Over an hour later, Big Sis Sidra and I flew through the air above the Dawn and Dusk Mountains, riding atop her flying boat. The stars shone in the night sky above us, accompanied by the crescent moon. I gazed at them, a small smile on my face. The time I spent in my mother’s domain gave me a new appreciation for the cosmos. While the stars before me now weren’t as wondrous, they were still majestic in their own right.

  A winter wind whistled past us, cold and biting, bringing with it the scent of ice. Snow blanketed the land below us, giving it a pristine and pure appearance. While there were certain areas that remained clear, due to arrays put in place or because these areas were special environments, the rest of the Dawn and Dusk Mountains were covered in a layer of white. It was a reminder that time had indeed passed while I trained in seclusion.

  “How long until we reach our destination?” I asked, glancing over at my eldest sister.

  “We’re almost there,” she said, “Just wait a few more minutes.”

  “Where are we going again?”

  Big Sis Sidra glanced at me, an amused smile on her face.

  “I told you,” she said, “It’s a surprise.”

  I crossed my arms and harrumphed. Over the course of our trip, I tried several times to get Big Sis Sidra to tell me where we were going. However, none of my efforts paid off. Since this latest attempt failed, I figured I might as well give up and wait.

  I didn’t have to wait for long. As my eldest sister said, we arrived at our destination a few minutes later. A mountain range spread out before us. Unlike most of the mountains in the Dawn and Dusk Mountains, these ones were needle-like in appearance, tall and thin with jagged tips. That gave me an idea as to where we were.

  “Are these the Needlespire Peaks?” I asked.

  Big Sis Sidra nodded.

  “Why are we here?” I asked, baffled.

  The Needlespire Peaks were a part of the Dawn and Dusk Mountains that were still in the Dawn and Dusk Sect’s territory, but outside of the sect itself. I learned a little bit about them when studying about the Dawn and Dusk Sect, but otherwise paid them no attention since they had nothing to do with me.

  For some reason or another, some disciples and elders of the sect preferred to live on their own rather than in or around the area belonging to their respective halls. To accommodate them, the Dawn and Dusk Sect designated the Needlespire Peaks as a place where any member of the sect could set up a cave abode regardless of their affiliation. It was neutral ground, so to speak. There were similar places within the Dawn and Dusk Sect itself, but the Needlespire Peaks provided the most privacy due to their location.

  “You’ll see.” Big Sis Sidra said, a mysterious smile on her face.

  My eldest sister’s coy attitude annoyed me. However, I swallowed my frustration. I had already come this far, so I might as well go all the way. Besides, even if I left now, it would take me a while to make it back to Flame Fiend Peak. It took us an hour to get here under Big Sis Sidra’s power, and I was much slower than her.

  Big Sis Sidra piloted the flying boat towards the Needlespire Mountains. They varied in height, but many of them were tall enough that my eldest sister had to avoid them. In the distance, I noticed a few spirit beasts flying around. None of them were above Rank One, so they gave our flying boat a wide berth. A forest covered the land below the mountains, and I even saw some trees growing on the mountains themselves. Their branches were bare, since it was winter.

  After several minutes, I realized that Big Sis Sidra was flying to one mountain in particular. It was shorter, but wider, than most of the mountains that surrounded it. As we approached, I started to suspect what my eldest sister had in mind for me. When we neared the tip of the mountain, the air around us rippled as we went through a barrier of some kind. Once we reached the other side, a surprising sight greeted me.

  A large compound occupied the top of the mountain, carved from the stone itself. Even from this distance, I saw that the buildings were all beautiful. It was clear that whoever made them put a lot of effort into it. At the very tip of the mountain stood a hall that rivaled the one I had in Flame Fiend Peak, both in size and appearance. Lights dotted the entire compound, giving it a magical and ethereal appearance.

  It was warmer here. The barrier that protected and hid this place also kept out the wind and the cold. Various trees and plants grew all around the compound, giving it an air of verdant vitality. The qi here was abundant. However, it didn’t align with just one element. It aligned with all five. Instead of clashing, they all worked together to form a harmonious whole.

  “Welcome to your new home, Little Demon.” Big Sis Sidra said, a proud smile on her face. “I built it myself, as compensation for the soul fragment.”

