(MC POV)
"... And so, the demon's soul is using her as an anchor to this world where he should have been bound to hell. In order to sever the connection between them, I need to go into her Mind Realm and cut it." I explained, finishing my diagram on the board.
Where did I get the board?
Details, details.
Lian Li raised a hand, "Wouldn't one of us going into the Mind Realm to sever the connection be a better idea than having Master risk himself?"
I shook my head, "Unfortunately, I have yet to teach any of you the intricacies of a living being's psyche so there's a high chance you girls might cause irreversible damage to her mind if you're not careful. You girls have taught the elf before, right? Then she should be able to banish Abaddon from her mind with my help and her home ground advantage."
Manami's tail shifted, "But Master… What if something happens to you again?"
"Umu, the worst that could happen is for Abaddon to possess my body as well, but I highly doubt he would be interested in a body that has yet to unlock its Cultivation Point anyway."
"This one still fears for Masters safety…" Eris protested. "This one humbly suggests having another accompany Master."
Diao Chan immediately stood up, "Yes! I volunteer for this task, Master! For my impudence, please punish this one before allowing me to follow you!"
I flicked her on the forehead, "It's much more than that. Her mind is only supposed to house a single consciousness and yet it holds the burden of two right now. Adding a third is already risky and I don't want to imagine what she might become if she has to deal with four."
I noticed the girls turned to look at Eris who promptly looked away, whistling to herself.
Wonder what that was all about?
Cai Hong pulled my hand, her height now slightly surpassing mine so she didn't have to tilt her head upwards to look at me anymore, "Papa… Won't disappear again?"
I admit having her call me her Papa at our current forms is a little weird, but I shan't budge on the little brother no matter what!
I fear something night awaken if she were ever to call me that, and I don't mean anything related to myself.
I patted her head, "No, Papa will come back after beating the bad guys. Cai Hong will be a good girl, right?"
"Nnn… Cai Hong will be good… Come back fast?" She nodded.
Too cute.
"Alright, Lian Li will send me into the elf's consciousness and I'll get to work," I announced, jerking my thumb to the giant demon's corpse behind me. "The rest of you can just watch over me and make sure that demon doesn't decide that possessing a kid suddenly seems like a better idea to him."
They nodded.
I relaxed my stance, "Now, ready when you are, Lian Li."
Lian Li pursed her lips and nodded, "Please take care, Master."
She closed her eyes and pointed her palm at me, perfectly executing the technique I had just taught her mere moments ago.
Did I mention she's a heaven sent genius? Because she's a heaven sent genius.
My body started to glow, a string of light connecting me towards the unconscious elf.
I only had time to give the girls a short nod before darkness engulfed my vision.
A sense of vertigo hit me as the scene changed right before my eyes, the grassy plains switching to a scene straight from the burning depths of hell.
The area was akin to a plain with various trees, bushes and rocks dotted around, albeit all of them being dead.
Oh, and the entire area was also burning in a sea of fire, even the rocks were burning somehow, thought I should mention that.
This wasn't really out of expectations since the demon probably changed the elf's mindscape to be more familiar to him.
What I was not expecting was the elf to be standing over what seemed to be a shrunk-down, human-sized version of Abaddon, the demon cowering underneath her foot.
Her eyes seems to be completely fine now considering how she's glaring down at the demon.
"Thought me to be a helpless little elf hmm? I didn't survive out in the wild for so long just for show you know? How does it feel like to be the weak one now?"
Abaddon groaned, "I'm… I'm just weak now because I got hit by two meteors…"
The elf pushed her weight on the leg stepping on him, "And you think I couldn't have taken you on when you were at full strength?"
Abaddon trembled, "You… Er… You got taken by those two--"
The elf kick him in the sides, "Those buggers caught me when I was distracted by the most dazzling display of fireworks by the Master himself! Do I look like I'll be taken out so easily to you, huh?!"
"No, no. Definitely not… Please don't pull out my fingers again…"
The elf returned her foot back on top of Abaddon, pushing him down further on the ground, "Now, are you going to tell me how to get rid of you? Or do I have to pull it out of you, huh?"
The supposed demon of the abyss whimpered. Like, actually whimpered.
