Is there life and purpose for a woman in a harem?

It was a question Sana Eshtar never had to think about for years, but now, she did. Because someone had just chosen her to be his concubine, and she was too practical and pragmatic like her father, to say no.

Sana Eshtar, eldest daughter of the city lord Eshtar grew up comfortably. Her father, though not the most powerful of cultivators, was strong enough that her city was mostly safe.

When she grew up, her mother told her stories of her time as an outer disciple in the Roaring Dragon Sect, about the great geniuses and beauties, about the great conquests of the one-in-a-million geniuses that ripped through the ranks like they had no meaning. How these geniuses would rescue damsels in distress, or somehow win over jade beauty after jade beauty, and these ladies would all end up being the wives and concubines of these great geniuses.

Those stories were amazing, of course. Every child loved to listen to stories of the heroes and heroines.

But she didn’t expect that it was now her turn.

She didn’t expect she would be a concubine of one such genius.

***

The Great Zenith Divine Emperor Zahar awoke in the body of the young boy, naturally half dead and dying. His soul flared, and his overwhelming Divine Emperor's Soul Qi flowed into every part of the boy, and as if compelled by a force beyond man, every strand of the boy's body began to mend itself back.

Life in the streets was brutal to the boy, but Emperor Zahar stood up, and stretched. For a host body, this was fine, in time, it would be able to contain the full greatness of his strength.

"Ah. Finally! My first break in a hundred millennia." Zahar stretched his muscles. The boy was probably eighteen, and a malnourished street rat. The punches and bleeding throughout his body had vanished. It doesn't matter what his current state was, really, because Zahar would fix that up. "Let's see."

He flicked a finger and a list appeared. It floated in front of him, a magical screen only he could see.

"Ah yes, I had this holiday-to-do-list. I'd like 100 beautiful wives, 500 concubines, smack down about 5,000 young masters and arrogant sect masters-"

Zahar scrolled down the list, then it vanished. He sighed, and looked around the dingy street.

"Eh, I shouldn't be so list-driven. It's a holiday."

He yawned, and walked out of the alley as if he was never beaten at all, where his attackers hung about. There were six of them, all bullies with big muscles and all that stuff. Useless cultivationless mortals just like this boy.

"Boss!" One of the bullies looked like he had just seen a ghost. "How- how'd that-"

The boss bully turned to see Zahar walk out absolutely unharmed. He was surprised. "Didn't we just beat you until you were bleeding all over and half dead?"

Zahar laughed, and his smile was wicked. "Ah, yes, you did. But you see, there's such a thing called 'fortuitous encounters'. This body just experienced one. But for the six of you, you'll experience what is called, an unfortunate encounter."

The boss stood, flexing his big muscles. "Big words for a boy we just beat up."

Zahar looked at the other five. "Here's the deal. I'll beat up your boss, and the rest of you will now listen to me. Agree?"

The five didn't dare say anything, because what happened was Zahar's fist flashed in rays of gold and purple. He slammed his fist into the boss's face, and the boss's head exploded.

"I asked a question. Do you agree?"

The five had a look of horror on their faces, they’ve not seen how the boss was crushed in a single strike. "Yes, Yes we agree!"

"Great. My name is now Zahar. Can you remember that?"

"Yes. Yes! Boss Zahar!"

"Good. Now fetch me some food and water. I'm fucking hungry."

***

The five were obedient young ones, and they fetched him food and water. They weren't high quality stuff, hell, they were pathetic.

But Zahar ate them anyway. There was a certain kind of raw pleasure in tasting these things, and with each gulp and bite, he channeled the energies within them into the right part of his body. Mending.

With the Emperor's Soul, the energies around him obeyed like a loyal , diligent servant. He had to start afresh, but frankly, that’s his favorite part about each of his holidays. A fresh start!

After the first meal, he felt like he already broke through the body's first cultivation barrier. His body was stronger, denser, and could store more Qi. His process took more time.

"Boss. Zahar." One of the lackeys said. "The old boss usually goes for a meeting with the big boss at sunset. Do you want to go? I think they usually meet in that building, there." The lackey pointed at a slightly fancier building in the city.

"Oh?" Zahar cocked his eyes. "What kind of meeting?"

"No idea, boss. But he goes, and he usually brings money. Think it’s the bigger boss."

"Does he come back with it?"

"No."

"Question, lackey number 1. What's the name of the shithole?"

"This city is called Koolan, boss."

