Hello, dear readers! Here's chapter 158!
Do check Episode 11 of my A Knight Journey's YouTube Series(Audiobook/Visual novel) here: https://youtu.be/yIrFYh1J0qo
(AKJ)Episode 12 - Skin and muscles as tough as leather, Seraphine's playful hands
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Bright Star City, Bright Star Island, Flowing Stars Archipelago, Earth
Omniscient P.O.V.
A month later, in the Serene River Mansion.
After taking a sip of spiritual tea, Sergei gently put his cup down on the mahogany table before commenting.
"It's already been a month, and I still have moments when I feel as if I were dreaming."
Shaking her head slightly, Ling, who was sitting by his side in the Chinese Pavilion(Ting) set in the middle of the Serene River, added.
"Same here. It almost feels as if I've been reborn."
On the other side was Demian, who, after setting down his own cup of coffee, let out a few chuckles before commenting.
"I mean, you did break through to the Void Seed Rank AND unlock your Ninth Acupoint, so that feeling isn't really surprising, is it?"
On both sides of him, Sera, Liya, and Bryn all let out a few giggles, unlike Ling, who rolled her eyes before retorting.
"You know perfectly well what I meant, you dumb kid."
Letting out a sigh laced with amazement, Sergei remarked.
"Your... 'Gift'... is really extraordinary. I checked today with all the guards and maids, and, aside from those few who were at the Peak of Foundation Building, like Wang Xiong and Chen Yue, the rest all broke through at least one level in their cultivation. But even though those two haven't broken through, they still succeeded in comprehending their own Elemental Intent. That means, it's only a matter of time before they go through their own tribulation and break through to the Core Formation Rank..."
Looking at her husband, Ling added.
"Don't forget about the fact that some of them even unlocked one more Acupoint, boosting their talent level even further."
With a wry smile, Sergei remarked playfully while looking at Demian's face.
"And you said it merely comes from 10% of your talent... My expectations were high, but it seems I was still underestimating you, lad. I almost feel jealous, now."
Shaking his head, Demian replied with a calm smile.
"Everyone has their own Fate, Teacher. Plus, as long as you use my Gift well, it's just a matter of time before all of you reach the Peak of the Mortal World, maybe even go further if you're lucky enough. Isn't it already enough?"
With a light nod of his head, Sergei said.
"I was merely joking, of course. Still, you really need to be careful about your 'gift'. Don't let anyone who's not part of it know about it."
With a wry smile on his face, Demian replied.
"I know. Even for you guys, it took me..."
Pausing for a second, he glanced briefly at the three Mikhailov women before turning his gaze back toward the Sergei couple and continuing.
"...Well, it took us a while before making the decision. Of course, with the gift's failsafe in place, and since I trust you all, it's not really a problem."
Nodding her head, Adeliya then added, her voice as smooth as silk.
"As long as we grow quickly enough, those covetous cultivators and demons won't be able to do anything to us."
Of course, to be completely safe, they would need to become strong enough to face even the strongest cultivators in this Mortal World, those at the Peak of the Transcending Tribulation Rank, or even half-step to the Immortal Tribulation level.
As for true Immortals, even if they did exist in this World, their cultivation would have been suppressed to Peak Tier 6, so there was no chance of having to face true Immortal-level Power.
That being said, an Immortal wielding Peak Tier 6 Power would certainly crush even the strongest half a step to Immortal Tribulation, with almost no exception aside from a few monsters found in the Immortal Realm.
Back to the situation.
Hearing Liya's words, everyone nodded in agreement.
After all, considering their current cultivation speed and growing talent, reaching the Peak of the Mortal Cultivation World should be relatively quick for the four of them.
At least, much quicker than even the most talented Immortal-Grade talent in the past.
Of course, cultivation was not a matter of a day or two, even for the Mikhailovs, so caution was still important until they did reach that level.
On the other side, Bryn tilted her head and asked curiously.
"Speaking of Demian's gifts, have you heard any news about Uncle Mikhail?"
As Sergei was about to answer, a boisterous laugh suddenly reached their ears, the sound coming from the small wooden bridge connecting the Pavilion to the riverbank.
