Mana 6 Chapter 13 (Patreon)

“Ah.” Mei sighed for not the first time as I finished inside of her.

Pulling out, I realized that morning had already passed in the frenzy, and the sun was already leaning toward the evening.

“Girls, we should clean up.” I pulled out of Mei.

“One more?” Mei asked, batting her eyelashes at me.

I shook my head. We’d already done ‘one more’.

“No, or you’ll have me in bed until the sun sets. We should move on before we are attacked again tonight.”

I looked around the room, realizing it had become quite a mess throughout all our fun. But I didn’t feel too bad after they’d sent assassins into my room the previous night. A little floor scrubbing might do them some good.

“How are we going to sneak out?” Aurora asked, picking herself off the bed and putting on a green dress before she distracted me too much.

“I was thinking that we would all put on hooded cloaks and head in different directions to confuse whoever is watching this place at the moment. Then, once we reach the limit of the range where it’s possible, you all disappear back into your rings. Hopefully, we’ll end up spreading out their forces that way.”

When none of them objected, I continued. “I’ll use Mei’s void mana to teleport short distances, helping me disappear once I’m the only one left to target and they’re already confused.”

Phoebe nodded. “The plan makes sense, but what if it doesn’t work?”

“Well, we’ll know tonight if it doesn’t work. Once they lose track of me, it will be difficult to find me again in the outer city. This place is far too busy.”

I knew it was a possibility that they could find me again, but if that happened, I was already working on a backup plan.

“Let’s get moving. Cloaks on.” I stated as I pulled on a fresh set of robes and a dark cloak over them.

Each of my mana beasts made their own cloaks of a dark, matching material and hunched their shoulders as we filed out of the room.

The hostess caught us partway down the stairs and looked at us strangely as we walked out into the afternoon sun.

My back prickled as soon as we stepped outside, and I knew we were being watched.

At the first intersection, one of my mana beasts broke off from our group. An intersection later, the four of us went different directions.

I continued forward, trusting them to know when they were hitting the boundary of how far they could go.

About a minute later, I felt them start to return to their rings, and I tapped into Mei’s void mana. I quickly disappeared from the street and reappeared in an alley.

But as I reappeared, I bumped into a black-robed figure.

The assassin looked at me with startled eyes as I reacted far faster than them, my knife hand technique cutting right through their throat and splashing blood over the alley.

I smiled, pleased that I’d managed to eliminate one of my tails.

I threw the cloak into my spatial ring and darted through the alley, using void mana once again to skip the street all together. I didn’t want to be spotted until I was much further away.

I continued using the technique, flitting along the alleys of the outer city, hopefully dodging any eyes that the Bishou had looking for me.

It was hours later that I emerged from an alley amid the sunset and walked into an inn with the cloak back in place.

I stepped into the inn, bumping into a pair of people as I kept my head down.

“Watch it.” A familiar voice said.

I looked up, and we recognized each other immediately.

“Isaac?” Jonny’s eyes went wide. “Holy shit, man.”

I looked him over. Jonny had still maintained a little roundness, despite his cultivation level. And his skin was as bronze as ever. I couldn’t help but smile at running into my childhood friends.

Steve stood quietly to Jonny’s side, regarding me with a smile and a nod that communicated more than he’d ever do with words.

“Good to see you two.” My plan completely fell to pieces seeing both of them. I grabbed them both by the shoulder and pushed them back into the tavern bar. “We should grab a drink and catch up.”

“Hell yeah.” Jonny shouted loud enough to get a few people to turn our way.

Steve scowled at Jonny.

“He’s not in hiding— oh. Shit, are you hiding, man?” Jonny took in my cloak.

“Sort of. I killed a few assassins.” I smirked.

“Sounds like a great story! Definitely one to have over drinks, right Steve?” Jonny clapped me on the back while Steve simply nodded once.

I let Jonny lead me exuberantly to a table and wave down the server. “Three of your finest ales.”

