8 Shen Ning

Chapter 8: Shen Ning

Hot steam were almost shrouding Jin Duan and his son inside the sauna cave. The serene sound of the drops of the water coming from the ceiling was the only thing that can be heard from the two.

Jin Duan was having a peaceful cultivation as he tried to comprehend the profound meaning behind the blood circulation of the cultivation art of his son. After a long time of observation, one thing that he observed was that the blood circulation affects the body, mind and soul, but, in order to follow this, one must have a strong body, solid foundation of Vital Spirit Aperture and a powerful soul — all in one vessel.

Jin Duan could only sigh in amazement as he opened his eyes to check his son who was disturbed with some things in his mind. "Is there anything bothering you, Ming?"

"I was thinking of Shen Ning. Could you tell me more about her?" Jin Ming has a contemplative look on his face as he was bothered why Shen Ning's attitude towards her was cold.

"Hmm.." Jin Duan sorted out his mind as he told his son about her. "Well, me and your mother doesn't really know what her true background is. We were just able to make an acquaintance with her when we finally decided to settle down in this land. But, what we do know was that her bloodline came from a mutated clan of Dark Elf and Vampire called the Succubus Clan. This was a historical clan that goes way back a million years which only consists of females. In history books, it says that when one of them gave birth of a boy, they would throw it away and would leave the baby up to fate to survive.."

"Wouldn't their bloodline scatter if they do that?" Jin Ming asked as his interest piqued.

"Yes, it will." Jin Duan answered and then continued with his story. "But when that baby turned into an adult which will eventually have a family, the Succubus Clan can track their own kin through their bloodline, and once that male survivor was able to produce a baby girl, the clan would take them right away. It's one of their ways to propagate. However, as time passes by, those male survivors became stronger and eventually became a strong force that was able to destroy this clan."

"What your mother suspected though was Shen Ning came from the sect that those male survivors have created in the continent of Mortal Paradise."

"In what class does the continent of Mortal Paradise belongs to?" Jin Ming asked.

"This continent belongs in the middle class.." Jin Duan answered. "Even though, the Succubus Clan was destroyed, the bloodline would still flow from the male survivors and to their next generations, that's why the members of this clan never felt any resentment because they believed that eventually their clan would rise again."

"The Succubus Clan must be crazy to think that since I presume that their bloodline have been controlled and would just run within the founded sect of these male survivors, right?" Jin Ming commented.

"Yes, but, fate and destiny would always conflict, right?" Jin Duan answered in a form of a question. "The founded sect's goal was to make the fate of the Succubus Clan to be forever destroyed, while, the Succubus clan believes that their clan would always be destined to rise up again. It's even showing signs right now as this clan has been divided into two faction, and even though this other faction was still a patriarchal, this faction follows one of the natures of a Succubus which is lust."

After a moment of processing this information that he acquired, Jin Ming was still confused on how was this connected to Shen Ming. "How does this have to do with Shen Ning then?"

Jin Duan answered his son's question right away. "This has everything to do with Shen Ning. She is a loose bloodline of this sect, especially, the Succubus Spirit Body that she has. It is the main requirement to be the matriarch of Succubus Clan."

Jin Ming was shaken when he heard this. He clenched his fist hard as a sense of responsibility to protect his woman surged inside him. When Jin Duan noticed this, he smiled, satisfied with his son's reaction.

"To be honest, your mother thinks that Shen Ning is a good person and a strong woman deep down. She just takes advantage of the nature of her physique that exudes a lot of intense pheromones which me and your mother calls, in order to survive." Jin Duan added in a way that made his son feel more responsible as a man.

"Mother?" Jin Ming muttered. "Do you mean that..?"

"Yes." Jin Duan nodded and smiled as he gave his son a good news. "Your mother approves of her."

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"I'll rephrase my question. Do you really like my son?" Jin Ling questioned the sultry woman in front of her.

"Yes." Shen Ning nodded as she tried her best to look sincere. Deep inside she really doesn't know if she likes the young man or she's unknowingly convincing herself that she likes the young man because she gained lots of benefits from him.

Sigh. Jin Ling could only exhale a deep breath. She was somewhat disappointed of this woman. Her aura erupted in a controlled manner. Only Shen Ning could feel it as her bloodline was again being suppressed.

A tiny black glob entered when Jin Ling pointed her finger in Shen Ning's chest. This tiny glob turned into a blood moon mark. In this mark, Shen Ning felt a vast yet like a mutated Vital Energy that whenever her blood would flow on the area where the mark was, it would change her bloodline characteristics.

"What did you do to me?" Shen Ning gnashed.

"I gave you a favor." Jin Ling simply said, not minding how upset this woman was. "You have the Succubus Spirit Body, no?"

The angry Shen Ning was stunned and surprised with the charming woman in front of her. How did she knew? No one knows what a Succubus Spirit Body is, nonetheless, what spirit body is in this backwater lands.

