Northern Region, Bing Tian Continent
In an endless forested mountain range, two colossal demon beasts, each the size of a small hill, clashed with earth-shaking force. Their blood-red eyes blazed with madness, intent on tearing each other apart. Within a hundred-mile radius, trees toppled, weaker demon beasts were pulverized, fled in terror, or cowered trembling on the ground, paralyzed by fear.
This devastation was wrought by the ferocious battle between these two monstrous beasts. Their razor-sharp claws sank mercilessly into each other, holding nothing back.
As the titans waged their brutal war, a long-haired youth flickered into existence atop one beast's shoulder, as if materializing from the void.
Clang! "Successfully escaped the Lan Clan. Completed mission Dragon Leaps to the Vast Sea. Reward: One designated summon of an Earth-Grade item."
The System's voice echoed in his ears.
After activating the Minor Teleportation Talisman, Lan An had fled the Lan Clan. He'd once fantasized that his luck might land him in a hidden cave, brimming with treasures and the legacy of a supreme expert.
But reality was far harsher.
"What in the blazes is this?!" Lan An cursed inwardly, his heart sinking. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined his first teleport would drop him into the midst of a battle between two terrifying demon beasts.
With agile precision, he leaped from the beast's shoulder to the ground, enveloping himself in a layer of soul force for protection. His current soul strength, comparable to Peak Foundation Establishment, was sufficient to withstand the shockwaves of their clash.
Any ordinary cultivator witnessing this would be dumbfounded. Soul force was a cultivator's most vulnerable asset, yet Lan An dared use it as a shield. This was the distinction between a spiritual cultivator and a soul cultivator. Though not yet a true soul cultivator, Lan An could wield basic soul force techniques for defense and offense.
Fortunately, to the two demon beasts, Lan An was beneath notice. They continued their savage assault on each other, oblivious to his presence. Using the Clairvoyance Talisman, Lan An identified them as two enormous black bears.
Jin'er, ever-present by Lan An's side, was invisible to all but him—not even the Heavenly Dao could perceive her, as if she existed outside this world. Observing the scene, she parted her small lips.
"Black Mountain Bears. Their aura indicates Third-Tier Mid-Stage demon beasts, equivalent to human Mid-Stage Golden Core cultivators."
"They seem like a mated pair, but something's driven them to a life-or-death struggle," she added.
Lan An, maintaining his soul force shield against the battle's shockwaves, spoke up. He noticed his control over soul force improving slightly—a rare opportunity to hone his skills.
"They may have been a pair once, but not anymore—not since that appeared," Jin'er said casually, her delicate finger pointing in a direction.
Following her gesture, Lan An spotted a faintly glowing herb in the distance. Its slender stem, no thicker than a toothpick, bore a rich brown flower brimming with spiritual energy.
"What kind of herb is that?" Lan An asked, intrigued. For a herb to drive a bear couple to divorce and battle for its possession, it had to be extraordinary.
"It's decent. An Earth-Grade Mid-Tier Earth-attuned spiritual herb," Jin'er replied nonchalantly. "It's called the Earth Spirit Herb. It provides a surge of Earth spiritual energy to its consumer and temporarily boosts their absorption of Earth-attuned spiritual energy."
Lan An's eyes lit up. Black Mountain Bears were adept in Earth attributes, so their frenzy over an Earth-attuned herb made sense. Recalling the cultivation method of the Immortal Genesis Scripture's first layer, his heart stirred. Jin'er, sensing his interest, didn't dissuade him.
Noticing the bears still locked in combat, Lan An feigned harmlessness, inching toward the herb with deliberate slowness.
To the bears, he was a mere oversized ant, easily crushed, unworthy of competing for the herb.
For anyone else, that might have been true. But this was Lan An, bold and cunning. Shielded by soul force, he crept toward the Earth Spirit Herb. He noticed the closer he got, the weaker the shockwaves became—the bears were fighting far enough to avoid damaging the herb.
When he was mere steps away, the bears, ever vigilant over their prize, sensed the "rat" scheming to steal their treasure.
ROAR!ROAR!
Two furious roars shook the forest, paralyzing lesser demon beasts. Lan An staggered, his mortal body ill-equipped to withstand the direct aura of Third-Tier beasts.
Gritting his teeth, he swallowed the blood rising in his throat, sprinting toward the Earth Spirit Herb.
The bears' eyes blazed with rage, but they didn't rush. As Third-Tier beasts with some intelligence, they deemed Lan An's weak cultivation insignificant. Even if he snatched the herb, he couldn't escape their pursuit. Attacking him now risked damaging the herb.
Instead, they ceased fighting and charged toward Lan An, their roars and oppressive aura hammering him, aiming to crush him without harming the herb.
Under the combined pressure of two Third-Tier beasts, Lan An's face paled, his soul force shield trembling. He was two steps from the herb.
ROAR!
