Demon of Dawn and Dusk

I stared at Ellen for several seconds.

“What’s a Pure Yin Physique?” I asked.

Ellen’s eyes widened and her jaw dropped.

“You don’t know?” She asked.

“Obviously not,” I said, a little annoyed by her attitude, “Otherwise, I wouldn’t have asked.”

Ellen smiled, before she pinched my cheek.

“I forgot how naive and innocent you are sometimes, Young Master.” She said. “Though, I’m not surprised. This isn’t something either Young Mistress Astra or Cultivator Raphael would’ve discussed with you.”

I pulled her hand away from my cheek.

“Enough,” I said, “Stop treating me like a child. What’s a Pure Yin Physique?”

“First, let me ask this,” Ellen said, “How much do you know about dual cultivation?”

I frowned.

“You mean practicing both qi refinement and physical refinement?” I asked.

Ellen gave me a pitying look.

“Oh, Young Master,” she said, “You sweet summer child.”

I narrowed my eyes at her.

“While practicing qi refinement and physical refinement can be called dual cultivation, most people call it dual refinement to avoid any misunderstandings.” Ellen said. “Dual cultivation, also called partnered cultivation, is when two practitioners absorb and refine each other’s qi in order to create an effect greater than the sum of its parts. It is most common for a man and a woman to practice dual cultivation, but it is possible with two men or two women.” She smirked. “It is possible to dual cultivate through meditation, but most of the time, dual cultivation takes place in the bedroom.”

I stared at Ellen in shock.

“It’s possible to cultivate by sleeping together?” I asked.

“By having sex using certain cultivation techniques, yes,” Ellen said.

My hunger, which had laid dormant over these past several months, stirred once more. The thought of indulging in my demonic nature and advancing my cultivation interested me far more than I cared to admit. It seemed too good to be true.

“I thought that might interest you, Young Master.” Ellen said. She leaned forward to whisper in my ear, her tone suggestive. “I already have the perfect cultivation technique in mind for us. So, when you’re ready, come to me and I’ll teach you all about dual cultivation.”

After she finished whispering in my ear, Ellen pulled away. It took a considerable amount of willpower not to take Ellen in my arms right then and there. From the way her eyes twinkled with amusement, she knew exactly the sort of effect she had on me.

“The effectiveness of dual cultivation depends on a number of factors,” Ellen said, continuing with this impromptu lesson. “The realm of each partner, their affinities, and the cultivation technique used are the most important ones.” Her expression grew serious. “This almost means that dual cultivating with a partner that has an opposing affinity or practices a cultivation technique that conflicts with your own will have a detrimental effect. In the worst case scenario, it may even cripple one’s cultivation. This is why you should always be careful, Young Master. Some cultivators, and even entire sects, have weaponized dual cultivation in order to destroy their enemies.”

I stared at her in horror.

“That sounds terrible.” I said. “Who would do such a thing?”

Ellen looked pained and turned away from me.

“Sometimes, in order to defeat a powerful opponent, one must resort to underhanded means, Young Master.” She said in a quiet voice.

In that moment, I realized that there was so much about Ellen that I didn’t know.

“Ellen, I-” I started to say, but she silenced me by placing a finger on my lips.

“It’s okay, Young Master,” she said, “I understand. I know that I am a wicked woman. I made peace with that a long time ago. If I were righteous, I would have stopped pursuing you a long time ago. In fact, I wouldn’t have pursued you in the first place. Just, please don’t turn me away. The rest of the world can hate me, as long as you accept me.”

I saw the fear and pain in Ellen’s eyes. Acting on impulse, I pulled her onto my lap and embraced her. Ellen froze at first, but then she relaxed and let out a sigh.

“Whatever happened in the past, you’re with me now,” I said, “That’s all that matters.”

“Yes, Young Master.” Ellen muttered.

We stayed like for several minutes, neither one of us saying a word.

“Thank you, Young Master.” Ellen said, pulling away from our embrace. However, she remained on my lap. “Now, time for me to get to the point of all this. Women with Pure Yin Physiques are the perfect partners for dual cultivation. Anyone can refine their qi, regardless of affinity or cultivation technique, and any qi they absorb takes on this same quality. This is why they are prized as cultivation partners.” Her expression hardened. “So much so, that unscrupulous cultivators often coerce or even outright force women with Pure Yin Physiques into dual cultivating with them. Some even turn them into human cauldrons. And yes, that is as horrific as that sounds. For their own safety, women with Pure Yin Physiques often hide their nature.”

Ellen’s words both disgusted me and filled me with anger. What she just described was akin to rape. The world of cultivation was dangerous. I knew that much, though I had been lucky so far. However, it still surprised me the depths that some people would sink to in order to advance their cultivation. Refining people into pills, turning them into puppets, sacrificing innocents for their life force.

Ironic coming from me, since my mother’s family were all demonic cultivators and I was a demonic cultivator. I thought back to the feast that the Dawn and Dusk Sect threw, right after the entrance exam. When I described how my kin in Clan Wind Dance treated me, Estelle threatened to refine my uncle into a pill.

“How sure are you that Cultivator Aneira has a Pure Yin Physique?” I asked.

