Chương 726: Chapter 718

Lungs burning and muscles aching, I gather my wits and steel my determination in a desperate attempt to fight on in this continuing conflict. Working in tandem with flawless coordination, my assailants grind away at my resolve without mercy, lost in the moment as our back and forth plays out in a haze of reckless abandon. Our movements harmonize to the beat of our pounding hearts and panting breaths in this struggle of strife and unity, a conflict and collaboration akin to both duel and dance.

Soon enough, our continued efforts pay off in dividends as we all reap the harvest of our endeavours before collapsing in breathless exhaustion to bask in the afterglow of a match well played, with all participants appeased and contented for yet another night. Yan's throaty chuckle and Mila's appreciative murmurs stoke my ego as I sink heavily into the bed sheets and gasp for air like a fish on dry land.

Hardly the most dignified demeanour one can present, but if there ever were a place where I could do away with dignity, it would be here in the bedroom I share with my two beloved wives. Say what you will about the perks of being a Martial Warrior, but superhuman strength and stamina only matters in comparison to regular humans, and I find my vitality just barely up to snuff when it comes to satisfying these two wonderful and formidable women. But where there's a will, there's a way.

As I bask in the heat of their bodies and gaze upon their bared flesh in the dim gloom of the moonlit room, I find my second wind and ready myself for yet another bout.

"Enough," Mila pleads, but her weary, plaintive tone only sets my lust aflame, especially when her movements fail to match her words. Yan is also more than ready for more as we lose ourselves in lust yet again, our bodies intertwined and hearts interconnected in so many ways.

Only once we are all wholly spent and exhausted does our ardour cool and abate, and as I collapse into the embrace of my beloved wives for the umpteenth time, I curse the Heavens above for burdening me with this feeble mortality and a libido that cannot be matched. The mind is willing, but the flesh is weak and spongy, even flesh that has been Refined into a Spiritual Heart.

Though Yan and Mila seem close to their limits, I suspect they could both keep going long after I fainted from exertion and are only feigning their feeble enervation for the sake of my manly pride. Then again, maybe not, as Mila falls fast asleep and Yan seems soon to follow suit, though alas, life is not so kind as to oblige us all. Sex is not at all like in the movies, where the man and woman do the deed then just roll over and go to sleep.

It's a sloppy, messy, sordid affair and doubly so when more than two parties are involved, so I drag myself out of bed and over to the washbasin to wipe down and freshen up so as to avoid any unpleasant messes the next morning. Yan follows suit while sticking close to me, her pale skin glistening with sweat as I wipe her down, an act which makes me curse my frail mortality once again.

An added benefit from the herbal baths, one that showed after two weeks of steeping in Spiritual Plant water, as now both my wives have flawless, silken skin, so soft and smooth to the touch with a pleasant, natural fragrance that I cannot get enough of...

"You are insatiable." Yan's husky laugh only stokes the flames of ardour as she pulls me into her naked embrace for a deep and passionate kiss, one which leads to yet another bout of frenetic lovemaking that is understandably hampered by our lack of bed and exhausted bodies. Never one to be outdone, Mila wakes from her stupor and rejoins the effort with renewed ferocity thanks to her competitive nature, leaving me weak in the knees and revealing that her earlier concession was all an act designed to stoke my furor.

Some time later, when our passions are played out and our bodies are wiped clean, I finally get around to changing the bed sheets and hold off sleep's warm embrace long enough to throw on a robe and shuffle over to the bedroom door. Cracking it just wide enough for Aurie to fit through, I welcome the yawning wildcat with a hug and a kiss while Mama Bun and Ping Ping trundle on in, bearing Pong Pong and Guai Guai atop their backs respectively.

Ginger, Cinnabun, Pepper, and Peanut (or the Spice Bunnies as I've taken to calling them, even though ginger and peanuts aren't actually spices) were supposed to be parked out here as well, but they're not yet used to this new system of napping by the door until happy fun times have come to an end. Though Peanut is laid out where I last left him, the other three have absconded to sleep among the flowers in the courtyard garden, and no amount of Loving Aura or gentle Sending will rouse them.

Chuckling beneath my breath, I close my eyes and envision myself fading out of reality, not to turn myself invisible, but to make my presence less palpable to the human senses. A strange skill, Concealment, one which I do not wholly understand, but in my mind's eye, I conceptualize it as taking the material and making it more immaterial, the physical made metaphysical if you will.

