CC3 -CH3- (Patreon)

Ash felt ridiculously tired.

Tired doesn’t even begin to cover it.

Reaching up with his right hand, Ash pressed it to his eyes. Blocking out the morning sun and the disgusting light it presented him.

Beside him, Tala stirred for a moment, then pushed her head up under his chin. Her left hand coming up to lightly tickle along his bare chest. Her long ears were curled around his head in an odd way that wasn’t uncomfortable.

Lifting his hand up, Ash looked down.

One of Tala’s long legs was laying across his lower half in a possessive way. They’d only done it twice over the night but each time had been incredibly vigorous.

“I think your bed should be open to my elegant self this evening,” Tala said in a murmur. Apparently she was aware that he was awake. “But I know that isn’t possible. You have an evening filled with carvings. I don’t envy them, or you.”

Ash took in a slow breath than let it out.

She was right, of course. The upcoming evening was going to be filled with blood and tears. It wasn’t as if he enjoyed putting his chisel to their backs. There was no positive aspect to the act until it was done and they were able to grow their powers.

“Yeah,” muttered Ash with a sigh. “I’d rather your elegant self spend the evening in my bed as well than that.”

“So blessed you were to indulge yourself in me twice,” said Tala in a warm voice. She nuzzled his shoulder in a way that felt out of character for you. “It was most enjoyable, and I wish to speak more of it, but you have guests.”

Locke?

“Yes?” she responded instantly.

Is there someone out there?

“I’m not sure. Did you happen to forget to thank your wife for her assistance with the big bunny?” Locke asked in an arch tone. “Because honestly, it’s starting to feel like I’m just… being taken for granted. You do realize I assist and help because I care, right? I could easily do nothing at all.

“I’m just as happy to play with Tai and Ehrinis you know. Just as happy to do nothing at all, in fact. I can go to sleep just like you can.”

Even as she spoke, Ash realized he had actually been treating her a bit neglectfully. While it was true that she was bound to him and she had plans for him. Goals that she wanted him to fulfill.

She could just as easily abandon it all and go silent.

Not to mention, he really wasn’t ready for Tala in the end. He really did have to rely on Locke’s sexual knowledge and how to pacify the fiery woman.

I’m sorry, Locke.

I haven’t treated you as well as you deserve, though it’s not entirely my fault.

You were a man to me only days ago. Now it’s sprung on me that you’re a woman and that you seem to have… urges… for me.

I’m not as adaptable as you are.

I’m trying to catch up here as fast as I can, but it’s going to take me a little bit. I don’t have any type of attraction to men.

At all.

You’re pushing something on me that my brain hasn’t processed yet.

“Oh? Who?” Ash asked aloud even as he thought wildly at Locke. “I’m afraid I haven’t been paying attention. Distracted by a particular bunny woman.”

“Bunny woman,” scoffed Tala, though she sounded amused.

“I… you’re right,” Locke said suddenly. “You’re right. To you, I’ve always been male. A voice in your head that assists you as a companion.

“I’m pushing my own wants on you for a situation I’ve long since been aware of, but that you’ve only known of for less than a week. It’s not really fair to you.

“I’m sorry. I’ll… slow it down. It’s Chunhua and Rou, by the way. Based on what I can tell, they’ve taken in their tribulation stones. Chunhua has advanced to the fifth level. Rou is a second level.

“I think your words last night spurred Chunhua on in some fashion. That or she’s made progress on her Dao. Her being level five already is nothing short of miraculous.”

Thank you, Locke.

“Of course. Though… I want to talk more about this later. I’m willing to slow down, but I won’t stop. You’ll need to accept that I’m a woman, that I was always a woman, at some point.”

I understand.

“— and Rou,” Tala said in a sleepy voice. “You go deal with them. I’m going to go back to sleep. I can see why the others tend to sleep in after they spend the night.”

“It’s… the Qi. You emit a lot of Qi when you hit your peak,” Locke offered in a controlled voice. It was far similar to how she used to be before the reveal of her true gender. “Emit it right into them.”

Ash didn’t think too deeply on that and instead gently pulled himself away from Tala’s long and warm limbs. Getting out of bed he dressed quickly and exited his bedroom.

In his main room he found Chunhua and Rou, sitting at the table. They had two teacups and saucers in front of them. It was as if Na had already stopped by, taken care of them, and left.

Both of the women looked up from the table and watched him wordlessly.

