The rest of their bath went on with surprisingly little incident. As Song Ming and Xue Yaling were there together, Bianca didn’t have even the slightest thought of doing something lewd with either of them – even if the events with Song Ming’s dad never happened, going in to kiss her while beside a kitsune that could do whatever struck her fancy felt like a recipe for disaster – so in the end, a calm bath was indeed had.

Bianca was tempted to leave first, but the kitsune left before her, leaving her alone with Song Ming again, though neither of them were keen to remain in the hot water for long.

‘We’ve spent a bit too long here, but more importantly, I should get out so that it isn’t obvious I don’t have any panties to wear,’ she reasoned to herself, ‘It would provoke a few too many questions from her, ones that wouldn’t really help our already awkward relationship.’

She was aware that she was partially responsible for the awkwardness that might ensue, since she decided that it would be a good idea to sleep with another woman within a few weeks of her departure from Xi Village, but at least she wasn’t outright fucking Xue Yaling in front of Song Ming. If she showed up with no panties right after meeting up with Xue Yaling, however, even the innocent Song Ming might have a guess as to what happened.

It would be wrong this time, seeing as the kitsune only came in after Bianca came, but convincing her of that would be rather challenging.

“Uhm… I’ll be heading out first. I hope that… well, that nothing happens in the next few days. No people from sects will come to attack us, no danger will come, and we will be able to sort out our issues… I think you deserve the rest more than I, though.”

She thought it would be convincing enough as an argument, but it instead seemed to prompt Song Ming into shaking her head, “No, you shouldn’t say that. I… yes, I did suffer a terrible loss, but you are still in the middle of nowhere, unable to find your family, your home, those who you care about or even those who might hate you… you haven’t got a clue whether they even exist! I cannot fathom how that must feel, because, even with the pain I still feel, I… I can remember his calm face as he lay there… I can recall how he was upbeat even when my mother was… Sorry, I didn’t meant to be bringing all that up.”

“No, I can understand how you feel…” Bianca struggling to imagine how she could even attempt to follow that up, ‘My parents are all alive, and we’ve never had any pets, but some of my friends did suffer loss early on in their life… More importantly, though, that she is still being so kind to me. I cannot imagine what I did to still deserve such a thing…’

“So, Bianca, you should feel free to rest as long as you like. I’ll step outside first, and give you some space.”

‘Not what I- oh, well… Leaving last will work too, unless she’s secretly more perverted than she seems and will start going through my clothes, which…’ she would have stared at her for a while as she attempted to determine if Song Ming could ever do such a thing, but it quickly became obvious that it was a poor idea, so she returned to simply looking ahead and said, “If you want. I won’t be remaining here long anyway.”

“Then, uh, I’ll step you. See you soon.”

Song Ming only waited for Bianca to nod before she stood up and left the bath room with a swift stride, opening and closing the sliding door in almost one smooth movement, and clearly proceeded to the changing room from there, based on the sound of the doors. From there, little sound reached through the walls, but judging by how long it took for her to leave, she likely stuck purely to changing.

It was almost a relief, since she would have no idea what to do if the kind and innocent Song Ming suddenly revealed such a side to herself. Now, she wouldn’t strictly mind – or rather, her scent fetish wouldn’t – but it would feel like she fell into some kind of dream.

‘Well, since she got out quickly… Damn, I feel a bit lightheaded already. Shouldn’t stick around, I-’

Just then, the door opened, and a single glance in its direction was enough to confirm the presence of a snow-white fluffy tail.

“I see you chose to remain last. Wanted to take care of something that Song Ming – and, most likely, I – provoked in you?” she teased, her tail waving about like she was some kind of excited puppy, “Hm, you don’t seem to be having the usual reaction.”

“A bit lightheaded…”

“Ah, that is fair. Come on, then,” Xue Yaling said, reaching down and easily pulling Bianca out of the bath, pulling her into an embrace that pressed her back against the kitsune’s exposed breasts.

