"The Dan Clan and the Fire Underworld Sect?"
Lan An and his wives' expressions turned serious. These forces, renowned for mastering flames, likely had Fire Spirit Grass. However, everyone knew Lan An had clashed fiercely with them, even requiring four Transcending Tribulation experts to resolve the conflict. Acquiring spirit herbs from them now wouldn't be easy.
"Husband, why not contact the Multi-Treasure Pavilion? They might have Fire Spirit Grass," Mu Zi Yin suggested softly.
"Good idea. We'll try that first. If they don't have it, we'll consider the Fire Underworld Sect…" Lan An nodded. For some reason, he felt uneasy about these forces, especially after hearing they hunted the Poison Man—strange.
"Alright, Zi Yin… Master gave me a technique called Sword Control Art. It can…" Lan An explained its effects briefly.
The women's eyes lit up. Commanding ten thousand swords? A supreme treasure for sword cultivators.
Mu Zi Yin bit her full lip, sighing reluctantly,
"The Sword Control Art is indeed powerful, but it doesn't suit the elusive, illusory combat style of my Illusory Wood True Scripture."
Lan An nodded gently, having anticipated her response.
The Sword Control Art was a direct, domineering technique, wielding swords with overwhelming presence, hard to conceal. Mu Zi Yin's Illusory Wood True Scripture focused on speed and assassination, incompatible with it.
He'd offered it for her consideration, wondering if Bing Lan Xi might be interested…
"We can't waste such a profound sword technique. If no one in the Harem can use it, you should practice it, Husband!" Yan Yue Qi proposed, knowing Lan An's immense talent made mastering it feasible.
"Sister Yue Qi's right. Your spiritual energy seems inexhaustible in battle. Adding the Sword Control Art would be a powerful trump card!"
The women agreed, feeling safer the more tricks Lan An had.
"For now, I'm focused on the Heavy Sword. I'll consider it later," Lan An smiled. He believed in mastering one skill thoroughly—his third move, Heaven Explosion, wasn't fully refined yet, so there was no need to rush.
Seeing his stance, the women didn't press, though they felt it a pity to leave such a mighty technique unused.
"Alright, I have another surprise for you all…" Lan An grinned, suddenly soaring into the Spirit Realm Pearl's sky.
The women stood, their beautiful faces curious, wondering what he was up to.
With a thought, Lan An commanded the System to release the Chaos Fire Qi.
Before their eyes, a translucent, mysterious aura, indefinable in color or shape, emanated from Lan An's body, radiating no discernible presence.
Not because it was inherently so, but because no one present was qualified to perceive its true nature.
Trembling… trembling…
"How is this possible?" The women with Variant Flames paled, sensing their flames trembling in abject fear, like vassals before an emperor, awestruck beyond words.
Whoosh!
Defying their will, their Variant Flames burst forth, bowing reverently to the mysterious aura.
Golden Crow Void Flame…
Purple Heart Void-Burning Flame…
Nether Ghost Flame…
Eight Desolates Heaven-Searing Flame…
Even the unrefined Sky Summit Flame and Great Force Earth Flame surged out.
They lowered themselves, circling the mysterious aura, fawning and groveling.
The aura floated indifferently, as if these mighty Variant Flames were worthless in its eyes.
Lan An clenched his teeth, sweat pouring down. In his Dantian, the Flame Heart Cauldron quaked violently, his Variant Flames yearning to submit to the Chaos Fire Qi, but suppressed by his other great cauldrons, refusing to let them bow.
Forged by Taboo techniques, the Flame Heart Cauldron wouldn't allow its kin to kneel, even before the supreme Chaos Fire Qi.
"What is this? It feels like the king of all flames!" Yan Yue Qi, pale, watched her Golden Crow Void Flame and Purple Heart Void-Burning Flame act beyond her control.
Qin Meng Ying, Yan Hong Lian, and Xiao Qing Xuan nodded, stunned. The seemingly harmless aura wielded overwhelming authority.
