The sun had completely set behind the horizon by the time the luxurious motorcade carrying Wei Yan and his entourage entered the main courtyard of Qinshan Mansion. Having completed their business at the resort, Wei Yan's aura showed no trace of fatigue; instead, the energy radiating from him had grown sharper, more concentrated, and possessed a density that vibrated the air around him.
As soon as the car door opened, the atmosphere of the Mansion felt completely different from usual. There was an elegant yet tense tension in the air, as if the entire mountain area itself was holding its breath, awaiting its master's command. The principal wives—except for Li Yuantong, who was still tending to matters at another residence, and Ning Shuang, who remained in the school dormitory—stepped out of the car with synchronized and dignified movements. Shen Ruolin, Xia Chunyu, and Luo Mengyi led the way, followed by ten elite women from the pagoda world who had just stepped foot in this reality, possessing a mystical aura and beauty beyond mere mortal standards.
Shen Ruolin stepped forward with a steady stride that exuded the authority of a business queen, issuing brief but firm instructions to the servants to immediately clear the central garden area and ensure that spiritual security protocols were at the highest level. Behind him, Luo Mengyi, still awed and slightly trembling by the scale of Wei Yan's power, walked with graceful yet cautious steps alongside the pagoda women, whose gazes were cold yet devoted.
"Master," called Xia Chunyu, who was already waiting in the main lobby, dressed casually but still exuding a warrior aura ready to explode at any moment. "All preparations for the installation of the central formation in the Mansion are complete. The wives who reside here have gathered in the underground meditation chamber as per your orders. The energy flow around the foundation has been cleansed of all external residue."
Wei Yan nodded slightly, his face as calm as the surface of a bottomless lake. He stepped onto the spacious balcony overlooking Yonghe City on one side—with all its seemingly trivial, ephemeral lights—and the towering, dark mountains on the other, harboring ancient secrets. "Chunyu, Ruolin, Mengyi... come closer," he said without turning his head, but his voice carried an undeniable magnetic appeal.
The three women approached, standing behind Wei Yan at a respectful distance, each feeling the pressure of the man's aura in front of them that seemed to grow larger as time went on.
"What do you see there?" Wei Yan asked, her elegant hand reaching out to point at the distant city lights that looked like luminous dust particles.
"A city that doesn't know its destiny is being fundamentally altered by your cold hand," Ruolin replied quickly, her eyes radiating with boundless admiration.
"A chessboard whose pieces we've already locked, Master," Chunyu added in a cold tone filled with predatory instinct.
Wei Yan smiled lopsidedly, an expression both deadly and alluring. "That's right. But this chessboard needs stronger 'rules' to prevent any unforeseen disturbances. Up until now, we've only been playing with social influence and brute strength. Tonight, I will set up the Nine-Cornered Heaven Net Formation. This mansion will no longer be just a luxurious home; it will transform into the center of gravity of this world's spiritual energy. The point where fate will bend to my will."
Luo Mengyi, still in the very beginning stages of understanding the complexities of the cultivation world and the laws of destiny, dared to ask in a slightly trembling voice, "Master, is this formation what will make us... truly unreachable to anyone?"
Wei Yan turned slowly, gazing into Mengyi's eyes, which were filled with curiosity and innocence that contrasted with the cruelty of the upper world. He leaned in, his fingertips touching Mengyi's chin, lifting her face to look directly into his deep eyes.
"Unreachable is a certainty, Mengyi. But this formation is more than that; it is an absolute filter. It will attract those with a 'golden destiny' to come and prostrate themselves under the pull of its pure energy, while it will destroy the mental sanity of those who come with the intention of disturbing or defying my sovereignty. Starting tonight, every breath you take within this Mansion will strengthen your cultivation base tenfold, surpassing that of any genius out there."
----
Without wasting any more time, Wei Yan stepped into the center of the sterilized garden. He ordered the ten elite women of the Pagoda to form a large, mathematically and spiritually precise circle. At key points representing the cardinal directions, his core wives took their positions as pillars of life energy.
"Sit down and focus your intent solely on the vows of loyalty you have ingrained in your souls," Wei Yan commanded, his voice now resonating in the air.