  Oh, right. I had almost forgotten about that. After Big Sis Sidra subdued the soul fragment of the Devouring Demon, our mother told her to compensate me for it since my eldest sister wouldn’t have gotten this opportunity if I hadn’t found the copper ring in the first place. It slipped my mind, since I spent a month at Martial Idiot Clinic after that encounter, and then went into secluded training right after that.

  It appeared that my eldest sister decided to compensate me with a new home. That meant that I had three in total, two of which I received from my older sisters. At this rate, I just needed to receive one from Big Sis Estelle.

  “I set up several defensive and obfuscation arrays to protect this place,” Big Sis Sidra said, stopping the flying boat so we could take it all in, “So you don’t have to worry about your safety and privacy while here.”

  I cast my spirit sense out and noticed the arrays right away. Like the ones in Big Sis Sidra’s abode at Flame Fiend Peak, they were profound and unfathomable to me. While I could tell the general purpose of each one, I couldn’t glean anything deeper than that. This filled me with a sense of security, since I knew that my eldest sister was proficient in arrays.

  “Oh, I should give this to you.” Big Sis Sidra said, pulling a bronze token out of her storage ring. “This will allow you to bypass the arrays. Bind it to yourself, so no one can steal it from you.”

  I took the token and bound it to me right away. The moment I did, I felt a connection formed between myself and the arrays that protected this place. It gave me a feeling of familiarity and comfort.

  “Thank you, Eldest Sister.” I said, placing the bronze token into my storage ring. “However, why did you compensate me with a new home? Make no mistake, I am grateful. That said, I am curious. Why not give me pills or spirit stones or a magic treasure?”

  Big Sis Sidra nodded to the compound.

  “It’s what you needed the most right now,” she said, raising an eyebrow at me, “Or am I wrong?”

  I shook my head, a wry smile on my face.

  “No, you’re right.” I said.

  Flame Fiend Peak had an abundance of demonic fire qi, which made it suitable for demonic cultivators with affinity for Fire, or divine demons with an affinity for Fire. However, it was detrimental to almost everyone else. While other demonic cultivators could tolerate Flame Fiend Peak, it wasn’t an ideal environment for them.

  For regular cultivators and divine cultivators, the abundance of demonic fire qi was poisonous to them. They needed to take measures to protect themselves. This worked fine when I lived with just Ellen and Elliot, whose family served mine and knew how to deal with Flame Fiend Peak’s environment. However, as I took in more wives and my family grew, it would grow too cumbersome to ensure everyone’s safety.

  During the trip back from East Mesa City, I discussed the matter with Ellen and Willow. In the end, we decided to find a new place for all of us to live. We planned on waiting until after the Rising Heroes Tournament, since Willow and I would be busy preparing for it. However, thanks to Big Sis Sidra, we no longer needed to worry about that.

  While the Needlespire Peaks wasn’t my first choice, it wasn’t a bad location by any means. It was a little out of the way, but it made up for this with the privacy afforded. There were definitely worse places to live.

  “Thank you, Big Sis Sidra.” I said, giving my eldest sister a smile. “I appreciate this. Truly. You and the rest of our family have given me so much, and I am grateful for it every day.”

  Big Sis Sidra gave me a soft smile, before reaching over to ruffle my hair. I pretended to throw a fit, but deep down I felt elated.

  “Shall we go inside?” My eldest sister asked. “Everyone else is waiting for us.”

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  I opened my mouth to answer in the affirmative, but then had a mischievous idea.

  “Before we do,” I said, “I have to ask. Is this all you’re giving me?”

  My eldest sister narrowed her eyes at me and didn’t respond.

  “This abode is amazing,” I continued, pretending to ignore the look she gave me. “However, the soul fragment of a Demigod is a priceless treasure. You put in most of the effort to capture it, but you wouldn’t have had that opportunity without me. I’m sure you can spare at least two high-grade magic treasures.” I pretended to mull it over. “No. One should suffice. After all, I don’t want to be greedy.”

  I gave Big Sis Sidra a pitiful look. However, she remained silent. As the seconds passed, the atmosphere between us grew more and more awkward. Sweat ran down my back. Just as I started to regret this joke of mine, my eldest sister rolled her eyes.

  “Brat.” She said, smirking at me. “I planned on giving these to you later, but I suppose it makes no difference if I give them to you now.”

  I stared at her as she pulled a pair of sturdy-looking black leather boots out of her storage ring. Right away, I could tell that these boots were a Foundation Establishment magic treasure, and a high-grade one at that. They had an affinity for Wind and Fire.

