The soft, warm glow of dawn filtered through the heavy silk curtains of the master bedroom, casting long, golden streaks across the polished floorboards. Wang Luan slowly blinked his eyes open, greeted not by the rough canopy of forest leaves or the damp scent of wild moss, but by the lingering fragrance of jasmine and rose.
Lying beside him, her head resting comfortably over his chest, was Tang Yuehua. Her long, silver, elegant hair fell in soft, silky waves across the dark sheets, and her face—devoid of the careful makeup she wore when holding court with the capital's nobility—was peaceful, flushed with a delicate rosy warmth.
A slow, thoroughly satisfied smirk spread across Wang Luan's face as memories of the previous night washed over him.
Banishing him to the small guest couch had been a valiant effort on her part. But a six-month wilderness separation, combined with a lavish feast, a few cups of fine plum wine, and a Level 92 Titled Douluo's relentless, shameless persuasion, had thoroughly broken down her defenses.
After hours of sweet-talking and subtle physical charm, he had successfully migrated from the guest couch straight into her bed. And once the door was locked and the silver curtains sealed the windows from the outside world, six months of built-up restraint had completely evaporated.
He hadn't been gentle, nor had she remained the quiet, reserved Mistress of the Moon Pavilion. Between loud moans, soft grunts, fierce kisses, and a passionate reunion that lasted well past midnight, he had proven that his stamina as a Titled Douluo applied to more than just battle.
Wang Luan tightened his arm around her waist, pulling her face against his chest.
Yuehua let out a soft, sleepy murmur, her eyelashes fluttering before her clear, beautiful eyes slowly opened. Meeting his dark, glowing gaze, sudden memories of the previous night flashed through her mind.
Deep crimson instantly flushed across her cheeks all the way to her ears, making her look like a ripe tomato.
"You..." Yuehua hid her face against his neck, her voice raspy and soft from sleep. "You absolute brute... You said you just wanted to hold me."
"I did hold you," Wang Luan chuckled, his hand sliding down her bare back to trace the smooth curve of her waist, drawing a sharp, startled gasp from her lips. "I just held you very tightly. Multiple times."
"Wang Luan!" She lifted her head, shooting him a glare that made his heart flutter, though her face was burning. "You were like a starving wolf! I can barely feel my legs, and my spirit power is completely drained from trying to keep up with you!"
"Can you blame me, Yue Yue?" Wang Luan leaned up, pressing his lips against her soft jawline, working his way toward her collarbone.
"I spent six months fighting spirit beasts in the mud. Coming back to a gorgeous Soul Sage who happens to be my future wife... if I didn't get a little carried away, you'd think I lost my taste for beauty."
Yuehua tried to push his shoulder away, but her hands had no strength left. As his warm lips brushed against her sensitive skin, her breath hitched, her fingers tangling into his dark hair instead of pushing him off.
"Stop... the staff in the lower pavilion will be waking up soon..." she protested weakly, though she tilted her head back, giving him easier access.
"Let them," Wang Luan murmured against her skin, his hand shifting beneath the silk sheets with practiced familiarity. "Nobody in Heaven Dou City can stop us even if we decided to stay in this bed until noon. I am not a Titled Douluo for nothing."
"You are thoroughly insufferable..." she breathed, wrapping her arms around his neck as he pulled her up into a deep, lingering kiss that effectively silenced any further objections.
"How about another round," he grinned, "for some morning energy?" He didn't wait for a reply as his lips gently bit her collarbones. His left hand went down to her slender waist, while his right hand cupped the swell of her butt.
A soft moan escaped her mouth as she said, "Fine... But be quick."
That was all he needed. For the next 1 hour, the room was filled with soft moans and grunts, as they played out the primal dance of love.
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It was nearly two hours later when the bathroom door finally opened.
Tang Yuehua stepped out, fully dressed in her pristine, formal blue-and-silver noble robes. Her hair was meticulously styled, though not in her usual tight bun. It was let free, flowing all the way down her back.
Her composure restored to that of the flawless, untouchable Mistress of the Moon Pavilion. Only the subtle, lingering flush in her cheeks and the slight stiffness in her graceful stride betrayed the intense morning workout she had just endured.
She cast a sharp, warning glance back at the bed, where Wang Luan lay propped up against the pillows, bare-chested and grinning like a cat that had caught a huge fish.
