Mana 5 Chapter 14 (Patreon)

I woke up laying on top of a sleeping Bai.

“Looks like it wasn’t so hard on you after all.” Xiaobai laughed.

No longer in that strange soul space with Bai. I pulled myself off of her, seeing that we had done the deed in the real world as well.

Suddenly, I was far more embarrassed than when Xiaobai had seen me naked.

“I’ve seen far worse. Get dressed.” She waved away my embarrassment.

Ah, a voyeur mother-in-law who could spy on me without me ever knowing it. Perfect.

“Maybe a little discretion? I’m not sure your daughter would appreciate it.”

That seemed to have an effect on her as she turned away, a pensive look on her face. “I see many things. Sex is just a natural part of life.”

“I’m not sure she would see it that way.” I continued.

“Or maybe I could convince you not to tell her that I watched?” Xiaobai suddenly became far more generous.

Not wanting to discuss it any further, I changed the subject. “Will she wake now?”

“No. There are many years of damage that need to be undone. But the pain should subside immediately. I’ll work on healing her over a short while.” Xiaobai ran her fingers through her daughter’s hair, her face full of motherly love.

“But, now that you have done your part, it is time that I do mine.” She smiled, stepping forward.

“Come along. We’ll leave her to rest for now.” Xiaobai stepped away from her daughter and closed the curtains once again. This time, there was a smile lingering on her face as she took me from the tree to another.

I gawked as we stepped inside. This tree was filled with treasure, weapons, and loot. “Anything you like here?”

I looked around, spotting a number of treasures that no doubt had power and value of their own, but I’d learned with my bonesword that no weapon could make up for a lack of internal power.

“These are lovely, but the reason I have been hunting beasts is to increase my cultivation to the peak of fifth rank. And help my wives do the same. Is there anything you have that could help me accomplish that?”

“You don’t want this?” She held up a sword that radiated raw power and a lethality that ached to cut into someone. “Just mana crystals is a boring reward.”

“Pass.” I wanted personal power more than that granted by a weapon.

Xiaobai hummed in understanding, waving her arms and pushing her palm into my chest. “If it is just mana crystals to progress, I can help you with that easily enough.”

Mana crystals blossomed in my soul palace, completely overwhelming me. As she continued to fill it, I was scared she was going to flood me with so much that I would burst.

My soul palace creaked. This time it wasn’t with the pressure of gaseous mana but with solid crystals that didn’t give.

The space in my soul palace expanded rapidly, cracking and shattering.

I dispersed some of the crystals, helping to heal the space. But within the cracks, I saw a brief flicker of lighting. It reminded me of the final bolt from my ascension to the fifth rank.

“There’s that power. Your mother put some in you, and it has only expanded with your determined cultivation. Let’s see if we can’t push you further than others.” I frowned. The lightning bolt hadn’t come from my mother. Yet Xiaobai seemed to think it was the same power that had been instilled in me since birth.

“Wait.” I cried out, wanting to ask more questions. But her hand once more pressed against me and my soul palace erupted, shattering as I was flooded with so many mana crystals that I was bursting at the seams.

The strange lighting continued to flicker at the edges of the tears, sucking up the mana crystals. The crystals pushed into the tears, filling the space as my soul space was ripped apart.

There was no stopping Xiaobai. I could see in her face that she was determined, and I was using all my strength to contain the explosion inside my body.

I bit down so hard as I strained that blood welled up from my gums. I felt my body breaking down as my soul was ripped and expanded.

It was so incredibly painful, but it also wasn’t lost on me that the number of mana crystals she’d shoved into me was extravagantly expensive. It might even rival the entire Su Family coffers.

However, instead of using gaseous mana to expand my soul as most would to cultivate, I was using pure mana crystals. And whatever she had called out of that special lightning bolt had changed the sphere. It was firmer, stronger than before.

“That’s it. Try to relax. You’ve weathered many challenges to get yourself to this point. I’m only pushing your limits once more. You were the one to set your own limits this high. Prepare yourself.”

I tried to process her words, realizing too late that she intended to push even further.

I screamed in agony as Xiaobai redoubled her efforts. Crystals continued to blossom from my throne, creating a massive crystal flow that tore into my soul palace walls, ripping the incredibly strong white bone bricks that I had modeled after the material from my mother’s bone sword.

Thinking of the sword, I looked over towards it. It was still stuck into the ground before my throne, but mana crystals had pushed themselves into the hollow of the bone, where marrow had once resided.

I had a feeling these crystals would only make it stronger.

Following the same logic, I tried to let my soul palace breathe in the mana crystals that were being shoved inside of me by Xiaobai.

I watched as the mana crystals interlaced with the bone bricks, filling the empty spaces. As a result, my palace stopped cracking and being torn apart. Where mana flooded the bricks and couldn’t find space, it blossomed out like crystalline thorns.

