Sea God Island.
Bo Saixi stood before the temple, the Golden Scepter in her hand.
Her bearing was still dignified and graceful, but clear anxiety showed on her beautiful face.
On the Sky Screen, Liu Yixue, empress of the Heaven Dou Empire and her "good sister," had just made the list.
Bo Saixi's lips twitched faintly. She knew better than anyone how wildly that woman had cultivated with Brother Cao in her dreams.
And now, sure enough, she had made the list.
"With my strength..."
"There's no way I can avoid making the list. If the Yin-Yang Reincarnation Technique gets exposed, then wouldn't that..."
She didn't dare think any further.
The high priestess of Sea God Island, a symbol of invincibility in the ocean, and the spiritual pillar of countless Sea Soul Masters.
She had cultivated the Yin-Yang Reincarnation Technique and communed in dreams with a young man an untold number of times?
If word got out, how could she face anyone? How could she face her followers? How could she face the Sea God?
Spirit Hall, Pope Palace.
Bibi Dong sat on the papal throne, holding a cup of tea, yet staring blankly at the Sky Screen.
Scenes from those dreams kept flashing through her mind.
Communing with Brother Cao in the Dream Space, discussing the origin of life, breaking through bottlenecks again and again, losing herself in one exhilarating session after another...
She felt heat rising through her body, her cheeks flushing red. She didn't even notice the tea spilling.
"Mother?" A concerned voice came from beside her. "What's wrong? Your face is so red."
Qian Renxue had come to her side at some point.
Bibi Dong jolted back to her senses and tensed. She forced herself to stay calm. "N-no... nothing. It's a little hot."
Qian Renxue glanced suspiciously out the window. The sky was overcast, and a cool breeze was blowing. How could it be hot?
Bibi Dong hurriedly changed the subject. "Y-you... what brings you here?"
Qian Renxue didn't press her. She simply said softly, "I haven't seen you in days, Mother, so I came to visit."
As she looked at her mother's flushed cheeks, doubts quietly stirred in her heart.
That expression... why did it look so familiar? Flushed cheeks, a hazy gaze.
Wasn't that exactly how she looked whenever she thought of Brother Cao?
Exactly the same!
Could it be... Mother, too...?
Bibi Dong's thoughts were a tangled mess.
It was over! Now that the Combat Power Ranking had appeared, she definitely wouldn't be able to keep her cultivation of the Yin-Yang Reincarnation Technique secret.
How would she face her daughter, Qian Renxue? How would she face her disciple, Hu Liena?
Both mother and daughter had their own thoughts, and a delicate silence settled over the hall.
Similar scenes were unfolding all across the continent.
They all shared one thing in common: they were no longer young, held high status, and possessed formidable cultivation.
In their dreams, they had all shared intimate exchanges with that mysterious man. They had all poured countless hours of sweat—and adopted countless positions—to change their fates.
All they wanted was to grow stronger in secret. They had no desire for everyone to find out.
Now that the Combat Power Ranking had appeared, how could they face their families? Their husbands? Their children?
They could only pray that far more than fifteen women had received Brother Cao's guidance, so perhaps they wouldn't make the list.
Ye Family Fortress, rear courtyard guest room.
Cao Xiyu had just finished demonstrating the 108 forms of the Spring and Autumn Staff Technique.
Ye Lingling lay limp on the bed, her eyes vacant and her body drenched in sweat. She looked as though every last bit of strength had been wrung out of her.
Cao Xiyu sat at her bedside, a faint smile on his lips. "Madam, are you all right?"
Ye Lingling glared at him weakly. "Y-you're going to be the death of me..."
Cao Xiyu chuckled. "If you still have some resentment to vent, I can give you another round."
Ye Lingling hurriedly waved her hands. "N-no, thanks! That's enough! Enough!"
She struggled to sit up and hastily straightened the bed. Only then did she let out a long breath and regain some of her usual poise.
"Husband."
She turned to Cao Xiyu, a teasing glint in her eyes. "Those 'good sisters' are all coming. Don't keep them waiting too long. We wouldn't want them thinking I'm a jealous first wife."
Cao Xiyu's heart stirred, and he rose to his feet.
Seeing his slightly nervous expression, Ye Lingling couldn't help laughing. "Don't worry, Husband. They're just a few young girls. Easy to handle!"
She smoothed the stray hair at her temple, elegant and composed.
Those little vixens were all pretty and charming, so what?
She was her husband's lawful wife.
With her here, they could only ever be concubines!
Ye Lingling and Cao Xiyu walked out of the guest room side by side, about to head outside the fortress to welcome the Zhu sisters.
Suddenly, the space before them rippled!
A pink figure appeared out of thin air in the courtyard.
She was a girl who looked like a little girl, innocent and lively, with long black hair woven into a scorpion braid that fell past her calves.
Her features were delicate and petite, and her large eyes sparkled.
Most eye-catching of all was her pair of extraordinarily long legs: straight and slender, close to perfect.
It was Xiao Wu, who had arrived using a Teleportation Talisman.
She spotted Cao Xiyu at once, and her large eyes lit up.
"Xiao Wu greets Brother Cao!"
She hurried over and stopped in front of Cao Xiyu, looking up at him.
Cao Xiyu nodded, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly. "You're here."
"Wait here for a while. There are a few more outside."
Xiao Wu obediently nodded, then turned and saw Ye Lingling standing nearby, watching her with a bright smile.
She hurried over, beaming. "You must be Sister! You're a hundred times more beautiful in person than you looked on the Sky Screen! No wonder Brother Cao talks about you every day!"
Ye Lingling paused, and her fondness for the lovely, smiling girl sprang up at once.
"My little sister is so lively and adorable, a rare treasure in this world. You're the truly beautiful one."
She took Xiao Wu's hand. "You must be tired, little sister. Come sit. Xiao Cui, bring some tea!"
Xiao Wu accepted the teacup and smiled sweetly. "Sister, you're as kind as you are beautiful! No wonder Brother Cao dotes on you alone."
Ye Lingling smiled faintly. "Since you're here, make yourself at home. My Ye Family Fortress may not be a palace, but there's certainly room for you to stay."
Xiao Wu hurriedly thanked her. "Then thank you for taking me in, Sister. Xiao Wu will be good!"
Ye Lingling gently patted the back of her hand. "What a lovely girl."
The two women smiled at one another, one poised and composed, the other sweet and well-behaved. They got along as if they'd known each other for years.
Cao Xiyu stood to the side, silently watching them without a word.
This wasn't sisterly affection at all. His wife was clearly staking her claim.
She had put on the airs of the "lawful wife" and adopted the pose of a gracious host.
Every word told Xiao Wu: You're the guest, and I'm the mistress of the house. You may stay, but you must know your place.
And Xiao Wu?
She kept her posture low and was so well-behaved that no one could find the slightest fault with her. She was telling Ye Lingling: I won't fight or compete. I only want to stay.
Cao Xiyu silently sighed to himself.
Women... they really were natural actresses.
He shook his head and turned to look outside the fortress.
The Zhu sisters were still bickering there, and the other girls were on their way.
Ye Family Fortress was going to be lively from now on.