Chapter 10 - The Challenge

The next day we left for Liu Liang's house. The journey took 4 days and in them the kids and I became friends with Liang and Owl. She was surprised that they were adventure even though they were so young, but over the course of the trip, the kids were finding and gathering (or asking me to collect) some herbs we found along the way. If we beat any monsters or animals, the kids and I took care of the processing. To tell you the truth Lady Liu made me the chef during the trip, if I had known that offering her dinner that day would cause me so much trouble I wouldn't have done it. During the trip she also met Yue, in his domestic cat form, she was delighted with him and upon discovering that he was my spirit animal, her manner with me improved a little. The kids were very open with her too. It was very easy to win over them, she gave them candy and taught some fighting moves, in fact she taught me a lot about her world too. Especially about the forces that governed it.

Apparently, long ago, the country was was ruled by a clever king, he was able to develop the cities and reign by the heart precisely. But he was curious and sought something that destroyed him in the end, immortality. For this he ended up finding a wife of each race: elf, demon, angel, beastkin, dragonkin, undead and faery. He gave attention and affection to all his wives but they knew that her husband's heart was elsewhere. Each of them had a child with him and only one, they say they were born on the same day. The boys were raised as brothers until one day their father disappeared from his experiment and the kingdom was a throw into chaos. The throne that had been united by the human king was shattered in seven, the races parted and began to wage war with each other. Humans with no means to fight magical beings made alliances with some kingdoms, fled or were sold into slavery. Each heir to the king became the successor of each part and their mothers began to make them ideal leaders in their eyes. When they grew up wars were fought between countries, but no brother could defeat the other. After years of shed blood the brothers made a non-aggression agreement as well, finding that humans could practice martial arts and reach divinity, let humans be free again.

"Wow," I said when the story was over, "I can't imagine that being true, after all the people seem to live happily."

"It's because the war is over 100 years old," said Liu Liang, "the races have learned to live together again, and each kingdom helps each other with a certain resource. But people say that the wars are not over yet. They just went into sleep mode."

[Yes, the host must capture the 7 lords that govern each country]

<(ノ '@') ノ ~ | _____ | ~ don't play with me, how do you expect me to make seven kings fall in love with me ??? A man???>

[With your ... charm? Master (o‿∩)]

[Don't worry, I'm sure the host will get the interest of the other 5 lords (≧ ∇ ≦) /]

<5 ??? Where did I meet the other 2?>

[Don't you remember falling into the la... Ahem in the lords' chariot during your chase? What a heart of stone is yours]

[Host should not forget that lies in another world. In this world living up to 300 years is normal]

While I was embarrassed by the information I had discovered Liu Liang was playing with the kids. On the last day of our trip she found out all about how children became my children. After hearing the story, Liu Liang, enraged, wanted to return to the city immediately and destroy the slave trade cartel. It took a while to make her hear the voice of reason and not act on impulse; she had stopped brutally destroying those responsible for the children's difficulties for the time being. For now we should focus on the main fight, make Liu Liang's father believe and agree with our story.

~ Liu Family Residence ~

"So you finally found your ring," said Patriarch Liu, looking towards me and Liu Liang. The kids had been with owl for now

"Yes father," said Liu Liang in a sweet voice, "and with him I brought your long-awaited son-in-law," she said, hugging my arm and making her father give me a hard look.

"What did you say? Whose son-in-law?"asked her father calmly. But I could feel his aura stirring menacingly.

"Oh, yours father," said liu liang. "You keep telling me that I should marry someone and become a suitable lady, and when I finally find someone I want to marry, don't you believe it?"

"And does he have the qualifications necessary to be your fiancé?" Mr. Liu asked as he was drinking his tea.

"What are qualifications near the debt of saving my life, Dad?" Liang said seriously and Mr. liu gave a defeated sigh. "Besides, Xu Ze is far more fitting than all my other suitors. He also has children, have you never wanted grandchildren?"

"He has Children?" said Mr Liu, breaking the cup in his hand. , I thought as I watched their conversation quietly.

"Yes "liang spoke with a bit of drama "what man do you know that even without money would save two children being auctioned? And still take care of them like your children?" said liu liang looking at his father "I doubt that those freaks who come asking for my hand in marriage, do not have a shred of solidarity." Finished her with a cynical voice.

"Children being auctioned off?" asked Mr. Liu in a serious voice.

"I'll tell you later, Dad," said Liu Liang. "The important thing now is that Xu Ze will be my fiancé," she said with a determined expression.

"Sign," Mr. Liu sighed. "No matter what I say, you won't change your mind, right?" He asked defeatedly to his daughter.

"No," said Liang, "I wouldn't let such a valuable person get away with it."

"Valuable?" asked mr. Liu watching me.

"Yes," she said. "He has pharmacist skills, and on top of that he can make pills. I want him to be my private pharmacist, after all the house is still dirty."

"True," Mr. Liu said as he scratched his beard. "Okay, I'll accept your engagement with him, but for now, I want to talk privately with xu Ze." reluctantly Liu liang left the room

"Okay now you can tell me what a ridiculous deal my daughter made you accept," said mr. Liu seriously.

"I did not accept any agreement sir" I said carefully keeping my expression neutral

"Don't lie to me," Mr. Liu said, releasing the pressure of his cultivator aura. (The aura of high-level cultivators can have many effects on lower-level people, including headache, panic, increased severity, and some internal injuries.)

"I have nothing to say sir." I said as I struggled to bear Mr. Liu's aura.

