- The Harem Rescue Project

There was a disturbance in the cave, caused by the struggling of a flood dragon. Liang Jingxuan must be attempting to tame the flood dragon for his own use. Lin Qianshuang's eyes sharpened; no longer interested in the back-and-forth with Xiao Lanle, she pushed off Xiao Lanle's restraining hold and rushed into the cave. If the protagonist were to subdue the flood dragon, the spiritual ley lines and feng shui of the Penglai Immortal Sect would be destroyed. The ancestral headmaster of Penglai Sect had set the ancient flood dragon as the core of the protective array to guard the immortal mountain. Should the protective array be broken, the malicious demons and spirits lurking outside would invade and cause chaos, posing a grave threat not only to the sect but also to the nearby village. The turning of fate, recorded in the narrative, had already shown its face. With the flood dragon as his spiritual beast, the future protagonist would be much harder to contend with. In Lin Qianshuang's hand materialized a long sword forged from dark energy. She aimed to seize Liang Jingxuan's opportunity, although she had failed on her first attempt to take away the Purple Sky Sword. She believed that once the Star Plucking Sword was taken by Xiao Lanle, Liang Jingxuan would be unable to find this place, yet events unfolded as originally written. She wished to try again, regardless of the outcome. "Sister, it's dangerous inside. You can't go in!" Xiao Lanle, caught off guard, was pushed aside. Watching Lin Qianshuang enter the cave, she grew anxious, knowing the cave harbored dangerous ancient beasts. If released, not only the two of them but all of humanity would be at risk. On a whim, the Suwen Sword appeared in her hand. Clutching a sea pearl in her palm, Xiao Lanle chased after Lin Qianshuang, fearing for her sister’s safety against the flood dragon more than the fate of the world. The cavern concealed behind the waterfall held another world entirely. Lin Qianshuang, gripping the cliff face-built stone steps, cautiously descended. Pebbles from under her feet tumbled down into a tomb palace a hundred feet below, where a dried-up river of darkness flowed with a deep purple sheen — upon closer inspection, these were not waters but clusters of sentient dark fire dancing in the trenches. This was the ancestral tomb left behind after the first headmaster of Penglai Sect ascended, a forbidden ground sealing thousands of spirits. Knowing she must confront Liang Jingxuan, Lin Qianshuang shed her concealment, levitating midair by her dark aura. As she surveyed, a labyrinthine underground mausoleum revealed itself with the main hall at its center. Nine cauldrons burned with dusky divine flames above, and a scaly blue flood dragon was chained, bound by black iron to the cauldron's legs. It raised its whiskers, exhaled dragon breath, and roared furiously at the intruder. Liang Jingxuan struck fiercely, slicing off the dragon’s talons with a sword, blood spurting. Taking advantage of the dragon’s pain-induced distraction, he mounted the beast and began casting a spell, compelling the flood dragon to submit. If he could tame the flood dragon, riding it across realms would be an impressive sight. Besides, every part of the flood dragon was valuable; if it did not obey, its tendons and scales could be crafted into water-and-fire-resistant garments. Liang Jingxuan covetedly caressed the dragon’s tough hide, his eagerness growing, and his spellcasting intensified. "Foolish human, do you know who I am, daring to use such a lowly beast-taming spell against me? I will never let you near the divine fire!" The dragon roared, its eyes narrowing, tail whipping, and flinging Liang Jingxuan from its back onto the ground. Liang Jingxuan slammed face-first into the floor in an awkward posture, cursing inwardly. A mere mount, yet so brazen, even daring to plant him face-first. "System, up my power to the maximum! I refuse to believe this beast is so arrogant—it'll kneel and call me master soon enough." Standing haughtily, Liang Jingxuan intensified his spell, and with a gesture, immobilized the flood dragon within a binding curse. In the enraged dragon's cry, Liang Jingxuan easily retrieved the superior-grade divine fire, Purple Thunder, proudly holding it before the subdued flood dragon, kicking its horns with a mad grin. "Petty creature, I