It's time to teach this seductress a lesson

"What kind of relationship could we have? Your master is my wife. By all rights, you should call me your master's husband."

"Impossible!" Chen Wan blurted out, her tone absolute, as if she had just heard the most absurd joke in the world.

"You lecher, how dare you spread such vile rumors about my master! I don't care about the inheritance anymore; today, I will have you dead!"

Seeing Chen Wan's illusory figure suddenly swell, her aura surging out like a tidal wave, Qin Hao unhurriedly took out a fist-sized stone from his robes.

"I know you're anxious, but hold your horses. Look at this first."

With that, Qin Hao injected spiritual energy into the Image-Recording Stone.

As the spiritual energy flowed in, the stone suddenly lit up. A soft light spread between them, forming a clear projection.

In the projection was a tranquil starry sky, with stars scattered like sand across the endless night. Beneath the river of stars, two people sat on a bluestone.

A man and a woman. The man was naturally Qin Hao. The Qin Hao in the projection wore a lazy smile, looking up at the starry sky.

As for the woman, Chen Wan's breath caught in her throat. Wasn't this her master? But she looked so young, seemingly from when her master was still a young girl.

Liu Ruyan wore a plain white dress, her dark hair cascading like a waterfall, her profile as beautiful as a painting. She sat quietly beside Qin Hao, leaning slightly to rest her head on his shoulder.

Soon, Qin Hao put the Image-Recording Stone away. "The rest is inappropriate for children. Well? You don't think I faked this recording, do you?"

Chen Wan slowly looked up, a hint of bewilderment in her eyes as she gazed at Qin Hao. Could he be telling the truth? But looking at his bone age, he was barely in his early twenties. Her master was a legendary figure from the Immortal Ancient Era!

"When... when did this happen?"

"A long, long time ago. By a stroke of fate, I traveled to the era Ruyan lived in."

Pausing for a moment, Qin Hao continued, "You are but a remnant will. I could have easily wiped you out just now. But for Ruyan's sake, I held back."

Chen Wan fell silent. Qin Hao was right. The aura released by the Immemorial Dragon Emperor phantom had only lasted a few short breaths, yet it had already caused cracks to appear across her remnant will.

If it had lasted a dozen more breaths, she would have completely dissipated.

"Are you really my master's husband? You traveled back to the past? But how are you still alive?"

It wasn't unheard of for powerful cultivators to cross the river of time, but the further back they went, the more terrifying the Heavenly Dao's punishment would be. Qin Hao was only a Void Refinement Realm cultivator; it made no sense that he could withstand the Heavenly Dao's wrath.

Seeing that Chen Wan was still somewhat skeptical, Qin Hao waved his hand. "It doesn't matter if you don't believe me. When you see Ruyan in the future, you can ask her whatever you want."

At these words, Chen Wan's expression changed drastically, her voice trembling. "W-what did you say? Master... she's still alive?"

"She's alive. However, she's currently trapped in the Immortal Ancient Battlefield. I contacted the higher-ups of the Qin family a few days ago, wanting to unseal the battlefield and go in to find her. But I was told that the seal cannot be lifted just yet."

"But it will be unsealed eventually. I'll go find her then."

Hearing Qin Hao speak with such conviction, Chen Wan began to believe him. Learning that her master was still alive brought genuine joy to her heart.

But soon, this joy was replaced by a faint melancholy.

"It's wonderful that Master is still alive. It's just... I'm afraid I won't be able to see her with my own eyes."

Chen Wan lowered her head, looking at her nearly transparent hands, her voice turning hoarse. "I am merely a remnant will. I have been dead for too long. Coupled with your Immemorial Dragon Emperor phantom earlier—though it only lasted a few breaths—it has accelerated my dissipation."

Qin Hao looked Chen Wan up and down, then summoned the Nine-Revolutions Exquisite Pagoda.

"Have your remnant will stay in this pagoda for now. I'll take you back to the Qin family; there might still be a chance to save you."

Chen Wan looked at the Nine-Revolutions Exquisite Pagoda floating in Qin Hao's hand. A trace of gratitude flashed through her eyes, but she slowly shook her head.

"Master's husband, I appreciate your kindness."

She raised her nearly transparent hands. "I cannot be saved. I am just a remnant will now, and a remnant will is different from divine sense."

"Divine sense is a cultivator's consciousness. Even if only a sliver remains, I could be resurrected. But a remnant will is just a final thought formed before death due to some lingering obsession."

"Without my soul origin, and with even my memories incomplete, please don't waste your effort."

Qin Hao nodded. "I know. I never said you'd live as a human. The Ninth Ancestor of my Qin family is an Immortal Emperor who proved his Dao through artifact refinement. He should have a way to refine your remnant will into an artifact spirit. From now on, you can live on as an artifact spirit."

"Of course, this is only theoretically possible. Even for a remnant will, you're too fragmented. I can't guarantee it will succeed."

"Really? To be able to linger on in such a way is enough for me. Even if the chances are slim, I am willing to try." Chen Wan's face lit up with joy.

Qin Hao chuckled softly, then expanded the Nine-Revolutions Exquisite Pagoda. "Then get in quickly. My pagoda gathers spiritual energy and can sustain your existence."

With a swoosh, Chen Wan flew into the Nine-Revolutions Exquisite Pagoda. At the same time, she didn't forget to collect her own skeletal remains. "Master's husband, if possible, I hope to be refined into a puppet using my own physical body."

Qin Hao waved his hand. "We'll see. First, let's make sure you survive. Oh, right, pass the inheritance Ruyan gave you to Lingxi. It was originally prepared by Ruyan for her anyway."

......

By the edge of Soul-Severing Cliff, Jiang Xinyao sat cross-legged, resting her chin in her hands as she stared faintly toward the bottom of the cliff.

Su Qingyue stood beside her, maintaining her aloof and otherworldly demeanor. The two remained silent, neither saying a word.

After a long while, Jiang Xinyao suddenly spoke up. "Qingyue, we can't just sit idly by."

"Sit idly by? Sister Xinyao, what do you mean?"

Jiang Xinyao looked toward the bottom of the cliff, a cold glint flashing in her eyes.

"What else could I mean? When that vixen gets here, we need to join forces and teach her a lesson. We have to let her know who's the boss in this large group of ours."

"We've already gone all the way with Qin Hao. She's just a latecomer; she needs to understand her place."

Su Qingyue pursed her lips, looking somewhat hesitant. "Sister Xinyao, is that really a good idea? We are all Qin Hao's women. If we infight, Qin Hao will get angry."

Jiang Xinyao patted her shoulder. "Don't worry, I know where to draw the line. I won't actually do anything to her. I just want her to understand who she should listen to from now on."