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"Here's the Nine Suns Divine Art, a method my master bestowed for you, perfect for Fire cultivators." Lan An, embracing his wives on the bed, produced a jade token etched with nine radiant suns, handing it to Yan Hong Lian.
"Nine Suns Divine Art? Naming a method 'Divine' how domineering!" Yan Hong Lian's eyes widened, sensing the searing aura from the token, faintly trembling the sturdy space within the Spirit Realm Pearl. She knew this method was extraordinary.
"Exactly. Its grade surpasses Spirit-Grade, though I don't know its precise rank," Lan An confirmed, nodding.
"Beyond Spirit-Grade?" Die Qing bolted upright, pouting at him.
Yan Hong Lian, less reserved, accepted it eagerly. At Perfect Nascent Soul Stage, her cultivation had soared since acquiring Strange Fire, and her Yan Clan's Mid Heaven-Grade method paled beside this gift.
"Study it first, but don't cultivate it until the third trial ends," Lan An cautioned.
"I'll obey my husband!" Yan Hong Lian smiled obediently, thrilled. Her man's terrifying gift outshone her clan's method how could she not rejoice?
She darted to a corner of the bed, dripping blood onto the token as he instructed, absorbing its contents.
Seeing her joy, Lan An mused that 500 million Prestige Points were well spent.
Yet, he withheld the Great Sun Divine Body. Jin Ni warned its formation was brutal, incinerating and reforging the body over a long, perilous process. Yan Hong Lian's current state wasn't ready.
He needed means to ease her pain during physique formation.
"Husband, where's mine?" Die Qing's delicate fingers pinched his waist, her voice plaintive.
Lan An grinned, prepared as ever how else could he produce the Nine Suns Divine Art?
Another jade token appeared.
"Wood Feather True Art, Volume 1 High Spirit-Grade method. Practice this for now; I'll provide later volumes," he said gravely.
From their cave mansion battle, Lan An knew Die Qing's combat was weak, excelling in supporting allies. Thus, he chose a method suiting her talents.
His Harem Faction boasted two support-type fighters: Li Zhu Luan and Yan Die Qing.
Die Qing, elated, sensed familiar Wind and Wood attributes on the token, gleefully accepting it.
With dual Wind and Wood spiritual roots, Lan An refreshed the Lucky Shop twenty times to secure this method, but was stunned to find insufficient Prestige Points for a matching bloodline.
Bloodlines for these attributes were astronomically priced, forcing him to wait.
"These are the Wind Ring and Wood Ring, amplifying your spiritual energy control manifold!" Lan An presented two rings one white, one green etched with mystic runes, both Mid-Low Spirit-Grade treasures from the Lucky Shop.
"Love you most! My gifts outnumber Sister's!" Die Qing beamed, leaping into his arms, offering her fragrant lips.
Their tongues entwined swiftly.
But it stopped at a kiss her tender bloom, swollen from earlier conquests, couldn't endure more.
After, she skipped to the room's center, dripping blood to claim the rings, slipping them onto both ring fingers.
With a thought, she raised her hand.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh…
Spiritual energy surged to her palm, so dense it nearly solidified.
Lan An nodded, pleased. At Late Golden Core Stage, below Luo Yu, Die Qing's energy control now rivaled Nascent Soul cultivators, a testament to the rings' potency.
Die Qing, overjoyed, rushed to kiss him repeatedly, then settled in a corner to absorb the Wood Feather True Art.
Seeing both wives immersed, Lan An donned his robes, leaving Die Qing Palace without disturbing them.
Before Shi Qin Palace…
"Little Aunt, I'd like to see you!" Lan An called, his heart racing at the memory of her bare form.
Silence answered, but he caught faint, rapid breaths from within, betraying her nervousness.
Knowing her shyness, he moved to enter.
But sensing something, Lan An frowned, his form vanishing with a thought.
Outside the Spirit Realm Pearl, Lan An opened the inn's door.
"Master!" two voices chorused. Nangong Yu and Han Shen bowed respectfully.
Lan An nodded, summoned by their presence.
"Come in," he stepped aside.
Nangong Yu and Han Shen's hearts fluttered, but they marveled at the empty, lavish room—where were his women?
Wisely, they held their tongues.
"Master, per your orders, Han Clan and Heavenly Wood Sect are now mortal enemies!" Han Shen reported first.
Lan An had tasked her with sowing discord between them.
"Well done. Sit," Lan An gestured to the bed.
Han Shen's eyes gleamed at his praise.
Nangong Yu, eager, recounted approaching Nangong Clan's saintess, accompanying her to the Academy, and introducing Lan An, detailing all clearly.
"Nangong Wan Rong? Tell me more," Lan An ordered, intrigued.
"The saintess is deeply kind, without malice or cunning. Her beauty rivals Li Zhu Luan's, and her talent shines 21 years old, Mid Nascent Soul Stage," Nangong Yu explained.
"Her spiritual root?" Lan An asked curiously.
"She's unique. Nangong Clan excels in swordsmanship, mostly with Ice roots, but the saintess has a Metal root and wields Needle Arts," Nangong Yu said admiringly.
"Metal root and Needle Arts?" Lan An's eyes flickered.
Fearing displeasure, Nangong Yu added, "Nangong Clan focuses on sword techniques, so her Needle Art method is only High Mysterious-Grade. Yet, through relentless effort, she won the clan's approval, ascending to saintess."
"Intriguing!" Lan An smirked, asking, "You said Nangong Wan Rong resists marriage to the saint son?"
