After the heavenly tribulation, the gods of the Heavenly Court withered, and the various continents would seize the opportunity to act, each with their own intentions. Dong Sheng Continent's goal was to contend for divine positions, and they would kill each other. After the fighting, those who were to be deified would be deified, and those who were to go to hell would go to hell. The old Southern Continent's forces were deeply entrenched and complex, and a melee was inevitable. It would definitely affect the new Southern Continent, and even this conflagration would spread all the way to the Heavenly Court along the An Nan Realm, Nine God Realms, Northern Territory, Qiong Lu Realm, resulting in widespread death and bloodshed. The Northern Furnace Continent was inhabited by beings from the Demon Realm, who had been enemies of the Heavenly Court since ancient times, and would undoubtedly cause trouble. The Western He Continent was a pure land of Buddhism. Although they claimed to be detached from worldly affairs, they would likely find it difficult to remain aloof in the end.
"Then won't the world be very chaotic then?" Mo Qi's heart trembled.
"More chaotic than you can imagine. Besides the Four Great Continents, the Dragon Clan, Asura Clan, and Demon Clan are also accumulating strength in secret, watching covetously. They will not fall behind when the opportunity arises," Shen Wuhai said.
"While they fight each other, the ones who suffer the most are always the common people," Mo Qi sighed with emotion.
Shen Wuhai nodded in strong agreement.
"Why is there a heavenly tribulation?" Mo Qi asked.
Shen Wuhai gave a wry smile, "Because there are heavens beyond heavens, known as the Sacred Heaven Realm. They worry that the Heavenly Realm, with its vast roots and deep branches, will become too powerful. So, every ten thousand years, they weaken its strength."
"The problem is, if the Heavenly Gods go through tribulations, and the Demon Realm and other evil forces take the opportunity to grow stronger, won't the world be turned upside down?" Mo Qi asked, puzzled.
"You don't need to worry about that. If the Heavenly Court cannot withstand the demonic invasion, the saints of the Sacred Heaven Realm will act. If the Sacred Heaven Realm still cannot withstand it, there are heavens beyond the Sacred Heaven Realm, and they will come to their aid," Shen Wuhai said.
Mo Qi was even more confused, "Then why do this? You weaken him, and then you support him. Isn't that tiring?"
"In fact, in this process, not only the Heavenly Realm is weakened, but the Demon Realm will also be weakened. When both sides are weakened, the Outer Heavens will be at ease. If the Outer Heavens intervene, the Outer Heavens will also be weakened, and then the Heavens beyond the Outer Heavens will be at ease," Shen Wuhai said.
"It's so complicated," Mo Qi couldn't help but sigh.
"The actual situation is far more complicated than this. There are many complexities that I don't understand and cannot explain," Shen Wuhai said.
"Brother Shen, how do you know so much? Can you tell me, what is your background?" Mo Qi asked tentatively.
Shen Wuhai chuckled lightly, "You don't need to be so cautious. There's nothing to be taboo about. I am actually just a rogue cultivator from the An Nan Realm, with no particular status."
Mo Qi looked incredulous. Could a rogue cultivator produce such an outstanding individual?
Afterward, the two chatted about everything under the sun, drank a lot of wine, and fell asleep on the rooftop without realizing it.
When Mo Qi woke up, Shen Wuhai had already left. Everything that needed to be said had been said. When he wanted to leave, he left, without too much politeness or worldly concerns. Mo Qi suddenly felt that Shen Wuhai lived a pure life, and perhaps that was the life he had always pursued.
Mo Qi returned to Zhen Zhen's sleeping chambers. Zhen Zhen had been waiting for a long time. As soon as she saw Mo Qi, she came up to him like a little bird clinging to its mate, her hands linked around his arm, her face beaming with happiness.
The palace maids watched and giggled, covering their mouths.
"Brother Mo, where did you go just now? Why didn't you tell me?" Zhen Zhen said.
Mo Qi replied, "I went to deal with a bit of trouble."
