Dual Cultivation System: The Villainous Servant’s Rise

“Don’t be anxious, Little Lianyi.”

Han Lie gently cupped Qin Lianyi’s cheek, his expression turning solemn.

“Right now, I am in a critical phase of my cultivation. Even if I were to marry you and bring you into the sect immediately, I wouldn’t have much time to devote to you. Not in the short term.”

He sighed softly, his thumb brushing over her skin.

“I know this might be difficult for you to endure, but there is no other way. To step onto a higher rung of the ladder, one must be willing to leave certain comforts behind.”

He looked deep into her eyes.

“If you truly miss me, you can always come to the Heavenly Void Sect to find me. Unless I am out on a training journey or exploring a mystic realm, I will be at the sect. Alright?”

It wasn’t that Han Lie didn’t want to marry Qin Lianyi. He did. But reality was a cold mistress.

In Han Lie’s philosophy, personal strength was always the highest priority. Everything else—including the beautiful fairy maidens who shared his bed—came second.

The Tianyuan Continent was a cruel world where strength reigned supreme. Without sufficient power to defend what was yours, anything you possessed, be it wealth or women, could be snatched away by someone stronger.

“Then…” Lianyi bit her lip, looking up at him with watery eyes. “Will you come back to find me when you have time?”

“Of course,” Han Lie chuckled warmly.

“Alright then!”

Qin Lianyi broke into a sweet smile, nodding her agreement. She was a princess of a great dynasty, not an unreasonable child. She understood the weight of duty and cultivation better than most.

“As expected of Princess Lianyi. Always so understanding.”

Han Lie leaned in and planted a fierce, possessive kiss on her lips.

Qin Lianyi responded with equal fervor, wrapping her arms tightly around him. For the remainder of his stay in the Great Qin Dynasty, she intended to savor every fleeting second.

The next day.

When the appointed time arrived, Han Lie bid a reluctant farewell to Qin Lianyi and exited the Imperial Palace.

Li Yi’s residence was located in the prestigious district surrounding the palace. Han Lie didn’t even need a carriage; a short walk, the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn, was enough to bring him to the grand gates of the Li Estate.

Thanks to Li Yi’s prior arrangements, the guards ushered Han Lie inside without delay.

The estate was magnificent. While it couldn’t compare to the sheer scale of the Imperial Palace, it was undeniably one of the top-tier residences in Qin Yang City.

Led by a respectful servant, Han Lie walked for nearly half an hour through winding corridors and landscaped gardens before finally arriving at the main hall.

Inside, Li Yi appeared to be in the middle of a meeting with several high-ranking court officials. However, the moment he spotted Han Lie, the Grand Councilor immediately waved them away.

“Hahaha! Young Friend Han Lie has arrived! Come in, come in!”

Li Yi personally stepped out of the main hall to welcome him, ignoring the surprised looks of the dismissed officials.

“Grand Councilor Li is too courteous,” Han Lie said with a polite smile.

They moved into the main hall. Once seated, Li Yi laughed heartily.

“Young Friend Han, please allow me to be a poor host for a moment. I must ask you to rest in the guest wing for a short while. This Senior has specially arranged an evening program for your entertainment.”

Li Yi winked, a conspiratorial glint in his eye. “Once the sun sets, we can have a proper heart-to-heart talk. How does that sound?”

“A guest follows the host’s arrangements. Whatever Grand Councilor Li plans is fine by me.” Han Lie waved his hand casually.

Li Yi immediately summoned his steward. “Take Daoist Han to the Azure Courtyard. If he needs anything—anything at all—you are to provide it immediately.”

“Yes, Master.”

The steward led Han Lie to a luxurious guest suite and bowed himself out.

On the tea table in the center of the room sat a single golden Storage Ring. Beneath it was a handwritten note.

Han Lie picked up the ring and scanned the contents with his spiritual sense. He raised an eyebrow.

“One million Spirit Stones. This Li Yi certainly keeps his word.”

He pocketed the ring without a shred of false modesty.

One million Spirit Stones. To an ordinary cultivator, this was an astronomical figure—an amount they might not earn in ten lifetimes. But for Li Yi, the Deputy Chief Grand Secretary of the Great Qin Dynasty, it was a manageable sum.

And truthfully, for the current Han Lie, it wasn’t a fortune either.

