“Fun task.” Zahar chuckled as Sana showed him the list of plants as they met at night. “Her kids will grow up decently strong, though.”

“Really?” Sana looked at it, looking at the list again. All these plants were entirely foreign to her. “What is she making?”

“It’s likely to be some personal recipe, but it looks to be a variant of the Snowflower Milk drink, with some bias to Earth Qi. I think she’s adjusting it to her child’s elemental preference, to boost their Earth-element affinity.”

Sana thought she grew up well, but this sort of advantage was wild to her. “They can do that?”

“Of course.” Zahar laughed. “Giving children advantages has been a tale as old as time itself.”

The lady pondered it for a while and then nodded. Dinner was served by one of the attendants. There was an attendant for each house who delivered food to each of the homes, a unique benefit available only to the invited outer disciples. Those via trials would eat in the communal dining halls instead.

It wasn’t fantastic food, but the fact that there was some service meant these usually spoiled young masters and mistresses didn’t have to cook their own food.

“What- what about you?” Sana asked. “Surely you need to do some of these missions?”

“Not really. But I will work, if only for the sake of maintaining appearances.” Zahar said. “In truth, all that the elder said is probably a smokescreen. Those truly gifted and chosen would get promoted.”

Sana could only nod. She then brought up the issue with the young masters, and her mate paused. He pulled her close, and smiled.

“I’m a jealous, possessive man.”

“Father was right, then.” Sana sighed.

“I won’t let others have what is mine, so, close your eyes.”

Sana did. Then she felt something overwhelming enter her soul. It was as if she was suddenly transported into her soul, and she felt a serpent coil around her.

She saw it’s glowing golden eyes, it’s body black as the dark sky. She was so small before it, as if she stood before a creature that was larger than the mountain itself.

“-what-”

“I left a small part of my soul within you. Reach out to it if you ever feel your life is in danger, or you are forced to do what you don’t want. It should help you, once or twice.”

Sana’s face was pale. “What was that?”

She didn't know a soul could take such a form. No, she didn't even know what she was looking at, but she felt it there, hidden within her soul like something she shouldn't provoke.

Zahar merely ignored her question, and pulled his concubine closer.

***

"Are you sure you- you're just letting me do my own things? You don't plan to help?" Sana was a little surprised when Zahar said she’ll just let her do her own things.

Zahar paused as he explained. "If I helped you, you wouldn't truly feel the Sect disciple life experience you dreamed of, and it would be detrimental to your own development, especially for the tribulations that you will face."

"You said you would help me."

"Of course." Zahar said. "But I will do so unseen. You must earn your achievements, my dear. I exist outside and above this society, but you live in it. Earning your own achievements and finding your place in it, is how you will be able to earn the right to stand by my side."

There was so much arrogance in Zahar's words that a part of her was tempted to slap him there and then. Even if it was true.

Then Zahar went for a stab through her heart. "What would you do, if some day, someone accused you of riding on my coattails? That all you have achieved was something I had given. Would you feel proud?"

Sana wasn't sure how to answer. It certainly didn’t match the image she had of herself.

"When that day comes, you must have the strength to beat that person up all by yourself."

The couple was both quiet, as Zahar picked up the clay cup and sipped his morning tea.

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"The thing I admire in women is confidence, ability, and intelligence. I would not rob those things away from any of my partners, and so, you must do it yourself. I will aid you, surely. Protect you, definitely. And I will lead you to the doors of opportunities unknown. But you must own it. You must earn it."

Sana sat, as the morning sun’s rays peeked into their hall. She lived in his room, her own unit unused, and she wore one of the many outer disciple robes provided by the sect. She took a deep breath, and then stared at Zahar. “Why do you want a harem?”

Zahar played with his teacup briefly, then took another sip. It was warm. “Because I can’t help but desire to possess beautiful women like you.”

She hated that answer. “The Roaring Dragon Sect is filled with beauties, many more beautiful than me, and yet you did nothing when you saw them. What else is there?”

Zahar finished his tea, and then let out a long sigh.

Sana was fairly sure she felt a little wistfulness coming from the reincarnator. As if he was trying to look for something.

“Let’s just say- I’m drawn to a certain connection. Call it a karmic connection. Call it fate.”

