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"What just happened?" The women exchanged bewildered glances, Lan An's earth-shaking aura leaving them awestruck and curious. Forgetting his injuries, they surrounded him, their fragrant bodies close, eyes sparkling with intrigue.
"It's a Secret Technique I just acquired," Lan An explained, chuckling, raising his hands in surrender.
"Secret Technique? Like Tsu Mei's Stellar Transformation?" Mu Zi Yin tilted her head.
"Exactly, but it differs in essence," Lan An nodded, smiling.
"Wow, so powerful! I want one too!" Li Zhu Luan cooed, clinging to his arm. Even Mu Zi Yin and Liu Shi Qin looked expectant, not out of greed but a desire to grow stronger alongside him, unwilling to relive the helplessness felt within the Spirit Realm Pearl.
Touched by their resolve, Lan An fibbed, "My master gifted me this technique. Next time I see him, I'll request some for you."
"Master?" Bing Lan Xi mused. Lan An's prodigious talent suggested a formidable backer, but who could it be? The women nodded, trusting his words, envisioning a mysterious, elusive sage.
"Jin Hui, does the Lucky Shop sell Secret Techniques?" Lan An asked inwardly.
"No, Young Master. The Lucky Shop is Level 1, with limited goods. At Level 2, more items, including Secret Techniques, will appear," Jin Hui replied brightly.
"Besides System upgrades, how can I level up the shop?" Lan An pressed, knowing a sixth Great Cauldron was distant.
"By spending enough Prestige Points, the shop will upgrade!" Jin Hui affirmed.
Lan An nodded. Defeating Qing Yun Sect before countless disciples likely earned ample points. "Summon the female-exclusive cultivation art first," he decided, prioritizing a top-tier art for one of his women.
Ding! Initiating summon… The System's mechanical voice sounded.
"Little Nam, what happened? Why were you so gravely injured?" Liu Shi Qin asked, noting his distraction, her concern shared by the others, except Bing Lan Xi, who knew the tale.
Lan An summarized his recent exploits: clashing with Lin Qing Yuan, a Golden Era List genius, the latter's shameless betrayal of their same-realm pact, and the near-fatal mutual destruction via Qin Meng Ying's sealed strike. The women gasped at his daring, cursed Lin Qing Yuan's dishonor, and fretted over his brush with death, insisting on inspecting him again.
As Lan An bantered with his women, their exquisite, high-grade robes catching Bing Lan Xi's eye, a pang of jealousy stirred. She turned toward the stream, but Mu Zi Yin and Lan An grabbed her hands.
"Family shouldn't be shy. Didn't you want me as your male pet, ready to claim my women too?" Lan An teased, grinning at Bing Lan Xi's regal beauty.
"You—!" Bing Lan Xi blushed under the women's odd looks. "Hmph, when have I been shy? I'll conquer you and them!" she retorted, reverting to her bold persona, hands on hips.
"All talk," Lan An chuckled.
Her lips parted, tongue flicking out seductively. "Hard or soft, don't you know best?" Lan An nearly stumbled, the women's gazes growing stranger.
Clearing his throat, he said seriously, "We're family here. Can you share your identity?"
Bing Lan Xi hesitated, her Void Refinement composure wavering. "Haven't you guessed part of it?"
"Bing Xuan Dynasty?" Lan An ventured, shocking the women.
"Correct. I'm the Third Princess of Bing Xuan Dynasty…" Bing Lan Xi revealed her origins and motive: swayed by Advisor Tran to approach Lan An with a honey trap, aiming to secure his aid for her brother Bing Wu Yong's throne bid.
"Advisor Tran?" Lan An's mouth twitched, racking his brain but recalling no such figure. "Don't tell me his name. I'll guess!" Bing Lan Xi giggled, her teasing eyes sparkling.
"Whoever he is, he overestimates me!" Lan An shrugged. Aiding a prince of a Ninth-Grade power seemed absurd.
"Not at all. Advisor Tran's praise falls short of your potential," Bing Lan Xi said earnestly. Initially skeptical, she now saw Lan An's terrifying talent, believing his growth could make him a continental titan, invaluable to Bing Wu Yong.
With his women's trusting gazes, Lan An relented. "Fine, but only after I've grown. I hope your brother holds out." His bond with Bing Lan Xi made him agree, provided it wasn't heinous.
Bing Lan Xi's radiant smile valued his promise—a long-term investment with risks, but she trusted her choice. Her mission was a triumph.
