Mana 5 Chapter 1 (Patreon)

A month had passed since I’d decimated the Ying Family’s estate and family.

I leaned back in the Su family manor, which had since become a buzz of activity. After the fall of the Ying family, everyone looked to Su Wenxi and the Su family to lead Murdock.

And a new faction had formed as well. My family, along with the rest of the sects that came up from the mortal world, made a group called simply The Alliance. We’d carved the Ying family compound into five different structures rebuilt within the grounds. Each structure was headed by one of the powerful sects that had come from the mortal worlds.

I had led efforts and used The Alliance’s manpower as we rebuilt Murdock after the fight with the Ying Family Patriarch.

If anything, Murdock looked like it was well past recovery and moving forward at a blistering pace.

The mortal cultivators had injected a livelihood that the town had been missing before. Hundreds of third and fourth ring cultivators eagerly pushed their cultivation to the next level, using the immortal mana to speed up their efforts.

Mana beasts outside the city were becoming scarce as the eager cultivators worked to fill their rings and progress their capabilities.

Looking around, I tried to spot my target. I needed to talk to Wenxi. For all the growth and excitement that was stirring in Murdock, I had other plans.

As a fifth ring immortal, I needed stronger opponents, so I was thinking about venturing north towards Blueheavens. It was supposedly a mecca of cultivators and home to the main compound of the Su family.

She’d said their family was only a medium-sized power among the city and other ancient families. I wanted to find more clues about my mother’s family and where she might be, and that was my best bet.

“Isaac.” Wenxi came into the room, pushing her hair back as she tossed aside a decorative piece that had been holding her hair in place.

“Done with the meeting?” I asked, pushing around some letters on her desk I’d read. Wenxi had no secrets from me, but I still rarely shared her mail. But now that I was going to meet her family, I was curious to know more.

“You can ignore those; they are just drivel.”

“They give me an idea of some of their characters.” I poked at a letter from her uncle, which was full of hidden meanings that she should marry her cousin. “Like this one. I probably have someone I need to beat, or kill.”

Wenxi rolled her eyes. “My cousin wouldn’t even be a match for you. As much as I think you need a show of force to make my family take you seriously, he’s too weak to be of use.”

“Then what?” I asked, finally relinquishing my seat at her desk so she could work.

“How old are you Isaac?” Wenxi caught me off guard with the question.

I had to think about it for a moment. When you are immortal, you sort of stop keeping track of such things. “Forty-eight, soon to be forty-nine. Why?”

Wenxi froze and slowly turned towards me. “You aren’t fifty yet?”

“No, are you?” I wondered where this was going.

“I’m forty-five, but I’m also not a fifth rank cultivator.” Wenxi pressed two fingers to her forehead. “Fifth rank under 50 is a big deal, even in Blueheavens. And the power of your bloodline is fantastic; we need to find a stage for you to show off your power.”

I ignored her comment, deciding to turn it back to her. “So, should I expect some sort of challenge? I’m sure you will have some suitors chasing you when you return?” I nudged her with a smile. She seemed stressed, and I wanted to lighten the mood.

She blushed and dipped her head. “There might be.”

“Great, let’s make sure they know you are coming back and that you have a man. The young master type can never let that sort of thing go. Although if they are a little more mature, I’m sure they’ll come for me directly.” I shrugged.

I would have been worried a while ago, but I was more confident in my abilities in the immortal world. I still needed to build my strength, but any coming for Wenxi I should be able to handle.

After all, I had my cultivation, seven powerful bloodlines, and mana beasts in my arsenal. That was a pretty formidable force.

“Fine. I’ve already sent letters back home to let them know of my return and introduce you. I’ve also done my best to explain the situation in Murdock. A family member of mine should be here tomorrow to replace me on this post, at least in the short term.” Wenxi paused and fidgeted. “How many of your women will be coming with us to Blueheavens?”

“Worried, huh?” I pinched Wenxi’s cheeks, making her sputter and slap my hands away.

“Am not!” She pouted like a girl far younger than she was. “I just need to prepare for a certain number of guests if we are to reach my home without issue.”

“Uh, huh?” I didn’t believe her for a second. “Obviously, my mana beasts go where I go. Kat is certain to want to linger by my side, and it’s probably for the best. She doesn’t play nice with others when I’m not around.”

“Celina?” Wenxi asked, a little hesitation in her voice.

“Something wrong with her?” I tilted my head, curious about what gave her pause.

Wenxi sighed. “She kind of terrifies me.”

I nodded and swallowed a laugh. I understood where she was coming from, although I didn’t personally find her terrifying. “Celina is a poison cultivator with the Yin Harmony Bird bloodline. Like the Yin Harmony Bird of legend, she hunts other poison cultivators. Or at least, that’s what she’s done for the last thirty years, carving the last of the corrupt sect from our world.”

Wenxi seemed a bit more relaxed, but not much. I just continued on. “But to answer your question, I don’t know how many will join us. They can’t all be involved in your family, but I see no reason for them to stay here and not come to Blueheavens. My children will be assembling today, and I’ll hand off most of the tasks for running The Alliance to them. Once that’s done, we can set off.”

