Chapter 45. Fluffy Tails

- Have you... tried... giving... a woman? - Cautiously clarified the Patriarch. After all, such an act was not usually considered in the "punishment" column.

- Uh-huh. - Reluctantly admitted the Lady.

- Fool. - The teacher's verdict was merciless.

- What's wrong with that? - His student didn't understand.

- I'll start with the obvious. - The old man sighed. - Why do you think I did not use the slave seal, poisons, threats to the family and so on?

- He would have hated you. - Instantly the Lady retorted. - He would have had to be eliminated or kept on a short leash.

- Yes. - The Patriarch nodded. - The hatred. Also the threat of loss of personality and potential. These methods are good for short-term goals, followed by the elimination of the target. The young man, on the other hand, is too weak. How much time and resources would it take to raise him? And if he dies on a small mission? It just won't pay off. At this point, there are enough controlling spells that can then be stripped away layer by layer. Going back to your question, don't you think the male-female relationship belongs in the personal sphere?

- Not in politics. - Cut off the beauty.

- Yes, politics uses that relationship to its advantage. - The old man grimaced. - But even they are limited to marriage or seduction. In our case, on the other hand, the young man values his identity very much. Simply because he has nothing else left. And meddling in his personal affairs he won't appreciate. If you want, you can give him a hundred girlfriends, but it's up to him whether or not to sleep with them. Otherwise, I won't protect you.

- Do I have to be protected? - The Lady was surprised.

- Not at the moment. But afterward... - His eyes gleamed unkindly. - If he reaches the Third Mental Sphere, which of you two is stronger?

She paused. She wasn't sure of the answer.

- And now the unobvious. - The teacher continued calmly. - Maybe you do not know, but in big harems faithful wives not only satisfy their husbands personally, but they also choose new wives for them. Usually it is the head wife who decides who her husband sleeps with tonight and, if necessary, finds and trains the newcomers. It is no secret among men, and many young men dream of finding such a faithful wife.

The lady froze with her mouth ajar. This approach was new to her.

- If I gave him a woman, - the old man continued as if not noticing the reaction of his student, - it would be just a gift, even if unusual. But the gift of a woman by a woman... would be perceived very differently. I would say, - the Patriarch flicked his fingers in the air, searching for the words, - as a veiled offer of self.

At this point Dra Jae temporarily dropped out of reality.

The elder looked at the Lady. So far she had done well. But in this case she should have remained a neutral observer. The young man should not become attached to her. Later, perhaps. But for now, the Patriarch would not allow anyone to spoil his plans. No one would allow anyone to get too close.

Not even his apprentice.

So, let him keep his distance. It's better that way.

And about the punishments... she already gave a clue.

***

Yee Rhys looked around bewildered.

Everywhere he looked there was a thick forest with no hint of light or human presence.

Where was he going? Or rather, where had the Patriarch put him? The travel restriction had not yet been lifted, and if it was silent, he must be in a sect somewhere. The question is, where?

Looking around again, the young man found no clues.

What to do? Go. Go somewhere. Sooner or later he would reach either the edge or the road. Though the best would be people.

His stomach grumbled unhappily. Yeah, they forgot to feed him before he went. So, the first person he sees will get the Untouchable's famous question, "Where's the canteen?"

Or not?

Yee Rhys turned in the direction where he'd noticed movement. Is that... a hare? Just in time. The young man rushed toward his coveted prey and in a few minutes of pursuit had the body in his hands with its head curled up.

Looking at the trophy, Yee Rhys had mixed feelings. On the one hand, it was easy. On the other hand... in his days as Untouchable, he had repeatedly tried to catch up with those big-eared scurrying creatures. He'd never succeeded. After all, normal hunters use arrows and traps.

Without cultivation, only a handful are able to catch a hare with their bare hands. He wasn't one of the select few.

Taking one more look at his prey, he created the Gem Blade and barbarically used it to carve the hare. Using the sect's core technique for domestic use was like hammering nails with a treasure of the highest rank. Unfortunately, the involuntary traveler did not even have a commonplace knife in his bag, let alone other necessities.

Quickly gathering twigs, Yee Rhys piled them up and created a ball of Qi, compressing it to get enough heat to ignite the bark and thin splinters. Using the Gem Blade once more for no purpose, the young man threaded the meat onto a makeshift spit and set it over the fire.

Ah, no salt. And no seasoning.

He scrutinized the nearby vegetation and regretfully realized that he could identify only eighty percent of the herbs. There were only three herbs he could see that were suitable for cooking. Or rather, the young man only knew how to use these three herbs. After thinking about it, Yee Rhys crumbled and dried two of those herbs and then sprinkled them on the meat. At least it was something.

As he watched the roasting process, periodically tossing new twigs into the fire and turning the meat, the young man remembered the tails of all the hares that had escaped him in the last five years. Furry tails turned out to be a lot. He even thought of getting revenge on them, organizing a global hunt. Shaking his head, Yee Rhys gave up the idea. Now there are more important things to do than revenge on animals that just saved their pelts.

Given his success at the Beginner Ranking Tournament, he had his own skin to worry about.

Waiting until it was ready, the young man began to eat. The meat was quite rare, but his hungry stomach did not care for such minorities. He was tired of the monotonous cereal that he had been eating for years.

Yes, perhaps he should take the opportunity to stock up on meat.

Putting the remains of the meal into a sack and putting out the fire, he looked up at the sun. The outer sect was located in the northern part of the Seven Dreams sect. Accordingly, if he wanted to go out somewhere faster, it was better to go south. This clever thought crossed his mind as he roasted the bunny. If he hung around here for another hour, he might think of something else clever.

With these thoughts Yee Rhys moved toward the supposed south, looking out for people, roads and hares. Even if he manages to fall into Inner Sect territory, no problem. Such a feat is already on the Untouchable's record.

Half an hour later, the young man stumbled onto the road. A road that looked suspiciously familiar. After following it for a few minutes, Yee Rhys reached a fork where his suspicions were confirmed by a sprawling oak tree and a statue of a stone wolf beneath it. A former place of work.

The patriarch and the Lady are definitely related!

On the other hand the road ahead is well known. First to the village, and from there to the seventh district of the Outer Sect.

It took him about an hour to get there. By the time he reached his area, it was already getting dark. The first thing Yee Rhys did was visit the canteen and stock up on food. He wanted to get a spare uniform to replace the shabby one in the forest, but the logistics center had already closed. He would have to wait until morning.

Making plans, the young man made his way to his cabin. He froze in astonishment at the gate. There were two signal strings of Qi stretched across the entrance: one at waist level, the other at mid-shin level.