"How's your injury?" Ren came in, holding a bowl of hot soup, and gave it to Emi, who was now sitting on a bed, looking out the window at the night sky.

  "I'm fine." She answered, looking back at her, taking away the food, and slowly starting to eat it.

  "Good. When you are healed up, you can leave."

  "Just like… that?" She asked, looking at her calmly as her spoon stopped in midair.

  "Yes. I told you I'm not interested in what you have to say. You can walk around when you feel better and see the others, talk with them; it will be better to see for yourself than listen to me. Then... you can go and make your report to whoever sent you here."

  "Are you not concerned… at all?"

  "Why would I? You are just a foot soldier. Not a decision maker." Ren scoffed at her.

  "You!"

  "What?" She looked back at her with a sly smile. "Am I wrong?"

  "..."

  "Eat." She said, ignoring the angry face of Emi, "Your injury was severe; it's only thanks to Rem that you survived for this long. If you want to get out faster... let Leinor help-"

  "No man will taint me like that. Ever. Especially not a human."

  "You wish!" Ren harrumphed, fring up at once. "It would be just an energy exchange, you pervert, nothing like you imagined!" She snorted again with evident jealousy, all written on her face, "Suit yourself. To be honest, I'm happy with you refusing it! I heard what you did; just be happy I can control myself... Trying to steal my LeiLei? Fat chance!" She added, smming the door behind her as she left.

  "I was wrong." Emi sighed softly after being left alone, looking at the soup in her hand, "I made a big mistake for you, Lady Rumira."

  …….…..

  "I'm beat!" Ren moaned as she fell into Leinor's arms in their bed, wearing a pink nightgown.

  "It was a long day. Do you want me to massage you?" He smiled, stroking her head.

  "Just hold me… that's enough!" She moaned a little more, snuggling up to him. "I don't like that girl."

  "Me neither, but we need to show her we are not enemies."

  "I know… haahh… anyway, how's everybody?" She asked, snuggling up to him.

  "We are back to action if needed. Especially Poli."

  "I guessed as much." She sighed, shaking her head, "But... He forcefully advanced and suffered injuries not just outside but inside, too. He needs special attention... for now. That damn disciple of mine is the cause I'm still short! The stress and all this shit he puts me through!"

  "Ahaha, you sure? We are not that far apart in age yet..."

  "Grrrr!" Ren growled at him at once.

  "Ouch! No biting, no biting!" Leinor hissed as he pulled his finger from her mouth, which was now decorated with her teeth marks.

  "Hmph! Poli will need to be careful, too, or I'll bite him, too!" She added proudly, "No fights for him for a long time, and I'll supervise his daily training until he stabilizes his advancement. I don't want him to be stuck forever or cripple himself."

  "I will watch out for him too," Leinor nodded, "Now that the foxy is here, I saw how he reacted and felt that he wanted to challenge her."

  "Keep an eye on him. I'll keep an eye on her. It's best to avoid any conflicts for now... None of them is fit to fight, and I have had enough troubles... I just want to focus on building up our town."

  "Our?" Leinor asked, a bit concerned, remembering Pongo's words.

  "Mmm? Is it not?" She looked up at him, "We made this work; for the most part, we can call it ours. Even if we go back home, this is a starting point we made possible!"

  "You don't want to live here?"

  "Huh? Why would I?" She sat up in his p, looking at him with raised eyebrows. "Did something happen?"

  "It's… nothing."

  "Sure?"

  "Doubly."

  "Good then~!" Ren giggled before going for a kiss, and soon they y there, hugging and kissing before slowly falling asleep.

  …….…..

  The night in the Capital was warm, and Dermitos was having a rexing smoke on his balcony. In his chambers, his wife and two concubines were lying on the bed, exhausted and delirious, still overwhelmed by the lingering pleasure periodically washing over their bodies.

  "Nothing beats this!" he puffed out a big smoke in his loose, blue robes, enjoying the gentle wind.

  "Ohhhh? You know how to live life, aren't you?" came a ughing voice that froze him as he did not feel anyone approaching... yet here he was, whoever it may be. "Up here, boy!"

  When he followed it to its source, he saw a blonde man floating, slowly descending, while not even the air moved around him. There was no indication of his presence, not physically or by any energy that a cultivator's senses could pick up.