I smiled, experiencing a bit of relief as I allowed the mana crystals into the structure of my soul, then allowed that strange lightning bolt to travel along the mana crystals. It seemed to seep into my soul palace, once again burying itself deep.

“What is that?” I asked.

“A gift from the heavens because you have the power of creation.” Xiaobai gave me a non answer. “Are you ready for your other rewards?”

“You’ve done so much already. I couldn’t think of asking you for more.” I paused, eyeing her and seeing her commitment to whatever she had in mind. “But if you are going to do something, a bit more of a heads up would be appreciated.”

She smirked. “The rest isn’t very painful. First, I wanted to give you a piece of advice.”

I got serious and gave her my full attention. Given the power that she’d displayed, she likely had much I could learn.

“You are unique in the number of bloodlines that you have. And with that small spark of creation flitting around you comes a unique opportunity.” She paused, looking me in the eye, making sure she had my absolute focus.

“Many of the mythical beasts are chimeric in nature. They are blends of creatures that once populated the natural world. That suggests that bloodlines can be merged.” She raised a suggestive eyebrow.

It wasn’t hard to follow what she was suggesting. “I can merge my bloodlines?”

“Yes. At least, temporarily. Keep in mind that the strain it will put on your body is unknown.” She tapped her chin, losing herself in thought before she seemed to come back to the present. “But you’d have figured that out eventually, I’m sure. So it is only a small reward for me to offer it to you.”

I nodded, feeling suddenly like a frog at the bottom of a well. The idea of merging them hadn’t ever occurred to me. “Thank you.”

She nodded, walking over to a part of her kitchen and starting to shift things around in it.

“Was there another gift?”

She turned around, pretending to be aghast. “Greedy, greedy!”

I opened my mouth quickly to apologize and explain that she’d made it sound like there was another, when she broke into a huge grin.

Less than amused, I snapped my mouth shut from my apology. Despite her being an incredibly powerful and mysterious being. Xiaobai seemed to have a mischievous side. “Of course. How thoughtless of me. So, I guess I should be on my way. Bring me back?”

“You are no fun. I’ve been on my own for quite some time.” She sighed, exasperated at my reluctance to be teased by her. “I saw you are going to the shard of a shattered world. I might have a little tip for you.”

That had my full attention, but I figured I’d give her the full goal in case it changed her advice. “I’m going to help the Feng Family obtain the essence blood of a phoenix. Personally, I’m interested in finding a phoenix’s core.”

Xiaobai nodded. “To add them to your stable of mana beasts. I cannot help you with that. But I can tell you that there used to be a phoenix in that shard, and she used to be a good friend of mine. I am not sure what has happened to her since I last saw her, but if you can find her, she would know how to solve the issue with your mana beasts being unable to bear children.”

The last sentence floored me. My mind swirled, and I knew if my mana beasts were watching, they were experiencing the same flood of emotions, or maybe more.

I sat in a nearby chair. The importance of the shard adventure had just become more important.

As I looked back up at her, I realized something else.

“That would mean you were around before whatever happened to create those shards of this shattered world.” I guessed.

Xiaobai only smiled at me. “I think it is about time you head back. And don’t kill any more of those cute beasts. I gave you enough to last for a long time.”

I still wasn’t completely clear on what she was, but she seemed like some sort of variant of mana beasts or whatever came before them. Her strength was on a completely different level. I had to wonder if any of the ancient families posed a threat to her. “You have my word. Thank you for your help. The bounty of mana crystals you gave me is more than I could have expected. You’re sure you can afford to lose these?”

She waved my comment away. “When you’ve lived as long as I have, you collect quite the stock. It’s the least that I can do.”

“Now, let’s be on our way.” She grabbed me by the shoulder and walked with me.

Like before, the world seemed to blur despite the fact that my legs were moving at a casual pace. All at once, it snapped back into focus and we were once back at the cave I’d been camping within.

I looked around, but Xiaobai was gone.

It all seemed so surreal, like it could have all been a dream.

Tugging at my rings, my mana beasts appeared before me. “Please tell me you all saw that.”

“Saw what?” Aurora rubbed the sleepiness out of her eyes. And she wasn’t the only one; they all looked as if they’d just woken up.

“We were all sleeping off the meal we’d just had.” Quinn said apologetically. “Why? What happened?” She looked around the cave, trying to piece together whatever I’d experienced.

I looked into the forest, wondering if I’d see any sign of Xiaobai. Something told me it hadn’t been by accident that she’d waited to approach me until my mana beasts were tired.

I thought back to when it had been like she was peering into me. Had she been able to see them?

A shiver went down my spine.

“Never mind. I met a new friend, and she gave me new treats. Let’s head into the cave, and then you all need to come check out my soul palace.”

Quinn lifted a golden eyebrow and darted back into her ring. The others followed, driven by curiosity.

