The night wore on, but sleep continued to evade Ling Xian.
Sitting alone beneath the ancient cedar tree, he focused his mind inward. Though he had temporarily stabilized his cultivation base through an alternative method—one that forcefully harmonized the imbalance using the foundation laid by his unique cultivation technique—he knew it was a temporary solution at best. The technique was profound, yet dangerously demanding.
The Yin-Yang Harmony Technique… a technique that now governed his very growth.
Unlike conventional cultivators who slowly accumulated energy and advanced in small steps, Ling Xian's cultivation method absorbed spiritual energy at an overwhelming rate. Each surge in his power was like a dam bursting open. If not redirected or balanced properly, the resulting force could destroy his core from within.
Suppressing it was possible—barely. But every time he attempted to meditate or circulate his Qi, his body responded with an overwhelming hunger. Not for food, not for resources… but for Yin energy. Dual cultivation.
This was not simply a benefit—it had become a necessity.
This technique is both a gift and a curse, Ling Xian thought. Without compatible partners, my cultivation will stall… or worse, spiral out of control.
He had seen it before. In his past life, when he rose through the heavens, he built a harem not out of desire, but out of necessity. His partners were not trophies—they were equals. Powerhouses who stood beside him, fought alongside him, and through the dual cultivation technique, elevated themselves just as he elevated.
But there was more than just one technique in his arsenal.
Within the core of his spiritual sea, intricate arrays pulsed with ancient power. The first was the Nine Revolutions Breathing Scripture, a primordial cultivation art long lost even to the celestial realms. It was subtle, quiet—far from flashy—but it rebuilt the body from its very essence. A perfect foundation.
Layered atop that was the Ninefold Heaven-Devouring Meridian Art—a terrifying body-refining technique capable of compressing and circulating qi with ruthless efficiency. This technique transformed his meridians into vessels of divine resilience, allowing him to harness more power than any cultivator at his level.
These techniques, together with the Yin-Yang Harmony Technique, formed the basis of his new path.
They are the core of my cultivation, he realized. Not a single one can be discarded.
But their combination also came at a cost—his cultivation would never follow a normal path. With every breakthrough, the instability would increase, forcing him to rely more heavily on dual cultivation.
And now… the same path lies ahead.
Only this time, the world he found himself in was more fragile. The women here were yet to bloom into their full potential. But just like before, he would raise them—not just for his sake, but for theirs too. Each one would walk their own path, with him guiding them from the shadows.
He glanced up toward the sky, the stars glimmering like ancient memories.
In this lifetime… I will do it all again. But better.
He would build his harem—not for lust, but for legacy.
And it would begin here. Now.
Elsewhere, beneath the silver moonlight, Yan Ruyin sat on a rock beside a gentle stream.
Her mind was anything but calm.
She dipped her fingers into the cold water, the ripples spreading outward, mirroring the turbulence in her chest. Ling Xian's words echoed in her thoughts—the confession of his cultivation technique, the way he promised to protect her, and that name: Ling Xian.
He was unlike any man she had ever met. Since childhood, she had been taught to be cautious, wary of men's intentions. She had never felt warmth from their gaze, only hunger or ambition. But Ling Xian…
He was different.
He didn't beg for trust—he earned it. He didn't boast of power—he proved it. And when he made promises, she felt he would die before breaking them.
Why did her heart stir whenever he looked at her? Why did her normally icy resolve tremble at the thought of his presence?
This isn't me, she told herself. I've always kept my distance.
And yet, he had slipped through her defenses without even trying. Was it his calm, his strength, or that soul-deep aura that made her heart flutter?
She sighed.
If his cultivation technique is real… If it truly allows me to raise my cultivation level—then it's more than just a gamble. It's also an opportunity.
But more than that, she felt something awakening inside her. Not just the chance for growth—but for something deeper, something frighteningly unfamiliar…
Is this… the beginning of something more?
She touched her chest lightly, where her heart still beat a little too fast.
Ling Xian… just who are you, really?
And why does part of me want to find out more, no matter the cost?
To be continued...