Qian Renxue's expression was taunt with exasperation as of the Heaven Dou's Title Doulou looked at the emperor with an irritated expression.
"My lord, the... Anomaly must have a spatial-themed Martial Spirit, as he had been teleporting across the world without end. Sometimes doubling up to teleport where had already teleported to muddy the tracking of all the Title Doulou."
The Emperor gave the Title Doulou a dark look before he snapped out in irritation. "What? A whole separate Martial Spirit from the three we already know for a fact he has! I know the arrogant brat is playing with us, but this is just ridiculous to say nothing of his claims of being a reincarnator!"
Qian Renxue in her disguise as the crown prince Xue Qinghe spoke up quietly. "Father, many factions are looking for him with this... Jake Bariss having proven to being mostly non-hostile to those who aren't hunting him with lethal intent. I ask for your permission to take some of my own retinue to see if I have the fate to find him."
The Emperor at hearing the question shook his head and said with blandly. "Go ahead Qinghe, it could be a good training exercise for you to hunt for something. Maybe if you do find him, he would be amendable to a trade with another prince... Just don't end up like that Dai boy who kicked this iron plate with bare feet." He warned his 'son'.
Qian Renxue bowed her head in agreement and retreated from the throne room with a placid expression that relaxed as she reached the safety of her personal quarters.
"That man... He has truly broken this world's power system." Qian Renxue muttered as she put a finger to her chin as she wondered how truthful his words were about him being a reincarnator to say nothing of his promise to share how he gained his insane spirit rings.
However, that also leads to one other major question. If she was Jake Bariss, who was obviously playing everyone for a fool. Where would he be as he obviously wanted to show off and to do so he obviously wanted someone to actually find him.
Already Spirit Hall's spies had given her all the information there was on Jake Bariss, along with Zhu Zhuyun's own testimony of him and his harem that had been obviously moved out of the city long before the tournament had happened.
And from what... Very little there was to go off of about him, he was noted as being a proud, lecherous, young man who had a streak of paying people back for messing with him.
Qian Renxue exhaled in annoyance before muttering. "That fool, no matter his power. He still made himself the target of the entire world, and not even Spirit Hall can truly protect him from all the eyes that will want his secrets."
There was a pause as the bearer of the Seraphim martial soul stared out into the Heaven Dou City before she mentally shrugged and decided to go look for him in the city to at least stretch her legs. And also be able to rid herself of her false prince identity for but a few hours at least.
-
A soft slurping noise rang out as I sat indulgently in a cafe booth drinking some high quality tea that just... Damn it was the good stuff, which made sense as cultivators loved their tea and I paid for a waiter who literally had a tea pot martial spirit.
Sure she didn't have any spirit rings or anything... Which made sense as it was hard to imagine beating a spirit beast to death with a tea pot. But any tea made with her tea pot martial spirit had it's natural flavors and effects greatly enhanced.
'Almost makes me want to waifu up one of those girls with a food martial spirit that can buff people.' I mused before a wry smile crossed my face at the thought of getting something like a tea bag martial spirit after reincarnating... And then the man becomes the Tea God after going the standard path to power via strangling spirit beasts to death with his tea bag's cord or something.
My mind was truly wandering as the calming tea was allowing me to wander and recover a bit of my lost energy after all my fun punking those shit heel cultivators who had a bit of spatial talent who tried to follow me through my rapid-fire teleports.
Yeah well they can try to find my spatial coordinates when I teleport them to the bottom of the sea!
"I expected you to get into physical fights with the Title Doulou and get smacked around honestly brother." Tian Meng broke my mental silence as he spoke within and I paused as I went to take another sip of my tea.
"Thanks for the vote of confidence Tian Meng." I said flatly mentally and took a drink of my tea elegantly as Bi Ji began scolding Tian Meng for wanting direct conflict.