Before we could discuss it any further, urgent knocking began on Wenxi’s door.

“Yes?” I called.

“Ah.” A young woman pushed open the door. “Apologies, I didn’t know you had company Miss Su. But a carriage with your family seal was seen at the north gate to the city.”

Wenxi cursed. “Of course they are here a day early. Care to come welcome them with me, Isaac?” Wenxi stood and quickly checked herself in a mirror before picking up the crown-like ornament and putting it on her head. “Oh, and please don’t kill them. I can’t leave Murdock unattended.” She shot me a look before turning to leave without hearing a response.

I ghosted out after her, giving the servant a smirk and a thank you for the notice. Despite all of Wenxi’s meticulous planning and ability to run the house and her family business, she wasn’t much of a people person.

I suspected that had as much to do with why she ended up stationed out in Murdock as her lack of a bloodline. Wenxi was very intelligent and hardworking, but I could see her having made more enemies than she could deal with or the family wanted to handle.

When Wenxi stepped out of the manor, she looked over her shoulder at me. “Carry me to the gate?”

“Sure.” I scooped her up in a princess carry and pushed off the ground, shooting hundreds of yards into the air and clearing the manor and the surrounding houses before materializing a pair of Kunpeng wings on my back and gliding forward.

As a fifth ring cultivator, I was capable of realizing things into the world through mana in ways that I hadn’t been able to before. The wings on my back were more than just mana. If I so wished it, they could be real, at least for a time.

But they weren’t connected to me by flesh and blood, and they would not flap, so I was stuck using them as gliders. But gliders were better than running or jumping around as far as I was concerned.

I looked down as we glided above the city. Murdock was a hub of activity. The town seemed far more lively now that the Ying family was gone. Apparently, the Ying family had held an iron grip on the business of the town. Neither the Su family nor the Orchid Pavillion had shown any interest in filling that gap.

Instead, it was the townspeople, and the newly minted Alliance that were building it from the ground up. It seemed to have bolstered the people of the town, creating more excitement and life for the city.

As we neared the northern gates, I glided us down to the ground.

“Thank you.” Wenxi got out of my arms and smoothed out her dress to look out over the wall.

I spotted the carriage instantly. There was a pristine white carriage that looked like it hadn’t seen a spec of road dust and was adorned with large swan motifs. “Hmm. I wonder which one it could be.” I looked over all the rough wood carts and carriages in line with it.

Wenxi rolled her eyes and didn’t bother responding. “At least whoever it is didn’t push their way through the line. Shows it is at least someone mildly tolerant.”

“We should go reward that.” I jumped off the wall and landed among the guards, tucking my hands inside my sleeves as I startled the guards. “Go get that Su family carriage and have them come on in. There’s no need to check them.” I nudged the guard forward, doing my best to remain stoic as Wenxi jumped down beside me.

The guard recognized me and shot forward to comply.

“Reward them?” She asked.

I pointed with my chin. Not that she really needed it. “They are trying to make a good impression, but they can’t enjoy being in line. It’s a reward to be greeted at the gates.”

The carriage rolled out of the line and made its way to me. The northern gates were far larger than the single-file entry and exit allowed for. There was plenty of room for them to come forward.

Pulled by three magnificent looking horse mana beasts, the carriage was far more extraordinary than what I’d seen so far in the Immortal World. And I noted I needed to keep my friend Steve away from the horses or one might just go missing.

The door slid open and an older woman who clearly resembled Wenxi stepped out. “Hello, Niece.”

“Auntie?” Wenxi sounded shocked. “What are you doing here? They sent you?”

“Someone needed to cover you, and this place sounds nice and simple. It’s a vacation for me.” The older woman smiled softly.

I could feel the strength emanating from her. She was a peak fifth rank cultivator. If she had an active bloodline, she’d even be a match for the Ying Family patriarch, but Wenxi had said this posting was a punishment.

“Sorry, I’m forgetting myself. Auntie, this is Isaac Hughes. Isaac, this is my aunt, Tianxue Su.”

“Lovely to meet you Tianxue.” I bowed at the waist, giving her a measure of respect. Wenxi had greeted her friendly enough that I figured she wasn’t my opponent, at least not now.

Tianxue’s eyes raked over me, picking me apart and trying to find a flaw. “You defeated the old man of the Ying family on your own?”

“Yes, but if you need verification, feel free to ask around in town. It wasn’t exactly a subtle fight.”

“I find it hard to believe the praises that Wenxi heaped upon you in her letters.” Tianxue still tried to pick out flaws.

I turned my gaze to Wenxi, whose cheeks were turning pink. “What did you write?”

“Just the truth. My aunt and mother are very close. She sent you out here?” Wenxi tried to divert the question.

Tianxue sighed. “Yes. Until a suitable replacement can be found. It would seem that the small town is growing quite busy. Would you allow me to rest and clean up before we continue this conversation? It has been a long journey.”

“Of course.” Wenxi stepped back, gesturing for her aunt to follow while two servants appeared to take the carriage and the three horses. “It is a short walk. No doubt you are tired of sitting in that old thing.”

