Back within Yvonne's chambers, the pair's eyelids trembled, and in tandem, they awoke.
Konrad rolled onto his back while Yvonne rose into a seated position with her legs crossed while her hands rested on her thighs. Dazzling golden light still swirled around her form, now suppressing the physical part of the poison.
Konrad stood up, recalling the dormant souls into the Soul Lamp before hiding it within his space pouch. He then turned toward the meditating Yvonne who fell into a deep trance while the remains of her poison crumbled.
At the same time, Konrad could feel her cultivation steadily increasing. Leaving her to complete her healing process, he sat crossed legged to achieve his fourth Fleshly Transformation and third Soul Transformation.
Time flew by in a flash during which the pair's cultivation rose to new levels. Konrad completed his two transformations, and with the remaining energy of the dual cultivation, proceeded with the fourth Soul Transformation. Thus, stabilizing himself at the fourth Transcendent Knight and Priest Ranks.
Meanwhile, Yvonne completed erased the remains of the tribulation poison. The golden light vanished, replaced by pure white light as a complete Saint Ring formed above her head, and nine pairs of white wings appeared at her back. Within the Saint Ring, a lotus grew and bloomed, releasing an immaculate feel that put the mind at ease.
Once it fully blossomed, it vanished in a light whirlwind to reappear by Yvonne's side. However, its shape had changed entirely, assuming a human form that looked a hundred percent like Yvonne.
This was her first Pure Self. The proof that she'd officially returned to the Holy Rank. However, her cultivation stopped at the Rising Saint Rank, not going a step further.
Her eyes opened, revealing certain frustration.
"What's wrong?"
Konrad asked, feeling her irritation.
"Although the poison has been eliminated, my body and soul haven't fully recovered. It will take some time for me to return to my past peak."
She replied. However, at that time, her lips curled into a smile.
"But when I do, and my foundation is reestablished, I can directly reach the Crossed Tribulation Saint Rank, leaping through three ranks."
Three hundred years ago, Yvonne was at the True Origin Saint Rank. She took fifteen years to go from Rising Saint to Profound Saint, and thirty-five to go from Profound Saint to True Origin Saint. If her speed didn't dwindle, it would have most likely taken her three to four centuries to reach the Crossed Tribulation Saint Rank.
Soon, she would make up for the time lost.
"How long do you think you need to return to the peak?"
"Two to three months."
Konrad was satisfied. Naturally, he didn't intend to rely on Yvonne's strength to take over the Holy Flame Empire. That was something he would do with his own hands.
While she recovered her strength, he should work twice hard to improve his.
"Am I right to assume that you never went to the Tower of Rebirth?"
From their many interactions, Yvonne had long since concluded that Konrad's means had nothing to do with the Tower. He must have some other secret that fueled his rise. However, she didn't probe on that topic.
"Right, I never did. Nor do I intend to. At least not for the time being."
The only thing worth Konrad's time within the Tower of Rebirth was the blood of Divine Rank experts. Such a treasure held innumerable uses and could let his faction's strength skyrocket in the shortest of times. As for the rumored God-Artifacts, if Yvonne didn't find one on the Infernal Cult Founder's body, they most likely didn't exist.
Yvonne's blood stash was limited, and he couldn't just rely on it.
A pity, that at his current level, getting the attention of the Celestial Church was, at best, a terrible idea.
As for the Infernal Cult, Konrad didn't trust them either. They may worship the Demon Gods and desperately wish to obtain a ticket back to Hell, but that didn't mean they were all willing to serve a teenaged boy, demon prince or not.
Among those Divine Rank elders and ancient clans, how many would pay allegiance to him? That was unknown.
It was already good if they didn't try to devise ways to rob his bloodline.
Yvonne understood Konrad's concerns.
"Besides blood, many wondrous treasures are hiding in there. Moreover, the core locations of the higher levels shift place every month, making relying on the knowledge of predecessors virtually useless.
Therefore, across the ages, the Tower's accumulations have reached a terrifying level. With your foundation, when you reach the Semi-Holy Rank, you should be able to plunder it all without much effort. At that time, anyone that sees something they shouldn't can easily be put to death."
Konrad agreed with that reasoning and was likely to follow that script unless some drastic event forced him into the Tower.
"That aside, isn't it time for me to meet your partners?"
Yvonne asked with a smile Konrad found relatively worrying. Thanks to their recent "tussle," Yvonne had identified Konrad as a dual cultivator and sex demon. That being the case, how could he not have other partners?
She really wanted to see what that lot was made of.
"It is indeed about time. However, aren't you jealous?"
"Jealous for what? Since I've arrived, they're doomed to fade into the background and become side characters. It's already good if they're not jealous of me, what need do I have to be jealous of them?"
The confidence with which Yvonne spoke didn't take Konrad by surprise. This was her style. Looking down on all things under the blue sky.
"Well then, let's meet your new -sisters.-"
Konrad waved his hand, bringing the two of them into the space mansion where the harem gathered.
…
During those two weeks he'd spent in Yvonne's palace, Jasmine had made the acquaintance of her sister-rivals. And sympathized with a few.
However, when Konrad asked the harem to gather within the space mansion's main hall, she was still astounded. She might have already been aware of their numbers, but having them all gather in one place was a whole other matter.
Forty-seven beauties stood side by side, awaiting Konrad's arrival.
Right, forty-seven!
And that wasn't even all of them because, in the church, Konrad still had one-hundred-three Transcendent level inquisitresses. While Wolfgang was still being helped by one of his Semi-Saint inquisitresses.
And of all those women, not one wasn't outstanding in beauty.
During their time in the space mansion, those women had formed their own factions, chiefly divided in two. On the one hand, we had the "High Cultivation, Low Status" faction composed by the Semi-Saint Inquisitresses, and on the other hand, there was the "Low Cultivation, High-Status faction" composed of Iliana, Jasmine, Daphne, Zamira, Faidra, Aliki and Freya.
Those had been with Konrad for much longer and were held in higher regards due to their time by his side, achievements, or the trust and affection he graced them with.
The rest didn't dare form a faction but sought to rely on either camp.
Those two factions didn't dare contend for supremacy, yet. However, they were still wary of one another, fearing one ogling Konrad's attention and depriving them of his touch.
That was a cardinal sin, and would trigger an all-out war!
Fortunately, Konrad's demonic stamina was unparalleled under heavens, and he could shoulder the task of sating them all.
