“Did I mention Mei is stronger than Jia as of today? She’s pushing herself a great deal. I also get the impression she’s been bartering for pills with Yue.”
“Service me?” Ash said, repeating back her own comment as he leaned back in his seat. Wondering how to take this to where he wanted it.
“I… yes. Of course I will, Master Sheng. As you like. I’ll… do that… for you. Immediately. Would you prefer me to do it here or in your bedroom?” Chunhua asked, her words faltering and coming out almost as nonsense. Her face had become as pale as a sheet. She started walking toward Ash with determination in her steps, however.
“What? No! No, neither here nor there,” Ash said, then sighed. He wasn’t good at this type of thing. “No. First, tell me what that was about. Why were you with those people? Back at the assembly.”
“They’re… all from my old sect,” Chunhua murmured. “We were the best our sect could offer to the demands of Bao Jade. The geniuses. We thought it’d be best to stay together.”
“Hmm. Fair. And that idiot who tried to challenge me?” Ash asked.
“Ah… he’s the strongest… of our group. He thought we should target some people and start ‘earning’ as he called it,” Chunhua said. Her face was slowly getting its color back. “In our previous sect, I didn’t really know him. I mostly stayed near my older sister. She’s a master there. I didn’t know anyone here, so I joined his group today. I didn’t know he would do that, though. I swear, Master Sheng.”
She joined his group for protection. Just a minute ago she was willing to service me, even though she didn’t want to.
I’d say that’s either extreme adaptability or cowardice.
I wonder which it is.
“What if I made you the strongest?” Ash asked, tilting his head to one side.
“I… what?” She sounded quite confused.
“What if I made you the strongest of that group?” Ash repeated. “Made you more powerful than everyone else. What would you do?”
“I… don’t know,” Chunhua admitted, shaking her head. “I’m not very strong. My talent is poor and… and I don’t… I don’t know.”
“Would you be my puppet?” Ash asked.
“Your puppet?” She replied tonelessly.
“My puppet. If I made you the strongest of that group, would you be my puppet?” Ash asked.
“I’m yours to use, Master Sheng.”
“That’s not an answer at all. Answer me, Chunhua. Would you be my puppet?” Ash tried again.
“I would be whatever you told me to be,” said the young woman, her eyes slowly coming up to meet his.
Locking her gaze with his own, he stared at her. Her white eyes were strange and almost discomfiting.
But he wasn’t going to look away nor was he going to let it bother him.
He could just barely see a resolute will inside her—to survive, adapt, overcome, and do what she must to move on. She would do what must be done.
Even if it meant harming others.
Or killing them.
Cowardice wasn’t her problem.
A lack of power was.
“Chunhua, you may leave,” Ash said, nodding his head. “Or you can stay if you choose.”
“I may leave?” Chunhua asked, her fingers tightening into one another.
“You certainly can,” Ash confirmed. “Or… you can stay.”
Chunhua processed that. Her mind grinding through the statement several times over.
“Why… would I stay?” asked the young woman.
He wanted her to ask that question. Wanted to see if she would reach out to grab what he could offer.
But he wanted her to want it.
“Why would you stay? Because I can give you power,” he said simply. “I can give you enough power to crush that entire group you were in.”
“And… for that power… you want me to be a puppet,” Chunhua murmured. She’d clearly been paying attention. His previous questions dictated his need.
“Indeed. You will be mine, Chunhua, for this power. Mine,” Ash said, spreading his hands apart in front of himself. “I will brand you, open you up to power, and make you a woman to be feared. But mine.”
“A woman to be feared,” she repeated slowly, her chin gradually lifting until she faced him head-on.
“One who would survive nearly anything. But you’d be mine. Will you be mine, Chunhua?” Ash asked.
He wouldn’t make the offer ever again to her. Those he needed in his alliance, needed to be bold.
If what Mei and Jia had said was true, the Outer Sect was likely to become awash in alliances, fights, robberies, and people struggling to improve their lots in life.
All through the misery of others, just like the Deng family.
“I will be yours, Master Sheng,” Chunhua declared. “If you make me a woman to be feared, one that will survive, I will be yours.”
“Great. Take your clothes off, come over here, and lay down on the table,” Ash said. “I’m going to have to hurt you to make this work, I’m afraid. And you’ll likely spend the next day or two refilling your Qi Sea after I rupture it.
“But in a week or so… you’ll be the strongest from your sect. If we have to rush it, we can use pills and get you up and moving in a day, I’d bet.”
“Rupture… rupture my Dantian and empty my Sea,” Chunhua said with a shuddering breath. “I understand, Master Sheng.”
Lifting her hands, Chunhua quickly unbuttoned her robe from the neck down to her navel, and then shucked it off.
Standing naked before him, Chunhua had a figure that was right up there with Mei’s. She was also incredibly toned and looked extremely fit.
She’s gorgeous. Damn. It’s a wonder she isn’t being pursued.
Or is that the bias of this culture again?
Pale and slim as possible.
“Please treat me gently and as a woman you love, Master Sheng, I’ve never known a man, and ask for your kindness,” Chunhua said, and then bowed her head to him. “I’m yours and do not consider this forced. That should be said clearly.”
