Chapter 7 Decisions
In a deeper part of a forest. We see an old man that looks strangely similar to the man that helped Issei. The only difference was that the humble and powerless old man he met, now gave out a more mysterious and powerful vibe that naturally came out of his body as if every part of it could crush the Iron Snake in an instant. But unlike the mysterious feeling he gave out, his face was full of anxiety and worry as if death was looming closer to him.
"Might as well get it over with." Says the old man with a troubled expression.
Something unbelievable happens as the old man takes out a round stone tablet and soon sets it on the ground. The stone starts to spark and glow. Mystical symbols start appearing and a circle is formed into an array. Then a hologram materializes out of nowhere, something that shouldn't be possible with this world's primitive technology.
Immediately the appearance of a beautiful woman with obsidian long black hair and majestic white robes enters the screen.
"Your Majesty!" The old man says with a deep bow, doing his best to appear submissive.
"Old Tai." The beauty recognizes with elegance acknowledging the man's presence. "Did you complete what I have ordered you to do?"
Hearing her speak of the mission, she sent him on. Brought nothing but chills down his spine.
"Y-yes, I have completed it." Says the old man that is now known as Tai, with a nervous stutter.
"You sound nervous. I hope nothing unfortunate has transpired to what I have sent you to do. Because if it has, I will be very impolite." Says the beauty with a frown showing her displeasure at that very thought.
"No! Nothing terrible had happened to him. I assure you." Tai hurriedly clarifies trying his best to appease her. "I approached him and made sure he was being well taken care of. I even made it appear as if it was nothing but a random encounter. Giving him the choice to select one of the secret manuals that we have painstakingly collected throughout the years."
"That's good." Whispers the beauty starting to calm down and returning to her cold temperament. "Then what is the problem?"
"Unfortunately he gave me a very unusual request."
"What?" She says with surprise. 'What could he possibly want?'
"Yes, he asked if I had any manuals meant for women. At first, I didn't know what to do. But I recalled you instructing me that if he had any demands I should follow through."
"I see." The woman says. 'It must be for the three sisters.' She couldn't help but feel some jealousy at the thought. "Which cultivation manual did you provide him?"
"I gave him the Yin Flower Empress manual."
"It sounds familiar to me." She says trying to think of where she heard it.
"It's the manual that all maids within our sect cultivate." Old Tai says when realizing the confusion on his Empress. Making her suddenly remember where she heard of it.
"While it is garbage in my eyes. To that lower world, it should be considered an extremely powerful manual. The decision you made was fine, Tai."
"My Empress was this decision truly correct? While it is true. That doesn't change the fact that one of our manuals has been given to an outsider. If anyone within the sect were to find out than they will be most displeased."
"Since when have I ever cared for the opinions of others? Don't worry about them. If they ever show their displeasure towards any of my decisions, I will show them their place. Now was this the problem you were worried about?"
"N-not quite, your excellency." Tai nervously says, having no choice but to confess.
"Then get to the point I tire of your anxiety."
"Forgive me, I will go straight to it. But please hear me out. When I first received your message about the task you had given me. I was already out in the field investigating an ancient cultivator's cave. While searching I didn't find anything of worth except for an old cultivation manual. Before I had time to examine the manual. Your orders and the package you had sent came. Having no choice, I quickly went to accomplish them."
"But why would this cause any sort of concern?" The empress says not understanding the issue.
"In my negligence, I accidentally placed the old manual with the rest you had given me for Hyoudou Issei. When I had arrived to give him one of the manuals. I had completely forgotten it and before I had the time to examine it. He went and selected it." Tai finally says with worry about the consequences and the punishment he will face.
"Are you telling me? That Issei has a completely unknown and untested manual that could place him in danger!" The woman spoke furiously with complete anger shown ready to tear the poor man apart.
"That's not completely true, I do have a hunch on what type of manual it could be." Tai says as he remembers all that was inside the cultivator's cave. If you could call it that, the correct term would be sex dungeon.
"Oh! Do, please tell me before I end your pathetic existence." She says, most displeased.