“H-How did you…” Bianca froze up for a moment until her mind caught up, “Cultivation?”

“Of course, dummy. Now, kitsune are a little stronger than humans, but that’s not enough to just lift a woman like you up with such ease.”

“Like me?”

“Have you seen your own boobs? Or that ass? They aren’t going to be weightless, regardless of how fit the rest of your body might be,” she explained, helping Bianca over to the door but not bringing her out of the bath room just yet, “Or are you still unsure about something?”

“I mean, I have a cultivation too, so…”

“So? It doesn’t make you heavier – fortunately for the floor and chairs around here – and… wait, you didn’t think that my strength would somehow be negated just because you’ve also attained some progress in your cultivation? You must have stayed in here for too long after all, so out we go. Come on.”

Whatever plans the kitsune must have had upon entering were interrupted for the second time as she hauled Bianca right out of the baths and brought her into the changing room, sitting her down in there before shamelessly occupying her lap. Her tail almost wrapped around Bianca’s waist, tickling her warm skin and tempting her to stroke it gently and enjoy the fluffy fur.

Of course, before she could, Xue Yaling muttered, “Just so you know, I don’t have any reason to make things difficult for you. I do think that you need to loosen up, however, since remaining… Hm, what’s the best word? Pent-up? Don’t mind the smile in my voice, it’s hard to say that word without it.”

“It’s hard not to mind it, but… it’s hard not to believe you until you truly are some kind of monster.”

“Well… Maybe by an obscure definition, perhaps. Kitsune may not be ancient beasts, like the dragons or phoenixes, but we can all be classified as planar fauna, which can be seen by humans as being monstrous in nature. Then again, what exactly distinguishes humans from kitsune? Both of us are planar beasts, in a way…” she tilted her head, then chuckled, “I shouldn’t confuse you like that. Humans are not innately attuned to planar energy at birth, and majority technically don’t possess a dantian, though most are simply incapable of sensing or controlling planar energy effectively enough to even recognise its presence. Meanwhile, kitsune and all planar fauna are inherently born with some measure of planar energy and, especially in the case of ancient beasts, with a cultivation.”

“…”

“To simplify things a little bit: a planar beast is anything that is born with an inherent cultivation. It may be something insignificant, but it will be there. There is essentially no possibility for a planar beast to lack a cultivation.”

“… Can’t a cultivation be destroyed, somehow?”

“Well, funny you mention that. Some planar beasts that are less… humanoid than we are, lack a typical dantian. They have similar internal structures that contain and develop planar energy, but they are not the same bone structure as in humans,” the kitsune explained, “Furthermore, their bodies are also steeped in planar energy, so even if that structure is damaged, they retain quite a bit of their power, and might well be able to recover… though there hasn’t been much study in this matter.”

On one hand, that made sense for her, but on the other, Bianca couldn’t quite understand it. Back on Orbis, as soon as something new was discovered, everyone sought to investigate it and develop into something – either a weapon or a power source, like in the case of nuclear energy – and in a world where planar energy allowed far more amazing things, it should have also been the case.

When she expressed this to the kitsune, she shrugged, “It isn’t exactly easy to investigate such a thing. Weaker planar beasts are fragile and less likely to recover from the loss of their cultivation, whereas stronger ones are not only rare, but becoming rarer as time goes on. Typically, they will be in the hands of powerful tamers or slavers, cultivations employing various archetypes that permit them to command planar beasts.

“Of course, there are also the ancient beasts: dragons, phoenixes and qilins. Long ago, one might have relied on them to research the nature of planar beasts, as they would have had internal conflicts and prisoners that they might experiment on themselves, or sell to others, but… Their numbers also decline.”

“And why is that?”

“The world’s planar energy density has been in a slow yet certain decline since the golden age nine hundred thousand years ago,” the kitsune shrugged, “Some may know the specific reason behind it, but alas, I am but a young kitsune in the third realm. Such mysteries are beyond me.”

