Traveling through the second dimension, the joy system encourages me to laugh heartily!

Moreover, according to the settings he knew, directly consuming this fruit of life would certainly grant power, but it would also subject him to the pollution and impact of the massive amount of soul fragments contained within.

The mind of the consumer is easily overwhelmed by these chaotic and painful memories and emotions, leading to mental breakdown, personality collapse, and ultimately turning into a monster that only knows how to kill and has no reason. Its fate is more tragic than death.

Therefore, from both a moral and security perspective, Chen Ming himself would never use this thing.

So, should we just stay here and ignore it?

Obviously not.

Such important "materials" would surely be sensed by other demons. Once he leaves, other demons will soon come and take them away to use in the process of resurrecting the Demon King, which would mean that all his previous achievements in battle would be in vain.

Should we directly use force to destroy it?

This seemed like the cleanest and most efficient choice, but looking at the life energy condensed within it—which could be described as a "miracle" in some ways—Chen Ming felt it was quite a pity. It was a waste of resources.

In the blink of an eye, a relatively safe plan that could potentially bring additional benefits took shape in his mind.

Let's put it away for now. We can find an opportunity to make a deal with the goddess of that world later.

Chen Ming remembered that this fruit, which was condensed from a large amount of human soul energy, was a valuable "resource" for the goddess, and could be used to awaken new heroes.

Who knows, you might even be able to get a useful S-rank skill or some other benefit from her.

This is undoubtedly the approach that best aligns with his principles of maximizing his interests and controlling risks.

Chapter 283: Ta'erduo is a good girl!

With his thoughts returning to normal, Chen Ming no longer hesitated and leaned against the [Fruit of Life] that radiated an alluring yet dangerous light.

The fruit resembled a meticulously carved jade gemstone, its entire body displaying a deep and pure emerald green, with a halo seemingly flowing slowly within. Yet, strangely, it also seemed to possess life, pulsating slightly at a fixed frequency, exuding a contradictory aura of beauty and eeriness.

Moreover, Chen Ming subconsciously developed a strong impression that "this thing looks delicious," and a desire stemming from his life instinct was quietly aroused.

However, reason made Chen Ming restrain the urge to try it!

just because,

This thing is extremely dangerous to even look at, let alone eat.

It possesses a certain allure—even Luke, the protagonist of the original work, a top assassin who can precisely control his emotions and always act rationally, almost lost control when he first encountered this fruit of life and subconsciously reached out to touch it.

Finally, Luke managed to draw his dagger and plunge it into his own thigh without hesitation, using the intense pain to forcefully awaken his reason. Only then was he able to use earth magic to envelop and isolate the Fruit of Life, barely managing to store it in his artifact, the Crane Skin Pouch, thus avoiding being tempted and corrupted by it.

In contrast, Chen Ming's mental strength was far superior to Lu Ge's, and he showed no signs of losing control.

With a thought, he directly stored the emerald-colored fruit, which exuded an ominous allure, into his own system space.

The isolation effect of the system space is far better than that of the [Crane Skin Pouch]. Once the Fruit of Life is taken into it, the alluring and seductive attraction that lingers around it vanishes instantly, as if it had never existed. Placing it within the system space essentially ensures absolute safety and eliminates any worries.

After doing all this, Chen Ming took one last look around the desolate land, then vanished from his spot in a flash, returning to the Heavenly Palace Space City.

As soon as Chen Ming returned to the master bedroom of the Tiangong Space City, three warm breezes carrying different fragrances eagerly rushed into his arms.

It was Tardor, Tia, and Maho.

They seemed to have been waiting there for a long time, their movements so quick that they were almost indistinguishable in turn.

Chen Ming instinctively opened his arms and embraced the three beautiful girls, each with their own distinct style. The warmth and softness of their bodies enveloped him, dispelling the faint trace of murderous aura he had carried from his return from the battlefield.

Leaving aside Tia, with whom he had already had an intimate relationship, her embrace was the most natural and passionate, like vines entwining and nestling together.