"It was a sexual cultivation technique. While examining the dungeon, I mean the cultivator's cave and the name of the manual. All signs point to him being a sexual practitioner." Says Tai with sweat as his doom was coming. Knowing that whatever he did now, nothing but death would come. Seeing absolutely no point in lying as he knew the empress would find him. But strangely the anger of the lady vanished as a surprised expression appeared.
"Hmph hmm." Soon something astonishing happened in front of Tai as a giggle came out of the usually cold and beautiful Empress. Completely breaking her temperament.
"Hah haha ha!" Soon her giggling turned into full-blown laughter as the image of the cold beauty was destroyed in front of Tai. For all his years serving under the empress. He has never once seen his empress smile let alone seen her laugh in such a carefree manner. But today of all days, Tai has seen something he had thought as impossible as the Empress completely breaks her character.
"Aha ha ha. I see. As expected, even fate can do nothing but follow his desires." The Empress finally says controlling her laughter. But with clear mirth in her voice. "I guess it can't be helped. Though I am disappointed that all my gifts were wasted."
"What?!" Tai reacted with shock with his mouth fully open.
"Yes, Tai. I will forget and forgive this mistake you have made. But don't expect much mercy if you make another." The empress says going back to her usual persona.
"What? But my lady, it's a sexual cultivation technique." Tai says with disbelief.
"What about it?" She says, confused about what the problem was.
"Did you forget?" Tai says not believing what he heard. 'What happened to the Empress?! What happened to that prudish old woman that once declared her hatred of the practice? Calling it and those who practiced it evil. Even ordering everyone within the sect to go to war and slaughter them.'
"You outlawed all sexual cultivation techniques and ordered everybody within the sect that if we ever saw one of these cultivators that they should be killed on sight." Tai says informing her of the laws she herself placed.
"Did I truly announce that?" She says, surprised by her own rules. "I will have to make a meeting with everyone and inform them about getting rid of it. Tai, I want you to continue watching over him." The empress says not noticing the displeasure on Tai's face about her orders.
"My lady, I mean no disrespect but I wish to know. What sort of relationship do you have with Hyoudou Issei? To go this far even to the point of having your protection and support. I see no purpose in this. With one look I could tell his talent is awful, his strength and his standing are nonexistent. To waste your time on this trash is a meaningless effort. If this is about the divine weapon on his arm. Then would it not be easier to take it from him? He is nothing but a mortal, someone who will never amount to anything. For someone like him to have your attention is-"
Death. That was all he could feel as the world around him vibrated in agony at the power the woman on screen released. Even though they were worlds apart, Tai could still feel as if something mythical squeezed his heart.
"How dare you? How dare you defy and question me?" The woman says as killing intent filled the area. If it was bad here imagine what it must have felt on the other side. "Listen well, Tai, if you or anyone ever places Issei in any kind of danger. I will end everything. Their life, sect, bloodline, and soul. I will erase it. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, my empress." Tai says, full of fear. 'How could I be so foolish to forget? This is the woman that slaughtered millions to get her position. The one that people call the strongest.'
"I shall watch over him." Says Tai doing his best to not make the same mistake.
"See that you do. But don't get involved in his life unless necessary." She says, staring coldly at him.
"Of course." With that, the call ends and the pressure vanishes. All Tai could do was stand there too scared to move.
Outside Wu residence
A single girl could be seen meditating in deep concentration. The girl was Wu Ying practicing her new cultivation technique. It has been two days since Issei came back from his struggle with the Iron Snake and since then Wu Ying has been at this after reading and understanding the manual. All she could think about was her breakthrough to the Second stage. With two days of practice and the spiritual energy, she consumed from the Iron-Snake. She could feel it, any second now she'll collect the necessary amount to push past the first stage. Truly there was a difference between having one and not having one. To make a comparison it's as if a man was going into a dark endless maze to a man with a flashlight and a map to guide him through the maze. To think this was only a trashy manual. (To her and the empress.) What would happen if she possessed a better one? How much faster would her cultivation be?
With all her preparation and her training, the moment finally came. The sudden sensation of her bones strengthening and the sudden phenomenon of ki entering her body, making her previous limits a thing of the past.
Wu Ying soon gets up and starts practicing a few punches and warm-ups. Sure enough, her speed had increased and the strength of her punches. Immediately she imagines the bandits that attacked her home. Especially the man that had knocked her out. Already she could imagine her victory over him. Unfortunately, shadow fighting could only get you so far without actual combat.
