Chapter 47: Unsteady State of Mind, Su Ruoxi Fulfills Her Promise?

The quiet forest under the canopy hummed softly, and the river of stars beneath the nocturnal sky shone with a mysterious radiance.

Bathed in starlight, the City of Rising Heaven appeared exceptionally sacred and solemn.

The bustling streetscape sparkled even more dazzlingly than in days past.

Within the inner courtyards of the imperial palace, Jiang Cheng sat cross-legged upon the dragon bed, his brows furrowed tightly as he attempted to break through his state of mind and attain the eleventh Grotto-Heaven realm.

Yet, no matter how many times he tried, he remained unable to commune with that ethereal phantom of the grotto-heaven, leaving a lingering sense of anxiety and helplessness in his heart.

At that very moment, a familiar voice drifted in from outside the window: "Is His Majesty still in seclusion?"

The gentle and familiar voice interrupted Jiang Cheng's cultivation, immediately followed by the reply of a maidservant:

"Greetings to the Empress Dowager. His Majesty has not emerged for half a month, keeping himself locked away in his chamber the entire time. None of us dared to disturb him. Perhaps you..."

Before the words could fade, Su Ruoxi, who had initially intended to reply that she would return another day to pay a visit, had her steps cut short by Jiang Cheng's voice echoing from within:

"Is that my wife? Since you are here, come in. Coincidentally, I have been feeling rather fatigued, and my state of mind has always seemed to fall just a fraction short. The moonlight tonight is exceptionally fine; why not accompany me for a stroll to ease my mind?"

Su Ruoxi turned her gaze, stepped forward, and entered Jiang Cheng's chamber.

The maidservant softly closed the door behind them and withdrew, retreating to the outer courtyard with utmost tact, careful not to disturb the rare, tranquil moments shared by the two of them.

"Husband... you..."

Seeing the powerful aura of the dragon qi swirling around Jiang Cheng—clearly only at the Grotto-Heaven realm, yet emanating such formidable spiritual fluctuations—Su Ruoxi could not help feeling a mixture of shock and bewilderment.

She knew that Jiang Cheng possessed extraordinary talent in cultivation, but such a formidable aura still struck her as somewhat unbelievable.

Jiang Cheng smiled faintly, a trace of exhaustion and helplessness resting in his eyes: "My wife, you have come at just the right time."

"I have been trying to break through to the eleventh Grotto-Heaven recently, but I always seem to fall just a little bit short."

"Perhaps I need to temporarily set aside my cultivation and relax my mind before I can achieve a breakthrough."

Su Ruoxi walked over to Jiang Cheng's side, gently taking his hand, her eyes filled with deep concern and tenderness:

"Husband, matters of cultivation cannot be rushed. What you need is a relaxed state of mind."

"Why don't we go out for a walk and take in this beautiful night scenery? It might help broaden your horizons and settle your mind."

Jiang Cheng nodded, feeling in his heart that Su Ruoxi's words made perfect sense.

He rose to his feet and walked out of the room alongside Su Ruoxi, strolling leisurely through the palace gardens.

The night was like water, the starlight twinkled, and a gentle breeze rustled past, carrying faint waves of floral fragrance that refreshed the spirit.

As the two walked together beneath the moonlight, Jiang Cheng's mood gradually relaxed.

He chatted with Su Ruoxi about bits and pieces of the past, recalling the journey of how they first met and came to know one another, filling his heart with warmth and emotion.

Su Ruoxi's companionship made Jiang Cheng feel an unprecedented sense of peace and reassurance, as if all his troubles and pressures had vanished like mist.

Accompanied by Su Ruoxi, Jiang Cheng's state of mind gradually expanded, and he began to re-examine his path of cultivation, pondering how to break through his bottleneck.

He realized that cultivation was not merely the pursuit of power, but also the tempering and elevation of one's inner state.

Only by maintaining a tranquil and balanced mindset could one truly comprehend the essence of cultivation and attain a higher realm.

After a brief period of relaxation and reflection, Jiang Cheng finally found the key to his breakthrough.

He understood that he needed to perfectly fuse his state of mind with his cultivation, allowing his heart and his power to ascend synchronously before he could truly break through to the eleventh Grotto-Heaven.

With Su Ruoxi's companionship and support, the two of them returned to the chamber.

"Having experienced so many trials of late, I never had the opportunity to confide in you, my wife. Today, your husband shall lay everything bare before you."