“That’s… probably for the best. I don’t really get this stuff to behind with,” Bianca admitted, especially since her mind began to wonder towards Xue Yaling’s butt as it rested on her thighs.

“It’s good that you know, though, at the same time, I would question how long it might take you to comprehend everything you’ve yet to learn,” Xue Yaling said, “Planar cultivation involves quite a bit of theory if you wish to go beyond what others have provided for you. Your current techniques are certainly impressive, but you really ought to increase your repertoire at some point, or at least implement some variations into your techniques. Otherwise, you will not last more than a few fights with a foe before they can figure out your every move and find a solution.”

“Does everyone do this?” she asked, absentmindedly wrapping an arm around the kitsune’s waist to pull her in a little closer, “It seems like some advanced stuff, to be honest.”

“Most people don’t get into too many fights, you know. Most people are sane enough to keep planar cultivation as a method of defence in the event that they get into an altercation with some bandit or thief, and are primarily interested in the conveniences of a longer lifespan, greater strength, and certain planar energy techniques that permit them to earn a living where a person without a cultivation wouldn’t be able to endure.”

It almost seemed as if the kitsune didn’t even notice what she was doing, but in the brief silence that followed, Xue Yaling gently grasped Bianca’s wrist. She didn’t pull her arm away, however, and instead invited her to tighten her grip.

“Tell me, are you really not curious?”

“Hm?”

“Look at the position we’re in. I’m in your lap, you’re pulling me closer, and you have every part of me out in the open, ready for you to whatever you wish… So, imagine if you had something to penetrate me with,” her words nearly made Bianca groan in frustration, but Xue Yaling continued regardless, “Imagine what you could feel… the sheer delight and pleasure that it would bring you…”

“D-Don’t, please…”

“I know that you had mentioned that you dislike men in that way, but… does it have to do anything with them? What you can conjure is a part of you, and – for now, at least – you alone.”

“But it’s still… it’s still a cock! That not exactly a feminine thing, you know! And even if it was, it’s still…” she struggled to even imagine a proper word to describe it, and when it became clear that she couldn’t, she just made do, “It’s just gross! Wrong! It doesn’t feel like I should have anything of the sort.”

“Well, yes, it’s the growth of something entirely new upon your body. That kind of mental rejection is hardly unusual,” the kitsune shrugged, “I imagine that your experience is akin to that of a cultivator practising the Beast archetype… though you will have to pardon me if I choose to spare you the details. Some of their techniques are… mhm.”

Given their position, Bianca obviously couldn’t see it, but she did hear Xue Yaling lick her lips with the utmost enthusiasm.

“You know about one of our shared fetishes, don’t you?”

“I mean, if it is shared, then… don’t tell me Beast archetype cultivators focus on their smell as well?”

“Of course. The number of beasts that can be tamed with an overwhelming, dominant musk are numerous… and in this regard, there is less of a gap between humans and planar beasts than one might imagine.”

“I mean, as long as the cultivator isn’t a man…”

“Hm… I do have to agree with you. Their scent can become rather overwhelming, for lack of a better word,” Xue Yaling shook her head, “However, we’re getting off track. I would rather not ruin my panties the moment I put them on. What I was attempting to say is that, since you cannot cultivate techniques on your own, you ought not dismiss the ones you happen to obtain. Look beyond your immediate reaction and consider every aspect of the technique.”

“… But it’s gross.”

“Hah, that is the most childish thing I’ve ever heard. It’s your own body, your own scent, your own everything – so try seeing it that way. After all, you don’t have any reservations about fingering, don’t you?”

“No.”

“And… hm, if you had a toy with a rather phallic shape, would you be against using that on me – or having it used on you?”

‘Shit, they do have dildos, or at least the concept of them… Eh, at least I didn’t actually try to make a business from it,’ Bianca paused for a moment, then shrugged, “I… I suppose not-”

“And what if you had it strapped on to you, so that you could penetrate someone in a natural way?”