"I have to oversee the morning etiquette classes for the imperial court ladies," Yuehua said smoothly, though her eyes held a dangerous spark. "If you are still in this bed when I return at noon, Wang Luan, I am locking you out of the private suite for a month."
"Understood, my lady," Wang Luan said lazily, raising his hand in a mock salute. "I'll be a model companion."
Yuehua let out a soft huff, though a tender smile touched her lips before she turned and stepped out of the suite, the rosewood door clicking shut behind her.
Left alone in the quiet, sunlit room, Wang Luan stretched his arms, resting his hands behind his head. The playful expression on his face settled into a cool, calm composure.
"Helios."
[System notification: Host has successfully stabilized Level 92 Titled Douluo realm. Star Dou Forest mission completed.]
He wondered, "I thought I didn't have any quests?"
[The System automatically assigned the Host his first quest when he awakened the System.]
Wang Luan smirked slightly. "Fine. Report the final rewards. This better be good."
[Calculating rewards for hunting the 100,000-year Vajra Scaled White Dragon and breaking through the Titled Douluo threshold...]
[Reward 1: Ninth Spirit Ring upgraded. The 100,000-year Vajra Scaled White Dragon spirit ring has been aged an additional 50,000 years. Spirit Ring provides two top-tier spirit skills for the Celestial Sword Martial Spirit—Vajra Dragon's Wrath and 10,000 Dragons Eternal Slash.]
[Vajra Dragon's Wrath: Increases the sharpness of the Celesetial Sword by 1500%. Summons a Vajra Dragon Avatar that multiplies the damage by 10x times when deployed.]
[10,000 Dragons Eternal Slash: Allows the user to release a single slash that deals True Damage to the target. Avoids all kinds of defenses below level 100.]
[Reward 2: Celestial Sword domain evolution—Sword Domain of the Sovereign. Grants absolute suppression over all physical weapon-type martial spirits below Level 99.]
[Reward 3: Host receives 10,000 System Exchange Points and one God Tier Martial Spirit Evolution Feather.]
[The God-Tier Martial Spirit Evolution Feather: Can be applied to any martial spirit under the God rank to induce a qualitative mutation. Evolution will result in God Level Martial Spirit.]
Wang Luan listened to the series of notifications echoing directly in his mind, his dark eyes flashing with satisfaction.
[Host's physical foundation is currently evaluated as equivalent to a Level 95 Hyper Douluo. Combined with the Nirvanic Lotus for instant recovery and the Celestial Sword for supreme offense, Host's combat can be estimated to be at level 96.]
"Good," Wang Luan murmured. "Store the God Tier Martial Spirit Evolution Feather for now. My Celestial Sword and other spirits are already at the apex, and Yue Yue's Noble Golden Rose mutation is completely stabilized at the peak Soul Sage level. I'll save it for when she hits Level 80."
He swung his legs over the side of the bed, standing up and casually pulling on a clean white robe from his spatial ring. Walking over to the windows, he pushed aside the heavy silver curtain, looking out across the sprawling cityscape of Heaven Dou City.
The morning sun illuminated the towering spires of the imperial palace in the distance, as well as the dark, imposing silhouette of the Saint Spirit Hall Temple located near the city center.
"The continent is getting noisy," Wang Luan thought aloud, his gaze fixing on the imperial palace direction. "The real Prince Xue Qinghe clearing out his rivals... The Third Prince dying in a supposed 'hunting accident'... He's moving much faster than expected."
[Analysis shows First Prince Xue Qinghe's political ruthlessness has increased by 35% over the past two years. Current intelligence indicates he is actively negotiating with several neutral noble houses to solidify his position as sole heir before Emperor Xue Ye's health declines.]
"How do you know that?"
[The System can analyze publicly available information alongside the knowledge the Host possesses to make accurate assumptions.]
"Well... He thinks he's the fisherman casting the net," Wang Luan scoffed softly. "He has no idea that in a decade or two, Spirit Hall will use his very identity as a stepping stone. Speaking of Spirit Hall..."
His eyes shifted toward the Saint Temple.
"Pope Qian Xunji announcing Bibi Dong as the Holy Maiden... Twin spirits, supreme talent. Spirit Hall is desperate to rebuild their holy prestige after the humiliating loss at Sea God Island ten years ago."
Spirit Hall had suffered a massive defeat when their grand fleet attempted to invade Sea God Island a decade prior. High Priestess Bo Saixi had wiped out their forces, costing them thousands of elite Soul Masters and two Titled Douluos.
