Free Web NovelChapter 12: 12. Phantasm Blades and Hidden Sparks
The grand training hall of the Dragon Pavilion was an expansive sanctuary constructed entirely from heavy, spirit-suppressing obsidian blocks.
Massive arrays were carved deep into the floor tiles, glowing with a faint, deep blue luminescence that swallowed residual shockwaves and prevented even the most violent spiritual fluctuations from escaping the room.
A sudden, sharp whistle cut through the still air.
A vibrant flash of pink light erupted across the obsidian floor, moving with an astonishing speed that would have left a normal human eye completely blind to the trajectory.
To a normal human, she would be nothing but a deadly, blurred phantom.
To me, however, her movements were playing out in slow motion; my Peak Nascent Soul Realm perception stretched time itself, making her desperate dash look almost sluggish.
Lu Meiyin lunged forward, her small frame propelled by a burst of raw, unrefined spiritual energy. Her short pink bob flared outward like a blooming lotus as she spun through the air, executing a flawless, downward strike aimed directly at my shoulder.
Clutched tightly in her hands was a remarkably unique weapon, a slender, translucent sword that shimmered with a soft, hypnotic pink glow.
The blade was forged entirely from Phantasm Rose-Steel, an incredibly rare, forbidden metal found only in the deepest volcanic cracks of the Demon Realm.
It was the exact same law-defying realm where I had first crossed paths with her mother fifty years ago.
It was a material that did not just cut physical flesh; it naturally resonated with the user’s emotional state, emitting a faint, sweet-scented mist and a low, vibrating hum that targeted the desires of anyone caught within its path.
For a twenty-year-old cultivator at the Early Qi Condensation Realm, wielding such a high-tier, specialized weapon was a testament to the absurd wealth and resources I had continuously showered upon her.
I stood perfectly still in the center of the array, my pristine white robes hanging loosely around my frame. I did not bother to draw a weapon, nor did I manifest my oppressive aura.
Instead, as the pink blade came crashing down, I simply raised my right hand, catching the razor-sharp edge of the Phantasm Rose-Steel weapon squarely between my index and middle fingers.
Clang!
A crisp, metallic echo reverberated through the vast hall. The violent momentum of her attack ground to an absolute halt in an instant, the sheer kinetic force entirely neutralized by the absolute, unshakable barrier of my physical cultivation.
The translucent pink blade vibrated wildly against my fingers, emitting a desperate, humming pulse of charm energy that tried to seep into my skin, only to be instantly obliterated by a single, microscopic spark of my sapphire-blue sword qi.
"Your form is correct, but your weight distribution is still lacking, my little star," I murmured softly, looking down at her over the edge of the vibrating blade.
Meiyin did not retreat. Her large, intense black eyes locked onto mine, burning with a mixture of fierce determination and that deep, underlying obsessive infatuation.
Beneath the hem of her skirt, her slender, satin-black demonic tail whipped through the air with a frantic, erratic speed, betraying her immense excitement at being so physically close to me.
"I knew you wouldn’t even blink, Dad," she pouted, though a highly satisfied, breathless smile tugged at her lips.
She suddenly released her grip on the hilt of the sword, allowing the weapon to remain suspended between my fingers.
Taking advantage of the close quarters, she twisted her body with the unnatural, fluid agility inherent to her maturing succubus lineage.
She dived straight past my guard, her small hands reaching out to tightly grasp the lapels of my white robes as she attempted to sweep her leg behind my ankle to bring me down.
It was an entirely reckless, beautifully coordinated ambush.
A soft, low chuckle escaped my lips. Before her sweep could even brush against my boot, I shifted my weight by a fraction of an inch, effortlessly slipping past her trajectory.
In the same fluid motion, I dropped the pink sword safely onto the obsidian floor and wrapped my arm securely around her slender waist, lifting her completely off her feet before she could tumble across the hard tiles.
"Ah!" she gasped softly, her breath hitching as she found herself securely suspended in my embrace, her face mere inches from my own.
’Ara ara, look at this little predator trying to hunt her own father,’ Lucy’s sultry voice suddenly echoed within my mind, dripping with immense amusement.
’She isn’t just practicing her martial arts, dear Jianxiao. She is actively using her bloodline’s innate charm arts to see if she can make your heart skip a beat. Too bad for her, your monstrous cultivation makes you completely immune to her early-stage tricks.’
I silently suppressed the system’s teasing commentary, keeping my focus entirely on the flushed, beautiful face of my youngest daughter.
Meiyin was breathing heavily, her chest pressing firmly against my torso as she wrapped her arms around my neck, refusing to let go even though the spar was clearly over.
I slowly set her back down onto her feet, though I did not immediately remove my hand from her waist to ensure her balance was stable.
"Your mother’s bloodline is awakening within you far faster than I anticipated. You never have to worry about securing a place by my side, my little star, it has always belonged entirely to you.
But if you want your father to keep spoiling you like this, you must learn to master both the sword and the illusion. In about eight or nine days, I must leave for the Heavenly Sovereign Ruins expedition, where the play will become exceptionally bloody. A fragile little thing at your current cultivation level has no business in such a wretched place, so while I am away, I need you focused and disciplined right here on Dragon Peak, growing stronger under Ruyi’s protection."
