The journey from the freezing, heavily fortified borders of Crimson Zenith City to the southern, militaristic heartland of the Star Luo Empire was not a particularly long or arduous one. Aboard one of the newly manufactured, highly advanced mechanical Spirit Tool carriages produced by his own factories, the travel time was cut down significantly. The sleek, heavily armored vehicle glided smoothly across the paved trade routes, powered by condensed spirit energy cores rather than beasts of burden. They reached the outskirts of Star Luo City, the grand capital of the empire, in just about two weeks.
However, for Zhang Tian, those two weeks were absolutely anything but a boring, mundane road trip. The interior of the massive carriage was a haven of luxurious, unbridled debauchery.
He was incredibly intimate with his two beautiful traveling companions during the entirety of the journey. For all these two weeks, the carriage cabin was filled with the intoxicating scent of arousal and the muffled, breathless sounds of pleasure. Ever since her martial spirit had evolved into the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger, Zhu Zhuqing's inherent Evil Attribute had made her significantly bolder, far more restless, and incredibly perverted.
"Husband... please," Zhu Zhuqing begged softly one afternoon, her voice a sultry, desperate purr.
She knelt on the plush, velvet-covered floor of the moving carriage, completely ignoring the scenic countryside rolling past the tinted windows. She reached up with trembling, eager hands and deliberately, slowly removed her heavy, dark traveling cloak. Beneath it, she wasn't wearing her usual combat suit. Instead, she had specifically chosen to wear incredibly sexy, scandalous clothing designed solely to entice him. She wore a sheer, black lace corset that desperately pushed her massive, heavy breasts upward, the stiff pink peaks straining against the translucent fabric. A tiny, matching lace thong clung to her wide, curvaceous hips.
She crawled forward, her feline eyes half-lidded with pure lust, and rested her chin on his thigh. "I want to please you so badly, Hubby. Fuck me. Fuck me right now while the carriage is moving."
Zhang Tian licked his lips, his icy blue eyes darkening with pure, aggressive lust as he looked down at his beautiful wife. Even though he had already fucked both sisters thoroughly throughout the entire previous night, completely exhausting them, his newly condensed Life Spirit Core provided him with endless, surging stamina. He was never truly satiated.
"You are becoming such a demanding, insatiable little kitten, Zhuqing," Zhang Tian chuckled darkly, his large hand reaching down to stroke her soft, dark hair before aggressively grabbing a handful of her massive breasts, squeezing the soft flesh until she let out a sweet, high-pitched moan.
"Hey! That is not fair at all, Hubby!" Zhu Zhuyun immediately complained from the opposite seat, pouting her plush lips.
The elder sister, not wanting to be left out of the master's affections, quickly shed her own outer garments, revealing a similarly scandalous, deep purple lingerie set that highlighted her own breathtakingly voluptuous figure. She crawled across the carriage floor to join her younger sister, pressing her large breasts against Zhang Tian's other leg.
"You shouldn't just favor Zhuqing," Zhu Zhuyun whispered, looking up at him with a deeply submissive, seductive gaze. "You need to favor me as well. I want to feel you too."
"Do not worry, my beauties. I have more than enough stamina to break both of you," Zhang Tian smirked, pulling them both up into his lap.
For the entirety of the two-week journey, he fucked his dear wife Zhu Zhuqing and his devoted consort Zhu Zhuyun relentlessly. Naturally, Zhang Tian was very intimate with Zhuyun as well, ensuring neither sister felt neglected. He fucked them, spanked their bouncy, curvy buttocks until they were glowing red, and played all sorts of sexy, highly intimate games right there in the mechanical Spirit Tool carriage. He even utilized the adaptable nature of his Blood Silver God spirit, manifesting incredibly soft, smooth vines to bind their wrists to the carriage handles or to tease their sensitive spots while he pounded them from behind. The two women were wildly happy to enjoy this uninterrupted time with their husband, eager to please him in various, increasingly bold ways, especially Zhu Zhuqing, whose dark spirit urged her to seek deeper thrills.
Of course, maintaining this level of intense, vocal intimacy while traveling along public trade roads required absolute secrecy.
Zhang Tian was effortlessly utilizing the profound mental attribute attached to his divine-tier Blood Silver God spirit. Empowered by his mental force—which stood at the terrifying, unshakeable Quasi-God Limit Douluo level—he cast a flawless, impenetrable illusion over the entire carriage. To the hired driver sitting in the front compartment, and to any passing merchants or imperial patrols on the road, the carriage appeared completely silent and mundane. If someone were to peek through the windows, the illusion would show them Zhang Tian, Zhu Zhuqing, and Zhu Zhuyun sitting primly in their seats, quietly reading books or meditating. Only Zhang Tian possessed the overwhelming mental authority to perfectly maintain such a complex, sustained illusion without breaking a sweat; neither Zhu Zhuyun nor Zhu Zhuqing had the capacity to cast something so absolute.