Fortunately, with a smile on her face, she knows the perfect punching bag, I mean, opponent to test her new strength.
"Issei!" Wu Ying shouts to get his attention, a bit mad that after all the effort she put in cultivation, Issei was out goofing off with Wu Xiao the last two days. Not to mention the perverted technique she and Wu Lan failed to destroy. Why couldn't he pick something normal?
Wu Residence
Inside the house of the Wu sisters. We see Issei reading the very same manual the sisters tried to destroy. Luckily Wu Ying was outside and Wu Lan took Wu Xiao to the village to exchange some of the leftover meat from the snake for some other basic necessities they needed.
Every part of his brain was put to work on understanding even a little bit of information from this awesome manual. Because he knew that with it he could finally start his goal of becoming Harem King and stuff his face in boobs, I mean getting stronger and figuring out how he arrived on this planet. There's just one little problem that even the Empress forgot. He can't read any of this shit!
'Fuck! I've been at this for two days and I still don't know what the first line says!'
(Truly a problem we have here. Even if you had chosen any of the other awesome-sounding manuals. We would still be having this issue.)
'Damn it, mysterious force that brought me. I'm grateful you gave me the ability to understand the language of this place. But you forgot to include the ability to read!'
(Calm down. There isn't anything you can do about it at this point.)
'You're right Ddraig. But it's just so frustrating. I am so close to starting my dream. Only for it to slip through my fingers. Now, what do we do?'
(Why don't you ask one of the sisters to read it for you?)
'Are you crazy? Did you not see how angry Wu Ying and Wu Lan were when I showed it to them.'
(Then you're out of options. Unless you go down to the village and ask one of them.)
'That's unlikely. Every one of them is illiterate. What do you expect in some no named farming village stuck in some mountains? The only reason the sisters know how to read is that their dad isn't from this village and was constantly traveling.'
(Then you'll just have to man up and ask one of them.)
"Sigh!" With a sigh, Issei gets up and walks to the door. 'Fine. Guess I'll ask Wu Lan? Hopefully, she won't kick me out.'
"Issei!" Wu Ying's shout resonates across the house.
(Guess she wants something from you.)
'Hopefully, it's not too painful?' Issei thinks as he heads for her direction.
After some walking, Issei arrived at the place Wu Ying usually trains. The moment he saw Wu Ying impatiently waiting for him. He couldn't quite understand why. But for some strange reason, the Wu Ying before him was different from the Wu Ying he saw in the morning. It wasn't her boobs or her ass nor any other part of her body. They were pretty much the same. She just seemed more confident to him as if she could now do the impossible.
"Took you long enough!" Wu Ying says impatiently.
"Sorry, I was busy with something important." Issei apologies. "So what do you need?"
"Fight me." Wu Ying says getting to the point.
"Eh. Don't we always do that in the morning?"
"That's sparring. This time it's different. I want an actual fight between us."
"A fight?" 'How is that different?'
"This time I expect you not to hold back because I won't be showing any mercy. So get ready."
'Wu Ying has always been pushy but never this forceful.'
(You better listen to her or you'll regret it.)
Wu Ying did not wait for a response as she quickly rushed at the boy with speed even faster than her previous one.
Luckily Issei's eyesight was quick enough to notice her movement and was barely able to dodge in time. He was capable of this thanks to the survival battle between him and the Iron-Snake. Where Issei literally learned how to play extreme jump rope with its tail. By using his sight, mind, and body to predict the snake's movement and dodge the tail strike.
"Bwah!" Issei says as a heavy kick hits his head.
Unfortunately, while he could dodge a long distant strike, like a charging punch, that didn't mean he could dodge attacks that were at close distance. As he couldn't react fast enough to dodge a high kick from Wu Ying.
While the kick hurt Issei and brought him to his knees. It wasn't as strong as the strength of the Iron Snake, which was capable of resetting the Boosted Gear and sent him flying into trees. But that didn't change the fact that Wu Ying had dazed him. He didn't remember Wu Ying being this strong before.
Wu Ying seeing the pathetic state of Issei, after suffering one blow, made her both satisfied and unhappy. Don't get her wrong, she was proud of her new strength and speed. But she wasn't satisfied with the fight. "I told you. Don't hold back because I will not show mercy."