"Alright, and who is this 'bigger boss'?" Zahar asked.

"No idea, boss. Never met him, but probably a cultivator, boss."

Zahar shrugged. Oh well, it should just be some small fry. He ate a bit more food, and then began to walk to the supposed location with absolutely no money in his pocket.

Zahar walked into the hall where there were clearly many other so-called gang leaders. The head was a big, buff man with a little bit of cultivation. Most likely something in the first realm. Nothing worth mentioning about.

Zahar looked around. There were about fifteen other similarly well built buff men. They were all staring at him.

"Where's Polud?"

Zahar didn't know his name, but now that he's dead, it absolutely didn't matter. "He's dead."

The others look horrified. "Who killed him?"

"Me." Zahar said as he walked closer. Zahar had no air, no ripple of power commonly seen in cultivators. Of course, they were inefficient, leaky cultivators. That's why others could feel them. Emperor's like Zahar were imperceptible. Efficient. No loss.

"You?" The young boy looked like he barely had enough food to eat, but the big boss stared. He flared his cultivation. "And you dare walk into my mansion with no money?"

"Of course. I'd walk into the Emperor's bedchambers too." Zahar responded. "I'd fuck your woman while I'm at it."

Zahar's taunt caused all the other fifteen men to pale. The big boss's fists glowed. "Big words, little boy. Die! Take my [Dragonflame Fist]!"

The brownish fist slammed into Zahar's fist, but what happened caused all the other fifteen men to look in horror.

The young man punched through the big boss's fists, and caused his arm to tear apart from the inside, like a spear that ripped the entire arm apart. The boss screamed in pain.

Zahar's second fist landed right on the big boss's chest, in a quick flash of purple light. What's left was a hole where his heart used to be.

He held the boss's heart in his hand.

The boss stared, trying to process his own death. "What- what?!"

He died, and Zahar smiled. A cultivator's heart was usually where a portion of their cultivation was stored. He absorbed the energies of the boss, and Zahar was instantly stronger. It was a technique commonly seen in demonic cultivators, but Zahar used it in the higher realms against other Emperors.

The fifteen men present didn't know what to say, as Zahar flung the boss's corpses across the room, and then sat on his throne.

"Any objections?"

All of them looked deathly pale. No one dared mutter a word.

"Good. Where is the food, and where are the women?"

Zahar saw some people scramble out of the doors.

***

Life as a bigger boss was good, as the servants of the mansion quickly recognized there was a new boss in town. The bigger boss wasn't even rich, because as it soon turned out, the bigger boss actually reported to the City Lord. The City Lord, naturally, was a former inner disciple of the Roaring Dragon Sect, as a reward after decades of service, given the role.

Weaklings.

Zahar stared at the servant girls that came to serve him, and frowned. They were so plain and ordinary that he sighed. He loved seducing and obtaining beauties of great sects and big powerful families. It was his kink. Plain regular girls were lovely, for sure, but they were so harmless that he didn't feel any excitement from them.

It was a holiday. He needed to do fun things. Bullying harmless servants wasn't fun.

No matter. He stretched, and commanded them to feed him.

While they fed him fruits and meat, he focused on improving his strength. Right now, he had probably just a tiny, miniscule fraction of a fraction of his old strength.

After moving up in the world in a single day, it was time to sleep.

The boss's chambers were relatively nice, and there were two ladies waiting naked in it. He approached them, and frowned. In a single glance he understood that they were just harmless innocent girls that had been forced into prostituting themselves to the old boss.

Boring. He didn't even feel horny looking at them naked.

"Alright, alright, I know you girls have to do this. Come. lie down on me and let me sleep."

The girls nodded obediently. They had nowhere else to go, and they were the 'boss's girls'.

Life sucked in a cultivation world.

It was time to sleep.

***

The shadow found it hard to believe the stories, and the shadow stalked the man that had somehow usurped the leadership of the Street Gang. The shadow snuck into the room, and watched the young man sleep with the two naked women.

The young man didn't do anything to them, well, other than touch them in all the inappropriate places, but he didn't seem particularly interested in them. The girls tried to please him, but it just annoyed him so he commanded them to stop.

The shadow wondered. Was this a trick? He radiated no presence, no aura of power. None of the telltale signs of a cultivator with incredible power.

Did he have any special artifacts that gave him an edge?

The shadow watched, and waited.

Eventually, he decided to try and sneak close to the man. He wasn't ordered to kill him, but he wanted to see whether he could.

