Elder Yáo chewed the piece of meat and the pearly rice.
The moment the food touched her tongue, her jaw almost locked. It was not the flavor. It was the energy. A crystalline purity free of toxins that she knew very well: ingredients of that caliber were treasures that the patriarchs of the greatest sects reserved strictly for banquets. That tiny mouthful heated her old meridians with the potency of a rare elixir.
She swallowed slowly. She rested her chopsticks on the edge of the bowl and crossed her hands over her lap, her gaze dissecting the man in front of her.
He lacked neither resources nor courage, it seemed. But what about ambition?
"An excellent spread," Elder Yáo praised, the gentle smile returning to her wrinkled face. "Your 'man of the earth' knows how to provide, little Yǔ. And it seems your house does not suffer from a lack of… precious ingredients."
Qīng Yǔ blushed with pride and lowered her head slightly.
Elder Yáo sighed lightly and turned her eyes to Zhì Yuǎn, her voice losing its formality and sounding deliberately maternal.
"My little Yǔ is the most coveted jewel of the younger generation, and I see that Young Bìyù also accompanies you. The Twin-Faced Empire is a nest of vipers, young Zhì Yuǎn. Claiming wives of this caliber invites far more than honorable challenges. Believe me, a lavish feast will not be enough to keep you alive."
Zhì Yuǎn continued chewing in silence until he swallowed.
"And what does the Elder suggest?" he asked, picking up his wine cup to clear his throat.
Master Yáo opened her hands in a practical gesture.
"Make your presence official. Request recognition from the clan, pay the appropriate bride price, and establish yourself as a respected vassal."
The old woman moistened her throat with a sip of wine, her eyes never leaving Zhì Yuǎn's face.
"With your cultivation, which you hide very well, by the way, and with those two guard dogs of yours back there…" she pointed her chin toward the wall. "You would have no problems. Who knows, in two or three centuries you might even attain the title of Elder of the Empire. That would validate your position and give Yǔ the support she deserves."
Silence weighed over the table.
Then a low, crystalline laugh broke the quiet. Yù Qíng covered her mouth with her pale hand.
On the other side, Yù Méi did not have the same composure. The youngest threw her head back and let out a loud, unrestrained laugh, her almond-shaped eyes gleaming with irony. Bái Wǎn lowered her face, but the cynical smile on her gentle lips was impossible to hide. Even Mò Yán, the cold diplomat, turned her face toward the garden, pretending to adjust her collar to conceal her amusement.
Elder Yáo's smile vanished. She looked at her own disciple, who also maintained a small, embarrassed smile.
The old woman blinked, fixing her narrowed eyes on Zhì Yuǎn.
"You really have no intention of climbing the hierarchy, do you?" the Elder asked, her voice now hardened. "For someone who calls himself a 'man of the earth' and presents himself as a stallion with so many exceptional young women, I thought you would have good prospects for the future. That is what I expect from the one who claims to be the husband of my dear disciple."
Zhì Yuǎn finished emptying his bowl and rested his chopsticks on the table. He did not change his expression and did not raise his voice. The tone came out casual, as if commenting on a cart journey.
"I don't plan on staying on this plane for long, Elder," he answered with absolute calm. "We are only passing through. I will continue ascending."
Elder Yáo stopped breathing for a fraction of a second.
Continue ascending.
She looked at the poorly hidden brutality of Yù Méi, the piercing arrogance of Yù Qíng, and the man in front of her who radiated a heavy apathy toward the laws of the clan.
If he was going to continue ascending, and claimed to be a "man of the earth"… he was not a hidden talent born in some legacy clan. He was an ascendant from a lower plane.
The revelation clicked the pieces into place in the old woman's head with an audible snap. That explained everything: the total lack of etiquette and the aggressiveness of the wives. For someone who had already shattered the heavens of a world, the title of "Elder" must truly sound like a bad joke.
Elder Yáo leaned back in her chair. A much more genuine and impressed smile took over her face.
After observing each of the women around her again, she accepted the absurdity.
"So you have an interest in becoming stronger, I presume. I do not know your exact cultivation. The rule states that the energy of the Immortal Establishment realm is required to break the ceiling of a lower plane…" she joined the thumb and index finger of her right hand, forming a circle and positioning it in front of her eye, channeling her own Qi to look at Zhì Yuǎn. "But I am an expert at reading bone age. And all I see in front of me is a young man under fifty years old."
She leaned forward, joining her hands under her chin and staring at the man to whom her disciple had surrendered so quickly.
"Tell me, are you an unprecedented genius, or did you discover some special trick from the place you came from? Because the only way to ascend planes is through a heavenly tribulation… isn't it?" she concluded, tilting her head to the side and flashing a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
Zhì Yuǎn sighed lightly and decided to maintain the act:
"As I already said, Elder, I am merely a…"
"A 'man of the earth,' I get it," the old woman interrupted. "You don't need to keep repeating it. I noticed that you like to appear humble while flaunting the greatest luxuries of the world as an everyday lunch for your family. I understand that. But do not make me test your cultivation to get my answer."