And Bi Ji did play a part in being such a non-combative sweetheart as to why I didn't actually get into real battles with the Title Doulou. Because even if I actually won against them, I would need to start killing them when they realized I was so strong and dangerous for my age.
'So do you plan to actually share how you got your spirit rings Jake?" Xue Nue the snow woman asked me mentally with a hint of something in her tone.
I nodded and said mentally in a consolingly manner. "If humanity can come to terms with the strongest spirit beasts to make beast spirit clones like yourself that people can take in with the Beast Spirit, giving the person spirit rings over time. That will allow Spirit Beasts themselves to get stronger as they won't be hunted as much."
I kept calm and still as I radiated my Heavenly Evil Sea, Martial Spirit's water aura to disguise the spatial and death aura that typically hung around myself as several spiritual senses washed over me again as Title Doulou and Spirit Doulou were scanning the city for me.
The spiritual senses washing over the common people soon retreated and I took another drink of my tea as I just relaxed on my own for a bit as my girls were safe enough literally over in the Luo Empire where no one would be looking for them.
Allowing them to continue their training so that when we came back to the DXD universe, they would be well into High Class in strength level. Which was perfect, as I now had a good-sized group of decently strong people so I could stand up on my own feet proudly.
A soft clinging noise rang out as the door to the cafe opened and I was taking another sip of my tea before I almost drank it down the wrong tube as I inhaled in suprise at someone coming into the shop, I most fucking certainly didn't expect.
A woman wearing with full curves and a tightly fitting dress walked in with her long blond hair going past her waist and for a moment the civilians stared at her in wonder before they all shook their heads and duck down knowing too well that the woman was a spirit master.
But myself... I recognized Qian Renxue herself all too easily as she was led to into the booth filled side of the cafe with her eyes scanning around lazily before her eyes landed on me as well.
There was an awkward pause as we just stared at one another and then she looked at the waitress and said something to her before she calmly made her way over to my booth and took a seat across from me.
"So... Do I truly need to do something as childish as tagging you to get the answers I want Jake Bariss?" She asked casually as she leaned into the booth's cushoons behind herself.
I raised an eyebrow and shrugged. "Ehh, its not too great of a secret honestly. Not nearly as interesting as how you actually replaced the Crown Prince." I said pointedly making her freeze with her eyes becoming cold as she gazed at me.
But in the end, I just shrugged again to dispel the tension as I said blandly. "I am literally not from the world so I couldn't give a damn about the power struggles between the Empires and Spirit Hall. I got better things to do and godhood itself within my grasp in the next month at worst."
"Better things like making all the Title Doulou and factions of the world chase you and act like a chicken with it's head removed?" She sniped back and I grinned at the prideful sass in her tone.
"Yes exactly! I have three martial souls each going to be filled with at least a Hundred Thousand Year old Spirit Rings, so Godhood is literally assured for me. To say nothing of any million-year spirit rings my main Beast Spirit can form."
Qian Renxue frowned before she said slowly. "You mean Spirit Beast right?"
To which I just stared at her with a smug smile with her huffing and pausing before she leaned in, and in doing so she flashed some cleavage of soft smooth breasts as she poked my shoulder and said dryly.
"There... I tagged you, now spill all your secrets you infuriating man."
I couldn't help a chuckle at her wronged expression at having to play my game and I opened my hands and said easily. "Go ahead then Qian Renxue daughter of Bibbi Dong... Ask me any question and I will answer it as best as I can."
Her face tightened at my words and she visibly chewed on what to ask and I could tell she was off put at hearing how I knew she was Bibbi Dong's daughter. "I... How do you know I am. That woman's daughter?" She asked in distaste.
I gave her a quiet stare as I considered how in-depth to go into that before I shrugged. I literally had no reason to hide things as in the worst case scenario. I could easily just leave this world should she snap and go insane for some reason which I doubted.