As they finally neared their destination, the wild, passionate moans subsided, and the trio dressed themselves back in their elegant, imposing traveling attire.
The capital of the Star Luo Empire, Star Luo City, came into view. It was a massive, heavily fortified metropolis built from dark granite and iron. It was indeed somewhat impressive, radiating a harsh, militaristic grandeur. As they drove through the outer gates, Zhang Tian noted that the city was even looking a bit modern. Basic spirit-powered streetlamps lined the main avenues, and a few bulky, utilitarian spirit vehicles could be seen transporting heavy goods.
However, it was still far, far less advanced compared to Heaven Dou City or his own Crimson Zenith City. Over the past four years, Zhang Tian had manufactured and sold tens of thousands of highly advanced spirit tools to the Heaven Dou Empire and the Seven Treasure Glaze Tile Sect, drastically modernizing the northern infrastructure. The Star Luo Empire, while trying to adapt and reverse-engineer the technology spilling over the borders, was still fundamentally lagging behind his industrial revolution. Still, the fact that local populace Spirit Tools were becoming very popular even in the hostile Star Luo Empire showed exactly how greatly the world had progressed.
"Where to, My Lord?" the driver called back respectfully through the speaking tube.
"Zhuqing, Zhuyun," Zhang Tian spoke smoothly, looking at the two stunning women sitting across from him, their faces flushed with a healthy, lingering afterglow. "Lead me to your family mansion. Tell the driver."
Zhu Zhuyun nodded, sliding open the small communication panel. "Driver, bypass the inner city ring. Take the western imperial road towards the Zhu Family's main Dukedom estate."
The driver affirmed the command, steering the mechanical carriage away from the bustling city center.
The Zhu Family residence was not located within the cramped walls of the capital. As a highly prestigious Dukedom—the title of Duke Zhu Zhenhong inherited strictly by the head of the family, who was Zhu Zhuqing and Zhu Zhuyun's biological father—their ancestral estate was situated somewhat outside of Star Luo City. It was a naturally massive, incredibly opulent compound that commanded a large, sprawling territory of its own. It housed a massive number of family members, divided strictly into the branch family residences on the periphery and the heavily guarded main family residence in the absolute center.
As the carriage rolled along the wide, paved road leading to the estate, Zhang Tian activated his abilities once more. He utilized the mental attribute of his Blood Silver God spirit to cast a localized, perception-altering illusion directly over their physical bodies. He did this to completely conceal their true appearances.
After all, ever since the conclusion of the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Grand Tournament four years ago, they could be considered quite well-known figures across the entire continent. Zhang Tian was infamous as the monstrous genius who broke the Golden Generation, while Zhu Zhuqing and Zhu Zhuyun were equally recognizable. Zhu Zhuyun, in particular, was previously the celebrated Crown Princess and the official fiancée of the Crown Prince, Dai Weisi, before Zhang Tian publicly abducted and claimed her as his prize. If the local populace or the imperial spies recognized them wandering the streets, it would trigger a massive, immediate military response.
To ensure no one would notice them prematurely, Zhang Tian's illusion altered their facial features and hair colors to look like wealthy, unremarkable traveling merchants.
Soon, the carriage came to a halt. They had reached the massive, imposing iron gates of the Zhu Family's main branch residence. The walls were high and patrolled by sharp-eyed archers.
They stepped out of the carriage. The main gate was currently guarded by a squad of heavily armored soldiers who radiated significant spirit power. Zhang Tian noted with a casual glance that the guards were all Spirit Kings, basically elite experts possessing cultivation levels above level 50 and below level 60. For a family to use Spirit Kings as mere gatekeepers was a testament to their deep martial foundation.
As they approached, the guards crossed their polearms, blocking the path.
"Halt. State your business at the Zhu Dukedom," the captain of the guard demanded gruffly, eyeing the three disguised strangers with deep suspicion.
Zhu Zhuyun stepped forward. She didn't bother arguing. She reached into her robes and produced a heavy, intricately carved black jade medallion. It was her own personal token, symbolizing her unrevoked status as the eldest heiress of the Zhu Family main line.
She held the token up, her voice dropping the merchant disguise to ring with absolute, aristocratic command. "I am here to see Duke Zhu Zhenhong and the Duchess. Open the gates."
The guard captain's eyes widened in sheer shock as he recognized the seal carved into the jade. It was the absolute, undeniable token of the main branch's eldest miss. The guards, who naturally hadn't recognized her face through Zhang Tian's subtle illusion, immediately broke out in cold sweats. They didn't dare to stop or question these three unknown individuals who wielded such supreme authority.
"A-Apologies! Please, enter!" the captain stammered, hurriedly waving for the massive iron gates to be pulled open. He immediately signaled a runner to sprint ahead and inform the inner household.
They walked leisurely through the sprawling, meticulously landscaped courtyards of the estate. A senior servant quickly intercepted them, bowing deeply, and led them toward the grand receiving hall of the main manor.
