Mana 6 Chapter 30 (Patreon)

The Leon family elders were delivered to the Leon family in pieces, as promised. They’d all tried to take the coward’s way out in the end and were cut down before they could flee.

I returned to the elder ceremony with the corpses of all the Leon family’s seventh rank immortals.

The elders had told me the ceremony was about making an impression on the rest of the ancient families, and I had a feeling I’d accomplished that rather well. I got looks of respect and terror for most of the night; I had a feeling I’d left an impression that would last for years to come.

I asked the rest of the elders to hide the power of my wives and their involvement in the fight. They would be my trump card should anyone ever challenge the Yunpi family again.

But based on our new power, the weakening of the Leon family, and the terror on faces around us, I had a feeling that it would be a few lifetimes before the next challenge would come.

A sharp crack across my knuckles brought me out of my thoughts. “Ouch.”

“You weren’t paying attention. You should pay attention at an elders’ meeting.” My mother smiled, but there was vengeance in her eyes.

She wasn’t happy that she had gotten roped into joining the elders of the family, and she blamed me.

“I would think that you would stop trying to raise me at this point. I’m a seventh rank immortal.”

“I’m still your mother,” she snorted. “Now, Tianwu, what were we discussing?”

The mountainous elder was barely holding back a laugh, but he managed to smother it and continue. “I believe it was trade deals with the Feng family.”

I let out an audible sigh that made Tianwu frown.

“Is this too boring a topic for you?”

“I was hoping we’d have news of the mining operation near Junli City by now.” Wanting to hear more about it was half the reason I came to the meetings.

“They are combing leagues of jungle, working to find it. As you know, because the teleportation circles in the city were destroyed by the Leon family before we could get to them, that is the only recourse we have. It will take time, but we’ll find it and seal the mine, along with ridding the world of the Bishou,” the Western branch elder reassured me.

It was a week since we’d had the fight with the Leon family, and I was antsy for more progress, but I understood that it would take time. We had raided the Leon family estate the day after the battle, stripping them of all of their resources and upending their family.

They were a warning to all other ancient families. That had been a satisfying moment, but there hadn’t been much progress since.

I sat there while Tianwu and the others droned on about trade deals, counting the minutes before I could be back in my courtyard with my women.

As the meeting wrapped up, I got up and hurried out, ready to be home.

“Big brother!” A Xiexie-sized missile clung to my back.

“Hi, Xiexie.” I rubbed her head. “I’m done with the meeting and heading back home.”

“Yay!” she cheered as she climbed up my back to ride on my shoulders.

It had been hard to watch Xiexie’s face shrivel up when she found out her father had died, but I’d made sure she was surrounded with comfort and family. She was now staying with my family in my courtyard.

She seemed to be bouncing back well, but it helped that every woman in the courtyard was spoiling her, feeling sorry for her sadness. I’d caught her milking it more than a few times for an extra sweet.

“Mush, big brother! Big sister Ai promised me candies.”

“Did she now?” I laughed, not increasing my speed one bit.

Xiexie’s little fists hammered on my head in annoyance. “I said faster.”

“I am going faster, can’t you tell?” Without even looking, I knew she was squinting suspiciously at me, trying to figure out if I was going faster or not.

“You’re too slow.”

“We are immortal, Xiexie. There is no harm in enjoying the family estate while we walk back.”

“Okay.” She paused for all of one second. “There. We’ve enjoyed it. Now mush,” she spoke with finality.

I could tell she was getting impatient, but I wasn’t about to bend to her tiny will. If I gave in to all of the children in the courtyard, I would be in for some serious challenges ahead. I was finally home, at least for the foreseeable future, and I was starting to work towards building up the Yunpi family and their bloodline. I hoped to start to fill the courtyard with little ones. Xiexie would no doubt have a rude awakening when she had to share attention.

“Big sister!” Xiexie shouted, seeing Ai walking through the courtyard.

The brat abandoned me in a heartbeat, jumping to the ground and running towards the promise of candies. She was bouncing on her toes, clinging to Ai’s dress only a moment later.

The flimsy dress looked like it was on its last legs when Ai fished out some candies, handing them to Xiexie and hurrying her into the courtyard.

“You spoil her,” I said, walking up to Ai.

She blushed and leaned into me before she closed her eyes and pressed her lips forward.

I held her thin, sinuous waist and pulled her tight as I kissed her pillowy lips.

“She’s fun to spoil. Besides, if we didn’t, she’d be running amok all over the estate. This is what keeps her returning to the courtyard every so often.” Ai nuzzled in and gave me a few teasing kisses along my neck before tugging my hand, her eyes meeting mine with a smoldering gaze.

“Again? I hope you won’t spoil your own child like that?”

Ai rolled her eyes. “Yes, again. I’m going to be the first among the Yunpi women—I’m determined. Even if I have to compete with your mana beasts for your time.”

I let her pull me back towards my house. “You still didn’t answer my question about spoiling your own child,” I teased her.

