Chapter 144 - Conflict

Crystal Ivy's actual name was Vilya Meifeng.After we were done in the Heavenly Peach, she went to freshen up and then donned some more modest clothes to avoid attention. She explained to the organizer there that she would most likely not be returning, and to fill her place with someone else.The woman was a bit surprised, but at the end of the day, she didn't ask too many questions. Apparently, it wasn't rare for rich Cultivators to find a girl they liked in the Heavenly Peach and take her for themselves. Not as an official concubine, but more something along the lines of arm candy or a performer.Some of them danced, sang, or played instruments, among other things. That's how many of the lower Talents were allowed to remain in the Sect by serving, even though they didn't get married. The fact that Ivy remained in the Heavenly Peach for as long as she did was actually unusual for a girl of her looks.I could swear some other ladies were actually happy that she left. With her there, none of them could rise to the top. She was the premium good and demanded the appropriate price.And though I didn't ask, she willingly revealed she rejected many Core Disciples who wanted her, though that was because she couldn't expose her secret for fear of being killed.And she was all mine. Lucky me.All jokes aside I didn't really care all that much. It was good she decided to go with me, but I could do without.I decided to visit a shop and buy some new clothes. I bought the cheapest set of Core Disciple robes I could find and called it a day. If every fight was going to destroy my clothes, then why bother buying the fancy ones, right?I changed my attire and then led Vilya back to the pavilion. She could leave on her own, but to enter the Core Sect, she needed a guide with a badge, such as me.She had her eyes open wide the entire time as we slowly made our way home. It was clearly all new for her even though she was probably in the Sect for over a decade.We came to the pavilion and I led her underground. On the way to my room, we met Shadow and Darkness chatting in the hallway."Oh, hey… Who's that? She seems familiar." Darkness asked.Shadow clicked his tongue as his mood visibly soured as he turned to face me. Meanwhile, Vilya detected the blatant hostility and partially hid behind me.[You should probably know her. Her name is Vilya Meifeng, but she used to go by Ivy.]"From the Heavenly Peach?!" Darkness opened her eyes wide. I nodded."The what?" Shadow asked with a frown and Darkness whispered in his ear. He then opened his eyes and mouth wide."You brought back a wh-?!"I didn't let him finish and punched him in the face at full force. There was a loud bang and he went tumbling on the floor, sprawling as he came to a stop.[These two idiots are Shadow and Darkness.] I calmly gestured at the two. [Their master banished them here and now I have to take care of them. You best avoid them since they are incredibly annoying, as you can see.]"Hum." Vilya nodded seriously while looking at Shadow who was groaning and slowly picking himself back up. Blood ran out of his mouth, and he had a visibly split lip.[That fool over there is at the peak of Golden Core Realm, but he's a terrible fighter. After you recover in a few months, you will probably be able to beat him up, so if he starts talking nonsense, don't hold back.] I joked. Vilya nervously laughed and found the floor incredibly fascinating as she desperately tried to avoid eye contact with the two. Holding the sleeve of my robe she followed me into my room where she loudly exhaled as soon as I closed the door.[This is going to be your new home for now. Make yourself comfortable.]The room had three beds, one in each corner, and a space by the door. I used only one, obviously, so there was plenty of space left. She chose the bed closest to mine and sat down.[So… Let's begin, shall we?]Vilya nervously nodded and straightened her back as she looked at me.[First of all, how old are you?] I asked. I needed to know where she stood compared to her peers so I could figure out the best course of action."I've crossed my 26th birthday in spring."[Realm?]"Spirit Accumulation VII, close to advancing."[Wait…] I frowned as I searched through relevant memories until I found the right information. [That would mean you are like… five years behind your peers? Don't people usually reach Nascent Soul by the age of 25?]She lowered he head and sighed. "Something like that, Senior. My foolish mistake set me back quite a bit. I deeply regret it, but as they say, there is no pill for that."I silently nodded and rubbed my chin. Making a plan for fixing a Soul wasn't easy. I never had to do such a thing before, but I was confident it would work. After absorbing and devouring the Souls of thousands of creatures, I was bound to learn a trick or two.Actually, though I didn't have theoretical knowledge, practically, I was leagues above my peers. And I was slowly becoming a master of curses too. At least, how to fix them. Not in other people, but in myself. And I just so happened to get a girl that needed my expertise.What a perfect opportunity.