What stirred something in Chen Ming's heart was that although Taldo and Maho's cheeks were flushed, they did not hesitate at all when they pounced on them.

This decisiveness was clearly not a spur-of-the-moment decision, but rather a result of careful consideration and a firm resolve.

"Brother, you've worked so hard. Let us give you a massage to help you relax!"

In his arms, Taldo buried her burning face in his chest, her muffled voice trembling slightly, yet she tried to remain calm as she made this seemingly "legitimate" suggestion.

Chen Ming felt the warmth and dependence emanating from the three delicate bodies in his arms, and his heart softened. He looked down and could see Taldo and Maho's ears, which were so red they were almost steaming, as well as the knowing and sly smile on Tia's lips.

He couldn't help but smile, a gentle and indulgent smile. He reached out and gently ruffled the hair of each of the three women, responding in an incredibly sincere tone:

"Great! After all that running around, I'm so excited to be able to enjoy a private massage for my darlings!"

"Wow!" Taldo cupped her burning cheeks in her hands, as if trying to stop her heart from leaping out of her throat. "I'm my brother's darling~~"

Tia, standing to the side, sighed and chuckled, teasingly saying, "Uncle, you sometimes do this, so naturally uttering these heart-pounding sweet nothings. They're just too devastating."

Chen Ming toned down his joking expression and glanced at the three women in his arms: "Because we are family. Among family members, I hope to have as few secrets as possible, and I will also require myself to express my feelings of affection and cherish more frankly."

He spoke these words sincerely. Perhaps it was because he still harbored unspeakable secrets about the main world and the second world that he longed to express his feelings without reservation in a space where he could be honest with himself.

"Oh~~"

Tia drawled out her words, a mischievous glint in her eyes. Like a master wingman, she skillfully steered the conversation in a deeper direction. "However, you only know how to use sweet words to make Taldo and Maho swoon, but you keep 'ignoring' them. Even I, as an observer, can't stand it and feel sorry for them."

As she spoke, she turned her gaze to the other two girls, her tone encouraging, "Taldo and Maho are the same. Opportunities don't just come by waiting; you have to actively strive for happiness. Sometimes, if you don't bravely take that first step, you might stay stuck in the same place forever."

These words made Taldo and Maho stiffen slightly, their faces flushed even more, and their eyes shone with a complex light—a mixture of shyness, courage, and the thrill of having their secrets revealed.

Seeing that the atmosphere had been set and the time was right, Tia gracefully withdrew from Chen Ming's embrace, straightened her neatly folded clothes, and said with a smile, "Alright, it's time for me, this 'third wheel,' to leave. I need to go back to my room for today's magical training. I'll leave this important task of massage and relaxation entirely to you two!"

She walked to the door, then, as if suddenly remembering something, turned back, winked at Taldor and Maho, and left with a meaningful remark: "Oh, right, just a reminder, once I focus on studying magic, I'll wear special soundproof earplugs, and then I won't be able to hear anything that happens in the room. So... good luck, don't worry about anything."

After saying that, she turned and left the master bedroom with a knowing smile, and thoughtfully closed the door behind her.

In the spacious master bedroom, only Chen Ming, Taldo, and Maho remained for a moment. The air seemed to thicken and become ambiguous the instant Tia left, so quiet that they could hear each other's increasingly rapid heartbeats.

Taldo and Maho exchanged a glance, and in that instant, it seemed as if a silent communication was completed in their eyes.

Nervousness, shyness, and hesitation were ultimately replaced by a resolute determination. They seemed to have reached some kind of silent agreement, or rather, a decision on who would face this heart-stopping moment first.

In the end, it was Maho, who seemed even more aloof on a sunny day, who took the first action.

She took a deep breath, as if using all her strength, and raised her head. Her pale skin was now flushed with a beautiful blush. She looked at Chen Ming, her voice trembling almost imperceptibly, yet clearly expressing her wish: "Mentor... I, I'll wait for you in the bedroom!"

