Chapter 147: Returning To Shengyuan!

Damian inspected the four equipment sets with considerable interest, comparing their finished enchantments against what he had originally intended to create.

His improved Artifact Refining talent had served him well, and the actual results were sufficiently impressive that he found himself reconsidering whether eight hours of work had been a bargain.

Eunice’s equipment was particularly satisfying because of how neatly it solved her greatest weakness.

In its ordinary configuration, her armor reduced incoming physical damage by 15% and increased Mana recovery by 10%, making it suitable for extended engagements.

Activating its heavy plate transformation raised its defensive effectiveness by another 20%, although maintaining that form consumed Mana, while her accompanying mace granted a 15% increase to Divine Spell potency and could discharge stored Holy energy through successful strikes.

"Try the mace first, babe," Damian suggested with a smile, watching Eunice channel a little Divine energy into its golden head.

"I designed it so you wouldn’t have to choose between hitting someone and casting a prayer, although I recommend you avoid demonstrating both functions on me." Damian added with a teasing look.

Eunice tested the weapon’s balance before smiling appreciatively, especially pleased that its effects complemented her Cleric abilities without demanding greater physical Strength.

Damian considered the matter settled, although he made a mental note to help her develop her Constitution and Strength further once the opportunity arose.

Paulina’s equipment had turned out considerably more vicious.

Her armor provided a 12% increase to movement speed and reduced the Stamina consumed by rapid changes in direction, but the real treasures were her gauntlets.

When she channeled Mana through them, her exposed claws glowed crimson, gained a 15% increase to cutting damage and inflicted additional Bleeding Damage upon successfully wounding an opponent.

Paulina immediately activated the enchantment, admiring the red light outlining her claws with the expression of a child who had just received an extremely dangerous birthday present.

Damian quickly caught her wrist when she turned toward a nearby wooden fixture, recognizing that familiar look in her eyes.

"Absolutely not!" Damian scolded her, giving the Wolf Beastwoman a thoroughly exasperated stare.

Paulina looked disappointed, but the wagging of her tail suggested she had already begun imagining what the gauntlets would accomplish against an actual opponent.

Damian almost felt sorry for whichever monster happened to become her next training target.

Julia’s armor offered a more balanced selection of effects, granting a 15% improvement to ranged accuracy, a 10% reduction in Stamina consumption during combat movement and additional stability when aiming under physical pressure.

It also featured a specialized enchantment that briefly enhanced her balance when transitioning between ranged and melee combat, making it particularly suitable for her Ranger and Fighter combination.

"Fifteen percent additional accuracy? Combined with my Ranger Class, that should make difficult shots considerably more manageable, especially when I’m forced to fire while moving." Julia commented, inspecting the enchantments with growing appreciation.

Damian nodded, pleased that she immediately recognized the practical advantage.

Janet’s equipment was the most specialized of the four, increasing her Stealth effectiveness by 15%, reducing detectable movement noise by 30% and enhancing the damage of her first successful attack launched from concealment by 12%.

Its ghostly patterns could also briefly distort her outline when she moved through shadows, although the effect wasn’t equivalent to genuine invisibility.

Janet looked delighted by the results, especially when she discovered how neatly the enhancements complemented her existing Rogue abilities.

"Remember that this equipment is supposed to protect you, not help you terrorize everyone you see," Damian warned, studying her innocent expression with considerable suspicion.

Janet responded with an exaggerated expression of betrayal, but Damian knew better than to trust the little Demoness simply because she suddenly looked harmless.

Nevertheless, he was pleased with all four equipment sets, especially considering how effectively they complemented their respective owners.

Then he discovered something even more interesting.

<The Divine Forge> had automatically registered the new equipment!

Unlike his original assumption, the Special Power wasn’t limited to equipment he personally wore or wielded, and each newly created piece possessed its own independent progress tracker.

Whenever the Four Valkyries successfully employed their equipment’s recognized effects, the Divine Forge would accumulate progress toward future advancement, regardless of whether Damian was present.

That was an extraordinarily useful discovery!

It meant Damian could gradually develop an entire arsenal of personally crafted equipment without requiring everyone to surrender their belongings whenever he wanted to improve them.

As long as the items met the Special Power’s conditions, they could grow alongside their owners through genuine use.

"Now that, is worth eight hours of work!" Damian remarked thoughtfully, considering the implications for the Baines Noble Family.

Damian then informed them of the basics of the special power.

"...so you guys can use these as much as you please, and once they’ve accumulated enough progress, I can improve them without starting from scratch."

The ladies were naturally delighted, particularly Paulina, who immediately began discussing how quickly she could accumulate progress through combat.

Damian left them to admire their equipment for a little longer, although another responsibility was already occupying his thoughts.

He needed to return to Shengyuan.

"There’s something else I should tell you before we head home," Damian began, drawing their attention away from the equipment.

"I’ll be returning to Shengyuan shortly, and I may have to remain there for some time because the two sects I’m affiliated with are currently fighting a war." He stated with a sigh.

