emulate Zhang Xiu and launch a surprise attack at this moment, but he dared not. The reputation of the top of the Heavenly Ranking was no joke. Li Boping even suspected that the ancestor had been subdued by Zhao Changhe... Even alone, this fellow might now be a match for the world.

So what could he do but accept the humiliation?

In truth, Zhao Changhe felt he had raised quite a large army—several billion strong, with perhaps several billion more to come.

At this moment, Zhao Changhe was in his sage time, leisurely wiping his gun with the Celestial Book, a sight that even startled Ye Jiuyou.

When had anyone ever dared to treat the Celestial Book like this, and seemingly so accustomed to it...

As he wiped his gun, Zhao Changhe analyzed various external information, initially quite intrigued, but ultimately found it uninteresting—most of the junk data was filtered out directly, with only a few useful pieces. With such leisure, he might as well watch his wives bathing in the Celestial River, a truly breathtaking sight.

As for humiliating Li Boping, Ye Jiuyou couldn't care less, and Zhao Changhe bore no psychological burden either. These were the sort who had colluded with the Northern Hu before even connecting with Ye Jiuyou, and there would be a reckoning once things were done. They were lucky, really—if Ye Jiuyou wanted to preserve the dignity of her identity as the Miss of the Li family, such a reckoning wouldn't be done in a grand manner, and they might still retain some reputation.

Speaking of the Northern Hu matter, Ye Jiuyou was no enemy—she merely upheld the principle of chaos, which was normal for her at the time. In the end, she even ambushed the Eternal Heavenly God... This lessened the rift between Ye Jiuyou and the sisters of the Great Han; as long as she handed over Guanlong, she could wash away her sins. Unfortunately, what she did to the Spirit Clan wasn't so easy to cleanse, and meeting Sisi would still be a headache.

"What are you thinking?" After the rain had passed and the clouds had scattered, Ye Jiuyou radiated laziness and a flush of warmth, leaning languidly into the man's shoulder hollow: "Don't tell me you've gotten what you wanted and now won't cherish me."

This woman, in this regard, was actually the least confident of all.

Zhao Changhe felt a pang of sympathy, tightening his arm around her, and said softly, "Where did your mind go? I was just thinking about how you get along with others."

Ye Jiuyou was a little pleased, but then said, "I don't need to get along with them, and don't waste your effort considering these things."

"Even if not harmonious, at least there should be no hostility..."

"Hmph... I told you long ago, stirring up trouble in your harem is also a form of chaos. Before you set your sights on me, you should have known this was the price."

Zhao Changhe could only shake his head and smile.

Ye Jiuyou thought for a moment, then added, "When it comes to common topics, Piaomiao and I might have more. Although in the last era, Piaomiao and I were enemies, in this life we have no conflict, and we've even cooperated. As for your core base being the Four Symbols Sect, I really have nothing to say to them."

Her willingness to say this showed a good attitude. Zhao Changhe then said, "Why go that far? Have you forgotten when Baihu ambushed you, and they all joined forces to help you?"

Speaking of this, Ye Jiuyou still found it miraculous: "Why did they help me? I was utterly baffled at the time, and I still can't figure it out."

"They thought you and I were destined to be together."

"But did they ever consider that cause and effect might be reversed?"

"Huh?"

"Because they treated me that way, I wasn't so resistant to your advances." Ye Jiuyou said, "Have you never thought that for a woman facing your affections, the biggest hurdle is dealing with a bunch of sisters? I don't want to kill them all."

Zhao Changhe: "..."

It seemed he really hadn't thought of that.

In this world, people were accustomed to a man having multiple women—the more powerful, the more normal. The main point of contention was who would be the primary wife... He himself had once had this hurdle, but after Chichi's floodgate-breaking release, he hadn't considered such matters for a long, long time.

He didn't know why Ye Jiuyou had this kind of thinking—perhaps because she was too used to being alone, or because she was always in a position of decisive authority, where all life and death were in her hands, and everything she gained was hers alone.

It was precisely because of the Four Symbols' rescue at that moment that Ye Jiuyou felt at least this group wasn't annoying, allowing his subsequent courtship to proceed; otherwise, it might have been nipped in the bud before it even started.

"Forget it." Ye Jiuyou stretched lazily, got up, and began to dress: "Now that you've broken through to the Triple Heavens, you'd best go into seclusion for a while to consolidate. The Sword Emperor's appointment won't come so soon, so this is a good time to rest."

"Rest... Do you really see our journey up to now as a war?"

"Isn't it?" Ye Jiuyou glanced back with a smile: "A war between man and woman, and I lost."

Zhao Changhe laughed: "It's not that exaggerated."

Ye Jiuyou said, "These past days, you've been quite mentally exhausted, haven't you? And you've been injured too... Hey, I'm asking, every time you get a woman, do you always end up covered in wounds?"

Zhao Changhe looked back and realized it was true—in this life, he was truly risking his life to woo women; perhaps that was his fate. Ye Jiuyou was the one he had fought the least with, but the mental strain was no less, and even so, he had inexplicably exchanged a palm strike with Ye Wuming...

Zhao Changhe didn't want to argue with her about this, so he changed the subject: "So you mean I should go into seclusion, and what do you plan to do?"

Ye Jiuyou said, "Take me to meet them. At the very least, we need to discuss subsequent coordination... I still have many hidden cards up my sleeve, you know. Lucky you."

Zhao Changhe: "..."

Didn't you just say you had nothing to say to them? Why the sudden leap in thought? You're not really planning to fight, are you?

"As for fighting or not..." Ye Jiuyou paused, a wry smile playing on her lips: "I am indeed curious to see how the Four Symbols Formation of today differs from that of ancient times."

"Can we go a bit later?"

"Why?"

"Because they're bathing right now."

Ye Jiuyou's expression turned strange, and after a long moment she said, "The vision you gained after breaking through the Triple Heavens—you use it for this?"

"Isn't this the most important thing? Who cares about prying into domestic trivialities?" Zhao Changhe then added with some concern: "Do the Sword Emperor and the others have this ability?"

Ye Jiuyou pressed her forehead: "No, everyone's path is different. In this world, only Ye Wuming and I walk the path of looking down on the world from above. Piaomiao doesn't quite count—she only focuses on the mortal realm. Now there's you."

She paused, then said with some gravity: "Now that you've merged with my intent, the vastness of the night sky within you has grown even denser. You're practically a second Ye Wuming. I wonder where your fate will lead you. As the new Night Emperor, the so-called inheritor of the Night Emperor rather than the Night Emperor himself—can you truly achieve what you wish? Are you really sure?"

Zhao Changhe smiled: "Whether I can do it is another matter... But I know the path."

Ye Jiuyou smiled faintly: "I look forward to it... The man who dared to wipe his gun with Ye Wuming's face."