43 The Childish Woman (11)

The first elder dropped his sword and fell to the ground, kowtowing to me. He raised his head up slowly and stammered, "W-what? W-who a-re you?"

The sect ancestor's eyes widened in fear as he took a step back. "S-spirit God Realm?"

The second elder was the first to regain his composure, dusting the dirt off of his robes. Sweat dripped from his forehead; the pressure of Ellie's spiritual essence unbearable. I looked at him, then at my quivering legs.

Ah, I'm really too weak. I couldn't move even if I wanted to, or else I'd collapse in a heartbeat. Fiona looked as lively as usual, still having no reaction to Ellie's strength, which puzzled me.

Is her cultivation base, the renowned Spirit God realm... something not to worry about?

"H-how have we of the Burning Lotus Sect offended you, y-young miss?" The second elder asked, emphasizing the 'Burning Lotus Sect'.

I sighed. What a fool. His intentions were all too obvious. He's acting nervous to lower one's guard, but by restating his identity and backing, it's clear that it's a threat. The second elder is no simple man, but it's a pity that he's overconfident in his strength and his intelligence. Has he not noticed that even the sect ancestor is anxious? How could he still believe that if he could somehow call over the Burning Lotus Sect, and they ganged up on Ellie, that they could subdue her?

Maybe it's because she looks so young and inexperienced, that he thought he could bluff his way out of this. I laughed. I wonder what Ellie would do to them if she knew... I turned to look at her with a sly grin.

Fiona climbed down from my back, drawing my attention. I froze. She traced a vein on my forearm; the sensation electrifying. I underestimated the extent of her jealousy that she's even resorted to antics like this.

I have to admit it worked well. So well, that it was driving me crazy, with how addictive the feeling was.

I hissed, still over the moon. "Fiona. Send a voice transmission to Ellie."

She froze for a moment, before pushing her nails into the vein. The sharp pain helped me regain my consciousness, and I shuddered in fear. She's really too scary, if she ever acts like that again, i don't know if I could take it.

"You can stop attacking me now, Fiona."

She sulked, pushing my arm away. With her hands crossed, she forced herself to ask, "What do I tell her?"

I chuckled at her antics. No matter what she does, it's so cute. I'll have to coax her after we get this matter with Ellie done. It should be easier with her gone.

I told Fiona via voice transmission about the sect's intentions and asked Ellie to play along with us and hold back her anger.

Ellie looked at us and blinked. I took that as her agreement, and sure enough, she withdrew her spiritual essence. The pressure in the air disappeared, and I sighed a heave of relief.

Fiona distracted me from the pain in my body, but that doesn't mean it wasn't there. I must have strained it and my willpower to keep myself from collapsing.

The sect elders looked at Ellie in surprise but stood from afar.

Ellie took notice of this and changed her words from earlier. "I was just disappointed at your strength. That man is one tenacious cockroach even though he is only at Qi Formation realm because of his injuries. Even though he's not in his prime, he still has methods of surviving."

She took a seat down and continued. "Since it's like that, I won't interfere. I'll blackmail you with some cultivation resources if you cannot kill him, okay?"

I glared at her. They're already hell-bent on killing me, why instigate them even more? Even though I'm not afraid, I really don't have the means of winning this fight, especially after my arms and legs feel like jelly...

The sect ancestor bowed one-eighty degrees while gritting his teeth. "Thank you, young miss, for not interfering. I'm sorry my descendants disappointed you earlier, but the Burning Lotus Sect will kill this man at all costs. There's no need for you to threaten us."

Hearing that the second elder drew his sword, his killing intent became even stronger than before. The first elder threw a talisman on the ground. A bright light covered the forest before disappearing.

I chuckled, realizing something. So this was the game that she was playing at, and these brainless old things chose the wrong move. Ah, the plan worked out with Ellie dissatisfied with the sect, but why was it the bait?

Fiona grabbed my waist, like they scared her, but I knew better. Her nails dug in again. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry, but I couldn't get mad at her despite the torture it brought.

