Two weeks later, I woke in my bed and found it filled with Nimue, Shane, Situ Qing, Little Wu, and my mother. My body felt cool and refreshed as it always did after Nature Qi did its work. Unfortunately, besides the stored energy in my body, all of the Nature Qi was gone.
'The price of survival. Oh well," I sighed to myself. 'But this headache is killer. I really hope his memories are worth it.'
No one noticed the moment of disappointment and pain but my mother. Nothing ever slipped her senses. She grabbed my arm and said, "Orym... Are you okay?"
"Haiz! Let me sleep. I just got struck by murderous lightning." I replied.
"Son, you've slept for two weeks." She replied in a low voice, careful not to wake the rest of the room.
My eyes snapped open, and a cold chill ran my spine. Two weeks to heal...
"That can't be," I said.
"Yes. My gluttonous son absorbed the lightning Qi. Your body was at its limit. You would heal yourself, and wounds would suddenly appear again. After the first two days, the Lighninting attack was healed. But the energy in your body was tearing you up from the inside out. Your strength increased, but you nearly died several times." She explained.
I was flabbergasted.
"Your father is furious. He might kill you himself once he knows you survived. After Fei Rong told us what happened, he referred to you as the stupidest smart person he had ever met. So why'd you do it?" My mother asked.
"Mom, that guy had to die." I replied, referring to Ace Zenith, "I don't know how to destroy a soul, but I remembered a bit of the Hungry Ghost Soul Technique, so I tried to eat him instead. Thankfully it worked because he almost got free a couple of times."
My mother sighed. As everyone slept, my mother helped me out of bed, and we left to see my father, who was meeting with Situ Ren, and Malcolm Ironwood, Shane's father.
When my father saw me, he didn't curse me, he hugged me. Then he knocked me over the head. Which made me feel like my brain was jumping around. The memories of Ace Zenith were still settling in, and my headache had yet to subside.
Before the men could ask me about Ace Zenith, I asked about the Primrose family.
"We locked those bastards up! Sadly, I can't bring them to my territory. Too many eyes. But we confined them to their clan after we stripped them of all their assets." Situ Ren explained, satisfied for now.
"Who will be the warden?" I asked.
"I will," Malcolm replied. "It's better than letting them go."
"Ahh, enough, Malcolm. We all know we have to let them go eventually. The Flaming Heart Sect isn't like the Frozen Wind Sect." Situ Ren spoke. He was satisfied with stepping on the Primrose family since Situ Qing came out alright. However, Malcolm wanted to squash the family.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"The Sect Master of the Flaming Heart Sect is the Patriarch of the Primrose Clan." Situ Ren explained. "Unlike the sect that has no true allegiance to the royal family, the Flaming Heart Sect would descend to destroy us all if they don't turn us into Yin and Yang cauldrons first."
I put on a face of shock as if I didn't have that information already. Of course, when Fei Rong gathered intelligence, she added that bit of information. And if it wasn't for that fucking Karmic Tribulation, I would have capitalized on the information. Thankfully, I had a counter.
"We should inform the king about what happened. And since the Vamoria Clan did the killing, we should negotiate with the Primrose family to squash any future problems."
"We've actually settled upon the same conclusion." Situ Ren chuckled, "Gellis, you've raised a sharp one. Orym, after the Primrose Family wastes away for a month, the negotiations will begin. Though, I'll be leaving for the capital today to talk to the king."
I was relieved my father managed to salvage this shit show and turn it into something profitable. The only hole in my plan to rob the entire Deep South was our safe house when it was all over. Each big power in the Deep South has family members in their allied Sects. If the Vamoria Clan becomes all of their enemies, then the surviving members would have surely made it hard for us when we entered the Cultivation World. But, when Situ Qing was kidnaped, a light appeared at the end of the dark tunnel.
"Where are you going?" my father asked me.
It had been an hour or so after Situ Ren and Malcolm Ironwood left. My father and I talked a little about Ace Zenith, but my mind was elsewhere as Ace's memories became clearer. It turns out that the bastard reincarnated to his past self, specifically the moment when his fate changed at the bottom of that gorge he was supposed to die in.
"The Primrose Family... Ace Zenith wasn't that old when he died the first time. He only made it to Core Formation, but he was talented in the Alchemy due to two fortuitous encounters. He achieved core formation at thirty-six. But when he died, it was at my hands after he killed Litle Wu during something called Sect Wars. Our position at the time is the reason why he chose to use the Primrose family against us, not because they were hired assassins." I explained.
"So you did get his memories. Why didn't you say anything sooner?" My mother asked.