(Partner. I know you don't want to hurt her. But she wants to fight you at your best. I believe you should honor her request.)
Issei soon gets up from the ground. While holding his head. 'I guess I have no choice.' Issei mentally agrees as he soon shouts out. "Boosted Gear"
Finally, the moment that Wu Ying was waiting for arrived. In a flash of red light, a gauntlet made of a red metal alloy appeared. She could still remember the first time she saw it. The time that she almost lost hope as she was captured by those cruel bandits. Until Issei appeared and surprised her with his newfound strength. She would never admit it, but that moment was deeply ingrained into her memory. As the boy, they found lost in the forest made her heart skip a beat. As if one of those romantic, fantasy stories, her mother used to tell, came to life.
Boost
With that, both opponents confronted each other's personal space and soon punches were thrown striking the space between them. It almost appeared to be a stalemate if one didn't notice the stance of the feet.
While it appeared as if Issei attacked with a blow of identical strength as Wu Ying. His face told a different story as sweat and pain could be seen on it. Inch by inch Issei was being pushed back. Meanwhile, Wu Ying continued to advance forward. That could only mean that the striking power in Wu Ying's fist was greater than Issei. Soon or later the gap in strength between them would grow as Issei couldn't keep up.
Soon blows connected with soft flesh as Issei wasn't capable of stopping all of them as they hit his head and body.
Rapidly he was put in a position where he couldn't even stop the onslaught on his body.
Issei acting quickly before her blows could reset the Boosted Gear crossed his arms to defend. He knew if he could just hold on for a bit longer. He would be able to change the flow of battle. Luckily the Boosted Gear was bulky enough to be used as a shield.
Boost
His prayers were answered as the second boost came at the right time. He could still win this.
Just as Wu Ying was about to continue to punch the ever-living daylights out of Issei. He soon disappears from her view with incredible speed. The moment she lost him. She soon activated one of the useful techniques she acquired in her manual. The ability to sense ki.
Issei after receiving the second boost jumped back and ran a 180-degree curve. Before appearing behind Wu Ying. Knowing his limits he quickly acted to win by throwing a punch. What he didn't expect was for Wu Ying to turn around to try to punch him back.
Unable to stop. They both used the momentum of their striking power to end the fight.
Both hits connected to their target. Issei struck Wu Ying's stomach and Wu Ying hit Issei's head. Both were sent to the ground. While Issei would have been able to tank the hit, he was already too badly damaged after receiving the second boost. In Wu Ying's case, her body couldn't handle the force of double boosted Issei. This fight was a tie.
"What happened here?!" At that moment Wu Lan and Wu Ying finally came with baskets in their hands.
Completely missing the fight between the two fighters. All they saw was both teens on the ground with injuries.
Issei's subconscious (Issei's POV)
Ow! That fucking hurts.
(Oh. Finally in the realm of the living.)
Ddraig. I say, confused.
(No, the tooth fairy. Of course, it's me you moron.)
What happened?
(That punch happy girl knocked you out.)
She did. How did she get so strong?
(If I had to guess. It was probably that manual you gave her. She must have leveled up.)
So that strength came from reaching the second stage.
(This only proves that you must get stronger. But the way I see it. It might be difficult.)
What? Why?
(For one, you don't even know the language. That is the first hurdle you must overcome. The second is that you have grown too attached to the sisters. You must realize that soon we will one day have to leave this village or we'll never find the answers on why we came to this world.)
I guess, I really do have to ask Wu Lan.
Soon the area starts to shake indicating Issei was waking up in the real world.
(We will finish our talk later.)
Night
Wu Lan Residence
3rd Person POV
Soon Issei opens his eyes. As he wakes up he notices the concerned face of Wu Lan. Getting up he notices the injuries on his body.
"You're finally awake. Thank goodness." Wu Lan says with a face full of relief. Until a dark glint is seen in her eyes. "What were you two thinking?!"
"Ow! Ow ow ow oww!" Issei screams as Wu Lan pinches his ear and tries to tear it off.
"That's enough sister. It wasn't Issei's fault but mine." Wu Ying calls out implying that she woke up before Issei. But unlike Issei, she wasn't too badly hurt.