"Only great news, lass! Magnificent news even!"
Turning their heads toward the bridge, the group noticed the two people walking slowly in their direction, immediately recognizing the two unannounced guests' identity.
On one side was a dashing middle-aged man sporting a Protector General uniform, its cut emphasizing the man's athletic body and handsome features.
Walking alongside him was a stunning beauty, her long, shimmering hair floating gently with the breeze, while her long, azure-colored dress perfectly displayed her breathtaking figure, though without being in the slightest bit vulgar.
It was indeed Mikhail and Eldoria who arrived unannounced, the former sporting a massive grin while the latter's gaze was laced with delight, the soul-stirring smile gracing her lips making even Sergei and Ling freeze for a very brief instant despite their strong Will.
Noting their reactions, Eldoria's stunning presence seemed to dim slightly while she said apologetically.
"I'm sorry about that. My bloodline just had a small breakthrough, and I'm still adjusting."
Immediately, the others dismissed her concerns, saying it was understandable, making the previous smile return to her face, though without the previous mind-freezing effect.
Meanwhile, Mikhail walked toward Demian's side and, before the latter could say anything, he found himself hugged tightly by the older man.
With a solemn tone, Mikhail declared, his voice wavering slightly from the strong emotion surging in his heart.
"Thank you, Demian. I really mean it. I owe you a lot."
Noticing Eldoria's soft gaze directed toward Mikhail's back, he suddenly understood, prompting him to gently tap the man's back while replying in a light-hearted tone.
"Weren't you always pushing me to call you Uncle? Well, you might as well think of it as a 'welcome to the family' gift. What do you think? Pretty nice, isn't it?"
The joke brought a few deep chuckles from the older man, who mumbled.
"Couldn't dream of a better gift."
A few seconds later, Mikhail finally let go of the young man, though with a hand still set on Demian's shoulder, he commented.
"Thanks to you, I finally broke through my Void Intent bottleneck, reaching the Third Void Layer. Of course, I've barely stepped through the threshold, and it might take me a few more months or even years to completely consolidate my comprehension."
Tilting his head, Demian asked rhetorically, a warm grin appearing on his face.
"So that means you're about to go through your own Tribulation? It seems like the Federation is about to get another Core Elder very soon. Congrats in advance!"
Shaking his head slightly, Mikhail corrected.
"Well, before that, I still need a few years to meld my improved Void comprehension with my Spells, Physical Techniques, and Soul Skills. Also, I'd also need to survive the Tribulation, so there's nothing certain yet."
Even if one were blind to the proud grin plastered on his face, the humble-bragging was unmistakable to everyone present around him.
At that moment, Eldoria, who had also been listening on the side, rolled her eyes and commented sarcastically.
"What's with that fake 'nothing certain'? With our nephew's gifts, do you really fear going through that level of tribulation? What a joke!"
Hearing the woman's words, the proud general immediately reined in his smugness while letting out a forced cough to mask his embarrassment, though whether the latter was due to the reproach itself or the use of the two words 'our nephew' was unknown.
Seeing the man's reaction, Eldoria shook her head, her lips graced with a playful smile, before she turned her head back toward the raven-haired young man and commented.
"Right, Demian, my Uncle instructed me to thank you for the massive gift you gave him. He said he would have come to thank you personally, but he caught a trace of breakthrough inspiration and immediately went into seclusion."
Pausing for a second, a hint of happiness appeared in her gaze while she added.
"From his own estimation, reaching the Third Level of the Void Sapling Rank should be almost certain in, at least a year, and, at worst, three years. By then, he'll be sure to come see you in person."
Letting out a few chuckles, Demian replied, waving her concern away.
"There's no need for thanks, really. If it weren't for all of you, all four of us would have become blood food for those disgusting Demon Beasts two months ago. Compared to that, helping you grow stronger is nothing, really."
Shaking her head, the silk mermaid empress corrected him, her expression turning serious.
"For you, it may not be significant, but for all of us, it's a life-changing favor. Take me, for example. Breaking through to the Void Sapling Rank had already exhausted my potential, and, without some extraordinary opportunity, I would have been stuck at that level, with no way to progress further."
