Mana 5 Chapter 13 (Patreon)

“My name will have little meaning for you, but you can call me Xiaobai.” She gave me a warm smile, despite the fact that she had found me trying to slay a mana beast she clearly was attached to. “Now, can I get your word that you won’t attack me or my friend?” She looked over at the rocky elephant to make it clear who her friends were.

“I… uh… was hunting.”

“I’m well aware of your goals. Even animals hunt to grow stronger. But humanity often goes to the extreme; I think you’ve hunted enough for now?” She raised a single white eyebrow and waited for my response.

A pang of guilt stabbed at me. “Yeah, I’ll stop for now.” I withdrew my sword into my soul palace.

“Good. Then please, it’s been a while since I’ve had visitors. Please join me. After watching you, I think you are in a unique position to help me.” She turned back without hearing my answer.

I stared after her for a moment, trying to decide if I should follow. But she had piqued my curiosity; I had to know more.

I wondered how I would be able to help her. Her cultivation was high enough that I couldn’t even sense her when she was right before me. And it seemed that evading my senses wasn’t even something she was actively trying to do.

Yet in all of this, I felt no danger from her.

So I went after her, following her path. I noticed that the rocky elephant remained behind us. “Where are we going?”

Even though I was taking casual steps behind Xiaobai, it seemed as if the world was bleeding past me like I was hurtling through the land.

“My home; it isn’t far.” She waved her hand over her shoulder.

“Is it inside this forest?”

“It’s inside all forests.” She said cryptically. “So, I guess the answer is yes.”

I rolled my eyes; she wasn’t inspiring confidence. “Does the Feng family know about you being here?”

“They can’t harm me, and I mean them no harm. So, it doesn’t matter if they know I’m there. I suppose I might have encountered one of their ancestors once upon a time.” She made a dismissive gesture. “Time flies. I forget how long ago that was.”

The world stopped bleeding around us, and Xiaobai walked out into a grove of colossal trees amidst the forest.

I had the feeling that no human had stepped on this ground in a very long time. There was an ancient stillness in the air.

“So, how can I help you?” The question bothered me. No matter what skills I might have, this woman was clearly on a completely different level from me. She seemed beyond even the Feng Family.

“You are imbued with a small fragment of a power that I believed to be lost. I’ve lost contact with the one who could control that power. It would seem that someone found just a pinch remaining in the universe, and they chose to put it in you.” She turned to me, her eyes catching my attention. They had changed since I’d first seen her.

They seemed to see right through me to my very soul, peering into my soul palace and my past. It was like they could see this world and all the others.

“Is that what happened to my bloodline?” Having learned that my mother’s family had their bloodline in decline, I wondered if she had done something.

“Yes. But to have found it in the first place shows me just how much she had to have delved into the many branches of fate.” Xiaobai shook her head, making the moss on that massive rack of antlers tremble. “What she found wasn’t great enough to change herself, but a brand new life? That would work. New life is far more malleable.”

I was growing uncomfortable. “Is it this power you are after? You want to take it from me?” While I wanted to put up a fight, I had a feeling I’d have trouble keeping it from her if she tried.

“No. I want to borrow your use of it. You see, the problem of bloodlines doesn’t just persist with humans. We are struggling as well.” She stepped up to one tree, and the side melted away, revealing a home.

I was concerned about being rude to Xiaobai, but in the end I couldn’t help but ask. “What is your kind?”

“Long ago, we were called demons. We were beasts given intelligence by a universe that sought something to heal it. After all, that’s the nature of mana. It’s a force for change and a force for creation.”

She moved around the house as she talked. “And since the universe found what it needed, it no longer favors us as much. Bloodlines filled with dao fade away, and I’m afraid his opposition grows with each day.”

“His?” I asked.

“No one. At least no one that you’ll ever need to be concerned with.” She brushed off my question. “This is who I need you to be concerned about.”

Within the home in the tree, she pulled back a curtain and a young lady lay on a bed. It was as if she was frozen in amber.