A complicated effect that should really not be possible utilizing the laws of physics as I understand them, but the Energy of the Heavens works in mysterious ways I have yet to even begin to unravel. What I do know is that Concealment does not affect my actual physical form, but rather the signs my passing leaves behind and the ability for others to perceive those signs.

Were I a ship upon the waters, my sails would still flap and the ripples would still spread, but the disturbance would go unnoticed thanks to the lessened impression of those signs. The strange thing is, Concealment doesn't seem to have a maximum range of effectiveness, which put to rest my first theory that it was similar to an alternative Domain that affects everyone within its sphere of influence.

It made sense in so many ways, but it turns out, my theory was wrong, because Concealment is effective even from several kilometres away while being watched through a rudimentary telescope, one of Diyako's latest inventions that has made its way from the pages of my book and into the Azure Empire proper.

Considering this was much further than even the largest Domain could conceivably stretch, I could only accept that my initial theory was wrong and try again from there, though Domain is another iffy concept I have yet to wholly comprehend, as recent developments have raised interesting questions regarding previous perceptions. Such as the whole Domain Manifestation thing and how Hongji was able to cover the entire Central Citadel with his Domain when even Akanai can barely cover more than a full metre around her.

In diameter, not radius, and not perfectly circular of course, as her Domain stretches out from her skin rather than a central point, but the measurement still stands. Either way, all my testing led me to believe that Concealment isn't actually affecting anyone's perception directly, but rather covering up the signs of an individual's passing before said signs escape beyond the area of Concealment for others to perceive.

To put it simply, signals like sound, light, smell, and whatnot are able to make their way into the area of Concealment, but it simply passes through without impacting on the Concealed individual. T hat's why even though I wasn't able to see Mahakala's Concealed form, I was able to notice the missing stars which should have been present behind him.

I wasn't looking at him per se, but rather at something his physical form was blocking which should have been plainly visible to my eyes, and luckily my mind registered the objects as missing. It's like looking at a painting of a familiar landscape that left out an important feature, like a distinct house or tree or whatever. Only someone familiar with the setting would really notice, or someone clever enough to spot signs of absent objects, while most would only see what the artist painted.

How Concealment actually does any of this is a question I have yet to answer, not to mention I have no idea how one finagles the skill to hide specific objects, like say clothes and weapons, while leaving others untouched like the grass beneath their feet. I've eliminated one possibility at least, namely that it is able to directly affect an outsider's perspective.

A minor difference, but an important one, because if it was possible to use Concealment to hide things from people, we could theoretically also use it in reverse to show things that aren't really there. Thankfully, this isn't the case and I don't have to worry about real-world illusions just yet, unless you have the unknown Elemental Blessing shared by all Wraiths. Even then, they're not exactly solid illusions, since they don't affect me, so it's still up in the air as to how they do what they do.

Maybe someone with the Blessing of Light could craft illusions, but there hasn't actually been a recorded instance of a Demon or Martial Warrior Blessed by Light in several millennia, even though Lightning is one of the most common Auxiliary Blessings in history, followed closely by Sand and Metal. Technically, Fire and Air can result in either Light or Lightning, which begs the question as to why the former is so much less prominent than the latter.

In fact, I'm confused as to why Fire and Earth make Metal instead of Magma, though I suppose the second one totally exists in some way, shape or form. Maybe with a bit of water splashed in or something. Who knows. In fact, now that I think about it, Gen Shi was very specific about being the Emissary of "Earth's Fire", which just had to be intentional. Knowing what I know now, it's clear his Blessing was of Metal, rather than just plain fire, but what would change if he'd been the Emissary of Fire's Earth?

Fiery Earth? I dunno, but it's worth a thought or two. What I do know is that no one can see me as I stride barefoot out into the courtyard wearing little more than a loose robe. I also know that a Sound Barrier is merely a very specific form of Concealment, one which only hides sound and nothing else.

With help from the Death Corps and some very large drums, I discovered that Concealment will block both sound and vibration, while a Sound Barrier will only stop the former and leave the wall-shaking vibrations unaffected and perceptible. It was a fun experiment which proved exceptionally useful as I no longer rely solely on Sound Barriers to cover up my nightly sordid activities, because it does nothing to stop the creaking floorboards or shaking walls from being sensed by others in the house.