Spirit Bodies are special bodies that generated from a powerful mutated bloodlines. Mutated Bloodlines are categorized into six ranks; Earth, Sea, Sky, King, Emperor and Sovereign. These six classes are simply divided into two; Mortal and Immortal. Immortal Mutated Bloodlines can only generate Spirit Bodies, and these Spirit Bodies are classified into three ranks which the Succubus Spirit Body belongs in Silver Rank.

"Hmm?" Jin Ling's interest in this woman piqued when she noticed her reaction. "Aren't you from the lands of Mortal Paradise?"

Shen Ning was now being cautious, but then again, Jin Ling can't be from these lands since as far as she knows, women from the lands of Mortal Paradise are not allowed to leave and was destined to be servants.

"Relax. I'm not from that filthy lands." Jin Ling sipped on her tea. She looked at Shen Ning with authority. "So be honest with me."

Shen Ning took a deep breath as she composed herself. She now have really no idea who this woman really is. Though, she felt that she can completely trust her. "To be honest, my birth land is the Dark Elf Continent. I'm from the Noble Shen Tribe who fell from the hands of the scheming emperor. When my tribe was decimated, us children were captured and shipped into the Hearth Continent to be sold as slaves."

Shen Ning's heart started to become heavy when she began telling her story. "As our cargo was being distributed in certain cities of the Hearth Continent, me and my other three friends were able to escape. And as we escaped, I fell down in a canyon. Left with broken bones and bleeding body, I dreamt about the history, heritage of the Succubus Clan."

"Oh, so you stumbled on the inheritance of the Succubus Clan." Jin Ling now realized that this woman really has the Succubus Spirit Body. "How lucky."

"Well, it's also a curse for me." Shen Ning as she reminded of the heavy burden that was been thrusted to her. "I assume that you have knowledge about Spirit Bodies."

Jin Ling simply answered Shen Ning with a question. "What about it?"

"Well it's true that you don't have the bloodline of a succubus which made me doubt how can your body naturally exude intense 'pheromones' the first time that I met you. Then, I made an investigation about you in the Mortal Paradise Continent, however, nothing came up. But, it all made sense now." Jin Ling thoroughly explained which made Shen Ning frightened deep inside. "Also, let me guess..you were able to receive the inheritance because the owner of the inheritance's Spirit was already about to fade, and since you are originally a Dark Elf, your blood was qualified to accept the inheritance. I'm saying that your lucky because if you were not a Dark Elf or a Vampire, your Vital Spirit would have become a nutrition right away for the inheritance to live more years."

Shen Ning was now horrified with Jin Ling. All of her speculations were right. She didn't even know the part where her Vital Spirit would have been devoured if not for her bloodline.

Seeing that Shen Ning was silent, Jin Ling continued with her piece as she eyed the woman in front of her. "Let me take another guess, the spirit of inheritance forced you to make a pact which you will have to revive the Succubus Clan or something like that. Am I wrong?"

Shen Ning could not really understand this woman anymore. She could only just nod in agreement.

"What if I can help you get out of that responsibility?" Jin Ling mysteriously asked.

Shen Ling's long ears perked up. At first, she didn't mind the ten thousand year pact. But as she work further on this case, the more she realized how hard and dangerous it is for her to succeed.

"If you are able to understand the power of the mark that I have put in you, then that's the time where you can decide whether you want my help or not." Jin Ling stated as she called for a waiter.

"No, I don't have to decide whether I want your help or not. Please help me get out of this stupid curse." Shen Ning looked at Jin Ling with eagerness as she bowed her head in plead.

"No, that can't do." Jin Ling simply refused.

"Please, mother.." Shen Ning begged.

"Mother?" Jin Ling was taken aback. Her mouth could only helplessly twitched towards the shamelessness of this woman.

"I said no, and that's final." Jin Ling's eyes became cold and authoritative. "Besides, you will only able to realize what your decision will be once you have understand the power of the mark that I left you."

"With that, I'll leave Jin Ming in your care." Jin Ling could only sigh at the affairs of her son. "Also, take this time to sort out your true feelings for my son."

"Wait, what do you mean you'll leave your son in my care?" Shen Ning inquired, confused with the turning of the events.

"That pesky emperor must surely be coming for us now, right?"

"How did you know?" Shen Ning was surprised.

"I figured." Jin Ling simply answered. "I bet it's not only the emperor who was attracted by that mysterious lightning tribulation. Some people from the middle class continents might come here in this backwater lands to investigate, while some representatives from upper class may come."

Shen Ning was taken aback. She never realized how muddy the waters that she entered. "To be honest, I'm the one who told that you guys are here."

"I'm sorry." Shen Ning could not help but feel guilty.

"It's okay, I already have a plan for this. We'll talk about it next time. This is for you." Jin Ling simply dismissed the topic for the mean time as she took out an unadorned wooden bracelet. "This will help mask the intense 'pheromones' that you unconsciously exudes. You better learn to control it, or else, you will be putting my son at risk."

Shen Ning absentmindedly nodded as she accepted the bracelet and wore it right away.

"I believe it's time for the two to be back." Seeing that the waiter was about to come to their table, Jin Ling finally ended their discussion. "Stay for a meal, Shen Ning."

"What can I help you with, madam?"

"Please change these foods to new ones." Jin Ling gently asked.