Yin & Yang Pleasures of Cultivation

Darcel snapped his head around like clockwork. 

The voice that slinked into his ears had a special ethereal feeling about it, comparable to the ethereal voice he used to hear when his bloodline manifested to a new level.

And what Darcel's eyes saw truly did match the unidentifiable, ethereal voice. 

Hovering just a few feet above him was a mysterious figure in large gray robes.

If it wasn't for two shiny green dots that peered out of the figure hoodie, Darcel would've thought this was some kind of ghost. He couldn't spot any body like feature coming out of the gray robes.

There was only the eerie gray energy swirling out from where the figure's hands and legs should be. 

This hollow like figure was a bit creepy, in all honesty. 

Furthermore, compared to the room, this gray robe figure exudes a far more deadly chilling vibe.

Darcel felt as if with just one wrong move, this gray robe figure can erase him from this very existence. Even if Darcel was at his full power along with the girls, he still felt as if this figure could erase them with ease.

This certainly isn't the first time Darcel had encountered a being massively stronger than him. 

But this figure left a far more deep impression despite not blaring out any semblance of power.

Still, since the gray robe figure was addressing him, Darcel assumed this could potentially lead to something good. 

Darcel calmed his mind again and asked the gray robe figure in an even tone, "What question do you have for me?"

"Why do you desire power?" 

When the gray robe figure asked the question, Darcel assumed those two green dots he could spot in its hoodie were its eyes as the green dots shimmered a bit.

Darcel took notice of that oddity, guessing this is some sort of spiritual entity. But Darcel didn't forget to answer, telling the gray robe figure,

"So I can protect Aniela and Masami. Live out and experience the full joys of my Yin Pleasure powers. And enjoy the thrill of a good battle."

Darcel's mind arranged that answer in the order that it came to his head. From the crucial importance of protecting his girls and to the least of simply thriving in battle. 

Though Darcel can absolutely be counted as a genius. He didn't care to be counted as one. Unlike most geniuses, now Darcel doesn't feel that much thrive in battle. 

Of course, the excitement of fighting will always be there.

But compared to his Yin Pleasure abilities or simply hanging out with his cute little girlfriends, Darcel was inclined to do the two former a lot more often. 

Merely basking in their soft bodies and tender feelings was an absolute treat fighting couldn't offer.

"Do you value your power?" The gray robe figure asked next. 

Darcel paused for a moment, wondering where this line of question will lead to. 

Still, he answered almost instantly with, "Of course I value my power. Without it, I wouldn't be here today or enjoy my life as much as I have." 

Darcel spotted the gray robe figures' glowing green eyes lit up more then.

"Do you love Aniela and Masami?" 

"Yes," Darcel answered back, not even a half-second sooner. He didn't register at all that somehow, this figure knew of the girls. That question just made his mind react on instinct. 

His voice was resolute, showing no hint of any doubts or uncertainty. 

In Darcel's heart, he already loves Aniela. But being separated also made Darcel realize he doesn't just have great feelings for Masami; he's genuinely coming to love her.

Down to her fierce disposition, her cute innocence, and overall fiery determination, Darcel could say he fully loved those aspects about her. Genuinely, Darcel needed Masami in his life.

Thinking about this question also made Darcel realize he should just say 'I love you' more often to the girls. 

As he recalls, he only said 'I love you' to Aniela one time, and that was during their first time. Even if the girls won't think it's necessary, Darcel decided he'll take the time to do it.

The gray robe figure's green eyes suddenly brightly sparked then. 

It raised its right gray robe sleeve, and oddly enough, Darcel heard a finger snap coming from the sleeve. 

Immediately, Darcel became absolutely gobsmacked.

When the gray figure supposedly snapped its hand, Aniela and Masami popped right into existence! The girls floated right before the gray robe figure, showcasing longing and loving expressions to Darcel.

"Ah-Ah?! Aniela! Masami-Nngh?!" To Darcel, this actually was Aniela and Masami! 

