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Everyone gathered and descended upon the Ancient City, with the major factions making their way inside.

"Mmph!" Dan Chen's crystalline eyes widened considerably, a pink flush spreading from her slender neck all the way to her face. Yet she still could not escape Xiao Yan's domineering embrace.

A long time later, Xiao Yan smacked his lips, still wanting more. Looking at Dan Chen's face, red enough to drip blood, he demanded fiercely, "Do you still dare to be angry with me?"

Dan Chen shook her head, blushing. Her mind was still a complete blank.

Seeing her like this, Xiao Yan suddenly reached out, slipped an arm around her slender waist, and drew her into his embrace.

"I'm sorry. I can give you many things, but the one thing I can't give you is exclusive love."

If a girl on Earth in his previous life had heard that, she probably would have slapped Xiao Yan across the face and told him to get lost.

But to the girls of this world, especially someone as innocent as Dan Chen, those words sounded exceptionally sincere.

She lifted her crystalline, peach-blossom eyes and looked at Xiao Yan with hurt in her gaze. The sight of her brimming tears tugged at his heart.

"W-why?" she asked, staring at Xiao Yan.

"Because I'm a scumbag."

A trace of tender affection crossed Xiao Yan's expression as he said, "I'm the Xiao Clan's Saint Son. While I enjoy the clan's vast resources, I also have to contribute to it.

"From the day I became the Saint Son, the clan arranged a marriage between me and the Saint Daughter of another Ancient Family. I can't betray my clan."

A look of sorrow and anguish appeared on his face. "I know this is wrong, but from the day I met you, I wanted to fall for you.

"Although this is terrible behavior, and might even hurt you, I can't control myself. It's perfectly natural for you to be angry, and you're right to blame me. But no matter what, I won't let you leave my side."

Tears misted Dan Chen's peach-blossom eyes. In the end, she buried herself in Xiao Yan's embrace and began sobbing softly.

"Boohoo... but... but I really don't want to share you with anyone else..."

"I'm sorry. To give every girl a warm home, I'm destined to make you suffer." Xiao Yan patted her back, letting her vent the hurt in her heart.

Only after a long time did the girl stop sobbing.

"Done crying?" Xiao Yan asked, looking at her.

Dan Chen nodded her little head.

Xiao Yan said nothing. Looking into her eyes, he lowered his head again.

"Slurp, slurp."

An hour later, after taking Dan Chen home, Xiao Yan wiped his mouth, still wanting more. The admiring gaze of the Dou Wang at the Dan Residence's entrance left him thoroughly satisfied.

He swaggered back to Starfall Pavilion's residence, only to find Yao Lao brewing a pot of tea and sharing it with Xuan Yi in a small pavilion.

"Teacher! Mistress!" Xiao Yan walked over with a cheeky grin.

"Don't talk nonsense, you little rascal." A blush appeared on Xuan Yi's face as she glared at Xiao Yan.

"Exactly, exactly. There's nothing between your Aunt Xuan and me. What nonsense are you spouting?" Yao Lao had barely finished agreeing before he let out a shriek.

At some point, a small foot in an embroidered shoe had come down on his. Yao Lao's foot had not been crushed, but a bottomless hole had appeared beneath their feet.

Clearly, Xuan Yi had put considerable force into that stomp-probably enough to kick a Dou Emperor to death.

After glaring at Yao Lao, Xuan Yi suddenly switched to a smile. Looking at Xiao Yan with smiling eyes, she asked, "Little Yanzi, never mind us for now. Your Aunt Xuan wants to ask you something: do you have any intentions toward my Cao Ying?

"I hear you've been getting very close to the Dan Family's girl lately. Let me tell you, my Ying'er won't willingly share a husband with someone else."

"Oh, is that so?" A faint smile appeared at the corner of Xiao Yan's mouth. Looking at Xuan Yi, he said, "Xuan Yi, if that's the case, then forget it.