‘Fuck, strap-ons are a thing too… Next it’ll turn out they have vibrators as well, and then anal beads, and then butt plugs… They almost certainly have those, actually,’ she forced herself to focus on the discussion rather than her own fantasies, and replied, “I think I know where you’re going with this.”

“And what do you think about that? Honestly, where exactly do you think those things change from perfectly acceptable to… gross, as you put it?”

“… I don’t like this.”

“Well, blame your own reservations, not me. I promise you, there is no particular reason to be repulsed by such a convenient technique. If you cannot handle using it in front of others, at least give it a go on your own and see what advantages it offers you,” Xue Yaling said, removing her tail from Bianca’s waist, “Trust me, there are countless people that would happily receive that technique from you and use it to its fullest. Consider why that might be the case.”

‘It’s not like I don’t know… but ew. I don’t want to have that kind of thing…’ she thought, though she knew that she wouldn’t be able to translate that feeling to the kitsune unless there was some way of sharing feelings and emotions that she had no idea about, “I’m pretty sure I know what my opinion will be, but I can try having an open mind…”

“Although I doubt that you will need to try especially hard, I approve of your efforts nonetheless.”

The kitsune got up from her lap, easily freeing herself from Bianca’s hold, and turned around. A smile rested on her face, and although it was faint, Bianca could see her nether lips glistening.

“Don’t think that I can’t see where you’re looking. I was the one that mentioned it, after all,” she showed a slight smirk, “Your head should be feeling better after the bath and all the other steamy stuff, so get yourself dressed and presentable for your girlfriend, or whoever she is to you.”

“She… well… um…”

“I imagine it’s a difficult relationship, given what happened in your earlier place of residence. Truthfully, I wasn’t asking for clarification, I just wanted to remind you.”

“I doubt I’d forget about putting clothes on.”

“Perhaps not. However, I will be requesting the two of you to participate in a few combat exercises.”

“W-wait, what? What about staying calm and everything?”

“Would you be able to stay calm if you didn’t think you had the ability to protect yourself? Honestly, what kind of a question even is that?”

“But… didn’t we just bathe?”

“Yes, you did. Your memory issues aren’t coming back again, are they?”

“No, but won’t we get all sweaty again?”

“Probably. Don’t act like you mind it,” the kitsune chuckled and, before Bianca could even hope to reply, she grabbed her things and began her departure, “I’ll give you two a while, but don’t expect to just sit idly the whole time. In the best of cases, we have a day or two before the sect disciples find you, since they may be spending some of their time confirming your trail, and that of Song Ming. Assuming none of them are especially skilled in tracking and exploration – a likely fact for outer disciples, admittedly – it might waste quite a bit of their time.”

“Right, I guess… You don’t have a spare set of panties, do you?”

“Unless you want to wear mine…” she had already gotten close to the door, but then turned around with a lewd grin and a lust-filled gaze, “I’m sure you’d love something like that, wouldn’t you? Luckily for you, I have something just for you. One moment.”

She skipped over to the dirty laundry and with surprising ease – almost suggesting like she knew where to look, though the presence of spiritual perception indicated a more likely possibility – pulled out a pair of panties identical to Bianca, yet almost certainly not belonging to her. Xue Yaling handed them over casually, then returned to her departure as if she had simply picked up a coin from the ground and returned it to its proper owner.

“Have fun!” she waved as she exited the building, a certain and obvious smile on her face, “Not too dirty, I promise!”

‘… That doesn’t help, you know… but at least that’s good. Fetishes aside, hygiene is important,’ Bianca sighed as the kitsune departed, glancing at the undergarment in her hand, ‘Um… Guess I might as well.’

 

“Bianca, there you are. I had wondered what you and Xue Yaling might be discussing,” Song Ming greeted her with a smile, “She seems rather… hm, I’m not sure how to put it best, but getting along with her seems rather challenging.”

