The heavy rosewood double doors of the private inner suite swung shut with a quiet, solid click, instantly severing the ambient noise of Heaven Dou City outside.
The suite beyond was a secluded sanctuary of refined luxury and silent elegance. Polished jade tea sets rested upon carved mahogany tables, the subtle, calming fragrance of high-grade sandalwood drifted lazily from a vintage bronze burner, and floor-to-ceiling windows draped in heavy indigo silk overlooked a private, walled bamboo garden.
Wang Luan didn't wait for a formal invitation. He headed straight for the oversized, velvet-padded sofa in the corner of the sitting room and unceremoniously collapsed into the plush cushions with a long, dramatic, and utterly unrestrained sigh of pure satisfaction.
"Ah..."
He closed his eyes, sinking deeper into the soft fabric until every muscle in his body seemed to melt.
"I had almost forgotten that furniture could actually feel this soft. Six months of sleeping on tree roots, mountain rocks, and damp forest moss nearly made me forget what human civilization felt like."
Tang Yuehua walked gracefully over to the side table, her movements fluid and elegant. She picked up a delicate white porcelain teapot, pouring two cups of steaming herbal brew.
She picked up one of the porcelain cups, walked across the woven carpet, and set it down on the small table right beside his head.
She did not sit down immediately. Instead, she stood directly in front of the couch with her arms folded across her chest, tapping the toe of her silk slipper lightly against the floor while staring down at him with simmering irritation.
"You look entirely too pleased with yourself for a man who vanished into thin air for half a year," she said softly.
Her voice was as refined, clear, and melodious, but the underlying edge was sharp enough to make Wang Luan wince.
Wang Luan opened his eyes, looking up at her from the cushions with a thoroughly unabashed, sheepish grin.
"Come on, Yue Yue, don't look at me like I'm a stray dog that ran off. I actually thought about writing you a letter before I left, but try looking at it from my perspective for a second."
He started making actions, "If I had walked up to you six months ago and said, 'Hey, Yue Yue, I'm heading straight into the core territory of the Star Dou Forest to pick a fight with a hundred-thousand-year spirit beast for my ninth ring,' would you have just smiled, kissed my cheek, and waved me goodbye?"
Yuehua's breath hitched faintly at his casual words.
Even though she was accustomed to his complete disregard for common sense, she had already picked up on the terrifying, qualitative shift in his presence when she touched his arm earlier. Yet, hearing it from him made her blood run cold.
A hundred-thousand-year spirit beast.
In the current era of Douluo Dalu, such ancient creatures were the stuff of legends. Entire hunting squads composed of multiple Titled Douluos and Soul Douluos from Spirit Hall or the upper Three Sects would spend months planning, scouting, and gathering overwhelming force before ever daring to set foot near a hundred-thousand-year beast's territory.
And he had simply strolled into their lair all by himself.
"A hundred-thousand-year beast..." she repeated quietly, her cross-armed posture loosening slightly.
She pulled back an armchair and sat down opposite him.
"What kind of spirit beast was it?"
"A Vajra Scaled White Dragon," Wang Luan replied smoothly, leaning his head back against the sofa cushions and staring up at the intricate woodwork of the ceiling.
"Massive creature. Scales like polished diamond, wings wide enough to blot out the sun, and an aura so heavy that an ordinary Soul Sage would probably be crushed into meat paste just by standing near it. "
"It gave me a proper headache toward the end of the fight. It took far longer to put down than I originally planned, and absorbing the ring was even more annoying. The dragon's residual soul spent nearly two hours roaring and trying to tear my Mind Sea apart before it finally realized it couldn't win and gave up."
Yuehua's slender fingers tightened involuntarily around the armrests of her chair. She knew better than almost anyone how terrifying the mental backlash of a spirit beast could be during ring absorption.
The lingering spiritual resentment of a hundred-thousand-year soul beast was enough to turn a veteran Soul Douluo into a brain-dead vegetable or cause their body to explode from energy overload.
