CH78: Rise under pressure

"Ayn, can you take me home? I must show my evolved-spirit-soul to my family, and maybe... you can come with me?" Rongrong asks shyly from the backseat, while I'm driving.

"Sure" Mia answers instead of me, as she sits next to me, and asks "can you leave me the car?", and I nod, saying "yeah, I don't really need it... is there a way in this world for quick communication?".

"Nope, this world is on the verge of technological development, so you can find electricity and such, but not all of it usage, like grids, satellites, etc ..." Mia explains to me, and the girls, the world development from Earth's development POV, and I add "still way undeveloped compared to West-city technologies, or not as unique as Red-line", and I throw them a sound-dial.

"What's this?" Zhuqing asks while catching it.

"Press the button" I say.

"What's this?" Zhuqing voice go out of the sound-dial, like a recording device, just without any need for battery.

The girls check it out in joy, as I explain how to create new voice in it, and they play with it, and I keep giving them some other nice dials to see and play with.

... "I'll think about technology-company, I really wish to hire a developer/researcher/scientist, but it's not like I choose my wives based on such stupid selfish thoughts" I tell Mia, who smile back at me, while we discuss the technological development needed to us.

We keep chilling while driving, and by lunch-time we arrive at Shrek-academy entrance, parking and going to have a picnic, till some teacher here see us, and by deserts-time, the whole academy, which is only around 4-teachers, 1 principal, and 4-male-students, comes out.

"Where have you been?? You said you'll be gone for only a day!" the principal asks in demanding tone.

"Hello, I'm Mia, Wu's mother, they were with me, as I came back after a long journey, and some complications happened, only good things, so they had to meditate to consolidate it" Mia tell them all, and Wu, Rongrong, and Zhuqing report about their astronomical advancement in soul-level, making the whole bunch shocked and happy.

"I wish to stay with Wu for some time, is that okay with you?" Mia asks the principal and teachers, who go chat by the side, while the fatty sit down to eat with us, and the 3 other boys just stand by the side, like a background mob.

"I'll go tell them I'll be making a trip home" Rongrong tell us and walk to the grown-up group.

Suddenly, Tang-San walks to me and asks in a loud voice "DID YOU TOUCH MY THINGS WHEN YOU WERE HERE?", making everyone look at him.

"What does it mean? What are you trying to say?" I ask back in surprise.

"SOMEONE STOLE MY THINGS!" Tang-San reply in anger.

"I... Are you saying I'm a thief? stealing from a poor boy like you?" I ask in a mockery and insulting tone, and add "And when I was here I was with the girls the whole time".

"I was with him when the girls walked away, till they came back, so it's true" the fatty-boy tells him, trying to mediate the tense-vibes, and serve as my alibi.

"Well, that was annoying.." I exhale, thinking 'he's sharp, but stupid' about Tang-San, 'for a person who steal from his own clan, he sure is presumptuous about justice, such a 2-sided-face'.

"Okay, it's getting late, I'll take Rongrong home on my way, so I'll come visit you in the new academy soon" I tell the girls, and they nod, walking to their room, with me following them to say goodbye in private, while Mia joins us, and soon I'm out again, taking a hover-motorcycle out of my space-pocket.

"Hold tight to me" I tell Rongrong, as she sits behind me, and we take off.

...

"You stole his things, right?" Rongrong asks me as we stopped on the way so she could sit in front of me, wishing to see the view, and also learn how to drive it.

"Yep... You know... He ain't what he seems from the outside, he's a fugitive-thief who stole from his clan, so I don't think I did anything wrong to him... maybe to his clan, wherever and whoever they are..." I tell her, put my forehead on hers, and pass her the memories of the 'Bible of empyrean'.

"That's what he stole from them" I smile to her, as she digest the information I passed to her, and tell her "Keep it a secret from anyone. It's a higher level of cultivation then the norm in this world, and has many good things in it... I already passed it to the other women, so you can talk about it only with them".