Eunice’s expression became serious immediately, and the others soon followed as Damian explained the worsening conflict between the Evergreen Sect, Azure Water Sect and Nightmare Corpse Sect.

His previous intervention had substantially improved the allied sects’ circumstances, but their enemies had issued an ultimatum that could still erupt into an offensive at any moment.

"How dangerous is this Nightmare Corpse Sect? You speak as though you’ve delayed an attack rather than actually ended the conflict." Eunice asked with visible concern, studying him as they left the Association.

"That’s precisely what I’ve done," Damian replied, appreciating her accurate assessment.

As they walked through Rosewood Town, the conversation gradually expanded into a broader discussion about Shengyuan.

Paulina wanted to understand the difference between cultivators and Valorian Adventurers, Julia asked about sect hierarchies and their obligations, while Eunice showed considerable interest in how ordinary people survived beneath such powerful organizations.

Janet, unsurprisingly, seemed particularly fascinated by the intelligence networks and political intrigues surrounding the cultivation sects.

Damian answered their questions patiently, describing a society where personal cultivation often determined everything from political influence to economic opportunity.

Yet he also stressed that Shengyuan contained ordinary, decent people who simply wanted to live peacefully, even if the power imbalance between cultivators and mortals made that ambition considerably more difficult.

The conversation was progressing rather well until Janet decided to investigate a different subject.

"So, Damian, what about the beauties over there?" Janet inquired with suspicious casualness, slipping beside him as her eyes sparkled mischievously.

"Don’t tell me you’ve wandered through an entire cultivation world without encountering any interesting women!" She teased with wiggling brows.

Damian considered the question for a moment, then shrugged.

"I’ve encountered quite a few, actually, but the three most memorable are probably Mu Qingyao, Shen Xueyi and Ning Ruomei."

Janet’s expression immediately sharpened, and Damian noticed the other women becoming considerably more attentive.

He described Qingyao as an elegant, intelligent cultivator whose charming exterior concealed a surprisingly playful personality.

Xueyi, meanwhile, was an exceptionally beautiful and pragmatic woman from the Azure Water Sect, while Ning Ruomei was a dangerous demonic cultivator who had infiltrated their allies before being captured.

"Wait, you captured the third one? What did she do?" Paulina asked incredulously, clearly surprised by the sudden shift in circumstances.

"She helped arrange an ambush intended to kill me, so naturally, our relationship isn’t particularly affectionate," Damian answered dryly.

"Although I suppose keeping her alive has been more useful than killing her, which is mildly irritating considering how much trouble she caused." Damian added with a thoughtful expression.

Janet, however, had already decided that the other two women deserved closer examination.

"And how exactly did you become so familiar with this ’Qingyao’ and ’Xueyi’?" Janet pressed, looking up at him with a smile that made her intentions perfectly obvious.

"Something tells me those two aren’t merely business acquaintances, hehe." She asked with an insidious smile.

Damian regarded her for a moment before deciding that avoiding the subject would accomplish nothing.

He had known this conversation was coming, and the last thing he wanted was for his women to discover his Shengyuan relationships through some embarrassing misunderstanding.

"Qingyao and I have genuine mutual attraction, while Xueyi has also expressed an interest in marrying me, although her circumstances are considerably more complicated. Nothing has been finalized with either of them, and I’ve deliberately left the decision open." Damian explained evenly.

The response brought an unmistakable change to the atmosphere.

Paulina’s tail gradually stopped wagging, while Julia lowered her gaze in contemplation and Eunice became unusually quiet.

Even Janet abandoned her teasing, apparently recognizing that she had stumbled upon something considerably more consequential than an opportunity to embarrass Damian.

Damian understood their reaction.

The Four Valkyries had accepted their unusual relationship after spending considerable time traveling, fighting and developing friendships with one another.

They knew each other’s personalities, trusted one another and had chosen to share their romantic interest in Damian without sacrificing the companionship that had originally brought them together.

As such, accepting two unfamiliar women from another world were an entirely different proposition.

Damian had no intention of pretending otherwise, nor did he expect the ladies to welcome complete strangers simply because he happened to find them attractive.

He could appreciate the appeal of a large romantic household while still understanding that maintaining one required considerably more effort than collecting beautiful women like trophies.

Julia was the first to break the silence.

"Are you telling us because you intend to marry them, or because you’re still deciding?" Julia asked carefully, her expression composed despite the uncertainty in her eyes.

"Those... aren’t quite the same thing, Damian." She slowly added.

"Because I’m still deciding, and because you deserve to know what has happened before things progress any further," Damian answered without hesitation.

He then sighed deeply. "I won’t pretend I have no feelings for Qingyao, but I also won’t claim that either woman has made a completely independent decision yet."

He then explained the circumstances surrounding their respective families.

Mu Qingyao had been desperate to save her father, Mu Jianhong, whose deteriorating condition had threatened the Evergreen Sect’s future.

Shen Xueyi had similarly sought assistance for her mother, Lan Ruyue, and both women had possessed strong political and personal reasons to consider marriage with a powerful outsider capable of providing extraordinary assistance.

