Chapter 44: Chapter 42 When Have I, Cheng, Ever Needed Such a Reward!?
The system’s cold, emotionless voice arose in Cheng Guang’s mind.

[On July 14th of the 34th year of Zhensheng, the eighth day since you became a Sky-Man, you took revenge on Qing Luan, the Saintess of the Green Hill Fox Clan. You let out a sigh of relief, but it was followed by a feeling of emptiness.]

[You know that Bai Shuxuan might have used some means, but that means merely hastened the process of you falling in love with her, you have always harbored affection for her.]

[If you could, you would still want to marry her and bring her home as your wife, but that opportunity is gone forever. Even the once powerful Duke Zhen’s Mansion could not allow you to marry a saintess from the Green Hill Fox Clan, let alone now, when the broken Duke Zhen’s Mansion is even less capable of realizing this wish.]

[Out of helplessness, you could only abandon this idea.]

[Sitting in the Million Specie Garden, you gazed at the bright moon above and reminisced about an assassination attempt you encountered years ago, after you met Bai Shuxuan.]

[Whether Bai Shuxuan was involved in that assassination, you do not know, but it was because you heeded Bai Shuxuan’s words, dismissing all guards and going to Tingyu Lake alone, that you suffered the assassination and nearly lost your life.]

[If it weren’t for your father arranging, without your knowledge, several guards from the Bureau of the Lamp to follow you, you would have truly died in that assassination.]

[Who exactly was behind that assassination attempt, and what role Bai Shuxuan played in it, you have no idea.]

[You don’t understand. Despite how well you treated Bai Shuxuan, giving her every single thing she wanted, why did Bai Shuxuan still play with your feelings, and even, she wanted to help others kill you.]

[Just thinking about it makes your heart ache.]

[Now a Sky-Man, you secretly vowed to find the people who attempted to assassinate you that year and teach them an unforgettable lesson.]

[Newbie Task 4: Find the people who attempted to assassinate you and teach them an unforgettable lesson.]

[Task Reward: Breaking Ban Pill.]

Cheng Guang looked at the system task prompt, his expression gradually turning bizarre.

That real Princely Heir, truly a faithful lackey through and through.

Even after advancing to Sky-Man, he couldn’t forget Bai Shuxuan, still wishing to marry her and bring her home.

Even though it seemed that Bai Shuxuan might have been involved in an assassination aimed at him, he didn’t show any anger. Instead, he blamed all the guilt on the assassins themselves.

Cheng Guang merely glanced at it and felt as though his spirit was polluted, exclaiming to himself in astonishment.

“It seems that to complete this task and find the assassins, I have to start with Bai Shuxuan.”

“The system task also says to teach the assassins an unforgettable lesson? Does it mean to kill them directly or should I capture them alive and imprison them for torment?”

Cheng Guang couldn’t figure it out for the moment and decided not to overthink it; he might as well capture those assassins and imprison them for a good torture before killing them off.

Cheng Guang read on, his gaze eventually settling on the Breaking Ban Pill listed as the task reward.

Breaking Ban Pill?

He had not heard of this name before and was unsure of its use.

It seemed to be able to break restrictions.

Cheng Guang’s understanding of restrictions was limited; he had only read about them occasionally in books.

It was said that some Different Treasures could cast restrictions, covering a certain area and limiting a certain behavior, cultivation level, or something else of everyone within that area.

These Forbidden Artifacts that could cast restrictions were extremely rare, with most being collected by the royal families for security, used in important occasions such as coronations, rituals, and court meetings.

With the scarcity of Forbidden Artifacts capable of enforcing restrictions, there were few instances where the Breaking Ban Pill could be used.

For Cheng Guang at the moment, the allure of the Breaking Ban Pill was evidently not as great as that of the previously obtained Charm Eyes.

However, Cheng Guang was not disappointed, it was good to have a reward.

The main system task prompt had provided him with quite a bit of useful intelligence; after all, what more could he want than a bicycle.

Moreover, considering the unparalleled rarity and preciousness of Forbidden Artifacts capable of enforcing restrictions, the Breaking Ban Pill that could break such restrictions was, in a sense, even more precious.

It might be of some use in the future.

Cheng Guang pondered for a while, then stopped thinking and allowed sleepiness to overtake him, slowly drifting to sleep.

In the middle of the night, in a hazy daze,

It seemed as if a smooth, delicate body snuggled into his embrace, bringing along a whiff of fragrance.

“Princely Heir…”

The next day, early morning, just as the birds began chirping, Cheng Guang woke up.

Looking at Qing Luan lying next to him, he patted his head in confusion, apparently just having woken up and still feeling a bit dazed.

“How did this girl end up here?”

Cheng Guang’s expression froze slightly, unable to understand why Qing Luan had suddenly become so proactive.

You see, after he somewhat forcibly and threateningly subdued Qing Luan, her heart might have been with Cheng Guang, but unavoidable knots remained.

She had never taken the initiative to climb into Cheng Guang’s bed.

Cheng Guang had also never said anything about it, never forced her.

But this time…

This Qing Luan actually took the initiative to climb onto his bed, and thinking back to last night’s madness, Cheng Guang felt as if he were dreaming.

In fact, he had been sleeping in a blur, really thinking it was all a dream, without the slightest pity as he tossed and turned with her.

Remembering how Qing Luan clearly struggled to endure and appeared slightly in pain last night, but still stubbornly maintained a smile, Cheng Guang couldn’t help wanting to slap himself.

Damn it.

I really am a beast.

What if I scared Qing Luan, and she becomes reluctant from now on?

Cheng Guang looked at Qing Luan beside him, who seemed to have been ravaged by storm and rain, with mixed feelings.

At this moment, Qing Luan’s eyelashes slightly fluttered, and she slowly opened her beautiful eyes, immediately seeing Cheng Guang by her side.

Seeing that Cheng Guang was still looking at her, Qing Luan was startled, her delicate face instantly turned tomato red, her lips slightly pursed, and like a squirrel, she pulled up the brocade quilt and buried her head inside.

“Princely Heir…”

Qing Luan weakly called out his title and asked if he was well.

Cheng Guang couldn’t help but laugh silently, thinking to himself where did her fierceness from last night go, why had she wilted now?

Cheng Guang thought for a moment, then suddenly reached out, carefully placing his hand on Qing Luan’s smooth and delicate forehead, and voiced his doubt.

“You don’t have a fever.”

“Why the sudden change of heart… coming to my place in the middle of the night?”

At his words, Qing Luan’s cheeks reddened even more, like they might bleed, and she kept her head lowered, silent.

After a while, she acted coyly, and then with slightly parted lips, she finally spoke, “To reward the Princely Heir.”

“Last night I, Lin Cheng, heard that the Princely Heir merely went to the Wanhuatower to watch the excitement, reciting many poems, and that you didn’t take a fancy to the Oiran, so you came back.”

“So, that’s why I…”

As Qing Luan spoke softly, Cheng Guang’s face wore a smile, but his expression became a bit stiff.

What the heck?

Just for that reason?

So, because I didn’t do anything with the Oiran, this is my reward??

What do you take me for??

When have I, Cheng, ever needed such a reward!?

Cheng Guang righteously thought to himself.

But looking at Qing Luan’s tender, and charming face, he couldn’t help but feel his heart skip a beat or two.

“Princely Heir, it’s getting late, you should get up, I’ll prepare for your washing and grooming.”

Seeing Cheng Guang not speaking, Qing Luan thought she might have done something wrong, and quickly got up, picking up her disheveled clothes to start getting dressed.

However, Cheng Guang stopped her with one move.

“No rush, it’s still early.”

“Ah!”