Rongrong cuddle into my chest as I light the engine, and we're back to driving, cruising the road on the hover-motorcycle, enjoying the ride.

"This... It's amazing... Can I really not tell anyone about it?" Rongrong cutely ask, and I smile to her, saying "You can't, too dangerous, for you, me, us, them... It's better left as a total-secret for now, just, just use it for your own meditation for now".

"Okay" she smiles back, turn her head, and kiss my cheek, and keep telling me the direction to go to.

...

"HERE!" Rongrong happily exhale as we arrive in a luxurious area of a beautiful city, with many fabulous buildings all over, and she point to the biggest castle in the area, saying "this is Seven-treasured-glass-clan!".

Few guards come to block us, but Rongrong wave her hands to them, saying "Hello", and they all back off, till we reach the castle entrance, where we stop, I take the bike back into space, and we walk inside.

"Come! Come, come" Rongrong hold my hand and make me walk faster in the corridors, as guards watch us everywhere, reaching the biggest door we've seen since entering, signifying us it's the most important place, accompanied by heavy-guard outside, but Rongrong just smile and run inside.

"FATHER!" Rongrong shout and run inside, while a good-looking middle-age man sit on a throne chair in the middle of the huge hall-room, chatting with 2 old good-looking men, and he answers back "my little princess", and reach his hand to a hug, as she jump into his arms.

"LOOK!" Rongrong says, but I shout "Rongrong! Wait! Clear the area first from other people!", and she freeze in place, looking at her father with a puppy-face, and he smile, signal all the personal to leave the place, except the 2 old men, and they leave.

"LOOK!" Rongrong opens up completely, as all the irrelevant people left, and she run around while bringing out her spirit-soul, the pagoda-tower, smiling brightly in joy, yelling "LOOK!! See anything different?".

The first to change expression is her father, soon one of them follow, looking amazingly shocked, and the 3rd take a moment, as he mumble "..how?..why?..what?..".

"HAHA" Rongrong jump toward me, holding my arm, and introduce us to each other, "Ayn... This is my father, Ning Fengzhi, the best father in the whole world, oh, and he's level 79! He also got the same soul-spirit like me!".

"Then what about me??" one of the old man ask, and the other shout at him back "Who are you? Why are you even here?", and he respond aggressively "Better shut it or I'll break ya, old bone".

"STOP! Please! You're the best grandpas in the world! Ayn... This is Gu Rong, 'Grandpa bone', he's level 95! And this is Chen Xin, 'Grandpa sword', he's level 96!" Rongrong talking change the mood around, as they all act like tamed puppies near her, making me smile, and also be amazed how high they are.

"Hi, I'm Ayn Adelard, am here to ... say hi... and ask for your little princess' hand in marriage" I say, and right then, the 'old bone', Gu Rong, shouts "NO", while 'Grandpa-sword', Chen Xin, smiles, and her father gives me a stern look.

"I LOVE HIM! AND HE'S WORTHY!" Rongrong declare to them while holding my arm nervously, tightly, while looking back at them, kinda cowardly.

"Hmmm... I guess this world is based on power, and even though you're all higher level then me, I don't think I'm that far off?" I say, and a second later I feel the pressure on me gets stronger.

*BOOM*, Grandpa-sword hit Grandpa-bone, shouting "WAIT TILL RONGRONG NOT THERE, IDIOT", but Rongrong smiles, saying "Don't fight! I'm also stronger then you think I am! I wanna also do this test!".

'Oh, this pressure is a test' I think to myself and stand near Rongrong, but far enough so if she give up they can focus solely on me.

"Whatever the decision is, Act with respect and dignity", Fengzhi, the father, tell the grandpas, "He's a benefactor to our clan, and has the highest degree of merit, remember that".

They nod to him, while the pressure press back on us, as Grandpa-sword pressure me with invisible power, while Grandpa-bone test Rongrong.

