Demon of Dawn and Dusk

It turned out that part of the preparations for the Frenzy of Unchained Passion involved cleansing oneself in a ritual bath. This, in itself, wasn’t unusual. I knew of some rites and rituals that required the practitioner to cleanse their body, in addition to clearing their mind and purifying their spirit.

However, what made this particular instance… different, was that I didn’t bathe myself. Instead, Cultivators Violet and Rose bathed me. At first I balked, since I wasn’t used to this sort of treatment. The last time something like this happened, it was right after the entrance exam I took to join the Dawn and Dusk Sect, just before the celebratory feast. My sisters sent a small army of servants my way to help me get ready. I haven’t experienced anything of the sort since then, until now at least.

Despite my objections, Cultivators Violet and Rose insisted that it was necessary for the Frenzy of Unchained Passion. While I doubted their intentions, I couldn’t prove it one way or another, so I gave in and let them have their way. Besides, it wasn’t as if I hated the idea of two beautiful women bathing me.

Unlike the servants who helped me four years ago, who didn’t cross any lines, Cultivators Violet and Rose maintained no such boundaries. They eyed me with obvious lascivious intent, and their hands roamed all over my body, as if trying to tease and tantalize me as they bathed me. Then I realized that was exactly what they were trying to do. My hunger stirred as I enjoyed their ministrations, and it grew stronger by the second. Instead of holding it back, like I usually did, I instead chose to not to.

However, I didn’t forget my primary purpose in coming here. As much as I enjoyed the attention of Cultivators Violet and Rose, I came to the Flowering Blossom Palace in order to learn and master the Demon Form innate ability. Just as the Armor of the Celestial Warrior was a manifestation of the starlight within my soul, Demon Form was the manifestation of my own demonic nature.

After the ritual bath, Cultivators Violet and Rose provided me with a set of crimson and gold robes. They differed from the style preferred by Flame Fiend Hall, but they were still majestic. Cultivators Violet and Rose cooed when they saw me.

“My, you are quite handsome, Young Master Darian.” Cultivator Violet said. At least, I assumed she was Cultivator Violet, since she wore violet robes. “I’m glad Master tasked us with helping you.”

“Even many of the disciples of Towering Oak Palace pale in comparison to you.” Cultivator Rose said, caressing my chest.

I flushed with embarrassment at their words.

“Thank you for saying that.” I said, facing away from them.

I knew they didn’t mean what they said, but it felt nice to hear it. Maybe I would have believed them, if I hadn’t seen how handsome and beautiful the men in this city were. Compared to them, I wasn’t anything special.

“Young Master Darian,” Cultivator Violet said, placing a finger on my chin and forcing me to look at her, “We mean what we say. We aren’t saying this to flatter you or because our master commanded us to.”

“Unlike the polished handsomeness typical to many of the men we know, yours is a rough and rugged sort of handsomeness.” Cultivator Rose said. “It must be because you’re a physical refiner.”

I blinked at her in surprise.

“Really?” I asked.

Cultivator Rose nodded. I took a moment to think through her words. Growing up among my beautiful kin in Clan Wind Dance, I always viewed myself as ugly and unappealing. While I had overcome many of the wounds resulting from my upbringing, a few remained. Maybe there was more to my appearance than I believed.

“Now then,” Cultivator Violet said, “We have tarried long enough. The others are waiting for us.”

The two of them took me by the arms and escorted me out of the bathing chamber.

I expected Cultivators Violet and Rose to lead me to something akin to a meditation chamber or some kind of ritual space. Instead, they brought me to a small feasting hall. A large rectangular table occupied one end of the hall, piled high with food and drink. My mouth watered the moment the scent of all that food reached my nose. Lanterns hung from the walls, filling the hall with light.

Cultivators Violet and Rose guided me to the table and sat me down upon a cushion, before sitting down beside me. Other than that, the rest of the hall remained bare. There wasn’t any other furniture.

As soon as I sat down, Cultivator Violet clapped her hands twice. A large group of women entered the hall. They were the Qi Condensation cultivators who greeted my sisters and I when we first walked through the gate of the Flowering Blossom Palace. A few of them headed towards the corner and pulled out instruments from their storage rings, before playing music. The rest arranged themselves into a pattern and started dancing as soon as the music began.

I looked around in a bit of a daze.