There literally wasn't a single bit of difference on their beautiful face nor their expressions.

It's why Darcel wanted to rush up to them, but he couldn't. His body was entirely locked by some sort of energy. 

Now, all cautious pretenses were thrown out of the window.

Whether this was real or fake, Darcel absolutely loathed anyone using his girls like this. Without an ounce of fear, Darcel's expressions contorted into a wild savage one. 

His eyes bore a hole into a gray figure's green eyes. "What the hell is this?! Do you want to fuck with me?!" 

Though Darcel barely had any Qi to use, he felt his soul chaotically churn while his rage explosively increased. A Darkness glow slowly swirled in the depths of his pupils.

Watching Darcel's rage-filled outburst, the replicas? Aniela and Masami's expressions quickly shifted to one of immense worry. 

Their bodies began to slowly tense up as if they were trying to move. Yet neither of them could speak.

The gray robe figure didn't have any reaction to Darcel's outburst. But it did find the girl's response highly unusual. Furthermore, its green eyes did squint a bit, noticing the Darkness glow in Darcel's eyes. 

Still, the gray figure ignored all the oddities and calmly asked the raging boy, "You have only one option. Either pick Aniela to tremendously increase your bloodline powers. Or pick Masami to have perfect comprehension over the Element of Fire and gain a Monster bloodline. Either or you pick, one girl will die."

Darcel felt his body stiffen despite being locked by energy. 

The thought of ever letting either one of the girls didn't register in his mind at all. It was impossible for him to ever choose one girl over the other. His soul is deeply linked with them! Darcel's glare only intensify as he said,

"Bullshit your options! I have no need for any burst of power. If anything, I will take both of my girls with my own power and grow right alongside them!" 

The Darkness glow in Darcel's eyes began to darken.

And Aniela and Masami's faces soon shifted back into maidens in love. The gray robe figure was getting increasingly curious about the girl's reaction. 

But its attention still stayed on Darcel. It calmly asked then, "Your own power….what if you could save them with your very own power but at the cost of all of your valuable cultivation? No one has to die, but they will just leave you in the dust, completely powerless."

Darcel paused for a moment. He wanted to confidently answer, but….doubts began to swirl in his. Doubts and fears in that if he were to actually lose all of his cultivation, those girls really will leave him. 

For the first time in his life, Darcel was truly uncertain of how to answer. 

That is until, 

"Darcy!! Don't get swayed by their bullshit! We're real! Well, kind of real, but the point is everything we say, we mean it! Even if you were to grow old and lose all of your power, I would be right beside you. Why? Because I love you!"

Out of all expectations, Aniela suddenly shouted with the firmest voice she could muster up! 

The gray robe figure and Darcel both froze when hearing Aniela. 

And the surprise wasn't done yet.

"Yes! This isn't like you, you blockhead! Weren't you the one who's always straightforward in his feelings and actions?! Then you should know, you're my annoying boyfriend that I love no matter what!"

Masami suddenly spoke up, causing further disbelief in both the gray robe figure and Darcel. 

Darcel's eyes matched with both Aniela and Masami, and he honestly thought this was them or at least some version of them.

They both even had their signature expressions. 

Aniela had her broad, beautiful smile, and Masami had her fiery, confident smirk. 

'This….even for this boy, this should be impossible. They're just soul forms….hoh? Huh, this boy….I understand now.' The gray robe figure silently thought to himself. 

Unaware of the gray robe figure's swirling thoughts, Darcel's face regained its former determination and glared straight at it.

His Darkness Soul link began to crazily surge, inspiring him with a wave of incredible energy and indomitable determination! 

"Right….they're right! Go ahead and cripple me! Even if I'm a cripple, I will always have my girls. And like I'll just give up with no cultivation. No cultivation? Then I'll simply find a new path to power and rise to the top my own way!"

The gray robe figure didn't show any reaction. 

