Yuheng Star

To Long Chen's surprise, that message actually contained the Pill Formula for the Yuheng Pill, which made him ecstatic.

The Yuheng Star is the second star of the Nine Star Hegemon Body, located in the palm of the right hand, corresponding to the Fengfu Star on the left foot.

This meant that Long Chen could already Cultivate the second stage of the Nine Star Hegemon Body. Currently, the Fengfu Star had reached Perfection, giving Long Chen immense confidence.

If he could open up the second star, it would be equivalent to Long Chen having two Dantians, allowing him to increase his combat power even faster.

A single Fengfu Star had already made Long Chen's combat power heaven-shocking. If the Yuheng Star was also successfully condensed, the superposition of dual stars would be terrifying, wouldn't it?

Thinking back to the man he saw in his dream, who could manifest heaven-supporting divine rings with a wave of his hand and had nine stars shining in his pupils, his heart raced. Perhaps one day, he really could be as powerful as that man.

"What?"

When Long Chen carefully studied the formula, he couldn't help but be shocked.

"Flame Lizard Horn, Ice Horn Python Essence Blood, Qilin Fruit, Nine-Flavor Bitter Ding, Immortal Chrysanthemum…" Long Chen was shocked to discover that the Yuheng Pill's Pill Formula contained over thirty kinds of precious medicinal herbs.

Furthermore, it actually required a medicinal herb called Qilin Fruit, which was extremely difficult to find and had almost gone extinct in this world.

Even if Long Chen had Heaven-Defying luck and could find a few Qilin Fruits, given the terrifying consumption required to condense the Fengfu Star, that would merely be a drop in the bucket.

The fire of excitement that had just ignited was instantly extinguished by cold water; this was simply an impossible task to complete.

At the same time, Long Chen remembered something else, and his heart turned cold.

If the Nine Star Hegemon Body Cultivation Technique was a technique passed down from the ancient era, then its Pill Formula would also require medicinal herbs from the ancient era.

However, times had changed, and many herbs might have already gone extinct. Where was he supposed to get them?

Not only did he need to get them, he needed a large quantity. This was as difficult as ascending to heaven and was truly disheartening.

He hadn't expected to encounter such a huge problem with just the second star, let alone the third or fourth stars in the future.

However, after thinking about it, Long Chen smiled again. He was being too pessimistic. Just because Phoenix City didn't have them didn't mean other places didn't.

Although he didn't want to admit it, Bai Ling from the Huayun Pavilion and that man in white both considered this place a barren land, and the latter even considered him a frog in a well.

Why shouldn't he go and explore a wider space? Also, he needed to go see his future wife. After a long time, he couldn't help but worry. If she forgot about him, wouldn't that be a tragedy?

At the same time, he remembered the Pill Valley token that Great Master Yun Qi had given him. He really wanted to know what the Holy Land in the hearts of Pill Cultivators looked like.

If he joined the Holy Land, would it make it easier for him to obtain various Heaven And Earth Treasures, making it easier to Cultivate the Nine Star Hegemon Body? Wouldn't all his problems then be solved?

Thinking of this, Long Chen felt as if the clouds had parted to reveal the clear sky, and his mood immediately lightened significantly.

"Creak."

The door was slowly pushed open, and a young girl gently carried in a basin of clear water with a towel soaking in it.

"With such gentle movements, are you afraid of waking me up?" Long Chen couldn't help but smile.

The person who entered had a graceful figure, her long hair cascading over her shoulders like a waterfall. Her eyes were like autumn water, and her eyebrows were like crescent moons. It was none other than the Third Princess of the Phoenix Empire, Chu Yao.

Chu Yao's delicate body suddenly trembled. Seeing Long Chen sitting at the head of the bed, looking at her with a smile, a flush of red immediately rose to her pretty face.

"You're awake. I've come to wash your face."

Placing the basin on the ground, she gently picked up the towel with her jade-like hands, wrung it out a few times, and with light steps, walked over to Long Chen. With a shy, flushed face, she gently pressed the towel against Long Chen's face and carefully wiped it.

Smelling Chu Yao's faint fragrance and even feeling her heartbeat, Long Chen felt a wave of warmth in his heart. He opened his arms and pulled Chu Yao's slender waist into his embrace.

"Mm~"

Chu Yao immediately fell into Long Chen's arms, her head resting on his chest against his solid shoulder. Her heart raced, but she was filled with warmth.

With the soft beauty in his arms, Long Chen felt an unprecedented sense of peace. Neither of them spoke, silently feeling each other's heartbeats; all words were unnecessary.

After an unknown amount of time, Chu Yao gently stroked Long Chen's cheek with her jade-like hand. Her beautiful eyes shifted, and she said softly, "Long Chen, let us stay together like this for a lifetime, okay? Let's never be separated again."

Long Chen's heart stirred. The tone of this sentence reminded him of a girl. Although she wasn't very beautiful, she had a pair of lively, large eyes that made one full of affection.

"I only hope that in the future, when you see this necklace, you can remember that there was once a girl who wholeheartedly… wanted to… go hunting… and have babies with you."

Touching the necklace on his neck, Long Chen couldn't help but sigh. His thoughts drifted back to that small village. He wondered if she was doing well now.

"Long Chen, do you have something on your mind?" Chu Yao noticed Long Chen's unusual behavior and asked with concern.

Long Chen told Chu Yao the whole story of how he was hunted by Marquis Ying, ended up in a desolate mountain, and was saved by Xiao Hua.

