Dream

Li Yichen PoV

My body felt like it was draped in a cold, wet blanket, confusing me greatly.

Opening my eyes, I looked around, finding myself in a murky lake, nothing in sight besides blackish water.

However, I could still breathe, and as I flailed around inside this lake, I could move with ease, which only increased my confusion.

"Worry not, Li Yichen..."

A raspy, feminine voice echoed around the depths, and I felt my hair raise as a suffocating pressure enveloped me.

Shivering, I looked around in distress, trying to locate the owner of this voice.

"Oh, you shan't find me, young one. I've long since shed my mortal coil..."

My eyes widened in panic as the pressure increased, before relenting moments later.

"Have you heard of the Deity Realm, Li Yichen? Of the powers that those who've entered such a coveted Realm wield?"

The voice grew softer, but the weight and pressure was still present in each word.

Nodding, I continued to glance around, trying to find...

Something.

"Well, if I were to tell you that Deity is but a step into the real journey of Cultivation, would you believe me? That there are more worlds, much like yours, scattered around this near infinite cosmos?"

Gulping, I licked my dry lips as I spoke, the odd feeling of talking underwater nagging at my mind.

"I... I-I would... t-there are m-many stories of there b-being... more..."

The water around me pulsed, almost as if it was agreeing with me.

"Good! You're smart... Now, like in your world, there are many ways to gain power, to further your path towards becoming... more. My path is one of mutuality; I give something to you, and you give something to me."

Nodding, I felt my body sink further into the murky water, while my turquoise coin drifted down alongside me.

"My offer is rather simple. You, Li Yichen, crave the strenght needed to secure a life where you can watch your daughter grow and flourish. An admirable goal, one that I myself have gone through. Besides that, you crave something else; something darker. That is what I can truly offer you... if you ask."

The woman's words slithered into my ears, and I shivered as her knowledge of me was displayed.

"H-How do I know that you won't renege or twist this... offering?"

Hearing my whisper, the water pulsed again, this time in amusement.

"Shrewd, young one. The answer is simple. Karma. Even Deities are affected by Karma, and I prefer to remain... neutral. Less problems, less obligations. My mutuality is assured, because the negative karma is not worth the small boost in power that you would offer me.

However, there is no proof; no way for me to display that I speak truth, and only truth to you. It is a risk that you must take, lest my mutuality vanish. So again, I offer you the power you need to look over your unborn daughter... and I offer you a technique that I myself created, all those eons ago. A technique to... ensnare a persons affections, to twist and alter their perception of you, to make them yours."

I shivered again, and my eyes widened completely as she whispered into my ear, her voice silky smooth this time.

"Completely, and utterly, yours."

Gulping, I licked my parched lips again and tentatively asked "A-And what d-do I offer in r-return?"

Chuckling, the water shimmered around me, the murk receding slightly.

"Nothing for the moment. All I want from you is to place a siphon on your emotions; specifically, your darker emotions. You won't lose them, nor will they lessen, but they will transfer to me, empowering myself. A mere glimpse into my power, young one, is that I control the despair, anguish, hate, and more that women feel around this broad cosmos.

I wish to christen you as one of my Regents, a woman who's endured enough suffering that the emotions coiling around your heart are potent enough to enhance my cultivation... That is what I want; to make you my Regent on your world. No catches, no hidden motives.

The dark emotions that you feel throughout your life will transfer to me, strengthening me. I give you a technique and a boost, and you live for as long as you possibly can... all whilst feeding me your emotions."

"F-Feeding you? W-Why wouldn't y-you alter my life to squeeze m-more out of it?"

The woman chuckled again, before the water around me swirled, forming a figure.

The blank shape of a human woman appeared before me; long, flowing hair, smooth features, curvy body, and as tall as I am.

No face adorned the woman, but I could tell she was smiling as she leaned forwards, her hand landing on my cheek.

"Would you prefer a tea made from the finest, most potent leaves and brewed by the best Teamaster in the world, or would you prefer damaged, worthless leaves not even boiled in bilge water? That is the difference, young one. Raw emotion is much more delectable than artificial, forced emotions. Besides, karma. If I have a hand in the misfortunes that befall a young woman like yourself, karma will place something equally misfortunate before me...

I have lived for far longer than you could imagine, and at my start as a Deity, I did indeed manufacture events to benefit me. I believed myself above the laws that govern these worlds, but... I was not.

I learned that when I watched what I had built come crumbling down, before I was almost killed by my prior idiocy. So, try and believe in me, young one. Take the risk, and allow us both to benefit from one another. For your daughter. For my power."

Staring deep into that smooth, featureless face, I bit my lip as I contemplated her offer.

My first, and main desire in life was to watch my child grow up and succeed where I had failed; to live a better life than I ever would.

That was what I truly desired.

However, for some reason, for a reason that I couldn't understand just yet...

I wanted Gao Chen to continue to look at me, and only me.

My heart wanted to be the only thing that my fiancee thought of, and to be the only thing inside of her own wretched heart.

Both so that my child could grow up with the love of both parents, but also because...

I wanted to be loved, and I knew that the only way I could force Gao Chen to love me was to somehow capture her heart.

But how?

That, I didn't know.

My experiences in the world were limited, but I knew that the woman loved sex.

Except, I would be pregnant for months, and she had urges.

I couldn't possibly endure her urges over those months, not without risking the baby.

So I was stuck; I couldn't catch up to her quickly, but-

"So? What is your answer?"

The woman's voice snapped me from my thoughts, and I licked my lips before nodding.

"I... I accept. I'll become your... 'Regent', in exchange for power and your technique..."

Would I regret this?

Maybe.

But I would also regret not taking her offer; if I continued the way I was now, without her help, I wouldn't be able to make my dreams reality.

If she reneged?

Then...

I would die, I guess.

Which, while scary, helped put me at peace.

I couldn't really live much of a life without her help, and my darker thoughts only grew by the day; my impulses to try and kill Gao Chen, to kill myself...

They grew faster than I could manage.

And they scared me.

But if someone were to take my life instead...

Well, there was no helping that then, was there?

What could I have done against someone stronger than myself?

So, I accepted the offer, and the water around me shimmered again, whilst the woman cupped my cheeks.

"Good! Very good... When you awaken, swallow the seed that I gave you; nurture it with your Qi, and continue to cultivate. Your progress will slow slightly, but when the seed germinates... Besides that, the technique will be known to you when you swallow the seed. I would suggest using it as soon as possible, young one... Now, wake up."

Pushing her brow against mine, I gasped as the water around us swirled, and her words echoed in my head.

"Wake up..."

...

"Wake up..."

...

"Wake up..."

...

"Wake up!"

...

Feeling something lightly slap my cheek, I sputtered awake, my eyes opening and taking in the dim light of the orange room.

Gao Chen was looming over me, her grey streaked hair cascading down onto my face as she narrowed those orange eyes at me.

"Finally... Come on Yi'er, we need to get ready."