Resting in the warmth of their shared moment, Yan Hong Lian and Yan Die Qing leaned against Lan An, their faces glowing with contentment, their smiles soft and fulfilled.
"Two years from now, will you both enter Sacred Lotus Academy?" Lan An asked, inhaling deeply, savoring their presence as he broached the topic.
"Yes," the sisters nodded. Hong Lian looked up, her crimson lips parting as she explained, "Sacred Lotus Academy is the holy land for cultivators on the Bing Tian Frost Continent. Though it stays aloof from worldly conflicts, its prestige surpasses even the two Ninth-Rank factions."
"Every ten years, the Academy holds admissions. Eight years have passed since the last, so in two years, it will open again," she continued. "Major factions from Sixth-Rank upward earn quotas for direct entry, bypassing the trials. Sixth-Rank factions get two slots, Seventh-Rank three, Eighth-Rank four, and Ninth-Rank five."
As Hong Lian spoke, Ting'er piped up, her voice innocent, "Come home with us, An! In two years, we can enter together without facing the trials."
Hong Lian gave a wry smile at her sister's naivety. Lan An had won both their hearts, but returning to the Yan Clan now would likely provoke their fiery mother's wrath, perhaps to a fatal degree.
Lan An chuckled, gently stroking Ting'er's cheek. As a System-bearer, his path demanded constant progress. Lingering in one place too long was impossible; he needed to complete missions to grow stronger. Moreover, each cauldron condensed by the Immortal Genesis Scripture required resources so vast that even an Eighth-Rank faction like the Yan Clan might struggle to provide them.
With resolve, Lan An said earnestly, "In two years, we'll reunite at Sacred Lotus Academy. Once I've gained strength and achievements, I'll come to the Yan Clan to formally seek your hands. No god or buddha will stand in my way."
"Mm," the sisters nodded in unison, their faith in his terrifying talent absolute. Given time, they believed he'd claim a place atop this continent.
Unbeknownst to them, Lan An's ambitions stretched beyond the Bing Tian Frost Continent, reaching for Yue Long Star and realms even higher.
Though tempted to linger in their embrace, Lan An knew he couldn't indulge too long in romance. Many tasks awaited. Gently disentangling himself from their affectionate hold, he helped the sisters rise.
Hong Lian and Ting'er understood it was time to return home. They'd left to train, and gaining the Strange Fire with Lan An was an unexpected boon for Hong Lian. But they'd been away too long; their mother might come searching if they delayed further.
Imagining their mother's fury, the sisters shivered.
"What's wrong?" Lan An asked, noticing their unease.
"We've given ourselves to you. Mother will be furious," Ting'er said, sticking out her tongue.
Realization dawned on Lan An. "I'll go with you," he declared. As a man, he felt duty-bound to take responsibility.
"With Mother's fiery temper, she'd likely strike you down before we could intervene," Hong Lian said, her heart warmed by his concern but firm in refusal.
"Giggle, we'll explain everything. Once her anger cools, we'll arrange for you to meet," Hong Lian reassured, her smile alluring.
"But…" Lan An hesitated.
"No buts. Mother loves us dearly. She'll scold us at worst. Your presence would only escalate things," Hong Lian said, squeezing his hand.
"Besides, our cultivation has soared, and Sister gained the Strange Fire. I plan to gift Mother the Thunder Scepter. She might even turn her anger to joy," Ting'er giggled, shaking her head playfully.
"Mother has a Thunder spiritual root too?" Lan An asked, surprised.
"Yes, she wields both Thunder and Fire roots," the sisters said proudly, their mother's strength evident.
Lan An nodded. Leading an Eighth-Rank clan like the Yan Clan, her power likely rivaled Lan Po Lei's. Curiosity piqued, he asked, "You've only mentioned your mother. What about your father?"
"Our father passed when we were young," they said, their voices tinged with sadness.
"I'm sorry," Lan An said softly, comforting them.
"Compared to you, we've been far luckier," Ting'er said, her smile returning, though a flash of hatred crossed her innocent eyes, recalling the Lan Clan's cruelty to Lan An.
"Mm," Hong Lian agreed, her resentment no less fierce. They could scarcely fathom a father like Lan Po Lei committing such acts.
"Don't worry. I'll make them pay," Lan An vowed, gripping their hands.
"It's time to leave this place," he said.
The sisters retrieved fresh clothes from their storage rings. Hong Lian donned a red gown that accentuated her fiery elegance, while Ting'er chose a white dress, highlighting her pure charm.
Seeing Lan An still bare, his old Lan Clan robes burned away by the flames, the sisters burst into laughter. A Late-Stage Golden Core cultivator without clothes—how absurd!