Yet, listening to him talk, one would think he had merely spent an afternoon chasing off a slightly stubborn wild dog.
"You are truly unbelievable," she murmured softly, though a gentle, tender warmth gradually melted away the remaining frost in her eyes.
"So... you actually pulled it off. You really succeeded."
"Of course I did," Wang Luan said casually.
He sat up on the couch, lifting his right hand and lazily flicking his index finger toward the open space between them.
There was no dramatic summoning chant or deafening roar of spirit power. But in that split second, the air inside the private room became extraordinarily dense.
A wave of crystal-clear, incredibly concentrated energy expanded outward in a silent, flawless ripple. The space surrounding his hand warped faintly, like air rising off hot desert sand, as an invisible, absolute pressure settled over the room.
It wasn't aggressive or violent, but it was so dense and pure that the surrounding atmosphere seemed to grow physically thinner. The air filled with sword aura so sharp that it could shred everything under its coverage to pieces if uncontrolled.
Yuehua watched the spatial distortion with wide, attentive eyes.
As a woman born with an extraordinary innate domain and unmatched spiritual perception, she could feel the terrifying depth of his spirit power. It wasn't volatile or erratic like someone who had forced a rushed breakthrough; it was like a bottomless, silent ocean hiding beneath a flawless sheet of ice.
"Level ninety-two," she whispered, her lips slowly curving upward into a breathless, stunning smile.
"A twenty-five-year-old Titled Douluo... If the Grand Elders back at the Clear Sky Sect knew about this, their faces would turn entirely blue before they lost their minds."
"Let those old ghosts stay completely in the dark," Wang Luan scoffed lightly, waving his hand to disperse the energy. The heavy pressure vanished instantly, leaving not a single trace behind.
"The very last thing I need is your older brothers or those senile elders knocking on my door, begging me to join their grand clan feud against Spirit Hall, or trying to draft me into whatever secret plans they're cooking up behind closed doors."
He reached out and picked up the porcelain tea cup, taking a slow, appreciative sip of the warm jasmine tea.
"Ah... proper tea. Not boiled stream water mixed with crushed forest leaves. Absolutely perfect."
He set the cup back down and turned his gaze back to her. His dark, relaxed eyes softened as he looked at her closely, reading the subtle, underlying rhythm of her internal spirit power without even needing to trigger his system's scanner.
"Speaking of impressive breakthroughs," Wang Luan said, resting his chin in his palm with a knowing smirk, "don't think you can distract me from the main topic, Yue Yue. Your aura is hidden behind your domain, but the density of your spirit power is noticeably different from when I left six months ago. How far along are you now?"
Yuehua tilted her head, a touch of playful, quiet pride flickering across her elegant features.
"You aren't the only one who works hard when nobody is watching, my lazy sword master."
She raised her slender right hand. A soft, silver-gold radiance blossomed smoothly from her palm, spreading outward in a quiet, luminous wave.
The light didn't shatter the decor or disturb the air; instead, it coated the entire suite in a delicate covering of nobility. Even a rock placed in the domain would attain the aura of a rare diamond.
Then, seven spirit rings rose silently from beneath her feet. They revolved around her elegant frame in a smooth, perfectly balanced rhythm, casting a brilliant glow across her blue-and-silver formal robes.
Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black.
The seventh ring—a deep, obsidian black that pulsed with heavy, refined spirit power—shimmered magnificently at the top of the stack.
Wang Luan's eyebrows shot up in genuine surprise. He leaned forward, examining the spirit power fluctuations with a broad grin.
"Level seventy-eight? You're already pushing toward Soul Douluo?"
"Yes," Yuehua confirmed with a satisfied nod, letting the seven spirit rings fade back into her body.
The domain retracted back into her as she explained, "The residual medicinal energy of the Noble Golden Rose is still refining my meridians and bones even after all these years. Combined with my Domain of Noble Grace and the personal cultivation techniques you tailored specifically for me, my spirit power hasn't encountered a single bottleneck."
