A second chance is something I believe most people deserve. The insincere actions of these girls aren't really showing the change I would like though.
Sure they were showing their nice side currently, but what would happen the moment I left? The reason they probably started this little facade in the first place was most likely due to the pressure I produced upon them.
They were most likely scared that I would go further if they didn't comply. To which they would have been right to some extent.
I thought about this small group of women and reflected a little upon my past.
Back in school if I had to be tossed into either the bully group or bullied group, then I would most likely be one of the bullies.
The way I acted from the aggressive tones to odd short tempered anger. It didn't help that whenever I spoke I was quite loud as well, but these were traits you would see in someone who would be considered a bullied kid, at least not conventionally.
There was an odd trait though which contradicted a few and that would be that as soon as I had hurt someone I would immediately feel guilt and horrible for doing it.
It was a normal feeling and one that should be felt when doing something bad, but the fact I was quick to anger didn't help.
Later on I was given a second chance to reform myself and I took it. From that point onward I started becoming the calm and more sensible person I am now. Now I won't be hurting people over small and inconsequential offensives, instead if I really hurt someone now I know for sure it's not simply an impulse or due to an emotional judgment.
I was hoping that these women might take this chance to reflect upon themselves too. It seems they won't though, at least not right now.
Jinzi soon finished her fight with that disciple and as she walked down the stage she looked as if she looked a little radiant, but I think that was mostly due to the glistening sweat.
I did a quick scan of her body via Qi Sense and I could tell she was starting to make progress with her cultivation.
Body Tempering was all training the physical body after all. The progression between the layers might not even be noticed sometimes until directly compared to their past achievements. Jinzi was already back on track with her training and she was currently getting close to the 5th layer.
The best way to train while a Body Tempering Cultivator was to strain their physical bodies. Activities such as sparring where the whole body would be active would of course be best.
If she could get to the 4th layer before by simple exercises and occasionally sparring with me at the end then I have no doubt that she might even start to reach the next realm before the tournament occurs.
Only by then would the mortals consider you a true cultivator. It's also by then that the life of somebody would start to be extended.
The Qi that flows through them would naturally cleanse them of some impurities within themselves. Simply having those passages unblocked and not stagnate would increase a person's life.
Having the Dantian simply be an active part of the body alone would probably let someone to a hundred if not close to it. They wouldn't even have to do much or in fact anything to preserve their health as it would slowly refine impurities as energy passively. Though if actively done they would probably live closer to 120 years. 120 years would be the average lifespan of a 4th layer, 2nd stage, Meridian Opening cultivator.
"Jinzi, it seemed like you learned a lot during that spar. Keep it up, I'll see you later."
I lightly waved to her as I left.
"Goodbye Big Brother!"
"Goodbye Senior Brother!"
All 4 of them uttered in unison.
I half expected Jinzi to try and walk me out again like last time, but it seems like I was wrong. I was a little curious at how she was doing so just before I left the arena space I stopped and looked back.
A little surprisingly they were all still looking at me. Once they found out I was looking back they all turned away, almost equivalent to those cartoon characters who would hide some weapon behind their back as soon as the target turned back to look at them.
I thought about going back to deal with potential problems but in the end decided that if they had a problem with each other again they should solve it themselves.
..
As I walked through the pathways of the Inner court I was suspecting at every intersection and corner for my 6th Disciple to appear suddenly and try to swoon me as she tried yesterday.
To be honest I was kind of looking forward to it. There was no doubt in my mind that it was her before and this little game of pretend was entertaining.
She had already shown herself to me in her "true" form so I wasn't really worried she would approach me like some other woman. What was the point then? Simply a tease?
The retelling of events from Ying'er's side has brought up a few questions now though. Questions which I'll have to ask my dear 6th Disciple, maybe I'll hear her side of the story though I'm still currently biased towards Ying'er.
"Senior Brother Ip! Is that you over there?"
Footsteps quickly approached from behind following those exclaimed words. For but a single moment I believed that it would be Li Daji, but that was immediately dispelled as I remembered their voice.
I turned to see a woman who would stand out quite a bit among other disciples. Her hair color a gradient black which cascaded down into a red which only seemed to highlight those crimson eyes of hers. Two-thirds of her hair was tied back into a ponytail behind her left and the last third was left to freely flow on her right shoulder, slightly covering her eye at times.
