Truth be told, Qing Chen probably had to thank Lu Wuyan, Heaven Feather Ancestor, and the others for wanting to kill Han Qingyue along with him.
Otherwise, if Qing Chen had just killed those people, there would have been no wife-pampering reward.
Qing Chen clicked to view the next System prompt.
"Wife-pampering successful! Congratulations to the Host for receiving a random reward: Ten Thousand Swords Sacred Body +1!"
Sacred Body?!
If Qing Chen remembered correctly, there are three thousand Physiques in this world. Possessing one of them makes one a Prodigy among Prodigies, not only strengthening the body beyond others but also accelerating Cultivation speed and granting powerful talents...
And a Sacred Body is a powerful Physique ranked among the top one hundred of these three thousand Physiques.
Qing Chen couldn't help but ask in his mind, "System, where does the Ten Thousand Swords Sacred Body rank among the three thousand Physiques?"
The System immediately replied: "To the Host, the Ten Thousand Swords Sacred Body ranks seventeenth on the list of three thousand Physiques! It is the number one Sacred Body for Sword Cultivators!"
'Ranked seventeenth! The number one Sacred Body for Sword Cultivators!'
Hearing the System's reply, Qing Chen's throat moved as he swallowed, his heart overflowing with joy.
Now, his leverage against the protagonist had increased by another point.
He couldn't wait to use the Ten Thousand Swords Sacred Body to enhance his Cultivation, believing that with his current terrifying Comprehension Ability, it would surely yield twice the results with half the effort!
With this thought, Qing Chen closed the System panel and rushed back to Qing Manor with even greater speed.
Han Qingyue felt Qing Chen accelerate, so she held him even tighter, burying her head deep in his embrace.
Qing Chen raised his arm to shield Han Qingyue's head, preventing it from being buffeted by the strong winds along the way.
"..." Noticing this, Han Qingyue smiled sweetly.
Meanwhile, Qing Chen got what he wanted, killing two birds with one stone.
"Wife-pampering successful! Congratulations to the Host for receiving a random reward: Five-grade Heavenly Yuan Pill +50!"
...
At the same time.
The news of Heaven Feather Sect's destruction by an unknown powerful expert or force spread through various informants to the ears of many important figures.
Among them was Martial Emperor Han Cheng of the Great Han Dynasty.
"You, what did you say! Heaven Feather Sect was massacred?" Han Cheng was shocked upon hearing this, abruptly standing up from his Dragon Throne.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, the entire Sect, over ten thousand people, from the lowest servants to the Elders and Sect Master, and even Heaven Feather Ancestor, all met a tragic end without exception! Heads severed from bodies!" The secret agent reported in even more detail.
Han Cheng hesitated, raising his hand then letting it fall, slowly sitting back onto his Dragon Throne.
After a moment's thought, it wasn't hard for him to figure out whose hand was behind this matter.
"It can only be him!"
Noticing the secret agent's strange gaze, Han Cheng waved his hand.
"This subordinate takes his leave." The secret agent immediately vanished.
"It seems we all underestimated him," Han Cheng said, addressing State Preceptor Xiao He beside him.
Xiao He was still in a daze and only reacted after a long while, "Yes, yes... To be able to wipe out an entire Sect overnight, such methods are truly astonishing!"
Xiao He was very glad that Han Cheng had not adopted his earlier suggestion to hastily attack Qing Chen and nip the problem in the bud.
Otherwise, the Great Han Dynasty might no longer be surnamed Han, and his own fate, as the one who planned it, would be easy to predict...
"From now on, we must not be his enemy!" Han Cheng firmly resolved this.
"As Your Majesty commands," Xiao He bowed.
He couldn't agree more.
Afterwards, Han Cheng ordered someone to summon the Second Prince Xia Ce to the Royal Study.
At this time, Xia Ce had just learned from his confidant that the entire Heaven Feather Sect had been tragically massacred.
