The first thing Zhang Tian registered upon waking was the light. It was the warm, golden light of a late afternoon, streaming through the tall, arched windows of his opulent suite, painting long, lazy stripes across a scene of beautiful, chaotic disarray.
The room was a testament to a wild, passionate night. Silk sheets, as fine as spun moonlight, were tangled in a heap at the foot of the massive circular bed. Plush pillows were scattered across the floor like soft, white casualties of a mock battle. The air itself was thick with a sweet, musky scent, the unmistakable, intimate aroma of their lovemaking.
He slowly sat up, a deep, satisfying soreness humming in his muscles. He felt… complete. He looked at the two figures still lost in a deep, sated sleep on either side of him, and a profound, possessive warmth spread through his chest.
He carefully disentangled himself from their limbs and slipped out of the bed. He walked to the wardrobe, his naked body a canvas of faint scratch marks and the lingering imprint of their passion. He dressed in a new set of elegant, dark green robes, the soft fabric a welcome comfort against his skin.
He then made his way to the suite's private kitchen. He was not just their lover, their husband. He was their caretaker. With the practiced, efficient movements of a man who had once lived a solitary life, he began to prepare a lavish breakfast, a feast to replenish the energy they had so thoroughly expended.
An hour later, the first of his wives stirred.
Ning Rongrong let out a soft, sleepy groan, her body a single, glorious ache. She opened her eyes, and the first thing she saw was the beautiful, naked form of her best friend, Zhu Zhuqing, sleeping peacefully beside her. The second thing she saw was the state of the room.
A brilliant, crimson blush flooded her cheeks as the memories of the night came rushing back in a hot, dizzying wave.
"Oh, my gods…" she mumbled, her voice a hoarse, exhausted whisper.
Her movement woke Zhu Zhuqing, who opened her dark eyes slowly, a serene, cat-like smile gracing her lips the moment she registered where she was.
Ning Rongrong pushed herself into a sitting position, a wince of pain flashing across her face. "Ugh… I feel like I've been run over by a herd of Armored Rhinos… and then they backed up and ran over me again."
She looked across the bed at Zhang Tian, who had just entered the room carrying a large tray laden with steaming, fragrant dishes.
"Zhang Tian," she began, her voice a mixture of accusation and awe, "I never knew you were such an animal in bed!"
He just chuckled, setting the tray down on a low table.
"I'm shocked, really," she continued, her voice rising with a dramatic flair. "I've read in all the romance novels that men… well, they don't usually last very long. It's the women who have all the stamina. For you to go all night, and with two of us… it's just not normal!"
Zhang Tian turned, a smug, self-satisfied snort escaping his lips. "And who ever said I was a 'regular man'?" he retorted, his eyes twinkling. "You're really looking down on your husband, Rongrong."
She just rolled her eyes, though a happy, flustered smile played on her lips. She then turned her attention to Zhu Zhuqing, her expression one of theatrical gratitude.
"Zhuqing, my dear sister," she said, placing a hand over her heart. "Thank you. Thank you for helping me deal with our lord husband's… insatiable desires. If I had been alone last night, I think I would have actually died. He would have fucked me into a coma."
Zhu Zhuqing smiled demurely, though her dark eyes sparkled with a secret, shared knowledge. "Don't thank me yet, Rongrong," she said, her voice a low, smooth melody. "The night was almost too much for me as well. He is… relentless."
She then looked at Ning Rongrong, a new, competitive fire igniting in her gaze. "I think, next time, we must form an alliance. We will team up and defeat our husband in bed. We will make him the one who begs for mercy."
Ning Rongrong's eyes lit up. "Deal!" she declared, her voice filled with a fierce, playful conviction. "We'll show him what true stamina is!"
Their lighthearted banter continued as they began to eat, their naked bodies a casual, beautiful sight in the sunlit room.
"You were especially animalistic with Zhuqing, you know," Ning Rongrong complained between bites of a fluffy omelet. "I was watching! All that biting… and the smacking! You left red marks all over her beautiful ass! And some of those positions… they looked so humiliating! I felt sorry for her."
Zhang Tian just grinned, offering a completely insincere apology. "My deepest apologies. I suppose I got a little carried away by her beauty. I'll try to be more… civilized next time." He shot a wicked, promising glance at Zhu Zhuqing, who just blushed and took a delicate bite of her food.
The breakfast was magnificent, and they praised his cooking with a genuine, heartfelt enthusiasm that made his chest swell with a simple, domestic pride.
After the last plate was scraped clean, Zhang Tian stood up. "Alright, you two," he said, his voice warm. "Go and take a bath together. Get all cleaned up. And then put on your most beautiful dresses. I'm taking my wives on a date."