“This is the Frenzy of Unchained Passion?” I asked. “I thought your master said that this was a sacred ritual.”

“It is a sacred ritual,” Cultivator Violet said. “And yes, this is the Frenzy of Unchained Passion.”

She started massaging my shoulders.

“You must indulge in your passions until you lose yourself in them, Young Master Darian.” Cultivator Rose said. “Experience them in full. Let them consume you, until you are little more than a mindless beast, one driven into a frenzy.” She gestured to the food, the drink, and the dancers. “These are your hungers, no? Your desires? If so, stop holding yourself back. However, if you still feel hesitant, we can always try this.”

Cultivator Rose pulled a jade bottle out of her storage ring. Inside the bottle was a single pill.

“What is that?” I asked.

“An elixir to help you lower your inhibitions.” She said.

I stared at the jade bottle for a long moment, before shaking my head.

“No,” I said, “I don’t think that will be necessary. I don’t feel very inhibited right now.”

Cultivator Rose smiled.

“Very well.” she said, placing the bottle on the table. “I’ll leave this here in case you change your mind.”

With that, I followed their instructions and indulged myself. I ate the food, which was as delicious as anything Ellen had ever cooked for me. As usual, I let out moans as I ate. By this point, I had long stopped being embarrassed by this tendency of mine. However, Cultivators Violet and Rose seemed amused by this.

“I can’t wait until I’m the one making you moan.” Cultivator Violet said.

I almost choked when I heard this and had to thump my chest a few times to clear my throat. Cultivators Violet and Rose laughed in amusement.

The next hour passed in a similar manner. I ate, drank, and enjoyed the company of two beautiful women. Like high-ranked courtesans, they were skilled in the art of conversation and I found them both to be pleasant partners. The dancers put on an entrancing performance, and I found myself watching them in a daze. They must have employed some kind of mystic art or technique as they danced, but I did nothing to resist it. Combined with the food and drink, I felt buoyant and lightheaded.

However, despite all of this, my hunger never exceeded a certain point. It simmered, but never boiled over and exploded out. This lackluster response surprised me. Here I was, surrounded by delicious food, strong wine, and beautiful women. Yet, none of that aroused my hunger to the point where I lost control. I frowned.

“What’s wrong, Young Master Darian?” Cultivator Violet asked when she noticed.

She, along with Cultivator Rose, caressed my body.

“I’m not sure.” I said. “My demonic nature isn’t going out of control like I expected it to. At this rate, I don’t think I’ll lose myself to my desires.”

Cultivator Rose pouted.

“Well, we can’t have that.” She said. She pulled at her robe, revealing an entrancing amount of skin, and gave me a sultry smile. “How about now?”

I stared for several seconds, before shaking my head.

“No,” I said, “That didn’t work.”

Cultivator Rose’s nostrils flared.

“Excuse me?” She said, sounding offended. “I refuse to believe that you are unaffected by me.”

To make certain, she grabbed a certain part of my anatomy. That part of my body was quite happy to prove her right. I sucked in a breath at her touch.

“I never said that I was unaffected by you.” I said, through gritted teeth. “However, it doesn’t feel as if my hunger will rampage out of control. It happened once before, so I know what it feels like.”

Cultivator Rose scowled and crossed her arms. Cultivator Violet seemed amused by this.

“Oh, don’t be such a child, Sister Rose.” She said. “Consider this a learning experience. Not every man will fall for your charms just because you shove your breasts in his face.”

Cultivator Rose’s scowled deepened, but she otherwise didn’t respond.

“Tell us about the time your hunger rampaged out of control, Young Master Darian,” Cultivator Violet said. “Perhaps that will help us figure out what we’re doing wrong.” She gestured to the feasting hall. “This is all for your benefit, after all.”

After giving it some thought, I nodded. The Flowering Blossom Palace’s philosophy centered around desire. Perhaps they could help me better understand my hunger. I told Cultivators Violet and Rose about the one time I lost control of my hunger, on that morning four and a half years ago, right after Ellen and I first spent the night together. They listened to the end without interrupting me. When I finished, the two of them glanced at each other.

“This Ellen,” Cultivator Rose said, “She is important to you, yes?”

I smiled and nodded.

“Yes, she is.” I said. “We hadn’t spent that much time together, just a few months, but she became one of the people most important to me within those few months. I love her.”

“What happened to her?” Cultivator Violet asked.

