AN

  The previous Omake, Chapter 36, contained NSFW elements. If you have skipped that chapter and arrived here from Chapter 35, you may continue here without missing any crucial plot points.

  ~~~

  “A cultivator may marry for many things: wealth, connections, or even just to secure a suitable partner for dual cultivation. All of these are reasonable justifications, for they pave the Path forward towards Immortality.

  A cultivator, however, must not marry for love. Such a thing is a needless distraction from the Path, and ill-benefits any practitioner. Should you have the misfortune of encountering such a deviant, it would be best to distance yourself from them entirely, lest they corrupt you with their wayward ideals. Or worse, choose you as their next spouse.”

  — The advice of an experienced cultivator who had the (mis)fortune of being chosen as a spouse for love

  With a heavy breath, the Young Master exhaled. “Sister Jin.”

  “Hmm?”

  He mastered his will, before stating his next words as flatly as he could: “It is unfair to test me like this, especially after I've helped you so earlier.”

  The enamoured expression on the female disciple’s face instantly vanished, now replaced with a mischievous and guilty grin. Her blush remained, however, and Feng could still sense her pounding heartbeat.

  “I suppose that would be taking things too far. Apologies for teasing you like that, Young Master. You had acted so unaffected by my body earlier, I felt it necessary to taunt you slightly to regain some womanly pride.”

  The female disciple stepped away and pulled the dishevelled robes closer around her form. With her body somewhat properly clad, Feng was allowed to regain his senses further and tear his gaze away.

  “There was hardly a need for all that if that was the case,” he breathed out. “Senior Sister Jin’s beauty is apparent to all. I was merely trying to be respectful.”

  "A woman likes to know her body is appreciated, Young Master," Jin playfully scolded. "Courtesy is a fine thing, but a man must know how to compliment without words or boldness. Subtle glances and lingering gazes can be potent tools in courtship. They help affirm a woman's confidence in her beauty."

  A semblance of calm had returned to them. The Young Master felt the hold of lust and hunger fade as his rationality was returned, and the Sister’s heartbeat lowered from its earlier rush. That moment they shared earlier had not yet passed the unspoken threshold, but they toed the line closer than they should.

  Feng could blame his youth, and Sister Jin her cultivated yearning for Yang flesh, but at the end of the day, both of them were responsible for their own actions. A cultivator should possess better self-control, lest their hunger undoes them on their Path.

  "You are hardly in need of affirmation, Senior Sister. Only a blind man would deny your loveliness," Feng replied, the words delivered less as a compliment and more akin to a statement of fact. "Besides, I distinctly recall your complaints about me staring too much earlier, despite my innocent intentions to simply hand you my robe."

  Sister Jin's laugh chimed through the clearing — one of amusement and not intended to mock. "Looking and leering are two quite different things, Young Master. One is a pleasant reminder of my beauty, the other a grease-filled stain that makes me want to take an icy bath."

  Despite finding her words absurd, his curiosity was piqued. "And what makes the difference between one or the other?"

  "To know that, you would need a woman's perspective," the Sister smiled teasingly at him. “Perhaps if the Young Master asks nicely, a kindly disciple might impart the answer.”

  “A kindly female’s perspective, is it?” The Young Master pretended to ponder for a moment. "And yet I see none around. Since needs must, I suppose I shall have to settle for your barbaric insights instead."

  She slapped his chest with a mockingly insulted look, and the expression was so unlike her that he could not help but laugh. Within moments, she chuckled with him as well.

  They retreated into the recess of the maple tree, shoulders bare and arms touching as they sat beside each other, enjoying each other's warmth and company.

  Jin resumed their conversation, "Since we are to speak of compliments and insults, allow me to enlighten you on the value of a discreet gaze, Young Master.”

  She raised three fingers and counted them off. “Words and touches are fine things to master in the art of courtship, yet the worth of a man's eyes often first decides whether it is attention or scorn they receive from their women of interest. Three things their gaze must hold to secure affection, and not give insult."

