When I left the cave, Harmonious was snoring loudly by his cauldron. Smoke drifted lazily from his large nostrils.
The cauldron was now empty, and there was a powerful and oppressive pressure in the air as draconic chi still wafted through the cave. I had absorbed a lot of it while cultivating and would need to thank the dragon next time I saw him.
Taking a small handful of precious ingredients from his pile, I was careful not to take anything too extravagant. It wouldn't be polite to do so when I had already benefitted so much from sharing the cave.
However, this was for my wife and so I also wasn't too stingy.
I bowed low to him before leaving, knowing that he wouldn't know I had done so. But it wasn't for him that I showed my respect. It was for myself.
A cultivator should respect the source of their occasional advantages for it is rare that they are due entirely to one's own sweat.
It was due to the dragon's kindness, his curiosity, and ultimately his generosity in releasing draconic chi that I was able to advance my cultivation during the night.
I had known many cultivators who would simply pat their own back after such encounters. Their cores would one day fall to deviation caused by their arrogance. I was certain of it.
The flight back to my house was a pleasant one.
The air smelled of pine and the dusty scent of early morning mist.
Yet the sun was already scrubbing the cold vapors from the forest floor. I felt my body thrill as I caught some of the water chi from below.
It was indeed a fortuitous encounter for me.
As I landed in the courtyard, my wife trotted out from inside the house and stared at me for a moment before showing me a bright smile which revealed her perfect teeth.
They looked very sharp today.
"Husband! You look unusually vigorous today! Could it be you had a fortuitous encounter?" Her wide eyes revealed not a single drop of malicious intent. "Your little flower is overjoyed to see such results. Did you cultivate hard and take full advantage of them?"
"I did," I said, ensuring I kept my back straight and shoulders back to show no weakness. "In fact, this is why I have come straight here."
"Oh? Please tell your little flower everything!"
"I travelled to the cave in the hill as you recommended," I said. "And found it to be quite large."
"Oh! Was the earth chi very strong?"
I shook my head. "Quite the opposite. It had all been absorbed by the current occupant of the cave."
"An intruder!" She gasped. "Husband, did you fight? Do you need a pill?"
"That depends," I said, squinting. "What kind of pill?"
She looked me up and down critically. "Husband, you are not serious. Your little flower cannot see any wounds on you."
"Hmph." I tried not to scowl. "I don't need one anyway."
"Then your opponent was weak?"
"On the contrary, my opponent was strong," I said. "Much too strong to consider fighting."
"Oh." Her eyes narrowed with mischief. "Did you tumble in the cave with a dirty little fox again, Husband?"
"What do you mean again?" This time I let her have my scowl. "I wouldn't touch a fox with a long stick!"
"All men say such things," she sniffed. "But they seldom live by their words."
I blinked at her.
"Wife, where does this come from? You have been very jealous this past day. There is no need for it."
"Your little girl is eating your soup," she said calmly.
I glanced at the door behind her and sighed. So, she was still upset about Nia.
I had a feeling this would keep going if I didn't do something soon.
"I will give you one more day," I said calmly.
"Husband!" She gave me a shocked look. "Are you demanding I leave the home? Will you send me back to my father in shame?"
"One more day," I said, holding up my finger. "And if you are not reasonable, I will take the girl to town and sell her to the Auction House."HouHHHH
"Sell her?" My wife's face drained of colour. "Husband! Why would you do such a thing? She will be used as a furnace for sure! That is no fate for your little girl!"
"She is not my little girl. She is simply someone who was in a poor situation. If you cannot understand this, then I will her luck decide her fate. Perhaps her next mistress will treat her more responsibly."
"You can't!"
"One day."
My little wife stared at me. Her wide eyes staring with such a vacant and obedient gaze that I knew her mind was working at incredible speed as she calculated her options.
The corner of her mouth twitched a little.
Not much.
But a little.
Then she pressed her lips together and bowed to me again. "Your little flower hears you, Husband," she said. "Please go and return in the evening. I will make rice for you."
