Chapter 360: 月尊的吃驚

Jiang Fan pulled something from his bosom. It was a red belly wrap! What's more, it wasn't new; it clearly showed signs of having been worn.

Chen Siling was clearly uncomfortable, but even Xu Youran couldn't stand it. She chided, "Why are you giving Siling a belly wrap as a gift? And one that someone else has worn! Isn't that ridiculous?"

Jiang Fan smiled and said, "This isn't just any ordinary belly wrap." Xu Youran wouldn't listen, retorting, "No matter what it is, you can't give Siling something another woman has worn. Isn't that insulting Chen Siling?" Seeing that the two were about to argue, Chen Siling quickly snatched the belly wrap from Jiang Fan's hand.

She said with a smile, "If it's from my husband, it definitely isn't simple. Besides, the style and size suit me well." Her cheeks flushed slightly as she tucked it into her sleeve.

Xu Youran frowned and said, "Siling, don't force yourself. It would be better not to give this belly wrap at all."

Chen Siling smiled as she poured her a cup of tea, saying, "Sister, calm down. My husband has already helped me so much. Even if he gave me nothing, I would still be full of gratitude. How could I possibly blame him? Come, come, have some spiritual fruits."

Her actions helped to ease the tension. Jiang Fan and Xu Youran didn't say their goodbyes and leave until late into the night.

Chen Siling, now alone, tidied up the table. Looking at her empty cave dwelling, she suddenly felt a sense of loss and murmured, "How wonderful it would be if days like this were more frequent."

Just then, a yawning sound echoed in her mind. "Huh? How did your cultivation reach Foundation Establishment fifth level?" It was Yue Zun, the reincarnated soul from disembodiment, residing within her.

Ever since Chen Siling safely returned to Qingyun Sect, Yue Zun had relaxed and entered a dormant sleep. But it hadn't been long. Chen Siling's realm had surprisingly soared by one level.

"It's the spiritual liquid my husband gave me," Chen Siling boasted. "You always said he wasn't worthy of me, but look, isn't he good to me? So many senior sisters are green with envy."

Yue Zun pursed her lips, "Increasing by just one minor realm makes you this happy! If you had listened to me and gone far beyond this region, you would have gained much more than this." That's what she said, but inwardly, she was still a bit surprised. Even with her personal guidance, Chen Siling had only advanced from Foundation Establishment third level to fourth level. Yet, Jiang Fan returned from just one trip and managed to help her advance another level. This young man certainly had good luck.

Crucially, he wasn't stingy with Chen Siling.

"Hmph, you're just saying one thing and thinking another," Chen Siling said, already accustomed to Yue Zun's temperament. Sometimes, listening to her words in reverse was the correct interpretation. "My husband gave us so much; he even gave Sister a bow from the demon race. Guess its grade? A top-grade magical artifact!"

Yue Zun looked surprised. "From what I've observed of this land, the highest-grade artifacts are merely top-grade magical artifacts, aren't they? He actually dared to give such a precious item to Xu Youran? I underestimated him." Even though she usually disliked Jiang Fan, her 'nominal' husband, she now had to admit that this young man was truly exceptional when it came to his women. But seeing Chen Siling's triumphant expression, she felt a little unconvinced: "So he only gave something to the main wife. You, the concubine, got nothing?"

This made Chen Siling's expression freeze slightly, and she said guiltily, "Of, of course I did! Jiang Fan is very good to me too."

Sensing her guilt, Yue Zun said playfully, "Really? Let me see just how much your beloved husband values you, his concubine."

Chen Siling struggled for a moment. Knowing she couldn't hide it from Yue Zun, she finally let out a helpless sigh: "Jiang Fan did give me a gift. It's just that I don't know what to say."

She took out the red belly wrap from her sleeve, a hint of reluctance in her expression. She sighed, "I would rather he had given me a new, ordinary belly wrap. Even if it were made of common material, I would happily wear it. But how can I use this one that someone else has worn? I really don't know what my husband was thinking. Sigh."