“Who is this?” I noted the white antlers peeking out of her hair, which gave me a good guess.

“One of my many daughters. She is my youngest. And the last I bore after her issues.” She waved her hand over the young woman, and it was as if time started again for her.

Her daughter writhed in pain, gritting her teeth while she held back screams of agony.

Xiaobai waved her hand over her daughter again, sealing her mid-twitch. She let out a heavy sigh. “It pains me to see her like this.”

My brow creased as I took in the scene. “I’m not sure I’m qualified to help her. I would if I could.” That type of pain was more than anybody should have to bear.

Xiaobai smiled, fondness in her eyes. “This is why I have chosen you. You are not only special, but after seeing her pain, you didn’t ask for a reward or haggle for my support. Did you even think about what I could do for you?”

I shrugged, my cheeks burning slightly at the compliment. “I don’t even know if I can help you. But no. If you’d asked for a different favor, I likely would have bargained. This? The pain she’s suffering? That’s barely living. I will help you if it’s within my power.”

Xiaobai leaned down over her daughter to be eye level with me. “I know. And you will be rewarded.”

“There’s no need.” I wanted to help, and they’d both suffered enough.

“Nonsense. I’ve watched you. Since I need you to invoke her bloodline, I’ll be placing a burden on you.”

At that moment, I realized what she was asking of me. “You want me to dual cultivate with your daughter?”

She hummed in agreement. “Yes, and I’ll likely be burdening you with her as well. I have little doubt after saving her from eons of torment, she won’t settle for anyone less.”

“Wait. I’m to marry her too?”

Seeing my slight panic, Xiaobai held her hands up in surrender. “I am not asking that of you now. But there are consequences to awakening my daughter. She will need to stay with me for a time, before I let her wander the world. That said, I have little doubt that she’ll want to seek you out when she is free to roam.”

I rubbed my forehead. Helping her was going to complicate my life even further..

“I promise to reward you. Please, it hurts me to see her in pain.” Her eyes wrinkled at the sides as she gave me a pleading look.

I waved it away. “I already told you I’d help if it was within my power. This is, but… tell me she won’t be in pain during it? I’m not sure I could do that to her.”

“No, I think I can manage dulling it for a time. I assume my daughter is beautiful enough to cultivate with?” She teased me.

Her daughter was a breathtakingly pure woman. Her white hair and snow white eyelashes on her fair skin made her look as fresh as new snow.

Amid her faint complexion, her pink lips were like sultry fruits ready to be plucked.

“Yes. I thought as much.” Xiaobai floated around me, enjoying teasing me. “Would you hear of what I have to offer before you help her?”

“No, we can talk about your gifts after. I offer my help freely.” I looked over at her. “No others could help her?”

Her smile faltered. “Such things are rarer than they used to be. For you to have what you do is a miracle in itself.”

“What exactly is it?” I asked, confused by this revelation.

“Have you not wondered how you are able to create new bloodlines within yourself? What you were taught was a way to augment bloodlines that share a relation. That faint spark with the dao of creation inside of you has made it so much more.” Xiaobai’s eyes were soft yet fierce, as if she was on the edge of forcing me into this.

But I had one more question. “Why now? It sounds like you’ve seen me for some time.”

She smiled, like the question was an easy one. “I’ve seen interact so freely with what you call your mana beasts. The first I’ve seen any human desire to have children with them.”

I dipped my head. “Ah. You heard that conversation with Mei.”

“Indeed. Don’t feel embarrassed; it is what made me certain. I wouldn’t bring my daughter out of this pain only to give her a shell of a life. You could give her a full one and treat her well.” Xiaobai grabbed my chin and forced me to look into her all-seeing eyes again.

She nodded once more, apparently judging me suitable.

“Okay, I guess let’s do this.” What she’d asked for wasn’t hard. I’d done it before. But it felt more awkward with a stranger. I’d also have to explain things to my wives, eventually. However, they would stand behind me on this.