  "You… you are… the…" he furrowed his brows, seeing the foreign yet somehow familiar face, realization hitting him.

  "Yup, your grand-grandaddy." Aerthus grinned, nding on the balcony, patting his shoulders, and looking at the naked woman on the bed. "Nice taste. The middle one has the best hips for bearing children... Hmmm, you have the same preferences as I, it would seem!"

  "Eh.. um, t-thanks? I guess?"

  "Ahaha, rex. I just got back!" He looked away, stretching, "The long trip over the endless dunes deprives you of beautiful scenery; let me rex my eyes on a pleasing scene a little~!" He licked his tongue before turning towards Dermitos again. "I scanned the Capital, and it grew to triple the size of what I remember. I felt other power sources too, probably my other offspring and their people, but I wanted to meet the current Emperor, who bears my name."

  "Well, I'm only bearing your name for a little more before passing it on."

  "Oh? You are abdicating?" Aerthus asked, surprised.

  "Yes. My son will take my pce soon."

  "Great timing! I want you to gather everyone who is strong and in the pns to establish my Sect. Don't tell them I am back; just tell them you received a message from me. I'll hide my presence and scout them out first... I want to get a sense of how they are doing. Oh, yes, about that prodigy of a girl and my talented great-grandson... Are they out? I didn't feel any strange presence… I was looking forward to meeting them!"

  "Yes, Forefather, they have established contact with the demon folks and…."

  As he described the events, Aerthus listened intently, nodding approvingly multiple times. When Dermitos finished his report, he was clearly fired up, his spirit reflected in his eyes and wide grin.

  "Good, good! I can't wait to meet them; call them back too!"

  "Y-yes!"

  "Ahaha, I can't wait!" Aerthus ughed before disappearing without fluctuations in the surrounding energies, as if he was never there.

  "Huh… he is nothing like the stories describe him," Dermitos murmured, shaking his head, after he was gone, "The heroic warrior, the wise leader… yeah. I can't bme him; it wasn't him who wrote the books..." He ughed, too, before returning, dressing up, and leaving for his study to enact his orders.

  …….….

  Emi was standing beside Kang, watching the dark skies as lightning fshed around, while Feynor took his 9th lightning strike, finishing his advancement into the Harmony Realm.

  "It was different…." Emi muttered as she looked at Poli, who almost immediately felt her eyes, even though he was hundreds of meters away. He just turned towards her, smiling provocatively... "They are different…" She furrowed her brows more as she thought about how to make her report when she returned home.

  "Congratutions, Emperor Aerthus X." Ren grinned as she walked up to Feynor.

  "Please, I am not yet crowned, and even when I am… just call me Feynor."

  "Ahahaha, will do~!"

  "Congratutions, Eldest Brother!" Leinor came up, too, hugging him.

  "You need to hurry; I can't wait to spar with you when you advance!" Feynor grinned, making a mess out of his younger brother's hair.

  "Speaking about sparring-" Ren chuckled.

  "No. Not against you." Feynor replied immediately.

  "Eh? Why?!" She pursed her lips with a hurt look on her face.

  "I know my boundaries. I am not interested in getting defeated! Wait a few years for me to get a hold of my powers, then maybe."

  "Tsk…" Ren grunted, already sulking, "You are no fun…."

  "Master, I'm ready to spar!" Poli came up as his sword floated behind him.

  "Produce me four lightning strikes without coughing up blood. Then we will spar." She replied immediately.

  "Ugh… It's just… an allergic reaction." Poli tried, but with no luck.

  "Yeah, your body is allergic to your stupid ideas! Your energy points are still injured; go back and meditate and bathe in the Shaman's medicine bath!"

  "Can I not? It… stinks!" He pleaded, but Ren wasn't having it.

  "Shut it, and do it! It's an order!"

  "But-"

  "Zern." Ren snapped.

  "Yes, Master!" He nodded as he grabbed hold of Poli, dragging him away.

  "Noooo~ Stop it! Put me down! Help! Rape! Pervert! Help!"

  "I'm afraid his brain got damaged in the previous fight," Isha leaned closer to Ren as she murmured.

  "Probably." Leinor nodded with a thoughtful expression.

  "It's rare to see you two agree on something." Ren suddenly looked at them, surprised.

