Slipping back into the room, I sat beside Gao Chen, nodding to her before remaining silent beside her, listening to her and my sister talk about random things.
While the day slowly slugged by, I continued to pick at the meal in front of me, gradually filling my stomach up with the various luxurious foods that were laying in front of me.
Whenever Gao Chen emptied her teacup, I would get up and pour her a new one, doing my best to hide my disgust as she raked her eyes over my body.
When the two women started discussing my pregnancy again, I could feel the nausea return, but this time the conversation quickly transitioned into my sister debating whether or not her first wife, Hua Meng, would be willing to have a child while she continued to cultivate, essentially forcing the woman to raise the child on her own.
Gao Chen argued that it shouldn't matter; not only was it her job as the mother, but she also had all the other women in the harem to help her raise their child, as it was their duty.
However, my fiancee also warned my sister about a woman's jealousy, stating that she would need to be careful and make sure that the harem around her wouldn't cannibalize itself in her absence.
There was merit to that, and my sister seemed to be considering it, her blue gray eyes narrowed as she stared into her teacup.
During her silence, Gao Chen pulled me over to her side, wrapping her arm around my shoulder and holding me close.
Shivering slightly, I could feel her hand squeeze my shoulder in warning, and I took a deep breath as I sat there, calming myself.
Reciting my book had become commonplace at this time, and I used it to distract myself from the scent of the woman who raped me daily, but...
Disgust rose in my stomach again as I felt my lower regions react to her scent, my body heating slightly as more of her scent entered my nostrils.
I hated how I felt beside her, but I needed to keep up appearances on front of my sister.
Which wasn't hard, as she was grinning at us as she rained down compliments on how wonderful we looked together, how my seriousness balanced out Gao Chen's playfulness...
Remaining beside her for another hour, I continued to sip on my tea before my sister glanced over at the clock, her eyes widening as she said "Oh, I need to get going! The Matriarch wanted me back before dusk, and..."
Gao Chen nodded, getting to her feet and stepping forwards.
Standing behind my fiancee, I watched as my sister smoothed out her robes before grinning at us, her expression warm as she stepped forwards.
Giving Gao Chen a hug, Li Hui Ling apologized, saying "We'll need to spar soon, Chen'er! You stepping into the Void is an important milestone, and I want to help you consolidate your foundation before you continue forwards!"
My fiancee nodded, the two women clasping forearms before they glanced at me.
Giving me a warm, but loose hug, my sister grinned down at me as she ruffled my hair.
"Yi'er, good luck! I hope everything goes well between you and Chen'er..."
Bowing, I whispered "I do as well, sister. I hope your travels are calm."
Chuckling, she was about to turn and leave the room when she let out an 'Ah~!', returning her eyes to me.
"Here, since you can't use that Manual for a little longer, another present! You'll only ever have one 18th, after all~!"
Her storage ring shone for a moment, and a turquoise pendant appeared in her hand.
"I found this in a King's Tomb over in Cloud Valley, and it reminded me of your eyes! I haven't been able to figure it out, but..."
She shrugged, placing the pendant in my hand.
"I can't sense any Qi in it, and besides the broken Inscriptions on it, there doesn't seem to be anything special about it besides the material; turquoise is rare nowadays when the last mine dried up a century ago!"
Nodding, I lifted the pendant up, staring at it.
It was a small 'coin' of turquoise, the pale, sky blue mineral hanging on a thin black cord, which I tied around my neck.
Glancing down at it, I nodded before smiling at my sister, giving her another hug.
Turquoise might be rare, but to blatantly admit that it's useless was unusually tactless of my sociable sister, so there must be something large on her mind...
Giving me a broad smile, she nodded to Gao Chen and I before leaving, making her way out of the Shimmering Palace.
When Gao Chen had determined that she was gone, she pushed me onto the table and stripped me, plunging herself into me without decorum.
Once it was all over again, I stumbled back to my room, my knees trembling and my body weak from the rigorous session, and I collapsed onto my bed when I reached my not so safe sanctuary.
Staring up at the ceiling, I realized I didn't even have the strenght to clean myself off anymore, the day taking such a large toll on me mentally that that last act of Gao Chen raping me almost made me pass out.
My eyelids eventually fell shut, dragging me into the oblivion of sleep in mere moments.
However, while I fell asleep, I didn't see the pendant around my neck radiating wisps of pale blue smoke, the small coin shaking on my chest before falling silent, the smoke wafting over to my nose and entering my body.