"And where do you think you're going, Isabella?"
Finding myself seated on a stool near the oven, I just enjoyed the warmth coming from the flames inside and focused on getting dry rather than being concerned, though all that did was earn me a swat to the back of the head as Mother took my silence as me being unbothered.
"I was gonna change into some fresh clothes and then cultivate a little, but I suppose I'm gonna help with some of the chores now?"
She gave me another 'smack' to the back of the head as she said "You certainly are. Coming home at this hour... where were you, hm? What were you doing, Isabella.", causing me to smile before I quickly hid that since Mother was definitely looking for another reason to reprimand me.
"I was uh... just on a walk, clearin' my head. Doin' some thinking about the future, 'bout what I need to get done before the Elder arrives..."
"Mhm... Doing this 'thinking' in someone else's bed? Did you find what you were searching for under their sheets, Isabella?"
Now I wasn't able to hide my smirk as I immediately got up from the stool and danced around her hand, avoiding that snatching grab this time and rushing over to my room as I said "I did indeed~! Very helpful~!"
Mother cursed at me before letting me go when my door closed behind me, and with a laugh I peeled my clothes off and flopped onto my own bed, unable to help it even though I was rather embarrassed by the fact that she knew.
My reputation in town wasn't completely spotless, and I had a fair share of people there that I definitely didn't care for whatsoever, but otherwise... everyone sort of knew that I was a bit more relaxed and free spirited compared to everyone else in my family, something that was both a blessing and a curse for me socially.
These little trysts I had with some of these women were known as well, so some of the families in town made sure to keep their daughters away from me at all costs - though for the baker that was a failed task, but that wasn't something I was going to tell them about anytime soon - while also treating me in a vastly different manner than they did Father.
I knew that my actions made things a little harder for him socially as well, but I couldn't really help myself because the stress of what we did - the stress on my body and the mental hit that came from being in a dingy, dark cave for so many hours almost every single day - demanded some sort of outlet, which sex provided.
Besides, I also always convinced myself that I wasn't just going around sticking my dick in whomever tickled my fancy, but instead I was making sure things wouldn't get blown out of proportion or cause trouble.
I also felt that sex helped me on my cultivation journey since this Qi was so potent and nourishing for the Spirit Root inside of me, which was only getting 'stronger' with every passing year; it had improved from just a bland little thing that offered just a little help to me to something that was getting close to blossoming.
Maybe it would have an element, maybe I would become attuned to some sort of weapon intrinsically, or perhaps it would never blossom; I wouldn't know until I reached the Spirit Blossoming stage after breaking through from the Foundation stage, which wasn't that far from now... kind of...
The gaps between Sixth Foundation and Seventh Foundation was about the same as the gaps between First Foundation and Fourth Foundation, so... things were only getting harder and lengthier from here on out.
These little extra bits of Qi that I was getting - Qi that was far more 'dense' and 'nutritious' compare to the Qi found in most other sources - were helping me bridge that gap quite readily, and if this pace continued I might reach the Spirit Blossoming stage before I was thirty.
That would put me at the top of this town in terms of strength and whatnot, but honestly it would just be a fancy title and nothing more in a place where living life meant searching for the next vein of Spirit Jade.
Speaking of, I cracked open my chest and retrieved the two chunks of Spirit Jade from last night, holding them in either hand and sitting cross legged on my bed, seeking out the Qi that was swirling around beneath that crystalline shell of pale green beauty.
Closing my eyes and looking 'into' the Spirit Jade in my hands, I maintained an even breathing pattern and focused completely on the Qi, pulling it into my body through my palms and guiding it slowly - carefully - through my meridians before wrapping it around my Spirit Root.
That budding root inside of my chest was yearning for even more Qi, so it greedily slurped down every single bit that I brought to it and sent these waves of warmth throughout my body that I had learned meant an increase in power, however slight they might be.
This was what I imagined those fancy Disciples in the Sect did for cultivation daily, and it made my heart clench slightly with jealousy since I just KNEW that I could already be a Spirit Blossoming Cultivator if I had access to Spirit Jade like this every single week.
Pairing that with a steady supply of meat and other nutritious food, plus not having to go into a mine every single day for hopes of being able to eat that night and I might even be in the higher stages of Spirit Blossoming... maybe...
Anyways that was just a fantasy, so for now I focused on merging this pure, raw Qi from the Spirit Jades with the Qi that Evelyn had 'helped' me acquire last night, mixing them together around my Spirit Root and nourishing it as best I could.
Six full buds were visible on that root inside of me, and as I continued to feed it more and more Qi I noticed that the small, recently appeared bud above those six was beginning to fill out nicely, meaning I was getting that much closer to becoming a Seventh Foundation Cultivator.