The two girls looked at each other, then back at him. A bold, mischievous look entered Ning Rongrong's eyes.
"A bath? Together? That sounds lovely," she said, her voice a sweet, innocent purr. "Are you going to join us, husband? The tub is certainly big enough for three."
Zhang Tian leaned down, his face just inches from hers. "Oh, I don't think that's a good idea, Rongrong," he teased, his voice a low, husky murmur. "If I come in that bathroom with the two of you, I can guarantee that 'washing' will be the very last thing on my mind."
He let his gaze drift down her naked body, a hot, possessive fire in his eyes. "Tell me," he asked, his voice dropping to a purr of his own, "can your sore little body really take another round right now?"
A brilliant, crimson blush flooded Ning Rongrong's face. She let out a small, flustered squeak and immediately scrambled off the bed. "Come on, Zhuqing!" she yelped, grabbing her friend's hand. "Let's go before this pervert decides to pounce on us again!"
She dragged a laughing Zhu Zhuqing towards the massive, opulent bathroom. Zhang Tian just leaned back against the headboard, a triumphant, satisfied smile on his face as he enjoyed the magnificent view of their two beautiful, naked, and swaying asses disappearing through the doorway.
An hour later, they emerged, transformed. They were dressed in elegant, loose-fitting noble attire, their hair styled, their faces fresh and radiant. They looked like two beautiful, untouchable goddesses, a world away from the wanton, naked creatures who had shared his bed just a short while ago.
Before they departed for the city, Zhang Tian made a quiet, private detour. He found Sword Douluo Chen Xin meditating in a secluded garden, his presence as sharp and still as a drawn blade.
"Grandpa Sword," Zhang Tian began, his voice a low, respectful murmur. "I need to ask a favor."
Chen Xin opened his eyes, his sharp gaze fixing on the boy. "Speak."
"The three of us are going into Heaven Dou City for a date," Zhang Tian said, his expression serious. "I have a strange feeling… I would be grateful if you could follow us, in secret. Remain completely concealed. Do not reveal your presence or take any action, no matter what you see, unless I give you this specific signal."
He quickly and discreetly demonstrated a subtle hand gesture, a simple clenching and unclenching of his fist.
The Sword Douluo's eyes narrowed. He saw the deep, unwavering seriousness in the boy's gaze. This was not a game.
"Hmph. A strange request," he grunted. "But you're a clever boy. You must have your reasons. Fine. I will be your shadow. But if any of you three is in any real danger, signal or no signal, I will act."
"Thank you, Grandpa Sword," Zhang Tian said with a deep, grateful bow.
He returned to his fiancées, and together, the three of them left the serene, palatial grounds of the sect and descended into the vibrant, chaotic heart of Heaven Dou City.
Heaven Dou City was a living, breathing entity, a vibrant, chaotic symphony of life that was a world away from the serene, cloistered tranquility of the Seven Treasure Glaze Tile Sect. For Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing, it was a thrilling, intoxicating assault on the senses.
They walked through the bustling main thoroughfare, a wide avenue paved with smooth, grey stones, flanked by shops selling everything from rare spirit ores to the latest silk fashions. The air was thick with a thousand different smells—the savory aroma of sizzling street food, the sweet, cloying scent of perfume from the noble ladies passing in their carriages, and the faint, underlying metallic tang of the city itself.
Zhang Tian walked between them, a calm, happy anchor in the whirlwind of activity. He held each of their hands, his grip warm and secure.
"Oh, look! Candied spirit hawthorns!" Ning Rongrong's eyes lit up, her expression one of pure, unadulterated joy. She pointed to a small, colorful cart where an old man was dipping bright red fruits into a bubbling pot of molten sugar. "I haven't had those in ages! Can we get some? Please, please, please?"
Zhang Tian just chuckled at her childish enthusiasm. "Of course, we can."
He bought three long skewers of the glistening, ruby-red treats. He handed one to each of them, and Ning Rongrong immediately took a large, happy bite, her eyes closing in bliss.
"Mmm… so good!" she mumbled through a mouthful of sweet, sticky fruit. "It tastes just like I remember."
Zhu Zhuqing took a more delicate, hesitant bite. The intense sweetness was a foreign sensation to her, but seeing the pure, simple happiness on her friend's face, a soft, genuine smile touched her own lips.
"It is… surprisingly good," she admitted, her voice a low, soft murmur.
Zhang Tian watched them, a warm, contented feeling spreading through his chest. He took a bite of his own hawthorn and then, with a playful, teasing grin, he leaned over and stole a bite directly from Ning Rongrong's skewer.