"Don't think I forgot about your punishment!" Wu Lan threatens.
"I'm sorry sister!" Wu Ying says with a deep bow.
"Seriously you two. How could you take a simple spar so seriously?"
"How else was I supposed to test my new limits?"
"There are simpler ways than trying to kill each other. Promise me you two won't do this again? Can't you tell how worried I was? How worried Wu Xiao was? She was practically crying about how hurt you two were."
Now that stung. While it was one thing to worry, Wu Lan. It was another to make Wu Xiao cry. Now they can't help but feel guilty.
"Sorry" Both say looking at the ground in shame.
"Good. Now, here is your dinner." Wu Lan says before leaving to check Wu Xiao.
"Thank you." Again both say at the same time.
Both are now eating a bowl of rice while trying to awkwardly start a conversation.
After a few minutes of just eating. Wu Ying is the first to speak. "Sorry." Wu Ying says. "I shouldn't have forced you to fight me. I guess I got out of control."
"It's fine, Wu Ying."
"No, it's not. I was just so excited. Finally, I could accomplish the dream my dad always wanted to do. I guess all that excitement went to my head and I forgot the consequences."
"Like I said, it's fine. I will always be extremely grateful to you, Wu Lan and Wu Xiao for letting me live here. Even knowing I am nothing but a stranger and a pervert. So anyway I can help. I will gladly do it."
"You have done more than enough. If it wasn't for you. We probably would have lived as slaves for those bandits. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be one step closer to completing my father's dream."
"His dream?"
"I'm sure you noticed that our parents aren't with us. That's because they both are dead. My mom died at the childbirth of Wu Xiao. While my dad died of sickness. My dad always had this great dream of becoming a strong cultivator. But after he got ill. He always had this regret in him. So to make him happy I started practicing martial arts. I always said that one day I will become stronger than him. My father wanted to be somebody. Unfortunately, life wasn't too kind to him. So I told him to rely on me. That I would accomplish that wish."
'So that's why I never saw their parents. That whenever they mention them they always have sadness in them.'
Soon Wu Lan comes into the room and sits down at the table.
"Sister" Wu Ying says with a spark in her eyes as if she has just come to a decision.
"Yes." Wu Lan says, interested in why her sister looked so determined.
"I have decided. I finally have a cultivation manual and I advanced to the second stage. I believe it's time for us to finally leave this small village."
"What?" Wu Lan says shocked and Issei wasn't further off.
"Yes, I think it's finally time. This small village can no longer hold us."
"Think about this calmly. You might be ready but Wu Xiao and I aren't. Do you even know where to go?"
"Of course I do. We are going to the capital. That's the place any cultivator must go for fame and recognition. And don't worry Issei, I will protect you and take you with us."
"That's right! I don't know what's going on but I will also protect you." Issei says, not understanding where exactly they were going.
Wu Lan sighs while holding her forehead. "Fine, let's talk more about this in the morning and if we do go. We must start making supplies."
"Alright," Wu Ying says, heading to sleep.
"Wait, can I talk to you in private Wu Lan?" Issei says
"Sure Issei." Wu Lan answers before she leaves to sleep. "What do you need?"
"Please don't get angry? But remember the manual I got." Issei says nervously.
Wu Lan soon makes a disgusted expression at remembering that perverted manual. Just the thought of it made her angry. "What about it?" She says unhappily.
"This fight with Wu Ying made me realize that I need to get stronger. And to do that I will need the cultivation manual. But there's a problem, I don't know how to read it. So can you read it for me?"
"What? Absolutely not! I will not read to you that manual!"
"Please!" Issei begs. Holding his hands in prayer and doing a little bow. "If I don't get stronger. I worry that I won't be able to protect you or Wu Xiao. To do that I must learn to cultivate."
She was about to again refuse but then she thought back to the bandits and how Issei risked his life to defend them. If Issei didn't have the necessary strength to fight back. Their situation would now be different. "I. Fine but don't think I'll let you perform any of those techniques on me."
"Thank you, Wu Lan!"Issei says happily. Unable to control his excitement he hugs Wu Lan tightly.
"Issei! Let me down." Wu Lan yells but inside she was satisfied by how intimate they were.