After I stopped trying, a rich woman trained me into a demon emperor.

A broken blade stained with dried blood.

Several pieces of exquisite warm jade, imbued with spiritual energy, were looted from the Wu family.

There was also a thread-bound book with yellowed pages and an unknown origin.

Zhou Ran handed the book "The Art of Concealing Breath" to Xiao Hongli. It was a fragment that he had taken from the ghost.

"Hongli, your constitution is special, like a bright pearl in the dark. If you don't learn to conceal your brilliance, you will easily attract wolves."

Zhou Ran handed the ancient book to Xiao Hongli.

"And this too."

Zhou Ran picked up the pieces of warm jade, flipped his palm, and a cluster of dark purple demonic fire ignited out of thin air.

Under the horrified gazes of the two women, the hard, warm jade pieces melted in his palm, turning into a pool of viscous jade liquid.

Zhou Ran used his fingers as a brush, rapidly inscribing profound runes on the molten jade liquid.

"Amulet, capable of blocking a full-force attack from a Grandmaster of Internal Energy."

Wear it close to your body, even when showering.

Zhou Ran handed the two jade talismans, still warm from his body, to the two women.

The moment their fingertips touched, both women's delicate bodies trembled almost imperceptibly.

That warmth wasn't just in my palm; it felt like a domineering force that imprinted itself deep into my soul.

Chen Ya gripped the jade talisman tightly, feeling the warmth flow from her palm to her heart.

She raised her head, her peach blossom eyes shimmering with water, as if they could suck in one's soul.

"Such a valuable gift..."

She leaned close to Zhou Ran's ear, her voice both seductive and soft, with a hint of coquetry.

"I'm afraid my sister will never be able to repay this debt in her lifetime."

"How about we play chess at my place tonight?"

Before the words were even finished, Xiao Hongli's beautiful face was already flushed with rosy cheeks.

She kept her head down, her toes pacing nervously in circles, her voice barely audible.

"Um... the chessboard in my room... is actually quite big..."

Zhou Ran felt a long-suppressed demonic thought suddenly explode.

Who can stand this!

Which cadre could withstand such a test?

Chen Ya has absorbed almost all the spiritual energy from that safety amulet, so it's time for her to replenish it.

Although Xiao Hongli's cold aura has been suppressed, it still needs to be consolidated!

"Only children make choices."

......

The next morning.

The first ray of sunlight streamed through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows.

The two of them were listlessly snuggling up to Zhou Ran, not wanting to move a single finger.

However, they looked better than last night.

Xiao Hongli, in particular, has gained an indescribable allure to her originally aloof temperament. Her eyes, which sparkle with a mixture of ice and fire, are captivating.

Chen Ya, on the other hand, was like a ripe peach, exuding stunning charm in every gesture.

Zhou Ran opened his eyes, and a wisp of solid purple light flashed and disappeared deep in his pupils.

His cultivation at the peak of the sixth level of Qi Condensation was completely stabilized, and there were even faint signs of a breakthrough.

Playing chess with Chen Ya is too easy. If it weren't for the amulet brimming with spiritual energy, I would probably have checkmated her within five moves.

The three games I played with her were purely for emotional value.

It seems that in the future, we should find her more jewelry that contains spiritual energy, which can not only improve her chess skills, but also subtly influence her cultivation foundation.

As for Xiao Hongli's Taiyin Body, it is indeed well-deserved.

His chess skills improved at a rocket-like pace, especially after Zhou Ran captured both of his cannons, he became even more courageous in battle.

Zhou Ran benefited greatly from the experience of engaging in the game with him.

If one can continuously learn from the game, it probably won't be long before one can use chess to enter the Dao and touch the threshold of Qi Condensation.

This made Zhou Ran feel a sense of crisis.

Zhou Ran's fingers gently traced Xiao Hongli's smooth back, eliciting a soft moan.

"It's dawn, time for a 'family meeting'."

Hearing this, Xiao Hongli blushed and snuggled closer to Zhou Ran.

Chen Ya's eyes lit up, and she sat up. The silky sheets slipped off, revealing a large expanse of breathtaking cleavage.

"Oh? Tell me, what are the rules for our family?"

"Hongli, I have already taken over your second aunt's family."

Wu Dehui delivered the accounts early this morning.

You and Sister Ya should take over the Wu family's business as soon as possible.

To contend with the Song family, we must have sufficient resources.

Upon hearing this news, the two women instantly snapped to attention, their beautiful eyes filled with shock.

The Wu family!

A powerful family that had dominated Jiangcheng for decades vanished overnight.

This man's methods have exceeded their expectations.

"Don't worry, leave it to me."

The allure in Chen Ya's eyes faded, replaced by the sharpness and excitement of a powerful businesswoman.

"With the Wu family's funds and channels, plus the Xiao and Chen families, we have laid a trap in Jiangcheng."

If the Song family wants to interfere again, they'll have to ask us for permission first!

"Hongli, you're in charge of stabilizing the Xiao family's internal situation."

Zhou Ran looked at Xiao Hongli,

"Hongli, you are responsible for stabilizing the Xiao family. Although the old man has woken up, his foundation has been destroyed. This is the best time for you to take complete control."

"Take advantage of the opportunity to purge Xiao Changfeng's remaining followers and uproot all the opportunists."

"Um!

I know what to do.

Xiao Hongli nodded vigorously, a ruthless glint in her eyes.

After that night, she truly understood that beauty alone was far from enough to stand beside this man.

She would be his sword, cutting through all thorns for him.

After arranging everything, Zhou Ran arrived at a secluded pavilion on the back mountain of the Xiao family manor.

This is the place with the most spiritual energy in the entire manor.

He sat cross-legged and took out the bronze key he had received from the old man.

The key emitted a faint bluish glow in the morning light.

"Old Deng, what's the story behind this thing?"

Zhou Ran asked in his heart.

Ye Futian's voice rang out, tinged with solemnity.

"The runes on this key look like the work of the ancient 'Corpse Suppressing Sect'."

That so-called ruin should be a sealed place.

"What's sealed inside is definitely not simple."

It could be a millennia-old zombie king, or it could be some kind of demonic artifact.

"However, the greater the risk, the greater the reward."

"The Yin energy leaking out there is highly poisonous to ordinary cultivators, but it's a great tonic for your cultivation of the Yin-Yang Technique!"

"If you can enter the core area and take advantage of the vast Yin energy there, breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage will not be difficult."

A glint of light flashed in Zhou Ran's eyes.

Foundation Building Stage!

That was the first major hurdle on the path to immortality.

Once the foundation is successfully established, one can fly on a sword, extend one's lifespan, and truly transcend the mortal realm.

At that time, the Song family and the Wuji Sect will be nothing but ants in his eyes.

"Looks like we need to speed things up."