Hao Ren came to his room, where Han Lingshi was still looking at him with a questioning glare. The young man said, "Love, can stop glaring at me? I didn't know she could transform . I actually wanted to see if I can get to tame her and then take you to ride a dragon."
Han Lingshi couldn't help but chuckle out loudly when she heard this and said, "You airhead! How can you even think that a Dragon would be simple?"
Hao Ren approached her, and then held her hand as he sat down on the ground before her and told her about the things that happened in the Labyrinth. The young lady smiled as she heard his adventures, however, she also asked, "Can you not go to such places? What if you had turned into a killing machine?"
The young man smiled and said, "That happens when the people run out of things to hold down their thoughts. In my case, I had you, anchoring my soul and thoughts."
Han Lingshi rolled her eyes but she still smiled and said, "Glib tongue."
The two of them discussed the situation in the empire and found that everything was moving steadily and it was peaceful. The young man then thought and said, "I think we can send out some young geniuses to temper themselves in the eastern regions of the Spirit Siphon Continent. We can ask our old friends to provide them some cover."
Han Lingshi nodded and said, "I also wish to go out and travel for a time. This time you will stay home."
Hao Ren chuckled and said, "Finally I get to play the overpowered house husband. Good."
Han Lingshi shook her head and reached out to touch his face. Hao Ren enjoyed the softness of her palms and asked, "When do you have to leave?"
Han Lingshi replied, "If possible, I would like to leave next week."
Hao Ren was surprised and asked, "Why so early?"
Han Lingshi sighed and said, "After all this time when I handled the operation of the empire, I came to realize that even though my management skills are high, I have no experience when it comes to fight. Ye Lan, Ye Jill, and the rest of the Ye Generals, they do their best to spar with me, but it is all just sparing. In the past five years, I haven't improved in my martial comprehension. So unless I am a stone, or this loopy cycle of life has taken away the edge that is needed to advance in terms of martial arts."
Hao Ren nodded and asked, "Well, I can say that as the Empress you don't need to hold the martial skills, but that is wrong. The foundation of the empire is laid by the sovereign and while you are super talented in managing things, it would be harmful to lack the knowledge of fighting skills. The military generals might not like you having less knowledge. Strength is the biggest deterrent."
Han Lingshi nodded and Hao Ren said, "Fine, go out but please don't create more competition for me outside, you know I am insecure like that."
Han Lingshi chuckled and said, "Yes, yes, I am aware. I had Xiao Mei come up with a solution for that."
Hao Ren raised his brow and he saw Han Lingshi's face change. Her blinding beauty had regressed to that of a normal person and her features became rather fierce. He asked, "What the heck happened?"
Han Lingshi chuckled and said, "It is a technique that she had created from researching many disguise techniques. It is rather high quality. The flow of spiritual energy on my face is the only thing that is altering my look. It takes some time to master it but it is her magnum opus."
Hao Ren said, "Yin Yang eyes."
His eyes flickered and looking at her face, he could see that the face at the moment was indeed not an illusion but it was just the circulation of the spiritual energy that dimmed her beauty. He said, "A mask of spiritual energy this way even if someone scans your appearance they would never find anything out of the ordinary."
Han Lingshi nodded and then she showed him the various skills that she had learned during this time to increase the possibilities of flawless survival.
Hao Ren was astonished to how much thought these two people have put into these techniques, but he sighed and said, "It is good that you have prepared all these techniques, but remember that the world outside is wild, and unpredictable. Never be complacent."
The young lady nodded and said, "It is time that you go and meet the elders as well."
Hao Ren frowned and the young lady said, "All these years, you have used the burden of your kingdom duties as an excuse to avoid meeting Ma and Father. They have suffered enough now, Ren. While you love me and have done a lot for me, you ought to let the past go and look for the better future."
The young man sighed and said, "Fine, I will go and see them in two days."
Han Lingshi nodded and Hao Ren stood up from the ground and he said, "Lan, Yin, both you stop sneaking around and go somewhere else, I have to talk to my wife about the complexities of life."
Han Lingshi opened her eyes wide and she blushed. Two whooshing sounds echoed in the surroundings, and the young lady scolded Hao Ren for being shameless before the room bloomed with spring and youth. They had been away for far too long. While their relationship might seem vague, it was very strong and they were very much in love now as they have been in the past, however, the fact that they have become cultivators, they now held even more space to do the things they wanted to do.
After two days, Hao Ren stepped out of the room, and his cultivation had reached the peak of the Dao World Realm. He and Han Lingshi both had advanced in their realms. After coming out of the room, he found Ye Lan and learned that Amare was looking for him.
He sighed and told Han Lingshi about the situation as he headed to the place where Amare was staying. Since Amber's old palace had been given to Amare, she was the new occupant of the courtyard.
Hao Ren came to the threshold of the courtyard, and he said, "Lady Amare, may I come in?"
A calm voice echoed from the inside, "Come in."
Hao Ren stepped inside and he saw Amare sitting under the ivy pavilion. This wooden pavilion was covered with an ivy vine called Jade Trumpet Vine. It was as green as a jade and the flowers blooming on it looked like white trumpets.
Amare was still wearing her forest green hanfu, and the gentle winds caressed her tresses. She had a guqin in her hands and was playing some music. For a second, Hao Ren stopped outside the pavilion and thought, 'She looks so picturesque. Ahh, the beauty of nature and the wonders of life.'
Amare opened her eyes to look at him and said, "I am bored here, I wish to leave."
Hao Ren felt his jaw falling to the ground as he hurriedly said, "No, no, no, how can that be, come along, I will take you to the lab and you can inspect and take all the successful products from there."
Amare was bluffing him, because he hadn't taken her to the lab and showed her the new products they were making there. She was a dragon and why would she wait for a puny human?
After giving Amare the things she wanted, Hao Ren retreated to his room, Han Lingshi had already gone to make preparations for her own journey, and the young man was left to explore his rewards. This update is available on novel•fire.net
He thought, 'System, shall we begin the reward collection?'
*Go ahead, you have 98 chances.*
Hao Ren nodded and he asked, 'Withdraw me five tickets.'
*Withdrawing five tickets. Congratulations, you have received the ancient titan physique.
Congratulations, you have received one life saving pill, top grade, as long as you have one breath left, you can use this pill to reach your peak.
Congratulations, you have gained one sudden enlightenment chance.
Congratulations, you have gained two Dao Realm Cultivation techniques, Earth Pinching Step, Void Sword Art.
Congratulations, you have received a World level artifact blueprint.**
Hao Ren sucked in a deep breath and said, 'System, you were right, I can see my life changing one more time. Let us continue.'
Hao Ren continued scratching tickets, and all the rewards he gained were more shocking than the others. It was so scary that he felt the heavens might smite him for owning so many things. So he decided to call it off after twenty tickets.
He called Ye Lan, and said, "Send out a party, have then search the eastern deserts and locate me a dragon energy vein. Our Empire is going to grow stronger."
Ye Lan was shocked but she nodded quickly and sent her best people. This vein was one of the rewards among the twenty tickets, now he had seventy eight tickets remaining.