Chapter 190: Emei Archipelago’s Grand Gathering

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Emei Archipelago sprawled vast, a constellation of islands large and small.

The largest, at its heart, was the most prosperous, home to the strongest cultivators overall. Duo Bao Pavilion's major branch stood proudly there.

Today, at the crack of dawn, countless cultivators streamed in from all directions, some soaring through the skies, others tearing through the void, and a few appearing abruptly. This festival clearly drew Void Refinement and even Integration-stage powerhouses.

Amid opulent, dazzling architecture, the archipelago's scenery was like a painting. A man and three women strolled hand in hand, seemingly carefree.

It was Lan An with Xiao Qing Xuan, Ji Ya, and Shui Niang Qing.

Though the two women's injuries hadn't fully healed, they'd recovered seventy to eighty percent, a testament to Xiao Qing Xuan's exceptional alchemy—only slightly inferior to the Dragon Immortal Sacred Canon. With such a grand festival, Lan An naturally wanted them to join and broaden their horizons.

If not for his other women still in secluded cultivation, he'd have brought his entire harem to the event.

Even without them, the three women's stunning figures drew countless gazes.

In a place dominated by Westerners, the Eastern attire and graceful poise of these women stood out starkly.

Their Eastern identity wasn't in their faces but in their flowing garments and elegant forms.

All three wore Seamless Masks, which, while unable to hide from Void Refinement cultivators, reduced prying eyes. Lan An donned one too, keeping his Wen Lang identity reserved for now.

Ji Ya, besides her Seamless Mask, wore a Faceless Skin, mimicking Shui Niang Qing's twin-like appearance to avoid Tian Ji Palace's notice.

Another attention-grabber was Little Lion on Lan An's shoulder. Her adorable beast form captivated many Western women, who swayed their alluring figures to approach, only to be haughtily ignored by Little Lion.

Ji Ya and Shui Niang Qing, natives of Lan Zhou Continent, were familiar with Emei Archipelago and served as expert guides for Lan An and Xiao Qing Xuan.

"Western women have a unique, seductive charm. Quite a sight," Lan An mused silently, his eyes roving over ample curves and toned legs.

He still regretted failing to find the Merfolk.

"Ow!" A sharp pinch at his waist jolted him.

"Fancy women who dress so boldly?" Ji Ya huffed.

"Of course, but only other men's women. If my women dressed like that, I'd enforce family law!" Lan An growled playfully. His women could be alluring only for him; to outsiders, they were lofty fairies.

"Tch!" The three women pouted inwardly.

Boom, boom, boom

As they walked and laughed, the sky darkened ominously, black clouds rolling in, thunder roaring.

Lan An frowned. Wasn't it clear moments ago?

The answer came swiftly.

From the endless clouds, eerie figures emerged, cloaked in billowing black robes, faces hidden behind red demon masks, their sinister aura shrouding the sky.

Three in total two tall, one short swirling like ghostly shadows, heedless of all.

"Cackle, such rich life essence… if we could slaughter them all… tsk tsk," the short one's chilling voice hissed through gritted teeth.

"Heh, out of respect for Duo Bao Pavilion, restrain yourselves," a tall one chuckled, yet his Mid Void Refinement aura surged, belying his words.

"Shut it. This festival's bound to have treasures far tastier than lives," the other tall one rasped, as if everything was already theirs.

The clouds carried them swiftly toward Duo Bao Pavilion.

"Phew, those demon ghosts again?" a burly Western man sighed in relief.

"No auction lacks their stench, but showing off in Emei? They're too green!" a grizzled Void Refinement elder snorted.

"Yeah, all talk. Dare touch a single life today? Duo Bao Pavilion will rip their teeth out," a fiery young man declared.

"Who were those three? Arrogant, sure, but not hated that much, right?" Xiao Qing Xuan asked softly.

"Night Shadow Island, a force specializing in Dark attributes, home to notorious assassins. They'll risk anything for profit, earning many enemies," Ji Ya said with a faint smile, familiar with them from past clashes.

"Strong as the Seven Kills Sect?" Lan An asked, intrigued.

"Prominent among Eighth-grade forces, those three are elders. But compared to the Seven Kills Sect, they're millennia behind," Shui Niang Qing, knowledgeable about the force, chuckled.

Xiao Qing Xuan nodded, finding it fascinating.

Lan An, meanwhile, wryly noted he was already on the Seven Kills Sect's radar.

Neigh, neigh

A warhorse's cry echoed from above.

A majestic Black Heavenly Horse soared, its eagle-like wings gliding through the wind.

"It's the Black Heavenly Horse! Young Master Lan Ji's here!" a blonde girl squealed, sparking starry-eyed gazes from Western women.

Lan An saw a handsome, blonde man around thirty on the horse, with a high nose, white teeth, clad in battle armor, arriving calmly.

"Lan Ji, young master of the Eighth-grade Lan Clan, ranked eleventh on the Hundred Spirits List," Shui Niang Qing said coolly, reminded of her wayward brother by the list's mention.

"Mid Divine Transformation? Lan Zhou's talents outshine Bing Tian's by far," Lan An mused inwardly.

A Mid Divine Transformation cultivator could rank high on Saint Spirit Academy's list, but here, they barely made the top ten of the Hundred Spirits List—a stark gap.

Lan Ji was a ladies' man, with girls chasing his horse.

