Cultivating inside the mind space part II

Exactly ten days later inside the Devouring Seijō and an hour outside…

Aya was dragging her haggard and buttered body out the black vortex and dashed to the place where she hid the three newborn divine beasts while collecting bodies after bodies of dead or injured beasts.

Those beasts corpse, she toss them inside her Devouring Seijō and command it to use everything it absorbs to upgrade itself faster, while she command Chuantong to restrain all the injured beasts and watch over them. She will use those injured beasts to practice her possession before she feed them to her mind space.

And just like that she had picked them all up without allowing anyone to escaped. She did it fast and easy not because she was suddenly super strong but because those beasts were too injured or have lost all their energy in their earlier fight.

Now, after fighting two consecutive and intense battles, the beasts were like a fish on a chopping block, incapable of fighting back nor do anything. It's like how a mantis stalks a cicada unaware of the oriole behind. The two beasts king brought their subordinates to ambush the perceived enemies and kidnap the newborns to steal their abilities while they were unaware of how to use it. Since an unawakened ability is easier to still with little repercussions, it became a common occurrence for beasts to steal another beast's abilities.

If they succeed their king would become stronger and the possibility that their bloodline would would be able to evolve. And thus, the chaotic scene witnessed by Aya and Chuantong. They waited first, taking the time that the beasts were fighting to properly cultivate and timed their exit when all of them were down and have no strength left to fight nor struggle, resulting to Aya gaining all the benefits in the end.

…

After a bit of walking, Aya finally arrived in front of the three newborn beasts. Looking at their cute appearance, just like the chibi energy formed of their mothers, she was wondering what to do with them. Of course, she would fulfill her end of the vow and make sure they would be safe but the battle between beasts were over, and she have benefited a lot from it. But she was now in conflict.

To keep or not to keep?

Actually, it was quite simple. She can just ask Chuantong about their kinds whereabouts and deliver the three newborns to them, and be rid of all the other responsibilities. In a way, fulfilling her end of the vow without feeling the nag of her conscience.

But…

"They're too cute!" And here goes her 'a bit strange' quirk; her love for cuteness that only those close to her knew about. She absolutely loves anything that is 'cute and adorable' in her eyes. She even have rooms filled with her assorted collections of 'cute and adorable'.

If her father was not too strict with having pets, she would probably owned a 'zoo' of her own. Guess, her father knew her too well.

She blames it on her love for books and filling her room with all sorts of books when she was a kid, forcing her parents to have renovations quite a few times. Even to this day, the 'library' in every house they own was huge. She never recycle her books and feel her heart ache whenever her mother gave some of them away, while later, she would secretly buy the same ones her mother just gave away. In the end, her mother gave up and let her have her way with her books while her father restricted anything 'cute and adorable' she brings home, establishing a new family rules.

And now, going back to her current dilemma… should she keep them or not? She's currently in a tight schedule. Cultivating is not as simple as 'a walk in the park'. If not for her Devouring Seijō, she would have it harder. Even now, after spending all her time cultivating, she hasn't advanced that much. She doesn't even have a 'mortal body'. If she adds taking care of the three newborns, then, she would have to allocate some of her time with them. But what if she was in the middle of a critical condition?

'Should I really have to hand them over? They wouldn't even know if I keep these three. They were attacked and the chances of them surviving such a scaled ambush is next to zero. No one would be able to find out if I keep them. Besides I wouldn't be violating my vows. In fact, I would upholding my end if I keep them! They would be safe with me. But how would I take care of them if I'm in this situation where I have to spend most of my time cultivating?'

Aya knows she was just making reasons to keep them but she have to cultivate too. If she wants to go back she have to work hard for it, and she knows it. She knows her situation but she was greatly being tempted by her desire to keep the 'cute little ones'.

'Should I really give up?' It was when she was having this thought when she heard Chuantong's tired voice in her head. And like hearing the voice of an angel, her eyes sparkled with excitement and joy.