“You don’t need any instruction, do you?” Xiaobai blushed as she chuckled.

“No. I think I have this.” I shucked my robes and pants, standing naked before the woman. Somehow I felt less naked than when she’d looked at me with those eyes.

She waved her hand over her daughter twice. The first wave unsealed her and the second wave seemed to force her eyes closed. “She’ll sleep and remember this as a dream. But please do try to make it pleasant.”

“I would like to know that she agrees with this.” I frowned.

“Touch her, and I think you’ll understand.”

Confused, but willing to trust her, I climbed onto the bed. I pulled back the covers, finding that she was naked. While I was surprised, I was glad I didn’t have to undress her while she was unconscious.

Reaching forward, I placed my hand on her shoulder. And the second I touched her, everything changed.

Xiaobai disappeared, and the woman’s eyes darted open.

We were still in Xiaobai’s home, but something was different. I looked around, extending my senses. I suddenly realized this was someone’s soul palace.

Hers.

Though my physical body still registered sensations. I guess this would make things easier than sleeping with an unconscious woman.

It was after that moment that I realized I was standing naked in front of a stranger. “Hello. Uh, your mother brought me here. I don’t even…”

“It’s fine.” She lay back on the bed. “No one really gets to say no to my mother, not even me.” She crossed her arms stubbornly.

“I get that. She seems… powerful.” I struggled to find the words to describe Xiaobai.

The woman rolled her eyes. “So, are you here by your own choice?”

“Yes. I wanted your agreement with her plan. She showed me the pain you were in and asked me to help.” I looked down at our naked forms. “Uh… through having sex with you.”

Only now did she look down at herself and try to cover herself, yelping in surprise as she suddenly realized the situation. “You were just going to do that to me?”

I cringed. This was not starting off well. “No, I asked to get your permission, and here I am. Now that I can talk to you, I would love to know you before we do that. How about we start with a name?”

“Bai or just White. I’m named after my grandmother.”

I gave her a curious look. “She was just named White?”

“She’s ancient. Older than creation.” Bai laughed at her own joke.

“Sounds like it. So, were you always in such pain?”

Bai shook her head. “No, it wasn’t until my heritage started to blossom when I was sixteen. I’m… a lot older than that now. My mother’s bloodline was too weak came into conflict with my father’s. It wasn’t so bad at first, but eventually it grew, and my mother sealed me to stop the pain. If you can really bring my mother’s bloodline to its full potential, it will overwhelm my father’s.”

I nodded. “I got a brief glimpse. It seemed unbearable.” Holding her hand, I tried to channel as much love and concern into her as I could.

She couldn’t hold my gaze, looking away. “Ah, so she guilted you into doing this.”

I could feel just how self-conscious she was about the concept, so I fibbed a little. “That and the promise of such a beautiful woman as my wife.”

“She what?!” Bai snapped out of her self pity.

“She told me that you’d be mine in the future. Have you seen yourself? What man wouldn’t be tempted?” I gestured to her body. She still covered her chest with her arms and squeezed her thighs together.

Her mouth just hung open for a long moment. “That bitch.”

I wasn’t sure what it was about the situation, but I just laughed. “Not that I’d ever force something like that upon you without your consent. Really, just being able to talk to you like this before doing it has made me much happier.”

At that, Bai relaxed. “Yeah, can’t say I love this being thrust upon me, either. But, uh, sex with you will solve my pain?”

“Technically, what’s going to help you is dual cultivation, but that involves sex.” I hedged.

She stopped squeezing her thighs so tightly and lifted her arm, showing off her pink nipples. They stood out on her white skin that looked like it had never seen the sun. “I’m not consenting to marry you. But if it’ll cure my illness, then sex is just sex. This is just a fun one-night stand to spite my mother.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Should I be offended?”

“Should sleeping with a woman as beautiful as me bring offense?” She shot right back with a smirk and languidly stretched out on her bed, giving me a full view of her body.

