127 Moonlit Spar

The moonlight beamed down upon the lush forest. Wodan's wildlife hid, the spirit beasts dared not to show themselves before this pale-haired beauty that bombarded a tree with ice swords. Her aim, immaculate, Zhen's blade all swarmed the imaginary center she set upon the trunk.

While the presence of her unveiled cultivation repelled all the lesser beasts away, it nonetheless hooked Zhen's intented target. A Divine Beast whose magical eyes hid immense power, sealed by a blindfold. The Qilin, Jiawei. Her tone, impatient as she shouted at Zhen.

"You dare sneak off into the night!? What malicious deed are you planning to enact this late!?"

Malicious deed? Jiawei's eyes are not the only ones obscured, her heart is also clouded by hate towards humans.

"I am baking bread." With another wave of Zhen's hand, two ice blades hit the dead center where the blades congregated. "What else does it look like I am up to?"

Although her vision sealed, her other senses are heightened to the extreme. Hearing, touch, smell, and taste all coalesced up to the point that she can fully envision her surroundings but without color. Subtracting one of her senses paved the way to open the sixth.

With this, Jiawei discerned what Zhen had been up to.

"You fool, the palace's garden is open for you to train at! What need have you to sneak into this forest near midnight?"

"Oh, I indeed have a need. It is to lure you out in the open where the prying eyes of that dragon cannot reach. What say you, care to spar with me under the moonlight, Jiawei dear?"

Jiawei's name uttered by the human and her confession to spar with only the two of them made Jiawei's heart skip a beat. Why!? Was it disgust? Probably, there is no way Jiawei will fall for someone who would lust after her soul core. After all, that should be what Zhen is truly after, right?

Then it is best to cut this facade early, inform Zhen that her honeyed words have no effect.

Wodao drawn, Jiawei's blade crackled with electricity.

"I will not ask again. Return with me back to the Sovereign's Palace or suffer the consequences."

Far from Jiawei's plan, her agression only served to ignite this woman of ice's fiery passion. In the blink of an eye, her ice solidified in both hands to form swords sharper than ordinary steel.

"If you are that adamant in bringing me back, you will have to knock me out first and drag me."

Brave, but foolish. Zhen's audacity forced Jiawei to recognize her resolve.

"You are courting death, human."

"Hardly, but I would love to court you, though. If only you would let me."

Irritation sprung inside Jiawei and yet a smidgen of delight flowed with it. None had been bold enough to flirt with a Qilin whose lightning can disentegrate them from whence they stood. Only Zhen.

"[Lightning Rains From Above]!!!"

Raising Jiawei's sword up high after shouting her technique, the stream of electricity transformed into swords that barraged Zhen. From its name, the attack put a squad of archers' arrow volley to shame.

If Zhen's blade was made from indomitable ice, Jiawei's lightning that took the form of her wodao blade boasted raw, destructive power.

The blades seemingly endless rain of lightning swords are about to impale Zhen, such assault would sunder her into pieces. How then must she deal with Jiawei's cataclysmic attack?

By forming an ice barrier? Nay, Zhen MUST impress. Woo this Qilin with her skill with the blade, after all, both of them held dominion over swords.

Displaying her prowess as a Sword Saint, Zhen's blade in both hands spun like intersecting windmills, parrying the ruinous rain of lightning with immense speed, Zhen's swords became blurred!

As the rain halted, the surrounding trees and the ground Zhen stood upon did not simply look like they were hit by lightning, it appeared as if they were brutalized by a lightning that struck not twice, but over and over again, bringing calamity in its wake.

"Come now, we are both Sword Saints, surely you are tempted to engage me with your blade?" Her grin, prideful, Zhen pointed her ice sword at Jiawei. "Do not hold back, let us do battle and enjoy each other's company until the sun rises."

"How absurd, as if I would enjoy spending time with a human! You think too highly of yourself!"

"Is that so, Jiawei dear, then would you mind telling me the reason behind that smile of yours?"

Indeed, why was Jiawei smiling? Perhaps she is only excited at the opportunity to crush Zhen's arrogance. Jiawei thought that must be it, no other reason comes to mind.

Embodying the speed of lightning, Jiawei traversed the distance between faster than one could blink. Her blade infused with electricity locked with Zhen's ice sword.

"Fine, allow me to put you in your place. We shall see who is the better Sword Saint between us."

+++

The special incense told of the time. Although its aromatic smell filled the room, it was no substitute for the fragrant smell and bedside warmth of a certain woman whom Daji pined for.

Full when Xiao left, the incense almost burned out. Two hours after midnight, it would appear that Zhen enjoyed her little rendevous with Jiawei.

No matter, Daji will wait until Zhen is once more in her arms.

About half an hour of waiting later, Daji's patience was finally rewarded. Putting out the incense completely, Zhen's icy gust blew into the room.

Smiling from ear-to-ear, Zhen could not hide her glee as she gazed at the foxy woman in their bed.

"That smile... Impressive. I take it you have made an improvement in wooing Jiawei?"

"You wouldn't believe it! Countless times our blades grazed each other's throats but we were smiling all the while!" Zhen recounted with joy.

Of course, there is a tinge of jealousy when Daji could see how another woman is making Zhen happy. But a harem is just that, the beating of many hearts into one harmonious rhythm, a rhythm that spread happiness to those involved. If Zhen is happy, then Daji would love to bask in her happiness.

"Come, lay on my lap. Tell me everything about all that transpired between your bout."

And thus, Zhen laid on the lap of her lover, Daji's tail wrapping around Zhen beating even the softest of pillows. The Ice Empress told how she deflected all of Jiawei's lightning blade that rained from the sky and the sword melee that they held right after.

"I am impressed, perhaps you might break through her defenses after all. The question is, will Jiawei be willing to share?"

So Daji questioned. A harem is not for everyone, it required the emotional fortitude that Daji exhibited for it to work.

"I have a feeling that she would consider it greatly, she much too enamored with me now, you see." Zhen declared with pride. The Qilin had now been charmed.

One of Daji's tails teased Zhen by rubbing her face. A prize for that overconfidence of hers.

"Hey!" Zhen giggled.

"Too enamored, you say!? Pfft, you had your first successful encounter with her and you act all high and mighty. "

"You say that but have you forgotten that I was able to bed you the first night we met?" Zhen teased back with a smug grin.

Daji could trace the moment she fell for Zhen was the moment she unmasked in the Pavilion. Left with no retort, Daji simply laughed and rubbed another tail into Zhen's face.