  As Poli was dragged away, Emi watched them with a calm expression. Still, deep in her eyes, conflicting emotions surged, especially when she saw Rem flying up to Ren, hugging her, and telling her about the new flower bracelet she had made for everyone. Seeing how the different ape tribes and fairies worked together with humans to build a vilge and how a new wall was being erected around it for defenses, growing quickly right before her eyes… It finally made her realize that the 'leading' tribes, neglecting the southern territory and treating it as a buffer zone between the humans, will have a massive issue at their hands...

  "If they have a leader that unifies the different tribes living here… I need to tell Lady Rumira this!" She gulped, "We need to mend our retionship. Getting their support will help against the other tribes opposing us… and against the Ents if they ever decide to expand their borders..."

  Deep in thought, as she left, Kang was still watching her, tasked with protecting not just her but the vilge from her, taking Ren's request to heart. Emi, still bandaged up, entered the big, two-story house that served as a clinic for the injured, still lost in her thoughts, walking up the stairs and going into a room with two giant basins filled with a mud-like, smelly, warm liquid. In one of them, submerged, right up to his neck, sat Poli already, with a clip over his nose.

  "What are you doing here? I'm still in!" the boy screamed, but his eyes were fixated on her without blinking.

  "And?" she asked with a calm voice, stripping down, taking off the bandages, before climbing into the other basin and submerging in it. "If you try something, I'll rip it off your body. It will bance you out."

  "Haha, funny foxy girly you are." he rolled his eyes, flushed, "I bet I could push you down now; you look frail."

  "Just try it, human."

  "I might. You still owe me a rematch."

  "I'm ready whenever you are."

  "Oh? Really?" Poli stood up, prompting Emi to do the same as they stared at each other… naked, mud-like slime dripping down their bodies.

  It took almost five seconds to realize what was happening, especially for Poli, who had his sword ready now… and not his flying one.

  "Perv." Emi tore away her eyes, sitting back down, looking sideways, masking her flustered expression and flushed face, just like Poli.

  "Says the fox who assaulted us with horny magic."

  "Hmf, you are all just weak; it's our natural aura; if you are strong-willed, it's easy to resist."

  "Enough. I'm not talking to you anymore!"

  "Good. I would appreciate that." Emi snorted, just like him.

  "God, you are insufferable!"

  "Why are you still buzzing like a fly?"

  "Wench!"

  "Hairless monkey!"

  "Tsk, you are a child acting like an adult; this is your real persona, I see!" Poli grimaced, not wanting to be the first to give up their verbal joust.

  "Yeah? Then you are an adult who acts like a child! You are worse!"

  "Enough!" came the voice of Shaman from the next door. "Both of you, mate, already, or just shut up! You are disturbing my thoughts! Shut up and meditate while my concoction does its work! God, I hate teens with hormone deficiency!"

  Shaman's angry words finally made both of them fall silent, but they also looked the other way, still wearing a sulking expression, not willing to give in just yet…

  …….…..

  "We will have to go back," Ren said, giving the freshly arrived letter to Leinor.

  "I see. Father is summoning us; probably something happened..."

  "You leave; I protect vilge." Kang nodded, who was there while Rem's little eyes were already filled with tears.

  "Ahaha, don't cry, Little Sister." Ren giggled. "It's not like we will leave forever. We will come back soon; we still have a lot of things to do here."

  "You promise?" the young fairy sniffled.

  "I promise!" Ren hugged her lovingly, stroking her tiny head.

  "I'll go with you." Niji came up, surprising everyone.

  "Then me too!" Rem cut in immediately.

  "No. You can't." Ren poked her nose. "The city would be too much for you, and I couldn't watch over you all the time. Niji can take care of himself. Also, he lived with humans before."

  "I'd like to meet with your leaders." Niji continued, "I heard some interesting pns from you two."

  "I'm gd you are interested in it~!" Ren grinned. "You will be the first ambassador of the demon folks in human territory... Huh! This is going to be a historic event!"

  "Ambassador, huh? Sounds nice!" Niji ughed, looking at them.

  "Sure it does! Tell everyone: Tomorrow, we leave!" She said to Leinor while she was still soothing Rem, who was holding onto her with all her might, "First, we will stop at the Pass; I miss Mother and Father. Then, we will meet up with them and go back home together." Ren smiled, looking towards the Capital, feeling excited to be heading home, yet a bit sad to be leaving Rem and the others behind, even if only for a little while.