The dagger almost touched his skin, and the young man, Zahar, didn't react. The shadow frowned.

There was something really weird about this. He decided to leave, and return to the City Lord's chambers. It was time to report to the young lady.

***

The shadow didn't notice, of course, Zahar following closely behind. Zahar was a master, an Emperor. He was familiar with all these stupid stealth tricks, and have done them to death countless lifetimes.

Hell, he even knew the shadow wouldn't kill him. The shadow was perhaps in the 2nd realm, his technique was weak, anyone with a decent sense of energy flows would have seen him.

Zahar followed the shadow back to the City Lord's mansion, and even followed him through the same balcony into that corner room.

"What happened with the Street Gang?" The moment he stepped in, the question was immediate.

"Young mistress. A young man named Zahar has somehow defeated the old gang leader and claimed the title. Eyewitness claimed he ripped out the old leader's heart. I stalked him to his bedroom, he looked defenseless, young mistress. I suspect the presence of some kind of ancient artifact." The shadow entered through the balcony, and then knelt before the young mistress.

The young mistress sat at the tea table, sipping tea with a teacup in her fingers. There was a flower pot with local flowers arranged in a colorful pattern on the table. Zahar, thoroughly invisible, landed in the curtains and watched.

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Zahar's eyes finally landed on a beauty worth his time. She was a young lady aged eighteen, and dressed in a pink silk robe covered with reddish rose patterns. Her hair was tied up in a bun, with some hair flowing down the back. She had a bright red pin on her hair.

"That is strange. Who is this boy?"

"Eyewitnesses claim he was an orphan that used to be called Wisan, but he began calling himself Zahar."

"Very strange indeed. Do you think this is the act of the other sects?"

The shadow wasn't sure. "Unlikely. I didn't detect any skills or abilities found from the other sects. If they want to seize control of the city, they are usually more blunt. I could kill him if I wanted to."

The young mistress frowned. "Father wouldn't like this change in leadership. Arrange someone to make friends with this Zahar, see what he wants, and who he works for."

"Affirmative."

The young mistress took out a gold coin and flicked it to the shadow. "Your reward for your excellent service."

The shadow nodded, and then, moved away. The shadow left through the balcony again, and Zahar snuck in. The young mistress shut the balcony door, and then sat back at the tea table.

She was now alone, and she was prepared to go back to sleep.

"Greetings, young mistress." Zahar said, making his presence known.

The young mistress panicked as her eyes suddenly darted in the direction of the voice, shocked that there was someone there.

Zahar could feel her cultivation bubbling within. She was stronger than the gang leader for sure, at least a full realm above, but still no more than an insect.

"No need for such hostilities. You wanted to find out who I worked for, so here I am."

"I didn't feel you here at all." The mistress said, suspicious. "I should summon my father and have you killed."

Zahar laughed. "I'm Zahar. Your father can't kill me, and trust me, it'll be the greatest mistake you ever make in your life if you chose to do so."

The mistress was a lady with a very sharp intuition, and at that moment, her intuition screamed in horror and fear. This man was thoroughly dangerous, and could certainly act on his threat.

"I suggest you listen to your instinct. The Bone in your shoulder is clearly letting you know its fear."

"-how-"

"Shh." Zahar laughed, and sat on the chair. He poured himself a cup of tea, and began to sip it. "Ah, finally some half-decent tea. And a temperature controlled teapot. Funny how useful such an invention was."

The mistress glared, her heart a mix of worry and fear. She felt like she was a rabbit, in the presence of a dragon.

"Alright, what's your name?"

"I am Sana Eshtar." The mistress considered for a moment what was the way to behave. She decided to go with politeness, trusting her instincts.

"Ah. Yes, your father is City Lord Eshtar then."

She nodded.

"Great. That makes you perfect. I happen to have my eye on you, and would like to make you one of my concubines.."

"What!" Sana looked at the boy in front of him in absolute horror. She had never been propositioned in such a blunt way. Not just that, one-of-his-concubines? She was not some lowly peasant slut that a rich man gathers for his private harem! "No! I won't be a concubine."

Zahar laughed. "That's what all the girls say at first. I really love that when that happens. Here's why you should accept. I can help you reach greater heights. It's easier to rise up when you have someone supporting you, and I will assure you that there's no one better than me."

The mistress’s own intuition screamed inside her. She felt it like an intense heartbeat. Danger. Fear. She had never felt like this before.

