Battle Through the Heavens: Marry Cao Ying, Reward is Devouring Ancestral Symbol

Chapter 296 Tenderness, PlanningWhen Shen Wen left the Pill Tower and returned to the Shen Residence, dusk was already approaching.

Cao Ying was in the flower hall looking through account books. Seeing him enter, she put down what she was holding and looked up at him. ”Did it succeed?”

Shen Wen nodded, sat down beside her, and took a sip from his teacup.

Cao Ying did not ask further, simply watching him quietly.

Shen Wen set down the teacup and suddenly reached out, pulling her into his arms.

Cao Ying was slightly taken aback, but immediately relaxed, leaning on his shoulder and softly asking, ”What’s wrong?”

Shen Wen did not speak, just holding her, savoring that familiar, faint fragrance on her.

After a while, he finally spoke, ”The zun ji pill has been refined.”

Cao Ying’s body stiffened slightly, then she looked up at him, her eyes filled with pleasant surprise. ”Really?”

Shen Wen nodded. ”I tested it with the Old Ancestor just now. After Shen Tian took it, he broke through directly from one star to two stars.”

Cao Ying paused, then a smile bloomed on her face, filled with genuine joy. ”Congratulations, husband.”

Shen Wen looked at her and suddenly lowered his head, pressing a gentle kiss to her lips.

Cao Ying’s cheeks flushed slightly, but she did not pull away, instead reaching out to wrap her arms around his waist.

The two of them remained there quietly for a moment.

Only then did Shen Wen release her and lean back against the chair, his tone casual yet serious. ”The matter of the zun ji pill must not be spread for now. The Old Ancestor is right; now is not the time.”

Cao Ying nodded, understanding what he meant.

Shen Wen continued, ”But we can start collecting the medicinal Materials. The Materials needed for the zun ji pill are a grade higher than those for the zong ji pill, and many are rare items that must be accumulated slowly.”

He took a list out of his storage ring and handed it to Cao Ying. ”These are the required medicinal Materials; not a single one can be missing.”

Cao Ying took the list, her gaze sweeping over it, and her brows furrowed slightly. ”Star Flowers, Earth heart-fire Lotus, Ten-Thousand-Year Warm Jade... these are not cheap at all, and there are a few that might not even be in the Cao family’s treasury.”

Shen Wen nodded. ”That’s why we have to accumulate them slowly. No rush, we won’t be using them anytime soon anyway.”

”Furthermore, from now on, we must extend our reach to other directions of the continent.”

Cao Ying looked up at him.

Shen Wen continued, ”Right now, our Foundation, to put it plainly, consists of two areas. In the Northwest, there is the Snake-People Clan and the Heavenly Serpent Mansion; here in the Central Plains, there is the Cao family, the Pill Tower, and the Ice River Valley. It sounds like a lot, but when you really need to spread it out, it’s far from enough.”

”Whether it is the zun ji pill or the zong ji pill, the medicinal Materials required are immense. Relying solely on the Northwest and the Central Plains is simply not enough to support me in refining them in large quantities.”

”We need to venture to the East and West. Although those regions are remote, precisely because they are remote, many medicinal Materials are actually easier to find there than in the Central Plains.”

Cao Ying pondered for a moment and nodded. ”I understand. As it happens, the Cao family also has some connections in those directions; although they are not deep, we can try to establish them.”

”Some of the medicinal Materials on the list are quite abundant in certain places, like the Earth heart-fire Lotus, which is more common in the South...”

”The Burning Flame Valley has good relations with the South and even has many branch sects there.”

When mentioning the Burning Flame Valley, Cao Ying’s eyes held a hint of mischief, making Shen Wen feel a bit awkward. ”Then why don’t you talk to Tang Huo’er about it?”

”Hmph! I won’t be able to get anything out of talking to her, but if you talk to her, you might be able to.”

”Then I’ll look for her when I have time.”

