In the opulent dining hall of the emperor's castle, Xu Fang stepped into a well-furnished space adorned with elegance. A long table, surrounded by fourteen chairs, served as the centerpiece. Four strikingly beautiful and alluring ladies, along with four young girls, occupied the seats, indulging in their breakfast.
'Wow, beautiful. It's heaven.' He marveled internally at the captivating presence of the four stunning women seated before him.
The arrival of Xu Fang drew the attention of the young girls, their heads turning in unison as they regarded him with surprised expressions. Among them, a beautiful lady rushed towards him, enveloping him in a tight embrace.
"Xu Fang…" she exclaimed, holding him by the shoulders after releasing him from the hug. Concern etched her features as she inquired, "When did you wake up, and how are you feeling now?"
"Mother, I just woke up, and I feel hungry now," he responded with innocence, addressing the woman who was, indeed, the mother of his predecessor, the previous occupant of his new body.
'I need to act as if I'm Xu Fang because, in this new world, it's my identity, not Dai Tao.' He reminded himself.
"Let's eat something first," his mother suggested, leading him toward the dining table with a warm smile on her face.
"I'm happy to see you healthy again," she expressed her joy at his recovery.
As they gathered around the table, all of his family members—a total of nine, including him—shared their happiness and concerns. The aroma of the food wafted through the air, intensifying his hunger.
With his stomach now sated, he decided it was time to observe his new family members more closely.
'There were 4 beautiful ladies, including my mother, and 4 young girls.' He took note of the individuals who comprised his family in this new chapter of his life.
The first lady is his mother, Zheng Yu, also known as the current Empress. She appears to be in her early twenties with a well-developed body and ample bust, estimated to be around an E Cup. Her height is approximately 180cm, and she is adorned in a white dress. Her long, straight silver hair is meticulously arranged with jewelry, complementing her amber-colored eyes, red lips, and a grand gold crown atop her head.
The second lady is Shen Yin, the First Queen, also in her early twenties. She possesses an alluring figure with beautiful calves, and her breasts, though slightly smaller than the Empress's, are estimated to be a D Cup. Standing at around 175cm, she wears a stylish blue dress, complemented by long, light blue hair. Her eyes are a captivating shade of blue, and she has pink lips. While she also wears a gold crown, it is smaller in comparison to the Empress's crown.
The third lady is Lie Ning, the Second Queen, appearing in her early twenties. She possesses a petite frame and ample breasts, estimated to be an E-cup. Radiating allure, she stands at a height of around 160cm, dressed in an elegant pink gown. Her shoulder-length pink hair, pink eyes, and pink lips enhance her captivating charm. While she also wears a gold crown, it's slightly smaller than the one worn by the First Queen.
The fourth lady is Long Xiu, the Third Queen, with a youthful appearance akin to a teenager. She boasts a perfect figure with smaller breasts, estimated to be a C-cup. Standing at around 172cm, she dons a chic black dress, accentuating her long black hair, silver eyes, and red lips. Like her predecessors, she wears a gold crown, though it's petite compared to the crown worn by the Second Queen.
'It's heavenly,' Xu Fang thought to himself, appreciating the beauty and grace of the family members surrounding him.
Turning his attention towards the young girls at the dining table, he observed them with curiosity, eager to familiarize himself with each member of his newfound family.
The first young girl is Xu Min, his elder sister from the same mother, aged 15. She boasts brown hair gathered in a single ponytail and possesses amber-colored eyes, reminiscent of her mother's gaze. Her usual attire consists of a jade green dress, complementing her recently developed physique with estimated B-cup-size small breasts. Standing at a height of approximately 162cm, she carries herself with a graceful demeanor.
Moving on to the second young girl, Xu Zhi, his first big stepsister and the daughter of the second Queen, is 14 years old. With her distinctive appearance, she sports pink hair fashioned into two lively ponytails and captivating blue eyes. Her chosen ensemble is a white dress adorned with subtle pink shades, accentuating her newly developed and slender form with an estimated B-cup-size small breast. Standing at around 160cm, she radiates a youthful charm.