She took a deep breath, and frowned. Sana countered. "It's degrading for a woman my stature to lower myself to a concubine. My father would have arranged for me to marry some young master, and I would be another City Lord’s wife."

Zahar laughed some more. He wondered whether he should flex his origins as the Zenith Divine Emperor of the Immortal Realms. He decided it wouldn't be fun if he flexed it now. It was like a sure-win move. "Well, I'm asking you to trust your instincts."

Sana paused and digested the message. She quickly reviewed what she knew about this strange man. One, he emerged out of nowhere and defeated a cultivator. Two, he could trace the shadow back to him, and remain thoroughly unseen, suggesting strength at least of the 2nd realm. Those two points suggested he had some power to back up his arrogance.

In the cultivation world, everyone took threats carefully. It was important to truly weigh what that threat was. "First I want to fight you.”

“That’s fair. If I can’t beat my concubine, I certainly can’t have her.” Zahar laughed.

“Second," Sana decided to trust the intuition in her. "You must get my father’s approval.”

Zahar nodded. "Certainly, certainly. I’ll meet your father when you are ready. Which one first?"

"Let’s fight. There's a place I know, come with me."

***

Sana led Zahar to a field far out of the city, with her enhanced cultivation, moving such distances didn't tire her out at all. The apparent ease Zahar kept up with her was a test.

The field was covered with grass, and it was quiet. The skies were filled with stars, and then Sana exchanged glances with her surprise visitor.

"So, if you can beat me, I'll take you to see my father. Fight me with no tricks. No items. Pure cultivation ability."

The boy of the same age laughed. "Oh! So you thought I had an artifact of some kind, correct? Common, common misconception and quite a popular type of fortuitous encounter."

Sana brought along a sword, while Zahar was just without a weapon. He smiled, looked around, and then took off his shirt and pants. Sana's face turned red as she stared at the naked man. He was skinny. "What- what are you doing?"

"No items. See. I have absolutely nothing on me. I don't want you to claim I'm cheating."

"Fine fine fine! Put back your clothes!" Sana's face was beet red.

"Eh. I quite like fighting like this. It also helps transition to the second part of the fight."

"What- what would that be?" Sana held her sword in front of her, and in a fighting form.

"Sex. Of course. After a rough, intense fight where two fighters’ souls are exposed to each other, it's quite normal for the two to then engage in a round of intense fornication."

Sana's face paled. "No way! Put back your clothes!"

"Hah! Fine." Zahar wore his clothes, and then, he ripped off a blade of grass from the nearby patch of grass. He inserted some qi, and just suddenly, the grass transformed into a weapon.

Sana had never seen such a thing happen, so she was impressed.

"Let us fight." Zahar's body was suddenly coated in a purple light, and a sudden thrust sent a directed energy blast. The force was so strong that Sana barely dodged it.

"What was that?!" Sana couldn't believe that attack came from the grass that he just picked up.

"Less talking." The blade of grass came down like a sword threatening to slice her in half. She parried it with the attack, but the force from the blade of grass was as if the entire world was behind it.

She felt an intense pressure throughout her body, and the ground around her legs began to crack. She swirled her strongest ability, and swung her sword in retaliation, a bright yellow flame shot out. It charred an entire crescent shape area in front of her.

But it didn't hit a thing.

"You don't have a single mote of cultivation aura. How?" Sana didn't believe it. Everything he did so far was so dense with energy that he had to be a cultivator.

He held the blade of grass, and then, the blade of grass transformed. "Those who leak their auras are wasteful. True power is silent, invisible. Like the world itself. We are LAWs, not creatures struggling against them."

The young mistress's sword suddenly shattered, as the blade of grass turned into a torrent of pressure. The blade of grass turned into sixteen grass needles, and then flew upwards.

She looked up, and just as suddenly, the intense pressure caused her to fall back onto the ground. The needles landed right at the edges of her body. Barely missing her ears, her skin, her legs.

Yet, those needles, made of grass, somehow each contained so much pressure that they pinned her down.

"I win." Zahar landed next to her. She couldn't move.

She couldn't believe it. "What- what realm are you?"

"Currently, I believe the 4th stage of the first realm. It’s only been a day."

"I'm in the late 2nd realm!" How strong would he be later?

"There's no density or weight to your process, just taking the appearances of power.” Zahar offered a hand and lifted her up from the ground.

Sana looked around, and her eyes focused on the needles of grass. Something about their energies was unreal. Why was it so strong?