"Unbelievable…" Dan Meng Ji, who'd seen countless flames, even the top-ranked Variant Flame, had never witnessed such a scene.
"Young Master, it's time to complete one-fifth of the journey!" Jin'er urged.
Lan An nodded firmly, commanding inwardly, "System, merge the Chaos Fire Qi with the Spirit Realm Pearl!"
Keng! Initiating fusion of Chaos Fire Qi with the Spirit Realm Pearl! The System's mechanical voice rang out.
Buzz buzz buzz…
The Spirit Realm Pearl shook violently, space distorting, layers collapsing, as if on the brink of destruction, paling the women's faces.
"Husband, what's happening?"
They flew to his side, asking curiously.
"Don't worry, it's fine. A miracle's coming!" Lan An took a deep breath, soothing them.
The women focused, staring at the translucent aura.
It slowly merged with the Spirit Realm Pearl's space, bit by bit.
Each fusion transformed the environment.
The space expanded rapidly—one mile, two miles, a hundred miles…
The spiritual energy density surged, surpassing a Spirit Gathering Array.
And it didn't stop.
The ground rumbled, space rippling, as towering volcanoes sprouted like mushrooms, pools of molten lava glowing red, enriching the Spirit Realm Pearl's landscape.
Beautiful and majestic.
In the sky, a tiny, blazing point spun slowly, drawing vast amounts of Fire spiritual energy, growing wider with each rotation.
Soon, it became a fiery planet reigning above.
"A… sun?!" The women gasped in unison, unable to believe a sun was forming in the Spirit Realm Pearl.
A spatial treasure's light couldn't mimic the real world's.
Yet, warm sunlight began to appear.
Lan An found it miraculous, feeling a deep connection to everything within, as if they could hear and understand him.
"In the Spirit Realm Pearl, Young Master is the lord. Even the sun obeys you. You can adjust the temperature anywhere as you wish," Jin'er smiled.
After an unknown time, the space calmed.
The women, dazed, watched the transformation, stunned as the Spirit Realm Pearl expanded hundreds of times, leaving them awestruck.
A sun hung high, white clouds drifted, warm sunlight bathed their skin, as real as ever.
From above, treasures like the Palace Tree, Four Seasons Mountain, and Blissful Sea seemed insignificant compared to the expanded space.
Not because they shrank, but because the realm had grown exponentially.
Chirp!
Little Shi, thrilled, left Lan An's arms, transforming into the Purple Thunder Lion Vulture, soaring proudly, its massive wings beating, vanishing to the horizon in a flash, reveling in the freedom.
The previous Spirit Realm Pearl's limited space restricted her to short loops, lacking thrill.
This vast sky was grand enough for her proud speed.
"So exhilarating!" The Fire-attribute women licked their lips, sensing Fire spiritual energy hundreds of times stronger than other elements.
A mere breath drew torrents of Fire spiritual energy, too much to refine.
If Fire-based forces in the Cultivation World knew Lan An possessed such a training ground, they'd go mad to seize it.
"Meng Ying, this is just the start. I promised to make the Spirit Realm Pearl a complete world for you and me!" Lan An declared, a heroic surge in his heart.
The Spirit Realm Pearl now rivaled half any continent on the Vietnam Dragon Star, yet as its master, Lan An could sense every corner with a thought, missing nothing.
As Jin'er said, he was the lord of this incomplete world.
"Mm!" Qin Meng Ying nodded firmly, her eyes misty, then waved her hand, sending a small structure downward.
It expanded rapidly.
Boom boom boom…
Before their eyes, a luxurious complex landed—a tavern, gardens, fishponds, a lakeside pavilion, flower-lined paths—elegant and nostalgic, yet empty.
It nestled perfectly before the Palace Tree.
"Jun Lin Inn…" Lan An's eyes recalled cherished memories. In Spirit Martial City, this inn was where he and Qin Meng Ying first met, holding countless moments.
