A grand banquet was held within the imperial palace shortly after, and both Mo Xue and Hong Luan arrived at the palace. In the Imperial Garden, they met Yi Tianxing and the other imperial consorts, including Cai Yan.
Both Mo Xue and Hong Luan had done their homework about Cai Yan and the other women. After all, they were about to marry into the imperial family, and it would've been foolish not to understand the environment they'd soon be part of. When they first laid eyes on Yi Tianxing, an unexpected feeling stirred in their hearts.
There was no overwhelming, oppressive aura about him. Instead, he gave off a calm and approachable presence—like that of a normal husband or father, completely devoid of imperial arrogance.
Of course, neither Mo Xue nor Hong Luan believed this gentleness was Yi Tianxing's true nature. After all, how could someone like that build an empire of such magnitude? It was clearly a side he only revealed to those closest to him.
Surprisingly, this side of him didn't disappoint or unsettle the two women—instead, it made them feel a sense of comfort and ease. For the first time, marrying into Great Yi didn't seem like a bad outcome at all.
"Mo Xue greets Your Majesty, Your Highness the Empress, and all elder sisters."
Mo Xue stepped forward with grace and bowed formally.
Before coming to the human realm, she had already studied the etiquette of the human court. With her talents, learning came easy. As the saying goes: When in Rome, do as the Romans do. No matter what she used to be, she was now an imperial consort of Great Yi, and Yi Tianxing's wife. Her life would now be lived in this palace, and the attitude she showed was of utmost importance.
"Hong Luan greets Your Majesty, Your Highness the Empress, and all elder sisters."
Hong Luan didn't hesitate and followed suit with a proper bow.
"No need to be so formal. In Great Yi, we are all sisters. As long as you fulfill your own responsibilities, that is enough. From now on, we'll call each other sisters. There aren't too many strict rules in the palace. In time, you'll come to understand that yourselves."
Cai Yan spoke gently, expressing her stance.
The harem of Great Yi did not encourage backstabbing or internal strife. Harmony was the true goal. Even when disagreements occurred, they hoped things wouldn't spiral out of control. Above all, each woman here shared one identity: imperial consort of Yi Tianxing. That, above all, was what mattered.
"Princess Mo Xue of the Qilin Clan, Princess Hong Luan of the Phoenix Clan—neither are easy to deal with."
Ao You and Ao Qing exchanged a subtle look, a thought flashing in both their minds.
The relationships among the three clans had already begun to turn antagonistic. The two clans now marrying into Great Yi made it clear—they came here for Yi Tianxing. Which meant, without a doubt, they now had serious rivals.
"Still, no matter what schemes they might have, in the face of our husband's overwhelming strength, all of it will come to nothing."
Ao You's mind wandered.
Thinking back to certain scenes, her cheeks flushed. Ever since she entered Great Yi, she'd found it hard to get involved in outside matters. For some reason, Yi Tianxing carried an aura that triggered a deep-seated reverence in her very blood. Even in the bedroom, she was constantly overwhelmed. Every time they shared a bed, it was a battle of pure pleasure and defeat. It was as if some strange force made resistance impossible. Without even realizing it, she had fully embraced her role as one of Yi Tianxing's consorts.
"Alright, let's have a family meal together first, then we'll help you choose your palace residences. Today is your big day—the most important in your lives. Everything should be properly arranged."
Cai Yan continued.
Every recognized consort in the imperial harem was given her own palace. Yi Tianxing didn't personally interfere with these assignments. Such matters were handled by Cai Yan, the head of the inner palace. He only needed to manage the bigger picture; the rest was trivial.
Soon after, a feast of rare delicacies flowed like a river. Even women like Mo Xue and Hong Luan, who came from noble and powerful clans, were thoroughly delighted. They relaxed and slowly grew more comfortable with Cai Yan and the others.
They were all equals in status, and all strikingly beautiful in unique ways. As the saying goes: Birds of a feather flock together. This often proved true in the circles of top-tier beauties. The similarities in their appearance and charisma naturally brought them closer.