Deep within the manor, the runner had breathlessly delivered the news to Zhu Zhuyun and Zhu Zhuqing's parents.
Duke Zhu Zhenhong and Duchess Zhu Wanyue were sitting in their private study when the message arrived. They were profoundly startled. They absolutely didn't understand who these three mysterious individuals were, nor how they could have possibly acquired their eldest, long-lost daughter's personal jade token. But curiosity and a deep, simmering anxiety forced them to act. They immediately rose and walked to the grand hall to welcome these three unknown guests.
Duke Zhu Zhenhong of the Zhu Family was a man whose personality was entirely defined by the brutal, unforgiving traditions of the Star Luo Empire. He was a selfish man with an incredibly narrow-minded worldview. He was very, very arrogant, possessing a deeply ingrained, almost toxic family superiority complex. He viewed his daughters not as children to be loved, but as political currency to be spent to secure the family's survival and dominance. He had a somewhat handsome face, though it was marred by deep lines of perpetual scowling, and his dark hair was graying at the temples. He possessed the family's signature Hell Civet spirit, but his personal strength was only that of a Level 85 Spirit Douluo—formidable, but far from the apex of the continent.
Internally, Duke Zhu Zhenhong was a cauldron of boiling anger. He was furious at his eldest daughter, Zhu Zhuyun, for allowing herself to be defeated and publicly captured as a mere prize by Zhang Tian's team four years ago. Because of that humiliating failure, her great, carefully planned future as the Crown Princess who would one day become the Empress of the Star Luo Empire was entirely compromised.
But his hatred for his second daughter, Zhu Zhuqing, burned even hotter. It was Zhu Zhuqing who had actually, brazenly defeated his eldest daughter on the tournament stage and facilitated her capture. Moreover, Zhu Zhuqing had committed the ultimate treason: she had married that red-haired monster, Zhang Tian, and had completely, publicly severed the sacred political engagement between herself and the imperial prince, Dai Mubai. It was a horrific slap to the face of the Imperial Family, and a catastrophic humiliation for the Zhu Family!
Walking quietly a half-step behind the furious Duke Zhu Zhenhong was the Duchess.
Duchess Zhu Wanyue was a woman of a vastly different temperament. She possessed a very submissive, quiet personality. She didn't dare to go against her husband's harsh decrees, completely conditioned to submit to a domineering man who ruled the household with an iron fist. However, unlike her husband, her heart was filled with a deep, aching sadness. She deeply mourned the fact that both of her precious daughters were trapped far away in the Heaven Dou Empire, living in that dangerous Zhang Tian's territory. All political attempts at taking them back had been completely unsuccessful, as the Heaven Dou Empire's Imperial Family and the mighty Seven Treasure Glaze Tile Sect seemed to completely ignore any negotiations, bribes, or threats to release her daughters back to the Star Luo Empire.
Visually, Duchess Zhu Wanyue was a breathtaking, incredibly alluring woman. Just like all the other high-ranking women of their Zhu Family bloodline, she possessed the Hell Civet spirit, which naturally gifted her with an extremely curvaceous, devastatingly sexy figure. Her body did not lose out in the slightest even to Zhu Zhuqing, who had evolved her spirit to a god-tier level. Duchess Zhu Wanyue possessed very large, heavy breasts that strained the fabric of her elegant, dark blue noble gown. Her hips were incredibly wide and curvy, contrasting sharply with her slender, delicate waist. She was very sexy-looking, radiating a mature, deeply noble aura that demanded attention. Her cultivation was also highly respectable, standing as a Level 82 Spirit Douluo. Despite the brutal environment, she was not angry at her daughters; she loved them too much, her heart simply longing to see them safe.
Duke Zhu Zhenhong and Duchess Zhu Wanyue arrived in the grand, high-ceilinged receiving hall. They stood near the raised dais, watching as the three disguised individuals were led into the room.
The Duke's eyes narrowed into angry slits. He specifically, internally cursed his eldest daughter, calling her an unfilial wretch for never even sending a single letter or message in the last four years since she had been captured at the tournament. He wanted to see exactly who these three individuals were and demand to know why they possessed Zhu Zhuyun's sacred token. He briefly wondered if Zhu Zhuyun had finally managed to smuggle a desperate plea for rescue through these merchants.
As the trio stepped into the center of the hall, Zhang Tian took the lead. He spoke to Duke Zhu Zhenhong and Duchess, his voice smooth, polite, but carrying an underlying, absolute authority.
"Lord Duke, Lady Duchess," Zhang Tian greeted them gently. "I respectfully request that you dismiss your servants and guards from this hall immediately. I have something of a very important, highly sensitive nature to discuss with you."
Duke Zhu Zhenhong scoffed, his pride bristling at being ordered in his own home. He considered refusing the bold request, but his burning curiosity regarding his daughter's token won out. He waved a dismissive hand, ordering the attendant servants and the visible door guards to withdraw from the hall.