  She lowered a finger. "First, a man must harbour the right thoughts as he looks, such that his eyes reflect the promises of sweetness and pleasure, rather than the fulfilment of selfish lust or base pride. A man’s intentions are revealed in his eyes. A woman knows when she is being respectfully admired, or when she is used as a masturbatory tool for sordid male fantasies.”

  Another finger lowered. “Second, a man must know the places to best direct his gaze. A woman’s body is a temple of beauty, with every inch worth admiring. Yet to simply stare at the curves and softness of her form conveys only the basest of appreciation — one driven by primitive desire rather than the recognition of feminine allure. Focus instead on the finer details: the elegance of her fingers, the arch of her feet, the length of her lashes, the way her lips curl as she smiles… All are features as deserving of reverence as a woman’s chest or rear aspect.”

  The female disciple’s last finger lowered. “And finally, a man must be aware of the opportune moment to look. I don’t mean this in a way that encourages you to ogle without the woman’s notice, but rather to make known your interest in a courteous and flattering manner. Assuming you perform the first two points correctly, you want the woman to be aware that you are looking, and for her to feel complimented. Ensure that she knows of your gaze and, from it, is reminded of her own beauty.”

  “Do all three, and your appreciation will be well-received as a tribute to cherish, and not a loathsome stain they must wash themselves of,” Sister Jin finished.

  Feng stared wordlessly.

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  After a few seconds of careful thought, he decided it best to speak his honest opinion: "That sounds horrendously and needlessly convoluted. A man must know and perform all these things simply to convey a subtle compliment of beauty? It’s unnatural."

  Sister Jin’s eyes glinted with amusement. “No one ever said wooing and courtship are easy nor natural things to master. If the art of seduction were simple, men would not need to pine over women so relentlessly. That is why you must learn them, Young Master. You will end up a poor spouse indeed if you cannot make your wife feel beautiful.”

  Feng sighed. “The path of a cultivator already defies explication. Must our ways of courtship be so inscrutable as well?”

  “Such obscurity does not merely hold for female cultivators. It is simply the prerogative of all women to eternally confuse men with their mysterious ways and wants.”

  “Your prerogative, maybe. Lianshi never mentioned any of this.”

  “That is because the Young Miss is, well, young. Despite her advanced cultivation, she has not even seen two decades of life yet. The finer intricacies of romance and flirtation are lost to her, never mind the fact that she was already engaged with you since childhood, leaving scant opportunities for experimentation. Her experience with romance currently encompasses only you, and if you fail to satisfy her needs and cravings, her eyes may begin wandering elsewhere.”

  At her teasing words, Feng raised an eyebrow. “And what would be wrong with that?”

  Sister Jin appeared caught off guard by his statement. He elaborated: “It is customary for the stronger cultivator in a relationship to take up multiple lesser spouses. While male-dominant cultivators and their harems are admittedly the norm in our parts of the Northern Provinces, it is hardly as if a superior female cultivator with multiple husbands or paramours in their seraglio is uncommon.”

  The female disciple was silent for a moment. When she spoke again, her voice was oddly wistful. “And you believe my Lady will do that? Seek other husbands and lovers?”

  Lianshi could likely request the hand of any male within the Four Mountain Sects Group, and they would be tripping over themselves to accept. Married or not, young or old, all stood to benefit greatly even as a lesser consort of the Young Miss. Her unparalleled beauty, her position as Clan Heir, and finally, her absolutely unprecedented cultivation growth, all added up to make her the most sought-after woman in the Province.

  “It would be her right,” he easily replied. “Her cultivation triumphs mine completely. There is little I can offer her with my flesh or as a partner in Dual Cultivation. My merits to her in this marriage — if there are indeed any at all — are purely political in nature. It holds no sense for her to bind herself solely to me, especially when there are so many worthier cultivators begging to be her partner.”

  There were Elders and influential disciples who were willing to give up a lifetime of accumulated wealth just to secure her hand as First Husband. Minor Clans were offering lands and trade rights to have their Heirs wedded to her as minor companions. The Young Miss stood to gain a great deal in power and resources — not just for herself, but her Sect and Clan as well — if she strategically wielded her marital value.

