Mana 6 Chapter 27 (Patreon)

Three days later, I emerged from my bedroom. My mana beasts were all finally asleep and satisfied. I hadn’t realized just how badly they had wanted babies until day two.

I desperately needed a bath, and it wasn’t going to happen if I stayed in my home. One of my mana beasts would wake up soon and drag me back to bed.

I wondered if my wives had had to do more damage control with the elders over the mana we had pulled. The three days had included some serious dual cultivation, and the six of them had expanded my strength as they had rejoined my soul space.

The only issue we had faced was when I had tried to harmonize my bloodline with Foo.

Instead of gaining a new bloodline entirely, I could feel it strengthen my Pixiu bloodline. I no longer had that spark that was creating new bloodlines with the technique.

I wondered if that’s what Old Jin had expected of the technique all those years ago. Now, I understood more about Old Jin. He wasn’t just some high-level cultivator. He was another being on the same level as Xiaobai, whatever that was.

Circling around my home, I found a sectioned off area with a large bath and a big jug of water sitting next to it. I smiled. One of my wives knew me very well.

I quickly reheated it with fire mana and eased my body into it.

My life mana had helped keep my muscles healed as I strained them in various ways, but there was still something relaxing and healing in the warm water.

I settled in, steadying my breathing as I listened to the wind whistle between the slats. I reached out further, hearing the birds chirping in the distance, but then I heard the faint echoes of screaming.

I tried to pretend I hadn’t heard it, but I had.

I groaned, quickly scrubbing myself and throwing on a robe before I tipped over the bath and went out to see what was happening.

Xiexie and Ember breezed past me as I walked out to the entrance of my courtyard.

A guard was huffing and puffing as he stopped dead in front of me.

“Those two.” He pointed angrily at Xiexie and Ember, who had decided to hide behind me.

“Big Brother, the meany is trying to get us,” Xiexie declared.

“Yeah, dad. He’s a big bully,” Ember echoed Xiexie, despite being the older one.

“Leave. I’ve got this,” I told the guard firmly. They were my children; I would be the one to discipline them.

The guard swallowed and nodded before turning around and hurrying away as fast as he could.

“Thanks, dad!” Ember turned to hurry away, but I caught her by the back of her robe and lifted her back in front of me.

Xiexie looked at the two of us, confused. “Big Brother, are we in trouble?”

“Not if you didn’t cause trouble.” I grinned from ear to ear, but it did little to reassure Ember. She knew the drill.

Ember’s eyes went wide with concern. “Honest, it wasn’t even a big deal.”

“Oh, then let us take you to your mother. We can talk it out as a family.” I pushed gently on Ember’s back to lead her to the longhouse.

Ember fell down to the ground and clung to my pant legs. “No. I’m good. No need to involve mom.”

“She can help us sort this out.” I took a step, but she latched on firmly to my leg and came with me.

“That’s the guard that Xiexie pantsed. He chases us every time he sees us,” Ember said quickly.

“Hey! We each grabbed a side of his pants,” Xiexie revealed the truth.

Ember shrugged, firmly ready to throw Xiexie under the charging horse. “I didn’t have a chance to pull, so really you pantsed him.”

Xiexie’s eyes were wide with the betrayal.

I grabbed both of them and hoisted them up. “Sounds like we need to see your mother.”

“Sure. I can just go get my punishment from my father.” Xiexie smiled sweetly at me.

“What kind of big brother would I be if I didn’t help you with your manners? You can join Ember with Kat.” I smiled right back.

Both of them wilted as I walked them into the longhouse.

Plenty of women were gathered there; many of them appeared to be practicing cooking. Diana was the first to notice me and got Kat’s attention.

Kat turned with a smile, one that faded into a motherly scowl as she saw me carrying Ember. She rose, her dark red dress billowing with how fast she spun on Ember. “What do we have here? Two little trouble makers being dragged in?”

Ember shrunk back into my arms. “No. Me? Trouble? Never.”

Xiexie glanced back and forth between Ember and Kat with a worried look.

Kat would never hurt Ember, and part of me knew that Ember had learned some of her wildness from Kat, but Kat was a good mother. She would discipline her child, and she could be just as terrifying as a mother as she was an enemy.

Kat checked with me to verify they were indeed needing punishment before clapping her hands and getting the attention of all the ladies in the longhouse. “Good news, everyone. I know we’ve been practicing cooking for my dear husband, and now we have two lovely assistants that will be cleaning all the dishes you dirty today.”

As she said it, she turned with a motherly scowl towards the girls. “Won’t we?”

“Yes, mom,” Ember replied like a filial child.

Xiexie took her cues from Ember and nodded rapidly, looking terrified of Kat.

“Wonderful. I see a nice pile of dishes already over there.”

A mound would have been a better description. There were still over two dozen Yunpi ladies in the courtyard after the departure of those not interested. And it didn’t help that the Yunpi ladies were cooking up a storm now that I had arrived.

“But—” Ember started.

“No buts. Clean all the dishes. I want them spotless and dried. Both of you. When you are done with that, we can work on laundry.” Kat’s face was warm and motherly, though her tone was far different.