The heavy wooden doors clicked shut.
However, Zhang Tian's vast, Quasi-God mental force swept the room effortlessly. He immediately noticed the presence of several highly trained secret guards still hiding perfectly still behind the thick velvet curtains, clinging to the rafters, and concealed behind the false walls around the hall. He didn't speak about it to the Duke, nor did he point them out. It simply didn't matter to him if these hidden ants saw them or not; they were entirely inconsequential.
With the primary staff dismissed, Zhang Tian willed his spirit power to shift.
The localized illusion layered over the three of them shattered like glass, dissolving into harmless motes of silver light.
Duke Zhu Zhenhong and Duchess Zhu Wanyue were violently startled as they saw the illusion fade, instantly and naturally recognizing the three faces that emerged.
"You!" Duke Zhu Zhenhong roared, taking a shocked, stumbling step backward before his face flushed purple with explosive, unbridled fury.
He was exceptionally startled, and then blindingly angry. His rage wasn't directed just at Zhang Tian, the enemy of the empire, but it burned fiercely as he looked at his two unfilial daughters standing proudly by the man's side.
As for the Duchess, she gasped softly, her hands flying up to cover her mouth. She was incredibly startled, but a profound, overwhelming wave of maternal happiness crashed over her as she finally saw her precious daughters standing right in front of her after four long years of agonizing absence. But true to her submissive nature, she remained entirely silent, not daring to speak over her husband's rising fury.
However, despite her silence, Duchess Zhu Wanyue was also somewhat deeply startled by the man standing between her girls. She looked at Zhang Tian, her eyes widening slightly. He was, without a single shadow of a doubt, the absolute most handsome, flawlessly structured man she had ever seen in her entire life. His aristocratic features, his striking red hair with blue highlights, and the aura of absolute, terrifying confidence he projected made her heart flutter in a strange, entirely inappropriate manner.
She then turned her gaze to her daughters, noticing immediately that both of them had changed quite a bit. Her second daughter, Zhu Zhuqing, had become very, very beautiful. She had shed the last traces of teenage awkwardness. Her body had matured into a voluptuous, devastatingly sexy masterpiece. Her breasts were incredibly large and heavy, her hips wide and swaying with lethal grace, making her look incredibly alluring and sexy, a true mirror image of her mother's own legendary curves but laced with a dark, commanding edge.
As for her eldest daughter, Zhu Zhuyun, she had also become stunningly more beautiful. Her previously short, practical hair had been grown into a long, beautiful, flowing mane that framed her face perfectly. Her body had grown even more mature, exuding a quiet, submissive grace that was entirely foreign to the proud Crown Princess she used to be.
Duchess Zhu Wanyue remained silent, though her heart ached to hug them. Her husband was the one who continued to act, stepping forward to talk angrily with Zhang Tian.
Meanwhile, Zhang Tian maintained a perfectly calm, polite expression. But internally, his eyes were committing absolute robbery. He was secretly, shamelessly ogling the extremely sexy, curvaceous body of the Duchess. Her mature, deeply noble aura, combined with the fact that she was just as beautiful and incredibly voluptuous as his dear Zhu Zhuqing, really made his mind race with some incredibly dark, highly perverted things. The thought of having the mother and daughters together in his bed was a sinful fantasy that made his blood run hot, but he kept his facial expression entirely serene, hiding his lust behind a mask of diplomacy while secretly appreciating her massive breasts straining against her blue gown.
"How dare you!" Duke Zhu Zhenhong was absolutely furious, pointing a trembling finger at Zhang Tian. He didn't understand the sheer, suicidal arrogance of it. "How dare you, and how dare you two unfilial, treacherous daughters actually dare to step foot inside this family mansion after disgracing our bloodline so greatly!"
To this venomous outburst, Zhu Zhuqing remained completely aloof. Her beautiful face was cold, and her eyes were indifferent. She didn't care the least bit about his anger. She stood tall, entirely unbothered by the man who had ordered her death for years.
Zhu Zhuyun also merely shrugged her elegant shoulders in response.
After all, the family had never really cared about them as individuals. They had just raised them to be sold to the Imperial Family like prized livestock, forced to maintain their status as Dukes and continue the bloody lineage of providing the Empress of the Star Luo Empire to strengthen the Zhu family's political standing. They had actively, maliciously made the two sisters fight against each other in brutal death matches, a horrific tradition they forced the women of their family to do each generation just for their family's vanity and survival. The sisters owed this man nothing.
Duke Zhu Zhenhong was enraged upon seeing the dismissive, uncaring reactions of his two daughters.
"You disrespectful wretches!" Duke Zhu Zhenhong shouted, his fists clenching. "It was your sacred duty as the heiresses of the Zhu Family! You were born to rule the entire Empire as Empress, and you threw that chance away!"
Duke Zhu Zhenhong then shifted his furious glare back to Zhang Tian, his eyes burning with malice.