"YOU PASSED LEVEL 30?" grandpa-bone happily ask Rongrong, who smiles back, standing tall and strong, "35!" he says ... "39??", and Rongrong fidget in a bit of misery, and a moment later she signal to stop the pressure to her, as her father says "40 is an amazing level for you, there's a briliant future ahead waiting", beaming a smile at her.

... "Hmm, higher then 50 already" Grandpa-sword mumble while he keep pressuring me, but it barely tingle.

"60...", he keep mumbling.

"65? ... 70?! ...".

I feel the pressure go down to my bones, as my spirit-rings pop out, and I keep standing strong, as their jaw drops from my 2 spirit-souls, plus checking the ring's colors, but saying nothing.

"75??? It's obviously above your level already ... 76 ... 77 ... 78 ... 79 ..." Grandpa-sword keep on going.

I feel my bones *crack,crack,crack,crack...*, like they're all pressed together into a tight squish, glued into each other, and *FLASH*, my humanoid-dragon-form pop out, and the pressure on me disappears.

"80!" Grandpa-sword says in that same moment, and even while he's shocked by the transformation, he keep pressuring me.

"81..82...83...85..." he keep mumbling the numbers.

My whole body pop scales out, and different colors float from every part of my limbs, courtesy of my spirit-bones, and as my shirt torn apart, I see my right-arm turn whitish, the left-arm turns blackish, while my chest turns grey, the head kinda green, and my wings, tail, and horns, are golden.

"89!! Should I even continue?? He's only level 69, maybe 70!!" Grandpa-sword asks the father, who ponder to himself, nodding in approval.

I feel I'm really an inch from falling down, but I feel I can bypass it if I wish to, but better not, as it can damage my future growth or expose my hidden-cards.

"Let's finish it for now, it won't do any of us any good" I tell them, and he drop the pressure down, as I say "thank you".

He look puzzled, so I tell him "I felt my spirit-bones weren't exactly mine, like they're still implemented, but now I feel like... they're an integral part of me", and smile to them.

the 3 men look at each other, smiling, then look at Rongrong, and the father says "find the guest a room, and we'll go eat dinner together soon".

Rongrong smile, jump to hug me, and drag me away.

Once we're far enough, Rongrong stops in an empty corridor, in front of a guest-room she chose, jumps at me, and start a deep kiss, as she's rapping her arms around my neck and her legs around my waist.

"I can't believe it went so good" Rongrong say in the moment we separate our lips.

"I can't believe how cute you are" I tell her while entering the room she chose for me, with her in my arms, and she shyly look down and start opening the zipper of her shirt, exposing her white-buttoned-shirt underneath.

I close the door, and sit on a sofa, with her sitting on my lap, face-to-face, and rain kisses on her whole face, while slowly taking off her blouse, and opening the buttons of her shirt.

As I finish opening the shirt and unhooking her bra, Rongrong breaks the kiss, looking at me with red-eyes, putting a finger on her lips, and whispers shyly, with her whole face turning red, "does it mean I'm yours now?".

With my hands on her legs, moving slowly up, touching everything, everywhere, I put my mouth on her lips, kissing her, and start slowly moving my head down, kissing her neck, shoulder, and kiss, lick, suck, and bite her nipples, as I slide her bra down.

"I love you Ayn" Rongrong moans cutely, and I respond, whispering back "I love you Pinky".

She *giggle*, answering "Who's Pinky???", and bite my shoulder, and in response I bite her nipple, while my hands massage her soft juicy boobs.

She show on her face she feel my erection poking her from below, fidget a bit, but then stops, whispering "they're waiting for us, we should get ready and go have dinner".

I kiss her again before saying "okay", and she leave the room, as I go take a shower, wear formal-clothes, and walk out, finding Rongrong waiting for me outside the door.

"Let's go" she take my by the arm to a fancy dinner-room, where the 3 men awaits, with lots of food, drinks, and servants everywhere.

We begin dining, while having a nice chat, but when we're at deserts, and I say "I think the continent is up for upheaval soon enough", the father signal the servants to disperse, and a serious conversation erupt.

