Cultivating Chaos 5 -ch 16- (Patreon)

Ash chuckled as Chunhua continued to march a group of Cultivators across the square to where he stood.

They were very unhappy with the two choices they’d been given.

Move to the realm below, or back into the prison and understand that the Sheng Alliance would be taking ownership of the prison. There were no alternatives.

They’d also been robbed of anything and everything they managed to collect from the bunker’s infrastructure. If they came with it, they were allowed to leave with it.

Ash had done the questioning personally since any lie came up as moving counter to his momentum.

It was surprising just how much his Dao was taking over almost everything in his life. In many ways it was reassuring.

“Okay! We finished up with all the cities within our reach. I’ll need you to put more formations together for me to stick around the prison. Preferably faster ones that’ll move to the top real quick.

“You’re planning on putting some down up there anyways, aren’t you?”

Yes, yes I am.

I can do that for you my beloved wife.

But only if you tell me you love me and miss me.

There was an odd squeak that echoed through the Hall.

“I… love you and miss you, Ashley. A great deal. I hate being away from you. It always terrifies me how weak I feel when I’m like this, but I wouldn’t want to change.

“I’m so happy with who I am now… so happy. Happy with you.

“Now… now show me love, and give me my papers, husband. I opened my heart to you.”

There was a “hmph” like noise and he got the impression Locke was pouting with her arms folded in front of herself.

I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I couldn’t resist teasing you.

You’re so cute when you’re flustered.

Sexy and sweet when you’re feeling aggressive and cute and cuddly when I push. You’re the best of both worlds.

And of course, I’ll make the formations for you as soon as I’m free, darling.

I miss you, too, by the way.

You being able to read my thoughts keeps me honest since you can readily call me on my bullshit.

Also!

I think the others are getting close.

Given the way the chains feel, it seems like Ren and company are almost here.

I didn’t realize how great the distance was from the top of the prison to where the closest platform is.

There was no immediate response from Locke, though he did get the impression her emotions had been soothed. That she was smiling, blushing, and trying to be somewhere else.

“It’s… a significant distance. Going to go check on the knight aspirants.”

Chunhua reached him and then gestured to the platform.

“Everyone please get on,” she murmured while holding her hand out to the side toward the platform. The tone had steel in it and didn’t allow for anything else.

“Does anyone have anything on them that they took from the facility?” Ash asked as they all filed onto the platform. “If you took something, best you return it now rather than me taking it from you when I realize you’ve stolen from me.”

There was a number of heads shaking as well as people just standing there staring at him. None of them looked to be guilty or holding back.

“They were just… ah…” Chunhua’s voice trailed off. Then she cleared her throat. “They were engaging in dual cultivation methods. I don’t think they had been looking for treasures.”

Dual cultivations? I don’t— oh.

Oh.

Haha.

That’s what Siu wants to do with me, isn’t it?

“Yes… yes it is. It takes certain martial skills or cultivation techniques to do it but… she has it. So… so do I? And uh… well… okay, look.

“Look. When I did it, I really was just being a jerk and I didn’t think I’d end up becoming what I am. I was just being funny! Or so I thought.

“I really kinda regret it anymore because I’m just waiting for it to happen.”

What?

What’d you do?

“I kinda… sorta… uh… I gave every Bride in the original like… first… hundred… dual cultivation. But I labeled it as ‘marriage cultivating’ and I didn’t… that… ah… I begged everyone to not bring it up with you.

“I’ve been waiting for it to come up because Siu wants to do it and she’s been talking about it. I’ve been dreading it, really.”

You gave the original brides, like Liu and Lifen, dual cultivation.

“Yeah… yeah I did. I really regret it and I’m sorry. I just… I… I was trying to be funny. The joke got away from me.

“Everyone kinda ignored it because I asked but also because it requires a certain way of having… uh… sex. A way that sounds boring and contrived.

“Oh! But not Siu, her’s is different because of her Dao.”

Ash clicked his tongue then activated the platform. Sending the group of people down to the land below.