The Jun Lin Inn, a structural treasure, wasn't for combat but perfect for decorating the Spirit Realm Pearl.
Qin Meng Ying, once a wanderer, used it as a rest stop across continents, making friends and meeting Lan An.
"It's no longer an inn. It'll be a retreat for anyone interested!" Qin Meng Ying said with a radiant smile.
"Call it Jun Lin Manor. It fits perfectly," Lan An and the women smiled.
"Wow, it's huge… how will we fill it?" Li Zhu Luan looked around, grinning.
"Easy!" Lan An snapped his fingers, and with a thought…
To the women's astonishment, the Spirit Realm Pearl's size contracted, even the sun shrinking at Lan An's will.
Little Shi, thinking she'd flown far, was pulled back, reappearing in their sight.
"Amazing!" The women's eyes sparkled. Their husband could adjust the entire world's size—a true lord.
"Little An is awesome!" Kun Ming Yue clapped excitedly.
"With only Chaos Fire Qi, the Spirit Realm Pearl can't produce rain, night, moonlight, stars, soil, or oceans. Beyond the sun and volcanoes, everything's still artificial," Lan An said, noting the gaps to a complete world.
Even the Fire spiritual energy far outstripped others. Balancing them required all five Chaos Qi.
"Jin'er, after merging the Chaos Fire Qi, is it gone?" Lan An asked, concerned. Its dominance was evident; losing it would be a huge loss.
"Don't worry, Young Master. The Chaos Fire Qi is only integrated into your world, its power intact. Your connection to it is even stronger, but your current cultivation can't sense it," Jin'er explained.
Lan An sighed in relief. The Five Elements Small World mission progressed one-fifth, but he couldn't yet touch the Chaos Fire Qi.
With his wives, he descended to a lakeside pavilion in Jun Lin Manor.
"Husband, have some tea!" Mu Zi Yin poured him a hot cup, while Yan Ruo Xue and Yan Hong Lian massaged his shoulders—a blissful moment.
Sipping the tea, Lan An recalled Mu Zi Yin's shattered Purple Wood Sword. With the Lucky Shop upgraded, it was time to browse.
Keng! Lucky Shop opened. 6 billion Reputation Points remaining.
As usual, nothing changed, but the five items were of higher quality.
Water Float, Mid Heaven-Grade Movement Technique, 12,000 Reputation Points.
Flower-Picking Finger, Mid Spirit-Grade Skill, 50,000 Reputation Points.
Tai Mountain Seal, Mid Spirit-Grade Treasure, 50,000 Reputation Points.
Tiger Subduing Fist, Mid Spirit-Grade Skill, 50,000 Reputation Points.
Three Spirits Fan, Low True-Grade Treasure, 1,000,000 Reputation Points.
Seeing a True-Grade treasure on the first try, Lan An was shocked, asking,
"Such a price gap?"
The difference between Spirit-Grade and True-Grade was staggering—a single True-Grade item could buy dozens of Spirit-Grade ones.
"Of course. True-Grade items are rare on the Vietnam Dragon Star. Ninth-Grade forces may have Spirit-Grade treasures, but none have True-Grade," Jin'er said, pursing her lips. The higher the grade, the greater the gap.
Lan An pondered, only mildly surprised. The price gap proved True-Grade's value.
"Meng Ying, didn't you say you liked using fans as weapons?" Lan An asked Qin Meng Ying.
"You remembered? My old weapon was a fan, but it can't keep up anymore," Qin Meng Ying smiled beautifully, taking a black fan from her storage ring, waving it lightly.
Lan An observed. Her fan was only Earth-Grade, inadequate for her current strength.
No wonder she fought barehanded.
Without hesitation, he bought the Three Spirits Fan.
"Refresh the shop!" Lan An said calmly.
Keng! Refresh successful. 100,000 Reputation Points consumed!
Lan An's face twitched. Even refreshing the shop cost more, equivalent to a High Spirit-Grade treasure?
"System, you're a shameless profiteer!"