The atmosphere suddenly fell into a dead silence, the kind of eerie silence where even the sounds of the night insects seemed to cease. Wei Yan raised both hands toward the pitch-black sky. Instantly, the space around him seemed to distort. From his palms, nine pillars of dark purple light—the color of pure chaos—shot high into the sky before bending sharply and crashing back down to nine predetermined coordinate points around the Mansion.
"In my name as the Maestro who dictates destiny, Open!"
BOOM!
A massive wave of spiritual energy exploded horizontally, shaking the foundations of Yonghe City below. The plants around the garden flourished unnaturally in a matter of seconds. The flower petals bloomed in full bloom, emitting a delightful fragrance, yet possessing a powerful intoxicating effect on those without the protection of cultivation.
"Argh..." Mengyi groaned softly, her body, unaccustomed to such high energy density, felt as if it were being crushed by an invisible mountain as the pure energy began to reshape her meridians.
"Don't resist the current, Mengyi," Wei Yan's voice rang out clearly within her mental consciousness. "Let the energy flow and reshape your soul vessel. You are now part of my sovereignty. Synchronize every beat of your heart with the heartbeat of this Mansion."Slowly, the painful pressure transformed into an incredible warmth. Mengyi felt every cell in her body being renewed. Meanwhile, Ruolin and Chunyu, who already possessed a stronger power base, felt their strength soar to new heights.
----
Once the formation was perfectly stable, Wei Yan didn't immediately lead them into a strenuous meditation. Instead, he relaxed his posture, gazing around the garden, which was now glowing with a faint spiritual light.
"Good work, everyone. The formation has locked," Wei Yan said in a more relaxed but still dominant tone. He turned to Ruolin and the pagoda ladies. "Before we enter the core synchronization session inside, I'd like us to celebrate the successful dual activation between the Resort and Mansion tonight. Prepare the grill. We'll be having a barbecue in this garden, under our new protection."
The ladies were momentarily stunned—the transition from a sacred spiritual ritual to a casual event like a barbecue was something only Wei Yan could pull off. However, smiles soon spread across their faces.
"Barbecue, Sir? A very refreshing idea," Ruolin said with an elegant chuckle. She immediately motioned for several pagoda ladies to fetch the highest-grade wagyu beef and premium ingredients that had been prepared beforehand.
Wei Yan sat on a lounge chair near the pool, watching the beautiful women nimbly prepare the fire and grill. "There's one small detail I deliberately inserted," Wei Yan said as he accepted a glass of drink from the waiter, his eyes fixed intently on the darkness of the mountains. "I deliberately allowed a small amount of the formation's aura to leak out towards the northern mountains specifically."
Chunyu, preparing his butcher knife, frowned. "Wouldn't such a leak of energy attract the attention of the secluded cultivators, Sir?"
"Risk is just a term for those without control," Wei Yan smiled meaningfully. "There's a tugging vibration of destiny coming from over there. Someone with significant potential is hiding. With this aura leaking out, his curiosity will be the rope that pulls him down. I want him to come and see for himself the splendor I have here, including the beautiful scenery tonight."
"Are you setting the stage for a new meeting?" Mengyi asked, helping set the table amidst the enticing aroma of meat.
"I'm preparing a new reality for anyone who thinks they're powerful," Wei Yan replied. "I want every 'hero' to realize despair when they stand before my gates. They'll see how the women who should be the center of their lives choose to kneel, serve me, and enjoy this barbecue with devotion."
Wei Yan's decision to hold a barbecue tonight was not without a well-considered reason. He knew the pure energy released by this new formation required a stable emotional anchor for his women, and the joy of a feast was the perfect catalyst. However, a deeper reason was to lure out the mountain rats that had been lurking around the perimeter.
The conversation then turned to the Resort's administrative reports over the course of the sumptuous dinner. Ruolin reported that elite families were beginning to try to gain access to the Resort's exclusive membership.
"Give them conditions that will make them think twice," Wei Yan ordered, chewing on a piece of meat fed to them by one of the pagoda women. "Don't accept them just for money. I want political concessions or access to strategic resources."