“Jonny.” I scolded him for his spending.

“What? We have jobs with The Leon Family; we are paid wonderfully.”

My stomach dropped as I realized I was about to sour the mood of our get together. They’d gone off and found a place they were clearly happy, and I was about to ruin it.

Johnny paused, seeing the look on my face. I took a breath, wishing that the ale had come faster before I told them my news.

Ripping off the bandaid, I stated, “I found my mother and her family; I am from the Yunpi family.”

Jonny scowled, but he wasn’t scowling at me. He let out a frustrated groan before shrugging and pulling something out of his pocket.

Johnny smacked it down on the table and then lifted his hand up. “Well, that was fun while it lasted. Steve, give me your token. We are burning them now.”

As Jonny lifted up his hand, I saw a small hexagon plate that had the Leon family name on it; there was also a very complex enchantment on the plate.

“Hold up.” I put my hand over the token before Jonny could destroy it.

His loyalty warmed my heart, but I had a new plan forming rapidly at these developments. I knew I was in enemy territory, and the Bishou and the Leon were actively looking for me. The last likely place they would look was right under their noses.

Steve cocked his head to the side in question, seeing the wheels in my head spinning.

I smiled at him, feeling better and better about my plan. “Yeah, Steve. I have a plan.”

He gave me a broad grin and nodded, already following along. “Go ahead.”

“Your drinks.” The server put down three tall mugs and batted her eyelashes at Jonny, who gave her his most charming smile.

It was everything I could do not to roll my eyes. “Even now you are skirt chasing? It hasn’t gotten old?”

“Of course! How could I stop when there is so much pleasure left in the world to enjoy? Now that I’m immortal, think of all the women out there who need a bit of love, and I have forever to give it to them.” Jonny wiped his hand across the air like he was painting a picture.

Steve appropriately rolled his eyes.

“And how’s Betsy?” I asked Steve.

“Five beauties.” He said, spreading his hand.

I laughed that we all had harems, although Steve’s was a little unorthodox.

“So.” Jonny leaned in, grabbing his ale and pulling it closer. “What’s the plan?”

“First, why don’t we swap stories while we enjoy our ale? I’ve got some good ones, and I’d love to hear what you two have been up to. And also whatever you’ve learned about the Leon family.” I raised my glass, clinking it with theirs, and we sat back, enjoying the drink. I knew I was being hunted, but I had also learned to take the moments presented. It felt good to sit with my old friends, people I could truly trust, after being surrounded by spies of my family.

Conversation came easily as we swapped stories and shared pieces of our lives. It was like no time had passed as we comfortably bantered back and forth.

As I began describing my time with Ming, I tried to keep my description of our interactions more vague to build up to it, but Steve gave me a look that said he already knew where it was going.

“Hey, I could very easily have just been friends with her. Just because she’s beautiful and kind doesn’t mean I’d automatically bring her into my harem and marry her.” I critiqued his assumption.

All he did was give me a ‘do you really think I don’t know you’ stare as he took another sip of his drink.

I sighed. “Well, yes, I married a princess, among other things.” I launched back into my story, catching them up on what had led me to the Yunpi family.

***

“Ha! You got that bastard, Hendrick.” Jonny slapped down another empty mug.

Steve had started to stack the glasses into a small tower in the middle of the table like a monument to our reunion.

“I can’t believe you’ve slept with Tabitha; she’s a bitch.” I wrinkled my face, a little disturbed that he’d slept with one of the women who had been offered up to me as an option.

There was no way I was going near her now, even if she had been more charming. “You haven’t slept with any other Yunpi women, have you?” I squinted at him through the fog of a nice buzz.

Jonny leaned back, counting on his fingers and then resetting his fingers and counting again before shaking his head. “No. Unfortunately. We haven’t been here too long, and now that we’ve joined the Leon family, it would be more work than it’s worth.”

“Great. Do me a favor and just write off the whole Yunpi family.” I teased back.