Instead, I utilize Concealment to keep our nightly bouts from affecting others in the household, which is more difficult and Chi intensive than I would like, but well worth the effort. What can I say? My wives and I are three, passionate, athletic individuals who are very much in love and lust, so how can our trysts be confined to a single bed?

Even a single room is almost not enough, but I can only sit and wait for the new manors to be built so my parents and in-laws can all move out to become neighbours rather than house mates and I can really start breaking my home in. A home isn't a home until you've made love in every single room and atop every single surface. Gross yes, but it's my home and I'll do what I want here.

The sheer amount of flak I got for having sex in the baths was downright criminal, not to mention humiliating, and though I love my family dearly, I never want to have to sit through such a conversation ever again. While I am able to utilize Concealment and should probably leave it at that, my curiosity knows no bounds and will not allow me to leave things be. I want – nay, need to know how these Chi skills work, because only then will I understand how to best use them.

What separates a good Concealment from a bad one? There is a discernible difference in quality between Pong Pong's Concealment and what everyone else can do, but it's difficult to explain. Most Concealed Martial Warriors can remain unnoticed so long as they don't do anything to draw attention to themselves, but more skilled individuals can bump into or move other people aside without being noticed. Then there's Pong Pong, who is on a whole other level all by himself.

I've seen Peak Experts and brilliant minds alike sit down at the table with me, take note of the box of raw shrimp, and later notice the box has been emptied, yet dismiss it all without even thinking due to Pong Pong's Concealment, a feat which I've never seen matched by any one else, not even Kukky who is easily noticed once you see the food disappearing from in front of him.

To test the limits of Concealment even further, I asked MuYang, the sneakiest git I know, to help me with an experiment in which I invited him over for dinner without telling anyone except Grandpa Du and Kyung, mostly so they could help protect my spymaster should anyone react adversely to his hidden presence.

As planned, MuYang arrived early without anyone noticing and took his seat at the dining table before anyone else arrived, Concealing himself and his seat from anyone and everyone, but Akanai took one look at the dining table and asked if we were expecting a visitor, as she'd noticed the extra place setting and empty space meant for MuYang. So what differentiates Pong Pong's Concealment from MuYang's?

Why can Pong Pong's Concealment hide even the aftermath of his actions, while MuYang can't even hide the fact that there's an extra seat at the table? Once we understand what separates the two instances of Concealment, we can better study how to improve our abilities, an outlook which is not limited to Concealment alone. What makes Mitsue Juichi's Mountain Collapsing Stomp so much more effective than mine? Or Mei Lin's Lightening? Or Gongsun Qi's Reinforcement and Amplification?

Hard work and dedicated effort will ultimately still be required, but things would go so much faster if I knew what I needed to improve upon in order to progress along the Martial Path. Lofty aspirations aside, I collect the sleeping spice bunnies and bring them back to the bedroom to snuggle in the comfort of my own bed, one which I share with two of the most beautiful and amazing women I know.

Already fast asleep once again, Mila is laid out flat on her back and looking oh so adorable in her night robes with Guai-Guai in her arms, the clingy red panda snuggled tight in her embrace. Propped up on one elbow beside them, Yan silently awaits my return while restraining the all-too-excited Mama Bun, who is well-rested after a long day of napping and ready for an excursion into my Natal Palace.

Ping Ping is equally excited but much more reserved about showing it, waving her butt from side to side while planting her chin against the bed in a downward dog pose, a mannerism she picked up from playing with Buddy these past few weeks. Making room for me to crawl in between her and Mila, Yan's fetching pout reminds me of the taste of her lips, but my weary efforts to secure a kiss are thwarted by Mama Bun's enthusiastic headbutt of greeting to my chin.

Settling for a kiss between the sweet rabbit's nubby horns, I try to subtly extract a strand of stray fur from my mouth as Yan laughs and shakes her head.

"Even after so many nights," she whispers, laying her head down next to mine as we finally settle down to sleep, "I still can hardly believe that you bring them into your Natal Palace every night, but it's hard to argue when Mama Bun and Ping Ping are so excited for bedtime."

"Yea, because bed time is play time for them," I reply, kissing Mila's temple before turning to nuzzle Yan's nose with mine.

"I don't think you can see him, but Pong Pong is equally excited too, tippy-tapping his feet about on the back of Mama Bun's head." An Aura of impatient excitement thrums through the air as the tiny turtle responds to his name, eager as the others to visit my Natal Palace once more, because after a lifetime of trials and tribulations, he's finally found a place where he can cut loose and have fun without fear or apprehension.

