"That's a secret," Qian Ran replied with a playful grin.
Hearing this, Snow Empress sensibly refrained from pressing further.
She had long realized that Qian Ran's strength didn't lie solely in his cultivation level but in his ability to produce treasures far beyond the times.
It was hard to believe that the Enlightenment Tea came from anything within the Douluo Continent.
Since Qian Ran didn't want to explain, Snow Empress saw no need to pry.
What mattered to her was that Qian Ran always provided her with what she needed without hesitation. That alone was enough.
"Snow Empress, now that you're a Demigod, how strong are you exactly?" Ice Empress asked curiously, eager to understand the gap between them.
"It's not as impressive as you might think. I'm just barely at the entry level. My strength has roughly doubled compared to before," Snow Empress said after assessing herself.
If the realm above Ultimate Douluo but below godhood could all be classified as Demigod, then she was at the very beginning of this stage. Her future strength would depend on continuous cultivation, eventually allowing her to challenge the mythical realm of true godhood.
In the past, Snow Empress had never dared to dream of becoming a god. She knew too well how difficult it was for soul beasts to achieve such heights. But now, for the first time, she saw a glimmer of hope.
Qian Ran truly had the potential to lead them to such a realm.
This man, though not exceptionally powerful himself, possessed resources and knowledge that were beyond their comprehension.
"These are for you. Keep them to use later," Qian Ran said, handing Snow Empress a portion of the Enlightenment Tea leaves. For someone like her, who had just stepped onto the path to godhood, these tea leaves would significantly shorten the journey and make the process much smoother.
Ever since Qian Ran learned that the system could offer him an alternative path to godhood, he had planned to take Snow Empress and the others along this route.
His interest in the God Realm's divine positions had dwindled.
The gods of the God Realm were limited to specific domains. However, by following the system's path, Qian Ran could become a god whose powers encompassed all his current abilities.
At that point, he would be akin to a fusion of numerous gods.
Consider the Dragon God, for example. The Dragon God had wielded nine attributes: water, fire, earth, wind, light, darkness, space, time, and stability. After the Dragon God's fall, these attributes were divided among various deities.
Qian Ran had no intention of being a single-attribute god. He aspired to be like the Dragon God, mastering multiple elements.
With his Angelic Spirit and Golden Dragon Spirit, Qian Ran already commanded a plethora of attributes, including light, holiness, evil, and the five classical elements.
If he became a god through the system, he would retain divine control over all his current attributes. This would make him the embodiment of multiple gods rolled into one.
The Dragon God's strength had stemmed from this very principle.
Qian Ran was ambitious. He didn't want to be a minor deity in the God Realm—he wanted to be its ruler, the ultimate sovereign of this world.
Even now, the attributes he controlled were insufficient to satisfy him. He craved the mightiest powers: time, space, life, and destruction.
If he could command all the most powerful attributes, no one could rival him. He would be one with the universe itself, immortal and eternal unless the cosmos itself perished.
"Hehe, Qian Ran, don't forget me if you come across treasures suited for me," Ice Empress said, her large eyes locking onto him with anticipation.
She admired Qian Ran immensely and was beginning to feel that her path to strength depended on his help.
Soul beast cultivation was painfully slow. Reaching the equivalent of Ultimate Douluo would take her countless years of effort. It might even take another ten thousand years for her cultivation to reach 500,000 years.
In the past, Ice Empress hadn't thought much of such a long timeline. Back then, a nap could easily span a millennium.
But now things were different. Living among humans had aligned her lifestyle with theirs.
Ten thousand years... Just thinking about it gave her a headache.
She didn't want to wait that long.
"If I find something suitable, I'll set it aside for you. I'll help you grow stronger as soon as possible, okay?" Qian Ran said, stroking Ice Empress' head fondly.
With her twin tails of emerald green hair, Ice Empress was beginning to resemble Hatsune Miku.
The longer she lived among humans, the more she acted like a lively, mischievous girl. Her formerly mature demeanor had given way to a youthful appearance, perhaps because she knew Qian Ran had a soft spot for such traits.
"Hehe, you're the best, Qian Ran! If you can help me reach the Demigod level, I'll give you anything you want," Ice Empress said with a playful wink.
"As if there's anything left for you to give me," Qian Ran teased.
His gaze briefly swept over Ice Empress, lingering on her shapely figure. He'd explored every facet of her beauty—even the curves hugged by her tight shorts.
In this respect, spirit beasts were conveniently pristine—pure and untainted.
"You...!" Ice Empress glared at him, her eyes wide with mock outrage.
Thinking about it, she realized he was right.
She regretted giving everything to him so quickly. Ice Empress had a playful streak, and Qian Ran's wicked suggestions often intrigued rather than offended her. Over time, she had become the most thoroughly "claimed" among Qian Ran's companions.
"What's that look for? Do you think I'm the kind of guy who'd take everything and leave? If I find something good, you'll always be my priority," Qian Ran said, pinching her firm backside affectionately.
Qian Ran valued loyalty. If he discarded Ice Empress after having his way with her, the other women around him might start holding back, and that wasn't something he wanted.
Moreover, he wasn't remotely tired of Ice Empress. On the contrary, he still found her endlessly refreshing.
Having so many beauties in his life ensured that he never grew bored with any of them. It was like listening to a playlist—enjoyable when shuffled, monotonous when looping the same track.
For Qian Ran, relationships followed the same principle. Aside from the rarest of pure-hearted romantics, few could love a single person for their entire life.
"That's more like it. But…"
"Snow Empress, Qian Ran has done so much for you. Don't you think you should show some appreciation?" Ice Empress said with a sly smile.
Unlike the playful Ice Empress, Snow Empress was typically reserved. But with this rare opportunity at hand, Qian Ran wouldn't let it slip by. Pulling Snow Empress into his arms alongside Ice Empress, he carried both women eagerly to his bedroom.
(End of Chapter)
Notes-You can read advanced chapters in patreon.com/Shadow_D_X