Thinking of that period, a frown briefly appeared on her face before turning into a relieved expression as she added.
"But since a month ago, I finally felt some progress, especially since a few days ago when my bloodline experienced a small breakthrough, becoming even purer. Now, even if I lost your gift, I'm confident I could reach the Peak Third Level after cultivating for a few thousand years, even if going further might be extremely difficult."
With a wry smile on her face, she added.
"That, in itself, would have already been a priceless favor. The thing is, I can still feel my bloodline being refined every time I cultivate, meaning my potential keeps growing stronger. I'm not sure what the limit is for your gift, but no matter what it is, I sincerely thank you for both trusting me with the knowledge of its existence and for granting it to Mikhail and me."
As those words left her lips, she bowed deeply, immediately followed by the middle-aged general, who mumbled 'thank you' under his breath.
Letting out a sigh, Demian, who, along with the Mansion's group of six, was standing in front of those two, put his hands on the two's respective shoulders and declared.
"I understand your feelings, but there's really no need for this. We may not be related by blood, but to me, at least, since you both decided to trust me enough to accept my gift, I had already considered the two of you as family. And since we're family, isn't it natural to help each other when we can?"
Lifting their heads, the two could see the genuine sincerity on the much younger man's face, which brought a wave of warmth to their hearts.
While straightening their upper bodies, Mikhail and Eldoria briefly glanced at each other before turning toward Demian and saying.
"Of course."
"Naturally."
As the three now felt a bit awkward, Ling suddenly appeared by Eldoria's side, grabbed her arm, and remarked jokingly to dispel the peculiar atmosphere.
"Actually, if you want to thank Demian, why don't you make him Uncle Mikhail's best man when you two get married? Wouldn't it be a nice gift?"
Well, 'dispelling' might have been a strong word, as the word 'deviate' might have been more accurate.
Rolling her eyes while a red hue started coloring her cheeks, Eldoria gently knocked on Ling's forehead before chiding her.
"You lass really have no manners, do you?"
Of course, even a blind man could see the happiness radiating from the twenty-year-old-looking woman.
On Mikhail's side, the latter forced a cough before muttering.
"That's... That's something for the future."
Although he, as usual, deflected the subject, he did not deny it completely this time, a fact that was immediately caught by Demian, who could not resist the urge to tease the older man by commenting.
"So you're not denying it, are you?"
Hearing his question, Eldoria and Mikhai had drastically opposite reactions, with the former's grin growing even larger, while the latter became a flustered mess while exclaiming.
"You, lad! I'll remember this!"
Feeling the lack of weight behind the threat, Demian slowly patted Mikhail's shoulder while suggesting with a 'serious' expression.
"You know, Uncle, cultivation is one thing, but when it comes to women, sometimes it's best to stop struggling against fate. You'll waste less energy, and you'll enjoy your life much more. Believe me, I know what I'm talking about."
Seeing the 'genuine' concern on the younger man's face, Mikhail suddenly felt an urge to punch that handsome face.
Repeatedly and vigorously.
Fortunately, after having lived for thousands of years, his Will had grown strong enough to resist his worst impulses.
Well, sensing Eldoria's sharp gaze on his back might have also played a role, who knows?
Coughing once to hide his embarrassment, the handsome middle-aged man then asked 'off-handedly'.
"Speaking of weddings, when is yours with the lasses? After all, 'it's best to stop struggling against your fate', right?"
While the rest of the group was watching the two's battle of wits with amusement, Demian narrowed his eyes, his gaze filled with a dangerous gleam as he replied, a cunning smile plastered on his face.
"A man's word is worth its weight in gold, Uncle. So, you can't say that I'm struggling against anything. To be honest, I was just waiting for our breakthrough to the Core Formation Rank before going through with the ceremony, so I'm still not sure about the exact date. But don't worry, as soon as I pin it down, I'll let you know."
Inwardly, Demian scoffed.
"Pfff, trying to trap me? You're a million years too early, old man. I've got three beauties in my bed every night, with two being sisters and the other being their mother, so I've lost any sense of shame a long time ago!'