Damian had recognized the problem almost immediately.

Affection and attraction certainly played a role, particularly with Qingyao, but neither woman had been making her decisions under ordinary circumstances.

A daughter watching her parent suffer could hardly be expected to negotiate marriage without considering whether rejecting a potential savior might cost someone she loved dearly.

"I told both of them that I would help their parents regardless of whether they married me," Damian explained, his expression growing serious.

"Qingyao’s father has already recovered, and Xueyi’s mother has regained much of her former strength, so once the immediate pressures are removed, I want them to decide whether they actually want me."

Eunice looked at him with renewed understanding, her royal upbringing making the implications particularly clear.

She knew better than most how easily marriage could become a political obligation disguised as a personal choice, especially when powerful families and vulnerable relatives were involved.

"Then you were right to give them that opportunity," Eunice replied thoughtfully, although she didn’t completely conceal her lingering reservations.

"But removing the pressure doesn’t necessarily mean their feelings will be genuine, and I hope you understand that we would need time to know them ourselves." She came out to say rather bluntly.

"I’d be disappointed if you didn’t," Damian admitted, appreciating her honesty.

"Besides, Qingyao might be charming, but she’s perfectly capable of being troublesome, and I suspect Xueyi could negotiate an entire kingdom out of someone’s hands while maintaining a perfectly straight face." He joked with an amused expression.

Paulina finally released a slow breath, her expression becoming less tense as she considered the situation.

"I don’t particularly like the thought of strangers suddenly entering our family, but I can understand why you handled things that way," Paulina acknowledged, glancing toward the others.

"If they genuinely want to be with you even after their families are safe, then at least we’d know they weren’t doing it because they had no other choice."

Julia nodded, although she still looked somewhat pensive.

"And we’d still need to meet them before making any decisions about living together," Julia added firmly, meeting Damian’s gaze.

"I don’t want us to become strangers to one another simply because our family keeps growing."

Damian felt a small measure of relief at her words, not because he had received unquestioning approval, but because she had identified the very concern he wanted them to discuss honestly.

He had already grown fond of his peculiar little family, and disrupting its foundation merely to satisfy his romantic ambitions would be remarkably foolish.

Janet, meanwhile, seemed to have reached her own conclusion.

"Well, if these two beauties really do come crawling after you once their problems are solved, I suppose we can inspect them properly," Janet declared with a calculating smile.

"But I’m warning you now, Damian Baines. If either of those two beauties starts acting like some arrogant princess who expects us to bow, I’m booting her ass straight back through that portal!" Janet threatened with a shake of her fist.

Damian glanced at the little Demoness with an amused expression, finding it rather impressive that she could sound so territorial while barely reaching his chest.

Nevertheless, he understood the sentiment and decided against making any unnecessary promises about how future relationships would unfold.

For now, the women had accepted his reasoning, although they clearly reserved judgment concerning the actual individuals involved.

That was enough.

By the time they returned to the Baines residence, the conversation had gradually returned to more comfortable subjects, and Damian found that Vivienne’s procurement operation had already begun producing results.

Several consignments of enchanted equipment, special ores, medicinal materials and other valuable Valorian merchandise had arrived, although the quantities represented only a small fraction of what his Logistics IV capacity could accommodate.

He inspected the deliveries before transferring the available goods into his Exchange Storage, leaving the outstanding orders for Vivienne to continue coordinating during his absence.

There was no point delaying his return to Shengyuan merely to fill an enormous storage space when his allies might already be facing renewed attacks.

With his preparations complete, Damian gathered the Four Valkyries inside the residence for their farewell.

Eunice stepped forward first, accepting his embrace before returning his kiss with gentle affection, although she quietly reminded him not to neglect his own safety.

Paulina followed with considerably more enthusiasm, wrapping her arms around him and demanding that he return quickly enough for her to demonstrate the full effectiveness of her new gauntlets.

Julia’s farewell was quieter but no less affectionate, her fingers lingering against his cheek after their kiss as she asked him to remember that he now had people waiting for him in Valoria.

Janet, naturally, tried to turn her own farewell into a competition before Damian silenced her teasing with a kiss that left even the little Demoness briefly speechless.

"Take care of one another while I’m away, and please don’t let Paulina start a war just because she wants to test her new claws," Damian instructed with a faint smile, looking affectionately over the four women.

"I’ll return as soon as I’ve settled the situation on the other side." He promised gently.

After exchanging their final farewells, Damian entered his study and activated the Dual Realm Exchange System’s permanent passage.

The familiar portal appeared before him, connecting the peaceful residence in Rosewood Town to a cultivation world whose troubles had continued developing throughout his absence.

He paused briefly, considering the extraordinary progress he had made since his previous visit.

Qi Condensation Level 7, a perfected Earth Rank cultivation technique, immense commercial resources and four women who had become far more important to him than he could have imagined upon arriving in Valoria.

And waiting on the other side was a war.

Damian adjusted Longtian at his waist, his expression settling into calm determination as he stepped toward the shimmering passage.

It was time to return to Shengyuan!