After several days of intense focus, Han Lie had completely mastered the essence of the Soul Devouring Saber Art’s second form—【Soul Severing】—through meditative cultivation.

“Phew…” Exiting his trance, Han Lie exhaled a long breath of turbid air. A flicker of satisfaction danced in his eyes as he muttered, “Now, all I need is a proper blade.”

His current black saber was decent enough for a start, but its grade was far too low. If it ever clashed with a high-grade magical treasure, it would likely shatter instantly. However, purchasing a high-grade saber-type treasure was an astronomical expense, one that Han Lie simply couldn’t afford at the moment.

“Hmm… I suppose I can only wait for Grand Elder Chi Lian to deliver that low-grade Heaven-tier treasure.”

Han Lie wasn’t in a rush; there were no immediate threats to his life. As for Bai Ling… with the power of 【Soul Severing】, even if he were forced to use a mid-grade Spirit-tier weapon, he wouldn’t be left entirely defenseless in a rematch.

Suddenly, Ye Qingxuan’s voice vibrated near his ear.

Han Lie quickly tidied his appearance and made his way back to the Violet Heaven Palace. He assumed she had another mission for him, but instead, he was greeted by a cool command.

“Old servant,” Ye Qingxuan said, her gaze unreadable. “This Palace requires your Yang energy to assist in my cultivation.”

Hearing this, Han Lie’s interest was instantly piqued.

His previous Dual Cultivation session with Su Mei had improved his cultivation, but the gains were marginal. It seemed that as his strength grew, the Yin energy of a standard Golden Core Stage female cultivator was no longer enough to satisfy the demands of his physique.

But Ye Qingxuan was different. As the Sect Leader of the Heavenly Void Sect, she was the ultimate tonic for a man like him.

If I can seize this opportunity to break through to the Golden Core Stage, it would be Grandmaster! Driven by the burning desire for advancement, Han Lie didn’t hesitate. He lunged forward, pulling Ye Qingxuan into his embrace.

At first, he remained somewhat cautious, mindful of her status. But as the atmosphere in the study grew heavy and feverish, his inhibitions melted away. He grew bolder, his lips tracing every inch of Ye Qingxuan’s porcelain skin before his hands bravely scaled her peaks.

Seeing that she made no move to stop him, Han Lie finally pressed her down onto the couch beneath him.

The usually aloof and icy demoness now looked entirely different. Her eyes were dazed and misty, her cheeks flushed with a delicate rose hue. Her breath, fragrant as orchids, came in shallow hitches—the unmistakable shyness of a woman laid bare.

“Sect Leader, may I kiss you?” Han Lie whispered, his gaze locked onto her luscious, trembling red lips.

During their previous encounters, Han Lie had tried to claim her mouth, but she had always turned away. Those lips seemed to be her final bastion of restraint, the last line of her dignity. Yet, the more she resisted, the more Han Lie burned to conquer that virgin territory.

“Mm…”

To his shock, Ye Qingxuan actually gave a soft, yielding hum of ascent.

Han Lie froze for a heartbeat, stunned by his luck. After a few steadying breaths, he finally claimed his prize, tasting those luscious lips. The sensation was as soft as cotton and as sweet as nectar, sending a jolt through his soul. His breathing turned ragged.

Ye Qingxuan didn’t just endure it; she reached up, wrapping her arms around Han Lie’s neck to meet his passion with her own. Inside the study of the Violet Heaven Palace, the air turned thick with the scent of spring.

Throughout the process, nourished by Han Lie’s Pure Yang energy, Ye Qingxuan could feel her own bottlenecks loosening. The ancient texts were right: the energy of the Pure Yang Sacred Body was the most precious medicine in existence for a female cultivator. Better yet, it was an inexhaustible spring.

Furthermore, because they both practiced the Yin Yang Demonic Art, the benefits of their Dual Cultivation didn’t just add up—they multiplied exponentially.

This session shattered all their previous records. They remained locked in the throes of cultivation for seven full days before finally coming to a halt. It was fortunate that Ye Qingxuan’s cultivation was vastly superior to Han Lie’s; had it been Su Mei or Zhuo Hongyi in her place, they would have long since collapsed under Han Lie’s fierce, prolonged assault.

“Still just a hair’s breadth away,” Han Lie muttered.

After disengaging, he sensed the surging power within his veins and frowned slightly. While the session had granted him a massive boost, he was still one step short of the Golden Core Stage. He had hoped to break through directly.

“Well… it’s fine. I can make the final push later.”

Han Lie wasn’t greedy. He knew all too well that haste invited disaster. Drawing on the tropes of the web novels he had read in his previous life, he knew that forcing a breakthrough during Dual Cultivation could lead to an unstable foundation. For a major realm leap like the Golden Core, it was far better to achieve it through personal enlightenment and solid effort.

When Han Lie finally gathered his senses, he saw that Ye Qingxuan had already donned a gauzy robe. She was calmly smoothing her disheveled hair, radiating a unique, post-coital charm that was utterly captivating.

“Your performance has satisfied This Palace,” Ye Qingxuan said, her fingers deftly arranging her locks. “Henceforth, when we are alone, you need not trouble yourself with formal salutations.”

“Understood, Sect Leader.” Han Lie smiled.

It seemed the icy Sect Leader was finally being conquered by his efforts. It made sense; he truly didn’t believe many women could withstand the relentless allure of the Pure Yang Sacred Body.

“Han Lie,” Ye Qingxuan said suddenly, her tone turning serious. “Do you still resent This Palace for the torment I inflicted upon you in those early years? Answer me truthfully.”

“Uh…” Han Lie was momentarily stunned.

She had used his name. For the first time, she hadn’t called him ‘servant’ or ‘wretched spawn.’ Any fool could see that her attitude toward him had undergone a fundamental shift.

Rather than answering directly, Han Lie treaded carefully. “Sect Leader, can you promise me something? If I speak the truth, will you promise not to get angry?”

“Hmm. Speak,” Ye Qingxuan nodded.

“Alright.” Han Lie took a moment to organize his thoughts. After a long silence, he spoke with uncharacteristic solemnity.

“Reporting to the Sect Leader: physical wounds can be erased by time, but shadows on one’s soul may linger for a lifetime.”

“This Senior was abandoned by my parents as a child and sold to the Heavenly Void Sect as a Servant Disciple.”

“Before I ever stepped foot in the Violet Heaven Palace, I was bullied and oppressed by the senior disciples. They would beat me when they were in a foul mood; they would beat me simply because they didn’t like my face. I was often beaten awake while I slept.”

“Back then, I spent my nights weeping. I hated every one of them, but more than that, I hated myself. I hated how useless I was.”

“There were times I thought I couldn’t hold on. I wondered what the point was for someone as cowardly and pathetic as me to keep living. I thought it might be better to just die.”

“But I lacked even the courage to end it. I feared the bullies, but I feared death even more. Besides, dying like that felt too wretched.”

“So, I used every ounce of my strength just to survive, clinging to the hope that one day, I could take my revenge on every single person who ever looked down on me.”