Chapter 765 (1): Divine Punishment

How was Zhao Changhe supposed to know that the blind woman, who had claimed to be occupied elsewhere, would be bored enough to observe his spiritual encounter from afar? He was merely trying to see if he could help Chichi improve her cultivation.

As he entered Xia Chichi’s spiritual sea, she feigned fear, curling up into a defensive posture. Zhao Changhe glanced around, his brow knitting together.

Huangfu Qing had previously noted that Chichi, given her current resources and cultivation techniques, should have found it much easier to break through. That reasoning was sound, but she forgot to account for whether Chichi would even spare any time for cultivation. With Chichi’s relentless work ethic, when would she even find time to cultivate? Breaking through the barrier to the Profound Control Realm was practically impossible in such a situation. In fact, she was yet to even break through to the third layer of the Profound Mysteries, still stuck at a bottleneck, just a step short of breaking through.

Back then, Xia Longyuan had believed that once his daughter obtained the Extreme East Dao Fruit from Skyrim Island and comprehended the Azure Dragon’s laws, she would immediately be able to break through to the third layer of the Profound Mysteries. His judgment should have been the standard; such an immense fortune should have propelled her straight to the third layer and possibly even to the brink of the Profound Control Realm. Yet, it had not happened. Why? Because she was too entangled in worldly affairs. Xia Longyuan had never expected his daughter would inherit his mess and become so burdened with governance.

This was the eternal conflict between martial cultivation and imperial responsibilities. In hindsight, Xia Longyuan’s decision to retreat into the Imperial Ancestral Temple in his later years and refusal to engage in politics was perfectly understandable. Otherwise, how else could he have continued to focus on cultivation?

And it was not just emperors; Tang Wanzhuang was another prime example. Once on equal footing with Huangfu Qing, and even theoretically stronger after her forced breakthrough, she now lagged behind. Huangfu Qing had already reached the middle of the first layer of the Profound Control Realm, while Tang Wanzhuang, ensnared by mundane affairs, had yet to even break through. The gap between them had widened, and one had to wonder if she ever sighed in regret.

The lack of progress was visually apparent, and the same went for the possibility of a breakthrough. Chichi’s soul was not only a semi-transparent projection but also visibly smaller than her actual self. It was like a scaled-down version of her own body, and even her features appeared to be more youthful, as if she had gone back to being fifteen or sixteen years old. This appeared to be the norm; Zhao Changhe had been in the same position when he’d first reached this stage. Back then, he had even gotten smothered in Lady Three’s embrace like a child in-between some massive pillows.

Back then, he had not understood why her treatment had helped his soul grow stronger. Now, he did. It was a secret technique from the Black Tortoise’s system, one that aided in the soul’s expansion.

He did not know the Black Tortoise’s Water Nourishment Secret Technique, but he had mastered the Pure Bliss Art. It might not be possible for him to help Chichi break through the barrier to the Profound Control Realm at the moment, but when it came to just the third layer of the Profound Mysteries? That was completely doable.

Cracking his knuckles, Zhao Changhe approached her. The youthful version of Xia Chichi shrank back in horror. Unfortunately, her spiritual sea was far from vast enough for her to have anywhere to even escape to. She was quickly backed into a corner, having nowhere to escape.

Zhao Changhe placed both hands against the wall beside her head, trapping her in place.

Xia Chichi gritted her teeth, eyes filled with defiance. “You lecherous scoundrel! I will never yield!”

Zhao Changhe burst into laughter.

Oh, she’s even acting out now?

He was here to help Chichi improve. He did not have the patience for roleplay right now. Without another word, he grabbed the small figure and pulled her into his arms, ruffling her hair and massaging her.

“Be a good girl. Just sit tight and let your big brother fill you with wisdom.”

Xia Chichi’s face was practically deformed from Zhao Changhe’s relentless massaging. Half annoyed, half amused, she gave up on her act. “I think you’re just into younger people. Isn’t that why you went for Cui Yuanyang and Baoqin? Sure, they’ve both grown up, but the way your eyes just lit up...”

Zhao Changhe straightened up with righteous indignation. “Do I look like that kind of person? You just don’t understand. You can go ask your aunt-master. This is a classic Four Idols Cult legacy technique for strengthening the soul, the legendary Soul-Nourishing Massage Technique.”

Xia Chichi struggled hard against him. “Since when did my Four Idols Cult have such a technique? Also, since when did nourishing the soul have anything to do with being rubbed till I get bruised?!”

Yet, as she continued resisting, her translucent spiritual form gradually took on a faint pink hue.

She experienced a pleasure that resonated deep within her very soul... No, wait, the thing experiencing pleasure was in fact her actual soul. The sensation manifested directly, needing no physical medium, surpassing all bodily sensations. It felt as if she could ascend into the heavens at any moment.