"What's so funny? Got a solution?" Lan An asked, exasperated. He couldn't leave like this, regretting not asking Yan Ruo for spare robes earlier.
"Check that," Ting'er said, pointing to a skull-shaped ring on the ground—the source of the Blazing Passion Incense that had bound their fates.
"Right. Do you know anything about the one called the Evil Emperor?" Lan An asked, picking up the ring, recalling the eerie man's self-proclaimed title.
The sisters exchanged puzzled glances. Hong Lian spoke, "From his words, he's existed for countless years. We don't know him, but we'll investigate once we return to the clan."
"Mm, he seemed far from virtuous," Lan An nodded, handing the Thunder Scepter to Ting'er.
"Mother will love it. For a Void Refining cultivator like her, binding it will be easy," Ting'er said, caressing the scepter fondly.
"These are at least Earth-Grade treasures. Bind the ring quickly," Hong Lian urged, recognizing their value.
Lan An nodded, dripping blood onto the Black Skull Ring. To his surprise, the blood was repelled.
"Careful!" the sisters warned.
A surge of black energy shot toward Lan An's brow, a sharp pain stabbing his soul. The ring was resisting, unbound by the System's suppression, making it defiant.
"Hmph, a mantis blocking a chariot," Lan An snorted. Attacking a soul fortified by the Immortal Genesis Scripture was futile.
As expected, sensing his soul's aura, the black energy retreated, trembling as if in fear. Lan An dripped blood again, and this time, the ring submitted, its details flooding his mind.
The sisters gaped, amazed at his effortless binding of an Earth-Grade treasure.
"Not bad—a storage ring," Lan An said, smiling. With a thought, a black robe with purple accents appeared. He dressed swiftly.
"Much more dashing," Ting'er said, admiring him. As a Third-Turn Body Cultivator, Lan An stood 1.83 meters tall, his muscles taut with power, his black hair flowing freely. His silver eye, shimmering like a moon, paired with the black-and-purple robe, gave him an enigmatic, captivating aura.
"Giggle, how could our man be ordinary?" Hong Lian laughed, her eyes sparkling with pride.
Inspecting the ring, Lan An said to Hong Lian, "Thanks to you, we avoided disaster. The other cave the Sha Hai Crew entered would've been our doom."
"You mean their cave?" the sisters asked, curious.
"Yes. The Evil Emperor's schemes were twisted. That cave held a chamber too, but it concealed Death Qi. Anyone below Spirit Transformation entering would perish," Lan An explained.
"Why would he do that?" Ting'er asked, puzzled.
"He sought both an heir and victims to die with him," Lan An said wryly, befitting his "Evil" title.
"Poor Sha Hai Crew," the sisters sighed. Opportunity and danger were ever entwined, and they were fortunate to claim this fortune.
Examining the Black Skull Ring, Lan An shared openly, "It's called the Black Skull Ring. Besides records of this cave's layout and some of his robes, it holds a Top-Tier Earth-Grade technique, plus recipes for the Demonic Thought Pill and several illusion arrays."
"Top-Tier Earth-Grade technique?" the sisters gasped. Such techniques were rare even in the Yan Clan.
Slipping the ring onto his index finger, Lan An summoned an ancient tome inscribed with "Thunder-Fire Mysterious Art." He tossed it to the sisters.
Overwhelmed with gratitude, they meticulously copied the technique, knowing their mother, with her Thunder and Fire roots, would value it. Though she practiced a Heaven-Grade technique, the Thunder-Fire Mysterious Art offered immense reference value, strengthening the clan's foundation.
"Here's the original," they said, returning it, each kissing his cheek.
"Want the Demonic Thought Pill recipe or the arrays?" Lan An asked, smiling. To his women, he spared no generosity. With a forbidden technique and the System, he hardly coveted such trinkets.
He realized Jin'er's influence had raised his standards; ordinary techniques no longer caught his eye.
"No need. The Demonic Thought Pill isn't suitable for us, and the Yan Clan has plenty of arrays," they declined.
Lan An didn't press. He gathered the Evil Emperor's shattered bones, arranging them respectfully in the chamber's center. The throne had been incinerated by the Violet Heart Void-Burning Flame, but the bones remained intact.
Leading the sisters, he bowed to the remains, honoring the legacy and the fated bond they'd received.
Creak.
As they bowed, the sealed chamber's door swung open. Had they not shown gratitude, they'd have needed brute force to escape. The Evil Emperor's posthumous schemes were as cunning as ever.
Lan An marveled silently, taking their soft hands. "Let's go."
"Yes," the sisters said, linking arms with him. With a final, reluctant glance at the chamber, they turned and left.