"C'mon, c'mon, over here! We've got more than enough rooms, so just pick whichever one you want! Treat this place like your own home. No need to be polite!"
Baiheng happily dragged along the still-dazed Himeko while waving for Stelle and March to follow her deeper into the house.
Stelle immediately trotted after her with sparkling eyes.
"Seriously..."
As March followed behind, she could not help quietly muttering under her breath, feeling completely overwhelmed by how fast everything had escalated.
'Isn't this development way too fast? Is Himeko really okay with this?'
In March's eyes, Himeko looked like she was on the verge of fainting.
Meanwhile, while Himeko was half-pushed and half-dragged forward by Baiheng, her mind remained completely scrambled, as though she still had yet to process what was happening.
'No... what exactly is this? Forced recruitment?'
Unfortunately for Himeko, any attempt at protest was instantly drowned out by Baiheng's cheerful introductions and Stelle's nonstop chatter, their voices gradually fading into the distance as they led her further and further inside the house until they finally disappeared from sight.
Before long, only Lucian, Jingliu, and Fu Xuan remained standing within the quiet front yard.
Now, the atmosphere instantly shifted from the earlier lively commotion into something much softer, quieter, and faintly ambiguous.
At long last, all the third wheels had finally left.
Jingliu's cool gaze quietly settled upon Lucian, her icy crimson eyes resembling snow beginning to melt beneath the warmth of spring, carrying a faint trace of tenderness that would have been impossible to notice without looking closely.
Fu Xuan, meanwhile, puffed out her cheeks slightly, seemingly still a little bothered that Baiheng had exposed her embarrassing history earlier. However, the moment her eyes landed on Lucian again, that tiny bit of frustration quickly transformed into longing she could no longer hide.
Lucian smiled as he spread his arms and leisurely looked between the two women before him, both possessing completely different charms, yet equally capable of toppling nations with their beauty.
Holding beauties in both arms and standing at the peak of life, perhaps this was exactly what people meant by being a true winner in life.
"Okay, now that all the people who had nothing to do with this are finally gone... did you miss me?"
As he spoke, Lucian first turned toward Jingliu and gently brushed aside her icy, silvery-white hair, his fingertips lightly grazing her delicate cheek. Just like last time, the familiar touch of her skin still felt as perfect as ever—smooth and cool, like the finest cold jade.
Jingliu, not avoiding his hand at all, instead slightly tilted her head, allowing his palm to rest more fully against her face as a faint smile quietly spread across her crimson eyes.
Upon hearing Lucian's question, Jingliu felt that it was, honestly, truly unnecessary.
"Mm, I did..." Jingliu answered softly, her clear voice carrying a faint trace of longing. "Every day while practicing my swordsmanship, I kept wondering when you'd finally return."
Lucian immediately understood what she meant.
Looking into those calm yet quietly affectionate eyes, he didn't say anything further, as words felt unnecessary at a moment like this.
And so, without any hesitation, he lowered his head and gently kissed those slightly cool yet unbelievably soft pink lips.
A familiar, delicate sweetness immediately lingered on his lips.
It was Jingliu's unique taste.
Jingliu showed none of the excessive shyness one might have expected, merely lowering her eyelids slightly as her long eyelashes trembled softly while she quietly responded to the kiss she had waited so long for.
At the side, Fu Xuan watched the two kissing, causing her cheeks to puff up even more before she deliberately turned her head away to stare at a nearby potted plant.
'Kissing in broad daylight... completely shameless... and he didn't even greet me first... Still... this potted plant actually does look pretty nice, all green and lively...'
Even though she thought that, the reddening tips of her ears had already betrayed her true feelings.
Naturally, Lucian had no intention of neglecting his cute little Master Diviner.
As soon as he parted his lips from Jingliu's, he immediately turned his attention toward Fu Xuan.
"So my little Xuan's jealous~?"
Lucian leaned closer with a smile and lightly poked her soft cheek with his finger.
Unlike Jingliu's cheek, the sensation of Fu Xuan's cheek was soft and springy, almost like touching a freshly peeled boiled egg.
