My Celestial Ascension

Chapter 552: Xian City

Yuan and his wives were following Fang Xiaoyan on their floating swords, while she flew unaided by a flying sword. They were heading to Xian City to attend the Harvest Festival before continuing on toward the Red Pagoda.

A few hours later, a massive city came into view. It was almost the same size as the capital city of the Windfall Kingdom. The city was visible from miles away, illuminated by countless spirit lamps.

"Is that Xian City? It's huge!" Ava exclaimed, her face filled with astonishment.

Grandpa Fang had said it was a small city, but it turned out to be quite large. Though the houses were spaced far apart, it could still easily accommodate around ten thousand people.

"Well, I don't know how big the cities are in the outside world, but since my grandpa says this is a small city, then it's a small city," Fang Xiaoyan said calmly as she continued moving forward.

"Most cities are smaller than this one, but they're far more crowded," Mireya remarked, gazing at the illuminated city. The unique architecture made the view even more breathtaking.

"Is that so? I guess the outside world isn't as impressive as I thought," Fang Xiaoyan murmured, her previous anticipation for exploring the outside world fading.

"There are cities in the outside world that are ten times larger than this one, and some even bigger," Mireya added with a small smile.

As an elf over two hundred years old, she had seen many cities, far more than most of Yuan's wives.

A few minutes later, they landed outside the city walls, which were tall and thick, made of massive stones. A few guards stood watch at the entrance.

As Yuan and his wives approached the city gate, the guards noticed their arrival, their eyes widening in surprise at the sight of so many beautiful women.

"Who are these women? They're stunning!" one guard whispered.

"Are you kidding? Even the dead would rise just to see them!" another guard added, his eyes glued to the group. "I wonder which hidden family they belong to. I've never seen anyone like them."

Their gazes shifted to Fang Xiaoyan, who was leading the group. Their chatter ceased immediately, and their expressions grew serious.

"Isn't that Lady Fang Xiaoyan from the Fang family? What's she doing with them?" one guard asked, clearly curious about her connection to the group.

"You should go and inform Young Lord Chen that Lady Fang has arrived in the city. Quickly!" ordered one of the senior guards.

"Understood. I'll be back in a moment," the younger guard replied before sprinting off toward the Lord's mansion.

As Fang Xiaoyan and Yuan's group arrived at the gate, the guards opened it immediately, without asking any questions.

'I hope Young Master Chen gives me a raise for sending word about Lady Fang's arrival,' the guard thought, chuckling inwardly.

Yuan was surprised that the guards let them enter without a single question. It was strange, especially considering how careful guards usually were.

Inside, the city was even more beautiful. Paper lanterns hung everywhere, lighting up the streets and homes in a magical glow.

The streets bustled with activity, filled with all kinds of food stalls serving dishes Yuan and his wives had never seen. The aroma wafting from the stalls made their stomachs growl in anticipation.

"What are those? I've never seen them before... but they look so tempting," Lily said, pointing toward a particular stall.

"Those are soup dumplings," Fang Xiaoyan explained with a chuckle. "They're filled with broth inside the dumpling. Let's try some. I've got a few low-tier Spirit Stones with me."

"Let's go then!" Yuan said, excitement flashing across his face. "I can't wait to taste the food of the Secret Realm."

Yuan's wives were equally excited to try the delicious-looking dumplings, especially Xi Meili and Julie, who were practically salivating as they stared at the shiny soup dumplings at the stall.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the city, a young man with long black hair was lounging on a sofa in a pavilion, surrounded by beautiful women. He sipped wine alongside his friends, enjoying the company of the beauties and the luxury of good wine.

"So, Young Master Chen, when are you planning to make Lady Fang your spouse? You've been pursuing her for ages, yet she hasn't even glanced your way," one of his friends teased.

"Yeah, Brother Chen, when are you going to claim her?" another friend chimed in with a sly grin.

Hearing this, Young Master Chen's expression darkened slightly, irritated by their words. It felt like mockery, but he swallowed his anger, knowing that as friends, their questions weren't unreasonable.

With a forced calm, he replied, "Very soon. I won't let that woman escape from me. No one can, once I set my sights on them."

