After Chen Wentian conquered Three Clouds City and chased away the previous bandit lords, he declared that it would be a part of the frontier of the southern region from now on. Three Clouds City would serve as an anchor of the border, replacing Snake River City to the south. The residents would no longer be bandits but residents of the province, under the rule of the provincial lord.
Things quickly calmed down in the subsequent days. Ordinary people continued with their ordinary lives. It didn't matter if they were labeled as bandits or not. Border territories often changed hands throughout the years. Whether it was a provincial lord or a bandit lord, it had little to do with the common people keeping their heads down and struggling with day-to-day life.
As for Chen Wentian, he stayed with Three Clouds City and didn't move further north. Xuan Xina had urged him several times to keep going since his score was quite high compared to others at that moment. However, he had other reasons for not doing anything, the most important of which was the return of his main soul and his other disciples.
Several days later, Tortoise Can Fly landed in the garden of the lord's castle. Accompanied by Chen Wentian, they all made the return trip from the Temple of Clouds safely and without incident.
"Sister Yifei! Sister Yifei!" Lin Qingcheng's bright cry rang out, "We're here!"
She was the first one to jump out of the cramped space within. She was followed by Zhou Ziyun, Wu Qianyu, Li Yuechan, Song Wushuang, Xu Lanyi, Su Xue, Su Yue, and Peng Lingxi. They were no longer roleplaying as bandits so they had returned to their original images. One by one, they came out of the turtle shell like vibrant songbirds.
Lin Qingcheng wore her customary yellow, bright and joyful. Zhou Ziyun's dress was a cool blue, carrying a sense of deep intelligence. Wu Qianyu wore her white battle dress, ready to slay demons and evil-doers. Li Yuechan and her ice sisters wore a variety of colors that changed with the seasons. All of them showcased their unique features. Tall, slender, buxom, petite; they were each a feast for the eyes. Lastly, there was Peng Lingxi in solemn gray. She was noble and beautiful, like a lonely swordswoman who had stepped out of a painting.
"Sister Lin, Sister Zhou…" Long Yifei bowed and greeted each person.
Her beauty alone seemed to shine just as bright as the nine women who had just arrived combined.
"Ah… Sister Yifei has gotten so much prettier in a few months; I am so jealous." Lin Qingcheng complained loudly.
Zhou Ziyun nudged her and giggled, "Shh, don't say that."
Aside from them, the others also had various reactions. Wu Qianyu and Li Yuechan looked at Long Yifei's stunning figure and felt a sense of competitiveness. Song Wushuang compared her breasts to Long Yifei's and nodded with satisfaction that her opponent was still smaller. Meanwhile, Xu Lanyi was at a loss. The twins were excited. Peng Lingxi was amused at everyone's antics.
Chen Wentian took them all for a tour around the city walls and then back to the city lord's castle for a meal. With Xuan Xina and others around, they couldn't talk freely about many things but everyone still enjoyed themselves.
"Sister Yifei, let me tell you… ah! Master was so mean to us without you." Lin Qingcheng said, slightly drunk, "He dressed us up in all kinds of strange outfits. Aiya, he has such a perverted mind. You need to be careful. He even made us pretend to be… Mmm!"
Zhou Ziyun quickly covered her mouth so that she wouldn't say something she couldn't.
Long Yifei knew what Lin Qingcheng was talking about. She giggled softly and nodded in agreement.
"Don't worry. A sacred daughter of the Virtuous Order cannot be bullied so easily. I will help you resist him!"
"Hey!" Chen Wentian complained, "Don't give them strange ideas. Or else I will punish you tonight!"
This caused a round of laughter.
"Sister Yifei, you have to be careful," Zhou Ziyun said, picking up where Lin Qingcheng left off, "Recently, master picked up some strange habits."
She then lowered her voice and whispered in Long Yifei's ear. Her eyes widened and she glanced at Chen Wentian strangely.
"Hey!"
More laughter followed, leaving him helpless. When they were in a pack like this, he really didn't know how to deal with them.
After the banquet, the disciples dispersed and went to their own rooms to rest and cultivate. Chen Wentian hadn't decided on what to do for the evening so he decided to fly around the bandit city. Atop a city gate, he found Xuan Xina chatting with some Glacier Palace disciples.
"Evening," He said in greeting.
"You're here," She replied.
With his arrival, everybody else left, leaving the two immortals to converse alone.
"Is that what you like to do all day, play around with a harem of pretty women?" Her tone was quite acidic.
He frowned, "They are my disciples."
She rolled her eyes, "Are you going to just stay here for the rest of the month? There is still more than a week left. Your points have remained stagnant for so long, you aren't even in the top half anymore."
Chen Wentian stood beside her and breathed in the warm night air, "Chasing after bandits is so tiring, I'd rather not do that. I like it here. I have Long Yifei, I have my disciples. Don't I also have you to accompany me? It feels quite good."
Xuan Xina's thoughts were filled with displeasure but she bit her tongue.
"I found out something about you," He said, "It made me even more interested in you. Xuan Xina, I heard you cultivate the Ice Treasure Art."
She glanced sharply at him, "You… how did you?"
He landed her a piece of paper, "I received a note from your beloved master, Abbotess Li. I guess she wanted to give our relationship a little push. Maybe she isn't so confident in your abilities of seduction."
Xuan Xina read the words on the paper and her eyes flashed with anger. Her lips quivered and she turned the paper into icy dust. Her cultivation of the Ice Treasure Art was supposed to be a secret between master and disciple. It was a powerful cultivation art of the Virtuous Order that turned a sacred daughter's spiritual sea into an icy treasure, a treasure that was meant to be plundered by men.
The Ice Treasure Art would rapidly increase one's cultivation and guarantee a breakthrough to the immortal realms as long as one's talent was enough to comprehend the art. However, if she lost her virginity, the first man she had sex with would obtain the icy treasure inside her body, robbing her cultivation for his own benefit in the process. It would draw out her vitality and potential, leaving her with nothing at all. She would be left as an ordinary mortal.
It was a cruel cultivation art. It was often chosen for servants of powerful sects to serve their masters. For those of the Virtuous Order who chose it, it was considered a dangerous shortcut as the drawbacks were obvious. It was seen as a dead-end cultivation path.
"She…" A tear fell and turned into an ice crystal, "She was the one who made me cultivate it. How can she…"
Li Shishi had told her that she wouldn't have to sacrifice herself. All she had to do was seduce Chen Wentian and get him to agree to give up on Long Yifei. How did it turn out like this? She was reluctant. She was unwilling.
Chen Wentian placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, "Don't worry. I won't fall for your Order's tricks. You can keep your icy treasure. I don't need it. I already have Long Yifei."
"You…" Her shoulder trembled. After a long while, she finally managed a soft mutter, "Chen Wentian, thank you."
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