Chapter 153: Hundred Faces Revealed

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Sacred Lotus Academy…

Niang Zi Faction…

After meeting the Enforcers to register his faction, Lan An learned the Academy permitted only Factions (Bang Hui), not Harem (Hou Gong) as a name, dashing his plans.

He silently cursed Bing Lan Xi for omitting this rule, suspecting she found the Harem name amusing and chose not to warn him.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Lan An and his women relented. After discussion, they agreed the Harem Faction would remain their core identity for the martial world, while within the Academy, they'd operate as the Niang Zi Faction (Wives' Faction).

In a sense, the Niang Zi Faction was a branch of the Harem Faction, as the latter encompassed all Lan An's women, whereas the Niang Zi Faction excluded others like Ji Ya, Ji Bing, Bing Lan Xi, or Qin Meng Ying.

As for that domineering, haughty Yan Mei, she was temporarily set aside.

After pooling resources, Lan An and his women spent 20,000 Accumulation Points to finalize the faction's registration and claim their headquarters.

The Niang Zi Faction's base was a sprawling, multi-tiered estate, situated in a corner of the Academy's vast domain, flanked by neighbors: the Qing Yu Faction to the left and the Brothers' Alliance to the right.

These factions, formed by hundreds of rogue cultivators, buzzed with activity compared to the Niang Zi Faction's mere dozen members.

The Academy didn't mandate member numbers, only requiring annual Accumulation Point taxes, so the Niang Zi Faction's small size posed no issue.

Factions within the Academy competed for prestige and undertook high-difficulty missions, like slaying a Fifth-Order Demon Beast, far easier with a robust faction.

Lan An lounged, sipping tea in a grand chamber, watching his women twittering like orioles and swallows—decorate their new headquarters. Even Little Lion, in human form, joined the lively bustle, a sight that warmed his heart.

"Young Master, Young Master… trouble!" Bing Ling Er, clad in a maid's outfit, rushed in, breathless.

"Ling Er, what's the rush? What's wrong?" Lan An and his women looked over curiously.

"Come outside and see!" Bing Ling Er panted, pointing outward, her chest heaving.

Piqued, Lan An and his women stepped out.

The scene before them left them dumbstruck.

"I wish to join the Niang Zi Faction!"

"Move aside, I'm a rogue cultivator, let me join!"

"Is this Lan An's faction? I want in!"

"Lan An, take me! I can cook, clean, wash dishes, and warm your bed masterfully!"

Unbeknownst, hundreds of women had gathered outside, staring eagerly, shouting in a clamor.

The spectacle made the neighboring Qing Yu Faction and Brothers' Alliance gnash their teeth in envy. Their factions sorely lacked women, yet the newborn Niang Zi Faction drew such a crowd in a day.

Lan An's women shot him resentful glances, gaining a new appreciation for his allure.

Even Hua Yu Feng and Nangong Wenyun silently acknowledged his magnetism.

Lan An's performance in the three assessments had captivated countless women.

Clearing his throat, Lan An silenced the crowd.

"I sincerely thank you, dear sisters, for your love for the Niang Zi Faction, but I'm sorry we're not planning to recruit many members yet!" he said earnestly.

His women nodded vigorously.

The mood dimmed, the women's faces falling.

Lan An felt a pang of guilt. With so many women, each tied to myriad relationships, he couldn't accept them lightly.

As a responsible man, accepting them meant ensuring their growth, a commitment he lacked time for now.

"No matter, we respect your decision, don't we, sisters?" a young woman smiled, nodding at Lan An, shouting.

"Yes, but if the Niang Zi Faction ever recruits, don't forget us!"

"Absolutely!" Lan An nodded, smiling.

The crowd dispersed reluctantly.

Lan An and his women returned to the headquarters.

"They're so adorable," Yan Die Qing cooed.

The others nodded. Mu Zi Yin sighed, "We have too many secrets to guard, especially our frequent use of the Spirit Realm Pearl. Recruiting members needs careful thought."