... "Explain please" he asks as we find we share the same thoughts, for a different reasons, so I vaguely answers "Power unbalance leads for turmoil".

They nod, agreeing with my words, and he adds "I feel the same, as underneath the surface the whole continent showing signs of wars coming... and I mostly fear the Spirit-hall... also the nations... the gathering of clans is at it weakest...".

I ponder about his words, as I only have superficial knowledge about this world, and I attentively listen to him talking about the existing power balance, who exist between the 2 nations, 7 great clans, and spirit-hall, but he never mention gods, making it obvious he ain't aware of the truth.

"I think..." I tell the 3 men, and Rongrong, "That you should care mostly about your close family, the clan, and leave the rest for later... As beautiful as your castle is, it's useless, not secretive, and I bet it will fall easily in a war... I would've created a new location to hold my most important assets".

"I'll take that into mind... say..." the father says, looking in a wonder at me, "...Is it possible to get the same flower tulip you gave Rongrong?".

I think about it, 'I can grow them with my powers, but it will be cumbersome, and take a long time and effort', and then tell him "Yes, but it's so rare, I won't say it's possible, but I will do what I can to get 1, I guess if it's for you, right? If so, I'll do so".

the 3 men jump up in joy, and smile to each other.

They start telling me they were searching for a solution for a really long time, and the father says "it's my dream and wish, and also my only hope to keep living longer life, as I can't pass level 79 without it".

"Well, we're family, so you can see it as case closed? I'll find the way to get it as soon as possible" I say.

He shyly look at the grandpas, who narrow their eyes in doubt, but second later smiles, and I feel the approval pass, as Rongrong jump to them, hugging each one, and then jump to hug me, kiss my cheek, and say "I love you all!".

We keep having a chat till I announce "I got to go, I'll come visit later, probably tomorrow, or later if I'll get a lead for the flower, and if so, I'll go get it before I return".

We say our goodbye, then I have some private time with Rongrong, who beam with happiness, and finally I can walk out, and *Teleport*.

.

"How... do I look?" Yuena say quietly in the moment I enter the tree-house in her secret-space in the forest.

"hehe, You look like a sheltered princess ballerina?" I answer, as she look kinda weird, with a white puffy-dress, and also wearing white leggings, white high-heels, white ornaments, and standing in a white background, making it shiny-white all over, but it's still the puffy-dress who make me laugh.

"I love you..." I say before she can respond, while walking toward her.

"From the moment I first saw you, when you came to the tree-house, at my birthday... that was a beautiful present from you...", I smile and hug her to me.

"...and since that moment, well, you know it obviously, as I could barely hold myself near you... I fell for you...", I kiss her lips.

"And you.. feeling the same as I do.. was a dream come true.." I say as I go down on my knees, stretch my hand up with a purple-red ring in it, like the color of her eyes, and say "I wish to marry you, for eternity, and vow to be with you through everything, never neglect our love, and find the place we can live in endless happiness and joy, build a family...".

"I DO!" Yuena cut my speech, and put her hand in mine, so I just put the ring on her finger, and rise up to kiss her.

We keep smudging, kissing, touching, and she rip off the puffy-underneath-skirt of her dress, making it look like a normal dress now, and she push me down to sit on the bed edge, as she sit on my lap, face-to-face.

"Now, let's do it the dragon way" Yuena tells me while looking at me with her mesmerizing eyes.

"The dragon way?" I ask the words I just heard, confused.

"Yeah, first.." she says and transform to humanoid-form, so I do the same, taking out our horns, wings, and tail.

"Now, hold me here" she whispers and point at her horns, and while I move my hands to hold her horns, she do the same, holding me by the horns.

We start kissing again, while holding each other like so, from the horns.

"And now..." Yuena whispers in between kisses, as I let her control the rhythm, wondering what exactly is 'the dragon way to do weddings', and she whispers seductively "And now... Now we're...".