(MC POV)
It was night time and Lian Li and I were getting ready for bed.
We have bathed, Cai Hong is already tucked into bed and everything that needed to be prepared for tomorrow has also been prepared. That means there's only one thing to do now.
I looked at Lian Li seriously while she hugged a pillow that had the word 'YES' printed on it.
"Now, I want to know… How are we dealing with this?"
"Deal with what, Darling?" She asked innocently.
"You know what I'm talking about. Right now I have two choices… Simply spend my time with you until the time is up or deal with each of their problems, even if it may be meaningless in the end. The second choice would of course mean that I would be spending less time with you."
Lian Li hugged the pillow closer to her chest while smiling at me, "Ehehe~ That's fine Master~ I don't mind seeing you help them with their problems~"
Hmm… I still don't understand… Everyone else chose to live their own fantasy with me… And while my current life with Lian Li of being married and opening a patisserie was part of her fantasy, I'm not sure how my other disciples being here also served as a part of it?
"Why are you including the others in your date with me?"
"Mmm… Does Master really want to know?"
I nodded, "If you would rather not tell me, I could just use omniscience to find out. If you really don't want me to know, then I will stop prying."
"Mnnn… I suppose I shouldn't keep these things from Master either… Could we cuddle first?"
I opened up my arms and she crawled towards me, settling herself with her back towards me while I hugged her to my chest.
"Mnnn… Did I tell Master about my past?"
"You mentioned it, but not in detail."
"Mmm… Then I think it's better that it remains in the past since I'm already over it. But while we were going through the alternate Universes to save Master… I experienced a few of them where my life wasn't as ideal as right now… One of which was when Master did not accept me as your disciple and I was kicked out of Heaven Sect."
Oh… Ohhhhhh… That's the original timeline where I crippled myself before Iris sent me back, wasn't it?
If I'm not wrong, Lian Li ended up destroying this Plane with Guiying and then moved to the 'higher' Planes with her.
For the current Lian Li who has already experienced how it's like living with me and all her sisters, realising that that universe was a possible future for her must have been quite distressing.
Although I still don't know how this had anything to do with our current situation?
Lian Li continued, "I saw that version of me's memories… Even though Guiying was there… Even though we swore to give up on men… I was so, so lonely… It felt so lonely, Master… Without anyone there… Without the rest…"
Ah… Ok, I get it now…
Lian Li actually has a fear of losing everything that she currently has and she attributes her current happiness to having everyone being together with her.
Because of that, she might fear that if the others weren't in this universe as well, she might lose what she had gained from our universe as well. Thus, she wanted to make sure that not only were the alternate versions of my disciples also present in this World, the actual ones would also be here to take over their alternate selves as well.
Err… At least I believe that's the reason…
But why they would suppress their own memories of our original World was still a mystery to me though…
Maybe they're doing it to be considerate of Lian Li since it's her date with me after all?
But well… Seems like this World is going to just be me taking care of my disciples huh? Isn't that just a normal day back in our World then?
I started stroking Lian Li's head while I made soothing noises at her, "It's ok Lian Li, you're fine with me."
"Mnnn~ Master is so warm~ Ehehehe~ Master?"
I looked down at her as she tilted her head to look up at me, "What is it?"
"Eheheh~ I love you~"
I chuckled, "I love you too, Lian Li."
I leaned forward and we both shared a kiss.
It has been awhile but I still remember how clingy Lian Li was when it was just the two of us. Yet, with the addition of everyone, she has taken up the role as the de facto leader of their group on her own.
She has worked really hard indeed to reach where she is today. To think she started out without even knowing how to cultivate at first and yet here she was, a full fledged goddess.
"Master?" She whispered, her voice almost inaudible.
"Hmm?"
"Thank you… For choosing me."
I scratched my cheek awkwardly, "You know that I picked you not because I knew about your situation right?"
"I do, Master. But I thank you all the same. Without Master, I would not be where I am today. All that I am and will be is because of Master~ That's why, everything that is mine is also Master's~"
Oh my, is she doing this as a way of renewing her vows to me? She really is cute.
She turned around and gently pushed me down on the bed before she straddled my waist, her hands reaching up to pull off her top to toss it aside.
Her lips curled up into a smile and I realised she had switched back to her persona of being my 'wife' again.
"Darling~ The little one is asleep~ Do you think we can go a few rounds tonight? Maybe… We can try to give little Cai Hong another sister?"
This girl…
It pulled her down onto the bed, her laughter ringing out inside the room before quickly switching to soft moans.
Needless to say, it was a really passionate night for the both of us.
Only after we were done and we were falling asleep in each other's arms did I realise my question about how to deal with the other disciples was never answered.
Oh well…