“Well… there can be a bit of a challenge, but she’s not that bad overall… I think. It has only been two days since I met her, after all,” Bianca’s response was a little awkward as she glanced around the ghostflame that littered the area, “By the way, she can hear us… The flames let her spread her perception around the place, somehow.”

“Ah… Uhm, that will… No, never mind,” Song Ming blushed as she looked away, ‘Even if we were to go back to doing our usual… things… we’d be caught by the kitsune… And since I’m still not sure what she’s up to…’

She couldn’t finish her thoughts, as she could clearly see that Bianca wasn’t completely hostile to the kitsune. It was likely true that they had only known one another for a few days, as Bianca had no clear reason to lie nor did she seem likely to have travelled that much faster than Song Ming did, so it was easily possible that they had simply not seen the bad side of the fox woman’s nature. Most likely, there was one, if even a few of the many myths regarding kitsune were true, so Bianca’s apparent trust could both be genuine and completely misplaced.

Fortunately, she hadn’t had the chance to say too much before Bianca informed her about Xue Yaling’s ability, or else she would have certainly brought up quite a few of her concerns.

“So… um… Do you know what she is intending? She told me to get some rest but be ready in about half an hour, so she clearly wants us to do something…” she shifted the topic to something that the kitsune couldn’t fault her for mentioning, “The two days you’ve spent with her ought to reveal something, right?”

“Um…”  Bianca glanced away and almost seemed to blush, though Song Ming was sure that she was just imagining it, “She isn’t the most predictable, but this time, she already told me the answer. She wants us to get some more practise in combat in preparation for the sect disciples.”

“… After taking the bath? The timing doesn’t seem ideal.”

“N-No, it isn’t…”

As she showed another strange expression, Song Ming began to wonder if something had happened between Bianca and Xue Yaling. Perhaps they fought, or the kitsune tricked her into something embarrassing, or something of that nature, but seeing as she wasn’t mentioning it, she didn’t want to try.

The only thing she might pry Bianca about would be the things resulting in her father’s death, but as far as she could tell, she had already learnt everything she could. Unless Xue Yaling had somehow gotten involved before Bianca ever left Xi Village, the kitsune would have nothing to do with the matter.

Otherwise, she was more than happy to let her have her privacy. It was already a shame that Bianca was forced into situation after situation where she was threatened by forces she really didn’t have a chance to meet amicably and with some foreknowledge of their identities. The more Bianca was pushed unnecessarily, the more she would suffer, and if there was even an aspect of demonic nature within her mind, perhaps from an identity she had prior to her loss of memory, there was a serious chance that it would be aggravated and potentially unleashed once more.

Perhaps it didn’t even need to be said, but Song Ming did not want Bianca to turn into a monster. She did not want to ruin another person’s life, she did not want to unleash evil into the world, and most importantly, she did not wish all of the faith and kindness that she had already directed towards Bianca to be turned to ash in the wind just because she couldn’t control herself.

‘Hm… There’s a strange smell in the air,’ Song Ming looked around quietly, trying to discern its origin without much success, ‘Must be something in this Ghostflame Shrine…’

“Um… Song Ming. Would you like to… well, sleep in the same bed?”

“Hah? W-Where did this… ah…” anything she had been trying to think about prior to this flew straight out of her head, and now she could only picture herself and Bianca in a bed, laying beneath the covers and embracing one another, perhaps even spooning one another, ‘Would she be behind me, her arm wrapped around me and holding me tight… Perhaps, as she sleeps, her hands might wander around a bit, and her-’

“Girls, have you two rested up? I don’t intend to challenge you too much, but you are still likely to work up a sweat,” Xue Yaling showed up behind them, seemingly making no noise during her approach, “Didn’t interrupt anything, did I?”

“Eh…”

“Oh, and if you do wish to sleep in one bed, I won’t dissuade you. There should be enough space if you remain close.”

“T-Thanks…” Song Ming looked down, feeling her cheeks burning so much that she felt as if smoke was coming off them.