Ash could tell they were here to talk about what he’d said the day previously. In regards to their talents and and that his goal was about them directly

“If it isn’t the two greatest talents I’ve found. Beyond all others,” Ash said and gestured at both of them. “Living proof of my goals and how stupid the world of cultivators is.”

Instantly Rou looked down and broke eye contact. Her hands twisted up into her dress and her face began to turn a slow red shade.

Chunhua lifted her chin and straightened her shoulders. Those pale eyes of hers never wavered from his gaze.

An example in contrasts. Rou feels embarrassed by me praising her, Chunhua revels in it? I’ll have to sort that out won’t I?

“It… would be good to know how they feel about it. It wouldn’t do to have your successes resist your efforts,” advised Locke. “We’d have to find other success stories.”

“Am I?” Chunhua asked as Ash began walking over toward the table. She looked as if she were prideful about the situation yet also concerned. “You said… you said I’d reach the peak. That I’d likely go beyond it.”

“I did, and I meant it,” confirmed Ashley. He took the seat directly between the two women. They’d chosen their spots so he imagined this was where they wanted him. “I mean… Chunhua… you offered me everything that first day. It’s not like I have any reason to lie to you for anything.”

The sorceress blinked twice, then her lips turned up into a smile. Her posture relaxed and she tilted her head to one side, looking at him.

“You’re right. I gave you everything and meant it. It’s still all yours,” she murmured, turning her whole body to face him directly. She made an odd hand waving gesture behind her head, as if shaking something off. “Silly fears for a silly girl who doesn’t exist anymore.”

“I would hope so, considering you’re obviously at the fifth level of a mortal refiner,” Ash said with a crooked smirk. “You could probably thrash everyone in our alliance and stand atop with little effort.”

Chunhua’s eyes widened partially and her grin broadened. She leaned toward him and then tilted her head to one side.

“Am I already so high?” she asked in a husky whisper.

“Yes. Yes you are. You are higher than all. Even Na,” confirmed Ash. “I told you I’d raise you to highest of heights. That’s partially because of how easy it’ll be with your talent.”

Watching him as he spoke, Chunhua looked like she wanted to pounce on him. To pull ever more compliments out of him.

Cutting her off at the pass Ash needed to redirect her focus.

“Touch her face! If it were me, if you touched my face at this moment, it’d redirect all my thoughts!”counseled Locke.

Not wanting to ignore her advice, Ash did that. He lifted his hand and laid it to her cheek, cupping it tenderly.

“Will you be one of my miraculous examples to all? A lowly cultivator who couldn’t defend herself against anyone, who became the stunningly beautiful and impressively powerful Sorceress known as Chunhua?” Ash asked.

The smile was gone from Chunhua’s face, her white eyes were wide and staring at him. It was obvious to Ash that she was holding her breath as well.

“Yes,” she squeaked out and finally let out her breath.

Ash smiled, gave her cheek a pat, made sure to hold her gaze for several more seconds, before he looked away. He knew she had issues with people not wanting to look her in the eye for long.

Turning he faced Rou.

Who lunged forward and planted her lips on his. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders and she kissed him in a hungry and demanding way. She came out of her seat and ended up sitting directly in his lap.

“Oh, well, look at that. That’s unexpected,” murmured Locke. “Hussy. Get off my husband.”

Rou pulled after several seconds and then looked at him from a few inches away.

“I’ll be an example for you as you’re my Cultivator. I’m your Qi-Healer,” said Rou in a breathy voice. Her eyes were flitting about his face. “I’m Rou Sheng, am I not? She’s Chunhua Sheng?”

Ash knew what she was actually asking him. That she wanted to know if he really was accepting everyone and everything at this time.

“That’s what Yue listed as your names I believe,” said Ash, managing to recover his thoughts. It was hard to truly think with Rou snuggled up in his lap like this. “If I disagreed with her, I would have made her change it. So… yes. Rou Sheng, Chunhua Sheng.”

Rou nodded her head once sharply at that, smiling at him.

“Good I… I’m really glad to hear that,” said Rou, shaking her head while grinning. “It’s one thing to know Yue wrote me as such… it’s another to hear you say it. I’m a worrier.

“You gave me… everything and asked of me nothing. I worry constantly that— you know what, it doesn’t matter.”

Laughing, Rou leaned into him and kissed him once again. Her arms went tight around his shoulders and she hung onto him.

She didn’t pull away this time.

At least, not until Chunhua pushed her back and then took her pace kissing him.