The two walked directly into the side hall. Mo Qi, still feeling groggy, lay down on the bed. Zhen Zhen sat by the bed, resting her head on her hands, and looked at Mo Qi, "I met a fairy yesterday."
Mo Qi stared intently at Zhen Zhen, "I met a fairy too!"
Zhen Zhen's jade face flushed with shyness, "I'm serious, I'm not joking with you."
As she spoke, she took out a talisman and handed it to Mo Qi, "She gave me a talisman and said I would face a tribulation, asking me to wear it. Can you see if this talisman can really ward off disaster?"
Mo Qi took it and held it in his hand. He felt spiritual energy flowing from the talisman, gentle and soft, with a fragrance emanating from it. It truly felt like an item from the immortal realm.
Mo Qi immediately said seriously, "Then why didn't you wear it?"
"I wanted to wear it later," Zhen Zhen said with a smile.
"Wear it now!" Mo Qi said in a commanding tone.
"Then where should I wear it?" Zhen Zhen blushed again and said in a low voice.
Mo Qi rolled his eyes and handed the talisman back to Zhen Zhen, saying, "On your chest!"
Then, he turned over and faced the wall.
There was no movement behind him. When he turned back, he saw a hint of disappointment on Zhen Zhen's face.
"What's wrong?" Mo Qi asked, somewhat puzzled.
"Brother Mo, don't you like me?" Zhen Zhen pouted and asked.
"I do."
"Then why didn't you help me wear it?" Zhen Zhen said with a face full of grievance.
"This... alright." Mo Qi paused for a moment, then was about to unbutton Zhen Zhen's clothes without hesitation.
Zhen Zhen flinched back, "Isn't this inappropriate?"
Mo Qi's heart pounded, and a string was pulled taut. He thought he was about to witness a scene of intimacy, but Zhen Zhen's reaction deflated him completely, making him feel worse than a bucket of cold water.
With a sigh, Mo Qi turned away again.
Unexpectedly, Zhen Zhen also felt disappointed and asked again, "Don't you like me?"
A fire suddenly surged within Mo Qi, igniting his entire body.
He abruptly turned around, scooped Zhen Zhen up, rolled over, and pinned her beneath him. Then, just as she was about to cry out, he kissed her, sealing her lips.
A current of electricity surged through his entire body. Her body trembled, and she reached out to push him away, but her strength was soft and weak.
His heart was instantly opened, then gradually unsealed from top to bottom, and his entire being surrendered.
After a bout of passion, Zhen Zhen lay limply in Mo Qi's arms. She looked at the disappearance of the virginity mark on her wrist and chided, "Why did you do that?"
Mo Qi gently stroked her cheek, "To prove to you that I like you. Otherwise, you never believe me."
"Bad guy!"
After a moment of tenderness, Zhen Zhen said shyly, "I read a book last time that mentioned a dual cultivation method that can quickly improve both parties' cultivation."
"Then let's not delay. Let's start cultivating now," Mo Qi said.
Zhen Zhen's face was flushed red, "Maybe next time..."
Seeing that Mo Qi was still insistent, Zhen Zhen quickly changed the subject, "Brother Mo, help me put on the talisman first."
Mo Qi obediently took the talisman and helped her put it on.
Zhen Zhen then said, "Father King's body has almost recovered with your medicinal treatment. Tomorrow, Father King will attend court, and he wants to summon you."
"I'm not going!"
"Please go," Zhen Zhen swayed his arm, "Father King said that he wants to thank you for saving his life and reward you, and secondly, Wang Lu is coming, and he wants to meet Wang Lu."
Wang Lu? I think I've heard that name somewhere.
"Who is Wang Lu?" Mo Qi asked. "He wants to meet Wang Lu, what does that have to do with me?"
Zhen Zhen blushed and lowered her voice, "Wang Lu is a disciple of our Shen Wu Sect. He even got second place in the competition of the Four Great Sects last time. He's coming to propose to me..."
