Mu Zixuan blinked, visibly stunned by Lu Chen's casual revelation.
In her eyes, Wang Qingci had always been just an ordinary courtesan—graceful, perhaps, but ultimately unremarkable.
But Lu Chen continued with a calm, composed tone, "She's a ninth-rank warrior… and the Saint of the Misty Rain Pavilion."
Mu Zixuan's mind went blank for a moment. She didn't even know what kind of force Misty Rain Pavilion was, but a ninth-rank warrior—serving drinks in a place like Baihua Tower? That clearly spelled out one thing: conspiracy.
Only now did Mu Zixuan realize why Wang Qingci had so abruptly taken an interest in her. The whole 'ordering soap' scenario had been nothing more than a convenient excuse. Her real goal was likely to approach the Prince.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Mu Zixuan quickly lowered her head and said, "Your Highness, I admit my mistake. I didn't know her true identity and ended up inviting the wolf into our home. I'm willing to accept any punishment."
Lu Chen chuckled and reached out to gently scratch the tip of her nose. "Ignorance isn't a crime. I'm not blaming you."
Mu Zixuan hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Then… how does Your Highness plan to deal with her and Baihua Tower?"
Rather than answering directly, Lu Chen turned his gaze toward the teapot on the stone table and asked with a faint smile, "My dear, after drinking the Dragon and Phoenix Tea just now, did you feel anything unusual?"
Mu Zixuan tilted her head in thought. "Unusual?"
"Yes," Lu Chen said. "Other than feeling refreshed… did your body feel warm? Agitated, maybe?"
As he spoke, he placed his hand lightly on Mu Zixuan's stomach and gently rubbed it. Her cheeks flushed crimson as realization dawned—so that's what he meant.
Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Just now… I suddenly recalled the night of our wedding. The scene kept replaying in my mind, and I couldn't stop thinking about it…"
Lu Chen nodded. "That's the effect of the Dragon and Phoenix Tea."
"This tea, cultivated with a drop of my blood, creates a powerful bond. Any woman who drinks it will naturally grow more attached to me."
Now that Mu Zixuan's favorability towards him had reached ninety-five, there was no longer any need to keep such details hidden.
She finally understood why she had felt so drawn to him earlier—it wasn't her imagination. It had been the tea's influence.
And then it hit her—when Wang Qingci had left, Lu Chen had casually handed her two taels of Dragon and Phoenix Tea.
Her eyes widened. "So, Your Highness gave the tea to Wang Qingci… was that to win her over?"
Lu Chen smiled. "Misty Rain Pavilion offered me a ninth-rank beauty. It'd be rude of me not to accept the gift."
Mu Zixuan gave a soft laugh. "Then allow me to congratulate Your Highness on conquering a ninth-rank expert."
Lu Chen only smiled in response, choosing not to elaborate further.
…
After spending some quiet time embracing Mu Zixuan in the pavilion, Lu Chen felt the stirrings of restlessness and excused himself to head toward the north courtyard.
There, inside the room, Zhou Xiaoxiao and Zhou Youyou waited patiently. Though both were already his women, their hearts still raced in anticipation of his visit.
Unlike the formalities of marrying a main wife, the process for taking concubines was much simpler. Once the celebratory banquet was over, there was nothing left to delay.
When Lu Chen entered the room, he found the two sisters seated gracefully on the bed. He smiled, pulled out a tin of Dragon and Phoenix Tea, and began brewing a pot.
"Xiaoxiao, Youyou," he called, beckoning them over. "Come try the tea I made."
Though confused about why he'd serve tea at such a moment, neither sister questioned him. He was the Prince, and they had learned quickly that obedience was the most important virtue in his presence.
The sisters rose and took the teacups, sipping the golden liquid.
Zhou Xiaoxiao's eyes lit up in surprise. "Your Highness, what kind of tea is this? It's so sweet…"
Lu Chen smiled and draped an arm around her waist. "This is Dragon and Phoenix Tea. It'll help us… focus better in a little while."
Their cheeks instantly flushed pink with understanding.
But instead of acting on the moment, Lu Chen paused. He suddenly remembered something—there was still one item in his beginner's gift pack that he hadn't used: the Dragon-Tiger Pill.
Its purpose was simple—boosting one's 'combat effectiveness'. He hadn't bothered with it before. As a first-rank warrior, his physique was already several times stronger than that of ordinary men, more than enough to handle Mu Zixuan and the Zhou sisters.
Still, since it was just sitting there unused—and the effect was permanent—why not take it now?
Without another thought, Lu Chen retrieved the Dragon-Tiger Pill from the system space and popped it into his mouth.
The taste wasn't particularly noteworthy—just like a candy bean. But the moment he swallowed it, nothing happened.
He blinked. "Did it expire?" he muttered to himself. "I did get it two months ago…"
As he puzzled over it, the fragrance of the Zhou sisters drifted into his nostrils. Suddenly, a wave of intense heat surged through his body. His blood boiled, and his muscles tensed with power.
Lu Chen's brows furrowed. He had definitely underestimated the potency of this thing.
With no other option, he turned to the two sisters to help him… deal with his condition.
…
[Ding! The host and his wife and concubine developed mutual feelings. Qi Refining Technique experience +10. Breakthrough: Level 1 achieved. Host's cultivation advances to the fourth rank.]
[Ding! The host and his wife and concubine developed mutual feelings. Rejuvenation Hand experience +10. Congratulations, new skill "Rejuvenation Hand" unlocked.]
[Congratulations! Zhou Xiaoxiao is pregnant. You've obtained the perfume-making technique.]
[Pregnancy rewards are encouragement bonuses. Please ensure the child is safely born. Greater rewards await for producing offspring.]
A flurry of system prompts filled Lu Chen's vision, making his blood stir again—this time not from the pill, but from excitement.
He could feel the change in his body—he was lighter, stronger, and more energized.
If not for Zhou Xiaoxiao and Youyou lying fast asleep, he might have continued cultivating their relationship further.
He opened his system panel to assess the changes:
---
Host: Lu Chen
Realm: Fourth Level
Skills: Qi Refining Technique [Level 1], Rejuvenation Hand [Just Unlocked]
Magical Powers: None
Weapons: Desert Eagle, Barrett, Grenade
Offspring: None
---
He paused at the sight of "Level 1" next to the Qi Refining Technique. Just one breakthrough had vaulted him from the first to the fourth realm?
If he advanced to Level 2, would he reach Grandmaster?
What about Level 10?
Would he ascend to immortality?
Just as he entertained the thought, the system's cold voice interrupted:
[Host, please keep your feet on the ground. Do not indulge in unrealistic fantasies. This world does not permit the birth of immortals.]
Lu Chen blinked.
"Well, that's disappointing," he muttered. "But no matter."
Immortality wasn't necessary. As long as he could cultivate the Qi Refining Technique, he had a clear advantage.
Compared to traditional martial cultivation, this technique offered significantly faster progression. Advancing one level had boosted his realm by three entire stages. Reaching Level 2 might not make him a Grandmaster, but it would bring him extremely close.
And even so—what did it mean to be a Grandmaster?
In this world, even a so-called master was merely someone stronger than most.
Lu Chen couldn't help but smirk at the thought. With a Desert Eagle in hand, he could eliminate a ninth-rank warrior in an instant.
In the end, martial prowess was just one of many tools. Firearms… made all men equal.
His growing strength only served one purpose: to better protect what he wanted.
And to take what he desired.
﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌
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