Ember hunched her shoulders and stomped her way over to the basin under Kat’s watchful eye.

“Xiexie is a little young for dishes, don’t you think?” I started, but a sharp look from Kat made me abandon that question. I left her to it and joined the table with my wives.

“I’m surprised to see you. We thought we’d be out a husband for at least a week,” Nikki joked.

“If I didn’t want to become an emaciated husk, I thought I should take a break. My mana beasts are back in our shared soul space,” I informed them.

“Still acting like your mana beasts?” Wenxi frowned. “I thought they’d be a little more active.”

Shrugging, I had a feeling that it would take some time. They were settling back into what was comfortable, and they’d venture out as time grew.

“Your favorite fried rice.” Ai swooped in and laid down a plate before me, delivering a kiss on my cheek with it.

“And Yun Dumplings.” Rue came next with her plate and kiss.

“And Sweet Rolls.” Kiss.

“And hash browns.” Kiss.

“And… and… and…”

They just kept coming along with a kiss as they all tried to find their way to my heart through my stomach.

“At least we get to eat well,” Thea said, scooping some fried rice out of the large dish before passing it down.

I looked back at the Yunpi women as they bustled around the kitchen.

Now that I was back and planning to stay for a while, it was time that I actually gave them a chance. I needed to see which women were most compatible with me and my family.

I grabbed one of the Yunpi ladies by the arm as she passed. “Would you mind sitting here and joining me for this meal?”

She looked around for help, clearly flustered at my sudden question before pulling herself together. “Of course. My name is—”

“Tia. I remember your name from earlier. You made…” My eyes searched the table before me; I knew I’d recognize it. “… these red bean paste buns.” Lifting the bowl, I put one on my plate. “They are wonderful.”

She gave me a bright, brilliant smile. “Thank you. I wasn’t sure if you could tell all of us apart yet.”

“You are all lovely and unique women. I just haven’t had much time.”

“But that’s about to change,” Michelle said hopefully.

“My role has changed. I’m not rushing out on adventure. I’ll be here in the family, cultivating. I need to help us keep our advantage when the Leon family finally makes a move.”

The elders believed that it would be many years away, but I wasn’t so sure. The fire in Edmond’s eyes had told me that he had other plans. But there was only so much that I could do. I’d be prepared, but I refused to let him take too many of my thoughts.

“Your role?” Tia paused. “A rumor is spreading that you will become an elder. Is that true?” Tia asked.

I wasn’t surprised that rumors had already begun. Gaining a new elder in one of the families sounded like a grand affair. But I did know that, once I confirmed it, it would spread even faster.

“Yes.” I paused. “Though I have no idea when they will hold the ceremony and announce it. I’ve been… preoccupied the last few days.”

Tia giggled and attempted to turn away to hide a blush. “I’m sorry, it was inappropriate of me to laugh at an elder.”

“I’m still the same me, just a level higher. I have no desire to be treated like some sort of stuffy old man in my own home. But we will probably have to follow some of the customs outside these walls, though.”

“Of course. Well, it sounds like we have cause to celebrate!” Tia leaned forward and kissed me, sucking at my lip and giving it a slight nibble.

Michelle cleared her throat. “We are happy that you are going to be staying home more. But given that we haven’t seen you for three days, we would like to take some of your time.”

The rest of my wives turned with hungry glints in their eyes.

I cleared my throat, nodding. “Of course.”

Michelle came around the table and grabbed my hands to lead me away.

“Tia, can you talk to Terrance and get the date of my ceremony? Then please bring food and water to my home,” I asked.

She nodded and then frowned. “Food and water?”

“I’m trying not to die. Please bring food and water at least three times a day.”

Michelle turned to add her own items. “We will need some whipped cream and preserves too—those are always fun. Oh, and be sure to prepare yourselves before entering.”

With that, I scooped up Michelle and tossed her over my shoulder before casting one more glance back at a befuddled Tia to make sure that she understood her tasks.

***

Peering at the mana crystal with the sun behind it, I spun it, casting a prism of light over my vision.

A week had passed since I’d gone off with my wives, and I was sifting through a pile of mana crystals the size of an elephant. Since the Hua sisters had joined forces with Wenxi and Lanhua, the four of them were pulling in a large quantity of mana crystals, multiplying my wives’ initial earnings.

While it certainly wasn’t the entire family’s earning, it was enough of a sample size that, if the Leon family tried to push the tainted mana crystals into the Yunpi family, I’d see it.

I’d gone and visited the mountainous elder, Tianwu, the previous day. He had used all of my tainted mana crystals with his experiment, but at least he was on board with the risk that they posed. I would have to find another to have an example.

Tianwu believed that they would be used to poison Yunpi’s future, but I wasn’t so sure that the Leon family was that patient. I wanted to be sure, so I sifted through the mana crystals myself.

“Son, you should have people for that,” my mother said, pulling me from the latest crystal.

“I gave all of my examples away, and until they see it once, I don’t know if I trust them to find it.” I put my current crystal down and picked up the next one.