"Didn't Husband say the Harem Faction only takes elites?" Yan Hong Lian lounged lazily.

"But that's the Harem Faction. The Niang Zi Faction could be a branch of it!" Yen Ruo Xue suggested, softening toward the women.

Lan An shook his head. "I have many enemies. A larger Niang Zi Faction means heavier responsibilities for us. We lack time to manage this now, so recruitment is on hold."

His women nodded. Indeed, they planned long seclusions to cultivate, especially Yen Ruo Xue, who needed to refine her Water Desolate Bloodline.

Three days later, the Opening Ceremony commenced.

At the bustling Grand Plaza, countless cultivators soared in, forming orderly ranks, the atmosphere solemn.

Lan An and his women stood among the freshmen, scanning the venue.

Sensing numerous Spirit Transformation auras among the seniors, Lan An marveled at the Academy's grandeur.

He noticed hostile glares aimed at him and smirked coldly.

Lan Chang, Xiang Qian, Wang Lin he'd break their teeth one by one.

As for the Lan Ying Faction, he'd face them fearlessly if they came.

Soon, Lan An caught an odd gaze. Following it, he spotted a woman from the Heavenly Mountain Immortal Realm faction clad in snow-white robes, a green veil masking her face, her ethereal aura and emerald eyes complexly fixed on him.

Lan An nodded in greeting.

She trembled, turning away, flustered at being caught staring.

Lan An chuckled, dismissing it.

Suddenly, at the plaza's center, terrifying auras descended.

Over a thousand figures, the weakest at Spirit Transformation Late Stage, with many at Void Refinement, appeared.

The Chief Enforcing Elder and Seven Grand Enforcers stepped forward, addressing the crowd: "The 1,069 powerhouses before you are the Academy's entire faculty, gathered to welcome you, freshmen!"

"Welcome to the Sacred Lotus Academy!"

Their voices thundered, shaking the heavens, a thousand elite cultivators speaking in unison, majestic beyond measure.

The freshmen quaked, blood boiling, eyes reddening, roaring in excitement: "Greetings, esteemed instructors!"

Abruptly, Lan An's body trembled, overcome with emotion, his gaze locked on one of the thousands of instructors.

His women noticed his reaction, following his line of sight.

In their view stood a lithe, radiant figure curves voluptuous, waist willow-slim, her body exuding demonic allure, every contour irresistibly captivating.

Clad in a form-fitting purple robe of noble fabric, adorned with intricate golden threads, dreamlike and ethereal, it accentuated her flawless form.

The Dream Heart Robe…

The garment Lan An had gifted her, unforgettable.

"Meng Ying!" Gazing at the crane among chickens, Lan An's voice rasped tenderly.

She, too, stared at him, enraptured. Hearing her name, she raised a jade arm, gently unveiling her face.

Gasp…

As the veil fell, the plaza fell deathly silent.

Her lips, soft as rose petals, gleamed with a delicate sheen, her chin exquisitely sculpted.

Flawless, rosy skin, cheeks blooming with spring, a refined nose… her starry eyes, framed by willow brows, held a trace of tender affection, soul-stealing.

A face like a celestial fairy, a figure like a seductive demon.

This described her perfectly.

Men and women alike felt their hearts pound uncontrollably.

After an eternity, some regained composure, noticing the goddess fixed her gaze on one spot.

Following her eyes, they found Lan An, mouth agape, staring at their deity.

Their gazes locked, time seemed to freeze.

In Qin Meng Ying's eyes flickered longing, delight, and a hint of mischief.

In Lan An's white eyes, the crowd saw only boundless shock, not a trace of lust.

"Is she truly my Meng Ying?" He took a deep breath, murmuring.

Then, before countless eyes, Lan An closed his eyes, refusing to look further.

Qin Meng Ying's body quivered, unease rising. His reaction caught her off guard.