  Her Matriarch and Elders no doubt had already narrowed down more than a few candidates for her to choose once the first promised wedding with Feng was completed. Any sane cultivator in her position would already be preparing to set herself up with a seraglio of influential and powerful husbands to support her meteoric growth. Building connections, meeting suitors, discussing marital details with potential spouses… There was a mountain of things the Young Miss should be doing, on top of her wedding preparation with the Beheaded Phoenix Sect’s Young Master.

  And yet… Lianshi had done none of those things. She had vehemently rejected all other offers for her hand, even the ones that simply sought to be lesser consorts, rather than take Feng's place as First Husband. The meticulously appraised marriage offers vetted by her Clan all went ignored. No one, not even her Matriarch, could convince or force Lianshi to agree to a single agreement, or even just pretend to entertain such proposals, regardless of the immense benefits it would bring to herself and the Sect.

  And the reason for that was plain to see. Even for someone like him. Even as he pretended not to see it.

  “She loves you,” Sister Jin whispered.

  That was the most damning part of all. Feng chuckled mirthlessly. “I know.”

  Perhaps not the Why of it, but the What had become abundantly clear as the wedding drew closer. This was no naive romance or fleeting passion that Lianshi held for him. She was not an immature fool to be caught up in a childish crush, nor was she stupid enough not to understand the benefits she was sacrificing by doggedly pursuing only him.

  “She will accept no other,” Sister Jin said as she shook her head. “A blind man could see it. The way she looks at you… Perhaps some might blame it as a symptom of youthful infatuation or adolescent love. I know for a fact that Matriarch Chen believes it as such.”

  The female disciple looked down and smiled sadly. “But as someone who has guarded and known her for years, I am well aware of the depths of adoration she holds for you. And I am sure you are aware of it as well.”

  “That has been made abundantly clear to me in the past few months,” Feng replied evenly. “Lianshi had not been subtle in her recent displays of affection.”

  “And so we are back to my original point. Perhaps you might not need to worry about her wandering eyes, but it is still your responsibility to keep her romantically satisfied as her husband. As her only husband, even.”

  Feng pondered over her words, before reluctantly agreeing. “That is not wrong.”

  “And you want her to be happy, yes? I do not know how deeply you feel for my Young Miss, but I know that you care for her, at least.”

  “I do.” His reply this time was far more resolute.

  At his words, Sister Jin grinned slyly. “So then, it would make sense for you to learn and apply the skills of courtship, in order to keep my Lady’s marriage blissful. Let’s put what I taught you to practice.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “Dare I ask how?”

  “Do you even need to ask?” the female disciple laughed. “Seduce me, fool.”

  Cultivator’s Harems and Seraglios, Part 1

  It is not uncommon for a powerful cultivator to possess multiple spouses. Base lust aside, there are many reasons why a practitioner of the Path would want to marry, and with more than one partner at that.

  In most cultivator societies, having multiple consorts or concubines is considered a sign of wealth and status. A well-controlled and managed polygamous relationship demonstrates a practitioner’s capability and desirability, perhaps even more so than what their Realm of advancement might suggest.

  Depending on the region and Sect, there could even be a level of cultural expectation for any powerful cultivator to take on multiple spouses, in part due to the restrictions of certain Divine Arts that could only be gained through Inheritance or marital rituals.

  Marriages are often also used as a means to secure alliances between Clans and Sects. Restricting oneself to only a single partner would complicate matters of solidifying political and financial ties, especially if it pertains to a cultivator in a position of importance to the group, such as an Heir, a promising disciple, or even a Young Master.

  Finally, having multiple sources of Dual Cultivation partners would expedite a cultivator’s rate of advancement, as it represented another reliable source of pliable flesh to cannibalise. In certain circles, it is considered the hallmark of a great cultivator to possess several spouses upon whom they may draw succulent flesh. The spouses also stand to gain a great deal, as they may likewise feast upon their superior partners and bolster their own advancement.

  There are numerous cases where lesser cultivators would sacrifice their marital prospects to obtain positions as lesser consorts solely for that purpose alone, for even a single night of passion with a superior partner may yield great dividends to their advancement.

  — Excerpt from To Those Worthy of the Eternal Banquet