“Fate.” Sana repeated. She briefly wondered whether he was chasing past lovers. Did she resemble someone he used to love?

Zahar sighed, inwardly cursing his own choices of lovers. He had a type, and he sought them out. He knew who would, and who wouldn’t be in the harem when he saw them, or so he thought.

Sana decided to get up from their dining table. “I’ll be going now.”

The immortal nodded. “Have fun fighting the Sarian bees.”

“Any tips?”

“You have the right element.” Zahar quipped, as he continued to drink his tea.

***

There were multiple herbal gardens in the New Ring City, and many more outside of the immediate city area. Some were maintained by the Outer Disciples, some by the inner disciples, but most of them were maintained by the city itself.

“There’s a charge to enter, milady.” The city’s employee manned the entrance to the largest public herbal gardens. “Also you may pick no more than this basket’s worth of herbs.”

Sana paid, but she inwardly cursed. The actual reward had to offset the cost of the herbal garden’s entrance.

“Ah well, never mind. Let’s get this over with. Won’t fail my first mission.” Sana said to herself, and soon found the easier herbs. The herbal garden had signboards with the name of the herbs on each of the patches, and next to it was also a tip on how to harvest them.

The herbal garden’s ambient Qi was thicker, each of the herbs helped grow the Qi and energy in the area. It was one of the reasons most cities maintained them, since cultivators liked the extra Qi.

She checked the list again, and ticked almost all of them off, except the Snowflower, guarded by the Sarian bees.

The Snowflowers grew on a large patch and they got their name for the little bits of snow that appeared around their flower, like magical illusions, the snow appeared, and vanished just as quickly.

The Sarian Bees are small, but their stingers could deal damage. The Sarian bees themselves are considered at the edges of low level spirit beasts, as they have the power of someone in the very first stages of the first realm.

Just one of them is hardly more threatening than a house cat for a cultivator of Sana’s level. But there were at least a hundred, and their stings contained a mild poison.

She could instantly understand why the wife of Elder Fengwei wouldn’t do this errand herself. Being heavily pregnant, even the remotest chance of being exposed to a mild poison was a risk she didn’t need. Her life wasn’t at stake, she is a 4th realm cultivator. But the baby within was affected by everything, even the minutest of poisons.

Sana considered her options, as she read the instructions next to the signboard. Best harvested by cutting them near the soil, as it preserves their nutrients and Qi longest. However, that also meant it’s harder to cut them. Snowflower is also fragile, so try not to use large movements.

The 3rd realm cultivator cursed. She needed to lure them away, so that there’s a moment where she could safely harvest one of them. Or could she kill all of them without harming the Snowflower?

As she approached, some of them approached her.

These Sarian Bees were the size of a small hummingbird, had they existed in this world. They are fiercely protective of their nests, made among the Snowflower patch. It was said Snowflower and Sarian Bees are natural allies, the Sarian bees feed on the Snowflower, and the Snowflower finds protection and the means to spread through those bees.

She merely needed one.

She decided to skip the largest of these patches, and look for others. There were many, many different patches of Snowflower. Some small, some large.

Eventually, she found just a small patch with six snowflowers, guarded by eight Sarian bees. There was a small nest at the bottom, these bees made their nests out of soil.

Eight.

She could kill them all in a single strike if they were just clumped together. The only fear is collateral damage, since damaging the herbs comes with a fine.

She waited.

The eight bees never quite clump together. Their movements were erratic, and yet somehow it felt like they were coordinated not to ever clump together.

She waited.

It was still the same.

Sana grew impatient, and then, decided to just draw their attention.

[Dragonflame Missile]. A small jet of flame in the shape of a bullet smashed into the Sarian Bee. It died instantly.

The seven other bees noticed, and their wings buzzed loudly. The stinger looked sharper, ready to strike, but they never left the Snowflower. They clearly realize that what she wanted was just the flower, and not them.

“I doubt fire’s the best element for this.” Sana said to herself, wondering whether her partner lied.

She picked up her sword, and then realized that she could just cut them down. She is certainly faster than these 1st realm bees.

It was so obvious that she briefly wondered why she was overthinking it.

With a flash and a slash, she slew the Sarian bees one by one, and then, there were none left at that patch.

She left with a perfectly cut Snowflower feeling stupid.

***