(Shizuri POV)
I groaned as I opened my eyes, feeling every part of my body ache.
It's been a while since I had to feel pain when coming back from the dead. As an undead, pain was almost like a foreign concept to me.
The only time where I do actually feel pain is when my body is in the midst of regenerating after a 'death'. That's why I created a Soul Link to my body that allows me to remain anchored to the body while my soul is in the Spirit Realm.
This would give time for my body to regenerate while my consciousness wandered elsewhere without having to go through those torturous death cycles, not that I actively seek to end myself all the time, mind you.
That Soul Link took me about a decade of research and practice before I perfected it, so I am actually quite proud of it.
As for I ended up in my current situation… Let's just say that just before I came back some crazy spirit summoned two really big meteors that crashed near where I was in the Spirit Realm, forcing me back into my body when it was only partially reformed.
Like really, my 'body' was just a lump of wriggling, burnt flesh when I returned to possess it.
I spat curses as my arm pushed its way out from my burnt stump, the skin slowly regenerating back to its usual colour instead of the charcoal black.
Right now, I was lying down on my back on the grass where I was burnt into ashes by my dear sister's 'mate'.
I thought I caught him off guard when he had turned to look at me with that stupid face of his, but I only had time to raise my knives before he had just snapped his fingers without changing his expression. A black coloured flame had sprang out from underneath me immediately, consuming me from my legs up.
That bastard then turned his attention away from the scene, like he didn't even care that I was burning to ashes just two feet away from him!
For Manami to be captured by a guy like him, there can be no other reason than that she was brainwashed!
I will definitely save her from that piece of trash! I will make him bleed! I will drain him dry! Then Manami will finally return my affections for me!
I cursed again when my legs started regenerating as well, the bone and sinew melding together causing an immense jolt of pain to travel up my spine.
I briefly considered suicide to stop the damnable pain since I'm basically immobile during this time anyway, but I decided against it since the crazy Practitioner in the Spirit Realm might still be there.
Who knows what else might happen there?
Speaking of which, I don't hear the sounds of festivities anymore, how long had I been away?
I could still see from my vantage point that some stalls and the stage were still there so it couldn't be that long, it seems like the people that were part of the festivities were all gone though.
I pushed myself up with the stumps of my elbows, my arm still a while away from reforming. Sitting up on my haunches, I looked around the place, finding it devoid of any life.
Debris were strewn about the Courtyard in several places, a few of the stalls having been the unfortunate victims of such debris, crushed beyond repair.
I could smell blood in the air, but none of it smelt intoxicating to me so sister Manami should be completely fine.
What a shame.
Would it hurt for her to at least lose an arm or something?
Ehehehe~ I want to taste Manami's blood again… I miss the time where I had her strung up in my room with her just completely drenched in that crimson elixir of hers.
Such a shame she managed to escape when I had been away, I had so many more things I wanted to do with her.
I had initially thought she was still hiding within the village somewhere and limited my search to within said area, who knew Manami had actually moved herself outside the village?
Well that's all in the past, I should focus on the present where my darling Mimi is being brainwashed by that stupid man.
She calls him her destined mate but I'm pretty sure that's just the drugs talking.
It was another few minutes before my legs were steady enough to be stood on, I was unfortunately still bald but at least my tails had regrown.
Well, the hair should grow out soon so it's not that important to wait around for it.
Deciding it was high time I get my fix of my dear Mimi again, I began searching for her.
I followed the trail of destruction, noticing several of the Heaven Sect members cleaning up the mess.
I overheard their conversations as I neared them, "So what happened actually?"
"No idea, all I knew was that a giant figure appeared in the sky before turning to dust. Then some dragon started beating up the demon and those two Dark Sect members got struck by lightning and fire."
"What about the team of Practitioners the Sect Master formed to fight them?"
"I heard Sect Master told them that a few experts had handled the Dark Sect members, so there was no need for them to get involved. As for the dragon, it seems like they were supposedly mortal enemies or something, that's why it appeared out of nowhere to kill the demon."
"Doesn't that reflect badly on our Sect though? Letting other people solve this for us?"
"Oh, I heard those experts had a personal grudge against those two so everything was well."
"I see, that's very convenient huh?"
"Indeed, really convenient."
Convenient indeed. But I don't care about that, where is my Mimi?
Deciding that it might be faster to ask if they had seen her instead, I approached the small group of Practitioners wearing my best, fake smile once my hair had fully regrown.
"My apologies gentlemen, may I know where Miss Manami might be?"
They turned to regard me, surprised at my sudden appearance.
"An… Angel…" I heard one of them mutter under his breath.
It took them a few seconds to shake themselves out of their stupor to regain their cognitive functions.
"Oh er… Sorry miss… We didn't see you there. Who were you looking for again?" Another asked.
"Would any of you perhaps know who Manami is?"I asked again.
"Oh, yeah. Sure. Master Lin's fox disciple right? I saw her going towards that crater some time ago. Used to be Master Lin's house too."
I looked in the direction he pointed at where there was indeed a large crater filled with various pieces of greenery, probably torn up by whatever caused the crater in the first place.
I thanked them before moving on, ignoring their eyes that were so obviously locked on my behind.
I contemplated killing them, but their blood won't be as pretty as Manami's so I didn't bother.
It didn't take long to find them since they were the only group of people within said crater, all of them hovering around something that Manami was holding.
"So how long will you stay like this, Master?" The golden haired one asked. I believe her name was Lian Li was it? I have a hard time remembering names of nobodies.
"Mmm… This is a new Technique for me as well and it seems I have returned earlier than I should have. I'll probably be like this for a month or so, give or take a few weeks," A high-pitched voice sounded out from within their midst.
"Ara? That shor-- I mean… That doesn't sound so bad," A voice I recognised as Manami's answered.
I got closer and found her sitting on the ground, hugging something… No, someone, to her chest with her tails wrapped protectively around it.
How envious! I want to be wrapped up in Manami's tails too! Especially when she is bleeding out from all her pores!
I shifted myself to get a better angle of who it was, only to see a little boy sitting on Manami's lap, dressed in a tunic too big for him.
He was even smaller than the little girl next to him that was calling him 'Papa', probably no more than seven years old.
My body had started moving on its own the moment I laid eyes on him being smushed in Manami's bosom, rushing towards the group as though my life depended on it.
I specifically moved at the exact moment when Manami was handing him over towards the golden haired one.
Some of the girls had moved to intercept me, but I was just a little bit faster.
I snatched the little boy from Manami's grasp, holding him in front of me at eye level as my tails moved towards him.
"Mine," I whispered.