"Because it's still jumbled. But one thing is clear, Dad was the Sect Master of the Flaming Heart Sect at the time. So I'm going to take a chance and try to make a deal with the Primrose Family."
"Wait, you said 'Two Furtutious encounters.' So who exactly was Ace Zenith?" my father asked before letting me go.
"He was the prised alchemist of the Alchemist Firm in Diamondmoon City. At the bottom of the gorge, he received the Golden Body, which is while I'll clam his body and give it to Shane to take the physique. He also found the Crypt of the Flamel Family."
My mother and father nearly choked when they heard about the Flamel Family. When the South Continent ranked Second on the Chaos Serpent Planet, the Flamel Family were great alchemists. Their Ancestor managed to cultivate a Cauldron Martial Soul, which he left behind after his death. The Cauldron was said to house a Star Seed, the most coveted treasure amongst alchemists.
An hour and a half later...
"Yes, Young master!" The Woodland Legion echoed, and everyone scattered. Shane had already taken care of his father's men, leaving the Primrose Family empty aside from the residents and me.
Sometime later, I sat at the head of the hall overlooking the primrose family. A servant girl with a tattooed collar around her neck poured me a cup of tea. I eyed her collar, and the elders became anxious.
Suddenly, I laughed and sent chills down everyone's spine. "Girl, massage my feet."
The slave girl moved quickly and did as she was told, and the elders, including the young miss, looked confused.
"I don't care.." I said, then sipped my tea before continuing. "I don't care if you kidnap people and turn them into cauldrons to cultivate. I don't care that innocent people are pulled from their beds to be slaves. I don't care that you murder, and I wouldn't care if you slaughtered babies. This world that we live in only cares about might. In this situation, my might prevailed. Now I have Situ Qing back, and those three idiots are dead along with half of your force. You are weak, and I highly doubt your main family cares enough about you to lend a hand."
"W-what do you care about?" the Young miss asked.
"Aleesia Primrose, right?" I received her name from Ace's memories. When she nodded her head, I continued. "I care about the Primrose Clan. I care about the Flaming Heart Sect, which your Main Clan runs. I have an offer for all of you. But first, I need a bit of information to clear the haze of my confusion. Wow! You're good at that." The slave girl, who was working diligently at massaging my feet, had incredible hand skills.
"What do you wish to know?" an Elder asked.
"A couple of things. Does this family get slots for the Outer Disciple selections in the Flaming Heart Sect? Second, why is an Evil Sect like yours still around? How did your family get to rule the sect? Most importantly, Lady Primrose, are you looking for a husband?"
Needless to say, it was a long night. I needed all the information that I could get as Ace's memories made a few things clear. First, Sect Wars happened twice during his life in the Cultivation World. Second, my family and I disappear until the Second Sect Wars. That means the first Sect Wars during our life would take place when I'm around twenty-two since the Sect wars are held 12 years apart.
Also, Ace's first time hearing about me in the Cultivation World was two years before he died.
I concluded that I must have laid low during his original timeline to build strength, or something happened in the Mortal World that delayed our migration to the Cultivation. So naturally, I assumed the latter and decided to double down on my work to gain the necessary personal and militant strength that I needed.
Two months later…
"Orym!" Situ Qing sang as she moved through the courtyard and into my room. She quickly found a seat at the edge of my bed. She smiled warmly at my peaceful face and used her slender, well-manicured fingers to comb through my silver golden locks, lightly brushing against my elven points.
The sensation stirred me, "QingQing, leave me alone. I'm resting."
Situ Qing smirked mischievously as she put her lips to my ear and whispered, "I brought sweets."
My eyes snapped open, and Situ Qing was put on her backside as I pinned her down in a flash. Situ Qing's breath became heavy. I lightly pulled the veil off her face, revealing her deep blush.
"I can tease too," I spoke in a low soft tone just loud enough for her to hear.
Situ Qing bucked her hips, and I moved my knee, forcing her to gasp as her blush intensified. Her body was frozen stiff as I had her in a compromising position. She didn't know how to react to it. Her world then turned fuzzy and hypersensitive when my lips touched her neck.
A moment later, Situ Qing began to breathe again once she noticed I was across the room putting on a long olive green blouse that touched my calves. My blouse was absent sleeves and had a few buttons if I ever wanted to close my shirt, but I never did. Besides the blouse, I wore all black harem pants with my hair braided in the Traditional Eleven Sages side braids. The side braids then acted as ties to hold the rest of my hair back. Around my neck was a wood pendant carved in the shape of a seven-pointed star with elven script, given to me by my father after my first kill.