"To tell you the truth, I'm already engaged to the Ancient Clan Chief's daughter. Our clan chief personally arranged it. And I'm not afraid of frightening you when I say this: my future father-in-law... is a Nine-Star Dou Sheng.

"If you think the Cao Family or the Pill Tower is powerful enough, I wouldn't mind letting Cao Ying compete for the position of first wife."

Xiao Yan had still shown some restraint, not revealing Xiao Xuan's identity as well.

Smiling, he continued, "Dan Chen is gentle and softhearted. I've already persuaded her, and she's willing to be my secondary wife. As for Cao Ying, I've reserved a concubine's place for her. The offer won't last forever."

"The Ancient Clan Chief... a N-Nine-Star Dou Sheng?" Xuan Yi was not the only one dumbfounded. Yao Lao was too.

What did a Nine-Star Dou Sheng mean? Such an existence stood second only to a Dou Di, representing the very pinnacle of power on the continent. To sum it up in a single phrase: beneath one... above all living beings.

To an expert like that, there seemed to be no difference between the Cao Family and the Pill Tower.

Both were... existences he could erase with a wave of his hand.

And as the daughter of a Nine-Star Dou Sheng, Xiao Yan's fiancée could be said to possess the noblest status on the continent. Perhaps only the children of a Dou Di could be more exalted than her.

Seeing their dumbfounded expressions, Xiao Yan laughed inwardly.

Having a fiancée of such exalted status did bring some pressure. After all, the first wife was so powerful that even he felt somewhat constrained.

But viewed from the other side, Gu Xun'er's status was enough to press down on his entire harem until none of them could lift their heads.

In terms of talent, who could claim they would definitely become a Dou Sheng? Xun'er, with her divine-grade bloodline, could-and an Advanced Dou Sheng at that.

In terms of background, she had the Dou Qi Continent's second-largest faction behind her, along with a father who stood at the continent's pinnacle.

With a principal wife like her, Xiao Yan had no need to worry about fighting breaking out in his harem. Instead, he had to protect these little fish from being discovered by the great shark.

"Ah, take your time chatting. I'm going back to rest." Xiao Yan yawned, turned, and started to leave.

"Wait." Yao Lao suddenly called him back.

"I have news of a heavenly flame. Don't you want to hear it?"

The formerly languid Xiao Yan abruptly turned around, a sharp gleam flashing through his eyes.

"When did this happen? What heavenly flame appeared this time?"

Ever since he began cultivating the Flame Mantra, Xiao Yan had been plagued by kidney deficiency.

A heavenly flame had already become an urgent necessity for him. Once he obtained one, not only would much of his strength recover, but even his alchemy could rise another level, truly reaching the seventh rank.

"If I'm not mistaken, it should be the Yin-Yang Twin Flames..." Yao Lao's words brought a slight look of disappointment to Xiao Yan's face.

The Yin-Yang Twin Flames stood twenty-first on the heavenly flame ranking. Even if he devoured them, they would probably only evolve the Flame Mantra to the profound tier at most, leaving it a long way from the earth tier.

The advantage, however, was that a heavenly flame like this might be relatively easy for him to subdue, with somewhat less danger involved.

"This time, the Yin-Yang Twin Flames appeared in the ruins left by a Dou Sheng Expert. If the two Half-Saints backing you intervene, the Yin-Yang Twin Flames might explode and vanish along with the Ancient Ruins.

"But if they don't intervene, these ruins might not be entirely safe for you either.

"I have some detailed information on the Ancient Ruins here. You can take a look."

Yao Lao smiled and flicked a scroll toward Xiao Yan.

"In three days, the Pill Tower will organize a team of Sixth-Rank Alchemists whose strength has reached the Dou Emperor level to head to the ruins. You can choose to join the Pill Tower's team, or go on your own."

Holding the scroll, Xiao Yan pondered for a moment, then nodded to Yao Lao, turned, and left.

As she watched Xiao Yan's departing figure, a complicated look surfaced in Xuan Yi's eyes.