“I thought it was obvious. I’m like an auntie. I only spoil other people’s children.”

Scooping Ai up, I earned a surprised yelp from her. “Ah. In that case, it’s okay. I’ll do my best.”

“You still haven’t shared your dual cultivation technique with the rest of us,” Ai commented, avoiding my eyes.

We had been using the technique that Rutu had given me instead. It was quite simple, but very effective. My technique came with the joining of souls, which I wasn’t quite ready for with all the Yunpi women.

“If we do that technique, you’ll be bound to me, my mana beasts, and my other wives for life,” I explained.

“None of us are going anywhere.” She cast her eyes across the courtyard.

I noticed that Rue and Tia were already starting to head our way when they spotted us.

“They are coming! Hurry. I want to be first,” Ai demanded.

“You really want to share the rest of your life with me? I’m serious, Ai. Once you use the technique, there is absolutely no going back, no making another decision later on in our immortal life.”

Ai grabbed my face and held my gaze. “Yes, now and forever. Teach it to me and put a baby in me.”

I kicked the door open and wandered into the bedroom. Aurora was still laying there, half-asleep from where she’d ambushed me before the elder’s meeting.

I tossed Ai on the bed. It shook enough to rouse Aurora, who peeked out of one eye before disappearing into the shared soul space.

“That thing she does…” Ai hesitated to ask as she looked over at the space where Aurora had just been.

“It’s something that you would be able to do after you learn the technique. All of us can reposition ourselves based on the others’ locations.” I tugged at my belt and slipped my robe off.

It was always nice to watch as Ai still savored the sight of my body every time I undressed in front of her.

“Tear mine off,” she requested shyly.

“Ah, that’s why you wore such a flimsy one,” I chuckled.

“The old biddies say that if you can get a man’s blood hot, you’re more likely to get pregnant.” Ai pushed her head into the bed in preparation.

There were so many superstitions among the old ladies. I wasn’t sure any of them were true, but if that’s what Ai wanted…

I tore her dress to shreds and forcefully gathered up her chest before I started kissing and playing with her. Then I moved her how I wanted her, bending her over the edge of the bed.

The door opened behind us, and two warm sets of hands soon started trailing up and down my back.

“Yes. Fill Ai with a child, and then it is my turn,” Tia whispered into my ear. “Ai is a lucky girl to have your hot rod pumping inside of her.” Tia licked at my ear, cooing her words.

Rue took another approach; she’d always been less about words and more about actions. Her hand found its way between my legs and started to pump me, oil sliding along me from her hand.

Ai groaned. “Don’t rush it.”

“We all need our turns, though. He hasn’t even had time to give Sue a chance.” Tia continued to rub my back.

“I should give Sue a date tonight,” I half-moaned. The women were doing a good job of heating up my body.

“Three days from now,” Ai corrected me as her ankles slid along my hips and pulled me closer. “Ming is putting together a calendar.”

“Where is this calendar?” I asked as my tip teased at Ai’s folds.

She shook her head. “Secret. I can’t tell you.”

“Oh, you can’t? That’s a shame.” I started to pull away from her. “Tia, can you tell me?”

Tia looked down at my erection and licked her lips.

“Don’t you dare!” Ai scolded Tia. “You remember what the three said?”

“Three?” I questioned.

“Michelle, Ming, and Kat. They run your household,” Rue explained.

That made sense. I knew those three were vying for control in the harem. “Problems?”

“No, just harem politics. Now stick it in me.” Ai tugged on my hips with her full strength, but rather than move me, she pulled herself up and captured my erection in her sex.

“For keeping secrets, I’m going to have to punish you,” I warned Ai before pulling her off of me and flipping her over.

Her plump rear soared into the air as I speared myself back into her sex. She gathered her legs under her so that I could rock her body onto me.

“Yes, punish me,” she cried out, slamming herself on to me.

“You are a little wild today.” I slapped her ass, making it jiggle as I savored, stroking inside her silken pleasure.

She continued to wiggle, finding a variety of angles that applied different pressures as I continued to pump into her.

Letting her know when I was getting close, she began tightening her walls around me, increasing the friction just as I tipped over the peak. Then she continued rocking her body, coaxing me to fill her deeply with my seed.

I was going to pump a bit longer, but found myself quickly tugged away, a mouth replacing Ai’s body as warmth slid along my member.

When I began hardening again, Tia and Rue pushed me back into the bed. Rue crawled along my body, her fingers trailing up my torso as she neared my head. I gave her a nod, and she positioned herself above me, sitting on my face.

I felt rather than saw Tia slam herself down on me, riding me like a champion.

During the second round, I taught them all Kat’s techniques and merged them into our shared soul space. And as I’d guessed, when their cultivations joined ours, it also gave them access to the seventh rank.

***

“This family meeting is called to order,” Michelle declared as all of our souls met in the shared soul space.

We were in the middle of the shared soul space, around a very large round table.

