Chapter 54: Suppression.

Xie Qiyang propped herself up, her body aching, and scanned the room—whoa! The chamber looked like it had been ransacked, clothes fragments scattered everywhere, undeniable evidence of last night’s “battle.”

As for Li Tianze? That nuisance had been thoroughly silenced—sight and sound sealed by Li Tianxing—and tossed into a dark room outside.

It had come at a steep cost for Xie Qiyang. In her mind, this whole ordeal was already way beyond her limits.

The thought of that woman possibly listening in made her skin crawl, ready to explode from embarrassment.

Later, she regretted it. She couldn’t believe Li Tianxing was fine with someone eavesdropping.

Fuming, she stepped barefoot onto the cold tiles, wincing slightly at the chill. Too lazy to care, she grabbed a random outfit from her storage ring and threw it on.

Weird. In novels, wasn’t the guy supposed to wake first, leaving the girl to drag her battered body up in pain?

Why did she feel fine—better than fine, bursting with energy?

As for Li Tianxing?

He was out cold, breathing deep and steady, his handsome face utterly relaxed, not a hint of waking.

“Tch… Worn out already?”
Xie Qiyang grumbled, a bit indignant. She poked his cheek hard in petty revenge. No reaction.

Last night… she’d been careless, caught off guard.

She’d planned to be a wooden log—no resistance, no response, just to see what he could do. But one slip, and he’d seized the chance, kissing her dead-on.

His lips were scalding, like fire, rousing her dormant Lunar force in seconds.

The first couple times, he’d been the instigator, deliberately using his Solar power to tease her. But later…

Why did it feel like she lost control?

Like he tried to pull back, but she clung on?

Buzz! A rush of heat hit her face, and she whipped her head away, cheeks burning.
Those bold words she’d thrown out:

“Love me however you want, but I, Xie Qiyang, will never fall for this!”

Now they felt like slaps to her own face, loud and stinging.

But…

That feeling… a warm current coursing through her, tingling in her bones…

Damn it! She’d tasted the thrill, and—she hated to admit it—wanted more.

What blew her mind even more was her cultivation.
In one night, she’d shattered a bottleneck, stepping firmly into the Innate Realm.

This wasn’t just a strength boost. She could feel her control over Lunar power now far surpassed her Acquired Realm days—like an infant compared to an adult.

Her old techniques, if used now, would be worlds stronger.

One night equaled months of grueling training?

The thought hit her wavering resolve like a boulder.

She’d calculated before: even training 23 hours a day, breaking into the Innate Realm would take one or two months. With her lazy, inconsistent habits, half a year was optimistic.

But one night! Not only did she break through, it wasn’t painful—it was… enjoyable.

That warm, addictive sensation was mesmerizing.

A fleeting naughty thought sparked a fire in her, but seeing her “useless” husband asleep, she sighed helplessly.

Maybe… check on that girl?

Bored stiff on the bed, her gaze drifted to the dark room holding Li Tianze.

“Tch… might as well see her.”
She muttered, figuring she had nothing better to do.

—

Clang!

The dark room’s door was yanked open.
Inside, the once-despondent beauty lit up like she’d seen a savior, muffled “mmphs” escaping her tightly gagged mouth.

Xie Qiyang strode over, none too gently ripping out the cloth stuffed in Li Tianze’s mouth.

Cough, cough… “Sister-in-law!”
Li Tianze gasped, words tumbling out, eyes wide.
“How’re you out here? Where’s Brother? Did he…”

She trailed off, but her shocked, speculative gaze said it all.

Xie Qiyang, hands on hips, pictured Li Tianxing passed out on the bed, a smug sense of triumph rising.

Hah, weakling! Knocked out by that much “exercise”?

Chin high, she boasted:
“Obviously, I tamed him.”

“Sister-in-law!”
Li Tianze’s voice pitched up in excitement.
“You’re reborn too, aren’t you?! I knew it! We had no connection before, and I was such a jerk to you—why else would you suddenly be so nice to me, and…”

She froze mid-sentence, face paling, staring in horror behind Xie Qiyang, not daring to say another word.

Xie Qiyang’s heart sank.
What’s with that look?
She instinctively turned.

Thud.

She collided with a warm chest.

Looking up, she met Li Tianxing’s half-smiling, unfathomable golden eyes.
He’d appeared behind her silently.

“Ah! H-Haha… fancy meeting you here… out for a ‘stroll’?”
Her scalp prickled, forcing a dry laugh as she rubbed her head, ready to bolt.

A scalding hand clamped her wrist, dragging her out of the dark room with irresistible force, leaving Li Tianze trembling inside.

In the corridor, Li Tianxing pinned her against the wall, his towering figure looming with oppressive weight.
Leaning down, his lips grazed her ear, his voice low and dangerous:

“Want to know why that girl’s so obsessed, always clinging to you?”
A cold glint flashed in his gold eyes.
“She’s one of the ‘debts’ you left in your past life. You swore you chose me, but behind my back, you were… entangled with them.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll make you face them one by one. This life, you won’t get the chance to be ‘entangled’ with anyone else.”

“Husband, I was wrong, please, calm down!”
Xie Qiyang realized this Li Tianxing was far from yesterday’s weary state—his vigor seemed to outshine hers.

Yesterday, his heat had been faintly outmatched by her; now, he dominated, suppressing her completely.

“What are you doing?”
She asked, panicked.

“Cutting off her delusions for good.”