Home is more than a place to rest your head, and after a lifetime of searching, Pong Pong has finally found his, which is here by my side. Touching as the sentiment is, Yan's attempt to hide her pique does not go unnoticed and proves to be a hair in the soup of this sentimental moment.

"What's the matter?" I ask, teasing her a little.

"Jealous of two turtles and a bunny rabbit?"

"Yes." Contrary to expectations, Yan readily admits the source of her ire, smushing Mama Bun's cheeks ever so gently before pulling Ping Ping into her embrace. Despite her hard, irregular shell with its rounded protrusions, Ping Ping is surprisingly squishy in a solid sort of way, not at all uncomfortable to hold and cuddle. A good thing too, because the sweet girl does so love her hugs, and a hug with Yan is no exception.

Unable to hold fast to her grudge in the face of Ping Ping's delighted squeaks, my wife smiles and throws a halfhearted, accusatory glare in my direction.

"You bring your pets into your Natal Palace, but there's no room for your wives? We've been sleeping side by side for weeks now, and not once have Mila or I ever received anything that might be construed as an invitation, subconscious or otherwise." Stirring at the sound of her name, the sleepy, redheaded beauty's response is to roll over and curl up around me, with her bared leg laid out over top my own in delightful skin on skin contact.

Resisting the primal urge to act any further tonight, I take a deep breath and sink back into my pillows under Yan's amused gaze, one she breaks off to curl up against my other shoulder. Much like Ping Ping's shell, Yan's hard antlers have 'softened' in recent days, likely due to the effects of the herbal baths.

They're still hard enough to shatter bones on impact if she should so choose to headbutt, and they make for great head protection in lieu of a helmet, but they're no longer as coarse and grainy as they once were. In fact, they're almost downright comfortable to press my cheek against, a cool, smooth surface that reminds me of Yan's soothing and supportive presence. Already half asleep as Mama Bun flops down hard atop my chest, I kiss her twitching nose and smile as the Spice buns settle in around her.

"Sorry beloved," I murmur, fighting to stay awake just so I can savour this blissful moment for even a heartbeat longer.

"But in my defence, I have no idea how these Natal Palace shenanigans work. Besides Ping Ping, Pong Pong, and Mama Bun, none of the other animals have ever cared to visit, not even Kukky or Tai Tai." I tried with Rakky too, but according to Akanai and Grandpa Du who watched over me as I slept, the stupid tiger didn't sleep a wink all night until he slipped out of my embrace and made his escape up onto the roof.

Despite all the food and love I share with him, Rakky has yet to really warm up to anyone besides Lin-Lin, and even then it's more like he tolerates her a tiny bit more than the rest of us. He'll heave a sigh when my wifey throws herself atop his back and pad around slowly when she urges him to run, whereas he would simply maul and murder anyone else who tries to get on his back. Believe me, I've tried, and that was not a fun experience, so I'll stick to quins as a means of conveyance, thank you very much.

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"I know." Speaking in a sleepy whisper that is barely audible even to me, Yan kisses my neck and sighs in contentment.

"I'm just teasing, and only a little irked about having to share the bed with so many more animals as you rotate through them to see if they'll accept an invitation into your Natal Palace." Slipping her slender arm in between Cinnabun and Peanut and into my robes, she nibbles on my collarbone and squeezes my chest while adding, "But how's a woman supposed to grope her sleeping husband if he's hidden underneath a pile of floofs?" And she calls me insatiable...

"Apologies, dearest wife. I have already taken steps towards mitigating your concerns, first and foremost by ordering a larger bed and making preparations to expand the bedroom to a more suitable size." Mostly so I don't have to go wandering around the courtyard in a night robe to collect all my bunbuns and can just leave them in another room. Dignity aside, it also presents a security risk when I slip out from under the noses of my own guards, a lecture I have heard too many times from too many different people.

Pinching my bare chest with slender fingers of steel, Yan shows no mercy as she gives me the purplest of nurples.

"Only because you're getting ready to bring a third wife into our marital bed, you horrid lecher and faithless cad." Despite the painful physical abuse, I can tell Yan is mostly joking by her noble and somewhat archaic choice of words, parroting lines she heard in a play or read in a novel. That being said, she brings up a good point, as I am set to marry Lin-Lin in the Central Citadel less than two weeks from today, an event I am nervous, afraid, and excited for all at the same time.