"But what worries me is her cultivation level," Chen Ping sighed before downing his cup of wine in one gulp. "She's stronger than even our ancestor. One wrong move, and she could kill us all. And her family... they're all Spirit Lord-level cultivators."

"My father would probably offer my head to them as an apology if I overstep my bounds," he added, his frustration evident. "That's why I'm trying to win her over, but she keeps ignoring me…"

Chen Ping refilled his cup and drank it all in one shot, clearly agitated.

Suddenly, a city guard rushed into the room, approaching Chen Ping with a bright, eager smile.

"Young Master Chen, Lady Fang has entered the city, and she's accompanied by several other stunningly beautiful women. They're currently wandering the streets, sampling local cuisine," the guard whispered excitedly.

"What?! Really?" Chen Ping shot up from his seat, a grin spreading across his face like a child discovering a new toy, startling his friends and the female attendants.

"Yes, Young Master," the guard confirmed, nodding eagerly. "I saw them myself and hurried here to inform you."

"I see... for your efforts, your salary will be raised by two low-tier Spirit Stones starting tomorrow," Chen Ping said with a wide grin, his excitement palpable.

"T-Thank you, Young Master! You're too generous!" The guard bowed deeply in gratitude before returning to his post at the city gate.

Once the guard had left, Chen Ping turned to his friends, still grinning. "Brothers, let's head to the City Square. Lady Fang Xiaoyan has arrived, and she's got a few beauties with her."

"What?! Is that true?" His two friends exchanged wide-eyed glances before matching his grin.

"Young Master Chen, don't forget to visit us after you win Lady Fang's heart, okay?" one of the female attendants purred, pressing herself against his arm.

Chen Ping wrapped an arm around the woman's slender waist and kissed her passionately in front of his friends. "Don't worry, love. I'll visit you girls every day."

"Does that mean we're your concubines, Young Master?" another attendant asked playfully, smiling seductively at him.

Chen Ping chuckled, pulling her into his embrace as well. "Of course. You girls are far too precious to me."

"Thank you for taking us in, Young Master Chen," the attendants cooed, smiling up at him, using their charm to try and keep his attention.

A couple of minutes later, Chen Ping turned to his friends, his eagerness evident. "Let's go greet Lady Fang Xiaoyan. I've been waiting for a chance to see her face again."

"Young Master, how about leaving the women with Lady Fang to us? Since we've been loyal friends, we deserve a bit of fun too, right?" one of his friends suggested slyly as they left the pavilion.

"Well, of course," Chen Ping replied with a smirk. "You two can have the women who came with Lady Fang. But don't you dare lay a finger on Lady Fang Xiaoyan. She's mine—only I, Chen Ping, am worthy of her!" His tone turned serious, a flash of killing intent in his eyes.

A few minutes later, Chen Ping and his friends arrived at the City Square and began scanning the crowd, eager to catch sight of Fang Xiaoyan.

After scanning the area for a few minutes, Chen Ping finally spotted Fang Xiaoyan in the distance. She appeared to be enjoying some local cuisine at a popular food stall, and just as the guard had said, she was accompanied by a group of stunningly beautiful women.

As his eyes took in their beauty, a wave of greed surged within him. An intense, almost primal desire to possess them swelled in his heart. Subtly, he licked his lips, as though eyeing a delicious feast laid out before him.

'That guard was right,' Chen Ping thought, his smile growing wider. 'These women are just as breathtaking as Lady Fang Xiaoyan...'

"My goodness! They're so beautiful!"

"They look like goddesses descended from the heavens! We must be incredibly lucky today!"

While Chen Ping stared lustfully at Fang Xiaoyan and Yuan's wives, his two friends couldn't contain their excitement, openly celebrating the women's beauty.

"Shut up! You both sound like fools! You're ruining my image in public!" Chen Ping snapped, silencing them immediately.

'Since when did you ever have a good reputation?' his friends thought, rolling their eyes inwardly, fully aware of Chen Ping's true nature.

"Let's not waste any more time. We shouldn't keep beautiful women waiting." With that, Chen Ping began walking toward Yuan and his group, a sly smile spreading across his face as he approached.