"There are countless, infinite worlds due to the fact that worlds are birthed not only from primordial entities but even just enough people in another universe believing the world exists and due to the emotional and thought energy a seed of a universe will be born and over countless trillions of years relative in that universe, even a fictional universe will be born." I said my own theory as to how I could travel to all these fictional universes.
Either way I continued as Qian Renxue stared at me blankly. "Point being, I know of this universe to a fair extent. And you, are certainly something. Born of your mother who was forced upon by your father after she was heartbroken and abandoned by the man she actually loved."
Qian Renxue's eyes were ice cold as she stared at me and said coldly. "My mother- No my father wouldn't have done-"
I cut her off and said bluntly. "Ask your mother if he did it. Ask your mother if she killed your father after he got beaten half to death by that one Clear Sky Hammer user I can't remember his name... Either way, your beloved grandpa also knows your father did it as well, and with your Seraphim martial spirit you can register lies right?"
There was a long pause as Qian Renxue just stared past me as she seemingly digested the fucking massive emotional damage I just installed into her mind. Until she finally spoke quietly as her golden hair took in a darker dinge. "Why, why are you telling me this? Why aren't you lying or just telling me about the Spirit Ring knowledge I wanted for tagging you?"
There was a moment of silence as I looked at Qian Renxue and I said calmly and soothingly. "Even with the knowledge I have of my spirit rings... You don't need it persay. You have the potential to break this world's limits on power and become the Angel God, you knowing the truth and cleansing your heart is even better."
Another pause ensued as she stared at me, and then she took a deep breath and said forcibly. "Come with me to Spirit Hall... I want you there as I confront my mother. I will hear her own words as I can tell you haven't lied with one word. Just I have one last question."
Qian Renxue looked me directly in the eye and demanded. "What do you want from me Jake Bariss? You haven't teleported out and seemingly wanted me to- No, you wanted to tell me these things."
And just like before I answered with total honesty. "You are a woman of strong will, talent, and having a ruthless streak I can appreciate. While still having a core of good buried within yourself."
"Are you hitting on me?" Qian Renxue asked with her lips twitching as she looked at me in bemusement.
Without a fucking lick of shame I answered with a chuckle. "Hell yes I am! You are one of the most beautiful women I have seen. I would be a fool to not at least shoot an honest attempt at wooing you."
There was an ambiguous aura now as Qian Renxue was seemingly just unaware of what to say about my candid response which wasn't typically how young master's courted the women they were after in this world.
"Any other questions? Want me to explain the super dark, and world-shattering secret that is my Spirit Rings?" I asked teasingly.
Qian Renxue gave me a long look before she asked with a guarded expression. "Are you going to demand something of me in return for this secret? To hold my hand or something weird?"
I coughed as that whole holding hands bit surprised me as a blush had entered her cheeks at saying that. "So the grand secret is literally cooperation between humanity and spirit beast. Instead of killing the Spirit Beast and conquering their soul in their spirit ring. You instead make a pact with a spirit beast of power and intelligence."
I took a breath as Qian Renxue's eyes filled with understanding and continued. "Then with a contract made, the spirit beast abandons their body with them putting some seals on their spiritual power so their soul doesn't overwhelm your own."
There was a bit of silence before Qian Renxue spoke cautiously. "I hope you have some form of proof beyond merely your word. Convincing a Spirit Beast to give up their life to live within your soul is both horribly invasive and dangerous."
There was a pause before I drew a hand across my chin and spoke mentally. "Xue Nue, think you can manifest beside me?"
A pause later, and I felt Xue Nue's soul within myself stir before she spoke quietly. "Very well. Warn her first though."
I nodded and said to Qian Renxue. "One of them is going to manifest beside me... You might even know her as she is the Snow Empress of the Far North."
Silently an almost see-through ghostly form of the beautiful Snow Empress formed beside me on the bench with her form being well out of the view of the civilains.
Xue Nue looked at Qian Renxu and said bluntly. "Jake is a lecherous man who managed to convince seven women to leave their worlds to come to this one to gain power, but nothing he has said was a lie."