Her immediate thoughts were that this man is a hidden master. Or perhaps, a reincarnated one.

"Good. Now that I’ve won, l’ll let you know what I have planned. It’s simple, really. We’ll travel together. I'll meet your friends, if I meet ladies I like, I'll add them to my army of maids. I'll make you my concubine, and you'll have my children. Along the way, you’ll get stronger.."

Sana shook her head, the words just passed through. She had not quite digested the sudden reality. "I'll need to talk to my father."

"Let us meet him together. Can we meet him now?"

"-what." Sana panicked.

"If I'm to take you as my concubine, I must speak to your father and your mother. That is the way, no?"

"I- I'm not ready yet."

“Then when?" Zahar said, the question laced with a sharp edge.

"Give- give me a day, no, two days. I just need to prepare myself mentally."

"Fine, then in the meantime, you shall arrange a room for me in your mansion as your guest, and I want your cultivation resources."

Sana sighed. "Okay, okay."

***

"Right this way, honored guest." The maids that served Lady Eshtar was definitely prettier than the ones he had in the Gang Boss's mansion. But he didn’t really care.

Zahar smiled, and walked in with natural confidence as if the place belonged to him. "Get me some fruits, and I want to eat them in a few minutes. The lady is supposed to send me some of her cultivation resources, please remind her."

The maids looked at each other, all a little baffled. Who was this strange, poor looking man, coming to their home and demanded things from their lady? But it was their lady who ordered a guest room be given to him, and so they did.

***

"Sana has a guest?" City Lord Eshtar had known all of Sana's so-called friends. After all, in the small, backwater city of Koolan there were very few people worthy of being in the company of his daughter. "And it's a man?"

The aides cowered in his presence. The City Lord was in the late 4th realm, not impressive in the greater scheme of things, since most Inner Disciples of the Roaring Dragon Sect was at the late 3rd or early 4th realm, and elders at the 5th realm and higher. But, here in the city of Koolan, the city Lord was the top dog.

"When did they meet? How did they meet?" The lord had questions.

The aide looked at each other. "The man is the new leader of the Street gang, milord."

"And when did that happen?"

"Yesterday, milord."

"And my daughter did not summon him to face me?"

"-According to what the maids shared, Lady Sana intends to face you with him in two days."

"TWO DAYS?!" The Lord was furious, but then stared at the aides. "What exactly is happening? When did my daughter become so rebellious? I haven't even sent her off to join the Roaring Dragon Sect as an outer disciple and she's already like this?"

At that point, the beautiful wife next to the City Lord smiled. "Darling, I think let's see what Sana wants to tell you. We can wait two days."

The City Lord looked back at his wife, thought for a moment, and decided maybe his wife was right. "I guess you are right. Let us see what our daughter has planned."

***

"These are the cultivation resources you requested for, honored guest." Zahar took them, and without any need for complicated deliberation, began eating them. They were like snacks, their energies may seem volatile, but child's play for someone who took far more dangerous substances.

The maids watched in horror as Zahar downed them as if they were candy.

"Honored guest, you might-"

"Shush. Nothing will happen. In fact, I'm fairly certain your mistress would prefer if things did go wrong and I'm dead. So go away, and let me suffer from the consequences of my own decisions. You can bring food in another three hours."

The maids scurried away, and Zahar got to work, managing the swirling vortex within him. He shredded the vortex of energy and turned them into bricks of energy that built up his power even more.

It was all he did that whole day, as he ate, and cultivated. At night, he summoned the maids again.

"I want alcohol, bring me the best things you have."

The maids nodded and ran to report to their mistress.

***

"He's one greedy man." Sana cursed as she heard the visitor’s demands. But it is what it is, and she was especially fearful.

She thought about her father, and realized her father, despite his higher realm, likely stood no chance against someone who was clearly some kind of heavenly chosen genius. The way he manipulated that blade of grass into a sword that could shatter her drakeblooded sword and then transformed it into those piercing needles was clear she was dealing with a higher power.

A reincarnated ancient, was the most likely certainty.

"What should we do, mistress?"

Sana thought about it for a moment, and realized she couldn’t put off the conversation with her father any longer. "Give him what he wants, for now. I need to talk to my father."

***

"Daughter, you've come to see me." The City Lord watched as his daughter came to his chambers. His chambers were naturally the largest in the entire mansion. "What can I help you with?"

The city lord was curious. The maids said she'll come tomorrow. What happened?

