Ch 22 Eos

Eos couldn't help but steal glances at Nephele. He had always admired her, and their master-disciple relationship had been warm and fulfilling. But lately, things had been different. Since taking Ciri under his wing, Nephele had become more physical with him, and he found himself enjoying it more than he should.

At the same time, he felt a deep emotional and sexual attraction to Ciri, and it wasn't just because of her sex pheromones. There was something about her that drew him to her. He wanted to protect her and guide her, but at the same time, he couldn't deny the intense desire he felt towards her... and Nephele... He knew he shouldn't be thinking about them like this, but he couldn't stop.

The more he thought about it, the more he realized he was becoming obsessed with them. He couldn't decide which one he wanted more, Ciri or Nephele. It was like a constant battle in his mind, and he didn't know how to make it stop. The idea of losing either of them filled him with a sense of dread.

He couldn't continue to let himself be consumed by his desires. He had to remember his role as a mentor to them.

But as much as he tried to push his feelings aside, they only seemed to intensify. Eos found himself struggling to keep his composure around them, constantly battling the urge to give in to his desires. He knew that he couldn't act on his feelings, that it was wrong on so many levels. But the more he tried to resist, the more he found himself drawn to them.

It was tearing him apart inside, this constant conflict between his sense of duty and his own desires. He felt like he was living a lie, pretending to be something he wasn't, all while struggling with these forbidden feelings. It was like he was walking a tightrope, trying to maintain balance while everything around him threatened to come crashing down. But Ria would probably think that he was childish and that he should act out his feelings with his disciples, as she did with hers. And Aria would probably have the same idea as Ria.

Eos knew that he couldn't keep going like this. He had to make a decision, one way or the other. But how could he choose between the two people he cared about most in the world? Not counting his blood sisters Aria and Ria.

As he tried to push his desires aside, Nephele's hand brushed against his thigh, sending a jolt of electricity through his body.

"Master..."

"Master someone is coming." Nephele's voice was worried.

"Are you okay?"

Eos realized that he had not heard Nephele address him. He had been too wrapped up in his own thoughts and feelings. Feelings for her and Ciri.

"Eos, did you hear that?" Nephele asked nervously, uncertainty about who or what was approaching hanging in the air. The sound of hooves grew louder and louder and Nephele tensed at the thought of encountering a band of travelers here in the Misty Mountains, where few would dare to go.

Eos embraced Nephele and in the blink of an eye, they were gone. Nephele gasped as Eos released her. Where they had just stood in the open field there were only flowers swaying in the wind and Nephele and Eos stood behind a boulder a few hundred meters away from where they had just been.

From there they could see the arriving group of individuals without being fully visible themselves.

"Spread out and begin your search for the Golden Moonflower, but remember not to pick it even if you find it. The flower is said to bloom solely under the light of the full moon, and only during this time can its petals be collected. Additionally, we need the blue mist flowers and spirit grass, which you can gather right away. And pull out the slaves, so they can be slain when you find blue mist flowers. The alchemist needs soul qi. The alchemist needs soul qi." the woman's voice resonated, bouncing off the trees in the vicinity. Judging by her voice, she was young, but her tone was harsh and brutal.

She must have employed a technique that distorted her voice as it sounded louder and altered, almost as if coming from various directions simultaneously. This technique added a peculiar and eerie quality to her command, intensifying the air of secrecy and urgency around the group's mission.

As Eos surveyed the people scattered across the field, he discerned that they were not just ordinary mortals, but a mix of soldiers and mortal cultivators. Their movements were too swift and fluid, indicating that they possessed abilities beyond those of normal humans. Moreover, Eos detected a subtle aura that suggested they were under the influence of a Jinx, a type of magical possession.

"They're using false spirit roots," Eos whispered to Nephele, who gave him a silent nod of acknowledgment.

As the wagons came to a halt, a grim sight greeted the Eos and Nephele. Several individuals, dressed in tattered rags and looking disheveled, were pulled out of the carts. They were chained like animals, with thick iron manacles encircling their wrists and ankles. The chains rattled as they stumbled and fell onto the dusty ground, their faces etched with exhaustion and despair.

It was a harrowing scene that spoke of immense suffering and oppression. The sight of people reduced to such conditions was a sobering reminder of the harsh realities that existed in the world.

But it was not unusual or illegal in the world. They could well be prisoners of war, criminals, or people who had failed to pay their debts. Slaves were sold freely in markets across the Wind Land. Even between sects, clans, lords, and to people who had enough money to buy one.

Nephele's lips whisper quietly just inches from Eos' ear. "What will they do with blue mist flowers and soul-qi."

He found it hard not to turn around. His desire burned unabated in him. But he answered without apparent difficulty. "I do not know. But apparently, it requires soul-qi and blue mist flowers."

"Who are they?" Nephele was not amused by the sight unfolding before them and Eos tended to agree with her.

"I do not know. But I don't think they are from any of the major sects. They could be from a local clan or a smaller sect with links to one of the big sects. Alternatively, it's a free spirit. But I suspect that they are dealing in alchemist goods..."

"Should we go and ask them?" I think they have not expected to meet a Soul-Sea cultivator."

"You are not invincible Nephele just because you are in the Soul-Sea Realm. There are over a hundred people, and you see the ones on the far right of the carriage. They are in peak Nascent and may have treasures that make them very dangerous. And even if you have tremendous cultivation, you haven't practiced for so many years. Those two in the Nascent Realm are probably hundreds of years old, although they don't look a day over twenty-five. I believe in you. Don't think otherwise... I don't want to put you in more danger than is necessary."

"I am a cultivator!" The irritation in Nephele's voice was palpable.

"I know you are. But I don't want you to get hurt." The words just flowed out of him and he didn't know where they came from. A year ago he wouldn't have said that.

As Eos retrieved the silver knife from his space ring, Nephele's warm breath brushed against his ear, sending a shiver down his spine. He couldn't help but feel a surge of embarrassment at the thought of her so close to him.

As Eos withdrew the item from his space ring, Nephele peered curiously at it, her eyes flickering with interest.

"What's that?" she asked, gesturing towards the dark, sleek object that Eos held in his hand.

"It's a Shadow Cloak," Eos replied, his voice low and guarded. "It's a rare artifact that allows the wearer and the immediate surroundings to merge with shadows, granting them near invisibility and the ability to move undetected."

Nephele's eyes widened with surprise and admiration, and she reached out to touch the smooth, cool fabric of the cloak. Eos handed it to her, and she slipped it on, marveling at the way it seemed to absorb the light around her, rendering her form nearly invisible.

"Wow," she breathed, twirling around to test the cloak's abilities. "This is incredible. How did you manage to get your hands on something like this?"

Eos shrugged, a hint of a smirk playing at the corner of his lips. "Let's just say I have my ways.

"Do you have a plan, Master" It was still noticeable that Nephele was annoyed by his earlier remark that she should be careful.