Faced with Ian Song's sudden change of expression, Lila Quinn was clearly caught off guard, and a trace of sorrow flashed across her face. "Husband, my feelings for you are sincere; there is not a shred of pretense."
Ian was taken aback, staring hard at Lila Quinn, as if trying to discern whether her words were true or false.
After a moment, he withdrew his gaze, looking somewhat perplexed. Lila’s expression was earnest, especially the affection and sorrow in her eyes—there was no hint of deceit.
"Your change is too drastic—I can’t adapt. After all, just a moment ago, we were still enemies."
Hearing this, Lila Quinn smiled in relief. "Husband, it’s all my fault for not explaining things clearly. Before, I did see you as an enemy and wanted nothing more than to kill you, but now, you’re the only one in my heart. Even if you told me to die, I wouldn’t hesitate for a moment."
"Why?" Ian asked in confusion.
Lila continued, "Because the technique I practice is a charm art. It’s powerful, but has a fatal flaw: if I use it at full strength and fail to confuse my target, I’ll suffer backlash—my body and mind will become absolutely loyal to the person I tried to bewitch, never able to betray them for life. Earlier, I thought your charm art was even stronger than mine, so you must know the taboo, which is why I didn’t explain it to you."
"There’s actually a technique like that?" Ian was startled, clearly surprised.
"Husband, this is the technique I’ve been cultivating. You can take a look."
As she spoke, Lila Quinn took a beast-hide scroll from her bosom.
Ian took the scroll and quickly skimmed through it, discovering that the technique called the Mountain-Sea Enchantment Codex did indeed mention this taboo, warning practitioners not to use it at full power unless absolutely necessary.
"So that’s how it is. I really misunderstood you, Lila."
Ian returned the Mountain-Sea Enchantment Codex to Lila Quinn, sat down beside her, and gently wrapped his arm around her waist.
"It’s all right, I won’t blame you, husband." Lila pressed her cheek to Ian’s chest and spoke softly.
Hearing Lila’s words, Ian still felt a bit odd. After all, her change was due to the backlash from her technique, and he wasn’t sure this really counted as winning her heart.
Suddenly, a thought occurred to him and he asked, "Lila, is there any way to undo this backlash?"
"Maybe, but I don’t know of any method. Do you think the way I am now is bad? Do you want me to go back to how I was before?" At this point, Lila’s voice held a trace of panic and fear.
"Of course not. I like you best when you’re obedient." Ian replied with a light laugh.
"Husband, today is our wedding night—don’t you want to..."
As she spoke, Lila was already blushing, her eyes misty and full of expectation.
The desire Ian had barely managed to suppress was once again ignited by Lila Quinn. He reached out and cupped her flawless, breathtaking face, his gaze a little dazed. "Lila, you’re truly beautiful."
As soon as he spoke, Ian lowered his head and kissed her.
Lila’s lips were soft and moist, carrying a faint, delicate fragrance.
Ian kissed her earnestly and gently, as if savoring the finest delicacy.
"Mm! Husband... Lila loves you!"
Hearing Lila’s words, Ian felt an inexplicable sense of conquest.
Rip!
Lila’s clothes tore apart at the sound, fluttering around her in shreds.
Staring at her flawless, rosy-white body, Ian quickly stripped off his own clothes and pressed himself down over her.
Suddenly—
Just as she was about to completely lose herself, Lila Quinn pressed her delicate hands against Ian’s chest, blushing shyly. "Husband, this is my first time—please be gentle!"
"What?"
No one knew how much time passed before Lila suddenly let out a sharp cry. Immediately, Ian felt a stream of clear energy surge from their point of union into his body.
"What is this...?"
Ian was stunned, then realized that the clear stream entering his body was an extremely pure energy.
With a thought, he focused inward and began guiding the clear energy through his meridians.
After a full circuit, the clear energy had been refined into his own true essence and settled in his dantian.
Boom!
His cultivation had already reached the peak of Innate Seventh Layer, just a step away from the Eighth. With the energy converted from the clear stream, his true essence suddenly began to transform and break through...
Ian knew his true essence was about to break through, so he focused all his attention inward, waiting for the transformation in his dantian to finish.
At last—
His true essence finished transforming, and under its nourishment, his dantian expanded to more than twice its previous size.
"It’s time!"
Ian silently urged himself, then directed his true essence to surge through his body.
Thud, thud, thud, thud!
Like an unstoppable force, the true essence infused with clear energy was far stronger than Ian had imagined, effortlessly blasting open his blocked acupoints.
With the acupoints cleared, his true essence flowed unimpeded, quickly forming a new circuit within his body.
As the true essence completed a full circuit and returned to his dantian, it meant Ian had officially stepped into the Innate Eighth Layer.
Withdrawing his focus, he looked over at Lila Quinn and saw her beautiful eyes gazing at him with worry.
"Husband, are you all right?"
"I’m fine!" Suddenly, Ian had a thought. He activated Clairvoyant Vision and discovered that the energy in Lila’s chest acupoint had completely vanished. Now, he was almost certain the energy he absorbed was the result of Lila’s years of cultivation.
For a moment, guilt welled up in his heart. "Lila, I’m sorry—your cultivation..."
Lila gently pressed a finger to his lips and whispered, "Don’t feel guilty, husband. I knew this might happen long ago."
"Good Lila, don’t worry. I’ll definitely help you recover your cultivation!" Ian said seriously. In fact, Lila losing her previous power might not be a bad thing—now he could teach her to cultivate from the lower dantian.
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