Jonny waffled his head before speaking. “I can hold back for a bit and give you some time to make your choices. But we’re immortal now. I make no promises that I’ll leave the women in that family alone forever.” He grinned at me like a Cheshire cat. “But you still haven’t gotten to this grand plan. Or why you’re on the run.”

“So, I told you how the Bishou were trying to assassinate us before we came to the Yunpi family, and how Lanhua, Celina, and I made an example of them?” I asked.

The guys nodded.

“Well, they decided as their revenge, they’d try to take Lanhua and Celina.” I gripped the side of the table as I said it, trying to keep from having my anger boil out. “They failed at taking Celina, but they got Lanhua. I’d hoped my family would help retrieve her, but apparently she’s only good if she’s being used to breed new family members.” Steve and Jonny were visibly angry, and I once again remembered why they were my good friends.

“I wasn’t about to stay in their courtyard and pop out babies while she was taken, so I left. But either the Leon family or the Bishou, or both had spies watching. They know I left the confines of the family’s estate, and they’re interested in hunting me down.” I paused, waiting to get their thoughts.

Jonny thought for a moment before saying, “Lanhua, she’s the one with the delightful touch? The one that also was your master at one point? She sounds fun.” Jonny bounced his eyes suggestively before he was hit in the back of the head by Steve, who shook his head, disappointed.

“Hey, I was kidding. I would never.” Jonny’s face was the definition of innocent.

I grunted but eyed my friend in warning. “Yes, and while we’re not married, we’ve been forming a deeper connection. She’s mine, and she was taken because of my actions. I will get her back.” I said it with full conviction.

Taking another drink, I started to lay out my plan. “But I need to get out of Bishou’s striking range. They’re hunting me, and I need to stay off the radar for the moment. I lost my tail when I walked in here, but now I think I know the perfect place for me to hide.” I tapped at Jonny’s token. “Think you can get me a job at the Leon Family?”

Jonny watched me skeptically before turning to Steve, who communicated wordlessly. “Steve’s right. Won’t they recognize you?”

I smiled. While they were right, that part of the plan had formed when we’d walked past a few storefronts selling modifications on our way into the pub.

There were life mana cultivators who offered techniques to sculpt and correct faces. While large-scale changes were difficult, I figured I could do plenty to make myself less recognizable.

Deciding to give it a try, I began softening my face with life mana, pushing at my cheekbones and changing my brow line slightly. Then I added a dimple to my chin. I stopped there, hoping it was enough to appear different without taking all of my focus to keep it intact. “What do you think?”

Jonny frowned while Steve tilted his head. Finally, they nodded in acceptance.

“Feels weird.” Jonny replied. “I sort of recognize you, but those things made a big difference.”

I shrugged. “So, who do I need to talk to about a job?”

“We can take you to Derrick. He’ll probably hire you based on our recommendation.” Jonny said it proudly.

“What is it that we are doing again?”

Jonny’s smile fell. “Picking weeds out of their cultivation herb garden.”

I laughed hard. It had been so long since I’d had a reason for a genuine belly laugh. These leaders of their sects were now picking weeds.

It was a total waste of Jonny and Steve’s talents. “We need to get you two to the sixth rank.”

“Is that what rank you are now?” Jonny squinted.

I let out just a bit of my aura for him to sense.

“Damnit.” Jonny hit the table and toppled over Steve’s tower of mugs, making a loud clamor. “You cultivate too damn quickly. Give a guy a chance to catch up.”

Steve tugged Jonny’s sleeve and jerked his head.

From the looks that the man behind the bar was giving us, we were no longer welcome after the noise we made.

“Come on. We’ll take you to our glorious palace.” Jonny stood and waved over his shoulder for me to join him.

Steve’s eyeroll was all I needed to know that it was certainly no ‘palace’.

Jonny drunkenly wobbled out of the tavern and through the streets, winding up towards a little out of the way building. “Ah. Our sweet palace.” Jonny opened the door and strode in slowly, as if savoring it.