I sighed.

“My eldest sister opposed our relationship,” I said. “She said that we rushed into things, and that we should spend time apart before we commit to each other. To that end, she banished Ellen from the Dawn and Dusk Sect for a time. I haven’t seen Ellen in years.” I shrugged. “My eldest sister was right, Ellen and I rushed into things, but it was difficult to accept at the time. Even so, my feelings haven’t changed. If anything, they’ve only grown stronger.”

Cultivator Violet chuckled.

“So that’s where we went wrong.” She said.

Cultivator Rose shook her head.

“Yes,” she said, “How could we have missed something so obvious?”

“In our defense, no one informed us.” Cultivator Violet pointed out. “We had to figure it out on our own. Maybe that was the intent.”

I looked between the two of them in confusion.

“What are you talking about?” I asked.

Cultivators Violet and Rose glanced at each other and smiled, before looking at me.

“The two of us aren’t the right people to help you, Young Master Darian.” Cultivator Violet said.

“Instead, let us call for one of our junior sisters.” Cultivator Rose said. “In fact, I have the perfect person in mind.”

I blinked at her, not sure how to respond to that. Meanwhile, Cultivator Violet stood up and clapped her hands twice. The dancers and the musicians stopped.

“Someone bring Jasmine here.” She commanded.

The dancers and the musicians all glanced at each other.

“Are you certain, Senior Sister Violet?” one of the dancers asked.

Cultivator Violet gave her a frosty stare.

“Are you questioning my judgment?” she asked.

The dancer blanched and shook her head.

“No, Senior Sister!”

“Then do as I say.”

The dancer bowed, before scurrying out of the feasting hall. Cultivator Violet gestured to everyone who remained.

“You may continue.” She said, before sitting down.

The musicians resumed playing their song and the dancers continued with their dance.

“Why did they react like that?” I asked.

“Many find Junior Sister Jasmine’s appearance unsettling.” Cultivator Rose said, her expression somber. “She also follows a different path than most disciples in the Flowering Blossom Palace.”

“How so?”

“Desire comes in many forms.” Cultivator Violet said. “There are the more common ones, such as lust and gluttony. However, desire also includes revenge.” She smiled, though it contained a hint of malice. “The need for revenge is one of the greatest desires there is, and some of our disciples join to gain the strength necessary to fulfill this need. Junior Sister Jasmine is one such disciple.”

I frowned.

“She joined the Flowering Blossom Palace to get revenge?” I asked. “Against who?”

Cultivator Violet shook her head.

“That is Junior Sister Jasmine’s story to tell,” she said, “Not mine.”

I studied her for a moment, before nodding. After that, the three of us continued to talk while we watched the dancing. However, my thoughts kept wandering to this Cultivator Jasmine and why Cultivators Violet and Rose thought she would help with my hunger.

Revenge wasn’t one of my desires, I knew that much. I hated my kin in Clan Wind Dance, but not enough to get revenge on them. For me, revenge meant achieving heights they could only dream of reaching.

About half an hour later, the dancer who left to fetch Cultivator Jasmine returned. She was accompanied by a young woman wearing a set of plain black robes. This newcomer had pale skin, long black hair tied back into a severe bun, and a pair of brown eyes so dark they seemed black. Like me, she was at peak Qi Condensation.

However, the most striking thing about her appearance was her face. It was covered in scars. It looked as if someone had taken a knife to this woman’s face, all for the purpose of ruining her appearance. Her eyes, nose, and mouth remained intact. Everything else was covered in scars. My eyes widened when I saw her, and I couldn’t stop staring.

The musicians stopped playing and the dancers stopped their performance when the scarred woman entered the feasting hall. When she drew near them, they scurried away from her in fear. The scarred woman ignored them all and walked up to our table.

“You called for me, Senior Sister Violet?” the scarred woman asked, her voice cold and even.

I realized in that moment that this scarred woman was Cultivator Jasmine.

“Yes, Junior Sister Jasmine,” Cultivator Violet said. She appeared unfazed by her junior sister’s appearance. “I have an assignment for you.” She gestured to me. “Please, entertain Young Master Darian during his stay here as a guest of our Flowering Blossom Palace.”

Cultivator Jasmine glanced in my direction. My first instinct was to look away. However, I decided to meet her eyes instead. This caught her off guard, though she hid her surprise right away.

