The morning after was awkward in the best way.
Luo Mei didn't bolt at dawn like I half-expected. She stayed curled against my side until the first patrol bells rang, her breathing soft and even, one leg draped over mine like she'd claimed territory in her sleep. When she finally stirred, eyes fluttering open, there was no panic—just a shy, almost surprised smile.
"Still here," she murmured, voice husky from last night's cries.
"Still here," I echoed, brushing a strand of hair off her cheek. "You okay?"
She stretched—slow, cat-like—and winced a little. "Sore. But… good sore." Her fingers traced lazy circles on my chest. "The qi… I can feel it. Clearer. Stronger."
I checked my status discreetly.
[Yin Harmony (Lv.1) – Efficiency +12% after repeated contact with Luo Mei]
[Luo Mei Loyalty: 42% → 68% (Secret Ally Status Unlocked)]
[New Bond: First Concubine Candidate – Minor qi-sharing link established]
She'd jumped almost a full stage overnight. Not bad for trash disciples.
I propped myself on an elbow. "We need to be careful. No one can know about this yet. Not until we're stronger."
She nodded seriously. "I know. If they find out we're… sharing cultivation like this, they'll either kill us for the technique or force us apart."
"Exactly." I leaned in, kissed her forehead—gentle, almost tender. "But if we play it right, we can use it. Use us. You help me watch, listen, move pieces around. I keep pushing your cultivation. We rise together."
Her eyes searched mine. "You're not just using me for qi, are you?"
I could've lied. Easy. But something in her expression made me pause.
"I'm using everyone," I said honestly. "That's how this world works. But with you… it's different. I want you beside me, not just under me. Ally first. Lover second. If you want out later, say the word."
She studied me for a long moment.
Then she kissed me—slow, deep, like sealing a pact.
"Okay," she whispered against my lips. "I'm in."
We didn't fuck again that morning—too risky with daylight patrols—but we did something almost as intimate: talked strategy.
Over stolen rice buns and weak tea, she spilled everything she knew about the outer sect hierarchy. Who hated who. Who took bribes. Which elders turned a blind eye to certain "private lessons" between disciples.
She had surprisingly good intel for someone so low on the ladder.
"Zhao Kun's been skimming spirit stones from the laundry detail," she said, nibbling a bun. "He thinks no one notices because the girls are scared. But I've seen him pocket extras. If Huo Yan wants dirt on him…"
I grinned. "Perfect. We'll make sure Huo Yan gets that dirt—through a 'concerned anonymous tip' from one of the laundry girls. You plant it. I stay clean."
She bit her lip. "And if Zhao Kun suspects me?"
"Then we make sure he doesn't live long enough to act on it." I said it casually, but her eyes widened just a fraction. Then she nodded.
"Understood."
That afternoon she slipped away to her chores, robe back in place, hair neat, looking every bit the quiet, obedient outer disciple. But when she passed me in the corridor later, her fingers brushed mine—just a second, hidden by her sleeve—and a tiny pulse of yin qi flowed through the contact. Warm. Promising.
The system liked it.
[Bond Progress: +5% Loyalty – Minor qi feedback loop active]
Two nights later she came again.
This time no hesitation at the door. She locked it behind her, shed her robe in one smooth motion, and pushed me back onto the mat before I could speak.
"I practiced the breathing method you taught me," she said, straddling my hips. "Felt your qi even when I was sweeping the east yard."
I groaned as she ground down, already wet, sliding along my length.
"Show me."
She did.
She rode me slow at first—hips rolling in deliberate circles, hands braced on my chest. Her breasts swayed with each movement, nipples brushing my skin. I gripped her thighs, thumbs digging in, guiding her rhythm.
When she leaned forward to kiss me, hair curtaining us, I thrust up hard. She gasped into my mouth.
"Like that," she breathed. "Again."
I flipped us—pinned her beneath me, legs over my shoulders. Deep angle. Hard thrusts that made the mat creak. She bit her fist to muffle the moans, but her body betrayed her—arching, clenching, nails raking my back.
Qi flowed freely now. Yin meeting yang in hot pulses. Every slide sent sparks through my meridians.
She came first—shuddering, walls fluttering, a soft sob escaping. I followed right after, spilling deep, demonic seed mixing with her essence.
Breakthrough hit mid-climax.
[Cultivation: Qi Gathering Stage 4 (Peak) → Stage 5 (Early)]
[Luo Mei: Stage 3 (Early) → Stage 3 (Peak)]
[Yin Drain Technique Lv.1 → Lv.2 – Can now siphon 5% extra yin during climax without harming partner]
We lay tangled afterward, her head on my chest, listening to my heartbeat slow.
"You're getting better at controlling it," she murmured. "Last time I felt like I'd pass out. This time… it was perfect."
I stroked her back. "We're syncing. The more we do this, the stronger the link."
She lifted her head. "What's next?"
"Zhao Kun's framing goes live tomorrow. You plant the evidence in his room during laundry pickup. A small pouch of stolen stones with his name carved on one. Huo Yan's 'anonymous tip' arrives the same day. Chaos ensues."
She nodded. "And if Huo Yan rewards you?"
"I'll share whatever he gives. Pills. Stones. Maybe even a better room. We split it."
Her fingers traced my jaw. "You're really going to keep me close?"
I caught her hand. Kissed the palm. "You're mine now, Mei. Ally. Lover. Whatever you need to be."
She smiled—small, real, a little wicked.
"Then let's make them all regret underestimating us."
The next week blurred into a rhythm.
Days: schemes and subtlety. She fed me gossip. I planned moves. We framed Zhao Kun perfectly—Huo Yan "discovered" the stolen stones, beat him bloody in the public square, stripped his status to menial labor. Huo Yan was grateful. Gave me a pouch of 200 low-grade stones and a promise of protection during the next purge evaluation.
Nights: her at my door.
Sometimes slow—lazy kisses, hands exploring, building tension until we both begged.
Sometimes frantic—me bending her over the low table, taking her from behind while she gripped the edge, biting her own arm to stay quiet as I pounded deep.
Once, when the qi surge was particularly strong, she came so hard she cried—tears of release, not pain—and whispered my name like a prayer.
Each session pushed us higher.
[Current Cultivation: Qi Gathering Stage 6 (Mid)]
[Luo Mei: Qi Gathering Stage 4 (Early)]
[Loyalty: 89% – Full Secret Ally + Primary Lover]
She wasn't just helping anymore. She was invested.
One night, after a particularly intense round—her on top, riding me reverse while I gripped her hips and watched her ass bounce—she collapsed forward, panting.
"I think… I'd kill for you," she said quietly. "If someone tried to take this away."
I pulled her down, kissed the sweat from her neck.
"Good," I murmured. "Because soon, someone will try."
She lifted her head. "Who?"
I smiled into the dark.
"My son's caretakers. The elders watching him. The prophecy itself."
Her eyes widened.
But she didn't pull away.
Instead she kissed me—fierce, possessive.
"Then we'll break it together."
I held her close.
The game was no longer just survival.
It was conquest.
And I had my first piece on the board.