"Yes. Saint Son Nangong Lie is brash and sinister she loathes him," Nangong Yu confirmed.
"Master, enrollment nears, and I'll be expelled from Holy City. Any orders?" Nangong Yu asked nervously, fearing elimination.
"I'll watch over Nangong Wan Rong. You've done well. Take these and return to Nangong Clan," Lan An tossed three items.
Nangong Yu caught a jade token, a sword, and a pill.
Her eyes sparkled. The token's purpose was unclear, but the pill was the coveted Beauty Nurturing Pill, and the translucent sword was no ordinary weapon.
"The token holds a High Earth-Grade Ice method for you. The sword is Frost Blade, Low Earth-Grade. Your reward," Lan An said casually.
"Thank you, Master! I'll never forget this!" Nangong Yu knelt, kowtowing, overjoyed. Her clan limited her to Mysterious-Grade methods, and Earth-Grade weapons were a dream.
"Go. Bid Nangong Wan Rong farewell and convince her to join my faction at the Academy," Lan An commanded, waving her off.
"Your servant retires!" Nangong Yu bowed, clutching her lifelong desires, departing the inn.
Han Shen, watching, grew hopeful.
As expected, Lan An tossed her two items a Beauty Nurturing Pill and Mid Earth-Grade armor plus abundant spirit stones, asking, "Han Xieng and Han Tie from before are dead. Who else did Han Clan nominate for the Academy?"
"Two lesser geniuses, Early Nascent Soul, weaker than Han Xieng," Han Shen reported.
"Do they obey you?" Lan An inquired.
"They dare not defy me!" Han Shen smiled. As the patriarch's daughter, who'd resist?
"Good. At the Academy, gather all useful intelligence, big or small, and report secretly. We'll act as strangers there," Lan An instructed.
Han Shen's eyes flashed, understanding his intent to make Han Clan his intelligence network. With the spirit stones he provided for connections, it was feasible.
"By your command, I retire!" Han Shen left, elated.
Lan An watched her depart, thinking he couldn't be ignorant at the Academy. With his women busy, an intelligence network was vital.
He withheld a method for Han Shen, as her high Han Clan status granted her an Extreme Earth-Grade method. A better one would be Heaven-Grade, undeserved for a non-wife.
Ten days passed swiftly…
The final trial loomed.
Heavenly Weight Mountain still glowed vibrantly aloft.
Xiao Qing Tuyen's inheritance took longer than anticipated.
But the Academy wouldn't delay the trial for one person. After elders' deliberation, Xiao Qing Tuyen was directly admitted as a freshman, exempt from the final trial.
None dared object.
Inheriting a Dean's legacy ensured her future as a high-ranking official—none were foolish enough to cry unfairness.
This stirred the crowd, glaring at Lan An, surrounded by beauties, cursing his folly for gifting a Tribulation Stage inheritance to a woman.
Utterly bewitched.
The third trial gathered nearly 4,000 participants candidates and quota students vying for the Sacred Spirit Ranking a grand scale.
All were genius-tier, one-in-a-thousand talents.
"Look, Ice Mysterious Empire!" a shout rang out. Above, a majestic carriage approached.
Adorned with a "Nation" flag, the opulent carriage, pulled by two Fourth-Order Frost Horses capable of flight, was a spectacle.
"That's Frost Carriage, the youngest Imperial Prince's High Earth-Grade treasure," knowledgeable spectators gasped.
"Such extravagance!" Li Zhu Luan pouted, but the Academy permitted pets and treasures, leaving her silent.
"Hee, for extravagance, who tops our man?" Yan Die Qing giggled.
"True!" the women smiled, agreeing.
Lan An shrugged, unperturbed. Flanked by seven peerless beauties, his flair was unmatched.
The Frost Carriage soared overhead, landing on a clearing, scattering the crowd to avoid trouble.
Its occupant stayed within, scorning to mingle with outsiders.
Many bristled, but more felt helpless.
Who could challenge a Ninth-Grade power?
As the air settled, new gasps erupted: "Heavenly Mountain Immortal Realm arrives!"
Whoosh, whoosh…
Five figures appeared midair, chilling the atmosphere, snowflakes drifting.
Clad in sealed robes, chests marked with "Mountain," masked, their faces hidden.
The Academy, having verified identities at Holy City's entry, now allowed concealment.
Regrettably, none knew these five geniuses' true identities, their arrival unnoticed.
Their formation two ahead, three behind hinted at the front pair's higher status.
Silent, they descended to a vacant lot, cloaks billowing.
Compared to the Empire's ostentation, Heavenly Mountain was subdued.
"Both Ninth-Grade powers vie for the Sacred Spirit Ranking? Intriguing!" a wild-looking youth in beast hide, a sack at his waist, smirked. In the first trial, his spiritual energy purity reached eighty percent.
In his bosom, a small beast stirred, blood-red eyes licking its lips, then slept.
Near Lan An's group, a bald monk eyed Bai Su Mei, muttering, "Amitabha, if I don't enter hell, who will?"
Under an ancient tree, four Lan Clan geniuses stood together, Luo Yu apart, leaning against the trunk, eyes closed, unmoved by the Ninth-Grade powers.
His mind churned, puzzling how Lan An escaped the Lan Clan to achieve such heights.
His lips curled defiantly, mouthing soundlessly, "Cheap big brother! No matter your secrets, you won't escape my grasp!"
His eyes snapped open, a tempest of blood and bones swirling within, far beyond his youthful age.
In a flash, they calmed, resuming a harmless, naive guise…