To cover up their shame and prevent other factions from seeking the island's divine heritage, Spirit Hall had launched a massive propaganda campaign across the mainland, labeling Sea God Island as 'Devil Island'—a cursed, demonic realm forbidden to all Soul Masters of the mainland.
"They lost face at Sea God Island, so now Qian Xunji wants to show off his brilliant disciple to reclaim their dominance," Wang Luan mused, a cold smile touching his lips. "Pathological pride as usual."
[Does Host plan to intervene in Spirit Hall's operations within Heaven Dou City?]
"Why should I?" Wang Luan replied, turning away from the window and walking over to the tea table.
"As long as Platinum Bishop Salas doesn't bring his arrogant lackeys to mess around near the Moon Pavilion, Spirit Hall can do whatever it wants. I came back to enjoy a quiet life with Yue Yue, not to play hero for the imperial family or the sects."
He poured himself a fresh cup of cold tea, taking a slow sip.
"The Clear Sky Sect is still standing tall under Sect Master Tang Zhen, my dear brothers-in-law Tang Xiao and Tang Hao are making names for themselves as the Haotian Dual Stars, and the Elders are busy expanding the sect's influence. Everyone is playing their little games on the front stage."
Wang Luan set the cup down, his eyes narrowing slightly with absolute calm.
"And I'll stay right here in the shadows of the Moon Pavilion. A Level 92 Titled Douluo living as a lazy companion... It really is the best seat in the house."
By noon, the quiet atmosphere of the Moon Pavilion's inner suite was broken by the rhythmic, light sound of footsteps outside the door.
Tang Yuehua stepped back into the suite, carrying a leather-bound scroll sealed with the royal imperial stamp. Her expression was calm, but her brow was faintly furrowed as she closed the door behind her.
Wang Luan, who was lazily lounging on the main sofa reading a book on ancient spirit beasts, raised his eyes.
"Back already? How were the court ladies?"
Yuehua walked over, setting the sealed scroll on the table in front of him. "The ladies were fine. But the First Prince's head butler personally delivered this to the Moon Pavilion an hour ago."
Wang Luan glanced at the royal seal. "An invitation from Prince Xue Qinghe?"
"Yes," Yuehua said, sitting down across from him and pouring herself a cup of water. "First Prince Xue Qinghe is holding a grand autumn banquet at his private estate in three days. Officially, it's to celebrate the autumn harvest and foster goodwill among the capital's cultural figures and minor noble houses. Unofficially..."
"Unofficially, he's flexing his position after the Third Prince's 'accidental' death," Wang Luan completed her sentence with a dry smirk. "He wants the Moon Pavilion's presence to show the public that the imperial heir has the full backing of Heaven Dou City's high society."
"He explicitly requested that I attend to perform a harp piece for the opening," Yuehua said, her tone carrying a faint trace of annoyance. "And as the Mistress of the Moon Pavilion, rejecting a direct, polite invitation from the First Prince would raise unnecessary suspicion."
Wang Luan leaned back, tossing his book onto the cushion. "Then we go."
Yuehua looked at him in surprise. "You want to go? I thought you hated noble banquets."
"I do," Wang Luan grinned, reaching out to lightly pinch her chin.
"But I hate the idea of my gorgeous future wife being surrounded by snobbish, scheming princes and arrogant noble lords even more. Besides... I've been cooped up in the wilderness for six months. Going to a royal banquet to watch the First Prince play his little political theater sounds like decent entertainment."
"Also, I will play a flute piece myself. It's been a long time. I need to shake off some dust."
Yuehua looked at his relaxed, confident grin, feeling the helpless warmth in her chest rise up once more. She gently shook her head, placing her hand over his.
"Fine, but promise me one thing, Wang."
"Name it."
"If some arrogant young master or pushy minister offends you at the banquet..." She shot him a half-amused, half-serious look.
"Please refrain from cutting the palace in half with your sword. I really don't want to explain to Emperor Xue Ye why his son's estate turned into a crater."
Wang Luan laughed aloud, pulling her into his lap despite her quiet gasp of surprise.
"Don't worry, Yue Yue," he whispered into her ear, his hand casually wrapping around her waist.
"I'm a very peaceful Titled Douluo. As long as they don't look at you the wrong way... I won't even draw my blade."
Yuehua leaned against his chest, listening to his strong, steady heartbeat, knowing full well that Heaven Dou City's peaceful surface was about to get a lot more interesting.