Shuttered Impulses [HIATUS]

Chapter 24

Both were at a stalemate even though Mei wasn't really expecting an answer from some strange green dog. Just as she was about to have someone bring the thing out, something made her stop in her tracks. 

"Look, don't think this Young Master just trespasses in anyone's place.," the green dog said when it opened its mouth. 

Mei narrowed her eyes at the damn booger as she realized this was definitely not just some ordinary dog. If she could get this thing to have a soul contract with her and she raised it properly, wouldn't that be better for her?

She smiled cutely at the dog which caused it's fur to stick up in wariness. 

"Since you've seen it, I'll need to kill you," she said sweetly. 

With the dogs intelligence and the way it was salivating over her Hot Springs, she knew that the booger definitely recognized what it was. With the fact that it could speak.. she wasn't going to take her chances of someone else finding out. 

He backed up when he felt the killing intent coming off her but before he could dash away she'd grabbed him by the scruff. His paws kicked wildly in an attempt to escape her grasp but gave up and hung limp in defeat. 

"What do you want," he grudgingly asked. When has he ever suffered such humiliation? 

"Hmm? Nothing much," she paused as though to think of something the little beast could give her, "Seeing as how you have no pockets to hold anything of value, only your life is valuable. Sign a Soul Contract with me."

Jing Xueren felt as though he'd burst in anger. His eyes rolled around in his head as he furiously thought of anyway to get out of his situation but Mei fiercely shook him; rattling his brain in the process.

"What do you say?"

"How long?"

"Until I die. Us humans have shorter lives than you magical beasts so it should be merely a drop in the bucket for you," she said reasonably. Mei just didn't mention that she was no mere normal human and wasn't planning on dying anytime soon. 

"Fine."

Mei gently placed him back on the ground in front of her and Xueren turned his face up with his mouth slightly agape. In the next instant he spit a ball of blue energy from within his mouth and they both watched as it sunk into Mei's chest. The wind begun to pick up around them, with them in the center as they both glowed in a blue inner light. It settled down once the glowing sunk into their skin and fur. 

'We can speak like this. It would be best if no one else knows that I can speak the human tongue.'

"Okay," she agreed before walking back towards the Spring where she had left Senri and Kai. 

Jing Xueren quickly followed her with his short legs stumbling across the uneven ground. He thought for a moment and realized he could feel a bit of his Qi again. On closer inspection he realized a bit of the chains had chipped away after he formed the contract with Mei. 

'Lowly human, what is your strength?'

"You will address me as Mistress unless you want to have your small ass beat and starved."

He glared at her soaked back with hatred before spitting out 'Mistress'.

"Stage 2 Level 4. Any other questions you have?"

Jing Xueren glanced at the steaming Spring with hunger and finally asked, 'May I join you in this Spring?'

"You wish to soak inside of my Heavenly Immortal Spring? What good would that do me?"

His brain worked fast in order to give a response that she would find beneficial. 

'I'm really strong! Stronger than what you see in front of you now. If I soak inside of this Spring it'll help me regain my Cultivation.'

"And? If your power exceeds mine to much, you can break our Contract. Are you trying to deceive me or do you think I'm that stupid," she turned and glared at his small figure. He trembled a bit at the violence she seemed to exude. 

'Nothing of the sort! I'm a revered Holy Spirit Beast! I would never go back on my word, let alone a Soul Contract.'

She hummed thoughtfully and retracted her killing intent. Mei disregarded his threat for the moment since she'd left Senri and Kai to fend for themselves inside of a Spring essentially designed for Immortals. Even if they were to sit there, it would help strengthen their bodies constitutions. Since she was having them cultivate inside of it though.. well, there was a slight possibility of implosion. Nothing to serious though, Mei thought to herself before walking back towards the Hot Spring. 

Senri appeared to be shrinking inside of his Spring in Mei's eyes. Last that she had saw of him, the water was at about chest level but it was at chin level now. I can't tell if he has been able to force more of the impurities out of his body due to the black water. Kai is slowly tempering his bones and flesh now though. 

Her eyes moved to Kai who was supporting himself against a wall instead of standing in the middle like Senri had opted to do. His washing robe was filthy in impurities that couldn't even be blocked by the steady fog enshrouding the surface of the Spring and hiding him within it. Luckily the Springs had a nice clean smell of medicinal plants and earth, otherwise Mei was afraid she'd smell the pungent odor wafting off the both of them. 

Kai didn't notice Mei's exit nor did he notice her return and continued his cultivation unperturbed. Mei sank down inside of the Hot Spring while she kept her eyes on the two men and her peripheral on the dog. 

"Hey dog, you can sit in the yin pool."

(You're a dog. Your whole family is a dog! If it wasn't for him, would I be in this shit of a situation?!) Jiang Xueren continuously grumbled furiously inside of his head with complaints but didn't dare upset this fiend of a woman. He gave a hmph before padding his way towards the white pool and dived inside. 'Oh, Mistress, you're the kindest!' he fawned at Mei through their Soul Link. 

Mei ignored him and settled herself into her own Cultivation of merging both the Strengthening and Cultivation Qi. With the mystical Spring's help, the process of connecting both Qi was quicker than before. Which meant instead of .01% connecting every hour, it went up to the speed of about .50%. . . not even 1% speed. This .50% speed made Mei happy though because it allowed her to get a clearer understanding of how long it would take for all of her Qi to change. 

Once she merged the Qi inside of her body together, later her body would begin the process automatically without her having to make a conscious effort. 

A/N: This is a bit shorter than usual but this scene, inside of the Hot Spring, is kind of long and if I were to merge it all into one chapter it would just seem as though it dragged on.