“A little small for a palace.” I teased him.

“But the mana is so rich on top of this mountain. The land here is so expensive! This place is thousands of times more expensive than my sect's floating mountain.” Jonny hugged the wall of his home. “It’s a palace to me.” He said defiantly.

Steve gave me a ‘just let him win this one’ look.

“Yes, a palace indeed.” I wondered what he’d make of my home in the Yunpi estate, deciding it was better if he didn’t know. He’d want to move in, and I did not trust him around all the women currently staying there.

“See, now you understand.” Jonny returned to himself. “Besides, cultivating up here is how we’ve been able to reach the fifth rank. And with the crystals earned weeding, we are growing at an astounding rate.”

“Are these weeds that hard to pull? Feels like a waste of a fifth ring cultivator.” I frowned.

“Oh. Since they are in the middle of these mana irrigated fields, the weeds tend to develop into mana beasts.” Jonny clarified.

Steve nodded with a tired expression.

I raised a brow in concern. The weeds turned into mana beasts? “Okay, easy enough. I’ll just have to conceal my cultivation, my weapon, my bloodlines, my mana beasts… and my techniques.” I paused, realizing that subtlety was not always my strong suit. “Shit.”

Jonny laughed. “Don’t worry, we’ve got your back. All we have to do is kill a few and we get to keep their cores. But what does this get you besides hiding?”

I grinned. “Given that my family is at war with the Leon family, I’m sure there will eventually be an opportunity to deal some damage to the Leon family. And I might pick up some more intel in the meantime.”

I also knew I might get a chance to learn more about the guardian lion beast core that the family coveted so much. Lanhua was my priority, but if I could learn information to get to that core, I would happily take it.

I wasn’t sure if Lanhua would be held in the Leon estate or with the Bishou. Part of me guessed the Bishou because the Leon family had tried to keep their hands clean of the attacks on me, but I still didn’t know that for sure.

“Well, when you find that opportunity, let us know so we can make it that much worse. And so we can get out in time. Think you could get us a job at the Yunpi family after this?” Jonny asked.

I was pretty sure I could, though I had no idea what my reception would be like once I returned after blasting my way out. Something told me that the more damage I could do to the Leon family, the better my chances would be of a happier reunion.

“I’ll do my best, but I can’t promise anything. I’m still figuring out the family.” Jonny nodded in understanding.

I looked around, seeing a corner that looked like a good area to cultivate. “I’m so damn glad I ran into both of you. It’s been good to catch up. But I need to prepare myself for tomorrow. All good if I cultivate here?” I asked.

When Jonny nodded, I headed over to the corner, sitting cross legend as I sank into my cultivation practice.

As I entered my soul palace, I opened my eyes. The shards of mana crystals littering the floor had been reabsorbed, and the crystals sticking out of the walls were restored as well.

Overall, my soul palace looked like it was in much better condition.

Continuing on, I stepped out and looked at the shared soul space.

The row of soul palaces mirrored each of my ladies, while my mana beasts’ soul palaces floated high overhead.

Wanting to talk to Michelle, I headed towards her soul palace.

As I reached the front, I released a pulse of mana to let her know I was there. It didn’t take long for her to emerge. “Isaac, is everything okay?”

“Everything is fine. I slipped the Bishou, and I even ran into Jonny and Steve.” I couldn’t help but smile at my fortune. She knew them better than most, since we’d all grown up together.

“Really? What are you doing now?” She hesitated before asking.

I pulled her close and kissed her. “Apparently, I’m about to get a job weeding in the Leon family.”

Michelle started cracking up, seeming to enjoy the picture of me weeding as much as I’d enjoyed the thought of Jonny and Steve doing the task. “Thats… brilliant. They will be scouring the city while you hide beneath their nose. But how does that help you find Lanhua?”

I frowned. “It doesn’t. It just lets me recover and keep from being hunted before I’m ready. I was hoping you might have some intel on her. Have the Bishou sent any demands?”

