Primordial Villain with a Slave Harem

Chapter 905: Soul Realm Mechanics

Author’s note to those who skipped the Zhenwu arc:

I understand that a cultivation arc wasn’t what you signed up for when you started reading the story, and I also understand that you don’t want to have anything to do with it. However, if you don’t read at least the final confrontation that started at the end of Chapter 866, you’re going to be very confused moving forward... A lot of things happened that will have paramount importance toward the future arcs, and a few incredibly important characters were also introduced in the Zhenwu arc. It was perhaps the single most important arc out of them all.

Anyhow.

Thank you for sticking with the story! Let’s begin.

...

Serika let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding, still flushed but finally regaining some of her composure.

After a moment, she reluctantly shifted against his chest and slid down from his lap, boots landing softly on the ashen, scarred battlefield.

Both of them straightened, brushing off dirt and debris from their battle-worn clothes—Serika more aggressively than Quinlan, appearing as if determined to shake off the weight of the emotions that had just gripped her alongside the dirt.

Quinlan turned away, stepping toward Rongtai, who had quietly remained kneeling throughout the exchange.

He rested a firm, warm hand on the broad shoulder of the stoic monk. ”I know I’ve placed a giant burden on you. This is no small ask,” he said sincerely.

Rongtai finally looked up, meeting his gaze without an ounce of hesitation being visible in his steady eyes. ”It is my honor. To be of use to Zhenwu is my great mission, to see it prosper is my life’s dream.”

Quinlan smiled faintly. ”A wonderful answer. You may rise.”

The monk did just that.

With a final nod in his direction, Quinlan stepped back, turning toward Serika once more.

She was standing tall now, chin high, the fiery Sovereign once again... though her cheeks still bore a faint trace of pink when her eyes flickered to him.

A mischievous thought flickered through Quinlan’s mind.

’Let’s see something...’

He extended his will, reaching out through his soul threads, attempting to pull her essence into his soul realm, the same way he had done with Feng not long ago when she tried to cockblock him once again.

He felt the threads latch onto her form, but just as they began to pull by asserting their hold on her form, they hit a wall.

Serika remained exactly where she was with a curious look crossing her face as if sensing something tickling at the edge of her being.

Quinlan’s eyes narrowed.

’As I suspected...’ he mused inwardly. ’She’s too strong. Without her permission, I can’t force her inside... Feng had no such defenses. But a Spirit Tempering stage badass chick with outstanding combat skills, even for her realm, is not so simple. The gap between us is too small to exert my will over her person freely.’

Speaking aloud this time, he gave her a smile, deciding to test his theory. ”How would you like to see something special? My very own little world.”

Serika tilted her head to the side, one brow arching. ”Your little world?” Her voice was skeptical but clearly intrigued.

”Something like that... Care to visit?”

A smirk played across her lips as she nodded in response.

’Admirable,’ Quinlan thought. ’Not even a flicker of hesitation. Brave as ever... though that blush earlier was adorable.’

This time, with her unspoken consent clear, he reached out once more, and this time, the barrier parted like silk. Her form shimmered, then vanished from the battlefield in an instant. 𝖗ἁꞐОΒЕṠ

—

Within his soul realm...

A gently rolling field expanded until the edges of the rather small dimension. It was very sparse for now. No natural life existed in this world just yet.

Feng sat cross-legged atop a grassy rise, meditating quietly after finally managing to calm her agitated mind down from the fact that she found herself extremely unjustly grounded.

But despite the many huffs and puffs she let off, accompanied by her extremely graphic cursing sprees, her protests were thoroughly ignored. As such, she couldn’t help but settle down and spend her time wisely.

But then, a sudden shimmer of light beside her made the petite Eastern beauty yelp aloud.

”Wah!!” Feng practically jumped to her feet, spinning in place, only to stare up at the towering, muscular, flame-haired beauty now standing in the field beside her.

”...Serika?!” she gasped, wide-eyed. ”Did you get grounded too?”

Serika didn’t respond, merely looking at the younger woman questioningly. Then, her gaze moved on, flickering around the empty space with sharp, assessing eyes.

She didn’t panic.

She didn’t flail.

She simply... looked. Calm, composed, curious.

Her voice, when it came, was full of wonderment. ”So... this is what he meant. His own little world...”

A breath escaped her delicate lips as her lashes fluttered, and her eyes roamed the open space. An expression of grand amazement bloomed across her features with her lips parted and eyes bright with the unmistakable excitement of discovery. Without a word, her look alone stated: He’s done something insane... yet again.

Quinlan watched her reaction from the outside world, his real body standing tall beside Rongtai and the battlefield’s battered remains.

’Now, let’s see if I can join them inside...’

With a pulse of will, he pushed. His soul strained against the invisible threshold separating his conscious body from the inner dimension.

Resistance. Heavy. Thick.

It was like trying to force himself through a too-narrow conduit. The more pressure he applied, the more a dull warning hum echoed through his senses. His breath hitched; a flicker of dizziness threatened the edges of his mind.

’If I push any harder, I’ll drop unconscious. My body is not yet ready.’

His instincts flared a warning: existing both inside and outside all at once was still too early. His [Soul Tier: Proto-Ascendant.] was too low, and the [Soul Realm Stability: 17% — Crude Dimensional Structure formed.] was too fragile for full multi-realm manifestation.

’So... speaking and seeing will have to do for now.’

His voice rang out across the soul realm, clear and resonant as though he were standing beside them:

”Ladies... try walking through the doorway marked ’Zhenwu.’”

Serika didn’t even show signs of surprise upon hearing his deep voice coming at her from all directions. The woman simply turned, noticing the archway labeled with glowing script she hadn’t even registered until that moment.

”Zhenwu...?”

Feng, ever the practical one, was already moving, happy that the soul chains were finally removed.

With a visible huff, she stomped toward the doorway, threw one last sidelong glare at Serika, and crossed through.

A shimmering ripple assaulted her mind.

An instant later, Feng appeared beside Quinlan in Zhenwu, blinking rapidly to shake off the transition. Her eyes darted to him immediately.

First, her expression showed relief. Then...

Dagger eyes.

If her gaze were a blade, Quinlan would’ve been cut to ribbons.

But he smiled lazily, ignoring the murderous look with all the nonchalance of a man already planning his next grand scheme.

Back inside the soul realm, Serika observed the portal thoughtfully. Without hesitation, she approached with her characteristic grace, her fiery hair shimmering in the soul realm’s strange ambient light. She stepped through, and a moment later, materialized neatly beside him as well, eyes wide in curiosity.

Quinlan took it all in, his mind racing.

’The Zhenwu doorway first appeared when I brought Feng there... now I can send people back through it.’

A thought struck him. It was sharp, electrifying:

’If I bring one of the girls from Thalorind into the soul realm... will a second doorway appear?’