She looked down at her delicate hands, her voice dropping into a quiet, deeply reflective register. "Sometimes, when I'm sitting in this room alone at night, I still find it hard to believe. Eight years ago, back in Clear Sky City, everyone in the sect looked at me with either pity or mild disdain. To them, I was just a useless daughter with a mutated, broken martial spirit—someone who couldn't even cultivate past Level Nine despite possessing an innate domain."
"And look at you now," Wang Luan interrupted softly. He reached across the small table, his warm, strong fingers wrapping gently around her hand.
"Twenty-three years old, a Level seventy-eight Soul Sage holding three ten-thousand-year black spirit rings, and publicly running the most influential cultural establishment in the capital of the Heaven Dou Empire. If you are considered 'useless,' then ninety-nine percent of the so-called geniuses on this continent should probably jump off a cliff in sheer embarrassment."
Yuehua looked up, meeting his warm gaze. The lingering irritation in her chest melted away completely, replaced by a deep warmth that filled her entire soul.
Their bond had been forged over eight long, unforgettable years.
It had started when a seventeen-year-old Wang Luan—already a terrifying Soul Sage—had casually strolled into Clear Sky City, not to challenge their grand experts, but simply to observe the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer Technique to refine his own sword techniques.
He hadn't cared about her reputation as a useless non-cultivator. He had been playing his flute one night on a rooftop, when she approached him. She was captivated by his melody.
He sat on the roof with her under the moonlight, played his flute until her restless heart grew calm and listened to her grief treating her like a person rather than a disappointment.
And when he turned eighteen, he had brought her the Noble Golden Rose from the Ice Fire Yin Yang Well as his proposal gift, single-handedly burning away the defect in her martial spirit and giving her a brand-new life.
"Still," she murmured softly, squeezing his fingers tightly, "if you hadn't given me that immortal herb and helped me hunt my spirit rings in complete secrecy, I would still be sitting in the back courtyards of the Clear Sky Sect, watching my brothers shine while I remained a mute spectator."
"Well, I had to make sure my future wife could hold her own without me, didn't I?"
Wang Luan grinned, his tone instantly shifting back to his usual playful banter. "I can't have the future mistress of my household getting bullied by arrogant nobles or pushy sect leaders."
Yuehua's cheeks flushed with a delicate, faint pink. She pulled her hand back and gave his forearm a light, affectionate smack.
"You weren't even nineteen yet when you started calling me your future wife! And we agreed to keep our relationship completely secret until the time was right, remember?"
"Of course I remember," Wang Luan chuckled, sinking comfortably back into the soft cushions. "A hidden Level 78 Soul Sage secretly ruling the high society of Heaven Dou City, and a hidden Level 92 Titled Douluo acting as her lazy, unbothered companion. It's the ultimate setup for a quiet, comfortable life."
Yuehua shook her head with a soft sigh, though her smile remained bright and beautiful.
"It won't stay quiet forever, Wang. Heaven Dou City is becoming increasingly restless these days. The First Prince, Xue Qinghe has been quietly consolidating his influence within the court, winning over the support of several major noble factions and ministers. The Third Prince has died during a hunting tour. Many speculate that it was an assassination."
"Also, Spirit Hall's presence in the capital is growing bolder by the month under Grand Bishop Platinum Salas. Pope Qian Xunji has announced his disciple—Bibi Dong, as the Holy Maiden. They are making their moves quick after the defeat with Devil Island 10 years back."
She paused, her clear eyes turning slightly more serious. "The balance of power across the continent is shifting, Wang. The storm is coming, and the current calm won't last forever."
Wang Luan didn't look bothered in the slightest. He closed his eyes, resting both hands casually behind his head on the sofa.
"Let them scheme, Yue Yue. Let Xue Qinghe play his imperial politics, let Spirit Hall expand its halls, and let the Seven Great Sects stress over their territories and rankings. As long as nobody touches the Moon Pavilion, disturbs our peace, or tries to mess with my daily routine, I couldn't care less who sits on the Heaven Dou throne or who becomes the next Supreme Pontiff."