A fairly visible medium sized scar ran through both her left eyebrow and eye. Its appearance was quite striking and would immediately draw someone's attention, perhaps after her hair. It wasn't common to see someone with unique hair, but it certainly wasn't a rarity either.
This disciple was some I just happened to meet while taking my last round at the park. We had a short chat, but to be honest I didn't really expect to encounter her again, at least not so soon. The park's location was quite a ways away from my current route.
As she approached I started to realize that she was actually quite tall, I probably didn't notice since from the moment I saw her to the moment I left she had been sitting. Her height was close to mine, if not a little taller.
"Hello there, Junior Disciple Yi. It's nice to meet you once again, say have you gotten over your brooding from that night?"
***
(Yi Feng POV)
'He is here! But, why would Li Daji tell me about this? I thought she wanted him all for himself? She even told me to try and get along with him. Now I feel just a little bad about wanting to steal him from her, but if I bring my conscience into this then I probably shouldn't have met him alone anyway.
I think I have to be more aggressive in my conquering, but I can't over do it. Li Daji told me something crucial about that demoness. She has an incredible sense of smell, but as long as I don't make actual contact with him I won't really be detected, or at least not be very prominent.
When I push him about love he'll naturally speak about having a wife, Ying'er. With that perhaps I could get some information or get a way to come into contact with her.
Sister Daji also told me about this other woman that he's been with recently, but it's not possible for him to have another relationship, at least not while that demon is around. She must abhor it, she has to.
I can't imagine that demon allowing another woman to be with him, but I can't doubt what I saw earlier. Has her restrictions laxed perhaps, maybe now she lets servants or something around him? With that man's personality he wouldn't even treat servants badly so maybe I could get close like that?'
"Yes, your advice helped me out a lot. So where are you going? I'll come with you!"
Once I walked up next to him I slowly moved forward to guide him into following along his original path.
"Oh, I'll have to go to the Core Section so you won't be able to follow along. I'm glad my experience was able to help you out though."
As we were walking along I was starting to veer off closer and closer towards his direction. He did notice, but didn't say a word instead only maintaining the space between us by moving away towards a wall.
He probably thought I just didn't notice, but I knew that he would ask about my closing distance soon so I had to act before it was too late. He was quickly losing ground between himself and the wall nearby.
I walked a few more steps and just before he could utter a single word about our distance I swiftly turned and slammed my right hand past his left shoulder into the wall behind him. I had pinned him against the wall and a massive grin was plastered on my face as I watched him react.
His eyes widened as his mouth became slightly agape. An expression of shock mixed with some disbelief surfaced on his face as he looked at me. I savored that look on his face compared to his usual kind and gentle one. It even kind of excited me a little while I did this.
Just as his expression recovered I had already blocked off his right exit with my left hand over his right shoulder. He was entrapped and couldn't escape, but this was a double edged sword. If I truly went beyond this and touched him then I might not even know how I would die. Luckily it seemed he wasn't going to force his way out, at least not yet.
"I admit you surprised me, but what do you think you're doing?"
'T-this is it, I have to go into the deep end! Without drastic actions I won't get anywhere! I can't be reserved like I was in my last life, who knows how many chances I'll have left?!'
"Brother Ip, I'm in love with you!"
I leaned my face towards him and breathed out a long breath which gained a bit of a red tint on his cheeks. I could feel his warm breath blowing past and barely hitting my cheeks.
"I'm afraid I can't accept that, I'm already taken by someone."
"Do you think I could meet them?"
"No, I'm afraid not, they are… quite a solitary person. Now please let me go. I have somewhere to be."
"Oh? You wouldn't happen to be talking about that woman you were with earlier would it?"
His eyes widened a little at my sentence which almost openly told him that I had seen him together with another woman. I had caught him in his lie.
"Alright, you got me she's actually my wife. I love her dearly."
I blankly stared at him for making that statement.
'He's lying, that demon would never let that happen. But who is that woman? I can't expose myself that I actually know his wife is that demon now can I? But why would he tell me this? Is this simply a way to ward me off?
I-I… this wasn't part of the plan. W-what should I do?'