Qian Renxue gave me a dull look with myself brushing a hand across my face as Xue Nue was fucking tanking my chances in getting the angel waifu. Then again, asking another woman to be a wingman was a completely terrible idea.
"But yes, that is all but the measures Jake and I took. We also have an idea of how to make soul seeds of our own that can mutate into more Beast Spirits, but it's obviously... A dangerous thing to do as making them would strain our soul and origin." Xue Nue spoke before looking at me and saying bluntly.
"Do you have any other questions?" Xue Nue said flatly with Qian Renxue giving her a long look before asking a question made my eye twitch.
"Are you... Involved with him as well? You are remarkably human, but I can't help but be curious."
There was a tense silence as I put a hand over my face and I didn't see Xue Nue's reaction as I shivered feeling Ultimate Ice rapidly cool the air before the Snow Woman Queen's cold voice whispered like a chilly wind that stole the last whisp of warmth from a dying man.
"You seek to do harm to me emotionally for some reason... Your words mean nothing to me little human, but I can hurt you as well if you wish with but a word." Xue Nue said making my hand move down and I looked at Xue Nue with warning in my eyes.
"Alright, that's enough." I snapped out and both girls looked at me before Qian Renxue looked at Xue Nue.
"Say it then. Tell me that line that will break my little heart." The blond stated with a smirk making me sink into my seat as I fucking knew this was going to go terribly.
And without a moment of hesitation, Xue Nue leaned in and said. "You actually considered Jake's blatant ham-fisted attempt at seduction and courtship because you are alone. No one loves you, no one actually cares for you. And your birth mother, right now would rather drown you than save you from a fire."
There was a long silence as Qian Renxue's hair turned from gleaming gold to blackish purple... And then she spoke in a soft hiss. "You are lucky you are already dead. Not only that, but that I need to not make a scene."
"Pity for you then. Maybe you shouldn't be a crossdresser." Xue Nue stated calmly but still as cutting as a freezing wind.
Before either could say anything, I activated my Mystic Eye's of Death Perception and both stiffened at feeling conceptual death hang over them. "I said... That was enough Xue Nue."
The Snow Empress frowned before she took a breath with her eyes closing and she said. "Very well Jake, I have shared what you asked in any case."
She then broke apart with my eye twitching as Qian Renxue's cold eyes were upon me as she had entered her Fallen Angel state which increased her power and strength. But at the cost of her sanity.
"Are you satisfied now?" I spoke trying to inject some calm into the conversation.
A silence rang out as she stared at me before she took a deep breath and said quietly. "What now?"
I blinked as I honestly didn't expect such a question from her. But I slowly chewed on the question before I said slowly. "Do you mean for yourself? What happens now that I told you about the spirit rings? Or do you mean something else."
Qian Renxue was silent for a long moment before she shrugged.
And with that shrug she left her Fallen Angel state with her opening her eyes to look at me with her placing a had on the table seemingly getting ready to leave before she paused. "Jake..." She spoke rolling my name across her tongue in thought.
"Was she right that no one loves or cares for me?" She asked more to herself than me.
And I said with no doubt in my voice. "Though you can mend your relationship with your mother, your grandfather only sees you as a tool for Spirit Hall and wants you to help him conquer the world as you take over the Heaven Dou Empire when he has the Emperor assassinated."
She actually looked at me with something in her gaze as she spoke quietly. "How do you love more than one woman openly? How do you love so easily and how do they love you in turn?"
I smiled at that question and I saw her physically recoil at the honest smile I wore that showed the affection and love I clearly had for my girls. "Qian Renxue. It is very simple, just as a man can hug multiple women in their arms at the same time if they have a strong back. So can a man love just as many women."
And I shrugged and said with my smile turning a bit wry. "As for how come they all love me in return... I have a Martial Soul that forms a soul bond with them so that they can never feel lonely and can feel my affection and care at all times and even share my senses sometimes."