Cao Ying looked at her husband’s expression and sighed inwardly; there was nothing she could do. Her husband’s penchant for women was just like that.

The sky outside the window had completely darkened. A maidservant entered to light the lamps and then retreated silently.

Shen Wen leaned back against the chair, his gaze passing through the window lattice to look at the night sky, and he suddenly smiled.

”Come to think of it, I’ve been so focused on Alchemy recently that I haven’t properly spent time with you all.”

The corners of Cao Ying’s lips curled up slightly, her tone teasing. ”Thinking of spending time with us now?”

Shen Wen turned to look at her, reached out to take her hand, and gave it a gentle squeeze. ”It’s not too late now.”

Cao Ying did not speak, simply leaning on his shoulder and closing her eyes. The hall grew quiet, with only the candlelight flickering gently.

After a moment, Shen Wen suddenly spoke, ”How is that little girl One Thought doing today?”

The smile on Cao Ying’s lips deepened. ”She’s doing great. She eats well and sleeps well. This afternoon, Sister Cai Lin held her in the courtyard to bask in the sun for a while. Those little eyes kept staring at the birds in the tree; who knows what she was looking at.”

Cao Ying’s tone carried a hint of complaint as she looked up at Shen Wen. ”Speaking of which, why haven’t I conceived yet?”

Shen Wen was slightly taken aback.

Cao Ying continued, ”I have taken plenty of the Conception Pills given by Old Ancestor Lin, and I take them on time every single time. And every time with you...”

A blush rose to her face, but she continued, ”I put my heart and soul into it every time, and after we’re done, I even do a handstand for half an hour, not wasting a single drop. Yet until now, there’s been no movement in my belly.”

Shen Wen rubbed his nose, not knowing what to say.

Cao Ying looked at him, her gaze scrutinizing. ”Now that One Thought has been born, it naturally cannot be your problem.”

Her tone carried a complex nuance. ”If it’s not your problem, then it must naturally be my problem.”

Shen Wen opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but was stopped by Cao Ying raising her hand.

”You don’t need to comfort me.”

Cao Ying leaned back against the chair, her gaze fixed on the pitch-black night outside the window, her voice lowering slightly.

”The old man has also been sending me messages recently, talking about this matter both overtly and covertly.”

”What did he say?” Shen Wen asked.

”What else could he say? Telling me to give birth as soon as possible, so that I can occupy a more important position by your side.”

She turned to look at Shen Wen, her gaze earnest. ”The old man is right. Sister Cai Lin has One Thought, who is the legitimate daughter. Sister Xiao Yi Xian has the Calamity Poison Body, which is also understandable. And that girl Qing Lin just entered the family; she is young, so there is no rush.”

”Only me.”

She paused, her tone carrying a touch of eagerness she hadn’t even realized herself. ”I am the legitimately wedded wife, the Young Miss of the Cao family. If I am slow to have an heir, my position in the residence and my weight within the Cao family will be affected in the future.”

Shen Wen took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. ”How could it affect your position? Besides, this isn’t something that can be rushed.”

”If there is still pressure from the Cao family side, you tell me, and I will go speak to the old man!”

Cao Ying looked at him and suddenly smiled. That smile held a hint of mischief and a hint of stubbornness.

”It can be rushed.”

As her voice fell, warmth pressed against Shen Wen.

Shen Wen was slightly taken aback, then felt a softness on his lips.

Cao Ying’s kiss came suddenly, but it was not rushed, instead carrying a delicate, lingering nuance. It was as if she were savoring it, or perhaps confirming something.

The candlelight flickered, casting their shadows onto the wall, intertwined together.

After a long while, Cao Ying finally released him and pulled back slightly, her cheeks flushed, yet her eyes held a smile.

”You are not allowed to go anywhere tonight. I won’t let you off until dawn!”

Shen Wen looked at her and suddenly smiled. He reached out to wrap his arm around her waist, pulling her close, and lowered his head to whisper in her ear, ”I’ll listen to you.”