“As sure as I can be without examining her body.” Ellen said. “I’ve met someone like her before, which is how I recognize the signs. This is a rare opportunity, Young Master. Many would kill, and have indeed killed, for it.”

“Is that why you suggested I take Cultivator Aneira as one of my women?” I asked.

Ellen nodded.

“For the sake of your cultivation.” She said. “I also know that you would treat her well. Unlike others, you wouldn’t take and give nothing in return. You would treat her as a partner, an equal, not a human cauldron.”

I mulled over Ellen’s words. She made a fair point, and I had to admit that I was tempted. The idea of having the perfect cultivation partner appealed to me. However, I found the idea distasteful overall. I didn’t like the thought of marrying someone just to benefit my cultivation.

Maybe I was idealizing marriage too much, but for me it was a sacred union. If I married someone, I wanted it to be with someone I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, however long that may be. Given how long cultivators lived, this could mean either centuries or even millennia. In the best case scenario, it could mean the rest of eternity.

“No,” I said, shaking my head, “As much as I like Cultivator Aneira, I can’t see myself marrying her.”

Ellen studied me for several seconds, before she nodded.

“Very well.” She said. “If that is what you wish, I shall abide by it.”

I raised an eyebrow at her.

“You almost seem disappointed.” I said.

Ellen looked thoughtful for a moment.

“More like surprised, Young Master.” She said. “Cultivator Aneira is beautiful and has a Pure Yin Physique. Most would have wanted to marry her for that alone. Even I’m tempted.” She smiled at me. “However, make no mistake. I’m just making an observation, not criticizing you. I rather like that you have the heart of an innocent maiden.”

I rolled my eyes at her teasing.

“Keep what you told me to yourself.” I said. “I know you aren’t one to gossip, but it doesn’t hurt to be cautious.” I grimaced. “I’d rather not have anything happen to Cultivator Aneira.”

Ellen nodded.

“I agree.” She said. “From the way she acted around you and the other two, it seems that she’s lived a difficult life. I see no need to make things worse for her.”

I gave her a questioning look.

“Beauty can be a curse sometimes.” Ellen said.

Ah, so that’s how it was.

“Is that why she acted so wary?” I asked, thinking back on Cultivator Aneira’s behavior.

Whenever we interacted, she kept watching me, as if waiting for me to do something or act a certain way.

“Yes.” Ellen said. “I’m guessing that Cultivator Aneira faced troubles in the past because of her looks, and that isn’t even taking her Pure Yin Physique into consideration.”

“Then we really need to keep this to ourselves.” I said. “Assuming you’re right, of course. If you’re wrong, then we have nothing to worry about.”

Ellen sighed.

“Still, it’s a shame,” she said, “I wouldn’t mind having someone like Cultivator Aneira as a sister.” She grinned at me. “I love Elliot, but he has no interest in anything feminine.”

I studied her for a moment.

“Ellen, about the first time we met, when I was a child-…”

She interrupted me by embracing me again.

“Not yet, Young Master.” She said. “I’ll tell you when I’m ready, but not until then. It’s not a memory I like to revisit.”

I considered ordering her to tell me anyway, but refrained. Instead, I wrapped my arms around her.

“Very well,” I said, “I’ll wait.”

“Thank you, Young Master.” She paused. “I know it is shameless of me to ask, but may I share your bed tonight? I promise not to try anything untoward, much as it would tempt me. It’s just… I miss your warmth.”

“I don’t know,” I said in a sardonic tone, “Sharing my bed with a beautiful woman? How troublesome. I don’t know if I’m strong enough to carry such a burden.”

Ellen pulled back and gave me a displeased look.

“If you didn’t want to,” she said, “You could have just said no.”

I snorted.

“Who said I didn’t want to? You’re the one who’s always being pushy. I’m just surprised that you asked first instead of just doing it.”

Ellen narrowed her eyes at me.

“I was trying to be considerate, since you always complain when I do, Young Master.” she said. “However, if you’re going to act like that, then I won’t bother.” She grabbed my head. “I’m just going to take what I want. You have only yourself to blame.”

With that, Ellen pressed her lips against mine and kissed me. Unlike with our first kiss, she was far more aggressive this time. By the time she pulled away, we were both out of breath.

“I think I’m beginning to understand how you feel,” I said, panting. “Right now, it’s taking every ounce of self control I have not to goad you even further, or pounce on you myself.”

“You could always give in and stop resisting your own feelings.” Ellen said.

I shook my head.

“I’m not ready.” I said. “Not yet.”

Ellen sighed.

“A shame.” She said. “Let me know when you are ready. Until then, I’ll give you a peek of what you’re missing out on.”

As she spoke, Ellen loosened the upper half of her robes. Not enough to reveal anything, but enough to entice and tantalize. I felt my hunger stirring.

“I’m going for a walk.” I said.

I pushed Ellen off of me and stood up, before heading outside. Otherwise, I feared I would give in to her temptations. Her laughter followed me.