Darcel didn't even see its green eyes shimmer at his answer. And after only a tense second, the gray robe figure raised its robe sleeve and said in a neutral tone, 

"Ok."

With one snap, the gray robe figure vanished the smiling soul forms of Aniela and Masami. And with another snap, Darcel felt a violent shift in him. 

He could no longer feel any Spirit Qi in him nor his muddle Spirit Sense!

It was like his body became mortal. However, instead of despairing, Darcel still felt energy swirl in his body. 

The energy from his soul.

Darcel was a bit confused since he thought this gray robe figure would've got rid of all of his power.

But no matter what, Darcel wasn't going to back down now. 

"Congratulations, you passed the first part. Are you ready for the second trial?" The gray robe figure casually asked Darcel.

And Darcel wasn't even surprised this was some sort of trail. With the power this figure has, he could've just easily wiped Darcel from the plane of existence, yet he chose to patiently talk to him.

Furthermore, recalling the whisperings and magnetic pull to come here, it was blatantly obvious something was afoot here. 

Still, Darcel wondered just how this figure made perfect replicas of Aniela and Masami.

Pushing down that curious thought, Darcel stared right into the gray robe figure's green eyes. While he may have no cultivation to use, Darcel was going to thoroughly tread this path. He had no other valuable options anyways.

"I'm ready."

….

In the same gray space yet in another location, Aniela's face showed no fear or hesitation here. She even had a broad grin on her face for the current situation. 

Similar to what Darcel experienced, Aniela had met the gray robe figure.

She was put off at first at the deathly vibes the gray robe figure naturally exuded. But she was able to readjust the mind and even show the gray robe figure a broad smile.

When asked the questions of desiring power and if she values it, Aniela only gave curt and concise responses befitting of her. 

She told the gray robe figure in a simple answer, "I don't desire power; I desire protecting Darcy and Masami! I only value the things I can do with my power for my two cute lovers. Also! I can't deny it, too; there's a lot of joy to have when fighting."

The gray robe figure's green eyes actually shimmered at Aniela's simplistic answer. And with a snap of his hand, the gray robe figure quickly created a soul form of Masami.

But when creating Darcel….the gray robe figure took a second longer. 

Aniela just barely picked up on it but was initially taken by surprise at the perfect replicas of Darcel and Masami.

And it was then the gray robe figure proposed the question to Aniela. It told her, "Choose who you value more and want to protect all of your life. Darcel or Masami. The other one dies."

A tough question that should've muddled Aniela's mind only made her smile. Her thoughts didn't get to any kind of disarray as she felt a spark of energy burst from her soul.

Aniela's mindset of never focusing on the negatives and pulling through to enjoy the positive harmonize with her soul to be resolute on her answer! 

A bright white glow began to spark into Aniela's eyes as she said,

"Listen, I don't know who you are or what any of this is. But know this! I am a child of Light! My Light connects all and never abandons anyone! You can do whatever you want to me, take away all of my power, or even kill me. But I promise you, Light always finds a way!"

Aniela's eyes burst with a white radiant shine! 

She was locked by the gray energy, but her body actually began to struggle against it! 

The gray robe figure's green eyes brightly sparkle, watching her.

Quickly, the gray robe figure snapped away Darcel and Masami's soul forms and snapped away Aniela's Qi and Spirit Sense. 

"Eh? Ohh….so you actually did it, huh? Alright then, like I said, Light will find a way!"

Feeling the loss of her power, Aniela felt like she was mere mortal again. 

Well, almost mere mortal as there was still a sum of her soul energy swirling inside her body. 

But Aniela wasn't discouraged by any of this and kept up her confident smile. Her Darkness Soul link perfectly surged with her base soul powers, giving Aniela a tremendous boost of confidence to not even care about losing power.

"You passed the first step. Now then, can your Light take on the second step?" The gray robe figured evenly asked her. 

Aniela didn't back down for a second and boldly said, "Of course it can! And after this, I'll go see my Darcy and my little fox!"