I shook my head ruefully. “No, I don't think that could possibly cause offense. I should be so lucky.” I still felt a bit off about the situation, but she seemed to have accepted it.

And she was right. We could treat it as just sex.

Bai gave me a smoldering half lidded look as her hands grabbed mine and intertwined our fingers. Her lips parted as she pulled my hand towards her mouth. She sucked on one of my fingers, drawing it past her soft pink lips for her tongue to play with.

“You are beautiful.” I breathed.

My heart throbbed with sudden passion, watching her smile around my finger. She knew exactly what she was doing.

I suddenly didn’t feel like I was taking advantage of some damsel. I was starting to wonder if I was the one being taken advantage of.

She arched her back, moaning for me, and it was working.

My hand caressed down her hips and squeezed at her soft, delicate thighs. They were so smooth, unblemished, as if perfectly sculpted by a master.

I wanted to have them wrapped around my head.

Bai let go of my finger, guiding my hand down to her perfect breasts, using my wet finger to draw circles around her nipples. “You are incredibly handsome.” She breathed. “I’m happy it is you that can heal me. Now, kiss me.”

I pressed my chest to hers and cupped her chin, my lips brushing against her lips.

They tasted like fresh berries and were soft and plump. She tasted me back, her tongue running along our kiss, making it wet and slippery as our passion grew.

Her arms tangled around my neck as she pulled me close, grinding herself up against my rapidly growing cock. Her sex rubbed against the shaft, unbelievably smooth.

It felt like I was rubbing against silk rather than a woman. I could only imagine what it would feel like inside of her.

“You feel amazing.” I broke the kiss to speak, but she pulled me back in for more, groaning as she rubbed herself against me.

“Yes. You do too.” She groaned again, leaning back and pulling me further up on her, until my cock caught on her sex, nearly penetrating into her.

Gasping, and incredibly ready to proceed, I brought my hips back, letting my cock drop down as I searched blindly for her sex.

Her tongue searched inside my mouth, the berry flavor of her breath overwhelming me and bringing my focus back to our kiss as her tongue twisted with mine.

I reveled in the moment, but I could only be distracted for so long. When my cock dipped slightly into her wet and ready sex, all my focus shifted down to my throbbing erection.

She must have sensed it too, because her legs wrapped around my hips and slowly pushed me forward, sinking me into her warm paradise.

It was like being wrapped in slippery velvet as her sex welcomed me.

“Fuck. This feels too good.” I lifted my head, trying to escape from the paradise of her beautiful body for one moment to cool myself down. If I didn’t, it was going to be shorter than I intended.

“It’s perfect.” She whispered, not letting me get far before she ran appreciative fingers along my chest.

“We need to focus, to cultivate. That’s why we are here, isn’t it?”

Bai hummed in acknowledgement, but she continued to caress my chest while her pussy massaged my cock. She looked lost in bliss as I started the cultivation.

I hadn’t explained it to her, but in the end, it proved unnecessary. She mimicked me perfectly, her hips moving in time with my own as I thrust into her.

“This is too much.” She whined. “I don’t think I’m going to last very long.” Her berry breath once again tickled at my nose.

I would have tried to help her, but I wasn’t doing much better. My cock strained as it tried not to succumb to the delightful temptation that was her body. I swore her pussy was trying to finish me with every stroke.

I sped up the cultivation, thrusting harder, hoping to finish the cycles before I finished. It became a race of pleasure as the technique blossomed into mind numbing euphoria, and the two of us felt like we were becoming one.

When I couldn’t hold it anymore, I erupted inside of her so hard that my vision of her was spotted and blurred.

Bai relaxed, and I could feel my seed fill her and overflow, dripping onto my balls. “Amazing.” She breathed, glowing with radiance as the cultivation took effect.

I nodded while I panted, still coming down from the release.

I could feel my Pixiu bloodline harmonizing with her own. A new, incredibly powerful bloodline was blossoming within me.

We shared a tender kiss before I lay down on her soft, inviting body. I was so spent that my eyes fluttered closed.