To achieve true spiritual communion, simply having their spirits touch was far from enough. It was not the same as a physical connection either. First, there needed to be a method, and the Pure Bliss Art provided that. Second, both parties had to open themselves up completely, embracing each other wholeheartedly, immersing their entire being in the other. True love was almost a prerequisite. In fact, it was so demanding that not only was forceful fusion impossible, but even ordinary close friends would find it difficult to accomplish.

But between lovers, even unintentional contact could trigger it, just like that time with Huangfu Qing and Yue Hongling. All it took was their palms touching, and suddenly, everyone involved ended up feeling as if everything had already happened...

This time, with conscious intent, the effect was even stronger. Xia Chichi’s form flickered and shifted in Zhao Changhe’s embrace, her translucent soul merging into his as if they were being kneaded into one. It transcended the simple exchange of energy in ordinary dual cultivation or even the shared consciousness they had previously experienced. Their awareness itself was melting together, with her as him, and him as her.

Zhao Changhe’s Profound Control Realm-level power of rejuvenation flowed into Xia Chichi’s spirit like a perfect copy-and-paste transfer. This was a principle belonging to the Azure Dragon, a fundamental law she had yet to fully comprehend. And so, the barrier holding her back from the third layer of the Profound Mysteries shattered like fragile paper, barely even showing any resistance.

Her progress did not just stop at breaking through to the third layer. Her “experience bar” for the third layer was soon over a third full.

Visibly, her previously semi-transparent soul form became more solid, and the youthful appearance that was a version of her from a few years back now visibly matured by two or three years.

She had quite literally been rubbed into growing up.

The sensation was so bizarre that it pulled Zhao Changhe out of the moment. As soon as his focus wavered, the fusion state instantly collapsed, returning him to the sight of himself holding a dazed Xia Chichi in his arms.

Her spirit still shimmered with a lingering pink glow, and her eyes remained hazy with intoxication as if she had been utterly stunned by the experience.

She had never imagined something could feel this good...

In her physical body, the reaction was just as apparent. The young Empress slumped against her chair, her lips slightly parted, her gaze unfocused. Her flushed cheeks burned crimson, and her body trembled ever so slightly.

Zhao Changhe’s little trip with his yin spirit that came with a small nourishment session had drained him quite extensively. His spirit, unable to sustain the effort any longer, naturally returned to his body. When he opened his eyes, he was back in the Imperial Ancestral Temple, the celestial canopy shimmering above him.

He had essentially taken someone’s purity from a thousand li away.

Zhao Changhe gazed at the celestial dome above, lost in thought. His journey just now had not just been for the sake of an out-of-body experience—after all, he could achieve that without needing to travel vast distances. The true purpose of his far-reaching descent was to test spatial transfer, something only possible through the subterranean sky beneath the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

The celestial dome that was present here was a microcosm of the real world, each part corresponding precisely to a real-world counterpart. Through it, one could observe and reach any location. This was a quintessential application of spatial manipulation, and of a remarkably high level at that.

Due to the physical limitations of his body, true omnipresence was impossible, but the boundless nature of thought allowed the soul and spirit to traverse freely, which was why only his spirit had descended. However, if the distance was limited—say, within the confines of the palace—could he transfer his actual body as well?

He could not just leave Chichi behind like that. He did not need to imagine how she would feel when she snapped back to reality, only to find him gone. She definitely would not be happy.

Closing his eyes, Zhao Changhe steadied his spiritual platform, aligning his soul and body. Then, pressing his hand against the celestial dome once more, he attempted to step into it.

With a soft whoosh, his figure vanished from the high platform and reappeared within the imperial study.

He stumbled slightly, catching himself against the desk and taking a moment to regain his balance. Looking down, he found his clothes torn in multiple places, filling him with both exhilaration and lingering fear.

He had actually managed true body teleportation... But the sensation of space ripping apart around him rang every alarm bell in his brain. The chaotic spatial turbulence had nearly shredded him to pieces. In that split second, he had instinctively raised a barrier of vigorous qi, only for it to be instantly shattered. He had then activated his body cultivation technique, turning his entire physique into something akin to a tortoise shell, barely withstanding that fleeting moment. Even so, his garments were now in tatters.

And this was just a short-range jump from the Imperial Ancestral Temple to the imperial study. If the distance had been slightly greater, his body might not have held up, and he would have then been torn to shreds. Any farther, and he might have been reduced to a smear of blood.

Yet, no matter the risks, this was an undeniable breakthrough in spatial manipulation. It was true teleportation.

If he really thought about it, was this not essentially the same principle behind his journey from Earth to this world? The scale of the distance was vastly different, but the fundamental mechanism had to be the same.

If there was any real distinction, it would be that his cross-world traversal might have also involved time as a variable. But regardless of the remaining gaps in his understanding, this teleportation marked a critical leap—a step from zero to one! It was a step closer to the blind woman’s domain.

Exhaling deeply, Zhao Changhe turned back toward Xia Chichi, who was still dazed, seemingly oblivious to what had just transpired. Without hesitation, he slid back onto the chair beside her, wrapping an arm around her to restore their previous posture.