Han Lie did a quick mental calculation. At my current consumption rate, a million stones will only sustain three or four sessions of Secluded Cultivation.

As his realm climbed higher, the resources required to advance grew exponentially. He was a bottomless pit for spiritual energy.

Night fell.

True to his word, the steward returned to escort Han Lie to a spacious, brightly lit banquet hall within the estate.

Li Yi was already seated at the head of the table, waiting.

“Haha, Young Friend Han! Please, take your seat!” Li Yi stood up to greet him.

Han Lie smiled, cupped his hands in salute, and sat down.

The table was laden with rare delicacies, spiritual fruits that glowed with inner light, and jars of aged spiritual wine that filled the air with a heady aroma.

The hall was empty save for the two of them.

“Young Friend Han, to celebrate our complete victory, This Senior offers you a toast!”

“You are too kind, Grand Councilor Li.”

Han Lie raised his jade cup, clinked it against the air, and drained it in one gulp.

They drank three cups in rapid succession before Li Yi finally cut to the chase.

“Young Friend Han, you are simply a gift sent by the Heavens to this old man. Without you, I fear I would never have been able to turn the tides in the imperial court! Hahahaha!”

“Grand Councilor Li overstates my role,” Han Lie replied, his tone modest but his eyes sharp. “Without your assistance, overthrowing the Mu Family and clearing the Zhuo Family’s name would have been impossible. I would have had nowhere to start.”

“That may be true,” Li Yi said, his face turning serious. “But the benefits This Senior gained from the fall of Mu Qinghai far exceed anything you received.”

Li Yi leaned forward, lowering his voice slightly.

“You may not know this, but before your arrival, I was constantly suppressed by Grand Councilor Zhao Xuanzi. I was losing ground every day. But now? The situation has completely reversed. The balance of power has shifted, and I have you to thank for it. Your contribution is indispensable!”

Han Lie shrugged noncommittally.

Li Yi wasn’t wrong. Han Lie had achieved his personal goals, but Li Yi had won the political jackpot. With Emperor Qin Yusheng’s renewed trust, Li Yi could now go toe-to-toe with the Chief Grand Secretary, Zhao Xuanzi.

That kind of political capital couldn’t be measured in Spirit Stones.

“Haha, but enough of politics! Speaking too much of court affairs ruins the mood.” Li Yi clapped his hands and grinned. “This Senior has prepared a variety of entertainments for tonight. Tell me, Young Friend Han… do you prefer something refined and artistic? Or would you prefer something a bit more… bold and spirited?”

Han Lie raised an eyebrow, his interest piqued.

“Since Grand Councilor Li has prepared so meticulously, it would be rude of me to pick and choose. Why not bring them all out?”

“Hahaha! Good! A man of appetite!”

Li Yi clapped his hands twice.

Immediately, a troupe of opera singers filed into the hall from a side room. The music started—a high-pitched, rhythmic melody typical of the capital’s finest theaters.

An enthralling opera performance began. Even Han Lie, who lacked the cultural background to fully appreciate the nuances of the art form, found himself watching with interest.

It made sense. Anyone Li Yi hired for a private performance had to be the best of the best.

The opera lasted for nearly an hour. As the singers bowed and exited, the atmosphere in the room shifted. The lights dimmed slightly, and the music changed to a slower, more sensual beat.

Over a dozen dancers glided into the room.

They were dressed in diaphanous silks and rainbow-hued ribbons that floated around them like clouds. Their figures were slender and alluring, their movements hypnotic. It was like watching heavenly maidens scattering flowers.

Han Lie immediately sat up straight. His eyes, previously glazed over by the opera, suddenly became very clear.

Compared to the high art of the opera, Han Lie definitely preferred this kind of “concise” and “spirited” programming.

After a simple opening routine, the dozen dancers converged into a tight circle, their ribbons creating a wall of color.

Then, with a collective snap of their long sleeves, the circle bloomed open.

A single figure, dressed in pure white, soared into the air from the center of the formation.

Her posture was ethereal, her body light as a feather. She wore only light makeup, but her beauty was devastating—stunning enough to make fish sink and geese fall from the sky. She was charming, yet not overtly vulgar; seductive, yet untouched.

As she descended, her large, spirited eyes locked directly onto Han Lie’s gaze across the hall.