"I found something. We’re on the outskirts of Greenland. We can either hop straight to Greenland, or we can go the other way to Europe. What do you want?" Sierra asked.

Yuelan grumbled a little.

"I want to go back to China, so let’s just go back to Europe, then make our way across it like last time. It’ll take a few weeks, but it’s fine. I think I speak for both me and Xuan when we say that we want to go up."

Xuan smiled, realizing that Yuelan had read him like a book, so he chimed in:

"Hanbi, is the offer still on the table?"

Even though she was still embarrassed because of her clothing malfunction, she turned to him and nodded.

"Y-Yeah. My Sect is on a Tier 4 world, which makes it a part of the Lower Heavens. You’d skip the Mortal Realm entirely. Are you sure you really want to do that?"

Xuan and Yuelan nodded in unison.

"We’re sure."

Hearing that, Hanbi turned to Hua Lian and Huang Shuying.

"What about these two?"

Yuelan just shrugged.

"They’re the girls I had put in charge of all my operations. They knew what they were getting into, and also, they can speak for themselves."

With that, silence ensued briefly, until Hua Lian uttered a few words.

"I... With the power that the mistress has given us, and the respect her name carries, I want to conquer this world and set it back to how it used to be, but just better."

She lowered her head.

"And once we’re done conquering this world, we’ll go conquer a Tier 2 world, then a Tier 3, Tier 4... We won’t stop until we conquer all of Heaven."

Huang Shuying chuckled from the side.

"I share the same view. I’ll carry my mistress’s wishes until I die."

Xuan never knew just how dedicated Yuelan’s shadows were. But it also assured him that they were good people. People who would stick around by her forever.

And because of that, Xuan could only smile and listen as Yuelan’s shadows continued listing all the reasons why they would remain loyal to Yuelan, until finally, the party decided to finally start making their way back to China.

Several weeks went by in a flash, and once Xuan spotted the outline of a lively mountain, as well as the camp where they had stayed after fighting the monks.

"Jeez... I smell like shit. Xuan, I’m calling shotgun for the showers," Yuelan said confidently.

Xuan cocked his head back.

"We’re not showering together, you bum. Go in first, I’ll go wash over by the waterfall or something."

She pouted slightly, and then hopped down to the camp. When the people spotted them, they immediately cheered for her. Her shadows obviously followed her, and since they were all women, they were going to bathe together... probably?

But if that was the case...

"Shouldn’t you two also go with them?"

"I’m not bathing in a place filled with so many commoners. I’ll also take the waterfall," Hanbi said, puffing out her cheeks.

Sierra on the other hand just shrugged.

"I don’t like showering with others, and Yuelan’s the biggest extrovert I’ve met. I’d rather just shower by the waterfall as well."

Xuan let out a sigh.

"Fair enough. Also, Sierra, will you join us when we go to the Lower Heavens?"

She tilted her head slightly.

"Can I?"

"Obviously. Unless you don’t want to?"

"I want to. I want to get stronger," Sierra replied energetically.

At her words, Xuan just chuckled and then finally made his way toward the mountain range where all the monks lived. As it so happened, the area where he had trained and climbed the mountain over and over again had a waterfall right beside it.

The three of them soon arrived at the waterfall. The water fell from really high up, leaving behind a decently large pond below. The pond was separated into two sections by several dozen chopped trees. One for women and one for men.

Xuan guessed one of Yuelan’s people sectioned it off, since before, Xuan remembered just skinny dipping with the other lads since there weren’t any women at the Grand Jade Temple.

Anyhow...

"I’ll take the left side, you ladies can go to the right to wash up."

Hanbi and Sierra froze.

"We’re going to be sharing this pond...?"

Xuan rolled his eyes.

"Calling this a pond when it’s the size of a giant lake is a bit silly, don’t you think? And don’t worry, I probably won’t peek."

"Probably?"

Xuan ignored the last bit and then gestured for the two women to buzz off. They reluctantly did, and once they were in their own section, staring back at him, Xuan just quickly undressed and hopped into the pond.

Along with a small wave that came from his splash, another wave of comfort washed over Xuan as he began floating on the pond. He felt his impurities slowly wash away.

Just a few minutes later, two more waves washed over him, meaning that Hanbi and Sierra also stepped into the pond.

Letting out a chuckle, Xuan shouted:

"How’s life in the Lower Heavens!?"

"Humph."

Her pout came from strangely close.

Just then, Xuan looked over to the logs that separated the men and women’s sections, and spotted Hanbi peeking from the top, her cheeks flushed.

"You don’t have to scream, you know?"

"..."

"I’m not involved with that pervert. If anything, don’t forget I’m blind," Sierra chimed in.

Considering Xuan was currently swimming on his back and thinking about the women, the sight of his junior brother soaring through the heavens was on full display for the innocent Hanbi.

So like the high roller that Xuan was, he decided to cash out now and float properly, then pout at Hanbi and Sierra.

"I can’t believe you two. Here I was trying to act prim and proper because I thought you two were shy. Yet you go on and peep on me? Sierra, don’t think I didn’t feel your Qi scanning my body."

He narrowed his eyes.

"Should I come over there and teach you two a lesson?"