Most of the aforementioned plans were made in preparation not just for my sweet wifey to join us here in the bedroom, but also for the bevy of animals who come with her as well. Blackjack is tiny and doesn't take up much space, but Lin-Lin has been monopolizing Banjo, Baloo, and Jimjam ever since we got them, which means I can finally cuddle one of my sweet bears to sleep.

Granted, even though black bears are the smallest of bears, they're only small in comparison to other bears, which means they're both still much bulkier than the wildcats, albeit nowhere near as long. This means they'll need a big space on the bed dedicated for them and them alone, since we can hardly all pile on top of them like Lin-Lin does, nor can I really afford to leave them to pick and choose their own spots.

If they were to lay themselves across my legs like Aurie does, I'd likely have to perform a double amputation come morning. The hazards of being a hardcore floof enthusiast are not to be underestimated. Why, this week alone I've nearly been mauled at least two dozen times, though to be honest, it's all because I have no respect for Rakky's clearly defined boundaries. It's not fair. How come Ping Ping is allowed to rub her cheeks in his floofy fur, but when I try it, the claws come out?

Stupid tiger and his stupid, sleek, soft, voluminous fur. I will love you, and you can't stop me! Yan's rumbling chuckle brings me back to reality as I realize I've let my mind wander and Aura slip, but in my defence, I am thoroughly exhausted for reasons that have everything to do with her. It takes an effort of will to get my brain back on track, only to curse myself for drifting off on such an important topic.

Even if she's only teasing, I know it can't be easy for Yan to accept her lot as one of three or more wives, and I feel like I'm being unreasonable by expecting her to remain faithful to me and me alone while I have more than one wife, but I can't accept even the mere thought of another man in her life. Not now, not sixty years from now, unless I'm long dead by then, because like she says, I am a petty, jealous, lecherous cad of a man.

"I'm sorry." My apology only earns me another twist of the man titty, though this time, Yan means business.

"Don't be stupid," she says, even though I would like to point out that she's the one who brought this all up. Can't say that out loud though, because it won't change a thing, and I've learned to pick my battles wisely.

"If you won't let me collect a harem of handsome husbands, you should at least let me tease you about your harem of beautiful wives without battering me with a deluge of unreasonable guilt."

"Apologies my love."

"But not for the right reasons." Craning her neck to look me in the eyes, I lose myself in her soulful gaze.

"I chose you," she declares, punctuating her statement with a kiss.

"I could have had my pick of any eligible bachelor in the Empire, whether it be BoShui, Fung, Geom-Chi, Tam Taewoong, or what have you, but instead, I picked you, a man already betrothed to two women. You know why?"

"Because Mom wasn't lying and I really am ruggedly handsome?"

"Rugged no. Handsome yes, but not as handsome as others, though you are rather pretty when you try to be." Easing this most devastating of blows with a kiss and a nibble, Yan grins and says, "I chose you because I love you, and I cannot imagine a life without you. I know you feel the same way about me and the biggest reason you cannot accept another man in my life is because you cannot bear the thought of having to share me.

You worry that if you have to compete with someone for my affections, you will eventually lose me, without knowing that you have already won me a thousand times over. While your jealous insecurity is not your best quality, I accept you for who you are and love you all the same." Nudging me none too gently with her horns, she adds, "So keep this in mind the next time I tease you about your insecurities, you stupid, handsome, jealous man." Ha. She thinks I'm handsome, so which of us is the stupid one?

"Speaking of your harem," Yan continues, her devilish grin clear as day even with her face buried against my shoulder, "How are you planning to reward Luo-Luo when we see her again?" I am a very smart man, with a huge, wrinkled brain, so even tired as I currently am, I know enough not to ask, "What for?" Alas, the Heavens seek to strike me down once again as my Aura gives my inner turmoil away.

Again, I can just hear her lips pursing in disapproval as Yan slowly shakes her head, which has the (hopefully) unintended effect of grinding the base of her horns against my cheek.

"You left her in the Central Citadel to not only handle most of your responsibilities as Legate of the Outer Provinces, but also plan your wedding with another woman. As far as I can tell, she's done a phenomenal job in your absence as Legate and I doubt the woman is even capable of poorly planning anything much less a grand event like a wedding, so would you not say all her hard work deserves some kind of reward or recognition?"

