Luo Jiayin's face turned deathly pale. The spiritual power in her body surged toward Lin Che like a tidal wave. She no longer had the strength to stand and directly fainted in Lin Che's arms.
"Jiayin! Jiayin!" Lin Che was shocked and quickly held her.
[System Emergency Alert: Target has fallen unconscious due to excessive cultivation transfer! Recommended to immediately infuse spiritual power to protect her heart meridian, otherwise she risks falling another realm!]
Lin Che didn't dare to delay. He quickly circulated his Thunder Source Nascent Soul, sending some pure spiritual power back into Luo Jiayin's body to protect her dantian and meridians.
After a while, Luo Jiayin slowly woke up. Feeling her fallen cultivation, her beautiful eyes filled with tears: "You… you absorbed my cultivation…"
"I'm sorry…" Lin Che now understood the power of the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra and hugged her in heartache. "I didn't know it would be like this…"
"Don't blame yourself…" Luo Jiayin leaned weakly in his arms, smiling sadly. "This is my fate as an Emei Palace successor… I just didn't expect… it would happen so soon…"
"Fate my ass!" Lin Che interrupted her roughly, his eyes fierce. "From today on, your life is mine. No one can take it! If Xuan Sword Sect dares to force you, I'll exterminate Xuan Sword Sect!"
[ Ding! Host's domineering declaration completed. Deputy Pavilion Mistress loyalty +100! ]
---
The next morning, at the former site of Sky Profound Sect.
This former "Righteous Sacred Land" now only had broken walls and ruins. Lin Che stood in the air with Guo Xiang and the eighteen elders, his entire body exuding the terrifying pressure of Half-Step Deification!
"The Palace Master made a breakthrough last night," he said flatly. "Now, we can begin."
Guo Xiang was about to nod when her expression suddenly changed. Her gaze shot toward Luo Jiayin like lightning as she lost her voice in shock: "Jiayin! Your cultivation… how did it fall to Nascent Soul Initial?!"
[System: Detecting Guo Xiang's divine sense scan. Target's cultivation exposed! Current: Nascent Soul Initial (Original: Deification Initial).]
Luo Jiayin's face instantly flushed red, her head lowered in silence.
Guo Xiang had lived for 1,500 years and was a seasoned veteran. Her gaze swept between Lin Che and Luo Jiayin, immediately understanding what had happened. Her pupils constricted as she lost her voice: "You two… you actually… the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra?!"
Lin Che's old face turned red, a rare sight of embarrassment: "Palace Master sees through all."
"You! You little bastard!" Guo Xiang trembled with fury, her Half-Step Deification pressure erupting. "My Emei Palace Saintess's preserved chastity for a thousand years, and you… you…"
[ Warning! Detected Half-Step Deification hostility value: 80%! Suggest host to explain immediately, or battle may ensue! ]
"Palace Master, please calm your anger!" Lin Che quickly raised his hands in surrender. "This matter was forced by me. Jiayin is not to blame. If there's punishment, I alone will bear it!"
Hearing this, Luo Jiayin suddenly raised her head, her eyes red-rimmed: "No! Grandmother, I was willing!"
"Willing?" Guo Xiang nearly fainted from anger. "Do you know that once the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra is broken, 80% of cultivation will transfer! Your Deification realm cultivated through countless heavenly treasures… gone… just like that, given to this stinking brat!"
[System: Detected target's intense emotional fluctuations, currently furious. Suggest host use ultimate move—"Sincere apology + Grand promises".]
Lin Che took a deep breath, his expression more serious than ever: "Palace Master, I, Lin Che, swear to the Heavenly Dao that I will never betray Jiayin in this life. The cultivation she lost, I will repay a hundredfold with resources. What Xuan Sword Sect owes Emei Palace, I will reclaim a hundredfold!"
He paused and added: "Moreover, although Jiayin's cultivation has fallen, her foundation remains. With my Thunder Source Nascent Soul assisting, she will definitely return to Deification within three years!"
Guo Xiang's face was uncertain as she stared at Lin Che for a while, then looked at her granddaughter's shy yet stubborn appearance, and finally sighed:
"Forget it… forget it… girls can't be kept at home…" She glared fiercely at Lin Che. "Kid, you remember what you said today! If you dare betray Jiayin, I, Guo Xiang, will exhaust Emei Palace's power to reduce you to pieces!"
[ Ding! Guo Xiang's hostility value cleared. Recognition +50! Current relationship: Approved (80/100). ]
Lin Che cupped his hands and said solemnly: "Palace Master, rest assured. If I, Lin Che, betray Jiayin, let heavenly lightning strike me and my Dao heart shatter!"
"You'd better!" Guo Xiang coldly snorted, turned away, and said: "What are you all standing around for? Didn't you say you want to build Blood God Pavilion at the Sky Profound Sect ruins? Let's begin!"
[ System: Congratulations to host for winning over the mother-in-law… ah no, winning over the Palace Master with thick skin and sincerity! Gained a powerful backer ×1! ]
Luo Jiayin quietly walked to Lin Che's side and whispered: "Thank you… for not embarrassing me."
"Fool." Lin Che gently squeezed her small hand. "You're my woman now, how could I let you suffer?"
Guo Xiang's ears twitched as she coughed twice: "In public, please mind your influence!"
The crowd burst into laughter, and the atmosphere finally eased.
Lin Che waved his hand grandly and began planning the layout for Blood God Pavilion's construction, while Guo Xiang secretly transmitted to Luo Jiayin: "Girl, cultivation can be regained, but a person's heart, once lost, can never return. This kid… still has some sense of responsibility."