Jiang Cheng's voice was low and resolute, his gaze revealing a hint of absolute determination, as if declaring a profound trust and commitment.

Naturally, Su Ruoxi was curious about the secrets he harbored, but knowing the boundaries of personal privacy concerning life and death, she had never pressed him deeply.

Moreover, she herself harbored secrets that she would not casually share with others—that was a great taboo.

Lowering her gaze slightly, a complex swirl of emotions arose within her, a mix of curiosity regarding Jiang Cheng's secrets and being deeply moved by his trust.

Yet now, hearing Jiang Cheng take the initiative to discuss his secrets with her, Su Ruoxi could not help feeling a flicker of surprise. A sharp gleam flashed through her eyes, instantly replaced by a gentle smile carrying a playful tone:

"Everyone's secrets are bound to their own destiny. Does my husband trust me so completely? Are you not afraid that I might discover your weakness and bring you entirely under my control?"

Jiang Cheng chuckled and said, "My secrets would naturally never be shared with anyone else, but my wife is different."

He tilted his head slightly, his gaze brimming with tenderness and indulgence, "We have been together for quite some time now. It is time to speak plainly to you, lest we encounter a crisis in the future and fail to understand each other better. How else could we face formidable enemies?"

Jiang Cheng's words filled Su Ruoxi with admiration, and a tear of emotional warmth flickered in her eyes. Yet the very next second, Jiang Cheng's inquiry caught her off guard, making her feel somewhat unnatural as her cheeks flushed slightly and her eyes darted about, as if trying to conceal her inner shyness and tension.

"I just heard the maidservants say that you have come to my chambers several times recently. What was the reason?"

A hint of curiosity and concern lingered in Jiang Cheng's voice as his brows furrowed slightly, as if probing for Su Ruoxi's true thoughts.

Su Ruoxi suddenly snapped back to her senses, a shy blush blooming across her face as she averted her gaze, her voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz:

"I... Husband, you..."

Seeing Jiang Cheng slowly draw closer, looking her up and down from head to toe with a scrutinizing and probing gaze, he noticed that her attire was rather different from usual. The thin, gossamer robe she wore, coupled with the faint, lingering fragrance emanating from her skin, made it quite obvious that she had just finished bathing when she came to check on his condition.

Yet he did not know that Su Ruoxi had prepared herself for this several times over, never finding the right opportunity to see him. Thus, having prepared herself repeatedly to fulfill a certain promise, she found herself suddenly shrinking back when the moment finally arrived. A flutter of suspense and unease welled up in her heart as she awaited Jiang Cheng's reaction and judgment.

"My wife is rather different today. Such a tender empress is not a sight others get to see often!"

A hint of teasing colored Jiang Cheng's voice. As he leaned closer and inhaled the fragrance radiating from her body, he almost seemed like a wayward young rake. This caused Su Ruoxi to knit her brows slightly and give Jiang Cheng a light push, her tone carrying a trace of mild reproach:

"Husband... you!"

Seizing the moment, Jiang Cheng intentionally fell backward, as if that single push had carried immense force. In truth, given his realm, such strength could not have shaken him in the slightest.

Seeing this, Su Ruoxi instinctively felt that she had used too much force, and a stab of worry pierced her heart. The instant he fell back, she instinctively reached out to catch him, only to be pulled by the hand as Jiang Cheng leveraged her momentum, dragging them both tumbling toward the bed behind them.

In that heartbeat, the two of them were pulled into a tight embrace. Su Ruoxi landed on top of Jiang Cheng, feeling the rapid, heated tempo of their breath at zero distance. Her heart suddenly raced, her cheeks flushed scarlet with extreme embarrassment.

Just as she attempted to push herself up, Jiang Cheng's arms wrapped swiftly around her waist from the side, pulling her close as he murmured right against her ear, his voice low and laden with temptation:

"Did my wife come here to fulfill our previous promise and settle the matter of conceiving an heir?"

Jiang Cheng's single remark left Su Ruoxi's face burning with embarrassment. Yet, recalling that she had indeed come for precisely that reason, even someone as unrestrained and free-spirited as her found herself momentarily at a loss for words.

Taking advantage of Su Ruoxi's transient distraction, Jiang Cheng rolled over in a swift motion, pinning her beneath him as his face gradually drew close to hers, his eyes shimmering with mischievous amusement and steadfast resolve.