"Aiya, why is our little sister so shy?"
Yan Lingji bent down and gently traced a finger along Na'er's cheek.
Na'er lowered her head, her long hair covering half her face. The tips of her ears were so red they looked ready to drip blood.
"Big sister... don't..."
"Don't what? Don't touch you? Or don't tease you?"
Yan Lingji leaned closer with a beaming smile.
"Didn't you hear what your big brother said just now? He's a tentacle monster, you know~"
Na'er's body quivered slightly.
She lowered her eyes to the black dress she was wearing.
Her brother's body wrapped around her.
"Ten... tentacle monster..." she repeated softly.
Yan Lingji laughed even more merrily.
Just then, the black covering Na'er's body stirred violently.
Several pitch-black tentacles reached out from behind her, wrapped around her wrists and waist, then gave a gentle tug, suspending her in midair.
Another tentacle lifted her chin, forcing her to raise her head.
"Then, my little Na'er—"
Jiang Ce's voice sounded in her mind, touched with teasing.
"Are you ready, too?"
Na'er's cheeks were flushed, her eyes glistening with tears.
But when she thought of what her brother had said—unifying the world, becoming the younger sister of the empress, the Protector Princess—
She bit her lip and struggled to suppress her shyness before nodding.
"If... if big brother likes it... you can... take Na'er..."
Her voice was as faint as a mosquito's, yet carried a clumsy sincerity.
Jiang Ce chuckled.
"Heh heh—then, Na'er, let's start by practicing your oral skills."
A pitch-black tentacle reached her lips and gently tapped them.
Na'er's face grew even redder.
But she didn't shy away.
She cupped the tentacle in both hands and lowered her head, her eyelashes trembling faintly.
Watching this little white flower begin her "practical exercises," Yan Lingji giggled and leaned in, too.
She grasped the same tentacle and kissed it several times, a seductive look in the corners of her eyes.
"My king, I want to, too~"
Xiaomeng stood to one side, expressionless.
What were these people doing now?
She wanted to turn and leave.
Before she could take a step, a tentacle reached over her shoulder and pressed against her lips.
Xiaomeng turned her head away.
The tentacle followed and pressed against her lips again.
Xiaomeng turned away once more.
The tentacle followed again.
She glared in Jiang Ce's direction, her gaze icy.
But Jiang Ce ignored her completely.
The tentacle forcefully pushed itself to her lips.
Xiaomeng gritted her teeth.
"...Mmph."
Meanwhile, Yan Lingji continued "practicing" while controlling the puppets guarding the outside.
"Go tell the Black Cloud Chamber of Commerce and the auction houses to bring over all the fresh Soul Beast corpses. Buy them all."
The puppets took their orders and left.
Less than half an hour later,
Soul Beast corpses filled the Merchant Guild plaza.
The largest was a six-meter-long Blazing Tiger, while the smallest was a Windblade Wolf about half a person tall.
Some had died only recently, their blood still running; others had been left for a day or two, their flesh slightly darkened.
There were more than eighty in all, ranging in age from three thousand to ten thousand years.
"My king, everything's ready."
Yan Lingji wiped the corner of her mouth.
By then, Na'er had choked several times, bringing tears to her eyes, and cream had spilled from the corner of her mouth.
"Honestly, little sister, you can't waste it like that."
Yan Lingji scraped the cream from the corner of her mouth and put it in her own.
Na'er grew even more embarrassed and lowered her head, feeling so useless—she couldn't even manage something this simple. Had she disappointed her brother?
Jiang Ce's tentacle gently patted Na'er on the head.
"Na'er's a good girl. You're doing great."
As for Na'er, Jiang Ce found it amusing to train this little white flower.
He had no intention of devouring her in one bite. He planned to tease her properly first; she would taste even better when he finally savored her.
Beside them, Xiaomeng's throat bulged as she gulped down the thick Anmuxi yogurt, one mouthful at a time.
Only after the enormous syringe had injected all the liquid did the tentacle withdraw.
Xiaomeng shot the tentacle before her a cold glance, snorted, and wiped the corner of her mouth.
"Then let's go. We'll give you another boost."
Just then, Yan Lingji's other six clones returned as well.
Earlier, they had been sent to escort the elderly, women, and children, and had settled them safely.
Along the way, they had slain some criminals and Soul Beasts, raising the age of the Venom symbiote on their bodies to six thousand years.
All the clones regrouped and stood in a row.
Nine Yan Lingjis, all with identical faces and identical figures.
"My king, everyone's here."
The Yan Lingjis craned their necks in anticipation, gazing at the mountain of Soul Beast corpses in the plaza.
Yan Lingji's original body walked to the center of the plaza.
"Let's begin."
Black Venom tissue surged from everyone at once—Yan Lingji's original body, her eight clones, Xiaomeng, and Na'er.
Countless tentacles covered the Soul Beast corpses and began devouring them.
Bones cracked one after another as Venom wrapped around the flesh and quickly dissolved it.
Their ages increased.
The eight-thousand-year Blazing Tiger became four hundred and eighty years.
The five-thousand-year Windblade Wolf became three hundred years.
The ten-thousand-year Ironback Dragon became six hundred years.
More than eighty Soul Beasts, with a combined age of roughly four hundred and twenty thousand years.
Their freshness varied, and the conversion rate averaged about six percent. Jiang Ce gained a total of twenty-five thousand two hundred years.
After half of Yan Lingji's original body's Venom symbiote had been given to Na'er, its age had dropped from twelve thousand seven hundred years to six thousand three hundred and fifty.
But after killing those nobles, some guards, and the people of the Black Cloud Chamber of Commerce, it had climbed back to thirteen thousand years.
With the Soul Beast gains added, its total age rose to seventeen thousand years, and her Soul Power broke through to level sixty-eight.
The two combat clones had both fought on the front lines. Their symbiotes' age increased from twelve thousand seven hundred years to sixteen thousand years, and their Soul Power broke through to level sixty-seven.
The other six clones had previously been escorting the elderly, women, and children. They had started with only a little over five thousand years, but slain some Soul Beasts along the way, bringing their age back up to six thousand.
With the Soul Beast gains added, their symbiotes reached ten thousand years, and their Soul Power broke through to level sixty-six.
The Venom symbiote on Xiaomeng rose from fifty-nine thousand years to seventy thousand, and her Soul Power advanced to level sixty-nine.
The symbiote on Na'er rose from six thousand three hundred and fifty years to nine thousand. Her Soul Power was already overflowing, but without her First Soul Ring, she remained stuck at level ten.
"Not bad."
Jiang Ce's voice rang out.
"Now—"
A tentacle extended from the clothes on Yan Lingji's body.
"Let's go. It's time to take Heaven Dou Imperial City and crown you empress."
Before you continue