"Hey!" she yelped, a brilliant blush flooding her cheeks, though her eyes were sparkling with happy amusement. "Get your own!"
He just laughed and then turned, performing the same maneuver on a surprised Zhu Zhuqing, his lips brushing against hers for a fraction of a second as he took a bite of her fruit. Her own blush was a deep, beautiful crimson, and she quickly looked away, though she couldn't suppress the small, happy smile that played on her lips.
They continued their leisurely stroll, a perfect, happy picture of young love. He would stop at a flower vendor's stall and buy a single, perfect white gardenia for each of them, gently tucking the fragrant blossoms behind their ears.
He would pause at a jeweler's shop and purchase a pair of delicate, silver hair clips, one shaped like a tiny, intricate phoenix, the other a sleek, elegant cat, and fasten them in their hair himself, his fingers lingering for a moment too long.
Their journey led them to the city's grand theatre district, a vibrant, noisy area filled with colorful banners and the sound of distant music. They found themselves drawn to a large, open-air stage where a historical drama was being performed.
It was the story of the founding of the Heaven Dou Empire, a grand, sweeping epic of war, betrayal, and love. They found a spot on a nearby bench and settled in to watch.
The play was a masterpiece of theatricality, with actors in elaborate costumes, their movements a stylized, beautiful dance. But it was not the heroic battles or the tragic love story that captured Ning Rongrong's attention. It was the final scene, where the newly crowned founding Emperor stood on his balcony, surrounded by a sea of beautiful, adoring women.
"Look at that," Ning Rongrong murmured, her voice a mixture of awe and a faint, teasing disapproval. "He has so many wives and has made such a large harem. How greedy."
She then turned to Zhang Tian, a mischievous, probing glint in her eyes. "Tell me, husband," she said, her voice a low, playful purr, "is that your plan as well? Now that you have the two of us, are you going to start adding more sisters to our little family? Will you have your own large harem one day?"
From a hidden, untouchable vantage point high on a nearby rooftop, Sword Douluo Chen Xin, who had been watching the trio's innocent, happy date with a faint, fond smile, suddenly went rigid. His sharp ears had picked up every word of his granddaughter's question. His gaze, which had been warm, turned as cold and sharp as a shard of ice. He fixed it on Zhang Tian, a silent, deadly warning.
Zhang Tian felt the sudden, chilling spike of killing intent, a thousand invisible needles pricking at the back of his neck. He knew, with an absolute certainty, that his next words could be a matter of life and death.
He turned to Ning Rongrong, his expression one of perfect, unwavering sincerity. He gently took her hand in his.
"Never," he said, his voice a low, firm vow. "Rongrong, Zhuqing, you two are everything to me. You are my world. The thought of adding anyone else, of diluting the perfect love we have… it is unthinkable. I could never do that to you. You two are more than enough for me. You are all I will ever want."
His words were a masterpiece of heartfelt, convincing devotion.
Ning Rongrong's heart melted. A brilliant, happy blush spread across her cheeks, and she threw her arms around his neck. "Oh, Zhang Tian," she said, her voice thick with emotion. "That's quite the sweet thing that you just said to me and Zhuqing."
Zhu Zhuqing, on his other side, just squeezed his hand, a silent, profound gratitude in her dark eyes.
High on the rooftop, the Sword Douluo's killing intent receded as quickly as it had appeared. A faint, satisfied grunt escaped his lips. 'Good boy,' he thought. 'He knows the right answer.'
Their date continued, a perfect, idyllic afternoon. But as they were walking down a quieter, more upscale street, lined with the elegant, walled-off mansions of the city's elite, the world seemed to shift.
One moment, they were walking in the warm, late-afternoon sun. The next, the world was a blur of motion.
Two immense, oppressive auras descended upon them without a single, fractional second of warning. It was not a gradual increase of pressure; it was a sudden, absolute snuffing out of the world.
A tall, thin figure, wreathed in a swirling mist of emerald green, materialized before them. His eyes were the cold, dead eyes of a serpent. Snake Lance Douluo.
At the same time, another figure, short and impossibly round, his body covered in a spiky, purple-black armor, appeared behind them, cutting off their escape. Porcupinefish Douluo.
They were Titled Douluos. And they had moved with the silent, inescapable speed of true apex predators.
Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing didn't even have time to scream. The sheer, overwhelming pressure of two Level 92 Titled Douluos locked them in place, their bodies frozen, their spirit power completely suppressed.
From his hidden vantage point, Sword Douluo Chen Xin's blood ran cold. He was on his feet in an instant, his hand already on the hilt of his sword, his own immense, Level 97 aura flaring to life, ready to descend upon the two ambushers like a bolt of divine retribution.