The night wore on, accompanied by low laughter and the aroma of barbecue mixed with pure spiritual energy.
----
Far behind the dense trees bordering the mansion grounds, a young man in a shabby practitioner's attire could be seen creeping through the bushes. Chu Feng swallowed hard several times. Throughout his descent from the summit, he felt like he'd entered a different world.
"What the hell is this...?" Chu Feng muttered in a trembling voice.
His eyes widened at the sight before him. In just a matter of days, or more precisely, two weeks, two enormous complexes—the Resort and the Qinshan Mansion—had seemingly appeared out of thin air, defying the logic of human development. But even more terrifying to his senses was the Grand Formation enveloping the place. He could see a dense flow of spiritual energy, swirling like a transparent dragon, continuously flowing into the heart of the residence. The energy concentration was so high that the air seemed to shimmer like liquid diamonds.
"My teacher said the city world was barren... but this place... the energy concentration is a thousand times purer than the sacred spring on my mountain peak!" Chu Feng thought, envy beginning to gnaw at his heart.
He tried to creep closer, using the mountain breathing technique to conceal his aura. However, just as he managed to get a clearer view of the barbecue area, his mental defenses collapsed instantly.
"Uh..." Chu Feng felt a sudden burning sensation in his nose. One drop, two drops of fresh blood flowed down. He was bleeding profusely.
Before him, he saw a sea of beauty he had never imagined in his wildest dreams. Dozens of beautiful women in outfits that accentuated their curves—from Ruolin's elegant business suit to Mengyi's soft silk dress—gathered in one spot. And what hurt his pride most were the ten women from the pagoda world who exuded an aura of maturity and purity impossible to find in the mortal world.
However, that awe quickly gave way to burning anger. Amidst the crowd of celestial maidens sat a lone man.
"Who is that man?!" Chu Feng growled, his teeth chattering.
He looked at Wei Yan, who looked much more handsome, calmer, and had an air of sovereignty that made Chu Feng feel like dust beneath the Maestro's feet. Wei Yan wasn't just sitting idly by; he was completely pampered.
"Master, this cut is perfectly done. Try it," Shen Ruolin said in a gentle voice, feeding a piece of meat directly to Wei Yan's mouth with silver chopsticks.
Before Wei Yan could swallow, Xia Chunyu approached from the other side with a glass of spiritual wine. "Drink some, Master. It will calm the flow of Chaos energy in your meridians."
Even Luo Mengyi, usually shy, was now jostling to massage Wei Yan's shoulders. "Is the pressure just right, Master?" she asked with a look of devotion.
Chu Feng's emotions were exploding. As a protagonist raised with the narrative that he was the chosen one, seeing another man surrounded by women who were supposed to be "rewards" for his strength was the ultimate humiliation.
"Damn it! That man... he just sits there and they all... they all serve him like love slaves!" Chu Feng clutched the ground until his nails were dirty with dirt. "Those women... they should be looking at me with admiration! Why are they taking turns feeding him like he's the center of the universe?!"
Wei Yan, who had actually noticed Chu Feng's presence from the start, deliberately pulled Luo Mengyi onto his lap. He glanced briefly at the bushes where Chu Feng was hiding—a glance filled with contempt and dominance.
"Mengyi," Wei Yan said loudly enough for the wind to carry his voice to the scout. "This meat is delicious. But your devotion is even sweeter. Don't you think so?"
"Anything for you, Master," Mengyi replied, resting her head on Wei Yan's chest and lightly kissing his cheek.
Chu Feng nearly screamed in anger. His chest tightened with poisonous jealousy. He felt like his destiny was being trampled upon. The man in front of him had not only stolen his mountain's spiritual energy, but also his dignity as a man at the "top."
"I will destroy you..." Chu Feng whispered, his eyes red. "I'll make sure you crawl under my feet and beg for mercy as I take all this from you."
Wei Yan merely smiled faintly as he took another bite of wagyu beef. The bait had been taken, the protagonist's emotions had been stirred, and tonight's barbecue had achieved its darkest goal: triggering the mountain youth's first mental breakdown.