She'd expected joy, pride, elation not this.

Indeed, Lan An was stunned. The stark contrast overwhelmed him.

In his memories, Meng Ying's figure was divine, but her face plain. He cherished that homely visage.

Now, a breathtaking beauty appeared, jarring his senses.

His women, sensing his turmoil, were about to speak when Bai Su Mei raised a hand to stop them.

Having shared Lan An's time in Ling Wu City, she knew his bond with Qin Meng Ying better than anyone.

She glanced at Qin Meng Ying, shaking her head with a sigh.

Lan An regained composure, opening his eyes to face the peerless beauty calmly.

His heart brimmed with words and questions, but now he could only wait.

He could wait, but she couldn't.

Biting her gem-like lips, Qin Meng Ying stepped forward, instantly appearing beside Lan An.

Before his women could react, she grabbed him, soaring away.

Furious, his women moved to pursue, but Bai Su Mei stopped them, recounting Lan An's past with Qin Meng Ying.

They gasped, hands over mouths, stunned that their man was tied to the Hundred Faces Fairy, 49th on the Golden Earth Ranking.

They could only pray for a happy resolution.

"What's going on?"

Among the instructors, several powerful men glared darkly at the scene.

The Hundred Faces Fairy was their dream lover, yet she'd abandoned the ceremony to whisk away a male student, her actions brazenly intimate.

How could they not rage?

Countless youths, smitten with Qin Meng Ying's beauty, seethed with jealousy, silently marking Lan An as an enemy.

By a crystal-clear stream, amid fragrant flowers and lush grass, a serene scene unfolded.

Two figures stood side by side, the air heavy with silence.

"Don't you like this face?" Qin Meng Ying's voice, clear as a spring, made Lan An tremble—still her familiar tone.

He turned, gazing at her transcendent beauty, a hand gently caressing her cheek.

"It's just unfamiliar. Everything about you, I love…" He inhaled her fragrance, speaking tenderly.

Relief washed over Qin Meng Ying, her sigh releasing a sweet scent.

"I want to know your true face. If you're this beautiful, I'm thrilled, but I love what's truly yours more," Lan An said sincerely.

Her heart melted, her angelic face softening. "If this ugly face were my true one, would you prefer it over before?"

Lan An didn't answer with words. His actions spoke.

Encircling her perfect waist, his lips sought her slightly thick, plain mouth, kissing her fiercely.

Smack, smack…

They clung, his tongue greedily claiming her nectar, their wet kiss stretching endlessly.

Unnoticed, Qin Meng Ying's plain face vanished, reverting to her fairy-like beauty. She leaned weakly into him, letting him ravage her lips.

Long after, they parted reluctantly, her flushed face even more enchanting. Lan An, entranced, yearned to press her down and cherish her.

"This is my true face. You'd better get used to it I'm done being an ugly woman!" Qin Meng Ying pouted adorably.

"Your changing faces come from your 'Hundred Faces' title, don't they?" Lan An murmured, stroking her silken back.

Her smile bloomed like a hundred flowers. "I cultivate the High Spirit-Grade Hundred Faces Heavenly Art. Each cultivation breakthrough births a new face. More faces accelerate my spiritual energy absorption!"

To prove it, her face shifted rapidly beautiful, cute, sharp, fierce, ugly…

Lan An's eyes blurred as his beloved transformed, yet none rivaled her true, breathtaking beauty.

"Thanks to the Thunder Fire Mysterious Art you gave me, I broke through to Void Refinement Mid Stage, forming a new face half a year ago!" Qin Meng Ying beamed.

Her face shifted again.

Lan An's eyes widened at her new visage.

It rivaled her true face, equally stunning.

"Guess who this is?" she teased, pointing at her face.

Lan An shook his head. He'd never forget such beauty if seen before.

Giggling, Qin Meng Ying revealed, "Hundred Flowers Fairy Su Yan!"