"W-Who's jealous?! I merely think the two of you are behaving indecently!"
Fu Xuan glared at him while stubbornly trying to maintain her composure.
'You actually kissed her first? Obviously, I'm the one who missed you more! No, it's not like I missed you that much...'
Although she was complaining aloud, what her heart was truly complaining about was an entirely different matter, and far more fiercely at that.
"Yep, yep, Master Diviner is absolutely right."
As if noticing her inner complaints, Lucian obediently agreed while casually wrapping an arm around Fu Xuan's slender waist and pulling her into his embrace.
"Alright, now it's my turn to offend Master Diviner's sense of decency."
Before Fu Xuan could react, Lucian directly lowered his head and kissed her as well.
"Mmph!"
Fu Xuan symbolically struggled for a moment, her small hands pressing weakly against Lucian's chest, but her resistance quickly melted away, and she even unconsciously rose onto her tiptoes as she responded to him.
By the time the kiss ended, she was already breathing heavily, her cheeks flushed crimson, and her usually sharp eyes slightly unfocused, relying entirely on his embrace just to remain standing.
'T-This is way too embarrassing... I almost couldn't breathe...'
Fu Xuan thought in embarrassment, her face burning hot as the memory replayed itself in her mind.
'Heh... Such a stubborn little sister...'
Jingliu quietly watched the scene unfold from nearby, the curve of her lips seeming to rise another imperceptible 0.01 centimeter.
Looking at the completely different reactions of his two beloved wives, Lucian found himself in an exceptionally good mood.
Honestly, the blessing of having both beauties at his side truly was indescribable.
"How long will you stay this time?"
Jingliu spoke again, her voice remaining as cool and calm as ever, though the concern hidden within it was unmistakable.
Lucian thought briefly about the Astral Express's current travel schedule before answering with a thoughtful expression.
"Probably a day or two. I'll let the Astral Express crew spend some time getting familiar with Jing Yuan and the others first, then we'll head to Penacony."
Hearing that, an almost imperceptible trace of disappointment flashed through Jingliu's crimson eyes before quickly disappearing once more.
'Only a day or two? As short as ever...'
As that thought crossed her mind, Jingliu quietly stepped closer to Lucian.
"In that case, you're not allowed to go anywhere tonight... Stay with me..."
Her cool fragrance and faintly icy breath immediately brushed against his ear as she whispered in an extremely low voice that only the two of them could hear. Her voice carried an unquestionable tone of dominance, yet hidden beneath it was the faintest trace of coquettishness.
"Relax. I've already reserved you first."
When Jingliu's warm breath brushed against his ear, Lucian immediately felt an itch not only in his ears but also deep within his heart.
Honestly, what normal man could possibly resist that?
"What are you two whispering about?"
Fu Xuan leaned forward slightly, her curiosity getting the better of her as she glanced back and forth between the two of them before asking the question.
Jingliu calmly straightened her posture before expressionlessly glancing toward Fu Xuan and answering with complete honesty.
"Nothing much. I just told him to have sex with me tonight..."
Right after saying that, Jingliu paused briefly and blinked before looking directly at Fu Xuan and sincerely extending an invitation.
"Do you want to join us?"
One more woman made little difference anyway, since she was already used to it.
"Hey, keep your voice down!"
Fu Xuan instantly exploded in embarrassment.
'Jingliu, you shameless woman! How could you casually say something like that out loud so nonchalantly? And you even asked if I wanted to join?! Didn't you see the guests from the Astral Express are still here?!'
Right after complaining relentlessly in her mind, Fu Xuan took a deep breath and, after finally calming herself down, responded.
"I-I'm not joining!"
Fu Xuan placed both hands firmly on her hips, desperately trying to display the authority and dignity expected of the Master Diviner, though her bright red cheeks and constantly shifting gaze completely ruined the effect.
"Absolutely improper! I-I still have important official business to handle tomorrow! I need peace of mind and complete concentration!"
