Ryu was relentless. It felt that no matter how he did it or how much he did it, he simply couldn’t be satisfied. As though the flood gates had opened, the tides rose endlessly, its limits impossible to spot.

They say that the Dragon and Qilin races were among the most lustful beasts in all of existence, and Eska learned that first hand on this day. If it wasn’t for the fact her current body was formed with Isemeine’s strength as a base, she may have very well collapsed by the end of it all.

…

Eska silently sat before Ryu. Though her hands were in quite a precarious place, her actions weren’t sexual any longer. Rather, they were delicate and caring as she washed Ryu’s body. One would have never thought that she was a Sky God at that moment, she looked no different from a concubine caring for her husband.

The two had entered the Death Worm and were currently within an area Ryu had never used before. It was a space with a large pool designed with ink black stones and two sputtering fountains at either end.

Ryu didn’t avoid this place because he didn’t care to stay clean, in fact, he was the direct opposite. Though Ryu wasn’t exactly a clean freak, he still liked to be neat and tidy. However, to him, it was a matter of cost effectiveness.

The higher one reached in their cultivation level, the less such cleaning routines were necessary. This was especially so with how powerful Ryu’s body was, his blood was very good at destroying impurities to the point where his body hardly had any remaining. That coupled with the fact he had been cleansed by his Realm Heart for several months basically guaranteed that no matter how Ryu sweat, he would remain clean.

None of this even mentioned his Ice Jade Crystal body and its properties either.

For Ryu who found every single moment of everyday to be extremely important, even if it was something he liked to do, he chose to forego it for the sake of efficiency. This included cleansing himself in this way which was why he had rarely come here.

But now, he found himself in exactly this place, having been dragged here by Eska who didn’t seem keen on accepting his refusal.

She didn’t leave a single part of his body unturned. Even when there was nothing to clean, she still didn’t skimp, neglecting even herself.

Ryu watched this in silence. He didn’t focus on anything else and for some reason found himself at peace for the first time in a long time. This wasn’t because the moment was special, but rather because it was the first time he hadn’t allowed himself to think of anything else.

Maybe it was because Eska was very good at making sure that his attention was entirely on her, maybe it was because he had finally been released of some of his inhibitions, or maybe it was simply because of the simple sound of the rushing water.

“The further you move along the path of cultivation, the more you’ll come to understand that not everything is about speed and hard work.” Eska said lightly.

Ryu didn’t respond, allowing Eska to run a towel down the peaks and crevices of his chest. Soon, she finished and forced him to lie his head back toward her, submerging his long hair in the waters as she ran her fingers through it.

Eska was correct. Even when he and Ailsa shared their first time, he couldn’t seem to get out of his own head. Other thoughts continuously ran through his mind and he couldn’t even focus on the woman that had been before him.

It was such a shame that it took a woman he didn’t have nearly the same feelings for to allow him to feel so relaxed. It might have been because he was finally not worried about the emotions of someone else, or it might have been because Ailsa slipped into her coma long before they could enter the type of rhythm he and Eska reached together, or it just might have been because Eska was the type of woman he was most attracted to.

But, regardless of the reason, he felt calm right now. His heart beat was steady, his blood ran smoothly, his qi expanded and contracted along with his every breath, passively seeping through his skin with hardly a thought from himself.

He felt free and had a clarity that he had maybe never had before.

…

Ryu helped Eska clean herself only because he felt like it. He didn’t mean anything more by his actions than to reciprocate a service and it was never a bad thing to enjoy the feeling of such soft, supple skin.

When he finished, he entered a silent state of meditation. He didn’t ask Eska about the memories she had gained, nor did he worry about the future or what he had to do. He remained rooted in the present, his breathing calm and steady.

Ryu’s skin glowed a subtle gold, the waters around him rising and receding as though following the rhythm of his breath.

Eska cast a look toward him and rose out of the pool, her long hair dripping and her slender body glistening with its own glow.

Her hand couldn’t help but reach down and touch a certain treasured place, not to continue the passion of the last several days, but rather as a surreal remembrance of what had happened.

She had never thought that her body would be touched in her lifetime, she had long since left the age of wanting such things like a husband and family behind. As a woman, all too often those of her gender had to choose between their ambition and such things… Eska just happened to be among those who chose the former.

And yet, it seemed like the Fates had something completely different in store for her. Even if it was loveless, sometimes the strongest relationships aren’t built on love at all.

Many lose themselves in fantasies and fairy tales. Women hope to be the princess who gets swept off her feet while men hope to be the knight in shining armor who can make her feel such a thing. But, this sort of hopeless romanticism rarely if ever happened.

Not everyone was the girl born in poverty with her beauty obscured by a mask of dust, grime and fatigue. Not every man could be that dauntless hero who could unsheathe their sword in the face of all adversity.

What people too often forgot in their pursuit of this happiness… Their chase of this dream and fantasy… Was duty.

It was easy to selfishly pursue your own hopes and aspirations, but were there really not things more important than that?

What about family? What about legacy? What about the goal of a higher purpose?

Love grown from infatuation and attraction always seemed to be the shiniest, most beautiful thing. But, Eska disagreed.

To her, love grown from duty was the most stable, the most unwavering, the most uncompromising… the most unconditional.

Eska had a duty to her Clan. Ryu had a duty to his. Eska wanted to see the name Zu rise from the ashes once more. Ryu wanted the Tatsuyas to make the hearts of all those who even thought it tremble once again.

Was there love now? No. Was there a small like? Somewhat. Could there be either in the future? Maybe.

What Eska did know in all her years of wisdom, though, was that with such a foundation, she never had to worry about anything.

She didn’t need to worry about Ryu losing attraction for her or the vice versa. She didn’t need to worry about another woman taking up his heart and soul. She didn’t need to stress over keeping his attention and his lust.

Because all of this was deeper than that to begin with.

A relationship built on a spark could always die out. A relationship built on bedrock would not.

A light wind blew Eska’s body completely dry of water as she stepped out of the poolroom.

…

Ryu was in his own world, the energies of his body swimming about. Despite the sheer volume of Primordial Yin, he, for some reason, didn’t find it very difficult to control at all. It might have been because it had been silently circling around his body all this time, acclimating itself to him. Either way, the process was simple and smooth.

Due to Ailsa’s situation, Ryu had lost much of the benefits of her and Elena’s Primordial Yin. Yet, he had still been able to undo over 50 seals on his Pupils.

But, even then, that had been out of necessity. Ryu had no choice but to improve his Mysteries of Heaven and Earth Pupils back then or else his Death Acupoint wouldn’t have awakened nor have been powerful enough to help Ailsa.

Now, however, Ryu had the Primordial Yins of both Isemeine and Eska, plus all the choice in the world to do as he pleased with them.