"That is true, but… Ai'er, to me, you are a cute little sister. I'll see you this way regardless. I simply can't see you any other way." I said, attempting to stop the tears from coming.
I patted her head gently with a smile. This seemed to work for some reason. Xiu Ding Ai simply couldn't feign being upset. I was being unfair to her. However, she is still way too young.
"You'll always be my big brother then?" Xiu Ding Ai asked, trying to force a pout.
"That's right, always." I answered.
"And you'll always give me headpats?" Xiu Ding Ai asked with a small smile forming.
"That's right!" I smiled.
"Fine then, I guess I can accept this." Xiu Ding Ai said, looking away slightly.
"Good, now then, I think it's for the best if you go with Lady Li Shi Qing. She is going to take care of your training for a little while." I explained.
"Oh, Leiji, I will actually be her master. My master was just doing some initial groundwork for Ai'er." Li Shi Qing said. "Master and I decided this was for the best considering the nature of generations here. Master thought it would be less confusing for everyone." She further explained.
"I see, then, Ai'er, go with your master and practice your arts and train your Dao." I said. "Mother Hua, I am giving Xiu Ding Ai, 1 month of the mid-rank earth room as her reward once she breaks through the next major realm." I added, just for a little extra motivation.
"A reward that big for breaking through to the separation and reunion realm… That is quite the amusing gift. I'm sure that will make her incredibly motivated." Hua Qing Si said giggling.
"Really! I'll break through properly! Thank you big brother!" Xiu Ding Ai said, hopping down off of Hua Qing Si's lap and gave me a hug.
"Haha, no need to thank me. Just make sure you don't miss a single thing. It is incredibly important to never miss each aspect of the realm you currently possess. This goes for all realms and all Daos. For there are lessons that can only truly be learned at each stage." I explained. "If you don't miss a single thing I might even bump the reward up to two months." I smirked.
"I understand, big brother! Master, can you guide this disciple?" Xiu Ding Ai asked cheerfully.
"Of course, let us leave and go elsewhere first. We shouldn't interrupt their work any longer." Li Shi Qing said, slightly trembling when she realized that now was the time that she was the master.
Li Shi Qing and Xiu Ding Ai excused themselves and left the hall.
"Alright, now then. How to get through this excessive number of requests in an optimal way." I said, rubbing my jaw gently, looking at the stack of requests. "First let us organize them by priority. High Heaven Palace takes the highest priority." I added.
Hua Qing Si, myself and Xiu Che, all organized the requests via relation to the High Heaven palace. If a marriage was to be between High Heaven Palace's people, then it was of a high priority. If there was a marriage where someone from outside High Heaven Palace came in, that was the highest priority. And if a member of High Heaven Palace was marrying out, they would have low priority. And if it was between those not in either of the three previously listed, they had the lowest possible priority.
"There, the highest priority ones are still quite high. But at least that is a more reasonable number. But, I wonder why it's higher than those leaving?" I said.
"Isn't it simple Husband? High Heaven Palace is a beacon of strength. One that now has an 8th rank master at its head, another one on the way. And we have a 9th rank who married into the Palace. It is likely for protection." Xiu Che said, glancing at some of the papers.
"True, alright then. We will begin by announcing that until Myriad Demons Cave Heaven's Supreme Elder comes to apologize, all the marriages where someone is coming to us, from one of the other Cave Heaven Paradises, should hold off on weddings for now. And that I or my Father will personally attend them as an apology for those who suffer as a result of this." I said. "However, those who come from the other forces, we may begin receptions at once. And then immediately following this, will be the marriages between my Palace's people." I added.
"Hmm, I see. You don't really want to do it this way, but…" Hua Qing Si started.
"Precisely. It is because a representative of their force acted in such a way. Had it been a disciple, I would have just slapped him and been done with it. But a representative acts as the mediary between us and them. Their actions that day made it clear that they do not see us as a sister force." I explained.
"And since they are all sister forces… The actions of one are the actions of the whole group. It may be unfair to the disciples who wish to marry. But it will put a ton of pressure on the Cave Heaven Paradises. Thus resulting in action sooner." Hua Qing Si said, looking at me for confirmation of the opinion.
"Indeed, but… This isn't the reason I specifically asked for the Supreme Elder." I said, nodding once in the affirmative.
"If the Supreme Elder comes and then challenges you to a match to defend the honor of an elder, then you can fight them off on your own, proving that even with your Father in seclusion and Smiles unavailable…" Hua Qing Si said, wide eyed.
"That we won't be easily pushed around. And no matter who it is, they will be required to see our force at least as equals. And thus fully establishing ourselves as a true Cave Heaven." I finished the explanation, with a smirk.
"So this is the real reason your father gave the power to command the force to you instead of splitting it between myself and others. You're both quite deep…" Hua Qing Si sighed, relieved of her concern and sipped the fresh cup of tea.
"He gets about this deep and stirs everything up. It really is absolutely fantastic." Xiu Che mentioned with a hand against her torso.
Hua Qing Si nearly spit the tea out upon hearing Xiu Che's words.