Observing further, he noticed the presence of the third and fourth young girls, 'Xu Ling' and 'Xu Jing,' his other twin big step-sisters. They were the daughters of the First Queen and were currently 13 and a half years old. Both girls had charming brown and light blue hair styled in two small ponytails, paired with blue-colored eyes resembling those of their mother.
The only noticeable difference between them was in their hair coloration. Xu Ling had full brown hair with light blue color shades at the ends, while Xu Jing sported full light blue color hair with brown color shades at the ends. Xu Ling wore a purple dress, while Xu Jing wore a blue one. Both had newly developed slim bodies with an estimated A- or B-cup size for their small breasts. Remarkably, they shared the same height, standing at around 157cm.
As he glanced across the dining table, he couldn't help but appreciate the beauty of the four ladies seated there, quietly contemplating himself.
'They're all really beautiful; any man would be captivated by these stunning women.'
After finishing breakfast, the family members stood up, getting ready to head back to their rooms.
"Xu Fang, join me," his mother called, gesturing for him to follow.
"Sure thing," he replied, trailing behind her as they made their way to the throne hall, a place that seemed important for their next move. Stepping into the grand hall, he stayed close to his mother.
Elegant braziers hung on one side of each of the fourteen marble columns, casting a warm glow across the throne hall and creating a mesmerizing play of orange light. The stained glass windows in the slanted ceiling danced in the flickering light, while statues and memorials observed the graywood floor of this impressive hall.
A majestic golden rug divided the room, flanked by slender ones on each side. Winged banners with intricate symbols hung from the walls, some illuminated between each banner, casting light on the status of departed royal family members below.
Expansive-washed glass windows were veiled in golden fabric matching the banners, adorned with jewels and delicate patterns.
A grand throne crafted from mahogany stood before a large window, bathing the seat in radiant light. Three similar, albeit less ornate, seats accompanied it for the royal highness' family members.
The throne boasted symmetrical patterns, adorned with broad pillows in a light golden hue, embellished with intricate plumes.
Gracefully, she took her place on the throne, gesturing for him to join her. Initially standing by her side, she insisted he sit beside her on the regal seat.
"How are you feeling now?" she asked once more, concern evident in her eyes.
"I'm fine now, Mother," he reassured her, a warm smile gracing his face.
Her expression softened into a smile as she embraced him, patting his back affectionately. Engaged in a conversation for about fifteen minutes, he eventually excused himself, departing the throne hall. Returning to his room, he immersed himself in planning, eager to explore more about the world, cultivation paths, techniques, and the knowledge of other empires.
'In my previous life, I was proficient in three different types of martial arts. Yet, those martial arts pale in comparison to cultivation techniques.'
'All the martial arts I mastered in my old life have secret moves. While I may not be an expert in all three, I possess comprehensive information about them. If I become adept in those secret moves, it could enhance my skills once my Elements Qi Awakening is complete,' he contemplated, recognizing the potential synergy between his martial arts expertise and the cultivation techniques of this new world.
'I've also been exploring ways to incorporate these secret moves into 'Qi power' in the future. If successful, it could lead to new techniques never before seen in this world.'
After a brief rest, Xu Fang secured the door and resumed his martial arts training from where he left off in the morning. Seating himself in a lotus position, he initiated meditation and spent the next few hours deeply engrossed in rigorous training. Aware of the limitations of his new body, he took intermittent breaks during the practice.
After grabbing lunch following the morning session, he returned to his room, thinking about another round of martial arts training. However, a different idea crossed his mind.
'Why not check my current cultivation?'
Sitting cross-legged on his bed, he closed his eyes and focused on the Qi within his body, attempting to circulate it. The path to the Elements Qi Awakening required the opening of 52 meridians, grouped in sets of six, with the last set being the most challenging. Those with poor talent often struggled to open this last set, leading a simple life without delving into cultivation.
As Xu Fang explored his meridians, he sensed that only 18 were open, indicating he was at the third stage of the Qi Meridians (Qi Disciple). Eager to progress further, he began absorbing Qi from the air into his dantian, a simple technique he had learned from his predecessor's memories.