Why does everyone go straight to that?
Is it that common here?
This whole place is so fucked up.
Going to make my own sect. Have men get their nuts cut off for that kind of shit.
“I’m afraid… Chunhua… that this will actually not be as fun as sex would be,” Ash said with honesty. Carving into someone was excruciating, as far as he knew.
There was no pleasure in this act at all.
“Far worse,” Moira said, turning her face away. Apparently, she didn’t want to think about it.
“I would have preferred sex,” Tala mumbled to no one, staring at her feet.
Five
Blearily, Ash opened his eyes.
And immediately regretted it.
The light hurt his eyes and it felt like someone had poured sand in them. On top of that, his head hurt, his hands ached, and he felt exhausted.
Groaning, Ash rolled over partially, trying to find Moira. He planned on snuggling into her and going back to sleep.
Except she wasn’t there.
“Because it’s already past breakfast. They let you sleep in.”
Letting out a soft huff, Ash still wanted to go back to sleep.
Working on Chunhua last night hadn’t gone very well. Her Dantian had resisted being split open at first, and he’d had to work at it. Apparently, Locke had undersold her a bit.
The woman was going to be a ferocious sorceress once he got her “filled out” with the right abilities.
Unfortunately for her, wounding her to the point where he could start her over wasn’t easy or simple.
He’d ended up having to start carving into her back with runes. First, he had to drain her of her Qi, so he could actually break her Dantian. After that, he’d added additional runes that would store extra power for her, as well as acting as capacitors and resistors based on her need. Effectively giving her a lot
more control over her spellwork.
As a sorceress, she’d suffer from overuse of Qi since all her spells were external to her body.
After having done something similar to Moira, Ash knew it would work and make her all the stronger.
The process had just turned Chunhua’s back into a living work of art from her shoulders to her waist. Runes upon runes upon runes.
The woman had endured it all while only throwing up her last meal and urinating herself once. She didn’t pass out as Tala had.
Not until they were done.
Sitting up in his bed, Ash raised his hands and scrubbed at his eyes.
Today’s our last free day, isn’t it?
“Yes. Normal lessons begin tomorrow. I wonder if they’ll teach anything of use. It isn’t as if they hand out abilities.”
Probably just all fighting. As much as they want to train up a new genius that will be associated with themselves, they’re also afraid to do so.
Afraid their student will join another sect as soon as they get some power.
“Which is a valid fear. If we ever opened our own sect, we’d have to be ready and willing to make sure that sort of thing didn’t happen.”
Ash could argue that fact, but for now, it was irrelevant.
Getting out of the bed, he wandered into the living room in nothing but his pants. He really wanted to get a drink. His mouth felt insanely dry.
Curled up in the corner on a bedroll was Chunhua. After she’d passed out, Ash had cleaned her—as well as the poor table where he’d worked on her—then set out a place for her to sleep and dumped her into it.
He didn’t think she’d be up and about today, and it was better that he kept an eye on her here.
Slowly, Ash realized he wasn’t alone in the room.
Everyone was here.
Jia, Mei, Yue, Moira, and Tala were all sitting around a table eating food. Each one of them was now staring at Ash as he stood in the doorway to his room.
“Pervert,” Tala said with a sniff, her eyes remaining on Ash.
“You know, I could have sworn I already ate breakfast, but I’d be happy to have seconds,” Mei said with a flirty tone.
“You’re horrible,” Yue muttered, making an annoyed face at Mei. She’d turned bright red by this point and looked away from Ash.
Feeling embarrassed and foolish, Ash turned around and went back into his room to look for a shirt.
“What?” Mei asked with a laugh. “Can you blame me? Did you look at him? I can admit I’m attracted to him. Can you?”
How the shit am I supposed to go back in there after that? Why didn’t you warn me?
“Because I’m not your babysitter, Chosen One,” Locke said with a laugh. “If you don’t even want to scan your surroundings from time to time, that’s on you. As to how to go back in there?
“Simple answer, don’t. Ask Mei to join you in the bedroom. Everyone else will leave after that, even if you get her into the bed.”
I mean… I could do that. I did… have a lot of fun just talking to her.
Walking around.
Moira is great in bed and she’s never shy with showing her feelings when we’re alone. Just never in public.
In private, Moira was attentive and gave him everything he could ever want. She was an extremely generous lover.
But whenever he tried to express his feelings to her in public, she got overly embarrassed and shut down, or shut him down.
Public displays around people Moira didn’t know was something she couldn’t tolerate.
With Mei, it had been different. It’d been really nice to be out in the open with Mei. To just be free and not care at all what people thought or did.
“Hey, Mei, would you care to join—”
There was a loud knock on the front door, interrupting Ash.
Huh?
Before he could even find a tunic, someone had already opened the door.
“Master Zha?” asked Na, sounding extremely surprised.
Apparently, she’d gone and answered the door.
“Good morning. I may have the wrong house,” said Master Zha. “I’m looking for Ashley Sheng.”
“This is Master Sheng’s home,” Na immediately replied. “He’s currently dressing. My name is Na Deng. I’m Master Sheng’s personal attendant. Would you please come in? May I serve you some tea?”