"What?" Mo Qi sat up. "Doesn't he know about our relationship?"
"He knows," Zhen Zhen's face was flushed red. "Everyone in the Shen Wu Sect knows. But after that incident, many people started paying attention to me, including Wang Lu. This Wang Lu, his other identity is the Crown Prince of the neighboring Qing Yun Kingdom. Since I didn't agree, he's using the diplomatic relations between the two countries to propose."
"This... is indeed a bit despicable. What does your father think?" Mo Qi asked.
"My father... agreed," Zhen Zhen said somewhat dejectedly. "They had agreed beforehand, otherwise Wang Lu wouldn't have come."
Mo Qi lay down again, "It seems that your father summoning me tomorrow, the reward is secondary. The main purpose is to humiliate me in court and tell me about your engagement, right?"
Zhen Zhen shook her head, "I won't agree."
"Then we won't go. What else can we do?" Mo Qi looked at Zhen Zhen. "They play their games, let them play."
Zhen Zhen frowned, "But..."
Mo Qi suddenly looked confused again, "Doesn't your father dislike cultivators? Wang Lu is also a cultivator."
Zhen Zhen smiled, "It's different. Wang Lu is the Crown Prince of Qing Yun Kingdom. Even if he becomes a consort, he won't be able to come to Cai Yun Kingdom. It's only possible for me to marry into Qing Yun Kingdom. Then he won't threaten my father. Moreover, with the marriage alliance between the two countries, the border will be more peaceful, which is what Father King wants to see."
"There are so many benefits. Then I can only give up," Mo Qi said with a smile.
"You can't give up," Zhen Zhen pouted. "If you give up on me now, I can only die."
At this moment, a palace maid announced from outside the door, "Prince Wang Lu of Qing Yun Kingdom requests an audience."
Zhen Zhen: "Do not see him."
But at the same time, she had already gotten up and put on her clothes.
Mo Qi watched her graceful figure wrap herself in clothes, feeling a sense of treasure being sealed away. He also put on his clothes, still feeling unsatisfied.
The palace maid went out to deliver the message.
A moment later, Wang Lu's roar was heard from outside the hall, "Zhen Zhen, why won't you let me in? I heard that Mo Qi is inside. After tomorrow, you will be my wife. How can an outsider like him go in and I can't?"
Upon hearing this, Zhen Zhen's eyebrows shot up, and she was furious. She glanced at Mo Qi and walked out of the hall.
Mo Qi followed her out.
Outside the hall stood Wang Lu, Qian Yu, and Sheng Jin Tian. It was likely that they had come together during or after completing their missions.
"Wang Lu, you are too shameless. You pestered me relentlessly at the Shen Wu Sect, and I clearly rejected you then. But you are still not giving up, even resorting to using diplomatic relations between two countries to achieve your goal. But I tell you, don't waste your effort. I don't like you. Even if you brought all the people of Qing Yun Kingdom here, I still wouldn't like you," Zhen Zhen said.
Qian Yu and Sheng Jin Tian tried to mediate, "Don't speak so harshly. You are all from the same sect. In fact, you two together are quite suitable. In terms of family background, character, and talent, you are a perfect match!"
Wang Lu's face turned ashen, "Zhen Zhen, what's so good about that Mo Qi? He's not as handsome as me, and his cultivation is not as high as mine. What are you thinking? How am I not better than him in every way?"
Mo Qi walked out from inside and said slowly, "My alchemy is better than yours, my words are more pleasant to hear, I treat people more sincerely, and I seem more like a good person. Is that enough?"
"If it's not enough, then let me add something: my cultivation is no worse than yours."
Wang Lu snorted coldly, "Speaking of cultivation, I regretted not meeting you in the last competition. But why should a twelfth-place contestant like you challenge me, the second-place finisher?"
Mo Qi chuckled, "You actually took the rankings from that kind of competition seriously. It seems you can only rely on that achievement to brag for the rest of your life."