"I don't know why the hell you have arrogantly come here to meet me, or why you foolishly brought my daughters straight into my family," Duke Zhu Zhenhong spat, his voice dropping to a lethal growl. "But since you are here, you can forget about ever returning to your frozen wasteland. If you had remained cowering in the Heaven Dou Empire, then perhaps even my Zhu Family and the Imperial Family would not be able to touch you easily. But you will pay for your sheer vanity and arrogance in coming here today with your life."
He seemed to possess his Hell Civet spirit, a dark aura flickering around his body, while simultaneously giving a sharp, hidden hand signal behind his back.
Instantly, the atmosphere in the hall shifted. The secret guards who had been hiding in the shadows revealed their hostile intent. They were all elite Spirit Emperors, and there were even a few deadly Spirit Saints and Spirit Kings among them. Each one possessed a spirit similar to, or a lethal mutation of, the Hell Civet spirit. Most of them were extremely fast agility-type Spirit Masters, perfectly trained for assassination within confined spaces, while some others were Spirit Masters without any relation to the Hell Civet spirit, wielding brutal attack-type spirits, heavy tool-type spirits, or holding support-type spirits ready to buff the ambushers.
They dropped from the rafters and stepped out from behind the curtains, instantly surrounding the trio with weapons drawn and spirit rings glowing brightly.
Zhang Tian looked around the circle of highly trained killers, and simply let out a long, disappointed sigh.
"I truly hadn't come here for a fight, Duke," Zhang Tian said calmly, shaking his head. "I came for diplomacy."
Without summoning his martial spirit, without chanting a single spell, or moving a single muscle, Zhang Tian simply narrowed his icy blue eyes.
He used his terrifying, Quasi-God level mental force to abruptly unleash a powerful, highly concentrated Soul Shock directly into the minds of all the surrounding secret guards simultaneously.
THUD. THUD. THUD.
The mental impact was devastating. It bypassed their physical defenses and struck their spiritual seas like a falling anvil. The attack was so overwhelming and instantaneously strong that the elite Spirit Emperors and Spirit Saints didn't even have the chance to scream. Their eyes rolled back into their heads, and they collapsed heavily onto the marble floor, completely unconscious, their spirit rings shattering back into their bodies.
While the guards were neutralized, Zhang Tian directed a relatively weak, highly controlled fraction of that same soul shock toward the Duke.
"Ugh!" Duke Zhu Zhenhong groaned loudly, clutching his head as a blinding, agonizing migraine ripped through his skull. He stumbled, falling heavily onto one knee, gasping for air. Zhang Tian ensured it wasn't strong enough to make him fall unconscious, but the sheer, oppressive mental weight pressing down on the older man ensured he wouldn't do anything idiotic like trying to summon his spirit avatar and fight against them.
Duke Zhu Zhenhong and even Duchess Zhu Wanyue were completely, utterly shocked by his power. They stared at the unconscious bodies of their most elite assassins littering the floor. Without even unleashing his martial spirit, without showing a single spirit ring, just by utilizing pure, raw mental force, Zhang Tian was easily able to completely subdue all the highly trained secret guards, and even force the Level 85 Duke Zhu Zhenhong himself to his knees. It was a display of power that defied all logic.
Duchess Zhu Wanyue swallowed hard, her heart pounding against her ribs. She took a hesitant step forward.
"Why... why have you come here, Lord Marquis?" Duchess Zhu Wanyue asked, her voice trembling slightly, addressing him by his formal Heaven Dou title to show respect in the face of absolute power.
Zhang Tian let his oppressive mental aura recede slightly, allowing Duke Zhu Zhenhong to gasp for breath.
"I have come here today only because a massive, continent-spanning war between the Spirit Hall and the Star Luo Empire will inevitably occur very soon," Zhang Tian revealed to the two stunned nobles, his voice echoing coldly in the silent hall. "And let me be perfectly clear: my own territory, Crimson Zenith City, and all its resources, will fully and absolutely support the Spirit Hall in that war."
He gestured toward the two sisters standing beside him. "That upcoming war would put Zhu Zhuqing and Zhu Zhuyun directly on the battlefield against their own blood family. I came here today to offer you a single chance. I came to convince you to quietly switch your allegiance to my side, or at the very absolute least, to officially declare neutrality and not participate in the war at all. Because if you do not... it might make things somewhat ugly for your lineage."
Both the Duke, still kneeling on the floor, and Duchess Zhu Wanyue were profoundly shocked upon hearing his blunt, apocalyptic words.
But Duke Zhu Zhenhong was even more shocked for a very different reason. Unlike his sheltered wife, Duke Zhu Zhenhong actually knew that the grand war was actively coming. He was a high-ranking noble; he had personally been in some highly classified, secret military meetings with the Star Luo Empire's Imperial Family, the volatile Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, the refugees of the Clear Sky Sect, the mysterious Star Crown Sect, and other powerful sects and clans.
