"...return to the Ji family," Ji Yunman bid farewell to A-Xin. "I originally wanted to travel together with Miss Yin, but my father sent word that I need to return."
A-Xin asked, "Is it something urgent?"
"The major families are joining together to hold an exchange tournament. Young generation disciples must all return to their families to participate."
They called it an exchange, but in reality it was probing each other's strength, seeing whose young generation had more promise and whose young generation were all useless. If the young generation had no one worth seeing, they could scheme and plunder resources under that family's name. These were all very common occurrences.
There was also the fact that Luo Dongqing had probably advanced this time—she didn't know to what realm. If he was stronger than her, the Ji family would probably be mocked by the major families again. During the matches, Luo Dongqing would also participate. According to the major families' customs, they'd most likely arrange a match between the two of them. If she won, she could maintain the Ji family's dignity. If she didn't win, she'd be the Ji family's sinner.
Now there was actually still half a year until the exchange tournament. Her father's intention was for her to return early to prepare, striving to break through to Spirit General realm within six months to have more confidence facing Luo Dongqing.
"Alright."
A-Xin answered without saying much more or any thought of stopping Ji Yunman from returning.
The burden on Ji Yunman's shoulders was too heavy. Getting her to easily abandon her family—that was impossible. Though many people in the Ji family blamed Ji Yunman, there were equally those who cared about her, relatives who valued her.
Watching Ji Yunman's straight-backed figure, A-Xin fell into thought. She'd thought there was nothing more for her to do, but it seemed there still was. She could directly beat up all those who bullied Ji Yunman, even kill them without caring, but after beating and killing them, what then? They'd only gossip behind Ji Yunman's back about how she liked currying favor, saying Yunman only knew how to bully others by relying on power.
When it came down to it, the best method was still to let Ji Yunman rapidly grow and stand at the peak.
She cared about this soul and had no intention of protecting her into becoming useless.
"Master, are we returning to the Demon Palace?" Yin Lan's emotions were somewhat low. Recently she didn't want to go anywhere.
"Want to go back?"
Yin Lan pursed her lips. "Outside is kind of boring."
"Then you go back."
"Alright. Wait, Master, you're not going back?"
A-Xin smiled. "We haven't even been out a month yet. I want to look around everywhere."
"Then I'll follow you around everywhere too, Master." Going back would be pretty boring too. Following Master outside to play was especially safe.
Ji Yunman returned to the Ji family and went into seclusion. Luo Dongqing first accompanied Xu Xiangjun back to the Xu family. The Xu family very readily brought people to help Xu Xiangjun break off the engagement. The man was a disciple from Seven Star Sword Sect. He'd long heard about Xu Xiangjun and Luo Dongqing's affair and agreed quite simply. Considering Luo Dongqing's status, he didn't dare do anything, only hoping never to have any entanglement with the Xu family in the future.
Luo Dongqing had consumed the sea demon's heart and cultivated that mysterious technique. In this half year, his strength increased extremely rapidly—he was already a fourth-tier Spirit General. Such rapid advancement excited the entire Luo family. The Xu family had even less objection to him, even though Xu Xiangjun couldn't become Luo Dongqing's principal wife.
Luo Dongqing was pleased. Thinking he now had three women—among them, Xu Xiangjun and Luo Yuxin were already truly his women. Because Dan Shu was young, he'd never made a move on her.
Before the major families' tournament, he wanted to make Dan Shu truly his woman. Dan Shu naturally refused. Dan Shu's own talent wasn't particularly good—her apparent cultivation had just reached Spirit Master realm, and she still had an ordinary woman's monthly cycle.
"I'm sorry, Brother Dongqing, I..." Dan Shu lowered her head, face flushed. "I... my period came."
Luo Dongqing: "..."
"It's fine, Shu'er. We'll have many opportunities in the future."
Luo Dongqing had a fire inside with nowhere to vent. Recently he'd been intimate with Xu Xiangjun and hadn't felt anything, but because of the tournament, Xu Xiangjun had also returned to her family. She'd only been gone two days and he already couldn't hold back.
He didn't think there was anything wrong with this, only feeling he was a hot-blooded young man, and thinking about such things was completely normal.
Since Dan Shu was inconvenient, he could only go find Luo Yuxin.
Actually, the instant the Imperial Women System disappeared, Luo Yuxin felt a power that had been pulling at her vanish, but her affection for Luo Dongqing hadn't disappeared yet. When Luo Dongqing sought her out, she didn't refuse. She was different from other women—she prioritized strength above all. Since Luo Dongqing's strength was so formidable, being his woman wasn't bad either. It saved her family from arranging a marriage alliance for her.
Regarding intimate matters, she was also quite open-minded. They were all young people with desires—sleeping together occasionally was nothing. She and Luo Dongqing shared a surname but actually had no blood relation. The family all knew about their relationship.
Afterward, when Luo Yuxin checked her cultivation technique, her expression was somewhat odd. Before this, she'd been a fourth-tier Spirit Master. Now she was fifth-tier!
She glanced at the still-sleeping Luo Dongqing and fell into thought. Could sleeping with Luo Dongqing actually improve her strength? If so, she could spend more time on Luo Dongqing in the future.
Sleep once and advance one tier, sleep twice and advance two minor realms?
Luo Yuxin's lips curved. This man was quite interesting indeed.
When Luo Dongqing woke up, he vaguely felt something was off. When he checked his cultivation, he froze completely.
If he remembered correctly, his cultivation should have been at fourth-tier Spirit General. How... how was it now third-tier Spirit General?
Had he remembered wrong?
"Dongqing."
Luo Yuxin walked before Luo Dongqing, looking him over. Her jade-like fingers caressed Luo Dongqing's face, her beautiful lips curving. "Little Sister Dan Shu is still young. For this kind of thing in the future, just come find me."
"It's still early, Dongqing..."
Luo Yuxin wanted to verify whether Luo Dongqing truly had this effect of improving cultivation. She liked Luo Dongqing, but she liked strength even more.
Luo Yuxin before him was only wrapped in a thin gauze, her alluring appearance instantly hooking Luo Dongqing.
Afterward, Luo Dongqing fell into sleep. Luo Yuxin excitedly checked her cultivation—she'd advanced another tier—sixth-tier Spirit Master!
Her eyes shone with unprecedented interest in Luo Dongqing. Her finger traced across Luo Dongqing's face as she laughed softly. "Little Brother Dongqing, you really are Sister's good little brother."