Meiyin pouted, her arms slowly loosening their vice-like grip on my neck, though she kept one hand firmly anchored to my sleeve.
Her intense black eyes softened, a sudden flicker of genuine, deep sisterly concern overriding her usual territorial mood.
"But Dad, if the ruins are going to be as bloody and dangerous as you say, what about eldest sister?" she murmured, looking up at me with real anxiety.
"She is forcing a breakthrough in the Heavenly Thunder Valley right now just so she can lead the vanguard during this expedition. She always pushes herself way too hard when it comes to fighting, and if she goes into those ancient ruins, will she really be okay?"
’Oh, my. How incredibly sweet,’ Lucy chimed in, her mental voice softening just a fraction, though a playful edge remained. ’The tiny yandere actually has a heart. She wants to lock you in a cage away from the world, but she still worries about her big sister getting hurt by the protagonist plot armor. You really raised an interesting family, dear Jianxiao.’
A warm, quiet realization settled into my mind as I looked down at her, entirely agreeing with Lucy’s assessment.
For all her toxic, hyper-fixated jealousy whenever another woman got too close to me, her heart was not entirely cold. She might complain about her sisters hogging my attention, but beneath all that fierce possessiveness, she still deeply loved them.
"You do not need to worry about your eldest sister, my little star," I replied, my voice dropping into an indulgent tone as I reached out to gently pinch her smooth cheek.
"Her lightning cultivation is exceptionally fierce, and she will be fighting by my side. I will personally ensure that no harm comes to her. Your only job right now is to focus on your own growth."
Before I could say anything more to soothe her lingering worries, the heavy obsidian doors of the training hall glided open with a smooth, echoing resonance.
Ruyi stepped into the room, elegantly balancing a large silver tray laden with steaming dishes of high-grade spiritual fruits and delicacies.
She was dressed in her signature, meticulously tailored maid uniform, though the dark fabric was visibly struggling, seemingly entirely unable to properly contain the staggering, heavy fullness of her breasts.
Every rhythmic step she took sent a soft bounce through the straining silken bodice, practically testing the structural integrity of the seams and drawing the eye naturally toward her incredibly lush, hourglass figure.
"Master, Young Miss, I noticed you two have been spent fighting for some time now, so I thought some food would be best to replenish your energy," Ruyi murmured, her voice smooth and perfectly deferential.
She offered a polite, graceful bow, a movement that only caused her tightly packed assets to spill forward even further against the restrictive neckline of her uniform.
Meiyin immediately let out a small, irritated huff, her arms instantly tightening right back around my waist while her satin black demonic tail gave a sharp, defensive flick through the air.
Even though Ruyi was the trusted head maid of the Dragon Peak and the very person I had just designated to protect her, my daughter’s absolute, maxed-out possessiveness made her instantly view any beautiful woman entering my immediate orbit with a lingering trace of territorial jealousy.
’Pfft, and just like that, the family love vanishes and the feral cat or should I say succubus is back,’ Lucy burst into a delighted, mocking cackle inside my skull, practically vibrating with entertainment.
’Look at that tail go! If looks could kill, your head maid would have been sliced into pieces by now. She is practically sizing up Ruyi’s chest and calculating the threat level to her exclusive territory. You better handle this quickly, supreme patriarch, before your little star starts throwing a tantrum.’
"You always have impeccable timing, Ruyi," I replied smoothly, ignoring Lucy’s laughter as a faint, knowing smile touched my lips.
I acknowledged the head maid’s presence, effortlessly managing the thick, underlying currents of domestic tension filling the training hall.
"Since your training is done for the day, let us go to the dining room to eat," I said, offering a small nod toward the silver tray.
I turned and began to make my way out of the heavy obsidian doors of the training hall, intending to let Ruyi lead the way with the delicacies.
Before I could take more than two steps, a soft gasp of air behind me warned me of another sudden movement.
With a joyful giggle, Meiyin leapt straight forward, landing perfectly on my back. She wrapped her slender arms securely around my neck and hooked her legs around my waist, hitching herself up like a playful koala refusing to be left behind.
"Let’s go, Dad!" she cheered happily, resting her chin comfortably right against my shoulder.
As she nestled against me, she tilted her head slightly, shooting a sharp, intensely territorial look directly toward Ruyi.
Her large black eyes narrowed as she let out a soft, defiant huff, giving the head maid a smug, possessive look that clearly meant he is all mine, so back off.
Ruyi maintained her flawless posture as she turned to follow us, carrying the tray with effortless grace.
Seeing the young miss practically marking her territory on my back, a subtle, highly amused smile played across her lips. Rather than being slighted by the blatant display of jealousy, the head maid simply found genuine entertainment in the young miss’s regular, dramatic antics.
’My, my, she really treats you like her ultimate prize,’ Lucy chuckled in the back of my mind, her tone rich with irony. ’Carrying a twenty-year-old succubus princess piggyback to the dining hall while she declares war on the help. You truly are living the peak villain lifestyle, dear Jianxiao.’
I merely walked forward down the long marble corridor, completely unbothered by the extra weight on my back, a faint, indulgent smile playing on my lips as I carried my spoiled little star toward her feast while the two women played their silent eye match behind me.