Having no leads, I was hoping they would have made some sort of demands or at least reached out in hopes of luring me to an ambush.

Michelle shook her head. “None.”

I frowned. “That doesn’t fit. Maybe the Yunpi intercepted any such message.”

A light of understanding shone in Michelle’s eyes. “Yes… that is a far more likely scenario. What do you want to do?”

“Ask around. They don’t know we can communicate this way, so can you see if they’ll give you any details? And if they won’t, see if Tabitha or Ai will tell you?” I bit my cheek, trying to figure out other ways to get a lead I could follow.

Unless I had the fortune of running into Lanhua at the Leon family estate, it was going to be like finding a needle in a haystack.

I realized that the other option was running into the Bishou. “Actually, can you also see if Celina has any interest in going assassin hunting at night in the city? They seem to have quite the presence in Cloud City; if she can catch one of the lower level assassins, the kidnapping might be a big enough thing for them to know something.”

“Aren’t they mute?” Michelle asked.

“Some things don’t necessarily need words. Celina will know what to do.”

Michelle wrinkled her nose, never liking Celina’s darker activities. But they were likely going to pay off. “Fine. We’ll see if we can’t catch one, then I’ll… I’ll give them to Kat.”

I winced. If Kat got her hands on one, they were as good as dead, and their secrets wouldn’t be secret for long. “That’s a good idea. Make sure to be there for Kat afterwards.”

“Of course. Now, be safe, and enjoy the time with the boys. When you get home, I think the family is going to push you hard. They won’t like that you escaped, and they will want their offspring filled with your seed.”

I nodded, knowing she was right. “How are the kids?” They should have arrived at the family estate by that point.

“Good. They’re being thrown right into the younger generation of the family, going through Yunpi training. Ember is still a pain, but Xiexie is clinging to her like a big sister. It seems to make the rest of the family put up with her antics more, so at least there’s that.”

I knew those two trouble makers would fit in together like two pieces of a puzzle. Pulling Michelle into me, I ran my hands through her hair as she looked up at me. “I love you Michelle, but I better get to cultivating.” I kissed her deeply, and she clutched me close. Before squeezing her and letting go, I took the time to enjoy the press of her body against me.

As I turned, she grabbed my arm and pulled me back for one more kiss before she turned and swayed her ass as she walked back into her soul palace.

I watched my beautiful wife go before turning and heading back to my own soul palace to practice.

If I was going to pretend to be somebody else, I needed to dust off a few of my old techniques and figure out a few new ways to kill a lower level mana beast. The less I did that others could recognize, the better.

I decided to start on Lumi’s lightning and Phoebe’s fire mana. As my newer elements, I’d spent the least time using them.

So I started there, practicing their elements and forming a few new but simple techniques to work into my fighting. I kept focused, practicing until I noticed Phoebe standing nearby, a grin on her face and a sword in her hand.

“I thought I should follow through on my commitment and continue your sword work.” She pointed her sword at my throat before closing the distance.

I summoned the bone sword into my hand and blocked her attack. “I’m going to try and work fire and lighting into my attacks. Get ready.”

Lightning burst off of me and wreathed my sword as it flashed forward.

“Simple, but good. Let’s see your fire.” Phoebe controlled the element like another limb as fire washed around her and struck out at me.

I blocked and countered, using my own fire to coat my arm and break through her guard. The flames splashed harmlessly over her, and I frowned. “That’s cheating.”

“I am a phoenix; you are going to need much hotter fire than that for me to even feel it.” Phoebe grinned and tapped her sword on my neck while I had been reeling from my failed strike. I grumbled, and we broke apart, blurring once more into new attacks.

Phoebe worked me hard, teaching me new ways to use my sword to attack and helping me practice my new techniques. We trained through the night, and I got better at mixing lightning and fire into my fighting style. While weeding didn’t sound enjoyable, I was excited to get to spend some more time with my friends and get to train alongside them once more.