The Hua sisters kept trading goods and buying more, which provided for an endless supply of new opportunities to find the tainted mana crystals.

“Are you nervous about tomorrow?” my mother asked, as if trying to find a reason why I was doing such a mundane task.

“It’s just a ceremony,” I said, brushing off the fact that I would soon become a true elder.

“Uh huh.” My mother didn’t sound convinced. “That’s why you are hip deep in mana crystals, looking for a needle in a haystack. And choosing to do so when there are no less than a dozen girls pointlessly walking past here constantly with idle tasks. Heck, half of them have walked back and forth with the same empty baskets.”

I chuckled.

She wasn’t too far off that mark. The other day, Tia had gotten bold, delivering food and herself to me and my wives. I had dual cultivated with her, but I hadn’t connect her to the shared soul space. And ever since that, the other Yunpi women had been staying nearby.

“I don’t need help on that front from my mother. Thank you, though.”

Jonny walked back into the courtyard with Tabitha on his arm.

I smiled, happy for both of them. Tabitha had never held appeal for me; I was glad that she had found somebody.

“That’s the problem?” My mother followed my line of sight.

“No. There’s no problem except these damn mana crystals. You didn’t see the mine. They’d already dug so much of it out,” I grumbled as I continued to study the crystals. “My gut tells me they’re going to be used somehow to attack us.”

I lifted another crystal to peer through it. My mother snatched it from my hands and held it up to the sun.

“Nope, nothing in this one.” She tossed it to the side. “Now, let’s get out of this courtyard. You need fresh air. I know!” She smacked her hand against her forehead, faking some new inspiration. “Let’s go on a mother and son date.”

I put another crystal down and gave her a flat stare. “Really?”

“Yes really. It would be so much fun. Do it for your mother?” She gave me a pitiful expression.

I paused before deciding that I should spend some more time with her. “Fine, yeah. Let me get these put away.”

Lilly clapped her hands excitedly, nothing like the maturity one expected from a mother. “Finally, my son is going to spend time with me.”Feeling manipulated, I managed to hold back a snarky retort about how we would have had more time if she hadn’t left me. I realized that maybe some of those wounds still existed. It was probably a good idea for us to spend some more time together.

Pushing the mana crystals into two piles, I sent the cleared ones into the shared soul space while collecting the others into a spatial ring.

“Come. You haven’t been out of your courtyard in a week. Rumors are swirling about your ascension to the elder position, and you should get to know the family at large.” My mother grabbed my hand and pulled me along.

Ai almost stopped us, but thought better of it when she saw that I was with my mother. So instead, she waved goodbye.

“Smart girl,” my mother commented as we started out of the courtyard.

The guards tried to be sneaky, but they failed pretty miserably. A number of them split off from their current duty to trail behind us.

“Where to?” I asked, walking along the path. A fork was coming up ahead.

“The market is nice this time of day. It’s mostly goods pulled in from the city and sold by Yunpi, but you’ll be seen and see your people.” My mother took the right path and I followed her down to the market.

“What are we shopping for?” I asked.

“Friends.” My mother smiled. “You can afford to buy small things from everyone. Do it and talk to them.”

I understood what she wanted and followed along, stopping at the first stand.

“That’s a lovely bracelet.” I figured if I was going to do some idle shopping, my wives would love some new jewelry.

“You are Isaac, right?” The woman at the shop leaned forward to talk to me rather than close the sale.

“Yes, son of Lilly.”

“I’ve seen two of your wives in the market often; their pink hair sticks out quite a bit.” She propped her elbows on the stall, and I knew we were going to be chatting for a while.

But my mother was right—I needed to build more connections among the family. So I chatted with her, making small talk. And then I continued through the market, stall by stall. I bought small trinkets as we chatted, and I got to know them better.

“You really have so many wives?” a woman asked as she picked through her stall for change. It was apparently the talk of the family.

It was not the first time that I’d gotten that question as I went through the stalls.

“I’m not sure; I keep losing count,” I laughed, hoping she’d understand that it was a joke.

She chuckled and fished out a small mana crystal for change.

“Thank you.” I casually looked at the crystal and saw a thin black line.

Lifting it up to the sun, I inspected it more closely.

“Is everything all right?”

“No. Everything isn’t all right.” I could clearly see the taint in this mana crystal.”

“Oh. I’m sorry. Let me give you a different crystal.” She hurried to dig through her purse.

“Stop. The crystal is fine. Who gave it to you?”

She stumbled over her words. “I-I don’t know. Let me think.”

The vendor paused, taking the crystal back from me and staring at it as if it would deliver her answers.

I waited.

Finally, she tapped her fingers on the crystal. “I think I remember her. She was pretty. About this tall, blonde hair and blue eyes.” She handed me the crystal back. “I didn’t recognize her.”

I paused at her description, concern spreading through me. “Firm hand, walks like a warrior? Blue robe?” Her description matched Michelle.

“No.” The vendor chuckled. “What she wore was no better than walking around naked. It was a pink, sheer dress.”

That ruled out Michelle, but it still didn’t tell me who was bringing tainted crystals into the market.