  “I was joking!” I said, giving my eldest sister an incredulous look. “You don’t need to give me a magic treasure!”

  “I know,” Big Sis Sidra said, smirking. “It was amusing to watch the panic in your eyes. However, you spoke the truth. The soul fragment of a Demigod is a priceless treasure. Giving you a new home and a high-grade Foundation Establishment magic treasure was the least I can do to repay you.” She held the boots out to me. “Here. Take them.”

  After some hesitation, I took the boots from her. Despite their sturdy appearance, the boots’ leather felt soft and supple to the touch. It was a pleasant tactile experience.

  “These are the Wind-Fire Boots.” Big Sis Sidra said. “They can increase your speed by several fold, especially when used in conjunction with movement techniques.”

  I imagined what it would look like to use these boots while using the Cloudy Steps movement technique. The image that came to mind amused me and I chuckled.

  “Once again, thank you, Eldest Sister.” I said, placing the Wind-Fire Boots into my storage ring.

  “Yes, yes,” Big Sis Sidra said, giving me a dismissive gesture, “Let us head inside now. Ellen said she would cook a feast tonight, and I’ve been looking forward to it all day.”

  I gave her a mock affronted look.

  “Why didn’t you say so earlier?” I demanded.

  My eldest sister laughed as she piloted the flying boat towards the main hall of the compound.

  As Big Sis Sidra said, everyone else was waiting for us inside the compound. Ellen, Elliot, and Willow were there, of course, as well as Big Sis Estelle, Big Sis Astra, and Cultivator Raphael. They welcomed our arrival with cheers. However, to my surprise, there were two others that I hadn’t expected to see: Harlow and Clarissa. When I gave Ellen a questioning look, she just smiled and sent me a telepathic message, saying that she wanted to give them a taste of what it would be like to join our family.

  Ellen had prepared a feast, both to celebrate my return from secluded training and as a housewarming party to celebrate moving into a new home. She put out an impressive spread. The moment I saw it, my mouth started watering. It had been months since I last ate Ellen’s cooking, and I had missed it something fierce. Everyone laughed when I took a bite and let out my loudest moan to date. In lieu of servants, puppets created by Ellen served us. Everyone ate, drank, and made merry.

  At first Harlow and Clarissa seemed uncomfortable around everyone, since they weren’t members of the family. However, as the night wore on, they grew more comfortable and relaxed. To my surprise, and relief, my sisters didn’t treat the two of them with suspicion. Had they gotten over their overprotective tendencies? If so, I was glad. I cared for everyone here, and I wanted them to all get along.

  That said, there was still some friction and awkwardness. Harlow looked annoyed whenever Willow and I shared affection with one another. To the point that the two of them ended up bickering and sniping at each other several times over the evening. I tried to mediate in the beginning, but this just made things worse so I gave up. It didn’t help that Clarissa goaded them from the sidelines, allowing her to monopolize my attention while they were distracted.

  When midnight passed, everyone started drifting away and headed towards their respective rooms to rest. Rather than make our guests fly home in the dark, we decided to have them stay for the night. The compound had more than enough space to accommodate everyone. In addition to the main hall, there were several courtyards. Ellen and Willow each had their own, and there was one set aside for guests.

  I followed Ellen and Willow, since they knew their way around this place and I didn’t. The interior of the main hall was beautiful. Crimson and gold were the predominant colors. However, I noticed a lack of decorations. When I asked Ellen and Willow about it, they said that they hadn’t been here all that long either, so they hadn’t had a chance to decorate the place. Besides, they wanted my opinions on the matter since this was my home as well.

  When we neared the master bedroom, Willow split off and headed towards her own courtyard.

  “Big Sis Ellen has something special planned for tonight,” she said, grinning at me. “While I’m a little jealous, I know it’ll be my turn next.”

  I gave her a questioning look, but she refused to elaborate. When she left, I turned to Ellen, who just gave me a mysterious smile. I decided to go with the flow and see what she had planned.

  Like the rest of the main hall, the master bedroom had a crimson and gold color scheme. The decorations and furniture were all simple, but tasteful and elegant in their simplicity. I felt comfortable and at peace here. It felt like home. I knew Ellen was responsible for this.

  “Thank you.” I said, pulling her into my arms. “You’re far better than I deserve.”

  Ellen nuzzled my cheek.

  “Thank you for saying that, Darian,” she said, “However, we both know that isn’t true.”