It’s fine.

It is actually kinda funny.

Mostly because you’ll have to watch the Qi I generate from that fill the Hall. You get to watch me utilize the technique you provided with someone other than you.

Does the emotional pain feel good at this point?

I can’t even tell if you enjoy it or hate it.

“I really don’t know anymore. Both? Sometimes both.”

Chunhua sighed, clicked her tongue, then tilted her head to one side while looking at him.

“Ashley, I love you. I feel I should say that more often,” the beautiful sorceress said, gently patting a closed fist into the palm of the other. “I love you. Genuinely. Do you know I love you? Truly so?”

Chunhua slammed a beautiful smile on him and he suddenly felt awkward.

“I know it. I love you, too,” he mumbled, holding her gaze for several seconds before letting it slip down to her shoes. “I still feel… dumb… having so many women in my love life but… I do love you.”

Ash lifted his gaze back to Chunhua’s face.

“That’s fine,” she replied, smiling at him. “I definitely suddenly understand wanting to be alone with you, I think everyone in our… relationship… does, in fact. But It is what it is.

“Now… Xiuying, Jia, and Moira are double checking for anyone else, but I think we got them all. I traced all their Qi back to where they came through the portal and matched it to everyone we sent down.

“That means you and I have some time to ourselves. Care to spend it with me? The Hall awaits does it not?”

“I wish I could do that. Or you, I suppose,” teased Ash with a laugh. “The problem is I think your sisters are arriving.”

“They are?” Chunhua asked somewhat excitedly. “I’m genuinely disappointed I can’t love you in a bed, but I’m glad my sisters are here!

“I’ve set up a path from here to the arrival point. I was using it to collect people and then lead them out from. Follow me!”

Chunhua hurried off at a light trot her veiled hat patting gently against her back as she went.

Grinning, Ash followed along.

“They’re truly trying to see each other as family now. Sisters. They’ve included me, of course. I like it.

“Part of it for them is being in a family that cares, you know. Most cultivators come from backgrounds that aren’t pleasant. Having sisters that care is new to them.

“I say all this just to ask you to forgive them if they’re giddy at the prospect.”

Nodding his head, Ash chased Chunhua into the facility.

A layer of red stone had been laid down in it as they crossed through the entry way that led into it. It went straight through the center of the room and to a doorway.

Ah, she did make a path.

Now I’m glad I took the time to repair that big hole up above.

I don’t envy whoever ends up having to clean this place though. We should hire a number of citizens to manage it.

“Golems, actually. I may have already spoken to the golem maker you put together and possibly sort of asked them to make a series of a hundred guardian golems that doubled as maids.

“Tee hee? Oopsie? I’m just a silly goose?”

That helps.

Thanks!

Ash felt his eyes slowly move down to Chunhua’s rear end.

He was a healthy young man and she wouldn’t mind.

There was only one turn made and they ended up coming out into the large room they’d arrived in. More than once Ash had inspected the archway but hadn’t found anything out about it at all.

“Are they there?” Chunhua asked energetically, looking over her shoulder at him unexpectedly.

Blinking several times Ash moved his gaze to the portal and the chains.

He couldn’t genuinely tell.

The feelings of distance were more akin to “not far” and “far” rather than anything useful.

On top of that, the walls of this place made his ability to sense Qi and people worthless at best. By the time he sensed anything they were just about on top of him.

Getting down on one knee Ash put his hand to the portal and forced the center to retract. Having it draw into itself until it was once more an empty and open circle.

“Ah! You see?” Tala exclaimed. “There was no sense in worrying at all. Ashley is just that perfect a husband. I know you’re new to our family, Hui Sheng, but all that fussing was unneeded.”

Looking out the circle, Ash could see that a number of airships were all below the opening. A great many of them clearly belonged to Ren, though there were a number that didn’t.

The closest one’s top was filled with all familiar faces.

Grinning, Ash began spreading Qi out from his hand and down from the portal.

