After hearing Mentor Yu Xuan’s candid confession, the four women felt even more sour in their hearts. So, while they were unaware, the mentor and Yan Zhen had shared so many intimate moments in secret.
Boo hoo—even Mentor Niu from the academy didn’t have someone that impressive.
The four women pouted as they returned to Room Two. Yan Zhen, who had been awkwardly waiting for nearly an hour, finally breathed a sigh of relief. Mentor Yu Xuan let out a long exhale, feeling as though a massive weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
“I’ve finally explained everything to them. It feels like a huge stone has been removed from my heart.”
Clearly, though she appeared composed, she had been worried deep down. What would she do if they couldn’t accept it?
Both her lover and her four students were incredibly important to Mentor Yu Xuan. She didn’t want to lose either side.
Fortunately, things unfolded much as she had anticipated. Those four girls weren’t spoiled or unreasonable.
Mentor Yu Xuan grabbed Yan Zhen’s hand and said happily, “From now on, we can be together openly and honestly, Yan Zhen.”
Yan Zhen scratched his cheek. “I still feel kinda shy about it~”
“Just be like we always have been.” Mentor Yu Xuan pursed her lips. “I’m your mentor, and also your ‘woman.’ You’re my student, and also my ‘lover.'”
Such sweet words touched even Yan Zhen’s heart, making him even more bashful. He quickly changed the subject. “Won’t your family object?”
The Yu Family was a matrilineal clan. They took in sons-in-law rather than sending their daughters away to marry, and they had only one criterion for choosing a husband: a Heaven’s Proud Son. As for background and origins, the humbler, the better.
Thus, the Yu Family’s live-in sons-in-law were generally selected from the younger generation of the Jialan Holy Land, with a grand ceremony to mark the occasion.
In the script, Mentor Yu Xuan hadn’t wanted to accept the family’s arranged marriage, so she had asked Yan Zhen to step in. He had claimed first place at the selection ceremony, allowing her to fend off the family’s pressure.
However, after Yan Zhen became the Jialan Holy Son, the matter had been dropped. After all, the Yu Family didn’t have the clout to demand that a holy son become their live-in son-in-law.
The key point was that the Yu Family forbade their heiresses from dating, which was why there was that bizarre Restraint Seal, akin to a chastity belt.
“You don’t need to worry about that.” Mentor Yu Xuan smiled faintly, brimming with confidence. “Just keep performing well at the academy, and I’ll handle things with my family.”
News of her relationship with Yan Zhen would likely reach home soon, but she wasn’t panicked at all. Yan Zhen would soon reveal his brilliance at the Holy Land Academy.
Lowborn yet extraordinarily talented, he was precisely the ideal live-in son-in-law the Yu Family had always dreamed of. No one could compare.
In his previous life, the elders of the Yu Family had all lamented that Yan Zhen had become the Jialan Holy Son and thus couldn’t join them as a son-in-law.
Yan Zhen nodded. “If any issues come up, just tell me, Mentor. I’ll do my best to help.”
Mentor Yu Xuan cupped Yan Zhen’s face in her hands and hummed softly, gazing at him with deep affection. “No matter what happens, I’ll stand firm. I absolutely won’t let us be separated.”
With that, she leaned in and offered him a tender kiss.
When Yan Zhen emerged from Room One, a faint fragrance still lingered on his lips. He glanced toward Room Two, deciding it would be best to give them a few days to cool off first. He returned to his own Room Three.
Huangfu Wenqing had already gone back to the adjacent cabin. Yan Zhen closed the door behind him, flopped onto the bed, and let out a breath. The faces of all the women floated into his mind.
Meng’er, Cousin Ruyu, Senior Sister Xue’er, Senior Sister Xinyan, Mentor Yu Xuan, and his fiancée… That was already six just on this airship.
No—counting the Beautiful Female Master in the Fire Refining Starry Sky made seven.
Then there were Good Big Sister, Xian’er, Yun Xiu, Jiuyou, and Cai Lian—that was five more.
And at the Holy Land Academy, there was his second future wife.
Before he knew it, the number of women connected to him had surpassed ten. This wasn’t some no-harem power fantasy anymore; it was verging on a stallion harem story!
Yan Zhen broke into a sweat at the thought, half-expecting System-chan to pop up at any moment and announce, “Role failed—restarting now.”
His mind a jumble, Yan Zhen considered for a moment before activating the Star Shifting Fire Seal and vanishing into the Fire Refining Starry Sky.
The white-haired beauty in her black dress sat cross-legged on the altar as always. Upon sensing his arrival, she quietly opened her blue eyes and smiled faintly. “What’s wrong, Zhen’er? You look all troubled.”
Yan Zhen shook his head. “It’s nothing. Master, take a look—how’s the polishing on my sword embryo?”
He summoned the Gold Silver Fire Sword Embryo and handed it over.
Chen Xi channeled her spiritual power to take hold of the gold-and-silver fire sword embryo, suspending it above her palms. Her blue eyes focused intently on its patterns and textures. After a long moment, she nodded lightly. “Not bad. The sword embryo is fully polished now. Next, you’ll need to find fire-attuned ores to incorporate into it, transforming this virtual embryo into a true sword.”
“Fire-attuned ores? That shouldn’t be too hard.”
“It’s not impossible, but you’ll need a massive quantity. A few million or even tens of millions of crystal coins won’t cut it.”
“That much?”
“Very few ores can withstand tempering in Gold-Silver Fire while holding their form, and they’re all quite precious. But don’t worry—the Holy Land Academy has a Volcano Secret Realm teeming with fire-attuned herbs and ores. You should try your luck there sometime.”
“Oh~”
If the script didn’t glitch, he would indeed find suitable sword-forging materials in the Volcano Secret Realm.
Yan Zhen stored the sword embryo away but neither spoke nor left. Instead, he sat before the Beautiful Female Master like a lost child.
Chen Xi reached out and gently ruffled her precious disciple’s hair, her voice warm. “What’s the matter, Zhen’er? Has something else happened? Tell your master about it.”
Yan Zhen bowed his head, his voice dejected. “Master… am I a bad person? I’ve gotten involved with so many women, but I can’t give them any promises or proper status.”
“The very fact that you can think that way proves you’re a good boy.” Chen Xi gazed at her disciple with utter indulgence. “That so many women have fallen for you speaks to your excellence. Whether you choose just one or embrace them all is up to you… Neither path is wrong. What matters is honesty—not hiding things, deceiving others, or yourself. Do you understand?”
Yan Zhen pondered her words, then lifted his head to look at the Beautiful Female Master. In a small voice, he asked, “If I said I wanted to marry you as my wife, would Master agree to marry me?”
Eh? Chen Xi froze on the spot, wondering if she’d misheard.
“Zhen’er… you… what did you say?”
For the first time, she lost her composure entirely, her words stumbling out. Her heart pounded wildly.
Seeing the Beautiful Female Master looking as if she might get angry, Yan Zhen panicked and shook his head frantically. “I didn’t say anything! I didn’t think anything! I’m your good disciple—see you later, Master!”
With that, he immediately activated the Star Shifting Fire Seal and fled, terrified that if he lingered, an furious Beautiful Female Master would spank him black and blue.
Chen Xi blinked her beautiful eyes in a daze, her heart unable to settle for a long time.
“Zhen’er… finally…”