"That's a little better."
"You can eat it on the porch."
"On the porch?"
"I see no hut for your little girl to live in yet," my wife said, not looking up from her bow. "It would not be proper for you to be alone with her in the house. Even if I accept your intentions."
"If?"
"I will think on your words, Husband."
"Good. Because I'm heading to the Auction House today. I will discuss with them the proper way to sell a slave," I said, trying not to grin. "Just in case."
"Husband is wise," she said through her teeth. "But is it not premature to visit the Auction House?"
"No. You forgot I have travelled. I have items which were gifted to me which must be disposed of."
"Loot?"
"Gifts."
"Loot."
"Gifts," I insisted. Then pulled the dragon's ingredients from my spatial ring. "And these are for you."
"This is Night Weed," she exclaimed, forgetting formality as she snatched the herbs from my hand. "And Seven Leaf Clover! Where did you get this treasure, Husband?"
"From the dragon."
That alone was enough to make her gawk. It was a look I had been eager to see on her petite little face. A look of utter astonishment and awe as she was reminded once more of the benefits our marriage had brought us both.
"Dragon?" She swallowed hard. "Your little flower is very confused. Husband, are you making a joke?"
"I am not."
"Are you saying there is a dragon in the cave?"
"There is."
"And I sent you there!" She let out a wail and threw herself at me, her arms wrapping tightly around my torso. I took the hug with stoic grace and gently patted her head as she let out small sobs. "I sent you to die, Husband! Your little flower didn't think a dragon would be in the area! Your little flower is so grateful you are safe! It is lucky it did not see you!"
"Very lucky indeed," I said.
"But, Husband? How did you steal from it?"
"Steal?" I frowned. "Do you think I am so foolish that I would steal from a dragon? Wife, what do you think of me?"
"But… How else would you get its treasure?"
"I spoke to it. And it spoke to me."
"It spoke to you? And did not eat you?"
"It was busy at the time."
"Busy?"
"Yes," I said, feeling a great sense of calm wash over me as I prepared to shock my wife even further. I was sure it might even make her brain explode. "With its cauldron."
"Cauldron?" She staggered out of my arms, her mouth completely open and eyes bulging. Even in a state of absolute shock, my wife looked very beautiful.
I did not tell her though.
I was busy enjoying her stunned expression.
"Yes," I said. "The dragon is an alchemist."
"Alchemist?" Her voice squeaked as she reeled, lightheaded from my revelations. "A dragon alchemist? Is such a thing even possible?"
"And," I said, as casually as I could. "He is capable of producing a 12th Grade Pill."
She blinked.
Then her eyes rolled.
I had to lunge quickly to catch her as she fainted.
Smiling into my wife's senseless face, I leaned down and kissed her gently on her forehead as I scooped her into my arms.
I knew this fantastic news would be too much for her delicate disposition.
"Master?"
I turned to see Nia standing in the doorway, her hand over her surprised mouth as she saw my wife cradled in my arms.
"It's alright," I said, stepping onto the porch. "She's just a little overwhelmed."
"What happened?"
I chuckled. "I told her about the dragon."
"Dragon?"
"Yes, the one living in the hill up there-"
It was a good thing I have cultivated so diligently, or I would not have been able to catch her as she slid to the ground, her eyes rolling back hard as she fainted.
Lucky for her, I managed to fling an arm around her in time, but winced as her skirt tangled around my wrist. It caused it to ride a little high up her thighs.
Which were very smooth.
Almost as smooth and pale as my wife's.
Shamefully, I contemplated this awkward comparison a little too long.
Which is when I heard a quiet voice call gently from behind; "Great Elder? Is this a bad time?"
I turned to see another pretty young woman looking horrified at me as I held an unconscious girl in each arm. One showing a scandalous amount of leg. "Ah," I said awkwardly, looking from Nia's blank face to my wife's. "This isn't what it looks like…"