But to think that their grand, highly secretive plan of war was already perfectly known to this young Zhang Tian! This meant that the Spirit Hall must also know all about it, which meant their absolute element of surprise had been totally, catastrophically exposed.
But despite this terrifying revelation, the Duke's inherent, blinding arrogance did not allow him to yield. He gritted his teeth, pushing himself up to stand on shaking legs, glaring hatefully at Zhang Tian.
"If you came here for this treacherous purpose, boy, you should turn around and return to your freezing wasteland immediately," Duke Zhu Zhenhong arrogantly told Zhang Tian, spitting a glob of blood onto the floor. "My Zhu Family is naturally not going to betray the Star Luo Empire, nor will we ever betray the Imperial Family in this glorious war! We are the shield of the Star Luo Empire!"
Also, despite having just been brought to his knees by a mere thought, his family pride forced him to make a suicidal demand.
"And before you leave," Duke Zhu Zhenhong arrogantly told Zhang Tian, pointing a shaking finger at the girls, "you should leave them here. Send back my daughters and let them fulfill their sacred duty as the heiresses of the Zhu Family."
Although he didn't explicitly say the vile details out loud, Zhang Tian, Zhu Zhuqing, and Zhu Zhuyun all understood exactly what he meant by 'duty'. He meant to forcibly return Zhu Zhuyun to the Zhu Family and force her to marry the disgraced Prince Dai Weisi, and force Zhu Zhuqing to return to the Imperial Family and have her marry that weakling Dai Mubai. And then, he intended to force the two sisters to fight against each other in the traditional death match, with only one pair of victors surviving between the two pairs, and that winning pair will eventually become the Emperor or Empress, while the losing pair will have their spirits brutally destroyed or be physically crippled for the rest of their miserable lives.
"If you release my daughters right now," Duke Zhu Zhenhong threatened, trying to leverage non-existent power, "then I can personally convince the Imperial Family to leave behind your complete corpse after our armies have inevitably killed you on the battlefield. Or else, when we meet in the war, you will be torn to bloody pieces, and anyone related to you won't have any good, merciful result."
Zhang Tian's icy blue eyes remained perfectly, chillingly indifferent as he listened to the man's delusional rant.
"Does this mean," Zhang Tian asked slowly, his voice dropping to a whisper that made Duchess Zhu Wanyue shiver, "that you, and the entirety of your Zhu Family, is really not going to change their stance? You will remain stubborn in this fight and march to your deaths?"
Duke Zhu Zhenhong snorted derisively, misinterpreting Zhang Tian's calm for hesitation.
"Are you here desperately trying to convince us to defect because your side isn't actually confident in winning this war?" Duke Zhu Zhenhong sneered, a twisted grin on his face. He even arrogantly told Zhang Tian the empire's greatest secrets. "The Star Luo Empire is absolutely destined to win this clash! A few years ago, the Emperor and even the Empress successfully broke through their bottlenecks and became true Titled Douluos! Now, their Martial Spirit Fusion Skill, the Hell White Tiger, can even deal with a high-level Super Douluo effortlessly."
Duke Zhu Zhenhong laughed, feeling superior. "Moreover, some time ago, the Clear Sky Sect's legendary Ancestor, Tang Chen, is reported to have sent a direct message to the Clear Sky Sect elders. The Clear Sky Sect has proudly reported to the Imperial Court that their invincible ancestor will return and come to their new sect grounds in a few months. With his absolute, peak Level 99 Limit Douluo strength leading the vanguard, it would be completely impossible for the Star Luo Empire to lose! We will crush the Spirit Hall and even your territory into dust!"
Zhang Tian let out a soft, genuine sigh. He understood immediately that the Star Luo Empire, and the other allied sects and clans, must also be full of such blinding, intoxicating confidence. The Duke's rant essentially confirmed his strategic guess that Tang Chen really would be coming to the Star Luo Empire in a few months, bringing Tang San along with him from the Slaughter City.
Well, not that Zhang Tian was scared in the slightest. There were ways to deal with Tang Chen as well.
Zhang Tian turned his head, looking gently at Zhu Zhuqing and Zhu Zhuyun.
"It seems, from the choices of your family, that we will be on opposite ends of the battlefield," Zhang Tian told them softly, confirming the failure of diplomacy.
Zhu Zhuqing and Zhu Zhuyun weren't surprised to hear his words, nor did they look particularly saddened. They knew that although the Star Luo Empire was indeed gathering strong forces, Zhang Tian had intimately told them of the true, terrifying power of the Spirit Hall—which currently boasts two Level 99 Limit Douluos, Bibi Dong and Qian Daoliu—and even his own heavily armed territory. So they knew it would be absolutely impossible for Zhang Tian to lose, even if that Tang Chen, reputed to be the strongest individual on land, came to fight.
Well, Zhu Zhuqing at this moment stared at Zhang Tian. Her sharp feline eyes had naturally, astutely noticed him secretly, lingeringly ogling at her mother's massive breasts and curvy hips during the conversation. She then stared at her beautiful mother, taking in her submissive, alluring posture.