"So you have a cheat to have a successful relationship." Qian Renxue spat out with some disdain but there was no hiding the longing in her eyes to have a real source of love and affection in her life.
I leaned in she froze as I gently took her hand that was on the table into my own. "I do have a cheat to help maintain such a relationship yes. But all the love they feel is cultivated over time, with respect, care, and affection." I explained softly making full eye contact with her. And the cultivator blushed hard at the genuine flirting.
I leaned in further, our eyes but just a foot apart from one another and I asked quietly. "So. Want to go rob Spirit Hall, both Empires Treasury, and snag a divine treasure?"
Starting off by saying 'robbing Spirit Hall' was the wrong move... But she was lost in thought as her hand relaxed in my own as she pondered my question before she took a deep breath and spoke. "I will take you to the Heaven Dou Treasury in my Prince identity after explaining you sold the secret to the Spirit Rings... Then I want you to help rob my mother and bully her before I lead you to the treasury for Spirit Hall."
Then she leaned forward and I could hear Xue Nue and Bi Ji inside of myself hissing while Tian Meng wolf-whistled as Qian Renxue leaned her forward into mine and stared into my eyes as she said softly but with... Brutally blunt intent in her voice.
"You will take responsibility for making me think of you in this way... I spent my entire life being used as a tool, and hated. You offering this glimmer of affection will NOT be forgotten." She said with zero mistaking her tone.
'Oh oh... I accidentally picked up a yandere.' I thought with a hidden smile before mentally shrugging as Mami was already fucking nuts and all but a yandere without the jealousy issues.
Honestly let's list my current waifus that I have properly slept with and bound with my Seal of Solomon. There was Sona who was a darling and thankfully without any major hangups besides being a switch who dominated her peerage and then went subby with me.
Serafall was a PTSD-ridden wreck after millennia of battles and politics that she hated. And she dealt with it lately with her obsession with drinking my cum out of Sona's holes as she gleefully joined my harem so she could mess with her sister.
Mami was a fucking wreck of abandonment issues after her parents died and she became a magical girl with her wish giving her extreme survivor's guilt. This was compounded when Kyuubey tried to use her as a suicide witch nuke to kill me and Serafall which failed and she thus latched onto me as her cornerstone of existence.
Out of the Quintuplets, I had only properly fucked Itsuki Nakano with the others sticking to playing around and not actually going for full penetration sex. Though Itsuki did it less out of love and more out of a desire to keep me away from her sisters for some weird reason.
Yasaka herself... She didn't exactly love me even after saving her daughter, but after spending time with her. And literally knocking the millennia-old kitsune up after my newly adopted daughter pushed us together. I think she does at some level, love me knowing I am the father of the new life growing within her.
And lastly Akeno, well she was horny and I hit her buttons hard with her wanting more power. Wanting to be my masochistic bitch, and we had known each other for a good few weeks from the time I had spent in DXD.
Back to Qian Renxue, I had now successfully probably picked up my first real yandere! However I had an idea that Gu Yuena was also probably going to ending up in my lap as soon as she found that holy land I sent her to go look for.
I nodded and said with a soft exhale that made Renxue blink as a slight flush entered cheeks... But she notably didn't move her face away from mine. "Well, when do we start then?"
And she smiled but it was a devilish thing reminding how although she had the Seraphim Martial Soul. That Martial Soul could easily be corrupted into something worse than any devil.
"Now? We rob the Heaven Dou Empire's treasury. I played at being their boring perfect prince for more than a decade now. The least they can do is compensate me for all the terrible meetings I had to deal with." She said with her pulling me up to my feet with our hands still conjoined.
And we left the teashop with several civilians gawking at the beautiful woman now holding my hand as she left the building and I couldn't help but wonder if Qian Renxue partially 'fell in love' or more like locked onto me. Because of how original and honest I was with her.