Technically, Lin-Lin asked Luo-Luo to plan the wedding because if my sweet wifey had her way, we'd get married in the bamboo grove with only family for guests. A woman after my own heart, but unfortunately, I have social obligations to uphold which dictate the necessity of a public marriage ceremony. Of course, I know better than to nitpick about the details with Yan, a woman who is clearly set on championing Luo-Luo's cause, but what can I say? Love is a complicated affair, and I am a complicated man.

"And what sort of reward would you say is appropriate? I can't give her what she wants most, and there's hardly a title I can bestow upon her that is loftier than the one she already holds. As my Secretary of Office, she essentially speaks with my voice, making her ostensibly the second highest ranked civil authority in all the outer provinces."

"And why can't you 'give her what she wants'?" Showing off her expressive range in tone, Yan's smirk comes through clearly as she adds, "I'm sure it'd be an enjoyable experience for both of you, and me too if I'm allowed to join in." This coming from a woman who just called me a horrid lecher and faithless cad for taking a third wife. Not without reason and not even remotely seriously, but the point still stands.

"Sex is one thing, love another. Were Luo-Luo simply an Imperial Servant in my service, things would be a lot less complicated, but Shen ZhenWu just had to appoint her as my concubine without even asking."

"True, that would've been less complicated." Pinching my side with a girlish giggle, Yan continues, "Because then you might've already bedded her by now, if not married her in truth. You always were the contrary sort, never happy to do as you are told." Sighing as if she were the aggrieved party, Yan shakes her head once again before finally relenting.

"On that note, I suppose I should stop talking now, though I will say that Luo-Luo is a sweet and lovely woman who has more than earned your trust by now." Implying I need to stop keeping her at arm's length in matters of love and intimacy. So I have trust issues, sue me, but Yan's not wrong. I trust Luo-Luo enough to let her handle the business of running the outer provinces, so maybe I should trust her enough to let my guard down and get to really know her.

Thing is, I resent the fact that she was dumped into my lap and I am contrary enough to not be affectionate with her based on resentment alone, which now that I've thought about it, is neither punishing Shen ZhenWu nor is it fair to Luo-Luo.

Though there's something to be said about being true to myself, I cannot overlook Luo-Luo's contributions solely based on the fact that she was thrust upon me without asking, not to mention the fact that she's a dutiful, submissive, long-legged, big-breasted beauty who will do anything I ask of her, which is just all sorts of awesome.

One wife at a time though, and once my wedding and honeymoon with Lin-Lin has concluded, I expect I'll be off on a crusade to retake the Western Provinces soon after, so it seems Fate insists on having Luo-Luo wait just a little bit longer. Kissing Yan on the forehead and murmuring that I'll think on what she said, I close my eyes and sink into her warm embrace while Mila clutches me close on the other side.

With Ping Ping, Mama Bun, and the Spice Buns all huddled against my chest, I have no idea how the bedroom logistics will work out once we introduce Lin-Lin, Banjo, Baloo, and Jimjam into the equation, not to mention the hypothetical addition of leggy Luo-Luo as well, but where there's a will, there's a way.... I'm gonna need a bigger bed.

The sweet oblivion of senseless slumber seizes me without warning and time stands still as I revel in the peace and serenity of sleep's warm embrace, an addictive indulgence I crave more than I would care to admit. Life is exhausting, but even though I fear losing all that I have, there is no denying that I am happier than I have ever been. Much of it is due to my family, friends, and floofs, but I deserve some of the credit as well for finally allowing myself to be happy.

While I've been working hard to train and prepare for whatever might come, I've been careful not to let myself be overwhelmed by doom and gloom as per usual. I've been putting in a hundred and ten percent effort, but part of that has been learning how to relax and enjoy the journey along the way, to lose myself in the moment as I taste Tali's latest culinary creation or appreciate one of Taduk's Spiritual Plants in full bloom.

Being forced to spend a few hours in the bamboo grove each day has done wonders for my mental well-being, not because the grove is a magical place of natural balance, but because the love and company of family is a balm for the soul, one I have finally learned to properly indulge in. A lesson I learned from none other than the best boy himself, Buddy. Greeting me with a chorus of delighted yips, my long-eared, brown-eyed doggo runs circles around me as I arrive upon the concrete dock inside my Natal Palace.