“Damnit. This sucks. At least Tala has to listen to it, too,” growled Locke.

***

Letting out a slow breath, Ash closed the door to the house he’d just finished his work in. It was the last carving of the evening, despite it being far more than he’d originally planned for.

Given it’d been some time since he’d performed one it was a surprise at how fast it went. Apparently moving up to another cultivation level increased his speed, power, and control over the work.

It was so much facter that he was done in two hours. Far sooner than anyone had expected him. His night would have been fine from that point on.

Except halfway through the work Na rushed off suddenly. Only to return thirty minutes later with a gaggle of more alliance members who all wished to be carved into.

The hours stretched on with blood, flesh, and his chisel, until it was at the point where one couldn’t tell if it was early morning, or late at night.

Leaning against the side of the house, Ash just stood there, taking in breaths and existing. He didn’t want to try and start moving again at the moment.

“Very good work, Ashley,” said a quiet voice off to his left. He knew exactly who it was without really looking.

“Thank you, Jia Sheng the Bound,” murmured Ash, not looking up. “Though I’d really like to unbind you. Any chance of you changing that title to something else? Anything I can do, say or offer to move you off it?”

“I enjoy being the Bound one,” said Jia, her voice growing in volume as she drew closer to him. “For I am. I bound myself willing and without concern. Hence, the Bound. It is not a disparaging name to hold.

“All know that I am the Bound, but that I bound myself to you, and you to me. Nor does it hinder me in society since I have taken the family name of Sheng. It is a non issue to everyone else. Stop being an Outlander about it.”

Ash opened his eyes at that and turned to look at Jia.

To really see her for who she was.

She was one of the first people who’d been kind to him, outside of his family. When the world wanted nothing more than to beat on him, she’d been there to offer him optimism and hope.

As a friend she’d done all this while hiding from the world as a whole. Hiding away what she was and attempting to live her life to the best of her ability.

Right now she was dressed in a deep blue colored dress. One that wouldn’t hinder her from utilizing her abilities, but also did an impressive job of showing herself off to a casual observer.

She was also standing only a foot or three from him. Well within arm reach.

He got the impression she’d been waiting for him.

“Ah, I have seen that look in the past in your eyes,” said Jia with a wide smile for him. She lifted her hand and make a come-hither gesture. “I said I would crook my finger the moment I saw desire for me, and I am doing so now, Ashley.

“I am glad it was also one of the first dresses I wore specifically for you back in the valley. You had a similar look then.”

Thinking back to that point, he could indeed now remember her wearing the same dress. It’d been hard staying alone with her in that valley. His attraction to her had grown at an incredible rate back then.

“Has it not worked?” Jia asked, the impressively pretty smile she gave him in that instant made his heard beat oddly.

Pushing away from the wall he stepped in close to Jia and deliberately set his hands to her hips.

“It worked. Now what’ll you do?” Ash asked, looking at her only an inch or two away.

“I will take you away, of course. To my bed where we indulge one another, with one another,” said Jia with absolute confidence. It was apparently a foregone conclusion to her.

“My apologies,” said an older voice from Sheng street.

Looking that way, Ash found it was master Li-Yong.

His large bushy white eyebrows, scraggly white hair that was balding, and hard eyes were part of the uniform for those who worked with Gen.

He was in fact the second in command to Gen Sheng, Ash’s master.

The old man met Ash’s gaze and tilted his head respectfully with a smile, while also placing one hand in the other in a martial greeting.

Regretfully Ash took his hands from Jia’s hips and then faced Li-Yong and performed a bow to the man, along with a salute in return. The man had worked on Ash’s behalf a number of times now.

He owed this man respect and would pay it to him.

Besides him, Ash felt Jia provide the same exact greeting to Li-Yong.

“Now… that is not necessary,” said Li-Yong as Ash stood back up. The older man was only five feet away now, having closed the distance.

“It is most definitely necessary,” argued Ash. “If it were not insulting to you I would most certainly invite you into the Sheng family as an honored Elder, Master Li-Yong.”

That apparently caught Li-Yong off guard. The old man stopped in his tracks and watched Ash with an unflinching stare.

“Was that in jest?” he asked, his voice sound curious.

“No, Master Li-Yong,” replied Ash and meant it. The man was ferociously powerful and dedicated to the Sheng alliance and Gen so far. He’d assisted whenever Gen could not.