Expanding it outward into a platform and docking area for an airship. Locking it into place into the portal he made sure the pillars were thick.

He made it wide enough for the airship to pull in and have most of it’s top-deck in line with the platform. Making it easy to load or unload in either direction.

All that would be needed was a crane with a winch in the facility to bring things up or down through the portal.

“You were of course correct, Sister Tala,” Hui admitted, smirking with one side of her mouth. “But all my fussing as you called it, did make this easier already.

“It’s also my job as his strategist and wife to worry and fuss. It’s what he rewards me for, just as he rewards you for being a beautiful warrior.

“Now, you see? He’s making a port, just as I suspected he would. Now we can unload everything and set up base-camp there.

“We’ll just unload all the ships and send them back down.

“If that’s okay with you, Sister Ren?”

Ren was standing amongst the Sheng wives and wearing a smile. She’d been quietly talking to Siu and now looked forward to Tala, then Ash.

“I will gladly do anything my husband asks of me, though I do think you’re right, Sister Hui,” Ren murmured then hit Ash with a smile that was beautiful in the extreme. Thankfully her Dao seemed to be off at the moment. “Husband, can you tell us what’s going on? We rushed back and only hesitated to stock up on supplies.”

“It’s not a prison,” Ash answered, then created a ladder on the port that came up to the portal. “This was originally a safety bunker. For everyone to escape to.

“Something happened, those inside were locked inside, and it became a prisoner to the Emperor. Though apparently there’s another person who was known as the ‘One Emperor’.

“Seems like our original realm, was not the highest realm. This was the highest realm. It was struck by a very big plague.

“We’ve kicked everyone out who came with us and have taken control of this facility. It’s at the top of the prison. We’re still figuring it out.”

“Oh me, oh my. What realms shattering news,” Siu breathed and undid her fan with a wrist flick. “It’s ever so interesting to be part of a Fated One’s life.

“I assume that we’ll be bringing up everyone out of our prison and exiling them to the realm beyond? That would make turning our prison into our fort even easier.”

“That would be ideal,” agreed Hui then gestured to the ladder for Rou to go first.

Everyone always gave deference to their Qi-Healer.

“Why thank you, Sister Hui,” Rou breathed and then began climbing up the ladder. “Also, the medical golem is very handy. They’re able to do everything that was needed of me down there. I think this is where I should be. So when everyone came through, I joined them.”

Ash grabbed Rou by the arms and physically lifted her up and through the portal. Standing up as he did so.

Only to end up with the pretty red-head glued to his side and kissing him.

Before someone else could come up, Rou had disentangled herself from him and went to join Chunhua.

“I figured out something new. Look at this!” Rou gushed and held her hands up to Chunhua

Ash turned his attention back to the portal and then knelt down.

He stuck his arm down through it to Tala.

Truthfully he’d half been tempted to pull her up as he had done Rou, but Tala had a great deal of pride and she would likely view being manhandled as annoying.

“You best give my Elegant Self a kiss after you pull me up,” demanded Tala. “Your Bunny-Wife demands a greeting.”

Smirking, Ash pulled her up and through the portal.

Standing up, he gave her a quick kiss and a hug. Squeezing her roughly.

They had all likely been very nervous on their way back. Not knowing what’d happened.

Slowly, Ash worked his way through everyone waiting. Helping everyone up and over the top. He would need to put in some type of upper bar to grab onto.

Like what they had on swimming pools.

Drawing Ren up, who had for some reason decided to come up last, he was unsurprised to be forced into a hug.

Though he was surprised that she didn’t kiss him.

Instead she just hugged him tightly for several seconds.

Stepping away, she smiled at him, and quickly rejoined Siu.

Brides and Knights had come up to the top of the ship as well as others he didn’t know.

“It’s okay,” Siu murmured from behind him. Two hands were placed on the middle of his back.

One felt like it was sending extreme electrical impulses through his body and the other draining them away even as they arrived.

“You don’t need to help them up. They understand their position,” continued Siu. “The rights of rank primarily focus around access to you. Put in a bar so they can pull themselves over with ease and that’ll be fine.”