But then, he saw it.
In the split second of the capture, as the two Titled Douluos were moving in, Zhang Tian, who was also frozen by the pressure, made a single, subtle movement. He opened his palm and moved it downwards in a slow, deliberate, calming gesture.
It was the signal. The signal to stand down.
The Sword Douluo froze, his hand hovering over his sword, his mind a screaming vortex of confusion and a fierce, protective rage.
'What is he doing?!' Chen Xin's mind roared. 'That's the signal to wait! To not interfere! Has he gone mad? These are two Titled Douluos! They could kill them all in an instant!'
He watched, his heart hammering against his ribs, as the Snake Lance Douluo's green mist enveloped the trio, and in a swirl of disorienting energy, they vanished.
He was alone on the rooftop.
He wanted to follow. He wanted to unleash his sword and turn those two ambushers into a fine, red mist. But his trust in the boy, a trust that had been forged through miracles and a profound, shared respect, held him back.
'He has a plan,' Chen Xin thought, forcing his hand away from his sword. 'The little guy is not stupid. He would not have given that signal without a reason.'
He closed his eyes, his own immense spiritual sense spreading out like an invisible, omniscient net, tracking the faint, residual energy of the two Titled Douluos as they moved through the city.
'But if they harm a single hair on my Rongrong's head,' he vowed, his eyes snapping open, a cold, murderous light in their depths, 'plan or no plan, I will turn their entire faction into a graveyard.'
The world was a nauseating, disorienting blur of swirling green mist. Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing felt a wave of pure, primal terror wash over them. They were helpless, their spirit power completely sealed, their bodies trapped in an unbreakable grip.
'Stay calm.'
A voice, calm and steady and impossibly familiar, echoed not in their ears, but directly within their minds.
'It's alright. This is part of my plan. Grandpa Sword is following us. We are in no real danger. Just stay quiet and follow my lead.'
The mental message from Zhang Tian was a lifeline in a sea of terror. Their panic immediately subsided, replaced by a deep, unwavering trust in him. They relaxed their bodies, allowing themselves to be carried along by their captors.
A moment later, the swirling mist dissipated. They found themselves in a cold, opulent chamber, its walls lined with dark, heavy tapestries. The air was still and silent.
The two Titled Douluos unceremoniously threw them to the ground.
But they never hit the floor.
The moment their bodies began to fall, Zhang Tian, his own spirit power inexplicably free from the Titled Douluos' suppression, acted. A thick, soft cushion of crimson vines erupted from the floor beneath his fiancées, catching them gently, allowing them to land on their feet with a graceful, elegant poise.
At the far end of the chamber, seated in a high-backed, throne-like chair, a figure was waiting. He held a cup of tea in his hand, his expression one of calm, princely authority. It was Xue Qinghe.
He took a slow, deliberate sip of his tea before setting the cup down with a soft click. He looked at them, his gaze cold and imperious.
"Tell me," he began, his voice devoid of its usual warmth, "what do you know about the Titled Douluo who brought such destruction to the central plaza of Suotu City? And the subsequent attacks on the Spirit Hall branches in the surrounding kingdoms."
He leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "These events occurred shortly after the three of you departed from Shrek Academy. And my sources tell me that members of the Seven Treasure Glaze Tile Sect were involved in the events at Suotuo City. So, you should speak now. And you will tell me everything."
Zhang Tian just looked at him, his expression one of polite, almost bored, indifference. He listened to the entire, carefully worded interrogation. He waited until the Crown Prince had finished, until the silence in the room was a heavy, expectant thing.
Then, he let out a long, slow, and incredibly loud sigh. It was a sound of profound, theatrical disappointment.
He looked at Xue Qinghe, not with fear, not with defiance, but with an expression of pure, unadulterated pity, as if he were looking at a particularly slow-witted child who had just failed to solve a simple puzzle.
"After all these months," Zhang Tian began, his voice a calm, condescending drawl, "with the full intelligence network of the Heaven Dou Empire at your disposal, with all your spies and all your resources… is Your Highness really telling me that you still haven't been able to figure out who the attacker was?"
He shook his head slowly, a look of deep, sorrowful disappointment on his handsome face.
"I must say," he concluded, his voice dripping with a polite, yet utterly devastating contempt, "I am truly, truly disappointed in your incompetency, Crown Prince."
~~
A/N: Check out my other novels like "Harem Master: Seduction System" and the "Villain: Manipulating the Heroines into hating the Protagonist" and I hope you like this story and those stories as well.
Check out more chapters on my P.atreon. The P.atreon will have 20+ Chapters ahead for this story. I hope you like it.
The link of p.atreon is: bit.ly/evildragon