Sana took a deep breath, and then sat down. "Father, please don’t feel mad with what I'm going to say."

The city lord's mind instantly spun to action. Did this man intend to elope with his daughter?! But he looked at the daughter anyway. "What is it?"

"I have a guest- and- and I think he might be some kind of ancient monster."

The city lord paused. That wasn't what he predicted.

"He- he has an interest in me, and wants to make me his concubine. I'll take him to see you tomorrow. I'm not sure what he'll say, but I fought him and I lost thoroughly."

That suddenly changed things, and certainly explained how her daughter gave that man whatever he wanted. If this young man was an old monster reincarnated, it was only natural. Many great sects fell because they offended one such old monster.

Hell, as someone who survived so long in the Roaring Dragon Sect, he was naturally aware of such aberrations. One tread lightly, lest one suffer a cruel fate unexpectedly.

"-I see. Bring him tomorrow, let us judge whether he has the means to back up what he says."

Sana nodded.

***

Zahar was ushered into the room, Sana, led the way.

"Zahar greets the City Lord Eshtar." Zahar said as he walked in. Since Sana was a harem target, naturally he was nicer to her family. It was the reality of things. The City Lord eyed him warily, there was absolutely no energy or aura commonly seen in cultivators, so he was curious.

"My daughter claims great things about you, Zahar. Tell me, what is it that you wish to speak to me about?"

"I find your daughter attractive, and it is my intention to have her share my bed. Sana shall be my concubine, the first of many to come." Zahar said without skipping a beat, and immediately took a sense of the City Lord's cultivation. He was stuck at the peak of the 4th realm for quite a while.

"-and why would I agree? She is nobility, and soon an outer disciple of the Roaring Dragon Sect, one of the great powers of the Empire." The City Lord was shocked. He had expected some flowery language, but this immortal just went for it.

"My dowry will be Six Bloodfire Pills." Zahar said without skipping a beat. Sana's eyes darted to Zahar when he mentioned the pills. "With the ingredients you have in your mansion, and one alchemy cauldron, I will concoct six Bloodfire Pills, and you will be able to break through to the 5th realm. With that, your hold on the city is enhanced, and the threat of the other nagging sects will be pushed back."

It wasn't hard for Zahar's immensely strong senses to detect what sort of materials were available in the city.

The City Lord's heart skipped a beat. A part of him already wanted to say yes, because the services of a master alchemist able to brew the Bloodfire Pills was extremely expensive, even for a city lord. The City Lord's instincts told him this young man clearly could do it, but still, it wasn't a good look for a father to trade her daughter for pills! "My daughter is not to be traded for six pills. And I do not believe there are sufficient ingredients in this city for it."

Zahar smiled. "Sana, would you think it's a fair trade?"

"-No." Sana said honestly. "I have an entire future ahead of me, I'm worth more than six pills."

"That entirely depends on the path you take." Zahar said. "You walk the path of the flame, and you would likely plateau at the 5th realm, like your father. If you encounter great fortune along your path, perhaps the middle 6th realm. With me, I will take you much higher than that."

Both father and daughter shared a glance. Was this man talking out of his ass?

"You sound incredibly confident for a young man." The City Lord countered. "Then, tell me, how far can I go?"

"You will have more bottlenecks, City Lord. The middle of the 5th realm, and the end of the 5th realm, even if you break through the current one. Based on your natural disposition, you shouldn't have problems with the 1st and 2nd stages of the 5th realm. Your daughter is likely to struggle through the entire path."

Sana couldn't believe it. She? Struggle through the 4th and 5th realm? Her path has been smooth so far, why wouldn't it be so later? The City Lord eyed the man, his own instincts somehow believed him. Did this young man have some kind of ability to manipulate instinct?

Zahar smirked. "You lack resources, City Lord. You could go further, but unlike the true heavenly geniuses, you'll need way more resources just to walk the same steps."

“That’s what anyone can say. Who in this world doesn’t lack resources. Even geniuses constantly require them.” City Lord Eshtar countered.

It was a good sign, and a sign of a functioning mind. Zahar liked that. “That is true. But my offer stands. With your materials, I will make you six, and have your daughter as my concubine.”

"I require proof." The City Lord said. "Brew me the six pills. If it is truly as you say, I shall let you have my daughter's hand."

"Father!" Sana wasn't sure what she expected.

Zahar nodded. "Let us walk to the alchemy chambers."

***