'But that blob of energy was not stable. When I held Hilda it got slightly bigger. I was anxious to eat her up then. Maybe it rewards more or less due to the intensity of the desire? I could explain why I benefited so much, I wanted to eat Hilda since the day we met after all.. to hold back until now, though amusing, it still fanned the desire. I have to test it.'

'It cannot be let loose. What if I found an enemy worth bedding and it simply creates a desire would I have to do it? What if I'm angry and desire death for my subordinates? Would I kill them, then?'

Zhi Rui pondered in a daze.

'Desires are directly connected to emotions. I can't control my desires.

But If I control my emotions, then maybe I can control its direction and intensity.'

Remembering the intense euphoria, and how it muddles her head Zhi Rui sighed frustrated. 'If I do satiate my l.u.s.t, I get addicted and mindless. But If I don't, that blob of energy will corrode my insides.'

Sheld her head with both hands. The humid air of the forest that she had grown used to, suddenly bothered her. The smell of s.e.x in the air that she usually liked, felt nauseous on her nose.

She snapped her eyes open, her energy exploded in movement. Sending a small shockwave around, her tent flapped as if in the middle of a storm. It startled her body and distracted her mind. A second later everything turned normal.

'Stress is the most dangerous of all. If I'm not careful I might become depressed and give up everything.'

Zhi Rui focused and crossed her legs, for the first time she was meditating purely for her mind. After one hour. zhi Rui opened her eyes.

Her mind, tranquil. thoughts of how this would disrupt her path crossed her mind. But instead of reacting. she identified and detached her emotions from it thinking objectively. She let go.

'I can deal with pa.s.sing emotions like this. but something a little more intense can shake me.'

Zhi Rui took the naked Hilda over her shoulder. And went out to the back of her tent.

walking around ten meters, there was a beautiful clearing beside a river. The snake Zhi Rui tamed coiled itself on top of a tall tree, seeing Zh Rui it hissed as a greeting. The bushes on the other side of the small river moved and an ape eating some leaves beat his chest. Zhi nodded back.

Reaching the sh.o.r.e Zhi Rui took her mace out, he swung it down creating a small crater.

The river water flowed in she ut Hilda beside her inside the crate. the cold water came over her body. for her, it was much more relaxing than a hot shower. With dull still eyes, she said aloud.

"Gather."

Soon The tall ltree's around moved. Izaya, Zhun Xuying, and s.h.i.+zu formed a circle upon the trees. They all looked at the sunlight shone down o the clearings making Zhi Rui's skin s.h.i.+ne with the water.

Due to the cold water, Hilda woke up. She felt Zh Rui's stern eyes and stood still.

Zhi Rui opened her arms, stretching them to the side of the crater. the pears of water s.h.i.+ning on her b.r.e.a.s.t.s.

Zhi Rui slapped the storage pouch she brought with her. A different storage pouch appeared, together with an animal parchment.

With her energy materialized Zhi Rui repelled both on Izaya's direction.

"The humans and the beastmen had fought innumerable times since the immemorial era. But there was a third party that was ostracized by both sides. The half breeds. they were too few to small and their split heritage made them weaker than every other race. They were hunted by everything and everyone. As the stories always tell; a savior came for them.

A High Elf, The paragon of the virtue of charity of the time crafted them a method to align their split heritage into one. with the knowledge, they created methods of cultivation. After years a halfbreed entered the paragon level. No other race easily offended them anymore.

He created a cultivation method for his kind. Experts blossomed each year and the population grew. Of course, they became a threat and were destroyed by the alliance of humans and beasts. after the did was done, the churches of virtues decided to stop pretending to not see and sent out a commandment to not hunt or persecute the half breeds anymore.

The scroll I just gave you is a weak version from the method that gave the Halfbreeds the temporary glory. "

Izaya felt the weigh of the scrolls in his hands' increase as Zhi Rui finished her words. Something so rare and precious was given away so easily.

He was not grateful or happy. He knew it full well. The weigh of the scroll showed how much his struggles would scale from then on. But His daughter sweet smile came over his mind and he relaxed, then Zhi Rui's savage smile in her bloodied robes like a G.o.ddess of war abruptly appeared on his mind. He shook his head and kept the scroll to his pouch

He didn't think much of it, but from the moment he received the gift Zhi Rui kept his attention on him. Her eyes s.h.i.+ned 'He accepted it less reluctantly than usual.' she thought.

Zhi Rui turned to her side and held grape sized black form, it was so dark e seemed unreal only the contour was visible.

"This is, what you wanted. The core of the blackened widow. A rare spider that is born with innate shadow affinity. it doesn't reflect light but absorbs it, and it can integrate with any place without light as if didn't exist. A queen of the night. You could say."

Hilda's feline eyes became round and she reached for it. but Zhi Rui extended her other hand, in the same manner, a faintly visible gem appeared.

"This is third level core from a wandering phoenix. An animal from the underworld. It's an ethereal attributed being. It has an innate lack of os presence unless looking for it, you can never found it. and it can turn completely ethereal for a very short time. "

Hilda gasped. "H-How-"

"With the main connection to the underworld closet, these things became extremely scarce and expensive only the truly strong could obtain it. but with the soon the be opened gates their value fell enough to be considered a valuable item on the interconnected store."

"Now choose."

Hilda hesitated but chose the wandering phoenix. The ability to become ethereal can be used for defense and attack. unavoidable attacks pa.s.sing through your immaterial body and a counter-attack on the right place can defeat innumerable enemies.

Hilda didn't think much and simply held the gem in hand.

Zhi Rui then turned to Zhun Xuying and threw her two manuals. "One is the best method of wielding wind available in the sect and another is a method to manipulate light as if it were heavy.

Zhi Rui turned to s.h.i.+zu and threw her a pouch "Inside is a high-grade rapier and a pill to max physical capability."

Zhi Rui finished and turned to everyone.

"You'll take turns to train the slaves on your own specialties.

"s.h.i.+zu will teach weaponry and armed combat."

"Izya will teach hand to hand combat and survival skills."

"Hilda will teach stealth and a.s.sa.s.sination"

"Zhun Xuying will teach basic social skills elemental manipulation and meditation."

They all stared at Zhi Rui wide-eyed.

Zhi Rui's stern eyes calmly dared them to question.

"Do it with conviction I need all the slaves to be at the third level after six months." Zhi Rui concluded.

"But how can twenty-something slaves become so talented? that's defying logic." s.h.i.+zu asked.

Zhi Rui's eye Shone "They are not common slaves. they were branded with my blood."

Zh Rui finally turned around to leave. they stared intently at her straight back as she went.

-----

-----

-----

"Have you found the envious boy?" Bianca's mellow voice echoed through her thrones room.

The crystal ball in her hand s.h.i.+ned.

"Yes, your highness. He became a small tribe leader."

Bianca's eyes shone. "Good." She ceased transition and laid back on her throne.

She giggled 'knowing my little daughter she will turn to the warzone between the empire and the barbarians. I'll offer that envious boy Han Fei an olive branch, I'll give him some standing with the barbarians. He is too green, to think things through, he'll jump at any chance to gain success.

Bianca laughed.

She raised her hand and a level five red-robed dark elf appeared."Go to the envious people's hideout. Tell their leader; I found out their motive for coming here, haha tell them I know exactly where their objective is at."

"Yes, your highness."

The dark elf disappeared.

"This way I got to observe my beautiful daughter's moves. while holding leverage against the cult of envy."

Bianca laughed out loud.