"Well done, my treasure!" Lan An gazed at Yan Roxue with deep affection, his voice warm with praise.
He wasn't shocked by her meteoric rise to Peak Void Refinement. After all, bloodlines in the System's store averaged around 10 billion Prestige Points. Through countless battles, near-death experiences, and continent-shaking feats, Lan An had amassed a fortune in points, but after the Earth Battle Grand Assembly and purchasing the Three-Legged Golden Crow Bloodline, he was left with just over 30 billion. A bloodline costing a third of his wealth was bound to be extraordinary. As the saying goes, you get what you pay for.
If only he could push Yan Roxue to Integration Stage, his harem could dominate Việt Dragon Star. But Jin Ni's voice cut through his thoughts. "Young Master, don't be greedy. Advancing to Integration Stage too quickly could destabilize her foundation. She needs time to consolidate."
Lan An ignored her, pulling Yan Roxue into his arms, stroking her smooth, flawless back. "Let's go outside. The others are worried," he said softly.
He longed to linger with her, but with his other wives waiting anxiously and another about to emerge, he couldn't favor one over the others. Despite his flirtatious nature, Lan An cherished each of his women equally.
"I ruined the robe you gave me…" Yan Roxue murmured, her eyes welling with tears as she buried her face in his chest. The Rainbow Treasure Robe was a priceless gift, worn daily, now reduced to ash during her bloodline refinement. Her heart ached.
"Silly girl, I'll get you another. Your safety is all that matters," Lan An teased, kissing her cheek. He opened the System's Lucky Shop, frantically refreshing for a new robe.
His breath caught as a dazzling item appeared among the five offerings: Qingfeng Winged Dragon Bloodline—9 billion Prestige Points.
"A winged dragon, a branch of the Dragon Clan, proud and untamed, wielding Wind and Wood attributes," Jin Ni explained. "Think of it like a pterosaur from your past life."
"Buy it!" Lan An commanded, his points plummeting. The purchase brought relief. He'd been conflicted about a mysterious bloodline acquired during his time with Bing Lan Xi on Mermaid Island. Yan Die Qing and Li Zhu Luan, both fiercely competitive, made assigning it tricky. Now, with the Qingfeng Winged Dragon Bloodline for Yan Die Qing, the previous Wood Qingque Bloodline—a prestigious branch of the Peacock Clan, rivaling the Phoenix and Golden Crow Clans—could go to Li Zhu Luan, averting any rivalry.
His harem's bloodlines now included: Three-Legged Golden Crow for Yan Yue Qi, Primordial Purple Wood Butterfly for Mu Zi Yin, Qingfeng Winged Dragon for Yan Die Qing, Wood Qingque for Li Zhu Luan, Water Qilin for Shui Niang Qing, Water Desolation for Yan Roxue, and Taibai Star-Devouring Snake for Bai Suo Mai. Those with special physiques, like Hua Yu Feng, he'd leave be for now. Overloading with both bloodlines and physiques could dilute their potential, and Jin Ni had warned that mastering one was enough to shine in the Immortal Realm.
With many wives still without bloodlines or physiques, Lan An vowed to grind for more resources, though he wryly considered curbing his flirtations. Jin Ni snorted in his mind, unconvinced. "You, restrain yourself? I'd sooner believe the stars would fall."
Satisfied with the bloodline purchase, Lan An selected a new robe for Yan Roxue: the Mountain River Robe, a Low Spirit-Grade defensive treasure embroidered with scenic patterns, capable of withstanding attacks from Early Integration Stage cultivators.
"Drip your blood to bind it," he urged.
Yan Roxue smiled sweetly, her breathtaking figure rising. Lan An struggled to focus as he dressed her, her beauty a divine masterpiece. "Feeling pent-up? I'll make it up to you later," she teased, her delicate hand slipping down to stroke him playfully.
"Hng… stop that, we're going out!" Lan An growled, swatting her rear.
Hand in hand, they stepped out to meet the waiting women.
"Peak Void Refinement? Impossible!" Tuo Qing Xuan's master gasped, her ring trembling. Even as an Integration Stage cultivator, she was stunned. Yan Roxue's talent was known, but this leap was dreamlike.
"What? Who's Peak Void Refinement?" the others exclaimed, bewildered.
"Roxue," Lan An confirmed.
"How?!" The women exchanged shocked glances. Each boasted extraordinary talent, aiming for Void Refinement in their seclusion, but the stage required profound spatial comprehension and vast resources. They'd emerged at Peak Spirit Transformation, yet Yan Roxue had soared beyond.
"The bloodline Husband gave me was too potent," Yan Roxue explained humbly, joining them. "It even granted insights into space, propelling my breakthrough."
"I've read that bloodlines are legendary, their value immeasurable. They're unheard of on Việt Dragon Star," Tuo Qing Xuan's master, an Eighth-Grade Alchemist, said, her knowledge among the planet's finest.
