Chapter 25

As the sunset lingered and the evening glow burned like fire,

The green jujube tree in the courtyard rustled in the wind.

"Brother-in-law, there's actually something I've always wanted to tell you."

As she stepped into the courtyard, Wen Lingxue couldn't help but speak up, her voice sweet and clear.

Today, she wore a light and elegant long dress, her slender and graceful figure exuding vibrant energy under the sky, pure and beautiful.

Su Yi was taken aback and asked softly, "What's wrong?"

Wen Lingxue's face showed a hint of guilt as she said, "Brother-in-law, seven days ago, I was the one who, along with my parents and uncle, saw my sister off."

"Originally, I planned to inform you, but Mother didn't allow it..."

By the end of her words, she lowered her head, a sense of guilt evident.

Su Yi finally understood.

Seven days ago, Wen Lingzhao set off on her journey to the Tianyuan Academy, and the entire Wen family had ignored him, the son-in-law, in the farewell.

However, Su Yi wasn't surprised.

The relationship between him and Wen Lingzhao couldn't even be described as that of strangers.

On their wedding day, it was their first time meeting.

A year later, seven days ago, was their second meeting.

Though they were husband and wife, from the day they got married until now, they hadn't spoken a single word to each other.

Not even a single word.

Their relationship was as distant as strangers.

But Su Yi hadn't expected that Wen Lingxue would keep this matter in her heart.

Wen Lingxue furrowed her eyebrows and said, "Also, I heard that Wei Zhengyang is incredibly despicable, saying some outrageous and excessive things. Brother-in-law, you mustn't take such a petty person seriously."

"I know my sister best; though she has a cold personality, she would never do anything excessive."

Her words were filled with worry and comfort.

Su Yi gazed at the fair and graceful face of the young girl, paused for a moment, and sighed, "I've seen countless Bodhisattvas in this world, but few are as kind as you."

A long-lost warmth welled up in his heart.

In his previous life, he was devoted to the path, with a decisive and ruthless nature, treading through mountains of corpses and seas of blood to reach the pinnacle of the Great Wasteland and the Nine Provinces.

Even his nine disciples both respected and feared him.

In this life, as a commoner of the Su family in the Jade Capital of the Great Zhou Dynasty, he had been neglected since childhood, developing a solitary and gloomy personality.

Even during the three years he spent cultivating at the Qinghe Sword Mansion, his overly gloomy and aloof nature left him with almost no friends.

When he lost his cultivation and became a son-in-law in the Wen family, it felt like falling into a deep abyss, a devastating blow that left him like a walking corpse, his heart dead.

In such a situation, the entire Wen family treated him coldly, except for Wen Lingxue, who genuinely cared for him.

She had carefully planted a patch of sunflowers in the courtyard, hoping that seeing the golden flowers basking in the sun would improve his mood.

She had gently stayed by his side, speaking softly and trying to comfort and encourage him, attempting to alleviate his inner distress.

She had also spent great effort cooking various dishes and personally delivering them to him, who rarely left his room.

... Although, at that time, he never paid attention to these acts of kindness.

But now, with the memories of his past life awakened, recalling the little things Wen Lingxue had done for him over the past year, how could he not be moved?

The young girl was charming and bright, with a pure and kind heart!

"Brother-in-law, were you really not angry about it at the time?"

Wen Lingxue raised her face, her clear and transparent eyes fixed on Su Yi, her tone uncertain.

"You, you're just thinking too much. Your sister's resentment and resistance to this marriage are understandable. As for others' opinions, if I cared, I would have been long dead from anger."

Su Yi said with a smile.

Wen Lingxue finally relaxed, her eyes narrowing into crescent moons as she praised, "Brother-in-law, you have the broadest heart!"

Broad heart?

Su Yi's eyes had a peculiar look. In the Great Wasteland and the Nine Provinces, who didn't know that he, Su Xuanjun, was someone who never let a slight go unpunished, always seeking revenge for even the smallest offense?

But this little sister-in-law was truly likable!

He couldn't help but ask, "Lingxue, I also have a question for you. Since I became a son-in-law in the Wen family, everyone except you has looked down on me. Why do you care so much about me?"

Wen Lingxue answered without hesitation, "I never thought the man my sister married was a failure."

"Also, I... I don't believe Brother-in-law is a weakling!"

As she spoke, a determined look appeared on her delicate and beautiful face.

Su Yi smiled and asked, "Why don't you believe it?"

Wen Lingxue's beautiful and clear eyes stared at Su Yi for a moment, then suddenly laughed, saying matter-of-factly, "Looking so good, how could you possibly be a weakling?"

Surprised by this unexpected answer, Su Yi couldn't help but laugh, raising his thumb in praise, "Good eye!"

Wen Lingxue giggled, her innocence and purity evident.

Su Yi said, "Lingxue, I heard that in a month, your Songyun Sword Mansion will hold the annual grand competition?"

"Yes."

Wen Lingxue nodded, the smile on her face disappearing as she worried, "With my current cultivation, it will be very difficult to enter the top ten in the grand competition. After all, I've only been cultivating at the Songyun Sword Mansion for a year."

If she could enter the top ten in the annual grand competition, she would be able to enter the "Jia Yuan" of the Songyun Sword Mansion.