As for the women in question, their gazes immediately lit up when they heard his words, with a large smile simultaneously appearing on each of their faces, their Aura radiating pure delight.
Noticing the women's reactions, Demian and Mikhail reacted completely differently, especially when the latter felt Eldoria's gaze turning even more intense than previously, making even someone like him slightly scared.
After all, 'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned', and although in Mikhail and Eldoria's case, using the word 'scorned' might be a bit excessive, it was true that the middle-aged general had been acting extremely averse to taking their relationship beyond close friends.
If it were before the bond, Eldoria could have reluctantly accepted his choice—at least for a while—, aware of his feeling of inferiority coming from his lower cultivation.
However, now that his breakthrough to the Void Sapling Rank was almost 100% assured, there was no way she would let her little general slip through her fingers any longer.
At that moment, Mikhail felt a surge of danger coming from a few meters away, so strong that cold sweat started running down his back.
As someone who had gone through an uncountable number of life and death situations, he was quick to react.
With an outwardly calm smile that barely wavered, Mikhail then replied, the barely hidden smug expression on Demian's face making it more and more difficult to control his urge to punch the young man right in the face.
"Right. I'd been hesitating for a while on the right moment, but your idea is quite good, so I'll borrow it. Once I break through to the Void Sapling Rank, I'll formally propose to your Aunt Eldoria."
Immediately, the killing intent previously directed at his back melted away, making him let out a discreet sigh of relief, knowing that his life was saved.
Although that declaration was a bit 'forced' out of him, sensing the surging emotion of happiness coming from the woman he had admired for thousands of years but never dared to confess to, he still felt grateful toward the young man despite the teasing.
Letting out a sigh, Mikhail thought.
'Forget it! I simply can't be as shameless as that youngster. It's best if I admit defeat before I end up doing or saying something outrageous just to save face.'
Of course, admitting that his wits were weaker than Demian's was one thing, but as a concerned family member, 'helping' the young man practice real fighting should be okay, right?
With his ridiculously high regeneration factor, a few broken bones would not be a big deal, right?
While the older man was lost in his thoughts, Demian, who felt satisfied from his victory, gestured for everyone to sit down, while doing so himself.
Seeing the three Mikhailov women looking at him with their gazes filled with questions, he explained with a warm smile.
"I didn't mention the wedding matter to you three before because I wanted to keep it a surprise, but since Uncle Mikhail put me on the spot, I had to spill it. I hope you're not too disappointed."
Of course, although he asked, he could easily guess how they would respond, and their following reactions confirmed his hunch.
As soon as those words left his lips, the three women went to hug him, the excited expressions on their faces so bright that even Demian, who had expected something similar, felt almost blinded by it.
Shaking her head, Sera retorted playfully.
"Of course not! Why would we? Plus, it's Uncle's fault, not yours."
Bryn added, her voice laced with a tinge of shyness.
"Sis is right. It's something both her and Mom had been waiting for, for a while, after all."
The two women in question simultaneously rolled their eyes when they heard her, thinking the same thing.
'As if you're different!'
Out loud, however, only Adeliya spoke, her silky voice tickling his heart and bringing some stimulating memories to his mind.
"But why wait for our Core Formation breakthrough, though? Not that I mind, especially since it won't take us that long to achieve that level, but I'm just curious."
Chuckling at her casual bragging, Demian explained.
"It's nothing much, really. It's more of a way to keep us motivated for cultivation than anything deeper. Of course, if you girls would rather do it earlier, we also can. I don't mind either way."
While letting go of his body, the three girls looked at each other, exchanging opinions through the Soul Bond for a few moments before simultaneously turning back toward him with a smile on their faces as Liya spoke for the three of them.
"We are fine with it. But do you mind if the three of us take care of organizing the ceremony? It's not that we think you can't do it right, but we have our own ideas of what we want, and..."
Hearing the underlying meaning in her words, Demian let out a few chuckles before saying.
"You don't have to worry about hurting my ego, Darling. To be honest, organizing a wedding feels a bit overwhelming for me, so if you girls want to take care of it, I'm completely fine with the idea. Still, I'd like to take care of the rings for you three if you're okay with it? Of course, you three can do the same for mine."
