61

Pef hugged his Auntie Ching, his hands a bit too wandering while he measured her for a set of armor.

"Come on, pretty Miss Ching! Admit it. Reaching Sky rank so young feels nice, right?" the Emperor whispered in her ear, while his hands explored her even nicer body. Ching did feel like she had gotten 300 years younger.

"Tchhh. You're taking advantage of a weak, defenceless woman!" Ching muttered, not really upset, just not used to being called young. And pretty. And delicious.

"Just endure it, young lady. Your new Emperor rank armor must fit you properly." Pef advised her with a bit of laughter.

Ching thought for a moment then nodded. This wasn't painful at all, in fact. "So, you're making me an Emperor sword as well?" she demanded shamelessly, since the boy was pawing her body, with not so pure intentions.

"That depends, most delicious lady. If I get a kiss, then it's a Tyrant ranked sword. For a mere hug, then yes, one Emperor sword." Pef explained, stepping back a bit, as the glove already measured and locked in all her surface areas.

He kept pawing over, though, because skinship helped. Get your prey used to constant touching, and soon...she will need it on a daily basis. Or so he hoped. The oracle was smarter than other women, and himself.

"A mere hug, you say? From this divine body? Hmpf! You can't see the sky for the clouds, young man! But, if there's really a Tyrant sword on the table...Let me think about it. Once I see it!" Miss Ching proclaimed with a dismissive tone, and waved him away like a servant.

Pef smiled and flew away, landing at the Guardians House. Chief Quing and his wife Zian were chatting about with his staff,

but only some 200 Guardians were present. The others must be guarding the new perimeter, Pef realized while comparing ranks and numbers.

Remi and Wu stayed aside, whispering something about a new regiment.

"Pef, you heard then?" the Chief asked with a grim face, as soon as Pef landed next to him.

"Yeah, I did. My crew will help, they fought beasts for centuries, some of them" he answered and offered a handshake.

"You go take care of my daughter, you hear? She has the wind, but only hops a dozen meters for now. Zian has been teaching her, but..." the Guardian Chief said with a head shake. Pef nodded at that. Practice took time, and flight at that low rank was tiring.

"I got you both some Sky ranked bones and skin. Make some armor and weapons, because beasts will keep coming. The Xi are fighting them for a hundred thousand years, and it's still getting worse." Pef said gently, taking out an older storage ring, and giving it to his mother-in-law.

The Quing were both at Earth rank now, and had plenty of practice. With more love and combat, they will reach Sky rank on their own, one day.

"Strong wives you got this time, my boy. A full set of Sky ranks, and even Xie has grown to it." Quing declared taking in the new recruits, and eyeing them up and down. Possibly feeling a bit outmatched.

"Yea. Xie was amazing and beat that Morse tusk into an Emperor beast's eye. Fastest rank ever!" Pef said with a smile and a glance at his scary wife. Xie smiled sweetly back at him. Which meant something, but he wasn't sure what.

"Oh! You're really both the same. Reckless idiots, I mean. And she's not far from the next rank either." The Chief realized, his eyes glancing from Pef to Xie and back.

Pef agreed and nodded, though not very happy about how it happened. Just luck. Mostly luck. "That's true. We'll work on that soon. Just need to settle in, for a while."

"Yeah, that green midget of yours has grown up. Like...well. You'll see, when you get home." Zian added while checking her new ring with a grinning face. Having a rich son-in-law was nice.

"So, I'm transferring these people to your command, boss. Zhong and the rest of the staff have lots of experience. The lower ranks not so much, but they're better than what we have now. And they all have the qi method." Pef said with a gesture towards his crew.

"And those two?" the Chief asked, pointing at Remi and Wu. Remi was glancing around with her nose high, feeling this city was backwards and provincial. Wu didn't care, just stayed beside her like a guard dog. And boyfriend. But mostly wary and observant, like a bodyguard.

"Yeah...my sister, will need your basement, as the women don't use the method in the Xi Patriarchy. And Wu will stay with her. Sorry for the problems, boss. I'll buy them a house in the city, next month" Pef explained with an embarrassed shrug.

"A sister, huh? The Xi really are your folks then..." Zian whispered a bit incredulous.

It took a couple of hours to settle the crew in, and feed them, one last time. Then Pef left, leaving behind two metal stoves and some implements, as the new Guardians got used to eating nice cooked meals. They learned some recipes as well, but they'll have to practice for good food.

He stored one airship for now, and flew out on Python Airship One, with the four women he wanted to bring home.

Soon, the even larger Smithtown was seen from the air, thick smoke filling the red sky in the sunset.

"Your city is on fire, Pef." Lara said a bit worried, leaning on him as he piloted the airship towards the airport. He felt so safe to be near, like an undefeatable hero.

"Nah. Just lots and lots of small fires, from smiths and other crafters. I will build a new mansion for us, a bit farther. The smoke is bad for growing children" Pef mused out loud, making Lara cough in surprise.

What children? They only kissed a few times!

She did feel she wasn't quite a real wife, as the other women were relaxed and even bossing Pef around. But between them, the feelings were hesitant and tender, like some teenager romance. Then again, her husband was still a teenager, not yet 20 years old.

No wonder he was a bit shy, unless the woman took initiative.

Lara smiled awkwardly, as she wasn't experienced at all, not willing to risk some relationship and then be made fun of, by some fellow pranking Guard. But hugs and kisses were fine too. She felt loved and that was enough, for now.