Though I feel bad for leaving him here all alone when I'm awake, Buddy doesn't care about any of that, because he's just happy I'm here. His excitement only grows as Ping Ping, Pong Pong, and Mama Bun arrive a few moments later, as he is particularly enamoured by the latter, who is more or less his size and equally enthused to see him.

The dog and rabbit pair hop and roll about in joyous greeting as Ping Ping tippy taps around them, sharing in their joy and receiving more than her fair share of kisses while Pong Pong patiently watches from his place perched atop my head, the older, wiser, smaller turtle just happy to be in our company and impatiently awaiting our journey out to the Sea.

Alas, the Spice Buns are nowhere to be found, meaning they either never received my subconscious invitation, were unwilling to accept, or simply unable to cross over into my Natal Palace. Whatever the reason, I heave a soft sigh of regret and steel my determination as I look up at the skyscraper which houses my room and Natal Throne.

Yan expressed her frustration at being unable to join us here in my Natal Palace, and while I was honest about how I have no idea how these shenanigans work, I didn't share an inkling suspicion I've harboured for some time now.

I believe it's possible that I might subconsciously be reluctant to invite Yan or Mila into my Natal Palace because it could lead them to ask questions I don't really want to answer, like why do I have a modern condominium inside my Natal Palace or how come I look so different in here compared to my physical self. Maybe that's why they've never received an invitation, because I've never actually sent one.

Then again, I could be barking up the wrong tree and my wives simply lack the ability to visit my Natal Palace, alongside all the other floofs I've tried this with, so who knows? Denial. It's a wonderful thing sometimes, but I doth partake too much. Having failed to summon my wives and bunbuns, I set aside my worries for another time and give myself over to the moment.

The animals take off into the water and I follow closely behind, laughing as Buddy runs over top the waves with Mama Bun bounding after him in hot pursuit with help from her magical flying raft. Ping Ping and Pong Pong both join in on the fun, helping one, then the other, then taking their own turns at being both predator and prey in this chaotic, unstructured game of tag. There are no rules other than to have fun and do no harm, and that's all they really need.

This is a diversion in every sense of the measure, but even in their festive frolicking, I can see the subtle signs of training and exercise in the animals' movements. Mama Bun is always on the lookout for danger, real or feigned, and her hops have grown more speedy and graceful in recent weeks, while Ping Ping's Deflection has levelled up to the point where she can create literal whirlpools around her.

Buddy has picked up a few tricks as well, and can now dodge, duck, and weave anything Pong Pong can throw at him, whether it be unexpected pillars of water bursting out of the sea, a sudden riptide to slow him in his tracks, or a barrage of non-lethal water bullets meant to bring him low. As for Pong Pong, I can tell the tiny turtle is holding back quite a bit, but he's been having a grand old time playing with the rest.

He especially loves pulling me down into the watery depths and being chased around the sea floor, but even though I have complete mastery of the currents within this Natal Sea, I have yet to come close to laying a finger on him, as he's just too fast and slippery for me to catch. If we were keeping track of winners and losers, Pong Pong would undoubtedly stand on top, but I'm probably the only one who cares about winning, as the rest are just here for the love of the chase.

Which is something I tell myself every time I see Pong Pong's smug turtle smile, lording his superiority over me as he stays just out of arm's reach. One day, I will catch that turtle and see him panic for just a little, then cuddle him for all I'm worth. One day... While we play our games, I keep one part of my mind occupied with studying just how I'm doing what I do, but thus far, I've nothing to really show for it. How does Buddy run through the waves without ever breaking the surface tension?

How does Ping Ping propel her water bullets and keep them from just splattering harmlessly on impact? How does Pong Pong ride the currents and evade capture even when I have control of the water around him, or even manipulate them to his own advantage? Most people use their Natal Palaces to practice Chi skills, but I've always found that those skills come too easily to me here in my own Domain.

Raising a tidal wave is as easy as imagining it, but there are no opposing forces at work here, because this Natal Sea is not filled with water, but rather Chi masquerading as water. While I understand the basic concept of controlling Chi, controlling Water Chi requires more than an effort of Will, as I've been unable to utilize my Blessing in any useful way whatsoever outside of my Natal Palace.

The problem is even though Water Chi is easily controlled in here, that's not how things work out in the real world, so I'm a little lost as to how any of this is supposed to help. The answers are so close though, I can almost taste them, like a word on the tip of my tongue that I've somehow lost and cannot find again... At least these games are fun and the only thing I have to lose is my worthless pride, so I'm more than happy to come back night after night.

