A month later, Wu Long and all his women stood on the deck of a giant ship that resembled more of a naval fortress, looking toward the shores of the Wood Spirit Continent.
They could, in principle, just fly over the Southern Sea making this trip a lot faster, but traveling this way was far more comfortable as Song Lingfei and Yu Huan were still in Core Formation and Core Reformation Realms respectively.
Not to mention that they knew how to spend time.
Yu Huan and Song Lingfei still were maidens, and were still too shy to share bed with Wu Long, though they were already gradually receiving slight influence from their Dao Sisters.
Luo Mingyu made sure to teach them the Dual Extremes Infinite Union Art as soon as they joined the Dao Family just as she did with Xue Bing, in order to be prepared when the time comes.
And Wei Lan gave them advice as a kind older sister. A role that originally belonged to Hua Ziyan, but her approach to teaching this knowledge was deemed too advance for the innocent maidens.
Though of course, after gaining more experience she was the person everyone went to for such advice as she was far more approachable than Lian Zhiqiu, who most of the time was busy with her Formations and Arrays.
In fact, Xue Bing approached Hua Ziyan almost as soon as Wu Long took her maidenhood.
But the two maidens did not waste time either.
Song Lingfei was recently focused on awakening her bloodline, as Wu Long told her that when she now used the technique he gave her, she could possibly awaken the latent talent, and later when she entered Seven Profound Realms, innate bloodline skills of the Great Void Eagle.
Yu Huan, meanwhile, also was busy.
After organizing the loot Wu Long got from Gu Zhen's Spatial Ring and the Vault of Alchemy Association's Branch, as well as the loot he received from ransacking the entire headquarters of the Alchemy Tower, he found many ingredients that were useful to him and his women.
Thus, Yu Huan was making not only rapid advancements in her Alchemy and Pill Dao, but also refining new pills and medicines for everyone.
Now that she had Lian Zhiqiu's help, she did not need to have a set location to practice Alchemy.
After all, pill refinement required not only a furnace, but also an Alchemy Array, which Lian Zhiqiu could set up anywhere and maintain as long as Yu Huan needed.
Thus the journey was 'productive' for everyone.
They disembarked and traveled toward the Imperial Capital of the Wood Spirit Empire, this time with an entourage of Butler Bang and his subordinates.
When they approached the inn they stayed in before, the innkeeper widened his eyes and then the corners of his eyes reddened.
"Hehe, look how happy he is to see us again, he sheds tears of joy"
Wu Mengqi made a wide smile as Cao Xiang and Sui Luxiao almost started laughing out loud at that statement, comparing it to the expression of the man, the former whispering to the latter the reason for this behavior, summarizing their last stay here.
As they settled in, the inn being fully reserved for them a month prior by Old Man Zhao on his way to the Wood Spirit, and thus having the whole of it for them again, Wu Long came out to the terrace full of heavenly beauties.
"Hahaha, what is it Cui'er?"
He chuckled as he noticed Gong Cui was slightly melancholic, the music she played for the ladies containing a very subtle sad tone in the way the notes resounded.
He first attributed it to the fact she was now once again in her country of origin, possibly nostalgic or reminiscent, but as he compared that image with her usual behavior this definitely was not it, so he decided to ask.
"It's my Sister. She has been distant lately.
She didn't even go on this trip to the Wood Spirit Continent...
I fear that what you told me earlier about siblings being at each other's throats could one day come true"
She sighed, as some of the ladies widened their eyes, surprised at those words since the two sisters were quite notoriously close.
I won't say anything as she did not discuss it with you, but she has her own worries as well.
Even in the worst case scenario, I promise that I won't let your relationship deteriorate, but it is not that serious.
Honestly, even if I don't do anything, everything will be alright. Trust me"
Wu Long smiled, shaking his head and giving a kiss on the forehead of the beauty, who smiled, reassured by his words and regaining her spirits.
"If its Wu Long, I can trust you, ehehe"
She showed a wide smile that brought smiles on other beautiful faces around as well.
Gong Cui's mood was actually very contagious, not only because of her easygoing, bubbly, likeable, and happy personality, but also because she was someone who practiced Music Dao, which naturally made projecting her inner state into the outside easy for her, so much so she did it unconsciously.
The other example of such a person was Cai Yin, who was not only sensitive to the soul fluctuations of others but potentially could project her own.
But since the latter was more reserved, as well as consciously suppressed that ability, she did not produce the same effect.
Wu Long spent a bit of time with his women while Butler Bang departed to the Imperial Palace to arrange for an audience with the Blade Empress.
Ever since reaching Core Reformation Realm, the old butler's appearance became even more refined, as he now resembled a classy older gentleman in his 60s.
His white hair and beard were neatly kept as always, but there was now far more vigor in his demeanor, no longer exuding the signs of decay or frailty of an elderly person that showed through his excellent manners before.
As he returned from the palace and entered the courtyard of the inn, he approached Wu Long who sat surrounded by beauties and whispered to his ear as the latter smiled and rose up from his seat.
"I will be back soon"
He chuckled, and went toward the exit as Butler Bang took place behind and slightly to the side from Wu Long, following at an even distance.
'Hmm, when I am done setting up things for Mingyu I should go visit my gardeners... it should be around time'
Wu Long thought as he went through the city toward the Palace.