I’m deep in thought about my newfound wealth of 11 superior spirit stones.

Just one of these would be worth the cost of 10 low-tier, but still cultivation-friendly homes, containing a higher-than-normal amount of ambient qi.

What I now have is actually a nest egg for the start of a new clan.

But some movement catches my eye.

It’s Ai and Lin.

They move beside me with wry smiles. Lin’s eyes are glancing at the bracelet.

“It’s a lot, isn’t it? I wouldn’t have been able to imagine such a thing back in that alley.”

Ai’s eyes glaze over for a second.

“No… no, I wouldn’t have. There wasn’t much to think about there, other than surviving.”

Even I fall silent, as my thoughts go back to where they started from and I met them at.

A dark, desolate alley full of painful memories for them.

 

Lin keeps her voice low as she speaks.

“You should keep the ten. Use the one to give spirit stones to your followers.

“It’s expected that you would take the lion’s share, but a small portion of such a large windfall to your followers would bring goodwill.”

 

But on my hand, that Ai has taken in hers, she is drawing out the words of something else.

“Save two stones for Gong. They can use the both the funds and spirit stones once we get them the techniques.”

Right. We have another group that can use this just as much, if not more, than this one. The demi-humans under Gong’s territory. Even now I can feel them training their bodies to peak performance.

I haven’t forgotten, but I’ve been distracted by so many other things that it’s easy to get lost from what I came here to do.

My eyes drift over to Ai and Lin, who have moved to both of my sides. I can feel a reassuring glance from them.

That puts my heart at ease.

 

My sworn sisters.

… I can rely on them. Trust them completely.

 

A tiny weight feels like it’s been removed from my shoulders.

I may have increased my friend circle with people I want to trust more, like Mei Lin, Shi, and the others part of my close personal group, as well as my new master, but that doesn’t mean I can trust them completely. Even with the contract.

It’ll take time and getting to know each other better for that. Adding to that, the secret with the demi-humans that could get the entire sect wiped out… I definitely feel antsy about getting more people really close with me.

Within the group, people have already noticed the position they have with me. Seeing them stand next to me and talking privately like this already puts them in a higher position within the group.

But even without my influence, they were already in that position of respect.

After all, they are inner court sect members, having a high spirit root and a strong foundation.

Either way, with them like this, people are quick to listen when they move forward and get others back in the carriages.

And soon enough, everyone is in. I sit beside one of the Yellow Sashes women, who is leading the carriages in the front. Making sure that the people that are in my close personal group are in the carriages closest to the front, near where I’ll be. In case anything happens, I want to make sure I am in a place to help them.

The carriages themselves aren’t really special, just more durable, roomy, and more pleasant to be in than most. The beasts that are pulling them, however, are.

Looking like small plesiosaurs, the slick-looking, long-necked reptile has a harness around its neck and back. While it is pulling in one direction, its head looks around curiously at the world and things going on around it. Despite this, they are remarkably relaxed as we move.

Considering the fact it has flippers, it is a wonder how they can gain such purchase on the ground to move such heavy objects. My scan quickly informs me that their feet may look like flippers, but are more like Komodo dragon feet, covered in thick fat.

It appears they have a high pulling speed. With them providing a solid, but growing acceleration, the carriages move forward at a pace comparable to a speeding car.

They aren’t special to those around us, but to me, they represent another part of this world that varies from my own. Making me reminiscent of my own and what I’ve become more used to.

Regardless of my thoughts, the creatures and carriages surge forward, reaching a steady speed of 100 kilometers per hour.

Considering the distance to the tower, it’ll likely take two days of travel to get there.

Hmm. Nothing to do but sit here for the trip.

… though, this could be a good idea to learn more about the people under me.

For the next few hours, I simply used my scan to first watch for danger, but secondly to listen in on conversations.

I quickly found that most women, both Yellow Sashes and normal, were looking to be concubines of some sort, to get benefits from me.

… and some men, too.

Which is simply a product of the culture in this world. Not only is it how people get ahead, it’s a form of service. And with having a contract like this, practically expected.

In fact, for some of them, it was the defining factor.

Either way, I could no longer stomach listening in.

Hearing numerous women talk about how they’d love to be taken and ravished does things to a person’s psyche that I quickly realized wouldn’t be healthy. It felt a little too close to that situation I had with Meili, the assassin at the teleportation gate.

 Holding power over a person and having them submit to what I want whenever I want.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t deeply attracted to the idea of it. What man doesn’t want attractive women practically begging to be with them, especially if they didn’t have that in the past?

But I’ve been using my scan on myself lately. To get a clue about my suspicions about what would happen if I just decided to fully give in.

Full, lustful orgies. My principles dropping one by one.

Enjoying life at every step… until I lose everything in an instant.

 

It’s not reading the future, but simply seeing the pattern from others in similar positions. Of those with similar mindsets and high power, that were thrust into a lust filled environment. Some tried to go cold turkey, while others dove straight in. Both types generally failed.

Surprisingly enough, the best way to experience such a life… is to take it a little at a time. While reaffirming your principles and values. So, the orgies can still happen, you just can’t let yourself be changed by it.

Which essentially means that Sister Nuan was right, in a way. I need to open up more sexually. Not only for people close to me… but to be open to other encounters as well.

If I don’t, when deep enticement comes, I may fall into a well I’ll never get out of.

The Yellow Sashes Leader, Wu Qing, was ultimately playing nice with me when she revealed her true appearance and tried to entice me. She didn’t even use any true techniques on me, both of the cultivation and sexual nature.

 

… I’m both excited and terrified.

Either way, I know the people I’ll be talking with first before I try anything.

The soft sounds of reptilian feet shuffling across the ground provide a backdrop for my thoughts to mull over this.

By the time I finish collecting my thoughts, we are already making camp for the night on one of the long overhang trails above the dark depths.