I stepped into the cave we’d been staying in and sealed it with a large stone before diving into my own soul palace.

The place had changed drastically. Every surface was covered in shards of mana crystals. They were cropping out of the bricks like some sort of invasive mold.

My throne was crowned by the largest of the shards; they ringed around me. But what really caught my attention was my bone sword.

It had crystalline structures growing out of the base of the sword, like a decorative guard. But instead of the blue of mana crystals, they were gold, like the lightning that had been stuffed inside of me.

Touching the sword, I could feel a new, unique strength pulsing inside of it. She had led me right to my goal. I could feel myself on the precipice of the sixth rank. And after watching what it took, I was convinced I couldn’t have gotten there myself before we’d ventured into the shard.

“Master! What happened?” Aurora backwinged as she flew into my soul palace to come to a sudden stop, staring at the walls in shock. She hovered at the entrance like she was afraid to come inside.

“Everything is fine. Come on in.”

She was swiftly followed by Mei, Quinn and Lumi. The four mana beasts walked in, their heads spinning as they looked around. “It’s thrumming with power.” Lumi said in awe, reaching out and lightly running her hand over the stone.

“We know little about achieving the sixth rank.” Quinn reminded me. “So far, we’ve been focused on what we need to do for expanding the fifth rank. What happened?”

I smiled, watching all of their awed faces. “There was a powerful, ancient beast that found me in the woods. She’d been watching us throughout the hunting grounds. It’s thanks to all of you I even got the chance to meet her.” They all perked up, looking at me as I continued.

“It was your trust in me and the way we are with each other that convinced her I was both the right person to help her and worthy of the reward.” I kept it vague. I wasn’t sure how I was going to explain things when Bai eventually showed up.

I wasn’t even sure fully how Bai would fit into our lives. Was she more mana beast or human? When I thought about it, I couldn’t see her joining the mana beasts. She seemed far too much of a free spirit.

“That’s all?” Mei looked at me skeptically and stepped closer to sniff. “I can smell a woman on you.” Her nose twitched.

I nodded. It was best we get the information out sooner rather than later. I quickly explained to them what had happened and the matter with Bai.

“And her mother gave me the boost to my cultivation. But she also gave me something else. She told me that I should be able to use two bloodlines at a time and finally… she told me of someone who might be able to help the four of you have children with me.”

All four of them froze in their movements.

Mei looked up at me with eyes on the verge of tears. “Really?”

“Yes.”

Within moments, I found myself pressed back into my throne as Mei peppered me with kisses and her fluffy black tails twacked all over me, dusting me in a layer of fine hairs.

But she was pulled out of my lap by Quinn, who quickly stepped in, peppering me with questions. “Who, where? How do we get there? When can we go?”

Aurora was simply twirling in the air above Quinn’s head, holding her arms out like she had a pregnant belly.

Quinn poked me, bringing my focus back to her and her questions.

I smiled. “In the shard Ming Feng wants us to go into with her, there was once a phoenix. Xiaobai said the phoenix would know how to help.”

Aurora floated down lazily. “Perfect! So we go and kill everyone and then search the place with a fine-toothed comb. Easy peasy!” Aurora let out a happy squeal.

The rest of my mana beasts nodded in agreement.

“Most likely she’s already passed, and all we can hope to find is her core.” I reminded the beasts.

“So you use her for your fifth ring. Then we will have her to help us.” Quinn nodded sagely.

“Yes! She can even show us ancient sex moves.” Mei added, wiggling her hips. The mana beasts all turned to look at her.

She gave a soft sigh as her cute fox ears wilted. “I mean, she can play The Game and win IOUs.”

Lumi looked determined at that. “Yes. She’ll be the new one for all of you to gang up on. I agree with this.”

“What is ‘The Game’?” I asked, interested in the fact that it apparently won IOUs for sexual favors.

“What is what?” Aurora tilted her head in confusion but couldn’t keep the smile off her face.

“I think he asked what his name was.” Mei added, further diverting the conversation.

Quinn played along. “I think he must have hit his head. We should nurse him back to health.”

“Absolutely. If nothing else, we should reward all his growth in cultivation. I mean, doesn’t he have another six days to pass before Ming Feng takes him to this shard of a shattered world?”

Mei bounced on her feet, nodding her head. “With how much master has grown, he should be able to help all of us in our cultivation.”

They all spoke quickly, and I was unable to get another word in before they started trying to undress me. “Hold on a second. Wasn’t I just asking about ‘The Game?’”

“Were you, Master?” Aurora kissed my neck as Lumi pulled off my robe. “Or were you asking for sex?”

I squinted at my kunpeng as she tried to get me to drop the topic. “Fine. Keep your secrets.”

The mana beasts all giggled as they abandoned the charade and we turned into a passion of twisted bodies.