"It's time to return to the Liu Clan," Lan An told the women, sensing Liu Shi Qin's worry after their long absence. They nodded.
"I must return too. My brother needs me for state affairs," Bing Lan Xi said, brushing her hair, masking her reluctance. Bing Wu Yong's weaker faction demanded her Void Refinement presence.
Lan An frowned, grasping her soft hand. The women tactfully withdrew, leaving them alone. Pulling her fragrant body close, he whispered, "Tixi, you shrew, I'll miss you."
Bing Lan Xi trembled, her slender arms encircling his waist. Clothed now, he avoided another "pillar" moment. Their time together was brief, much of it with him comatose, yet their shared battles, trust, and sacrifices wove a subtle bond. Love, defying logic, bloomed not love at first sight, but a spark kindled through trials.
"I hope, soon, you'll storm the dynasty to propose with unmatched strength," Bing Lan Xi murmured, her breath orchid-sweet.
"Absolutely, but I'll propose to my Tixi, not a Ninth-Grade princess," Lan An vowed, tightening his hold.
"You dislike political marriages?" she asked, sensing his thoughts.
He nodded. "I love you for you, Bing Lan Xi. I'll help Bing Wu Yong because he's your brother, not for the dynasty."
"You distrust the dynasty?" A flicker of worry crossed her heart.
Lan An didn't hide it. "Evil Emperor was my benefactor. I'll seek justice for him."
Bing Lan Xi bit her lip, aware the dynasty wronged Evil Emperor. "Father sought Thunder Flame Mysterious Art for Second Brother. Confront him."
"Second Prince? Lin Qing Yuan's his lapdog?" Lan An asked.
"The Lam Clan backs him fully," she confirmed.
"Convenient," Lan An sneered.
"Indeed," Bing Lan Xi sighed, her father culpable too. Sensing her distress, Lan An lifted her chin, gazing into her ocean-like eyes. "I love you for our shared journey, for who you are princess or peasant, that never changes."
"Kiss me," she urged, seeking his lips. Lan An claimed her soft mouth, tongues entwining, exploring her jade-like teeth, capturing her sweet tongue in a fervent dance. Their breaths quickened, her ample chest heaving against him. His hand caressed a breast, cherishing it like a treasure.
After long moments, they parted, a silvery thread of saliva linking their lips, gazes tender. Bing Lan Xi steadied her breath, her Void Refinement poise intact, resting against his chest, inhaling his scent. "You're a peerless genius, but as a rogue cultivator, plan to join a faction?"
"I'll enter Saint Spirit Academy with them," Lan An replied.
She shook her head, smiling faintly. "The academy teems with geniuses, but they're stratified. Top prodigies form factions within, recruiting others, competing fiercely."
Lan An was surprised, expecting a scholarly haven. "Wherever people gather, conflict follows."
"Exactly. It's a crucible for growth. The academy intervenes only if deaths escalate," Bing Lan Xi said. "Renowned prodigies attract followers or invitations upon entry. With your nature, you won't serve another, right?"
"You know me well," Lan An grinned, his future hegemon's pride rejecting subservience.
"Why not form your faction now, entering the academy as a unit?" she suggested.
Lan An's eyes lit up, grasping her intent. A cohesive group would bolster him against rival prodigies. "Not a faction an Organization," he declared, kissing her cheek, inspired.
"Organization? Small-scale?" Bing Lan Xi caught on.
"Exactly. I'll lead an elite Organization of peerless geniuses—quality over quantity, all elites!" he beamed.
"Brilliant. One supreme genius outmatches several lesser ones. But where'll you find members?" she praised, curious.
"Five for now: me, Zi Yin, Zhu Luan, Tsu Mei, and Aunt Qin," he chuckled.
Bing Lan Xi's face twitched. "Don't tell me it's all women?"
"Naturally! My women, no less," Lan An boasted shamelessly.
Her lips quivered, tempted to strangle him, yet she admired his vision. A women-only group ensured loyalty, synergy, and formidable talent, given his lovers' prowess.
"You're a member too, but you won't join the academy," he teased wickedly.
"Jerk!" Bing Lan Xi glared, though secretly thrilled, amused by his cunning inclusion of a Void Refinement ally. "What's our Organization's name, Leader?" she asked, giggling seductively.
Lan An's hand roamed her face, lips brushing her sensitive ear. Her cheeks flushed as he whispered two words that nearly floored her: "Harem."