snatch

"Kill me! I beg you, please kill me!" 

In contrast to the usual sounds of pleasure, the recent nights at the Cao family palace had been filled with nothing but cries of despair. And with each passing night, the voices grew more agonized. The women in the palace had already resigned themselves to another sleepless night haunted by those chilling echoes. Yet, to their surprise, as night finally descended, the unnerving sounds ceased altogether.

"Finally, a chance to rest peacefully," they sighed in relief, assuming that tonight, Cao Wenbin would remain in seclusion. After all, any cultivation technique, once mastered, required time to stabilize its effects. 

However, as they were each preparing to retire to their rooms, the door to the main chamber unexpectedly swung open, and there stood Cao Wenbin himself.

"Young Master…" Xue Rou had intended to greet him, but the words died on her lips as she froze, eyes wide with astonishment. She had sensed that her Young Master's aura had surged dramatically in just a few days.

"Golden Core peak?" she murmured, her face pale with shock. If her memory served, before going into seclusion, her Young Master had only been at the peak of the Innate Stage. Two major realms crossed within days—had he somehow consumed an elixir of the gods?

"You…Young Master, you…" she stammered.

He waved her off casually. "Just a technique that allows me to absorb the cultivation of others and make it my own—nothing extraordinary."

Xue Rou's eyes gleamed with excitement, her body trembling. The Cao family's biggest concern these past years had undoubtedly been the Young Master's low cultivation level. But with such a technique, that worry vanished. Just one Quasi-Saint had propelled him through two entire realms. If he were to capture an Emperor…

Her mind racing, she quickly proposed, "Young Master, since you possess such a powerful technique, it must be fully utilized! Why don't we send a message to the family and request that the elders capture an Emperor for you? I'm sure they would agree for your sake!"

Hearing this, Qin Yunmeng and Lu Hanyan felt a chill down their spines. Capture an Emperor for cultivation? Such an audacious suggestion! Even Cao Wenbin was taken aback. It might not be difficult for the Cao family to capture an Emperor, but the resulting backlash would be immense. He wasn't afraid of commoners rallying against him; it was the threat of every cultivator uniting in opposition that concerned him. There were only a handful of Emperors in all of Zhongzhou. If the Cao family captured one, the remaining Emperors would be thrown into a panic, likely forming an alliance against the Cao family.

"Aunt Xue's suggestion is not without merit," he conceded, "but such a move requires careful planning. If an Emperor were to provoke me, then perhaps…"

Cao Wenbin gave Xue Rou a knowing look, although inwardly, he sighed at her forthright nature. She was the woman his father had pursued in vain for a lifetime. She was wise and intelligent but sometimes lacked the discretion to temper her words. Even if one harbors such ambitions, they should not be spoken aloud. Did she not understand the wisdom in staying silent to achieve wealth and power?

Determined to teach her a lesson in subtlety, he pulled her into his embrace. For most women, such an embrace might have been brief, but Xue Rou was unique—standing at only 1.58 meters, her petite form made her as light as a feather. With just a bit of force, she clung to him like a koala, her arms around his neck, her legs wrapped around his waist—a stance as suggestive as it was intimate.

Had Cao Ziyan seen this, he would have been beside himself with jealousy.

"You're out of line, Young Master," she muttered with feigned indignation. "I was my mistress's wedding dowry maid; by law, I should belong to the master."

Her words only fueled his ardor. "Forget waiting for my father! He'll just have to continue devoting himself to my mother for the rest of his days."

His comment drew a small, involuntary laugh from Xue Rou. She knew all too well how true that was. For over a century, Cao Ziyan had schemed tirelessly to win her favor, creating countless opportunities to no avail. At every critical moment, Lin Shiyin always intervened, thwarting his efforts.

As Xue Rou drifted into reminiscence, Cao Wenbin's hands began to roam, though he kept up the conversation to avoid any awkwardness.

"So, Aunt Xue, have there been any noteworthy events in Tianwu City during my seclusion?"

Forcing herself to maintain composure despite his touch, Xue Rou, cheeks flushed, replied in a soft, almost inaudible voice, "Yes, Young Master. There have been a few significant occurrences in the city, though only two directly affect us. 

"First, a few days ago, someone discovered a mystic realm in the northern forest. According to the inscriptions on the stone tablet at the entrance, this realm is believed to be the burial site of the Sky-Devouring Emperor, and it will open in three days. Only those below the King's Realm may enter."

"And two days ago, the Third Prince sent a letter, inquiring whether you would be interested in joining him to explore the mystic realm."