He opened one eye, a brief, sharp glint of cold, lethal stillness flashing across his dark pupils before dissolving back into his usual lazy demeanor.
"But if anyone is foolish enough to extend their dirty hands toward you... well, I have nine spirit rings and a very sharp sword that is itching to cut up something."
Yuehua stared at him for a long moment, sensing the absolute, unshakeable confidence underlying his relaxed posture. A twenty-five-year-old Level 92 Titled Douluo possessing top-tier spirit rings and a god-tier sword martial spirit was a force capable of flattening mountain ranges and altering the political map of the continent single-handedly.
Yet, here he was, using that terrifying, god-like power merely to guarantee a lazy, comfortable lifestyle with her.
She couldn't help but smile, a profound sense of security wrapping around her heart.
[The System notes that the Host's romantic dialogue is exceptionally cheesy and borders on cliché melodrama.]
Wang Luan's eyebrows twitched invisibly.
"Helios, shut up. Nobody asked for your input."
[The System is merely recording behavioral data on human interpersonal relationships.]
"Record it in complete silence, or I am putting your notification sound on mute for a whole month."
[Mute threat acknowledged. Entering silent observation mode.]
Yuehua noticed the subtle twitch in his expression and raised an eyebrow curiously. "Is something wrong?"
"Nothing at all," Wang Luan said smoothly, waving his hand dismissively.
"Just thinking about how ridiculously hungry I am. You have no idea what six months of eating dry, half-burnt spirit beast meat deep in the forest does to a civilized man's soul. I would trade a ten-thousand-year spirit bone right now for a single table of real, hot, properly seasoned food."
Yuehua shook her head in fond amusement. Her elegant, refined demeanor returned completely as she stood up from her armchair and smoothed down the front of her indigo robes.
"I figured as much," she said, her voice filled with gentle warmth. "The moment I saw you standing outside the gates arguing with the guards, I sent word to the private kitchen to prepare a full royal banquet. It should be fully set up in the dining hall by now."
Wang Luan's eyes lit up instantly, practically bouncing off the couch. "Yue Yue, you truly are an angel descended from the heavens! I take back every single complaint I ever made!"
Yuehua paused near the inner doorway, turning her head to shoot him a sharp, delightfully mischievous look over her shoulder.
"Don't celebrate just yet," she said smoothly, her voice dripping with sweet, deliberate amusement.
"You survived six months in the wilderness, killed a hundred-thousand-year dragon, and broke through to Level ninety-two..."
She smiled radiantly. "But you still vanished for half a year without leaving a note. So tonight, the great Titled Douluo sleeps on the couch in the guest room."
Wang Luan froze dead in his tracks, his jaw dropping in absolute disbelief.
"Wait—Yue Yue! Hold on a second! Look at this couch! It's nice, but the guest room couch is half this size! I'm a Level ninety-two Titled Douluo! I deserve at least a large couch!"
"A Titled Douluo who forgets to send a letter gets the guest room couch," Yuehua replied flawlessly, her eyes dancing with quiet, victorious laughter as she opened the rosewood door. "Be glad I'm not making you sleep on the roof with the guards."
Without waiting for his desperate rebuttal, she stepped out into the hallway, her melodic, ringing laughter echoing softly back into the suite as the door clicked shut behind her.
Wang Luan stood in the middle of the luxurious room for three full seconds, staring blankly at the closed door before slumping back onto the sofa with a long, utterly defeated groan.
"Defeated completely," he muttered to himself, throwing his arm over his eyes. "No spirit power, no martial spirit, just a single sentence from a Level seventy-eight Soul Sage, and the Level ninety-two Titled Douluo surrenders without firing a shot."
He paused, a quiet, genuine smile slowly spreading across his face in the warm, peaceful room.
"Ah well..." he murmured softly.
He turned his head toward the tall windows to watch the distant, shimmering lights of Heaven Dou City flickering beneath the night sky.
"It's good to be home."