Later, they were accompanied by Cai Yan and the others as they chose their palace residences. Mo Xue named hers Mo Yu Palace, and Hong Luan chose the name Hong Luan Palace.
As their palaces were prepared and filled with furnishings under the hands of palace maids and eunuchs, the moon rose above the horizon, casting gentle silver light across the land.
Yi Tianxing appeared outside Mo Yu Palace, bathed in the soft glow of Qiming lanterns, which made the night as bright as day. Palace maids stood ready, not daring to be careless.
"Mo Xue of the Qilin Clan... The black snow, the legendary variant of the Qilin race—Mo Yu Qilin..."
Yi Tianxing gazed at Mo Yu Palace with interest, a hint of anticipation stirring in his heart.
In his eyes, a sovereign should enjoy both power and beauty. There was nothing wrong with a man loving women. Fine food and fine women were lifelong pleasures, after all.
"Greetings, Your Majesty."
The palace maids bowed deeply upon seeing him, reverence clear on their faces.
"At ease,"
Yi Tianxing waved casually and stepped into the palace.
His eyes swept over the room's decor—simple, elegant, understated. It was clear Mo Xue didn't care much for extravagance. Everything was designed to give off a serene and natural comfort.
"Mo Xue greets Your Majesty."
She was dressed in a black palace robe, her tone calm and formal.
"No need to stand on ceremony, Xue'er. Didn't I already say? In the palace, treat this as your own home. Rules are for outsiders. Here, we are one family. Just call me 'husband.'"
Yi Tianxing smiled, gently helping her up. When his hands touched her arm, he could feel the astonishing suppleness of her skin. Mo Xue trembled slightly from the touch. She clearly wasn't calm—how could she be? The man before her was now her husband, a permanent part of her life.
"H-Husband..."
She spoke softly.
Yi Tianxing smiled and stepped forward, naturally wrapping his arms around her slim waist. Her entire body stiffened at the contact.
But Yi Tianxing wasn't surprised, nor did he intend to let go.
"Though we're brought together by an alliance, that's just the cause. As an emperor, I can't pursue love the way ordinary men do. For me, arranged marriages are a responsibility—something I have no choice in. And you, too, had little choice. But that doesn't mean this isn't fate. Since we're brought together by fate, let's cherish it. Even if there's no love now, in time, it will come."
His words were sincere—spoken from the heart. There was no pretense.
"Mm..."
Mo Xue nodded, body softening as she leaned gently into his embrace.
"A spring night is worth a thousand pieces of gold. Xue'er, let's rest."
Yi Tianxing grinned, then swept her into his arms and walked toward the cloud bed. Mo Xue's face turned a deep crimson. She buried her face in his chest like an ostrich, too shy to even look up.
Moments later, the sound of cries and moans began echoing within the palace. The soul-stirring sounds continued in waves.
Naturally, none of this leaked outside. An invisible force had sealed all sound within. Only after more than an hour, with a final ecstatic cry, did the storm finally subside.
But it wasn't over yet.
Yi Tianxing then went to Hong Luan Palace, and soon after, the same enthralling symphony of moans echoed through the palace walls—another passionate battle.
Again, over an hour passed before things calmed.
And still, it was not done.
Soon after, Yi Tianxing carried both women into Di Xin Palace. He placed them together on one bed for yet another round—a night of shared warmth.
That night, waves of red surged. That night, he truly indulged in tenderness.
As dawn crept upon the land, within Di Xin Palace, the battle finally ended with two final high-pitched cries.
On the cloud bed, a snowy white quilt barely covered the two bodies, still glowing with a rosy post-climax hue. The air was thick with a pink mist, sweet and seductive.
Though both women were asleep, spiritual energy was visibly flowing into their bodies. The results of this dual cultivation were remarkable. Especially for Hong Luan—her body now exuded a pink mist, shrouding her in an ethereal glow that made her even more alluring.