The three women were quick to agree before all four of them turned back to join the others' conversation.
While chatting away, Demian observed the others, noting how Eldoria was now holding Mikhail's hand with a bashful expression plastered on her face, while the middle-aged general himself was trying his best to act unperturbed, though the constant fidgeting and slight hint of panic in his eyes betrayed his true thoughts.
Seeing the two lovebirds, a thought surfaced in the raven-haired young man, bringing a tinge of pity to his gaze.
'I wonder what Core Elder Pietr will make of Uncle Mikhail's declaration? Hopefully, he won't beat him up too much.'
With his superhuman senses, Mikhail instantly felt the younger man's attention, prompting him to look at the latter.
Noticing the pity in his gaze, the middle-aged general felt puzzled, though he simply chalked it up to Demian's quirky personality before his attention returned to the current conversation, while trying his best to act—with mixed results—as if he was completely undisturbed by Eldoria's clinginess.
After the morning sun had risen considerably in the partially cloudy sky, the two guests finally shared with the other six the second reason for their unannounced arrival.
While strangely feeling exhausted mentally, Mikhail remarked.
"Alright, it's getting late, and we haven't even mentioned why we came, aside from thanking you, Demian, of course."
Seeing that he had their attention, the middle-aged general continued, glancing at the four Mikhailovs successively.
"The preparations for your admission to the Extinguishing Hall are done. Because your identity is somewhat special, it took a bit more time than we planned, so we only finalized the whole thing yesterday."
Pausing for a second to observe the four's reaction, he immediately noticed the lack of enthusiasm on their faces, prompting a thought to surface in his mind.
'Funny how an opportunity that most cultivators from the Federation would do anything to receive is treated so casually by those four. Then again, with their talent and background, I can understand the reason behind their attitude.'
Still, the man knew that it was necessary, not for the resources themselves, but for the tempering it provided.
"I can tell you're not overly excited, but working as an Enforcer will not only help you temper your Will, but also expand your knowledge of this World. After all, with your talent, going beyond the Federation is a given, so knowing more about the World will be extremely beneficial for the future. Of course, you'll also be able to practice any profession you're interested in while being on the job."
Shaking his head slightly, Demian corrected Mikhail's misunderstanding, a tranquil smile on his face.
"I think I can talk for us four when I say we ARE interested, Uncle. It's just that, after having gone through a lot these last few months, getting a 'stable job', even as a Federation Enforcer, has become pretty mundane in our eyes. So, there's no need for you to worry about us refusing the position, just don't expect too much excitement from us."
Although the three women said nothing, the look on their faces made it clear that they all agreed with him.
Seeing their reactions, a wry smile appeared on Mikhail's face as he replied.
"I guess you're right. Most cultivators pursue the Enforcer position for resources, status, or excitement, and you've already gotten plenty of those during the last few months."
Letting out a sigh, he then added.
"Still, you're all extremely young, and your experience is still very limited, making you more susceptible to finding yourself in otherwise avoidable dangerous situations. That's a big weakness, but working as an Enforcer will help you fix that."
Observing no change in their expression, an amused grin appeared on his face as he continued.
"Also, don't think your missions will be the boring and easy ones. Your Aunt Eldoria and I have talked to the Branch Hall Master, and due to your special status and overwhelming strength for your level, he will only assign you the most difficult tasks for the four of you. Although the danger level won't exceed Tier 3, you'll still have to be extremely cautious, or you might end up half-dead in the end."
Hearing the middle-aged man's teasing tone, Demian's lips twitched, knowing very well that it was payback for the young man's earlier 'marriage' stunt.
While the young man felt speechless at the older man's pettiness, Adeliya remarked, a light frown marring her perfect facial features.
"Uncle, aren't you overestimating us a little too much? If we have to face a Low Tier 3, or even a Mid Tier 3, we'll most likely be fine, but a High Tier 3 being could kill us with a slap, couldn't they?"
As he was about to continue teasing the group of four, Eldoria finally could not hold herself back anymore and lightly knocked on the middle-aged general's shoulder while chiding him.
"Stop acting like a child, Mikhail."