The women's eyes turned to Lan An, complex emotions swirling—envy, longing, but not greed. They didn't fear the dangers Yan Roxue's screams had revealed; they simply refused to lag too far behind, yearning to stand by his side.
"Don't worry," Lan An assured, patting his chest. "Roxue and Suo Mai's bloodlines came from my master, Jin Ni. She's seeking suitable bloodlines or physiques for each of you. Everyone will have their share."
The women relaxed, their mood lightening. A stronger harem was a boon, and they chattered excitedly. Yan Roxue's success was theirs too.
"Your master isn't from this world, is she?" Tuo Qing Xuan's ring floated to Lan An, its voice certain. Only someone from a higher realm, perhaps the Immortal Realm, could procure such bloodlines. If word spread, Lan An would become a global target.
"Correct," he replied, holding the ring gently. "Trust me, I'll revive you, no matter the cost."
Silence fell. Then, a soft voice emerged from the ring. "My name is Dan Meng Ji."
Lan An's heart leapt. She'd dodged his questions about her name before, and now she'd shared it willingly—a sign of growing trust. "Dan Meng Ji… from the Dan Clan?" he asked, piecing it together. Few Eighth-Grade Alchemists existed, and the Dan Clan was their epicenter. Her status might rival the Dan Clan's Twin Ancestors.
"It's a long story. Another time," Dan Meng Ji sighed, evading further.
Lan An didn't press, mentally kicking himself for not connecting her to the Dan Clan sooner. "Tch, just promised to rein in my charm…" he muttered, earning a scoff from Jin Ni.
Before he could dwell, two palaces stirred simultaneously, drawing everyone's attention.
Die Qing Palace bloomed with swirling petals, a faint silhouette of a dancing maiden flickering within—Yan Die Qing's Wood Dance True Art.
Nearby, Zhu Luan Palace erupted with lush greenery, exotic flowers and bamboo weaving a fairyland atop it—Li Zhu Luan's Blessed Wood True Art.
Two figures shot out, pouncing on Lan An. Yan Die Qing and Li Zhu Luan clung to him like kittens, their legs wrapping around his thighs, greedily inhaling his scent.
"Peak Spirit Transformation, yet still acting like children," Lan An teased, embracing their soft forms.
"Husband, kiss!" they chirped, offering their rosy lips.
Chup! Chup! Lan An pecked each, chuckling.
"He kissed me first!" Yan Die Qing crowed to Li Zhu Luan.
"Hmph, he kissed me longer!" Li Zhu Luan retorted.
Smack! Smack! Lan An spanked their rears, making them yelp. "You two are like fire and water," he scolded, worried about giving them the Qingfeng Winged Dragon and Wood Qingque bloodlines. Their rivalry could spark chaos.
"Master, he's bullying me!" Li Zhu Luan giggled, glancing back.
Lan An froze. A verdant silhouette had emerged from Zi Yin Palace, materializing beside him—Mu Zi Yin's Illusory Wood True Scripture, elusive as a shadow.
The figure solidified into a mature beauty, her hair pinned high, revealing a slender neck. Her curvaceous form, wrapped tightly in a palace robe, exuded allure, her ample chest straining the fabric. She gazed at him softly.
"Zi Yin, you've reached Mid Void Refinement!" Lan An said proudly. Mu Zi Yin's talent was monstrous, already a Spirit Transformation expert back at the Seventh-Grade Heavenly Wood Sect.
"A fortunate breakthrough in seclusion," she replied, her voice like a gentle breeze, stroking her hair.
Yan Die Qing and Li Zhu Luan tactfully stepped back, joining Yan Roxue and Wan Rong. Lan An approached, pulling Mu Zi Yin's voluptuous frame into a tight embrace. They stood in silence, savoring each other's presence.
Since cultivating the Illusory Wood True Scripture, Mu Zi Yin had grown quieter, more introspective. She needed only his embrace, his familiar scent, to feel complete.
But Lan An wanted more. Lifting her chin, he admired her lush lips, then kissed her deeply.
"Mmm…" Mu Zi Yin moaned softly, offering her tongue, letting him savor her sweetness.
Since meeting him, her fate had transformed. Every day was bliss, and whatever the future held, she had no regrets.
As they parted, a tremor shook the Spirit Realm Pearl. Jin Ni's voice rang out. "Fire Lotus Palace is stirring. Yan Hong Lian's about to emerge!"
Lan An's eyes lit up. With Yan Roxue at Peak Void Refinement, Mu Zi Yin at Mid Void Refinement, and Yan Hong Lian's Great Sun Divine Body awakening, his harem's strength was soaring. But the Scenic Land loomed in three days, with Bai Lie and Bai Tian's schemes, the Soul Stabilizing Coffin's mysteries, and the Dragon Supreme's distant gaze casting shadows.
"Prepare the Qingfeng Winged Dragon and Wood Qingque bloodlines for Die Qing and Zhu Luan," he told Jin Ni silently. "We'll need every edge in the Scenic Land."