This time, Zhì Yuǎn did not know how to retort immediately. He slowly shook his head and continued:
"I do not have the presumption to lie to my wife's Master. It would be imprudent and unfilial on my part." He gave a defeated half-smile. "But I can guarantee you, Elder: all I want is to spend eternity by the side of my women. And I will do whatever is necessary to make that happen."
The quiet that followed brought no tension. Quite the opposite. The women around the table stared at him with a dangerous gleam in their eyes, radiating a hunger that heated the air. Only Elder Yáo and Lín Jié seemed immune.
The old woman cleared her throat dryly, deliberately breaking the group's predatory trance.
"I understand your position and will not insist further… for today." She rose elegantly. But, abandoning her dignified aura, she rubbed her belly shamelessly while flashing a sharp smile. "Thank you for the introductory lunch. It has been years since I ate so well. With this, you have already earned my blessing."
She turned her face to Huáng Bìyù.
"Although I am curious to see how you will please that one's grandfather. I think a good lunch is far from enough for the old General."
"Do not worry, Elder," Yù Qíng approached and held the old woman's hands with a small smile on her face. "My husband is proficient in everything he decides to touch. There is no man in this empire he cannot bring to heel… if it is useful to him, of course."
"Right." Master Yáo nodded before withdrawing her hands. The silky heat of the Priestess's skin seeped through the illusory veil. The contact disconcerted the old woman's ancient mind for a fraction of a second, but she blinked quickly to recover, turning to Lín Jié.
"I will inform the council that I confiscated you to serve in my herb courtyard. None of those old men would dare step into my backyard to look for you."
Lín Jié stood and made a quick, deep bow.
"Thank you for your consideration, Elder. You can be certain you will be well rewarded for helping us free Jié from this useless bureaucracy," Zhì Yuǎn said before the former secretary could thank her.
"Mhm."
With a short nod, the old woman descended the terrace steps and disappeared among the willows of the garden.
The moment her presence dissipated, the invisible weight evaporated completely.
Qīng Yǔ let out a long, trembling sigh. The accumulated tension melted from the young healer's face. She turned and threw her arms around Yù Qíng's neck in a tight hug.
"Everything went well…" Qīng Yǔ murmured, resting her face on the Priestess's shoulder. "I was so afraid she would try to fight our husband. Thank you, Eldest Sister."
Yù Qíng smiled gently and ran her pale hand through the young woman's hair.
At the other end of the table, Yù Méi rested her chin on her hand and looked at Huáng Bìyù, her almond eyes gleaming with provocation.
"So, your grandfather is a stubborn old bone, is he?" the youngest asked, clicking her tongue with disdain.
Huáng Bìyù crossed her arms over her full breasts. An ironic, almost challenging smile formed on the warrior's face.
"He is the Supreme General of the Huánglóng Clan," Huáng Bìyù answered, her voice firm. "The old man was cleaving mountains in half in his youth and bends the knee to no emperor."
Zhì Yuǎn let out a rustic laugh, the deep sound breaking the girls' exchange of barbs.
"We will take care of the old general another time," he said, turning the wine cup in his hand. "Right now we have another priority on the table."
He turned his face to the white-haired diplomat.
"Mò Yán, I want you to speak with Mèng Lián. We need to accelerate the takeover of the conglomerate responsible for the Firmament Auction. I want the information roots of this world open to us as soon as possible."
The man then lazily waved his hand in the air.
The woman with red hair and luxurious crimson silks materialized beside the mahogany table.
Mèng Lián blinked, still looking forward after the sudden spatial transition. The redhead's gaze locked directly onto the faces of Qīng Yǔ and Huáng Bìyù.
The healer's clear eyes widened, causing her to release her hold on the Priestess, while the jade warrior completely lost her composure.
"A-Aunt Feng?!" the two exclaimed in unison, their voices choked with pure disbelief.
Mèng Lián recognized the two young fairies immediately, but showed no reaction to their shock. The redhead's gaze dropped quickly to the chair at the head of the table.
The moment she saw Zhì Yuǎn seated there, the feared Madame Feng did not hesitate.
She dropped to her knees, pressing her forehead to the floor.
"My Lord…" Mèng Lián's voice sounded low, almost a trembling whisper. "This slave awaits the privilege of receiving your orders."
Silence swallowed the place.
Qīng Yǔ brought both hands to her mouth, completely paralyzed. Huáng Bìyù stopped breathing, staring at the scene as if the sky had just fallen and crushed the earth.
And at the end of the table, Lín Jié merely tightened the fabric of her own skirt. The former bureaucrat's green eyes gleamed, her mind beginning to calculate the true scale of this family's power.