After saying those words, which seemed to have used up all her courage, Maho didn't dare to look at Chen Ming's reaction. She was more like a frightened fawn, almost fleeing in panic.

Now, only Chen Ming and Talduo remain in the master bedroom.

After Maho left, Chen Ming focused his gaze entirely on Tardo's face and noticed that her face was even redder than before, the blush spreading all the way to her neck, like a ripe apple, making one want to take a bite. She lowered her head, her hands nervously twisting the hem of her clothes, her breathing becoming somewhat rapid.

A silence hung in the air, thick with a chilling tension. After a long while, Taldo finally seemed to have mustered enough courage to speak to Chen Ming:

"Brother, do you still remember... the time I wanted to serve you?"

“I remember.” Chen Ming’s voice was gentle, tinged with reminiscence. “Back then, I stopped you.”

Seeing how clearly Chen Ming remembered it, Taldo seemed encouraged. She raised her head, and her large, clear eyes, always filled with admiration, were now misty with tears, carrying a hint of barely perceptible grievance: "After my brother stopped me, I remember what he said to me was: 'You're too young now. Let's talk about it when you're older.'"

"I did say that."

Chen Ming nodded in agreement, but he was somewhat surprised. He hadn't expected that Taerduo would remember every word of the sentence he had said to comfort her so accurately, as if it were engraved in her heart.

Having received an affirmative answer, Taldo seemed to have grasped the most important evidence. She took a small step forward, tilted her head back, and looked up with hope in her eyes: "Uh... then... when brother said 'when I grow up,' doesn't he mean now?"

"Why are you suddenly asking about this?"

"It's not sudden at all!"

Taldo's voice suddenly rose a little, filled with long-suppressed emotions: "I've always wanted my brother to love me, but he made me wait. So I tried to tell myself to be patient, that as long as I grow up, I can... I can welcome the 'future' my brother talked about."

Her eyes reddened slightly as she continued, "I endured it, I kept holding back from asking my brother for affection, because I wanted to wait until I was good enough. But... but my brother does that kind of thing with Sister Tia, and with other people... too. And, there's that Duchess's daughter, Miss Niman, and Princess Farina... they've all got their eyes on my brother, their eyes are all glaring at him..."

At this point, her tone carried a hint of barely perceptible anxiety and grievance; beneath her feigned calm, a torrent of emotions was already surging beneath.

"So, I don't want to wait any longer! If I wait any longer... I'm afraid there won't be a place for me next to my brother..."

Her words revealed her true inner thoughts.

It turns out that this seemingly abrupt initiative was not a spur-of-the-moment decision, but rather stemmed from a growing sense of crisis and anxiety about the long wait.

After all, if we disregard that ethereal goddess, Taldo could be considered one of the first girls in this world to meet Chen Ming and stay by his side.

However, as time went by, she was surpassed by many "newcomers," and there were even new "competitors" with noble status and outstanding appearance who kept trying to join her!

Taldo was naturally resentful—it was me, it was me first, I was the one who came first… Whether it was a kiss, a hug, or falling in love with her brother… but why did it turn out like this…

"Taldo, calm down first."

As soon as Chen Ming finished speaking, he clearly felt the delicate body in his arms stiffen instantly.

Taldo suddenly raised her head, and her large eyes, which were always filled with starlight and admiration, were now visibly filled with a layer of despair. Her face was deathly pale, as if she had not heard gentle advice, but was facing the end of the world.

That tearful, abandoned expression pierced Chen Ming's heart like a fine needle.

He immediately realized that his overly brief words had caused the misunderstanding. At this moment when the little maid had mustered all her courage and given everything, any hesitation would be magnified infinitely and interpreted as rejection.

He couldn't let her continue to wallow in uneasy speculation.

So, he suppressed any trace of seriousness on his face that might have caused her to misunderstand, and gazed at her calmly and gently, getting straight to the point: "I didn't mean to refuse."

He felt the body in his arms loosen slightly, but those eyes remained fixed on him anxiously: "I just want you to think about this more calmly. Do you really understand the true meaning of 'serving'? Are you sure you won't regret it?"