Ash felt the warring need to find someone willing and throw them into a bed while also wanting to just lay down and nap as if it were an odd game of tug-of-war.

Thankfully it only was affecting him sexually and his desires.

Controlling his Qi he fashioned a hand rail quickly and then stood up.

A quick turn and he found it was Ren and Siu who had been playing the gremlin for his libido.

“Do you mind?” Siu asked with a flirty smile.

She was also red faced, panting quietly, and her body was quivering.

“Ren is helping me catch up quickly to your own power levels,” she purred, her eyes trembling as she gazed at him.

“I personally don’t mind,” Rend said, grinning as well. “It’s rather fun to unleash the full extent of my Dao and not have to worry. I’m actually gaining insights into the control of it.”

Ash groaned and then sighed.

All he needed now was Hui demanding to cultivate through him at the same time.

“Ashley, can I cultivate at the same time?” Hui asked, stepping right up between the other two women.

I swear to fuck that’s just uncanny.

“Fine,” he muttered and held his hands out to Hui. “Now, strategy time. Is Jia, Moira, and Xiuying back?”

“No but—”

Chunhua’s voice failed as a door opened in the ceiling above them. It swung inward and hung there.

Only for Xiuying to stick her head through it.

“Ah ha! I was right! It does lead back to— oh, sisters! Hello!” Xiuying said with a laugh. “Just in time it looks like!”

Xiuyuing swung her legs over the edge into the hole and let go.

Falling thirty feet she hit the stones with a pop and then stood up.

She wasn’t a strong cultivator, but she was still a cultivator.

Jia and then Moira did the same, exiting from the room above.

“It’s storage,” Moira declared, her wings shifting around on her back as she stood up from the fall. “There’s a larger door that can be opened up there, but we started with that. It was almost hard to spot.”

Then Moira looked up at where they’d come from.

“It is almost impossible to even see the door from here,” Jia remarked, then sniffed, and looked to the others. A smile curled her lips. “It would seem Ash has become a cultivation tool. Amusing.

“Now… it sounded like you wished to discuss next steps, Ashley? We heard you from above.”

Grimacing, Ash couldn’t deny her words. He had three cultivators actively putting Qi through him.

Any chance you can help me make a dummy or something that they could all use?

“I’m afraid, my poor husband, that you are the center. There is no other. You are the Dao of momentum and have pulled everyone else into it.”

“I want to clear the entirety of the prison,” Ash stated. “Kick everyone out, send them to the realm beyond. I don’t care what’s out there. They can have it. I want the prison and to make it our fort.

“Ren, you’ll be our Realm Lord here. I have a Realm Lord in the realm we came from at the lowest level, Liu. It seems I’ll need a Sheng Realm Lord wherever I go.”

“I accept,” Ren said with a throaty chuckle. “Our fortress and sect home shall be my realm. As well as whatever else we take here I suppose.

“Have we met anyone from the realm outside yet?”

“No… I’ve just been kicking people out,” Ash admitted. “I plan on leading an expedition party into those lands. As soon as this facility is settled and no longer in need of hands, that is.

“Until then, we’re cleaning, exploring, guiding people out, and generally settling in.”

“A good idea,” Jia agreed. “I can begin cleaning easily with my Qi. Sister Chunhua, would you help me? Between the two of us we could scrub the whole facility in no time.

“Sister Tala, could you come with us as well to help dry everything? Your usage of fire and heat will help us with any type of mold.”

“That isn’t a problem,” Tala agreed with a laugh. “This good Bunny-Wife will make sure her husbands home is clean and clear! It sounds like a delightful thing to handle if only to cement my title more firmly.

“My Elegant Self is eager to prove that I’m more than just a body-guard and warrior.”

Ash had a sudden and weird thought at the conversation as his mind chewed at other things.

“I wonder if the Bridal Manse will work outside of the facility,” he blurted out.

“Call Liu immediately. We should test the Bridal Manse!”