Unable to hold back, Lan An spat a mouthful of blood. Clenching his jaw, he lunged for the Earth Spirit Herb, yanking it up with his right hand while his left crushed another Minor Teleportation Talisman.
The thief vanished miraculously. The bears froze, dumbfounded, their red eyes scanning frantically.
ROAR!ROAR!
Enraged, they turned on each other with renewed ferocity, as if seeking mutual destruction to vent their fury.
The youth's figure reappeared elsewhere.
"Ugh… where am I this time…" Lan An muttered, but before he could finish, a sultry moan froze him in place.
A woman's voice.
Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Lan An surveyed his surroundings. His expression morphed rapidly—shock, pity, awe, and countless emotions flickered across his face.
He stood in a sealed chamber, roughly a few dozen square meters, illuminated by five radiant Night Pearls embedded in the walls. But it wasn't the pearls' value that unnerved him. Lying in the chamber was a woman—a gravely injured woman on the brink of death.
Lan An swallowed hard. He swore to the heavens, he had never seen such breathtaking beauty. Her allure stole his breath.
Bathed in the Night Pearls' glow, she wore a thin silk robe, her skin as soft and pale as congealed cream. Her slender, graceful figure curved elegantly, her full breasts rising and falling with each shallow breath. Her azure hair cascaded like a waterfall, her swan-like neck exuded nobility, and her delicate collarbones gleamed like jade.
Peerless elegance.
That was Lan An's verdict. Yet, this peerless beauty was gravely wounded, lying helpless on the floor. Her eyes were half-closed, long lashes trembling, her enticing lips pale, occasionally parting with pained moans. Sweat beaded her brow.
Instinctively, Lan An crouched beside her, gently wiping her forehead with his sleeve.
"She likely suffered severe backlash while attempting a breakthrough in seclusion," Jin'er, ever knowledgeable, concluded. "Her heart and mind couldn't keep pace with her cultivation, leading to this. Her soul is critically damaged."
"Can my Healing Pill save her?" Lan An asked, already lifting the beauty to rest against his chest. Leaving her on the cold floor felt like a sin.
"The System's Healing Pill restores spiritual energy and heals the body, but it's ineffective against soul damage," Jin'er explained.
Feeling the woman's trembling form, Lan An tightened his embrace, warming her with his body heat. His right hand encircled her soft waist, savoring her silken skin. Her faint, intoxicating fragrance filled his senses, stirring an indescribable satisfaction.
As if sensing his presence, her furrowed brows eased slightly, though her pained moans persisted.
"This happens when one's mental state lags behind their cultivation, forcing a breakthrough," Jin'er continued gravely. "Unlike you, a soul cultivator with immense soul force, most can't withstand soul damage. Without timely treatment, she'll perish."
"How do I save her?" Lan An urged, still wiping her brow. He couldn't explain his urgency. Her beauty captivated him, her fragility compelled him to protect her without reason. He even thanked the Minor Teleportation Talisman for bringing him here.
Perhaps this is love at first sight, he mused. Judging by the chamber's opulence, her status was extraordinary.
But as a future Overlord, Lan An wanted her for himself. Anyone who dared obstruct him would face one word: kill.
"There are two ways," Jin'er said. "First, she needs a powerful heavenly treasure that boosts soul force."
Lan An nodded, relieved. His mission reward—a designated Earth-Grade item summon—could procure such a treasure. But he wanted to hear the second option.
"The second is dual cultivation with her," Jin'er stated matter-of-factly.
Pfft! Lan An nearly choked, glancing at the pale beauty in his arms. Swallowing hard, he asked, "Why that?"
"Your soul strength surpasses ordinary cultivators, bolstered by the Immortal Genesis Scripture. Your soul is the finest remedy for her damage," Jin'er explained calmly. "To heal her soul with yours, you must unite as one."
Clang! "Successfully schemed against the Lan Clan. Completed hidden mission Overlord's Cunning. Reward: One designated summon of a Heaven-Grade artifact."
The System's voice interrupted Lan An's thoughts, leaving him stunned. A hidden mission? He quickly checked the mission details:
"Using weak cultivation to scheme against an Eighth-Tier faction, leveraging the Heavenly Dao to cripple the Lan Clan, demonstrates the cunning befitting an Overlord, thus completing the hidden mission."
Lan An grinned, sneering inwardly, "This is just the beginning. I'll collect the full debt with interest."
Clang! "Triggered side mission First Woman. Reward for completion: One random Earth-Grade martial skill summon. Penalty for failure: No romantic encounters for ten years."
Mission details: "An Overlord needs allies to achieve greatness. As the saying goes, behind every successful man stands a woman. The host must use dual cultivation to heal Yan Ruo Xue, then win her heart. She is suited to be a virtuous partner on the host's Path of the Overlord."
"Her name is Yan Ruo Xue?" Lan An murmured, gazing tenderly at the trembling beauty in his arms, savoring her name.
He knew the time for a decision had come.