am the favored child of fate; nothing is beyond my reach. You as a demon should count yourself lucky to serve a mere human like me. If you're bold enough, try moving." The dragon struggled stubbornly but was penetrated by the spell, its consciousness gently erased, turning it into a puppet answering only to commands. Standing on the dragon's whiskers, Liang Jingxuan taunted, "Two choices: surrender and become my spiritual beast, or die; or, beg for mercy, and maybe I'll let you keep your remains intact." The flood dragon, losing all sentient fight, writhed on the ground, its sharp fangs clenched and claws gouging the earth, leaving trails of blood. "Liang Jingxuan, entering a forbidden ground—if discovered by the master and headmaster, you face expulsion from the sect!" A clear, bright voice resonated from above as a white figure moved in front of the flood dragon, abruptly interrupting the spell. Lin Qianshuang descended gracefully, wielding her dark energy with elegance. Her ornaments and earrings swept through the air, tracing arcs as she touched down lightly on her toes. Her layers of garments rippled in the surrounding flow of magic, creating an ethereal aura. As Lin Qianshuang stood firmly between the flood dragon and Liang Jingxuan, accusingly staring him down, the severely weakened flood dragon caught a glimpse of her, its dragon pupils enlarging as if it had spotted someone incredible. "You... are you the immortal lord of Dongwang Mountain?" Lin Qianshuang was taken aback, pointing at herself, she looked up at the much larger flood dragon and, in beast language, asked, "Are you talking to me?" The flood dragon curled its enormous body, fixing its cyan eyes on Lin Qianshuang as it spoke in beast language, "I wouldn't mistake this. I saw you once at the Kunlun Mountain divine banquet thousands of years ago. Your original form was the same and even your silhouette resembles hers, except for... the dark aura." Lin Qianshuang felt an indescribable panic creeping in. The flood dragon’s words couldn’t be a lie. Unlike humans, ancient beasts rarely lied. If it claimed to have seen her before, it most likely did. The Canglan beast had given her a magical core before it died. Could it be that this core didn't belong to it but rather to the "immortal lord" the flood dragon mentioned? This "immortal lord" presumably wasn't a mere mortal but perhaps another great beast. The Canglan monster must have given her this core, hoping one day the formidable being would use her as a vessel to resurrect. Lin Qianshuang felt a chill down her spine as she recalled the effects of her blood and the so-called dual cultivation blood. Could all this be due to the core she swallowed? It was a pity the inquiry function of the system was under repair. Otherwise, she’d desperately want to ask what was happening and if the unstable threat now merged with her very essence could be removed. Suddenly, Lin Qianshuang thought of the Tianshu City Lord, a divine master in the story known for knowing the secrets of heaven and earth. She pondered if she could inquire about the core inside her while undertaking tasks with the city lord. Meanwhile, Liang Jingxuan blinked, refocusing to see Lin Qianshuang standing protectively before the flood dragon, rebuking him with righteous words and a disapproving look. He rolled his eyes in contemplation, realizing that Xiao Lanle must have discovered the Star Plucking Sword was stolen and informed Lin Qianshuang. No doubt Chen Shangqing must have played a part; otherwise, how could Lin with her steadfast character locate the hidden Penglai Sect forbidden grounds? Liang Jingxuan concealed the superior-grade Purple Thunderfire within his dantian, adopting what he thought was his most charming smile, approached Lin Qianshuang, and held her hands, pleadingly saying, "Senior Sister, it was wrong of me to intrude on forbidden grounds, but the creature behind you has harmed countless lives. Move aside so I can tame it and prevent it from further endangering the world." Lin Qianshuang tilted her head slightly, furrowing her brows, and softly said, "No one should endure such pain. It's endured enough. It's been here for ages, lonely and cold. Aren't we the same, away from home?" Her gaze, though gentle and filled with kindness, concealed her intent, and Liang Jingxuan, observing Lin's gentle demeanor, hesitated. "Qianshuang, you