[Right. Okay, let's see whether the Passionate Spirit Siphon Technique curses you even if it fails.]"Curses?" Vilya said in alarm.[Oh, yeah… That's what you have done. You cursed yourself by messing with the technique. Actually, every time you use it, it gets worse. Now that I had some time to think about it, I'm actually wondering if you could ever reach the Nascent Soul Realm this way. I'm assuming your Cultivation was getting drastically slower as time went by?]Vilya's eyes opened wide and her mouth hung open, regret clear in her expression. "Yes…" She barely audibly whispered. Then her gaze turned hopeful as she silently looked at me.[Well, we need to fix that, quickly. So, let's get going.] I clapped my hands. [First on the agenda, testing the Passionate Spirit Siphon Technique]"Yes, Senior." Vilya gripped the hem of her robe and blushed. "I haven't done this in years…"[Really? I thought you did it often with your clients.]"Nuh-uh." She shook her head. "I only used my mouth."[Oh… Well, no worries. I'll be gentle.] I grinned.Then I remembered I had to actually be gentle with her. I could quite literally crush her bones with an unintended twitch. If she was a frail cracker, then I was a hydraulic press. I never thought about it before, but Cultivation made copulation with a weaker partner… difficult.[Yep… I'll be as gentle as I can.] I said again, more seriously than the last time.***"Where is my sword?!"Shadow burst into the room like a bull through a glass window, slamming the door open with a kick. It just so happened that Vilya and I were in the middle of an exercise that required extreme concentration and rhythm, with both of us in the nude.I refrained from flipping out to not break her, but my surface calmness didn't mean a raging inferno inside me wasn't just about ready to burst. In more than one way. His intrusion was like a bucket of icy water splashed in my face.[You absolute… pea-brained monkey! Are you really so bored?! Go hump your sister!] I roared and threw a Qi blast at him, which he dodged."You-! She's not my sister!" Shadow shouted back, his face turning crimson at the implication.[I don't care what she is! Go fuck Darkness and leave me be, you impotent virgin! I know she wants you, are you so blind you can't see it? Or are you just too much of a chicken and have to bother me instead?!]I stood up and threw on a robe as I struggled to contain my rage. Had I not known he was sent to spy on me and probably mess with my mind, I would have already cut him down where he stood.Shadow completely disregarded my words, pretending he heard nothing, and continued with his original objective. "Where is my sword, Gerald?! I know you took it! Return it to me at once!"I snorted as I glared at him. [I have bested you in fair combat. The sword is mine! Now leave, before I break your bones like the spying rat you are.]Shadow glared at me and Qi covered his hands in the form of blades. "You will return my blade to me now, or there will be consequences!"I didn't even bother to roll my eyes this time and shifted forward a few meters in a split-second, and landed a punch on his solar plexus. Shadow was blasted out of my room and smashed harshly into the solid wall of the hallway. I then jumped beside him before his body touched the ground, and punted him through the door of the arena.[Consequences? What consequences?! Seems like those flames burned away some of your gray matter just as they did with your Essence, huh? What are you going to do about it?]"I'll fucking kill you!" He spat out.[Doubtful. But if you want to fight me so much, I'll give you a chance. I'll stand here and not defend myself for five minutes! If you can force me to surrender in that time, I'll even give you back your shitty sword. You have my word.]"You said it! Don't cry when I tear you apart!"[Then come, you rabid dog! Show me what you got!] I shouted and flexed my muscles as I took a defensive stance. Qi surged through my body as my skin hardened into a diamond.My plan was simple. Let Shadow beat me up for a bit, improve my body, and when he gets tired, I'll have a few hours of peace so Vilya and I can finish what we started. Easy.And hopefully, those two bloody spies would start fucking soon, because I was really, really getting sick of them giving me blue balls. Clearly, they just wanted to share their misery and frustration with everyone else around them!