The water in the pool churned as Ethan held the green-haired elf by her slender waist, her small, firm buttocks pressed against his thighs. The atmosphere was thick with steam and the scent of arousal, but Ethan's mind was suddenly pulled into a cold, analytical space.

[Master, listen closely] Crul's voice echoed in his mind [This is a rare opportunity. These elves are both at the Middle-Stage Spiritual Core realm. Individually, their internal energy density is higher than yours. Do not simply indulge. Cultivate. But do not use the main script. Access Page 3, Paragraph 2 of the Amethyst Records.] 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Ethan scanned his mental archives, pulling up a sub-technique labeled [Yin Devourer: The Silent Siphon]. It was a predatory branch of his cultivation that focused on one-way energy acquisition—stealing Yin without returning the Yang.

"If you do not want to be caught and dissected by the royal family, never use the complete dual-cultivation method unless you truly trust the woman," Crul warned. "If the world finds out that having sex with you is as potent as consuming a Heaven-grade pill, you will be kidnapped and kept as a breeding slave. Use the 'Devourer' path to mask the source of your growth."

The technique outlined two paths: The Virgin Reaping and The Yin Siphon.

Ethan's amethyst eyes flared, his gaze piercing through the swirling steam. He looked down at the two nymphs clinging to him, focusing his vision on their secret depths. A vibrant, intense rose-colored aura radiated from their loins, shimmering like untouched silk.

"They are both virgins, Master," Crul confirmed. "Untapped wells of pure elven essence."

Ethan let out a low, dark chuckle that vibrated against the emerald-haired elf's skin. "It seems the Princess holds me in very high regard. She sent me two gifts, brand new and unopened."

He didn't waste any more time. He gripped the green-haired elf, turning her so she leaned over the marble edge of the bath, her slender back arching like a bow. With a single, powerful thrust, he claimed her. A sharp cry echoed off the chamber walls as her maidenhead broke, but the moment her blood touched him, Ethan activated the technique.

The sensation was electric.

Unlike the "devouring" of the Crimson Sect outsiders—which felt like swallowing jagged rocks that needed to be ground down and digested—this energy was crystalline. It was pure, filtered through the elven affinity for nature. It flowed into his meridians like cool spring water, filling his parched spiritual veins with an effortless, soaring power.

His Spiritual Core, recently "ascended" during the fight, began to spin with a newfound hunger. The dark, violet energy of the Void acted as a filter, stripping away the elven traits and leaving only the raw, potent Yin essence to be integrated into his own being.

The elf gasped, her eyes rolling back in a mix of pain and overwhelming pleasure as Ethan's rhythm became a relentless, driving force. He wasn't just taking her body; he was drinking her very foundation, and he could feel his own strength solidifying with every drop of essence he siphoned.

Ethan continued to drive into the green-haired elf, his rhythm growing more savage as the siphoning intensified. Suddenly, Crul's voice cut through the fog of lust and power like a blade.

[Stop, Master. Disconnect the siphon now. You have already drained 30% of her foundational Yin. Any more and her core will collapse; she will lose consciousness, and the medical examiners will notice the unnatural depletion. You cannot leave a trail.]

Ethan grunted, his muscles bulging as he pulled back, leaving the green-haired elf slumped against the marble, her breath coming in shallow, ragged gasps. Her eyes were glazed, not just from the climax, but from the sudden void in her spiritual veins.

He didn't stop. He reached out and grabbed the chestnut-haired elf by her waist, hauling her toward the edge of the pool. He hiked her hips up, pinning her small, firm buttocks against the cold stone, and shoved his dick deep into her pussy in one swift, brutal motion.

The girl let out a muffled scream that died in her throat as the [Void Devourer] technique activated once again. The sensation of power was overwhelming. He could feel his Spiritual Core spinning at a violent velocity, absorbing the pure elven essence. He wasn't reaching the Middle-Stage Spiritual Core realm yet, but he was clawing at the very threshold, his energy becoming denser and more refined by the second.

Ethan pounded into her without mercy, his dick hitting the back of her womb with every thrust. Unlike normal sex, there was no mutual pleasure here. As Ethan absorbed her energy, the technique released a numbing, sedative-like spiritual aura into her system. It was a defense mechanism designed to keep the "prey" from struggling or feeling the agony of the soul-drain. She wasn't moaning from ecstasy; she was drifting into a chemically induced stupor while Ethan systematically stripped her of her cultivation base.

It was a dangerous, parasitic ability—the kind of technique that would see him hunted as a demonic cultivator if he were ever discovered. Ethan knew it was cold, even cruel, but he couldn't afford the luxury of the true Dual Cultivation method. Giving his own Yang energy back would reveal the unique signature of the Void and the Amethyst Lineage.

He drove her to the very edge of consciousness, his body slick with sweat and the scented water of the bath. When he finally finished, he withdrew, leaving both elves draped over the marble like broken dolls, their emerald eyes wide and vacant. He stood tall in the center of the pool, his skin glowing with a faint, predatory light.

[Current progress: 98% to Middle-Stage Spiritual Core. Foundation: Optimized.]

"Clean them up," Ethan commanded his own sub-routines, though his voice was directed at no one. He stepped out of the water, feeling stronger than he ever had in the Dome. He was a parasite in a kingdom of dragons, and he had just taken his first real meal.

-------------------

From this moment forward, to avoid confusion regarding cultivation ranks, I will include this footer with the current established levels.

Note: These are only the ranks mentioned so far to avoid spoilers.

Body Refinement Realm

Skin Refinement / Bone Refinement / Organ Refinement

Spiritual Gathering Realm

Spiritual Perception / Spiritual Mist / Spiritual Condensation

Spiritual Core Realm

Core Solidification / Core Awakening / Spiritual Collapse (Half-step Spiritual Core)

Spiritual Soul Realm

Spiritual Soul Awakening / Soul Nourishing / Soul-Core Fusion

Golden Core Realm

Prime Fusion / Core Perfection / Core Destruction

Spiritual Sea Realm

Stage 1 ?? / Stage 2 ?? / Stage 3 ??

Dao Manifestation Realm

Stage 1 ?? / Stage 2 ?? / Stage 3 ??

Spiritual Transcendence

Stage 1 ?? / Stage 2 ?? / Stage 3 ??.