"That… You'll need to separate my Soul Link to you… But since I don't know how the Dark Sect did it, I can't separate it myself even if I wanted to…"
"Tch… Even more useless than a hammer made out of glass..." The elf cursed, biting on her finger. "When I get my hands on those two… Hmm… Will killing you do it?"
The demon gulped, "I would prefer that you don't… I er… I might cease to exist if you do that…"
I was quite surprised that he actually admitted to that fact.
Well, I guess I should make myself known then.
Stepping up towards them, the two of them finally noticed my presence.
"Perhaps I can help?" I gestured to the demon.
The elf narrowed her eyes at me, "Who are you, then?"
Oh right… How should I convince her to my identity? I'm not dumb enough to think she will just take my word for it.
For all she knew, I might be another demon attempting to take over her body.
But before I even needed to convince her, she had just suddenly got on a knee and bowed to me, "Ma… Master… Master Lin! F-F-Forgive my rudeness! I… I didn't know it was you!"
I raised my eyebrow, "How in the world did you know? I haven't even said anything yet?"
"Your aura!" She explained enthusiastically. "I didn't notice it before since it's more faint than usual but there's no mistaking it! That light can only belong to you!"
What the hell is she talking about?
Is she high or something?
Oh, maybe her eyes became more sensitive due to Abaddon's curse or something? Like those people who had all their other senses improved because one was lost?
Interesting… I should probably look into it when I get the chance.
"Umu… I am impressed by your sight, I assume it has something to do with experience?" I prodded, hoping she'll give more information about how she knew.
She bowed her head lower, "Thank you for your praise!"
Huh, the fact that she did not deny anything about her sight confirms that her senses were the ones to determine my identity.
Well, we learn new things everyday.
"Anyway, I suppose Abaddon here is compliant enough to want to leave peacefully?"
The demon nodded quickly, still kneeling on the ground on all fours.
"I didn't mean for all this to happen ok? They forcefully summoned me and bound me to this girl I didn't even know!" He defended.
"And the curse?" I asked.
He grimaced, "I wasn't the one who put it on her you know? They did this ritual like several years ago that placed the curse on her. It's like having someone come uninvited in your house, steal your doormat and running off with it…"
Huh, this makes things easier. If he did not give consent on this ritual, then I can only think of one way they could have formed a Soul Link.
"Then all you have to do is just visualise the link between the two of you and cut it together at the same time. It'll be a mutual cut which would expel you guys back to your own respective bodies. Though… Err… Last I saw, your body is missing a head, Abaddon."
He shook his head, "That's no big deal, I can create another one back home."
I noticed the elf gazing at him from below.
"And er… Fulfill my contracts that I may or may not have with other people around here…" He continued.
"Contracts?" I asked. "They aren't of a malicious nature now are they?"
He shook his head quickly, "Oh, no! No! No! Nothing that will hurt you at all Master Lin! I would never dream of going against someone who can… Er… Drop two giant meteors on my head, after all…"
"Oh, you knew?"
He nodded, "Even when your body regressed, your aura still looks similar."
Yeah, that's what I thought.
"Alright then, you two do just that. I'll go out to give the space you guys need and take care of your bodies."
The elf bowed her head lower, "I thank Master Lin for your benevolence!"
I just waved my hand to show it was no big deal before tapping an inscription on my wrist, I had Lian Li inscribe it on me earlier as a failsafe just in case I had to escape at anytime.
The scenery shifted again and I was back in my body, staring up at my disciples.
"She had it handled," I answered their silent question, removing myself from Lian Li's lap that I had been lying on top of. "You girls trained her well, I must say."
"You overpraised us, Master," Manami bowed her head.
I patted her head, "Well, she will still be unconscious for some time at least, so in the meantime, I have something to ask of you all."
They all looked at me expectantly.
"I can't circulate quarks while still in this form so I can't teach you girls properly, do you all still want to stay with me?"
"Of course!" They answered in unison.
"Umu… In that case, my house is destroyed and I'm quite useless at the moment… So I'm suggesting that we relocate back to my hometown while waiting for my body to return to its original form."
The five girls' eyes sparkled, "Master's hometown?"
Yep, it's time for the homecoming.
