"Why?", she asked while her expression got serious.

Keira hesitated. "I'm not sure. I just feel that I have to do it."

"Is it because of your weird intuition?", Lara asked. One of the reasons why Keira was such a good vice president was her intuition. During all the time they had worked together, no one time had her intuition lead her astray. Instead, following it, it had always worked well for her.

"It should be. It is just that the feeling is much clearer than ever before. It is like I can feel that this is the only way to finally break through my bottleneck."

"Your bottleneck?", Lara hadn't heard her talk about it before. Although they were friends, it was more focused on their work and general companions.h.i.+p and not their cultivation. She only knew that Kiera had been in the upper realm, which made her a lot stronger than herself.

"Mm. I never told you about it, since it is convention not to talk about cultivation above the first stage in this realm, except when necessary. I don't know how familiar you are with it but to condense one's core you require a seed.

This seed is something everyone who can collect Qi from the environment is born with. It is also the reason why we can collect Qi and store it in our dantian.

But sometimes there are people who have a so-called false seed. This seed is similar to a normal seed in that it allows the owner to collect Qi. But it is too unstable to be used as the seed for a core.", having come this far in her explanation, she showed a sad look. It seemed like finding out that she had a fake core did have a huge impact on her.

The others patiently waited for her to continue with her explanation, "This is why I came back. Although there had been rumors that it is possible to stabilize the fake seed, the cost is unbelievable. As such, I had no choice but to give up on cultivating. Instead, I went back to my family, to enjoy a normal life. Of course, I could have stayed and worked as a 'Foundation Strengthening' cultivator, but up there this isn't enough to make a living in the cultivation world while staying in the mortal world is just a waste. Besides it is much more primitive there than here."

"So you feel that serving my husband can help you stabilize your seed? Why would that be?", Lara asked in bewilderment. Although she understood Kiera's problem, she didn't understand how it was related to her husband.

"Yes.", Keira nodded firmly. "I don't know either. But I can feel that it would work. And I can feel that it has something to do with serving him, with being used by him to release his l.u.s.t."

"Huh? The focus lies on you being submissive?", Ivan asked in surprise. For his question, he earned an angry glare by his wife.

"Hoho, so you like the idea?", she asked in a dangerous voice. It seemed that she really wasn't happy about him seeming to show any interested.

Ivan hurriedly tried to justify his question. "That's not it. I just have an idea what this is about." He then hurriedly shared a skill description.

< skill="" dark="" dual="" cultivation="">

Type: Pa.s.sive

Alignment: Evil

During forced s.e.xual intercourse you can gain benefits depending on the strength of your partner, the bloodline of your partner and the physical and mental pain of your partner.

Remark: Can be combined with the Evil Dark Master skill for better effects.

Comment: Is this fitting or what? Now you can be even eviler than before.

>>

The others read through the description before looking at him in surprise, "How the h.e.l.l do you have such a skill?"

"Got it in a lottery.", Ivan shortly answered with the truth, but the others looked at him with weird eyes. "It's not like I wanted this. And it's not like I have ever used it."

"Then why do you think that this skill could have something to do with it? Besides that, the subject is similar to what she feels.", Lara asked curiously.

"After I got this skill I did some research and found out that nothing is ever only one way. If the skill user gets a benefit, then there are only two reasons for this.

Either it is something taken from the victim or it is something gained from the outside. But if it is something taken from the victim, then there is no reason for this skill to be Artifact grade. There are similar skills described, which are only D grade, so why would this one be Artifact grade?"

"So you believe that since it is Artifact grade, it should do something different from those other skills? What if it only robs even more than the others?"

"That's impossible. The D grade skill I mentioned robs the victim of just about everything."

"But if it is really like you speculate, then wouldn't that be mentioned in the description?"

"Not really. Many skill description doesn't mention side effects and the focus of this skill isn't on the victim, so there just might be such a side effect."

"He is right.", Teddy interjected.

"And you don't have a problem with this?"

"It is Keira's decision. Our marriage is only for show anyway?"

"Huh?"

"You didn't know?", Teddy looked at Lara in surprise. "I thought Keira told you."

"No, I didn't. After all, there was no reason too.", Keira said, before explaining why their marriage was only for show. "Teddy and I are from big families. Although neither of them has an aristocratic t.i.tle, both own big companies. Although our parents are friends, the elders still decided to have a marriage between their children to strengthen the bond between the families.

At first, it was decided that my elder brother and Teddy's elder sister would marry since neither of them has any talent in cultivation, but great business talent. Besides that, they were the eldest and as such the most suitable.

Sadly there is just one problem and that is that the two of them always fight when they meet each other.", at this point, she laughs lightly.

"Surprisingly that is only in private. In business related matters they are able to work together well. So when I came back, my parents asked me if I would be willing to take my brother's place and marry Teddy.

Until then I had no interest in marriage and I didn't have anyone I liked either, so I agreed. As for Teddy, the decision was even easier, since he never had any interest in women."

"So that's how it is. But still..."

"Please, Lara. This might just be my only chance to ever progress.", Keira pleaded.

Lara didn't say anything. Although Keira was her friend, she really didn't like the thought of having to share Ivan with her. The concubines were out of necessity and Tang Lin wasn't anything she had been able to decide on. But accepting Keira would be something entirely different. Yes, there would be some benefit to accepting, but it would still be a decision to share her husband with a friend.

With Tanya there was someone else, she had accepted, but this too was because it was important. If not Tanya would definitely have to suffer. In Keira's case, she didn't see it like this. It was more a question of fulfilling one's dream, one's aspirations. But if it worked, wouldn't they make her friend happy? Could she really deny her in the knowledge, that she had maybe stopped her friend from acquiring happiness?

"Let me think about it.", she finally acceded.

"Alright. Then I'll wait for your answer.

For now, let's concentrate on the party."

The four of them alighted from the car, that had arrived at the avenue of the party. It was one of the most luxurious hotels in the capital.

Ivan offered Lara his arm and they entered the hotel together, followed by Teddy and Keira. At the front of one of the great halls, a table was placed, with two elegant women standing behind it. They accepted the invitations of the guests and after asking them to sign in a book gave them a small gift, before inviting them into the hall.

Ivan and Lara went over to them and Lara gave them their invitation.

"Welcome Mrs. and Mr. Hope.", the one on the right greeted them politely. Lately, Lara had started to use the name Hope, instead of her old family name Von Berg and the invitation was on the name too.

"Because of some dishes served, we have to ask, whether you are mages, so please forgive us.", she then followed up.

Ivan looked at Lara in confusion. He hadn't been to such a party, so he wasn't sure how to react.

Lara leaned her head on his shoulder and whispered into his ear.