She looked at the belly wrap, unsure of what to do with it. Throw it away? It was a gift from Jiang Fan. Wear it? It was an intimate garment worn by another woman; she found it truly difficult to convince herself to wear it. And Yue Zun would surely mock her low status as a concubine, wouldn't she?

But after waiting for a long time, there was no sound from Yue Zun. She couldn't help but wonder, "Are you asleep?" Only then did Yue Zun speak.

Her tone was quite complex as she said, "Jiang Fan is truly exceptionally good to you. He even gave you a treasure like this. You, his concubine, are certainly not a concubine in name only."

Chen Siling blinked, looking at the old belly wrap again. "You said this is a treasure?" She looked it over from left to right but couldn't discern anything special.

Yue Zun nodded gently. "This is a belly wrap woven from the silk of the Ancient Moon-gazing Silkworm. It's one of the best defensive magical artifacts below the Soul Transformation realm. In the Nine Sect Lands, you might not even find a second one. In terms of value, it's far greater than that Sky-Shaking Bow."

Chen Siling's eyes widened. "This belly wrap has such a profound origin?" She was a bit stunned. This unassuming belly wrap was actually such a powerful defensive magical artifact.

Immediately, her eyes sparkled, filled with indescribable excitement, and she said, "I knew it! Why would my husband give me a belly wrap worn by someone else? So it's such an incredible defensive artifact! Though I am a concubine, my husband has never treated me as one." A touch of emotion welled up in her eyes.

Yue Zun rubbed her forehead. "Oh no! I shouldn't have told you! Look at you, completely smitten, you'll be even more unwilling to leave him now."

Chen Siling happily held the belly wrap up to her chest to gauge its size, delightedly saying, "Hmph! I'm not leaving my husband. Never in my life will I leave him!"

Now, about Jiang Fan. After seeing Xu Youran back to her cave dwelling, he descended Heavenly Sword Peak alone. He walked by himself under the moonlight, heading towards the Sect Master Peak.

As he passed the plaza, a fleeting shadow suddenly caught his eye. He looked over and saw a figure in black coming from the direction of the medicine garden at an incredibly fast pace. The moment their toes touched the ground, they lightly pushed off, leaping eight or nine zhang away. They clearly possessed a remarkably advanced movement technique.

Jiang Fan was puzzled. No one in Qingyun Sect had such a high-level movement technique, and this person was coming from the medicine garden, a vital area of the sect. Could it be an outsider stealing rare treasures from the medicine garden? He immediately became alert and shouted, "Who are you, and what are you doing in my Qingyun Sect?"

Ruan Qingsu frowned slightly. She had come to Qingyun Sect with her master to handle the matter reported by the Grand Elder. Since her master was in seclusion and she had nothing else to do, she practiced her movement technique when the night was quiet and nobody was around. Suddenly being yelled at, she showed her displeasure: "Mind your own business!"

She had been practicing her movement technique at night for several days now; everyone in Qingyun Sect should know. Where did this Qingyun Sect member come from, being so rude? Jiang Fan's face darkened. This person was acting suspiciously in Qingyun Sect and then reprimanded him for meddling.

"If you don't explain yourself, don't even think about leaving!" *Whoosh*— He tapped his toes, immediately activating his movement technique, and swept past at an astonishing speed.

Ruan Qingsu was startled. She gasped, "What an incredible movement technique! How is it even stronger than mine?" She was about to reveal her identity, but then she had a thought. Her own movement technique hadn't broken through for a long time; perhaps practicing with someone else would help her progress faster?

With a shift in thought, she hid her identity and, feigning arrogance, said, "What's there to say? Of course, I'm here to steal things from your esteemed sect! Catch me if you can, then we'll talk!" She was at the second level of Core Formation cultivation. Even if the person in front of her caught up, what could they do to her? But little did she know. She had encountered the very last person she should have!