“Is this necessary?” I asked.

Michelle gestured to the three newcomers. “As your harem expands, we need to be more organized.”

“Agreed,” both Kat and Ming echoed her.

“And you said you wanted to be a part of this,” Kat reminded me.

Ai, Rue, and Tia sat quietly, still seeming a little stunned. Apparently, I should have mentioned that they would likely skip the sixth rank when they joined my soul space. But I didn’t want them to make the choice based on cultivation.

I couldn’t help but notice that Michelle, Kat, and Ming had unique styles to their stone chairs that echoed through the other ladies in the room, dividing them up into three factions.

The three new wives had plain stone chairs.

“Okay, so what’s the first order of business?” I asked, wanting whatever was happening to go faster.

“Anyone have news to share?” Michelle led the meeting.

Aurora and Mei stood up with grins on their faces.

“We are pregnant!” Mei jumped the gun before Aurora could speak and started hopping around.

“How many?” I asked with dread.

“One for me,” Aurora said, turning to Mei, whose smile was far too wide.

“Four! I’m having four beautiful kits!” Her tails went wild, lashing those around her.

“Four?” I could hardly believe it. “Are they… human?”

Mei paused, staring down at her belly. “I don’t know. We’ll see. They are too small to tell now.”

I took a deep breath; my life was about to get very interesting.

“I believe that they’ll have a human form from birth,” Phoebe commented. “At least that’s how it used to work.”

I let out a sigh of relief. If they had their mother’s cute fox ears and tails, that was fine. I just wasn’t sure if I was ready for four actual foxes to raise.

“That is good news.” Kat smiled and leaned over the table. “More kids. Anyone else?”

I looked over and saw Ai holding her stomach, a look of hope in her eyes. I gave her a smile when our eyes met, and she quickly moved her hand away.

When nobody spoke up, Michelle moved onto the next order of business. “We need to discuss where the three of you will help the family. Up until now, we had loosely arranged ourselves, but now we are separating into three groups to tackle problems for the family.”

“Understood.” Ai nodded firmly. “What are our options?”

“Kat is leading a group that is proactive in monitoring our opponents, and taking steps where necessary to prevent them from hindering our family.”

Kat did a small bow with a grin on her face.

I had to admit that I felt safer knowing that Kat was keeping tabs on everything around us. She was a force to be reckoned with, and it made sense that Celina, Rachel, Wenxi, Mei, and Phoebe were among her group.

“Ming is leading the trade front. She has more connections than any of us given that she is a member of the Feng family from Blueheavens. She’s also a natural leader; she's already harnessed the skills and resources of some of our other wives.”

It looked like she was working with the Hua sisters and Lanhua, as I’d expected. But I hadn’t expected Quinn and Lumi, who were sitting with her. But I was happy for them to try it out and learn business from those women.

“Finally, I’m leading the homefront, from child rearing to protecting the courtyard. I will also make sure our family remains well established here within Cloud City.”

I nodded as I looked over at the rest of her group. Aurora, Foo, and Thea had joined her group, but I suspected that that was where many of the Yunpi ladies would end up.

“Is this a lifetime appointment?” Ai asked nervously.

“No, of course not. I’m sure we will rotate from time to time,” I answered for her. “This is just a way to simplify things by division of labor.”

Michelle gave me a glare, but I was more than comfortable taking authority here when needed.

“Good. Then I think we’d like to join Michelle’s group, at least for now.”

I nodded, suspecting as much. “All groups will get equal time with me if I can manage it. Though if Kat’s or Ming’s group needs to be away for a period, I will do my best to make it up at a later date. Also, if you are among Michelle’s group, we should work on some combat skills from time to time.”

Michelle sighed, leaning back in her chair as I started to take over the family meeting.

“There will be restrictions on how long you can be gone from the family. And I urge all of you to use the ability our shared soul space offers in the event of danger.” I looked around the group.

Kat sighed. “We know, we know. You are our favorite overprotective brute. At this point, though, there is little in this world that can threaten us.”

“In eight months, Bai will be joining us. I hope you understand that there are still mysteries out there that suggest there are stronger beings yet,” I reminded her.

She downplayed my statement, but I could see understanding in her eyes.

I turned my attention to Quinn. “Remember Old Jin? He was more powerful than anything we’ve seen.”

Quinn nodded. “I half-expected him to be behind some family here, but it really seems as if he was just a wanderer.”

Phoebe agreed, “There are still beings from a previous age. What they are doing now, I’m unsure.”

I nodded, wanting to share more with Ai, Rue, and Tia so that they would understand. “As seventh rank cultivators, we now may experience these beings if we should step out of line with our powers. We know that there are beings that govern the rules of other worlds, making sure that we do not use our full powers and destroy the world around us. If two seventh ranks went all out in this world, it would end life here as we know it.”

The new girls nodded, a grave look on their face as they understood the gravity of their new strength.

“But cheer up. You are now at the top of the food chain in this area.” I grinned.