“As you command, Senior Sister Violet,” Cultivator Jasmine said.

“We leave you in our junior sister’s hand, Young Master Darian.” Cultivator Violet said, before looking at Cultivator Rose. “Come, Sister Rose. Join me for a dance.”

The two of them stood up and hurried off before I could even protest. They joined the others in dancing. Cultivator Jasmine took their place at my side.

“Forgive me for my shortcomings, Young Master Darian.” She said in a sardonic voice. voice. “Unlike many of my sisters, I am not as well versed in how to please a man.”

I studied her for several long seconds.

“You don’t want to be here, do you?” I asked.

“No,” Cultivator Jasmine said, her tone cold and hard, “I don’t.” She sighed. “However, I cannot disobey a command from my senior sister. At least, not without good reason.” She looked me right in the eyes. “So, tell her that you can’t stand my grotesque appearance. That should be enough of a reason.”

I blinked at her.

“I can’t do that.” I said.

Her eyes narrowed.

“And why is that?” She asked.

“Because I don’t find you grotesque at all.” I said.

Her gaze grew sharp.

“Don’t lie to me out of misplaced pity, Young Master Darian,” Cultivator Jasmine said, “It is rude and condescending.”

“I’m not lying.” I said. “While I won’t say that you’re a consummate beauty, I don’t find you disgusting at all. Neither do I pity you.”

I spoke the truth. Instead, when I looked at Cultivator Jasmine’s scars, I felt sorrow and anger. Sorrow because it was clear that she suffered, and anger because whoever scarred her face did so out of malice.

Cultivator Jasmine studied me for several long moments, gauging the sincerity of my words, before nodding.

“Very well.” she said. “In that case, it cannot be helped.” She gestured to one of the wine bottles on the table. “May I pour you some wine, Young Master Darian?”

I nodded and held out my cup to her. Cultivator Jasmine grabbed the bottle of spirit wine and poured some for me. Despite her words earlier, she comported herself with elegance and grace. I found myself entranced by her movements, and my hunger stirred. That caught me off guard.

“Thank you.” I said after she finished pouring the wine.

Cultivator Jasmine nodded in response, before turning to watch the dancing. Cultivators Violet and Rose put on a magnificent performance. Their dance seemed to tell a story, one of two sisters who loved each other very much yet fate seemed to tear them apart time and time again. Somehow they managed to convey all this through their dancing alone. Impressive.

This entire time, Cultivator Jasmine and I never said a single word to one another. We sat there in silence, each of us lost in our own thoughts. Despite this, I kept glancing over at her. For some reason, my hunger stirred when she poured me the wine. How? Why? Her senior sisters made more of an effort to stir my desires, yet elicited a much weaker reaction from me.

“Is there something you wish to say, Young Master Darian?” Cultivator Jasmine asked, turning to face me. “You keep looking at me. Are my scars that fascinating to you?”

I frowned and shook my head.

“No.” I said. “I admit, I was shocked when I first saw them. However, that isn’t why I keep looking at you. I’m trying to figure out why you stirred my hunger more than…” I gestured to the rest of the feasting hall. “…all this.”

Cultivator Jasmine arched an eyebrow at me.

“Hunger?” she asked.

“I’m demonkin.” I explained. “I’m here, participating in this Frenzy of Unchained Passion, all for the sake of losing myself to my desires and awakening my demonic nature in full.” I grinned. “In short, this is all for the sake of my cultivation.”

“This is a Frenzy of Unchained Passion?” She asked, looking over at the dancers. “Odd. Usually everyone is naked by this point.”

I stared at her.

“While the Flowering Blossom Palace studies desire in all its form,” Cultivator Jasmine explained, “For most, this means sex. A Frenzy of Unchained Passion is often an excuse for our outer disciples to loosen their inhibitions and indulge in behavior they might not have otherwise. For example, many women are only interested in men, but are curious as to what it's like to lie with a woman.”

“I thought the Frenzy of Unchained Passion was a sacred ritual.”

“It is a sacred ritual,” Cultivator Jasmine said. “One that is about self-discovery as much as it is about indulgence.”

I stared at her for several moments, before looking over at the dancers. My sisters had made arrangements with Palace Master Golden Lily in order to help me awaken my demonic nature and learn the Demon Form innate ability. Food, wine, women. I desired those, but were those my only desires?