Soon, a genuinely evil, highly perverted smile came to Zhu Zhuqing's face. She hid it quickly, schooling her features before anyone else in the room noticed it at all.
She stepped closer to Zhang Tian, wrapping her arms around his arm. She then acted incredibly spoiled, rubbing her cheek against his shoulder.
"Husband," Zhu Zhuqing pleaded sweetly, looking up at him with wide, innocent eyes. "Since we are already here, I really want to spend some days living at the mansion. I want to spend some quality time with my mother. It has been so many years since I last saw her, and I miss her terribly."
With Zhu Zhuqing acting so adorably spoiled like that and asking for this request, Zhang Tian didn't mind much. Living a few days at the hostile Zhu Family mansion wouldn't be much of a tactical issue for him.
"Very well, my dear," Zhang Tian agreed indulgently, patting her hand.
He then turned his gaze back to the Duke. Zhang Tian stared indifferently at the older man, his voice turning into an absolute command.
"We will be living here at this mansion for the next few days," Zhang Tian told him flatly, completely ignoring the Duke's previous threats. "If you really try to make some clever, suicidal moves—like wanting to secretly invite the Imperial Family guards, or attempting to summon the other sects or clans to target me and my wives while we sleep in these few days... well, I won't show any mercy. I will eradicate this entire compound."
To ensure his threat carried weight, Zhang Tian decided a visual demonstration was required.
At that exact moment, Zhang Tian revealed his true power. He summoned his Blood Silver God spirit. The entire grand hall was instantly bathed in a terrifying, overwhelming emerald and crimson light.
He did not just reveal a strong aura; he revealed his rings. Six, pulsating, blindingly bright Blood Red Spirit Rings materialized around his body. The sheer, physical pressure of six hundred-thousand-year-old spirit rings instantly crushed the air out of the room. It shocked Duke Zhu Zhenhong and Duchess Zhu Wanyue to the absolute breaking point.
Duke Zhu Zhenhong shouted in sheer, hysterical disbelief, clutching his head, "This is impossible! It must be an illusion! A fake! No one, absolutely no one in the history of the world can have so many hundred-thousand-year-old spirit rings!"
But it wasn't over. Above the six red rings, his seventh spirit ring appeared. It was a unique, pulsing green-gold color that radiated a primordial life force so dense it made the stonework groan. It was a color Duke Zhu Zhenhong had never, ever seen in his entire life, completely shattering his understanding of reality.
Zhang Tian didn't bother using any flashy spirit ring ability to attack. He simply raised his hand. He directed a microscopic, razor-thin vine of his Blood Silver God spirit to shoot forward, bypassing all the Duke's natural defenses. The emerald vine sank painlessly directly into the Duke's chest and coiled tightly around his beating heart.
Zhang Tian lowered his hand, the rings fading back into his body, leaving the hall in stunned silence.
"If I come to know of any of your suspicious, treacherous actions, Duke," Zhang Tian told the terrified man, his voice a cold whisper. "The Blood Silver Vine currently resting around your heart will crush your heart instantly, and kill you before you can even draw breath to scream. Do not test me."
He offered a polite, false smile. "After we leave the mansion peacefully in a few days, I will naturally remove this vine from your heart. The choice of your survival is yours."
Duke Zhu Zhenhong was profoundly shocked and intensely angry, his pride screaming at the indignity of being collared in his own home, but he didn't dare to physically test Zhang Tian's threat. He felt the cold, foreign energy coiled tightly around his heart. He had seen how effortlessly Zhang Tian had dealt with all those elite secret guards, and even suppressed himself with a mere thought... Duke Zhu Zhenhong was somewhat horrifyingly sure that Zhang Tian, despite being only a Spirit Saint in rank, was completely comparable in actual, devastating combat power to a peak Titled Douluo! He absolutely couldn't afford to offend Zhang Tian right now, as a battle here might cause immediate, total destruction to his Zhu Family estate.
Duke Zhu Zhenhong swallowed his pride, his face pale and sweating. He turned to his wife while desperately trying to control his boiling anger.
"Show... show the guest rooms to the three of them," Duke Zhu Zhenhong ordered Duchess Zhu Wanyue through gritted teeth, before turning and hastily retreating from the hall to consult with his closest advisors in secret.
Zhang Tian, Zhu Zhuqing, and Zhu Zhuyun naturally left the ruined hall, walking along with the Duchess.
While walking down the opulent, carpeted corridors of the residential wing, Zhang Tian's gaze was magnetically, repeatedly drawn to the incredibly curvaceous, swaying body of Duchess Zhu Wanyue walking just ahead of him. The tight fabric of her blue gown accentuated the heavy sway of her wide hips and the plush curve of her backside with every elegant step.
Duchess Zhu Wanyue was currently talking to her daughters gently, her voice trembling with repressed maternal emotion, asking if they have been alright and if they had been living well in the north.