Lan An glanced at it, then at Little Lion, thinking his pet could tear it apart.

"Of course, that mongrel's no match for me," Little Lion huffed proudly.

Lan An chuckled, feeding her a Beast-Nurturing Pill. After absorbing a Sixth-order beast core, her strength was slowly rising.

Above, a void rift opened, and two women emerged—one old, one young—with extraordinary grace.

The elderly woman, white-haired in noble attire, adorned with sparkling jewels, scanned the crowd and muttered, "Looks like those old fogeys haven't arrived."

The young woman beside her shone like a proud sunflower, her short blonde hair gleaming, eyes large and starry, irises deep blue like the ocean, with a high nose and red lips, clad in an exquisite princess gown—a Western beauty of the highest order.

Her gaze fixed on the attire of Lan An's women, eyes twinkling. She'd never seen such captivating garments. Were they Easterners?

"Miss, like them? Shall I inquire about buying them?" the old woman asked with a smile.

The girl shook her head, her voice like chiming bells. "Those clothes were made for them. I'd look lifeless in them."

Lan An, if he heard, would've given a thumbs-up. He'd chosen those outfits specifically for his women, blending perfectly with their aura. Even masked, their elegance shone, obvious to discerning eyes.

The old woman nodded, refraining from probing their faces through the masks.

"Aaah, isn't that Miss Ai Xin?" a young man jumped, eyes heart-shaped, gazing at the girl.

Countless noblemen cast admiring glances, her fame clearly immense.

Lan An and his women looked up, catching Ai Xin's gaze on them. He nodded politely, inwardly praising her aristocratic Western beauty.

"Ai Xin, miss of the Ai Clan, fifth on the Hundred Spirits List, Late Divine Transformation," Shui Niang Qing, well-versed in the list, said with a smile.

Lan An nodded, unsurprised. Many young talents reached Late Divine Transformation or Peak, but the chasm to Void Refinement was vast, requiring immense luck, resources, and spatial comprehension.

Some geniuses hit Peak Divine Transformation before a hundred but couldn't reach Void Refinement in ten thousand years, dying in regret.

The Saint Spirit, Hundred Spirits, and Heavenly Beast Lists were mere starting points. Only the Golden Emperor List earned the title "powerhouse."

"Below Void Refinement, all are ants" wasn't said lightly, reflecting the harsh reality and prestige of Void Refiners.

Only one in a thousand Divine Transformation cultivators reached Void Refinement.

Seeing the high cultivation of Hundred Spirits List talents didn't faze Lan An. He was confident—invincible below Void Refinement, simple as that.

Only Golden Emperor List figures piqued his interest.

These young masters and misses, escorted by Void Refiners, owed their status to parents far stronger than their escorts.

Like that fatty Bao Li, whose father was Late Void Refinement, and whose sister served a Integration-stage Saintess. Power was no surprise.

Retracting his gaze, Lan An and his women headed to Duo Bao Pavilion.

Countless cultivators rushed in, the atmosphere heating up.

"Ow!"

A cry of someone falling caught their attention.

"Thieving brat!" a bearded middle-aged fruit stall owner glared at a dirt-smudged girl, about ten or eleven, in a hooded cloth cloak, sprawled on the ground.

Lan An's eyes flashed. He stepped forward, helping her up, removing his slightly menacing Seamless Mask to avoid scaring her.

"Little one, are you hungry? Want some fruit?" He brushed dirt off her cloak, asking kindly.

"Ai Er didn't steal! I wanted to buy fruit… I have spirit stones…" The girl looked down, her small face paling, voice trembling. "Ai Er lost her spirit stone pouch…"

"Hmph, lying thief!" the fruit vendor snorted.

"Enough, vendor. She hasn't taken anything. Sell me two jin of spirit fruit," Lan An frowned, pulling out spirit stones.

"Right away, honored guest!" The vendor's face brightened, handing over the goods.

These fruits were mere snacks, less effective than spirit stones for cultivation, hence cheap.

"Little one, these are for you. Take them," Lan An offered the bag to Ai Er with a smile.

"Thank you, big brother, but Mother says not to take things from strangers," Ai Er said, cheeks puffed, adorable despite her grime.

The three women smiled, watching how Lan An would handle this.

"Who says I'm a stranger? Didn't you call me big brother? I'm Lan An, you're Ai Er. We know each other now, right?" he teased.

"Well… true… you're Big Brother Lan An, but something's off?" Ai Er shook her head like a rattle.

"What's off is we just met. If we'd known each other longer, I wouldn't be a stranger!" Lan An gently patted her hooded head.

Ai Er's big eyes rolled, finally saying in a childish voice, "We're not strangers then. Can Big Brother take me to Duo Bao Pavilion's festival?"

"Of course! Me and your big sisters are happy to," Lan An gestured to the women, feeling oddly outwitted.

"Yay, the sisters smell so nice! Ai Er's honored to meet you!" Ai Er's eyes lit up, nuzzling into Shui Niang Qing.

"Only a bit less than Mother…" Ai Er mused, sizing up Shui Niang Qing's ample chest.

Shui Niang Qing blushed, lifting her up. Lan An smiled at the scene.

With the little girl in tow, they headed to Duo Bao Pavilion.

Under her cloak, Ai Er smirked slyly, muttering, "Sneaking out to play… Mother, don't spank Ai Er. Spank Big Brother Lan An instead!"