Situ Qing rolled to her side as she watched me with a longing gaze. "You know...you've become a bit uncouth these days."
I chuckled, "No, you thought you could tease your younger, and I've shown you differently. But I think you've begun to look forward to it, so I think I'll just ignore you from now on."
Situ Qing frowned as she pushed herself off the bed and gracefully landed in front of me without a thud, "Fine, I won't tease you anymore."
I just walked away, only speaking again once I made it to the door, "I didn't say you had to stop."
Situ Qing smiled before she went after me. "Say, why are you so strong if you're only at the first stage of body refinement?"
"Because of the way I train. Why are fourteen and still haven't opened your meridians?" I asked in turn.
Before meeting the Vamoria Clan, Situ Qing thought of herself as talented. But compared to Nimue, who deliberately suppressed her cultivation and cultivated two paths, along with my mysterious cultivation that allowed me to defeat Martial Foundation experts while only at the first stage of body refinement, Situ Qing felt small.
Not to mention, Little Wu and Shane's growth was also haunting. She felt like a frog that wished to eat swan meat. Because regardless of what her noble friends said and what the youth of the capital said, I was, without doubt, a swan in her eyes, and she was most definitely the frog.
Beauty, power, pedigree. I had them all, and Situ Qing knew this in her heart. She and her father had an inclination that the Vamoria clan was unfathomable. Not to mention the Vamoria were a race that no one in the Deep South had ever seen before, with beauty and sexual allure at an unnatural level. While looking in my eyes was akin to standing before a Wyvern as she had never seen a True Dragon before.
"I...I'm just not as talented as I thought… I'm sorry." she spoke meekly.
I turned around and placed a hand on her head. Once she looked up at me, I said, "QingQing, I didn't mean to belittle you. I was simply making a point. Your cultivation and mine are drastically different. My rank is lower, but I'm stronger. You've cultivated for years, yet your progression is slow. My technique is better than yours, and it's suited to overcome the harsh conditions of the Deep South...Close your eyes."
Situ Qing looked at me. It took half a breath for her to admit that she trusted the young man in front of her. I never understood how giving her the almond cookies off my plate equated to such infatuation and loyalty. But I was growing fond of the girl and gave her a gift because of my fondness.
Once her eyes were closed, I said, "Open your mouth."
Situ Qing blushed and did as she was told. I then place a small orange pill in her mouth before the sweet fragrance could flood her senses. An instant later, the pill melted, and Situ Qing's entire body became a furnace as I guided her down to the lotus position.
"Concentrate, QingQing. Follow your cultivation technique and help the pill do its job." I instructed.
Situ Qing took a deep breath before cultivating as usual. Once she was focused, I sealed my courtyard, filled a tub with water, and mixed in bundles of low-grade Rank 1 herbs found in the forest—the color of the water changes from light blue to green, orange, red, and then pink. Finally, I activate the inscription on the tub, and the water begins to emit light steam as the temperature increased.
I then walked over to Situ Qing. I watched as her face contorted in pain and sweat-drenched her body. I then started to smell the mass amount of impurities that Situ Qing's body collected during her lifetime in the Deep South.
Reaching out, I touched her dress robes, pulling them directly into my storage ring. I then did the same to her undergarments. Situ Qing didn't really notice as the cool breeze soothed the fire raging through her body. I didn't care much about her nakedness as I picked her up and placed her into the tub.
A muffled pop sounded, and a burst of Qi discharged from her body as her eyes snapped open.
"Keep going, QingQing," I instructed.
She continued to circulate the pill medicine and the medicine in the pink water as it soaked into her body. Finally, I pulled up a chair and decided to reveal another secret of mine to Situ Qing as I pulled out my Guqin from my storage ring and began to play.
The sun slowly moved across the sky, passing two moons, until the sky was painted with a myriad of warm colors due to the last remnants of sunlight during its departure, signaling the end of the day. The water in the tub had lost its pink color and was replaced with pitch-black tar. But Situ Qing had a little more ways to go.
Another hour passed in the blink of an eye before Qi burst from Situ Qing once more, signaling her meridians had completely opened and her breakthrough to Tempering Marrow, the seventh and final stage of Body Refinement. Putting away my Guqin, I prepared another tub. I moved Situ Qing to the fresh medicinal water before she could see the ungodly amount of impurities that were stalling her cultivation.
Situ Qing moaned softly as she soaked in the fresh tub. Pain and fire were replaced by a cool euphoric sensation. She continued to cultivate a bit longer with a happy smile on her face.
"Come in when you're finished," I told her before leaving her alone under the flickering light of torches.