She said in a timid tone, hiding behind my body, "Daddy, I'm scared..."

Sure you are, Fiona, even having the time and leisure to tease me. I didn't expose her, but played along with her teasing. I leaned on her body, trembling.

Her familiar scent comforted me. It smelled of a floral bouquet on a cloudless summer day, refreshing and pleasant to the nose.

"I'm taking a bath with you later," I whispered before realizing what I just said. Fiona and Ellie looked at me in a daze.

AHHH! There goes my mouth, rambling on about misinterpreting things! I was curious about her scent and the shampoo that she used, I could have just asked her nicely! Why experience it firsthand, in such a, uh, perverted way?

I coughed to clear my embarrassment. I've lost all my reputation as an upright, honorable daughter-con. I flicked Fiona's forehead gently, telling her to forget what I just said.

In a hoarse voice, I continued acting dramatic show for the sect elders to see, hoping that Ellie would somehow ignore what I said earlier.

"Fiona," I coughed. "My daughter. I don't think daddy can live any longer, but you must. Take care and protect yourself. Daddy will fight these old bastards to buy more time for you to escape."

Fiona bawled. The Frost Aura suddenly resonated within my body. Oh, she's melting some ice crystals for more tears... so cute, so smart.

"Daddy," she cried loudly, wiping away her crocodile tears. "Don't leave... I want to stay with you..."

"Don't cry, you're a big girl now. Take my dagger out of my back for the last time and run, okay? Run far, far away from here!"

She shook her head, tears flying around. "Daddy...." she cried out, reaching for the dagger.

C'mon, take it out already! I think I stabbed myself a little too deep. Who am I kidding, torturing myself like this?

The sect ancestor yowled, drawing his red saber and charging."Kill him now!"

The second elder launched attacks with fireballs from afar. The first elder was on the ground closest to us, stood up and swung his sword at Fiona's hands. His eyes were of a vicious glint.

My killing intent erupted. Dense, murderous aura surrounded the first elder like an envoy from darkness. He froze momentarily as a gush of air rushed out from behind and shot him to the ground.

Fiona threw the dagger in the air and stated calmly, "Ice Needles," and they flew out of her palm. I caught Heartbreak, wiping my blood off of it.

I turned to look at him on the ground, shivering under my icy gaze. "Don't even think about touching any part of her," I declared, and disappeared under his eyes.

Hundreds of needles pierced his heart as I held him up and cut a slit across his neck. "You—" He died before he could finish what he was saying.

I wiped the blood off of Heartbreak with his tainted red robes and threw him on the ground, not batting an eyelid. Activating the Frost Devil Arts, an icy sensation, even stronger than the one from the core disciple before engulfed my body. A voice inside my head screamed 'kill', but I repressed it easily.

I already freed myself from the deranged craving from killing when I turned over a new leaf, so it didn't corrupt my mind. I felt a part of me strengthening as my shadow grew darker. It looks like my breakthrough in Frost Devil Arts added an even more intense chilliness to my killing intent.

I shivered. Coldness encased my entire body. I felt myself trapped in an ice block - unable to move, and the unbearable numbing pain from the cold. I tried to drop Heartbreak, but my fingers wouldn't release the hold I had on it. Frostbite, I thought as I mustered the last of my strength to say a single word: "cold."

Fiona walked over, quivering. My heart grew colder. Is it because of me that is making her uncomfortable? Restrain the cold. I've got to restrain it.

I couldn't. Ellie's pressure earlier weakened my body physically and mentally. I couldn't musture any more willpower to stop myself from hurting Fiona.

"Fiona... stop..." I groaned, as an artic wind entered my head. She continued walking over. Step by step, I found my heart frozen and one of my emotions dying.

I raised my arm, and she hugged me, murmuring softly. "I'm here, daddy. Fiona is here. Are you all right?"

Time seemed to reverse as memories of every embrace I had with Fiona flickered in my mind's eyes. The familiar warmth of her body seemed to ignite a burning passion in my body, slowly burning the coldness away. It melted me.