Then Pef folded his airship, and the new Sky ranks glided down, Pef and her remained aloft, taking in the large industry and the bustle of activity. Even without strong qi ranks, this place thrummed with power, progress hard at work, airships and barges and carts moving constantly, hammers and saws being audible even at a kilometer high.

It was noisier than the Xi capital, even though this place was a hundred times smaller. Perhaps Pef did have a good idea of changing the location of his residence. Her ears were getting annoyed with the constant noise already.

"New location sounds good, husband. But I hope your wives won't be mean to me..." Lara spoke softly, a bit scared at living some place new.

"They are all your sisters, Lara. A bit of joking maybe, but never malice. You will be loved here" Pef said tenderly, while taking her ringed hand and flying down.

As they came to land in the courtyard, a host of women of different build and hair colors came to greet them, black and brown, even red hair or green! Lara smiled in relief. She won't be so strange anymore, not here.

A muscled woman with short black hair and a huge and glorious chest came forward and hugged Pef, just patting his head in silence.

"I'm back, Lady Lin. Sorry I've been away for so long." Pef whispered in a sad tone.

"Welcome home, husband. You better had brought me really nice bones. At least these new wives, they won't die so easy." Lin answered while gliding her hands over Pef's armor. She had high hopes to get some Emperor rank bones.

"I did, my lady. Let's all gather round. I want to see how everyone is." Pef said with a qi infused voice, calling his wives near.

Soon, the tea pavilion in the courtyard hosted Pef and his family, the mood kinda low and sad, due to their recent loses.

Aria had indeed grown into a superb beauty, with a tall and imposing figure, generous airbags and curly green hair. Her qi levels were hovering at the peak of Earth rank, waiting for just a gentle push over the top.

Lady Lin was not quite to middle, just like Jian, the fire sage, while Qin had only formed her Nascent soul, and Mia was still only at Spirit rank. Lady Si sat a bit to the side, only a Core rank and not very hopeful.

"Okay, first thing, my lovely wives. These are Erin, Pela and Lara. Lara needs to Awaken, so you all know how that goes.

Second, I brought Blue Meridian Pills for all of you. They hurt some, but also gain you a lot of qi rank. If you don't scream at all." Pef explained walking around the table and dropping a pill in front of each wife.

"Xie, and you four, all took this pill?" Lin asked the purple haired wife with a curious face.

"Yeah. Pela got jumped from Earth rank to Sky, like that!" Xie said with a wide smile, and snapped her fingers.

Pela nodded a bit awkwardly, as everyone turned to confirm the story.

Aria didn't wait and gulped the pill, eager to cross over to Sky already. She didn't like not being the strongest, now that she got used to the feeling.

Jian and Qin glanced at each other and gulped theirs as well. Burst of blue light started coming out from the suffering women, and soon everyone but Lady Si was getting a meridian cleaned and purged.

"What's wrong my dear?" Pef asked sitting beside the former seamstress.

"This is too much! And is wasted on me. Look at all these beauties. So strong and pretty..."Si cried, hiding her face in her hands.

"My love is not wasted, Lady Si. If you were a regular woman, or someone with a shattered core, I would still love you. We are cultivators Si, and not all the paths need fighting or weapons practice. How do you think this pill was made?" Pef asked while hugging the crying woman.

"Don't know. Some alchemist made it?" Si wondered between sobs.

"Yes, love. I was there, when that Tyrant ranked alchemist made it. It was just like cooking. And you want to learn cooking, isn't it true?" Pef whispered in her ear, while gently picking up the pill and pushing it between her lips.

Soon, Si began glowing blue, but not really containing her pain and groaning in Pef's arms. The Emperor held her and kissed her face and hair and massaged her back, for over an hour.

Seeing this, Lara wanted to be that woman, to be cared for and loved, even if the pain was so great.

Fate smiled on her, as she got that wish next day, suffering the second Awakening, and being kissed and massaged by a loving husband.

Over the next year, Lara cried in pain, but happy, being cared for by Pef twice a day, and lounging by the pool on sunny days.

Remi and Wu took over most of the growing government of the Empire, their Sky ranks and strength making it easy for them to fly around and solve problems, in typical Legion fashion.

Aria, Jian and Lin became new Sky ranks, while Si reached Nascent and then Spirit as well, as Sky ranked weapons could defeat Spirit beasts with ease.

She still had a long way to Practice for an Earth rank, but she did it with cooking and forging bones and making clothes.

The new powers just made it much easier, to realize her own dreams.

Mia and Qin reached Earth rank, and mostly helped at the new Wall, working as a team and being badass all day.

Pef worked on the Emperor snake skin airship, and kept trying to forge the Tyrant goat's bones into weapons, with little success.

And at night, well. He had just turned 20 and had inexhaustible stamina.

He kept the wives happy, and had a good life. He deserved a happy break, and enjoyed it very much.

The sadness and pain of losing Di and Kira faded and vanished, and after a year he found himself in front of their gravestones, trying to remember their faces, and failing.

'It's not right, my glove. I should feel something, now.' he sighed inward, kissing a finger and gently touching the stones. The gesture felt dry and meaningless, once the loved women had died.

'Such is the way of the Legion, Aspirant. In a million years, you will not even remember this planet. I will remember it for you, if you ask me' the glove said in a more gentle tone.

Humans were fragile and died so easy.

Trillions would die, even on this one small world. But it was how they died, that mattered.

Living normal lives, farming or fighting or crafting or just getting old, or otherwise getting their souls crushed, to fuel some eldritch god.

The Legion guarded the gates of hell, an enormous wall around the entire multiverse.

These tiny earth walls, they were meant to prepare the Aspirant, for the real and never ending war.