As for Zhu Zhuqing, she remained perfectly cold and somewhat distant, not caring much for small talk after being treated as breeding stock her entire life.
Zhu Zhuyun, however, stepped up and responded to her mother enthusiastically. She explained how she had been living quite well, and that Zhang Tian really takes incredibly good care of her and Zhuqing. She proudly added that Zhuqing had even become a highly powerful Spirit Saint recently.
When Duchess Zhu Wanyue came to know of this impossible feat, she stopped walking and stared at her second daughter in sheer disbelief. A Spirit Saint at her young age was unheard of.
Zhu Zhuqing offered a small, cold nod. To prove it, she briefly showed off her spirit. The phantom of the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger flared behind her, exuding a dark, terrifying aura. Seven powerful spirit rings materialized around Zhu Zhuqing, with the terrifying, flawless configurations of two yellow, one purple, and four deep black rings.
This display absolutely shocked the Duchess. Even more terrifyingly, as Zhu Zhuqing's spirit flared, Duchess Zhu Wanyue could physically feel her own, supposedly pure-blooded Hell Civet spirit recoiling in her soul, being entirely, inherently suppressed by the sheer, god-tier quality of Zhu Zhuqing's new spirit.
"Heavens..." Duchess Zhu Wanyue breathed, her hand resting over her ample cleavage. "This spirit... this aura... it is even more terrifyingly superior compared to the Evil Eyed White Tiger of the Imperial Family of the Star Luo Empire!"
She looked between her powerful daughters, her heart aching with a mixture of immense pride and deep, terrible fear for their safety.
"My dear daughters," she talked to her daughters softly, her eyes pleading as they resumed walking. She tried to convince them gently, utilizing her maternal bond. "Your power is incredible, but you are standing against the entire empire. Please, try to return to the family. Follow your father's words and reconcile with the crown. After all, this subservience has always been exactly how the Zhu Family had maintained its high, protected status in the Star Luo Empire for centuries. And currently, due to this ongoing incident of you two running away, the Imperial Family is somewhat actively suppressing the Zhu Family, taking their anger and humiliation out on our businesses and branch families due to your refusal to marry."
In response to this plea, Zhu Zhuqing coldly stopped in the hallway. Her feline eyes were hard as polished obsidian.
She responded with a long, bitter rant. "Mother, do you truly believe that is a life worth living? The Imperial Family absolutely doesn't care about their own family members! They maintain that vicious, barbaric way of infighting between their own Imperial Princes, forcing brothers and even their fiancés to slaughter each other for a throne. And they treat our Zhu Family women as nothing more than mindless breeding stock, useful only because we happen to have a compatible Martial Spirit Fusion Skill with their descendants!"
Zhu Zhuqing's voice rose, filled with years of suppressed anger. "As for our own Zhu Family elders, they gladly, shamelessly sell their own daughters into that meat grinder just to desperately maintain their hollow family's status and titles! Such families, such pathetic, cruel traditions really don't need to exist in this world anymore. I will not bow to them. I will personally clean all that rot up when the war comes."
Zhu Zhuyun stepped forward, placing a supportive hand on her sister's shoulder, and firmly supported her sister's rebellious words, having found true freedom and power in submission to Zhang Tian rather than her cruel family.
As for the Duchess, she let out a long, tragic sigh. Tears glistened in her beautiful eyes as she looked down at the carpet.
She tells them softly, "How can I not know about this cruel reality, Zhuqing? I have lived it my entire life. But such is the harsh nature of the world we live in. Without absolute, overwhelming powerful strength to protect yourself, how can anyone possibly dare to disobey the direct orders of the Imperial Family and survive?"
She wiped a tear away, forcing a small, sad smile. Well, in any case, she told her daughters to forget about all these heavy, political burdens for now. "We only have a few days to bond together before you leave again. Let us just enjoy the time we have as a family."
Even the cold Zhu Zhuqing felt a pang of sympathy for her trapped mother and nodded at this, along with Zhu Zhuyun.
They soon reached the opulent guest wing of the manor. Duchess Zhu Wanyue opened the doors to a massive, luxurious suite. However, instead of taking separate rooms, both Zhu Zhuqing and Zhu Zhuyun immediately walked into the same room as Zhang Tian.
The door clicked shut, leaving them alone.
Zhang Tian removed his outer robes, feeling the pleasant exhaustion of the journey and the diplomatic tension settling in his bones. He decided to rest, lying back on the massive, silk-covered bed, wrapping his strong arms securely while hugging the two beautiful, devoted feline beauties tight against his chest.
~~
A/N: Check out my other novels [Villain: Manipulating The Heroines Into Hating The Protagonist] and [Harem Master: Seduction System].
Also, check out 20 Chapters Ahead for this fanfic on my P.atreon. (Uploaded Till Chapter 236 currently.)
P.atreon link: https://bit.ly/evildragon04