like it? Then I won't kill it. But this dragon is capable of spiritual communication. I’ll strip it of its millennia-old cultivation so it won't pose a threat to us." Lin Qianshuang's lips twitched. Removing the dragon’s cultivation was akin to killing it; without its power, it wouldn't survive long. Just as Liang Jingxuan was about to act, Lin Qianshuang’s hand, cloaked in dark energy, was poised to trigger the mechanism on the cauldron, ready to trap him. In that moment, Liang Jingxuan suddenly grabbed her wrist. Startled, she quickly concealed her dark energy, revealing a hint of unease as she attempted to withdraw her hand. "Jingxuan, what are you doing?" He held her hand lightly, eyes focused, and asked, "Where is the ring I gave you? Did you put it away?" Lin Qianshuang was just about to fabricate an excuse when she felt a pull from behind, yanked backwards into someone's arms. “Lin doesn’t like you, she already discarded what you gave her.” "The one she likes is me," said the person holding Lin Qianshuang in their arms. Glancing sideways, Lin Qianshuang saw it was the familiar face of Xiao Lanle, now with an added air of bold brightness on her elegant features. Xiao Lanle, with her arms around Lin Qianshuang, raised an eyebrow with a touch of hostility as she looked at Liang Jingxuan, seemingly marking her territory. She looked at Liang Jingxuan with disdain and said, "The person she likes is me. How could you not see what happened between us under the marriage tree, Brother Liang? Oh, but given Brother Liang's flamboyant nature, where a sow would suffice, and his brazen flirtations even as an eunuch with the Chen family girl, your desperation is no surprise. Surely, you've imagined my charming lover and me plenty of times in that straw-stuffed head of yours." Lin Qianshuang stood there, stunned. She hurriedly grasped Xiao Lanle's hand and said, "Junior Sister Xiao, you shouldn't say that. We shouldn't make an enemy of him right now. He has..." the superior-grade Purple Thunderfire. Xiao Lanle covered Lin Qianshuang's mouth as if not wanting to hear more, then released her hold. Looking at Liang Jingxuan with scorn, she said, "Brother Liang, I'll make sure Father hears about your breach of the forbidden ground. The ancient flood dragon has protected the tomb for ages, and you've treated it disgracefully. Prepare to be expelled from the sect." Liang Jingxuan's gaze shifted between Lin Qianshuang and Xiao Lanle, his complexion darkening with bitterness. Meanwhile, Xiao Lanle discreetly activated the mechanism hidden in the Nine Cauldrons, sending qi into the aperture. Instantly, an unbreakable cage surrounded Liang Jingxuan. Liang Jingxuan stood calmly within, seemingly unaffected by the iron bars. He fixed his eyes on Lin Qianshuang, his voice a mix of depth and instability. "What's the deal between you and her?" Lin Qianshuang was startled by the intense expression on Liang Jingxuan's face, her heart racing. She deduced he must have a way out of the cage; otherwise, he wouldn't be speaking so casually. Seeing Lin Qianshuang hesitate to respond, Xiao Lanle kissed her cheek, lovingly burying her head in Lin's neck and said, "Sister, why waste words on him?" This unexpected affection brought Lin Qianshuang out of her panic. Quickly finding her composure, she reflected that there was nothing to fear. Sooner or later, she'd be at odds with Liang Jingxuan. As a formidable dark power, there was no need to cower, especially since she couldn't reveal her true identity before Xiao Lanle. She had to find a way to lead Xiao Lanle away from this. Xiao Lanle wrapped her arms around Lin Qianshuang's neck, gazing intently into her eyes. Her eyelashes fluttered slightly as she kissed her, lowering her eyes while glancing sideways at Liang Jingxuan. Liang Jingxuan's hands gripped the cage with bulging veins, his expression shifting from surprise to a brooding calmness. He seemed to be suppressing a powerful surge of emotions, unable to stop trembling. In her heart, Xiao Lanle felt an inexplicable thrill, not just from spiteful triumph over Liang Jingxuan's infidelities, nor the smugness of winning the person he desired. It was... At this moment, she felt she had truly embraced the person in her arms. The warmth and moisture at the edge of her lips lingered, and Lin Qianshuang softly returned the kiss, cautious and gentle.