Of course, I still need to actually sleep, which means we can't play in here all night. Though time is difficult to track in here, I've gotten the hang of feeling out when I'm too tired to keep going, but long before that moment arrives, I cut play time short and bring everyone on a walk through my Natal Palace. Mostly because I genuinely enjoy walking with Buddy and watching him sniff every nook and cranny, but also because it's an opportunity to give everyone the grand tour.

That's what Ping Ping and Pong Pong did for me when I visited their Natal Palaces, so it only seems right to respond in kind, sharing with them the sights, sounds, scents, and everything else I can remember from this life and the last.

"See that?" I say, pointing at a raised dais by the sea shore, where we last left our tour yesterday night, when I manifested some ice cream and shared the memory with everyone present.

"That's where I stood when I declared myself as one of the People. Mom, Dad, Alsantset, Charok, and Taduk were all there to support me, as well as Gerel I suppose, and it's still one of my most cherished memories." Even though the animals don't actually understand my words, a deluge of emotions emanate from me as I tell the tale of my homecoming to my attentive audience.

There I stood, upon that stage, where I introduced myself to everyone in the village as Rain, and they all cheered because a child who was lost had finally come home. I've never really thought about it, but that moment meant so much to me, because it was the first time since coming to this world that I felt safe and accepted. I suppose that's also why it hurt so much when I was almost exiled, and why I'm afraid to go back again.

Outside of my family, I've never really interacted all that much with the rest of the People, nor have I ever really considered myself as one first and foremost, but now that I've had time to reflect upon my life, my Path, and the steps I took to arrive where I am today, I realized that this might well have been a defining moment in my existence. Before I stood upon that stage, I was Rayne, a transmigrator who was lost and confused in a strange and unfamiliar world.

Then, my family pledged to take me in and take responsibility for me, to feed and clothe me, to love and nurture me, to teach and guide me, and I was no longer just Rayne. I became Falling Rain of the People, no longer a stranger to this world, but a boy with a place to belong. A wise person once said, "You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone," and I cannot agree more, because I never realized how much the People meant to me until they tried to exile me.

After my recent attempt to consign myself to oblivion, I also realized how much I would've missed out on had I truly succeeded, such as Tali's delicious Spiritual Cooking, Tate's continued growth and accomplishments, Rakky's adorable aquatic antics, or my upcoming marriage to my beloved wifey Lin-Lin, not to mention all the adventurous bedroom antics Yan and Mila have been cooking up.

There's still so much more I want to experience in this life, I can hardly believe I was ever stupid enough to want to run away from all that I have. Though I am still not sure where I stand in the grand scheme of things or how my existence in this world came to pass, I have finally learned to accept one, simple truth that I have denied for so long. This world is where I belong. I am not Rayne nor Rain, not as the world knows me, nor am I Brother or Baledagh, but rather an amalgamation of them all.

Without one, I would not have the others, and I would be someone else entirely, so I must embrace myself for who I am and accept my unconventional place in this world. Though there are trials and tribulations aplenty, I will fight to keep this life, to protect and safeguard both myself and everyone I care about, because I love this life. It's not perfect, but it's pretty damn amazing if I do say so myself, so it's high time I stopped wallowing in misery and sadness and focus on the good parts instead.

The Brotherhood believes life is suffering because life is impermanent, but I say the fleeting, transitory nature of life is what makes it so precious, so I should enjoy what I have while it's still here. Much like how Buddy doesn't mind being left alone so long as I come back, I shouldn't mind the lows so long as there are still highs to strive for and enjoy, a lesson that is easier said than done.

I'm trying my best to remain optimistic and enjoy the moment, so while I still have my moments of admittedly reasonable despair, I will never allow it to consume me once more. Because when it comes right down to it, I have too much going for me to give it all up. I might not have bear hands, but I have a loving, supportive family, a menagerie of adorable and affectionate floofs, two beautiful wives with a third in the works, and a host of friends that would literally march into the Father's Maw at my side.

I am truly living the dream, which is a whole lot more than most ever have. I am both humbled and gratified to be so blessed, and I would be a fool to let it all slip by. A fool I have been, but that was yesterday's Falling Rain. Today is a brand new day with a brand new me, and I look forward to what the future has in store. Chapter Meme 1 Chapter Meme 2