“Ah… thank you. That’d be… oh. Hello, there.”
There was a chorus of greetings in response.
Staring at the tunic in his hands, Ash felt like laughing at his own luck. Master Zha had just met his entire alliance, in his home, sitting around his table.
“Don’t forget the naked young lady in the corner.”
Fuck.
“Yes, yes. Good morning to you all. I didn’t expect to find you all here, but I suppose I shouldn’t—who’s this? Why does she reek of blood and sickness? What’s going on here?” Master Zha asked.
Struggling to get his tunic on quickly, Ash was already leaving his bedroom before he got it settled.
“Her name is Chunhua Liu,” Ash said, adjusting his tunic. “She came to me for power and brokered a deal. She’s recovering.”
Master Zha was standing near the table, looking at Chunhua. The Outer Sect Head was dressed and appeared exactly as she had the other day.
The rest of his group were all standing around the table nearby, while Na ignored everyone and focused on preparing tea.
Ash had assumed that Master Zha likely knew more than she’d let on. Especially if the sect leader clued her into it, or Gen let it slip during pillow talk.
Focusing on the woman, he utilized Sneaky Peeky. He got an answer he’d wondered about the other day.
She was a rank nine Spirit Refiner.
A red box quickly unrolled itself with the information he was looking for when he considered her. The contents were exactly what he was expecting.
What would you like your tombstone to say?
“Ah,” Master Zha said, nodding her head once. Looking like she mentally dismissed poor Chunhua in that same moment, the older woman smiled at Ash. “You’re being far more honest with me than Gen led me to believe you would be.”
“Master Gen wouldn’t spend time with you if you weren’t of worth,” Ash said, pressing one hand to the other and then bowing his head to Master Zha. He didn’t see a problem with buttering up Master Zha for Gen. If anything, he might actually reward Ash later for his efforts. “He mentioned you and stated his own personal opinion on the matter. I see no reason to argue with him.
“How may I assist you today, Master Zha?”
The master of the Outer Sect disciples hadn’t reacted to Ash’s words in any outward manner. The only give away he had was a new small box that had appeared next to the red one.
Elevated heart rate, breathing rate increased. Completely suppressed through concentration and abilities.
Speaking of Gen and his supposed view of Master Zha had affected her.
“I’m here to discuss you and what you did,” Master Zha said, taking a seat at the table. Na came over and set a teacup and saucer in front of the older woman, as the rest of his group took their seats at the table again. “I suppose it’s a good thing you have your harem with you as well. This is your full harem, isn’t it?”
“I don’t ha—”
“Yes, it’s his full harem at this time,” Mei said, interrupting Ash before he could finish.
“Good, good. Reminds me of my youth,” Master Zha said with a soft laugh. “Though I think I might have been a bit more of a free spirit than you. I had more men on hooks than there were days in the month. Ahh… I miss it on some days, not so much on others.”
Ash knew harems weren’t uncommon, but he hadn’t figured they were as common as they were. It seemed sects were breeding grounds for the strong to take advantage of everyone else.
“You know, I have a niece I think you should meet. More like a daughter to me after my sister died,” Master Zha said, pickin
g up the teacup and inhaling its fragrance. She seemed rather pleased with the scent. “Her talent isn’t so great, about middling, but she’s an aspiring young thing. She’ll achieve many things even outside of a pure cultivation standpoint. Not a genius, but nearly so. Intelligent. Very pretty. Extremely so.”
Uh.
“I’m finding it harder and harder to take care of her as she gets older. I have to let her grow and experience life and I can’t keep stepping in for her,” Master Zha said taking a sip of her tea. “She’ll have to venture out into the world much sooner than I’d wish. I think she could serve your group quite well. I brought her with me. She’s maybe a few years older than you but I don’t think that matters. I’ll introduce you to her later.
“I’d be deeply appreciative of you receiving her well and keeping an eye on her.”
There was an undertone there. She expected Ash to take her into his harem and care for her. In return, Master Zha was likely to take care of him.
A strange and almost cold exchange for someone who was more like a daughter.
But that was the way of the world here.
Even if Ash didn’t quite agree with it or like it.
That’s just how it was.
“I am sure Ash will greet her and consider all possibilities,” Jia murmured in a polite tone before Ash could shoot the whole thing down. He didn’t want to deal with another person to handle. “If such an arrangement were to… fit… I believe we could easily incorporate her.”
“Splendid, splendid,” Master Zha said, taking another sip of tea. “You know, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I came here, given all that I’d heard from others. This seems far more mundane.”
Walking over to the table, Ash took the only open seat between Mei and Jia. Putting his hands together on the table, Ash tried to look open and available to the Outer Sect master.
Almost instantly, he was rewarded with a hand on his rear end from Mei that he couldn’t really react to.
A hand that slowly squeezed his bottom once. Then remained there, casually fondling him.
I swear to god, I’m going to have to beat her.
“Well, I’ll get straight to it,” Master Zha said. “I’m going to need a blade that works for me. I have a list of targets I need eliminated or neutralized. Most are underground Deng supporters or just those who won’t support my leadership.
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