  I snorted, but didn’t argue with her further. Due to the actions Ellen took in the past, in order to avenge her family, she had a skewed perspective of herself. It would take time and effort to help her see the truth: that she was a wonderful woman who deserved love and kindness.

  “So,” I said, “What is the surprise you have in store for me?”

  Ellen pulled back and gave me a lascivious look.

  “Do you remember the conversation we had before I left?” She asked.

  I raised an eyebrow.

  “Which one?” I asked. “I can think of several.”

  “The one about dual cultivation.”

  “Oh.”

  Dual cultivation, also called partnered cultivation, was a practice where two cultivators absorbed and refined each other’s qi. This resulted in an effect greater than the sum of its parts. The efficacy of dual cultivation depended on a myriad of factors, including the elemental affinities of the cultivators involved and the dual cultivation technique they used. However, like with regular cultivation, there was an element of risk involved. If the two cultivators were incompatible, or if something went wrong, both partners would fall into qi deviation.

  “I remember.” I said.

  Ellen smirked.

  “Do you also remember how I said that I would teach you when you were ready?” She asked.

  I paused at that.

  “I… It slipped my mind.” I said, my cheeks heating up.

  Ellen chuckled.

  “I thought so,” she said, “Which was why I decided to seize the initiative. Given how… Vigorous you are in the bedroom, I thought it was a waste that you weren’t taking advantage of this opportunity. Little Sis Willow agrees. She also wants to dual cultivate with you.”

  That would explain Willow’s comment from earlier.

  “Here,” Ellen said, pulling two jade slips out of her storage ring, “These are two dual cultivation techniques that I discovered when I traveled during my youth. They are the Shared Breath and the Entwined Minds techniques. Both are high-tier cultivation techniques.”

  I took the two jade slips and gave her a questioning look.

  “Why two?” I asked.

  Ellen gestured to the first jade slip.

  “Shared Breath is a qi dual cultivation technique,” Ellen said. “You should be able to practice it with any woman whose affinities are compatible with yours, like Little Sis Willow. However, you and I aren’t compatible. My affinities are Metal and Water. If we tried to use the Shared Breath technique, we would both fall into qi deviation right away.” She gestured to the second jade slip. “The Entwined Minds technique is a mental dual cultivation technique.”

  My eyes widened when I heard this.

  “That’s possible?” I asked.

  Ellen gave me an amused smile.

  “Of course.” She said. “The world of cultivation is wide and wondrous. There are all sorts of techniques and treasures out there. Mental dual cultivation techniques aren’t even that strange in comparison. Unlike with qi dual cultivation techniques, elemental affinity doesn’t matter. The only requirement is that both partners practice mental refinement.” She leaned in close. “One of the reasons why I started learning puppetry was so I could get my hands on Puppet Master Pavilion’s special mental refinement technique, Myriad Soul Threads.”

  I stared at Ellen for several long moments, before I took the jade slip containing the Entwined Minds technique and pressed it against my forehead. Even though it was a high-tier technique, the method to use it was rather simple. That made sense, since both parties would be… Distracted while using it. It took me just a few minutes to memorize and master the basics.

  “Ready?” Ellen asked.

  I nodded. She took my hand and led me towards the bed, a massive monstrosity that could fit several full-grown adults. We kissed and started disrobing one another. In the midst of this, I felt Ellen’s spirit sense probe mine. I responded in kind. Soon, the two of us started dual cultivating using the methods described in the Entwined Minds technique. Since Ellen was the more experienced one, I let her take the lead.

  My first time dual cultivating with Ellen was a strange and unforgettable experience. The two of us had slept together several times already. However, entangling our minds together added a whole new dimension to the act. It was as if we were one in both body and soul. I felt what she felt, both the physical and the emotional sensations, and she felt what I felt. After a while, the line between us blurred, until it became difficult to tell where she ended and I began.

  Our first bout lasted about an hour. By the time we finished, we were both panting and covered in sweat. However, my mind felt refreshed and reinvigorated. I could tell that my mind had grown a little stronger. While the effect wasn’t as strong as when I practiced the Song of Dawn and Dusk technique, it wasn’t far behind.

  “How do you feel?” Ellen asked.

  She laid against me, leaning her head against my shoulder.

  “Amazing.” I said. “Let’s do it again.”

  Ellen laughed as I flipped her onto her back and took the lead this time. We lasted until well into the morning.

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  This chapter was edited by Radriel7