Over the few weeks, Cultivator Aneira spent more and more time with the minions and I. At first she just left her living space to trade pointers with us. The minions and I benefited a lot from this, since Cultivator Aneira was at the peak of Qi Condensation and her physical refinement was at the same level. She was also quite skilled in martial arts, though not as much as the minions.

Trading pointers with her also gave me experience against an opponent who used ice mystic arts, which I found out was rare. Water mystics arts were common, but ice mystic arts required either a special cultivation technique, an affinity for ice, or both.

In Cultivation Aneira’s case, it turned out that she practiced one of Celestial Warrior Hall’s main cultivation techniques, Sacred Moonlight. Practitioners of this technique wielded moonlight, ice, and illusions.

This set it apart from the other two main cultivation techniques for Celestial Warrior Hall, Soul of Divine Fire and Holy Sunfire, in which practitioners wielded fire. The Sacred Moonlight technique was also difficult to cultivate, which meant not many people practiced it.

I learned all this from the minions, who were a veritable font of knowledge when it came to the Dawn and Dusk Sect. At first they were wary of me, but over the months I grew closer to them. It also helped that I treated them to spirit wine.

After my conversation with Ellen about Cultivator Aneira’s physique, I started hunting demon beasts in the nameless forest that bordered the Black Mist Mountains and sold their body parts to earn spirit stones. However, I kept their flesh and had Ellen cook it, since eating it benefited my physical refinement.

While I saved most of what I earned, I spent some spirit stones to buy cheap spirit wine. It wasn’t as good as the spirit wine Senior Sister Zenia had, but to me it tasted better since I bought it with spirit stones I earned myself.

Over the past few weeks, the minions joined Ellen and I every once in a while in order to drink wine and trade stories. At some point, Cultivator Aneira joined us as well. She didn’t say anything at first. She just sat down and drank some wine with us. However, as the weeks passed by, she relaxed more and more in our company. I even saw her smile every now and again. I think Ellen’s presence helped, since it meant Cultivator Aneira wasn’t the only woman among us.

Unfortunately, all good things come to an end and those peaceful days were interrupted by the arrival of an unwelcome guest. I was in the middle of cultivating, when Ellen walked into my bedroom. She wore a grim expression on her face.

“Young Master,” she said, “You may want to come outside. Cultivator Aneira is in trouble.”

I frowned at her, but followed her words and walked outside. There, I found a trio of disciples from Celestial Warrior Hall standing outside of Cultivator Aneira’s living space. Two were in early Foundation Establishment, which meant they were at least inner disciples, while the third was at peak Qi Condensation. However, from the way the other two flanked him, it seemed as if this Qi Condensation cultivator was the leader of this group. I guessed that he was a young master of some kind.

Cultivator Aneira stood in the doorway to her living space, glaring down at the Qi Condensation cultivator, her expression cold and sharp.

“I told you, Brother Byron,” she said, her voice as cold and sharp as her expression, “I have no interest in becoming your woman. I want to focus on my cultivation and my training.”

“Sister Aneira,” the Qi Condensation cultivator, Byron, said. He spoke in an ingratiating tone that got on my nerves. “Come now. That’s enough. There’s no need to keep playing hard to get. You’ve already attracted my attention. Stop making things difficult for the both of us and give in already. I promise to treat you well.”

Cultivator Aneira’s left eye twitched. What an ass. No wonder she was so wary, if this is what she had to deal with in the past. I almost stepped forward to intervene, but Ellen grabbed my hand and shook her head. I wanted to pull away from her, but reason prevailed. I had no business intervening, unless Cultivator Aneira asked for help. I took a deep breath to calm my raging emotions.

“I’m not playing hard to get.” Cultivator Aneira said. “I really have no interest in becoming your woman.” She let out a derisive snort. “Besides, don’t you have a fiancée? What of Cultivator Amora?”

Cultivator Byron made a dismissive gesture.

“That is an arrangement between our families.” He said. “While she will be my wife, she does not have my heart. You do.” He pulled out a jade box from his storage ring. “Here, take this as a token of my feelings. They are the scales of an Icefang Serpent.”

“He really isn’t holding back.” Ellen muttered.

I nodded. While I didn’t know what an Icefang Serpent was, I knew about the Icefang Mountains. It was a mountain range located along the edge of the central continent of the Northern region. It was a cold and desolate place, filled with all sorts of dangerous spirit beasts. Cultivator Byron must have paid a hefty price to procure these scales. I made a mental note to look them up.

Cultivator Aneira looked at the jade box and refused to take it. She didn’t even look tempted.

“I said no,” she said, her tone growing harsh. “I will not be your woman. How many times do I have to tell you that?” She smirked. “Though, I might change my mind if I become your main wife instead of Sister Amora. What do you say, Brother Byron?”

Cultivator Byron paused at that. I resisted the urge to snicker. It seemed that he wasn’t willing to offend this Cultivator Amora by making Cultivator Aneira his main wife. If he was a young master from a powerful clan, then it stood to reason that his fiancée was also from a powerful clan. Offending her could have severe repercussions for him and his family.

“Is that really necessary?” Cultivator Byron asked. He started to sound annoyed. “You’re the one I love. Isn’t that enough? Marry me, and you’ll never have to worry about cultivation resources ever again.”