"How could this be? How could this be?" Xia Ce paced back and forth in his room, completely baffled.
"What about Old Ancestor? What about our Heaven Feather Sect's Old Ancestor?" Xia Ce stepped forward, grabbing the man's lapels, asking urgently.
"Reporting to the Second Prince, Heaven Feather Ancestor's body was also among them..."
Upon hearing this, Xia Ce's body went limp in fright, and he slumped onto a chair, looking as if he had aged several years in an instant.
He knew well that without the support of Heaven Feather Sect as his backing, his chances of contending for the throne were greatly diminished.
Then, a voice came from outside, "Second Prince, His Highness commands you to the Royal Study."
Xia Ce acknowledged and numbly followed the eunuch who delivered the message to the Royal Study.
Soon after, with the eunuch guarding the door, Xia Ce pushed open the door to the Royal Study alone and entered.
He saw Han Cheng, who was still reviewing memorials late into the night.
"Your son pays his respects to Imperial Father," Xia Ce bowed.
"From now on, don't send anyone to trouble Qing Chen again." Han Cheng didn't even bother to look at Xia Ce.
"Imperial Father, what do you mean? Your son does not understand." Xia Ce was already very annoyed because Heaven Feather Sect had been destroyed. Being called to the Royal Study late at night by Han Cheng, only to be told not to target the son of a treacherous official, made him even more upset.
"Slam!"
Seeing that Xia Ce not only failed to restrain himself but dared to question him, Han Cheng slammed the brush in his hand onto the table, "You rebellious son! Are you not satisfied with causing the demise of the entire Heaven Feather Sect? Do you wish to put my Xia Clan to death before you are happy?"
"Heaven Feather Sect?" Xia Ce's mind quickly processed this, then his eyes widened as he tentatively asked, "Imperial Father, you, you mean, the destruction of Heaven Feather Sect is related to the Qing family?"
Before Han Cheng could answer, Xia Ce quickly denied it, "How, how is this possible? Although the Qing family has some influence in the Great Han Dynasty, they are not strong enough to contend with an entire Sect, let alone destroy Heaven Feather Sect."
"What if I told you that the one who destroyed the Sect was Qing Chen?"
"..." Han Cheng's single sentence silenced Xia Ce.
He didn't believe Han Cheng would joke with him about such a matter.
"Enough. From now on, you are confined to your residence for a year to reflect on your mistakes. You are not to leave the palace. If you dare to act recklessly again, don't blame me for disregarding our kinship and expelling you from the clan!" Han Cheng rubbed his forehead with one hand and waved the other, telling Xia Ce to leave quickly and not provoke him further.
Xia Ce hesitated, knowing that resisting Han Cheng at this moment would only lead to being deposed. So he replied, "Yes, your son accepts the command."
He turned and left with a blank stare, muttering to himself, in a voice only he could hear, "How is this possible... How is this possible..."
Seeing Xia Ce leave, Han Cheng was still uneasy and ordered strict surveillance, threatening to implicate the entire nine generations of their family if anything went wrong!
Back at Qing Manor.
"Wife-pampering successful! Congratulations to the Host for receiving a random reward: Comprehension Ability +50!"
"Wife-pampering successful! Congratulations to the Host for receiving a random reward: Divine Movement Talisman +10!"
...
Qing Chen had already finished washing Han Qingyue, tucked her into bed, and conveniently reaped a wave of wife-pampering rewards to gather more resources and leverage for his upcoming Cultivation.
"Where are you going?" Han Qingyue asked, seeing Qing Chen turn to leave.
"I'm going to Cultivate nearby," Qing Chen replied.
Han Qingyue hummed in acknowledgment.
Then she saw Qing Chen walk a short distance away, sit down cross-legged, and begin Qi Gathering and Cultivation.
Han Qingyue closed her eyes, preparing to rest.
Her eyelids trembled slightly.
After a while, her thin lips parted slightly, and she whispered, "If you're tired, then... come to bed and sleep."