“Then I accept,” Li-Yong said with a tooth filled grin. It was incredibly similar to Gen’s. “I will speak with Little Yue about it tomorrow and have the paperwork drawn and provide my seal. I thank you, Ashley for the respect and honor you’ve given to me.

“Though I’m afraid I cannot give you good news at this time. I’ve come with a poor message to someone who will be my familial leader by tomorrow evening.”

“Yes!” cheered Locke. “Yes, yes, yes. Good. Good! He’s an incredibly powerful man and will be of great help to us. Elders can assist indirectly just by being there. It’ll help provide us with a better foundation.”

“I’m afraid the sect-leader has recovered faster than anticipated,” Li-Yong said with a face that gave off a look that he’d rather chew nails at the moment than speak. “He has willingly taken up his duties and position once again. Provided we meet two conditions.

“The first is that we speak of it to no one. Which of course is easily agreed to. We don’t wish for internal matters to escape to outsiders anymore than he would. That aligns with us well.

“The second condition is the problem. He wants you to leave the sect for a year and to only return once that time has passed. I… believe he is under the impression that without your alliance your cultivation would stagnate.”

Without the alliance my… cultivation would stagnate? Huh?

Does he think I’m getting supported by everyone and that’s the only reason I have any strength personally? Like… like Yue buying me a massive amount of pills or something?

“That’d be my guess. That or he just wants you to leave for a year so he can try to have you killed,” Locke mused in an almost offhand way. “Whatever the reason is it doesn’t matter. We could actually use a year of secluded closed-door training anyways. This isn’t an issue. If anything it’s a semi-blessing in disguise. We can go hide away and train in peace and quiet.”

“I understand,” Ash said quickly. “I will comply for the good of the sect. Though… mas-honored Elder Li-Yong should know that I intend to take part of the alliance and leave this place in the future.

“I cannot achieve my goals only operating out of the Jade Fist. I will likely need to move to other sects. Like the Dragon Warrior, Blood Oath, or Mountain Bear sects at some point in the future. That or… that or leave this realm for the next. Ascend to the next and push ever harder.”

Li-Yong once again looked surprised.

Then he nodded his head and grinned.

“As it should be for the leader of the Sheng. Looking ahead to the next crevice and the one above,” Li-Yong stated with a chuckle. “When one climbs the mountain of cultivation, where they are currently is of no matter. It is only the peak that matters. You must always look ahead. I agree.

“Then please accept thanks from Gen as he did not wish to agree to anything, unless you were willing. He would also like you to know, his new medallion has also been decorated in blood. I imagine you will likely receive a letter from him tomorrow since he still cannot be up and about, but it’s unlikely he’d let you leave without at least that much.

“There will also be a need for a new inner-sect master. It is likely that I will take that position. By the time you return from this forced absence, the sect will be far more welcoming. As we shall force it to be so.

“With that said, I must ask that you please leave by noon tomorrow. You may not take Little Yue, Mei, Rou, or Moira with you. The… traitor… has demanded that those individuals remain here. He sees them as the source of your strength, I imagine.”

Ash frowned at that.

That didn’t quite make complete sense to him in any way.

He could easily see how someone might pinpoint Mei, Yue, and Rou as strong points for him. Yue was a master of trade, Mei could likely access fallen Deng treasures, and Rou was Qi Healer. That left Moira as the odd one out but didn’t restrict him from Na, who could do the same as Mei, and Jia who was well known as being very strong.

Thoughts?

“Agree to it. We’ll take Na, Jia, Tala, and Chunhua with us. It’ll be fine,” Locke grumbled. She clearly didn’t like this situation either.

“I understand,” Ash said. “Though I can’t guarantee they won’t come visit me. The idea that they’ll stay away from me for an entire year is foolish.

“I can guarantee they won’t remain with me during my year of exile, but I will not agree to them never visiting. That’s foolish.”

“That’s fine. I argued the same point so it isn’t unexpected,” Li-Yong agreed. “They can visit as much as they like, they simply cannot remain with you more than half of the time.”

He wasn’t looking forward to telling Yue he was leaving and couldn’t take her with him. That he wouldn’t be back for a year, more than likely.

At least she can visit. Otherwise she’d probably lose her shit.

Though, damn, where do we even go?

“Yeah… hm… she might blow a gasket,” agreed Locke with a sigh. “As to where do we go? That’s an easy answer. Home! We can check in on Mother Far and Father Duyi as well as see how Yan is doing.”

Suddenly, a year away didn’t sound so bad.