Seeing the man falling immediately silent with an embarrassed expression plastered on his face, she then turned her gaze toward the Mikhailovs and explained.
"What your Uncle said is only partially right. Yes, you'll have to face Tier 3 beings during your missions, but most of the time, it will only be cultivators at the Low Tier 3 level, and the worst should be Mid Tier 3 cultivators. Of course, it's not impossible for someone stronger to appear, but the odds are extremely low."
Shaking her head, she then added, her tone reassuring.
"Actually, even if you had to face someone like that, you'll be provided with life-saving Talismans and other powerful Items, so the danger level will be manageable for you."
What she did not say was that a Void Seed protector would also be assigned to them, though unless either of the four was about to die, the protector would refrain from acting, staying in the shadow most, if not all, the time.
After all, to maximize the tempering benefits, the Mikhailovs needed to believe that every choice they made could result in dire consequences if they were to act too carelessly.
Listening to the much older woman's explanation, Liya's frown vanished immediately, replaced by a gentle smile as she nodded and said.
"Since that's the case, then that's fine."
Inwardly, the older redhead sent a Soul transmission to the other three Mikhailovs.
['With darling's Perks, fighting might help our cultivation speed grow even faster, don't you think?']
Seraphine replied in the same manner.
['Probably, but that means getting hurt repeatedly... Not the most exciting prospect, is it?']
Bryn then interjected.
['It's just a bit of pain, Sis, nothing we haven't dealt with before. Plus, growing stronger faster means our safety will grow as well, so I think it's worth it.']
Agreeing to that idea, Demian declared.
['Bryn's right. Growing stronger is our priority. After all, although that Demon Whale is supposed to take a thousand years to come out and deal with the Federation, who knows if that's truly the case? If it ends up coming out earlier than predicted and we're not powerful enough to face it, then we're pretty much screwed. Not only us, but also everyone we care about.']
Hearing his argument, the three women fell into a thoughtful silence as they realized that they might have taken things a bit too lightly lately.
To be fair, it was not exactly their fault, as with the continuous good news they had received lately, whether it was the bonding ceremony, the breakthrough in cultivation, or in talent, the almost constant rush of dopamine had started to numb their usual cautiousness.
However, Demian's words were a great wake-up call, forcing them to reevaluate their future path.
A brief moment later, the three had a similar response.
['Let's do it then.']
Although it seemed long, the conversation lasted less than a fraction of a second, and thus Demian's next words were uttered right after Liya's.
"So, when are we supposed to report to the Extinguishing Hall?"
With a playful smile gracing her lips, Eldoria responded.
"Well, there's nothing like the present, don't you think?"
The four nodded in agreement before Demian turned toward Sergei and Ling before asking.
"Teacher and Aunt Ling, are you coming with us?"
Shaking his head, Sergei replied matter-of-factly.
"With Uncle Mikhail and Aunt Eldoria, our presence would honestly be redundant. That aside, our recent breakthrough has forced a greater amount of responsibility on both of us, which means more paperwork and more dangerous missions. Taking a break from time to time is fine, but it's best if we don't waste too much of it, or it might become problematic."
If he had to be honest, although the reason he gave was true, it was not the main one.
NO, the true reason was that he had started to realize how stressful it was to have such an outstanding disciple, and wanted to grab the time to cultivate more.
Although he knew it was only a matter of time before Demian passed him, his own teacher, in both cultivation level and combat power, as long as he could stay ahead of the young man a bit longer, Sergei would feel less of a burden when it did happen.
Call him childish, but after having gone through so much in his life, independently rising from an average genius of the Anrepov family's Origin island branch to now being considered a peak prodigy even in a Tier 6 Force, finding himself to be a burden to his own student, one who had barely received any help from his own teacher before growing beyond what Sergei could have imagined, was difficult for the middle-aged man to accept.
And it was not only him feeling that way, as his own wife, Feng Ling, had also been spurred on to cultivate as much as she could lately for exactly the same reason.
Seeing the Mikhailov-Eldoria group disappear in the Void, Sergei fell into deep thought for a while, the soothing sound of the flowing river below creating a tranquil atmosphere.