His words were like a warm current, slowly dispelling the frost in Taldo's eyes.

She shook her head vigorously almost immediately, as if trying to shake off all uncertainty. Her hands unconsciously gripped the front of his shirt, her tone urgent and incredibly firm, with a kind of solemn vow: "I know! I have studied this subject very diligently... Also, I only want my brother now, I only want to devour him, so I will absolutely not regret it!"

Seeing her adorable eagerness to prove herself, Chen Ming felt both affection and amusement, his tone carrying a knowing smile:

"Studying hard? So, the two of you who were 'attentively' listening to the lesson outside the wall with Maho at the open-air hot spring just now were you two little curious cats, right?"

"Wow! How...how could this be...No way, brother, you...you already noticed back then?!"

Taldur instantly became like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, so embarrassed she was practically steaming. She covered her face with her hands, her panicked eyes peeking through her fingers.

"With my perception, how could I possibly be completely unaware of those two little ones outside the wall, who are holding their breath and whose hearts are pounding like drums?" Chen Ming's tone carried a hint of helpless indulgence.

"Uh... well... I'm sorry, brother."

Taldo's voice was barely audible, filled with deep shame. She buried her face even deeper. "I... I just couldn't resist my curiosity... I wanted to know... I wanted to know about my brother and Sister Tia..."

"I forgive you this time."

Chen Ming interrupted her self-blame, gently pulling down her hand that was covering her face, making her look at him directly. His tone became serious and slightly guiding, "But, avoid doing this next time. Remember, if you really can't help but want to listen, or want to understand, you don't have to hide in the shadows. You can... join in directly."

He offered an option that would cause Taldor's heart to stop beating.

"Okay...okay, brother! I'll remember! I won't do it again!"

Upon hearing this, Taldor blinked in disbelief at first, then was overwhelmed with joy. She immediately answered loudly, as if making the most important vow. The previous gloom vanished, replaced by the ecstasy of being accepted and permitted.

Chen Ming, without saying anything more, responded to her expectations and courage with his actions.

He tightened his arms around her, giving her a firm and warm hug.

This hug was worth a thousand words, completely soothing all her anxieties.

"It seems..."

Chen Ming's deep voice rang in her ear, carrying approval and a hint of warmth, "You're really ready."

"Ok!"

Taldo nodded vigorously, burying her burning cheeks in the crook of his neck, hugging him tightly with all her might. Her voice was shy, yet filled with unwavering resolve, "So... please, brother~ please... please enjoy it to your heart's content~"

At this moment, she didn't ask Chen Ming to be gentle; instead, she hoped he could fully enjoy himself. This was very much in line with Taldo's style—in her world, Chen Ming's pleasure and satisfaction always came first, even surpassing her own feelings and shyness.

What a good girl!

A surge of tenderness welled up in Chen Ming's heart. It was precisely because she was so pure and so devoted to him that he wanted to cherish her even more and love her even more.

Even though this was Taldo's first experience, Chen Ming was determined to use his experience and patience to guide and lead her to enjoy an unforgettable experience, and never let her expectations be disappointed.

……

[Ding! You have recharged with the stunningly beautiful girl, Taldor, gaining 20 points of Joyful Power. First recharge bonus: 10000 points of Joyful Power!]

Chapter 284: Maho's Decisive Battle Suit

After an unknown amount of time, the wind stopped, the clouds dispersed, and the rain ceased!

After charging, Chen Ming gently stroked the sweaty hair on the girl's forehead in his arms.

Taldo fell into a deep sleep from extreme exhaustion. Her usually vibrant eyes were now peacefully closed, her long eyelashes like two small fans casting soft shadows under her eyelids, and a satisfied smile lingered at the corners of her mouth.

Chen Ming carefully got up, tucked the blanket around her to make sure she wouldn't catch a cold, and then placed a gentle kiss on her smooth forehead.

After doing all this, his figure slowly faded in the room as he activated teleportation.