In fact, it wasn't that she disliked the idea of making love with Lucian alongside multiple women. It was just that she had been completely overwhelmed earlier by Himeko's impressive 'assets.'
If Jingliu and Baiheng joined forces, they would definitely gang up on her again. In comparison, having Lucian entirely to herself was obviously the better option, even if it meant waiting until the very end and taking the last turn.
"That's right! Tomorrow! Tomorrow, you're not allowed to go anywhere either!"
Fu Xuan forcibly changed the subject before pointing accusingly at Lucian, clearly trying to regain control of the situation.
"You must come to the Divination Commission and accompany me... accompany me in divination, yes! Divination!"
"I wish to exclusively—ahem, privately discuss the Luofu's navigation routes with you!"
Watching Fu Xuan desperately cling to the dignity and authority of her Master Diviner persona, Lucian could not help but chuckle softly.
When it came to his own wife, he naturally had to indulge her a little.
"Alright, alright, I'll listen to everything my little wife says." Lucian smiled as he gently pinched Fu Xuan's ear. "Tomorrow, I'll definitely report to the Divination Commission and keep you company while you're doing your divinations."
Only then did Fu Xuan finally snort in satisfaction and proudly raise her chin.
However, the little calculations in her heart had already begun noisily clicking away.
Tomorrow, she would definitely make Lucian pay for today and would absolutely make up for everything she had missed out on earlier.
Yet at this very moment, nobody knew—not even Fu Xuan herself—that later tonight, once the world had grown silent and still, a certain Master Diviner who had confidently declared she was 'absolutely not joining' would eventually face an intense internal struggle.
===
Meanwhile, far away from the Xianzhou Luofu, within a dark and desolate region of space, inside a temporary stronghold constructed entirely from dim, oppressive energy—
"Damn it, damn it, damn it! It's cracking again! Damn fragile body!"
At this moment, Lord Ravager Phantylia irritably stared at her alluring 'fleshly body,' which had once again begun splitting apart.
Now, the carefully selected and meticulously crafted shell that had once appeared alluring and breathtakingly beautiful resembled shattered porcelain on the verge of collapse. Countless fine cracks spread across her skin, while the restless energy of Destruction leaked out from within.
Every heliobus desired a physical body.
Even Phantylia, who had already ascended into an Emanator of Destruction, constantly longed for a vessel capable of truly bearing the overwhelming power of Destruction.
Unfortunately, throughout all these years, not a single body had lasted for long.
Under the combined influence of heliobus nature and the power of Destruction itself, any body created from any material would eventually collapse and disintegrate.
All elegance had long since vanished from Phantylia's face, leaving behind nothing but impatience and an overwhelming desire for destruction burning within her eyes.
At this point, with her body's condition having deteriorated to such an extent, the plan involving the Xianzhou Luofu had to be pushed forward ahead of schedule.
Only the 'materials' from that place were truly perfect.
Only the fruits born from the Ambrosial Arbor possessed the potential to create an immortal body capable of enduring Destruction.
A body that would not crumble.
A body that could withstand power beyond mortal limits.
Phantylia wanted them—wanted them desperately.
Standing before her was another Lord Ravager, Celenova, who merely remained where she was, calmly listening to Phantylia's complaints and emotional outbursts without interruption.
Faced with her companion's irritation, Celenova appeared completely unmoved and perhaps even mildly bored.
It was only natural.
In her eyes, Destruction itself was the final end, making fleshly shells meaningless. Whether a body was strong or weak, beautiful or broken, it would eventually be reduced to nothing beneath the Path of Destruction.
Not long ago, she had suddenly suffered severe injuries that had nearly killed her outright. Now that she had mostly recovered, it was finally time to investigate exactly what had nearly driven her to death for no apparent reason.
"Celenova, helping you recover caused my body to deteriorate ahead of schedule. I'm going to use a Stellaron to revive the Ambrosial Arbor on the Xianzhou Luofu, and you're going to help me."
===
[A bonus chapter for every 300 Power Stones.]
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