"Hmph," he said after a few minutes of removing his aura, "you have strong willpower and reasonable loyalty to my daughter. Are you really a pharmacist? Most pharmacists would have fainted at the pressure of my aura, "asked Mr. Liu.

Sighing, I removed the ingredients and oven from my inventory and quickly refined a level 7 pill that heals damage from an aura attack.

"Is this really a rank 7 pill?" asked Mr Liu, surprised as he looked carefully at the pill. "It is so fragrant and its color is more vibrant than I have ever seen." After I took and the pill took effect, Mr. Liu finally saw that I was valuable, as Liu Liang had said, not that I knew that.

"Did I pass your test?" I asked Mr. Liu.

"Hahaha "he started laughing and patting my back "well, well, my daughter got a fiance who passed my expectations." he said, and looked in my direction seriously. "I must remember we have as many enemies as we have people interested in our possessions. Your engagement with Liu Liang will bring many problems. Probably the first will be from my daughter's former suitor. He will come prepared to challenge you with the intention of winning."

"No problem," I said calmly, "we just have to choose a challenge he can't win." I said with my best fox smile.

After our meeting is over, mr. Liu wanted to meet the children. I must say he were charmed by them. I swear I saw a tear streaming down when they called him Grandpa Liu.

[System notification, mission get a patron completed, wait a moment while the system prepares the reward]

[System notification, mission reward was a rank 8 alchemy furnace and a rank 4 sewing kit]

I was very happy with the new oven, after all it brought some upgrades that would help me a lot.

____________________________________

~ In a distant house ~

Finally after weeks of searching he had found clues to his latest object of interest. The kitten that had literally fallen from the heavens in the carriage on his brother's lap was different. Not only had his scent inexplicably aroused him, but his touch sent a shock of pleasure all over his body. Even his brother, who was the embodiment of an ice cube, had surrendered to temptation. But the amazing thing was that the little man had managed to escape without a trace while they took care of the problem in that time. His brother Yuriel had been furious, not that it showed on his face, but the temperature of the carriage had dropped to 4 ° C for the rest of the way. I was a little annoyed but just thinking of the pleasure I would have When I finally caught and punished the little cat, my excitement increased. After all, I just loved to chase my prey. There was a knock on my bedroom door that drew me from my thoughts. Followed by the door being opened and footsteps of a person entering my quarters.

"Master," said the brown-haired, blue-eyed human in a dark blue transparent muslin dress. On his neck and arms were chains.

"Hmm," I said as I slowly approached the gentle man, sipping my wine, "you are handsome" I said, lifting his chin. " But can you serve me?"

"I will do everything to please you, Master," the man said submissively.

"So let's get started," said the black long-haired man with the red eyes in a sensual purr. "I hope you don't disappoint me."

____________________________________

~ at the Liu family residence ~

A month had passed since I had agreed to Liu Liang's proposal. The children grew up happy to have friends to play with and proper teachers. I had talked with Luis liang about the personal dealings with the children and she told me she would hire suitable teachers. I spent my days taking care of the kids, helping liu liang with some problems and making pills. Since I had not found a good place to meditate on both energies, I had paused in meditation. The days passed quietly until the problem that Mr. Liu had warned me made a scene at the frontal gate of the Liu family.

"Liu Liang" he shouted making a mess "I came to accept you as a wife."

Both me and liang headed toward the turmoil and when the trouble saw us laughed with contempt.

-"Ha ha is that for this wimp you changed me? " said the man with black hair and green eyes " As if he could protect you. Besides, does he know about the failure of women you are? I bet he would run away the first time he tasted yours disastrous food."

Liu Liang by my side was shaking with anger. Not surprisingly after all this jerk was a big ass. I hugged Liu Liang to stop her from breaking or killing anyone.

"Hey, you wimp," said the jerk. "I came to challenge you to a duel, but I will be kind, if you give me liu liang's ring and leave now I will let you go quietly."

"Why do you think I should accept your duel?" I said in a cold, cutting voice, "do you come to someone else's house, make a commotion at the door, insult my bride, despise me, and still ask for a duel?" I asked

"Yes, what's the matter?" Said the jerk laughing, "will you tell me you're afraid?

"huh, do you want to be engaged to liu liang?" I asked cynically " I'm sorry, but you do not have the necessary qualifications to wash her feet" I said, my tone still cold " imagine being engaged. As for your challenge, it's meaningless, " I said with a wry smile," after all, you don't have enough intelligence to beat me."

"YOU ..... YOU .... YOU'RE DEAD" said the jerk angrily.

"Besides useless you have an eye problem" I said with an expression of pity "obviously I'm alive."

"ARGH," he said, almost roaring. "Okay, I'll take any challenge you have," he said, with smoking getting out from his nostrils.

"Okay" I said smiling, getting what I wanted "so come back tomorrow, I'm busy today" I said hugging Liu Liang and turning me back to the mansion "Oh and by the way do not cause another scene please" I said with a disgusting look "is simply unpleasant."

The door closed and the last thing Liu ling and I saw was the purple face of that asshole in a rage. It was so iconic that we came back laughing to our residence.

[Hidden mission accepted. Objective: To beat the suitor of Liu Liang. Completion Time: Undefined, Completion Rate: 0%. Rewards: Chances to increase affection with one of the lords, level 4 demon beast skins, and new herbal handbook.]

The system sounded taking me by surprise. I thought as I headed back to the garden to see the kids.