And as long as she became a Jia Yuan disciple, she would have the qualifications to cultivate at the "Qinghe Sword Mansion" in Yunhe Prefecture!

The influence of the Songyun Sword Mansion was limited to Guangling City, while the Qinghe Sword Mansion could influence the nineteen cities of Yunhe Prefecture!

They were not on the same level.

"Two days ago, I forgot to prepare a birthday gift for you, but it's not too late to give it to you now."

Su Yi took out a book from his sleeve and said softly, "This is a breathing technique. Though it's not top-tier, it's the most suitable for you to cultivate now. If you persist in cultivating for a month, it will be enough to help you enter the top ten in the annual grand competition."

Wen Lingxue's eyes widened in surprise, "Really?"

Su Yi smiled and handed her the book, "Would I lie to you? By the way, don't tell anyone about this. After memorizing the secrets of this technique, remember to burn the book immediately."

His expression became serious as he spoke.

There was no way around it; the breathing technique he gave to Wen Lingxue was called the "Xuansu Lingji Technique"!

Though it only recorded the cultivation method for the "Blood Circulation Realm," the complete Xuansu Lingji Technique was ranked among the top ten on the "Imperial Realm Marvelous Techniques List" of the Great Wasteland and the Nine Provinces!

In the past, Su Yi had taught this technique to his young disciple Qingtang, who, thanks to this technique, made rapid progress in cultivation and eventually attained the Imperial Realm, becoming the famous "Qingtang Empress" known throughout the world!

If such a technique were to leak, even if it only recorded the cultivation method for the Blood Circulation Realm, it would still bring Wen Lingxue a lot of trouble.

This was something Su Yi did not want to see.

Wen Lingxue was solemn, carefully putting away the book and nodding firmly, "Brother-in-law, I'll do as you say."

She didn't know that she had inadvertently obtained a "chance" that would drive all cultivators in the world to madness!

Otherwise, she wouldn't be so calm now.

Su Yi didn't explain further; he had many such marvelous techniques.

In his past life, it was known that he, Su Xuanjun, possessed "thousands of marvelous techniques and myriad divine powers," which was no exaggeration.

"If you have time, come to see me every seven days. I'll help you understand the martial arts secrets of the Blood Circulation Realm."

Su Yi instructed.

Wen Lingxue's eyes sparkled with joy, "I will definitely come!"

She knew that though her brother-in-law had lost his cultivation, he had once been the outer gate sword master of the Qinghe Sword Mansion, a famous figure in Yunhe Prefecture.

With her brother-in-law's guidance, how could she worry about not ranking in the top ten in the annual grand competition?

"Go back quickly. If your mother finds you here, she'll surely have a fit."

Su Yi said, unable to help but laugh.

His mother-in-law had a very fiery temper.

Wen Lingxue glanced around nervously, then stuck out her tongue and said quickly, "Brother-in-law, I'll go first."

The young girl's figure was light and graceful as she turned and left, clearly in a good mood.

Watching the young girl's figure disappear from the courtyard, Su Yi turned and returned to his room.

Though it was already dusk, the old lady of the Wen family's birthday banquet was still in full swing.

But all of this was no longer related to Su Yi.

Wen Lingxue didn't return to the banquet either.

After returning to her room, she took a bath. Her slender and graceful figure, wrapped in a bathrobe, lazily lay on the bed, her crystal-clear, snow-white legs occasionally lifting and then falling back onto the bed, making the thighs covered by the bathrobe visible.

The young girl, just out of the bath, was graceful and charming, lazy and cute.

She eagerly opened the book given to her by Su Yi.

The book was thin, only about ten pages, with the characters written in a bold and elegant style, pleasing to the eye and calming the mind.

"Brother-in-law's handwriting is as beautiful as he is!"

Wen Lingxue praised in her heart, then was immediately captivated by the profound secrets contained in the characters.

Though the book only recorded the cultivation method for the Blood Circulation Realm of the Xuansu Lingji Technique, it was extremely profound and mysterious, with each word containing great secrets.

Even the high-ranking cultivators of the Great Zhou Dynasty would find it impossible to fully understand the secrets in a short time.

Fortunately, there were annotations written by Su Yi next to the cultivation method, making it easier for Wen Lingxue to comprehend.

As the moon inclined to the west in the early hours of the morning,

Wen Lingxue finally finished reading the cultivation method, her exquisite and extraordinary face showing a look of bewilderment, her heart filled with uncontainable shock.

Though she was young, she was not ignorant of cultivation.

How could she not understand the power of the technique given to her by Su Yi?

Compared to it, the cultivation methods passed down by the Wen family and the Songyun Sword Mansion were crude and rudimentary!

"No wonder Brother-in-law told me not to reveal this technique. Yes, he must be worried that it would bring me trouble..."

Wen Lingxue was lost in thought, vaguely understanding Su Yi's well-intentioned concern. Her heart was warm, filled with joy and gratitude.

Soon, she took a deep breath, her expression becoming serious.

She silently told herself,

"Lingxue, no matter what difficulties you encounter in the future, you must help Brother-in-law find a way to regain his cultivation. He is already... pitiful enough..."