“It isn’t so bad, and I’ll be loaning it to you for your own trip into Blueheavens. The family is excited to meet Isaac.” She paused. “Hughes is not a family name I recognize.”

I knew my name would be a sticking point for much of this world. My wives and I had powerful bloodlines, and in the immortal worlds, families were well known by their bloodlines. The fact that my name didn’t match with any of their known families threw them.

I knew that would lead to skepticism. So, I gave her the truth. “My family and I are from a lower order world. Though it would seem we have potent bloodlines there as well. I believe your family had another from my sect recently join its ranks.”

Tianxue made a noise of understanding. “Hendrick. Yes, he and his father have the azure dragon bloodline. Are you a friend of theirs?”

I gave a dark chuckle. “No, he didn’t care much for me after…” I looked over to Wenxi, wanting her opinion before I shared too much. She gave a small nod of approval, so I continued. “After he learns, I killed his little brother. I doubt he’ll have any love for me or mine.”

“This little brother also had the azure dragon bloodline?” Tianxue sounded impressed.

Nodding, I told her the story of how I competed with the brother to lead the sect after Hendrick’s departure, and how his brother broke etiquette of a duel and attacked me after his loss.

“That doesn’t surprise me in the least. Hendrick and his father are slimy scum.”

Her sudden departure from polite speech made my eyebrows fly into my hairline. She smiled when she saw my reaction. “What? Ah, you didn’t realize that the Su family is not so cohesive. Hendrick is no ally of mine, nor is his betrothed.”

“Yes, Aunt. Isaac would love an opportunity to take down Hendrick and Quexi. The servants they took from the mortal world were their own people.” Wenxi made a face of disgust. “They brought them through and betrayed them.”

“Slavery is always a distasteful business.” Tianxue agreed. “Though I shouldn’t say that too loudly, considering it is a part of most ancient family businesses. There’s been too much war or conflict to not have those in power end up asserting that power. That’s the nature of things when there is too much of a disparity between two groups.”

I grunted in agreement. It seemed inevitable in human nature for power dynamics to come into play, someone always ended on bottom.

“Onto more pleasant topics.” Tianxue pushed forward. “Have you two had sex yet?”

Wenxi stumbled and nearly choked. “Auntie!” She turned around, red faced.

“Guess not.” Tianxue clicked her tongue. “You should really try it before you commit. We all know you plan to bring Isaac here into the fold of the Su family and use him to elevate yourself, while giving him the opportunity he wants to fight Hendrick. It’s not hard to see.”

I looked at Wenxi, wondering if she put all of that in her letters. I was surprised she’d be so candid and share that information.

“Don’t look at me like that. I didn’t tell her anything of the plan.”

Tianxue gave both of us a droll expression. “It’s plain to your mother and I what you are planning.” Wenxi started to object, but her aunt just held up a hand. “It’s not that we disapprove, but we’ve been at this game far longer, Wenxi. So, I need to make sure you are set up for success. Tell me, how much support does Isaac have behind him?”

I was understanding why Tianxue had come down to take Wenxi’s place. She wanted to evaluate me herself and make sure that I was strong enough for what Wenxi was planning. If she made a move, she needed to win.

Knowing she was on my side, I had no reason to hide information from her aunt. “My other wives and I all have potent bloodlines. In the prior world, I stood at the peak of cultivation and martial skill. Here I have much room to grow, but I am confident in my ability.”

Tianxue opened her mouth to say something, but I clarified. “In my ability to grow and succeed. Not in my ability to solve things tomorrow.”

That seemed to satisfy her. She nodded in understanding. “Great, I think you found a good one. Though, your mother was quite curious about his existing family.”

“I have nine wives, a girlfriend, and whatever you deem me and Wenxi.” I wasn’t embarrassed anymore at my family structure. It worked for us, and it wasn’t uncommon for powerful cultivators to have multiple lovers, anyway.

“Kids?”

“Many.” I laughed. “A number of them are here in this world. We’ll be handing our current affairs in Murdock over to them before we leave.”

“So they are old enough.” Tianxue appraised me again.

“He’s not even fifty, Auntie.” Wenxi understood what her aunt was looking for. “Though, it sounds like he and his wives have been together for quite some time.”

“Thirty years.” I replied quickly. “We all fought together in a war that consumed our world when we were young. We pushed forward with our lives together after that.”

We arrived at the Su family manor and servants rushed out to greet Tianxue and usher her inside, leaving me for a moment with Wenxi.

“Will she be a problem?” I asked, a cold tone in my voice promising danger if so.

Wenxi shook her head quickly. “No, not at all. She’s just a bigger piece than I expected my mother to send. Our small division of the Su family lacks much power behind us. My aunt leaving will expose my mother greatly.”

I nodded, wondering just what Wenxi’s mother had planned for her to make such a decision. But I had a feeling I’d find out soon enough.

“Let me handle my family business and then we’ll talk with your aunt before leaving.” I kissed Wenxi’s cheek. She held the spot for a moment, blushing as she nodded and followed her aunt into the manor.

I turned and headed off to hand over the local leadership to my kids.