When I stopped licking, the lady panicked.

Lin Xuan ultimately couldn't bring himself to release the true energy within his body.

After all, this cultivation method was too strange; having lived two lives, he had never seen such a cultivation method before.

Therefore, he dared not try it lightly.

If he fails, all his cultivation will be wasted.

"Let's take a look first." Lin Xuan did not follow the instructions on the scroll to cultivate, but he did flip through the entire scroll.

Strangely, when Lin Xuan saw one-fifth of the scroll, the content after that was blank.

"That's it?" Lin Xuan opened the entire scroll and looked at both sides, but he didn't see any extra text.

"No, this is all the content on such a long scroll?"

Lin Xuan was so angry he laughed.

"If I had known it would turn out like this, I would have chosen something else."

Lin Xuan casually tossed the scroll next to his pillow, lay down, and began to rest.

That night, Lin Xuan had a dream in which he kept repeating what he had done during the day: opening the scroll, seeing a blank page, then opening it again, and seeing a blank page again.

This cycle repeats itself until the dream ends.

When Lin Xuan woke up, he felt very tired, but he was surprised to find that he had memorized the contents of the scroll word for word.

However, Lin Xuan didn't pay much attention to it. The scroll didn't contain much content to begin with, and with the blessing of the Supreme Bone, it wasn't surprising that he could remember everything he saw.

In the days that followed, Lin Xuan cultivated step by step.

As for Shen Mu, the spies sent out by Lin Xuan still haven't found any information about him.

Seven days passed quickly.

Early that morning, Lin Xuan got up early, and Uncle An prepared a carriage for him to escort him to Kuiwen City to attend the Wan Jin Auction.

"Where are you going?" Yun Xiyue asked, puzzled, when she saw Lin Xuan leaving so early in the morning.

Lin Xuan said, "Let's go outside the city."

"What are you going to do?" Yun Xiyue asked again.

Lin Xuan retorted, "What's it to you?"

"I..." Yun Xiyue hesitated, "I...I was just asking casually."

"What right do you have to tell me what to do?" Lin Xuan looked at Yun Xiyue with a half-smile.

At this moment, Yun Xiyue had long lost her former sharpness and arrogance; her sharp edges had long been smoothed out by Lin Xuan.

Yun Xiyue used to be high and mighty, but now, their positions have been reversed, and Lin Xuan is now the one who is high and mighty.

"I am your wife!" Yun Xiyue blurted out, but immediately regretted it.

What am I talking about? What does his situation have to do with me? My marriage with him was just a sham, all for his Northern King's Decree.

But now that I've lost my virginity to him, can it still be considered a marriage of convenience?

No, I'm not concerned about him. I'm just trying to make him feel that I care about him, and then awaken his possessiveness towards me. That way, I can make him like me again and listen to me.

Yes, that's right, that's how it is.

Yun Xiyue quickly completed her self-hypnosis.

But Lin Xuan nonchalantly replied, "Our marriage is a marriage of convenience."

With just one sentence, Yun Xiyue was silenced.

The marriage of convenience, which she once used to manipulate Lin Xuan, has now become Lin Xuan's deadly weapon to turn the tables on her.

"Well...we're still husband and wife, we have to put on a show in front of outsiders!" Yun Xiyue said, her voice lacking confidence.

Lin Xuan frowned, thinking: Since the Wan Jin Auction is nationwide, Xiao Zhan might also participate. It would be good to take her along; maybe we can make use of her.

"Suit yourself. Come on up if you want, but we won't wait for you if you don't," Lin Xuan said coldly.

"Wait a minute, I'm going to change my clothes." Yun Xiyue turned and ran, not forgetting to turn back and remind Lin Xuan, "You're not allowed to sneak away while I'm gone!"

Lin Xuan said with a look of disgust, "If you don't come out when I count to thirty, I'm leaving immediately."

"How can anyone do this!" Yun Xiyue screamed.

"One, two..."

"Hey! Slow down your counting!"

Yun Xiyue panicked and quickly rummaged through her clothes, finding a clean and tidy set to put on before running out.

Her hair was messy, her clothes were wrinkled, and she looked quite disheveled.

Lin Xuan rolled his eyes at her, walked over and tidied her hair, then tugged at her clothes.

The sudden close contact made Yun Xiyue's heart flutter.

Thinking back to Lin Xuan's hard work during the night, Yun Xiyue's body immediately became hot.

Looking at Lin Xuan's face, she suddenly felt that he wasn't so bad after all.

No, Yun Xiyue, what are you thinking? Your heart belongs to Zhan-gege, how can you be so fickle?

"You...you care about me so much, do you still love me?" Yun Xiyue stammered, trying to make her tone sound relaxed.

Lin Xuan replied, "When we're out in public, it's me who loses face. Either you clean yourself up properly, or you stay home."

Hearing Lin Xuan's unromantic reply, Yun Xiyue snorted angrily and muttered, "If it were Brother Zhan, he would never talk to me like that."

"Your brother Zhan loves you so much, why doesn't he run away from the wedding for you?" Lin Xuan asked.

"He..." Yun Xiyue was speechless.

Lin Xuan asked with a half-smile, "If your brother Zhan asked you to elope for him, would you do it?"

"Of course..." Yun Xiyue choked as she was about to say the word "will".

I am now Lin Xuan's wife. Even if it's a marriage of convenience, I am still the Crown Prince's wife in terms of status.

But now, I have to run away from my wedding for another man...

Yun Xiyue hesitated.

But the two words that slipped out made Lin Xuan understand her thoughts.

A woman who doesn't love you is incredibly cruel.

Therefore, Lin Xuan no longer regards her as a wife, but as a pawn to be used.

He had to be constantly on guard against Yun Xiyue betraying him.

"Get in the carriage." Lin Xuan sat on the carriage and climbed into the carriage.

Seeing that Lin Xuan didn't pursue the matter, Yun Xiyue quietly sat down in the carriage.

The coachman drove the carriage through the streets and alleys, arriving at the neighboring city of Kuiwen.

Kuiwen City's market is more prosperous than Qingzhou City's. Although it lacks Qingzhou's historical heritage, it has more restaurants and a lively atmosphere, making it a popular place for literati and poets.

This is why the Wanjin Auction was chosen to be held in Quwen City.

After the carriage entered the city, Lin Xuan lifted the curtain and glanced at the scenery outside.

The street stalls sell all kinds of accessories. Although they are all inexpensive, they have unique designs that appeal to women.

The market in Kuiwen City is divided into morning and evening markets, but it is different from the market system in Qingzhou City.

In Qingzhou, there is a tradition of residential neighborhoods and markets with fixed opening and closing times.

In Kuiwen, however, this boundary does not exist; the market is a mixed community, and businesses can open and close freely.

Suddenly, the carriage braked sharply, and Lin Xuan and Yun Xiyue nearly bumped into each other.

The sudden hug caught Yun Xiyue off guard. Her heart pounded, and she instinctively pushed Lin Xuan away, her face turning bright red.

Lin Xuan did not react at all, as if nothing had happened.

His reaction left Yun Xiyue somewhat frustrated.

Does he really have absolutely no charm for me?

Does he really no longer love me? Or has he fallen for someone else?

Yun Xiyue was caught in a deep internal struggle.

Lin Xuan frowned, looked up at the front of the car, and demanded, "What's going on?"

The coachman replied, "Young master, there is a child kneeling in front."

"A child kneeling in front?" Lin Xuan frowned, lifted the carriage curtain, and stepped out.

Sure enough, a little girl dressed in tattered clothes and with disheveled hair was found kneeling in front of the carriage.