Qianran absolutely loved watching Zhu Lu dance—it was a sight to behold.

  Not that he truly appreciated dance as an art form. Back in his previous life, cssical dance never piqued his interest; it simply wasn’t his thing. Instead, he was hooked on the high-energy performances of anime-style dances on streaming ptforms like Bilibili or the fiery moves of Korean girl groups.

  To put it bluntly, Qianran liked dances that were hot.

  Was it really the dance he enjoyed? Clearly, it was the curves.

  In hindsight, Qianran had always wondered why dancers in ballet and simir cssical forms never seemed to have particurly voluptuous figures. Well, now it made sense—how could anyone focus on those elegant moves if they were distracted by… other things?

  Despite his ck of interest in traditional dance, Qianran couldn’t take his eyes off Zhu Lu. Her every move ignited his interest.

  "My darling," Qianran murmured, pulling Zhu Lu into his arms and showering her with kisses.

  A beauty like her—it was no wonder the Dai family had clung to her so persistently. If Qianran had such a gem by his side, he wouldn’t let her go, either.

  “Qianran, are you sure this is okay? What if someone hears us?”

  Blushing, Zhu Lu rested in Qianran’s embrace. Her long, shapely legs, cd in sheer bck stockings, draped over his p.

  Unlike Qianran, Zhu Lu wasn’t as bold.

  “Heh, do you think your man would let that happen? My darling’s voice is so sweet and captivating; I’d never let anyone else hear it,” Qianran said with a pyful smile, cupping her delicate, slightly flushed cheeks.

  In matters concerning Zhu Lu, Qianran was as selfish as they come.

  He loved provoking others, but it was always a victor’s prerogative. In the battle over Zhu Lu, Qianran had emerged the undisputed winner.

  No one else could admire Zhu Lu’s breathtaking beauty. Her enchanting voice, capable of sending shivers down spines, was exclusively his to enjoy.

  In fact, Qianran was so possessive that he even dictated how the women around him dressed. While he was kind and patient, never raising his voice at them, he exercised near-total control when it came to their appearance.

  Luckily, the girls had grown used to it and didn’t mind.

  Back in the tent, Zhu Lu flushed even more under Qianran’s intense gaze. She knew why he was so enthusiastic today—this was what he meant by “thrill.”

  Truth be told, she was excited, too.

  Before today, she had been burdened by the pressure of her family’s alliance with the Dai family. Now, all those worries had vanished. With Ice Empress as her ally, what did she have to fear? Even the strongest members of her cn couldn’t stand against such a force.

  Super Douluos like the Ice Empress, wielding domain-level soul skills, were the ultimate threats to any power.

  “Let me show you just how bad I can be,” Qianran said mischievously.

  With a sharp rip, the sheer bck bodysuit Zhu Lu wore was torn apart.

  Since the first time he’d seen Zhu Lu in this outfit, Qianran had been utterly captivated. The way the bck fabric clung to her form, from her graceful shoulders to her delicate feet, was irresistible. Her exposed back, framed by the plunging V-cut of the suit, accentuated her abaster skin, making her seem both alluring and ethereal.

  Elsewhere in the camp, faint sounds reached the ears of the other girls.

  In one tent, Wang Dong’er’s face turned as red as a cherry. She buried her head under her bnket, torn between wanting to hear more and wishing she could block it out entirely.

  “Zhu Lu is just… too…” Dong’er whispered, her blush deepening as she turned on her side, trying to listen while hiding her embarrassment.

  In the same tent, Xiao Xiao covered her ears but couldn’t resist sneaking a few peeks in Zhu Lu’s direction. “I’m never bringing Zhu Lu along again,” she muttered jealously.

  In another tent, Ma Xiaotao was a mess of emotions. Her body felt like it was engulfed in fmes, and her thoughts spiraled out of control.

  The only thing on her mind was Qianran.

  She didn’t want to endure this torment any longer. Regardless of whether Qianran found her unworthy, she couldn’t keep running away. If he approached her again, she wouldn’t resist. Whatever he wanted, she’d let him do.

  Her refusals had only made things worse, leaving her trapped in unbearable longing.

  “Xiaotao, are you okay?” Ling Luochen asked. The ice-cold goddess had also overheard some faint noises, but her composure quickly returned. Years of self-discipline had trained her to suppress her emotions, unlike Xiaotao, who was visibly struggling.

  “Help me,” Xiaotao pleaded through clenched teeth.

  Luochen understood her predicament. She radiated a cooling aura, lowering Xiaotao’s body temperature to alleviate her discomfort. Though Xiaotao’s martial soul no longer caused sudden outbursts, her heightened body heat could still be calmed with ice-cold energy.

  Over an hour ter, Qianran finally lulled Zhu Lu to sleep and slipped out of the tent.

  He couldn’t push things too far—after all, he didn’t want the girls to wake up with dark circles the next day. Not that he cked the stamina, but he had his mischievous side. With so many girls gathered in one pce, it was hard to resist creating some harmless chaos.

  Especially when it came to Ma Xiaotao and Ling Luochen.

  Initially, Qianran had wanted to observe Luochen’s reaction. True to her reputation as the “Ice Princess,” her calm demeanor had returned almost instantly, even after her initial embarrassment. Her unwavering self-discipline only fueled Qianran’s desire to conquer her.

  However, tonight wasn’t the time for that. Luochen and Xiaotao shared a tent, and Qianran wasn’t about to push his luck. He had principles, and until he fully won them over, he wouldn’t act impulsively.

  Instead, Qianran had a different destination in mind. He crept through the camp, making his way to the Ice Empress.

  Tonight’s dispy of power had left a deep impression on Qianran.

  For the first time, he had witnessed the Ice Empress in action, and her overwhelming strength had taken his breath away. The three great rulers of the Extreme North were legendary, but the third ranked among them paled in comparison to the Ice and Snow Empresses.

  These two were the true apex of power.

  The Ice Empress, with her petite frame, emerald twin-tails, and near-invincible abilities, was a study in contrasts. Her icy, aloof demeanor juxtaposed against her adorable, youthful face created an irresistible allure.

  In every aspect, the Ice Empress embodied the art of contrast.

  (End of Chapter)