"Long Chen, that Xiao Hua is a kind-hearted girl. Why did you reject her?" Hearing Xiao Hua's story, Chu Yao felt infinite pity.

Although she was a Princess of the Great Xia, she also knew that in this world where the strong were respected, men were the leaders of the world, and having three wives and four concubines was very common.

She had never dreamed of monopolizing Long Chen's love. Now, hearing about Xiao Hua's plight, she couldn't help but feel pity, but at the same time, a trace of fear arose. She was afraid that Xiao Hua's misfortune would also befall her.

Seeing Chu Yao's expression change slightly, like a frightened little white rabbit, he gently kissed her smooth forehead and said, "Have you forgotten? Our past vows?"

Chu Yao's beautiful eyes grew misty as she recalled the scene at the Phoenix Lantern Festival. Her cherry lips parted slightly, and she softly recited, "The Dragon wanders the four seas for ten thousand miles, the Phoenix leaves the parasol tree to accompany the nine provinces. Through life and death, we will not abandon each other on the road of blood; the Dragon and Phoenix will rely on each other until our hair turns white."

"Long Chen, can we really rely on each other until our hair turns white?"

After finishing, Chu Yao didn't know why, but a trace of sadness appeared on her pretty face as her beautiful eyes gazed at Long Chen.

"Of course, we will be together forever." Long Chen gently stroked Chu Yao's flawless cheek with his large hand and said softly.

"But, but I'm afraid that I will end up like Xiao Hua." Tears streamed down Chu Yao's face like broken pearls, heart-wrenching to behold.

"It's different. Xiao Hua had things she needed to protect; she couldn't abandon her feelings for the village. It's the same for me; I also have things I need to protect, for example, you." Long Chen smiled.

"Hateful, you're the thing." Chu Yao's pretty face turned red, and she lightly swatted Long Chen. Knowing he was teasing her, her face remained flushed.

Long Chen chuckled. Chu Yao's coquettish beauty was intoxicating, making him forget his worries and giving him a warm feeling.

The current Chu Yao was like an elf whose curse had been lifted; she no longer needed to pretend and could return to being her true self.

Her tenderness was like water, leaving Long Chen deeply intoxicated. Holding Chu Yao's delicate body, Long Chen truly wished time would freeze right there.

However, he knew that although the Long family's crisis had been resolved, it didn't mean everything was over; there were still many things to do.

"Long Chen, who is Meng Qi?" Chu Yao suddenly asked softly.

Long Chen was slightly stunned, not knowing how to answer for a moment.

"I… I didn't mean anything else. I just wanted to learn a little about Sister Meng Qi, hoping that in the future… we can get along well." Seeing Long Chen didn't speak, Chu Yao hurriedly added.

Long Chen thought for a moment and knew that his mother must have accidentally let it slip; otherwise, Chu Yao wouldn't know about Meng Qi.

"Thank you." Long Chen said gratefully.

"What are you thanking me for?" Chu Yao asked suspiciously.

"As a Princess of the Empire, it must be hard for you." Long Chen knew that Chu Yao calling Meng Qi 'Sister' meant she was clearly willing to be the secondary wife. For a woman, this was a huge sacrifice.

Chu Yao shook her head and said, "I don't feel aggrieved; on the contrary, I feel very happy. I was like a cursed little bird trapped in a cage, and it was you, Long Chen, who changed everything for me.

I don't know why, but the first time I saw you, I had a very strange feeling. Looking back now, perhaps this is fate."

"Yeah, yeah, it's fate. It was also my first time being caught in a net like a fish and almost falling into a meat patty." Long Chen said with a grin.

"You… didn't you also hit me there? You bad guy." Chu Yao reached out and pinched Long Chen's waist, her pretty face as red as a ripe apple.

The two recalled the scene when they first met, looked at each other, and suddenly both laughed, cuddling tightly together.

Long Chen told Chu Yao about how he met Meng Qi, and also told her about the Crimson Blood Wolf that Meng Qi had given him.

"Long Chen, you are a good person." After listening to Long Chen, Chu Yao gently stroked his cheek and said.

Since getting to know Long Chen, Chu Yao had inquired about his past clearly and knew that the suffering Long Chen had endured was far more than hers.

But even so, Long Chen had no resentment towards Meng Qi for breaking off the engagement and even considered her in everything. In her eyes, Long Chen was too kind.

Even though Long Chen considered his skin thick enough to withstand sword slashes and spear stabs, he couldn't help but feel his face burning. This 'kindness' didn't seem to have anything to do with him.

The reason Long Chen did that back then was entirely to win back Meng Qi's favor. To put it bluntly, it was just a very sophisticated pickup technique, a method used specifically because he had targeted Meng Qi's kindness.

He was just picking up girls, and the beautiful girl in his arms was actually moved by his pickup technique. Long Chen himself felt a bit ashamed.

However, there was no problem with Chu Yao, but he didn't know what to do about Meng Qi. He didn't know if she would be as easy to talk to as Chu Yao.

Although Meng Qi was kind, that didn't mean she would tolerate sharing his love with other women. Furthermore, Long Chen himself didn't know if what he and Meng Qi had could be counted as "love", because up until now, it had all been his own unrequited love.

Thinking of this, Long Chen's head grew big again. Just after resolving the Long family's crisis, more things came crashing down on Long Chen like a tide.

Suddenly, footsteps approached, startling Chu Yao and causing her to hurriedly pull away from Long Chen's embrace.