Fiora and Mo Mingzhi elegantly flew and landed outside the battle stage and looked at many opponents lying beside them, moaning and groaning in pain while they looked defeated, even confused as to why they were outside.
But on the other hand, the millions of people were obviously dumbfounded to see Fiora and Mo Mingzhi give up without battling while the hegemons had their brows twitching in rage.
Did these two girls treat this competition as an excursion?
So many shed blood and tears for obtaining these spots. How disrespectful was this!?
“Oh, my heavens. Those stares are gonna kill us.”
“Yeah, I can feel them too.”
Fiora and Mo Mingzhi quickly escaped as they flew towards an entrance that quickly led to their seating area. Inside, it was absolutely safe as defensive formations were placed around for the protection of the youths who might encounter trouble if they had accidentally killed but had justifiable reasons to defend themselves.
They made their way up and saw Evelynn waving at them, welcoming them back.
However, instead of returning fully, they stayed at the seating area’s entrance and looked at each other.
“So, what did you think of this competition?”
Mo Mingzhi asked, to which Fiora answered.
“Mhm, I understood that I can only run, run and run. There was literally no way for me to counterattack them unless I used Zephya, at which point, I would be disqualified.”
Fiora’s expression was solemn before her lips curved.
“However, it was extremely fun!~”
She pounced on Mo Mingzhi and embraced, “Thank you, Mingzhi.”
“Hehehe~”
Mo Mingzhi smiled, wanting to caress Fiora like a pet before she quickly separated, causing her to become saddened.
“I’m sorry for doubting your faithfulness to our husband even after what we went through…” Fiora made an apologetic face.
Mo Mingzhi raised her brows. She was still thinking about that matter that she had long forgotten?
“No, please do.”
“What…?” Fiora looked flabbergasted by Mo Mingzhi’s answer.
“I come from a place where fickleness in relationships is the norm because it is not restricted by anything and sometimes, even incentivized by man-made laws governing personal freedom. I might go astray, you know…”
Fiora’s brows twitched.
“You’re kidding…”
“Hehe~ Indeed, but what I’m saying is to not let your guard down.” Mo Mingzhi nodded as she towards the battle stage, “There would be too many women chasing him after this competition as I’m sure that he would at least take part in the Ninth Stage Segment. They would mostly be from big families, so we got to stop them if they’re not worthy.”
“Come on. He’s not that licentious…” Fiora pursed her lips.
“Seriously?” Mo Mingzhi raised her brows, “Even Isabella’s and Shirley’s father combined possesses more than a hundred women. You think he won’t try to reach that kind of number at this rate when he’s more powerful and capable than them?”
“No.”
Fiora sounded solemn, causing Mo Mingzhi’s mouth to go agape.
“How can you trust him to keep his hands to himself when we are here with him to prove the point?”
“Because he’s already burdened enough trying to love us all while cultivating at the same time to protect us.”
“…”
Mo Mingzhi suddenly felt like she understood before she gently shook her head.
“You’re right, but you’re also underestimating him. When a man thinks he can get it all, especially with the support of his women no matter it may a be good or bad thing, he will.”
“That is… true, but… how can I say this…”
Fiora moved her black hair over her forehead before her eyes lit up.
“Yes, I believe his standards that he has in women as I like all of you. The women he chooses to love are already deeply in love with him to be going out of their way to look at other men. Therefore, the probability of those kinds of women we fear appearing is in the low, so I think that we won’t have to worry that much in terms of numbers or power struggle.”
Mo Mingzhi bit her lips.
“I sure hope so…”
“Besides, even if he wants it, I will merely abide by it.”
Fiora added, causing Mo Mingzhi to become flabbergasted again.
“Fiora, you can’t be serious… I mean, the more women he has, the less time-“
“I fell in love with my brother-in-law when I shouldn’t have by all moralistic standards.”
Fiora interrupted, seemingly radiating her conviction through her eyes.
“Mingzhi, I’m not a good woman as you think as I am, and I will go to any lengths to please him so that he would reciprocate my love because I know he would reciprocate it.”
“Woah, that’s a dangerous path of give and take you’re taking there. Love isn’t-“
“It was dangerous when I chose to enter this place through my elder sister, and it is still dangerous with the way things are with the Calamity Light. He would love me, protect me, feed me, give me a stream of resources to strengthen me, but I have just my body and loyalty to offer, right? You know how this sounds so selfish than what he’s doing or even measures up to the value he is providing us?”
Mo Mingzhi clenched her teeth, feeling that Fiora was stupid.
“This isn’t about the value of things? This is about…”
“About what?”
“…”
As Mo Mingzhi paused to find an answer, she got stuck when Fiora provoked her.
“About freely living a lavish life that you don’t deserve? Would we have come out unscathed after having so much fun in this competition if we weren’t his women?”
“…!?”
Mo Mingzhi suddenly felt shaken.
When did love become a matter of deserving? She didn’t think it that way.
However, when Fiora put it that way, she felt that she was being entitled; very much, which made her feel bad and undeserving. But then, it suddenly dawned on her.
‘Is this how Fiora was feeling all along, pulling herself down because she feels that she doesn’t deserve him even after becoming his wife…?’
“Mingzhi, I’ve been a cheeky and blunt lass as far as I could remember.”
Fiora looked away as her eyes became misty while her voice became emotional.
“The day I made love with him was when I truly felt like a woman. To me, taking care of him and having his love directed towards me is my top priority. Today, I learned that we don’t see eye to eye with how we love him, and that’s good because I’m reassured to know that I love him more than you ever could.”
“Ridiculous.” Mo Mingzhi looked offended, “My love isn’t based on how many women he has or the value he gives. I would be with him regardless!”
“Did I say I wouldn’t?” Fiora shot an angered look at her, “However, if he gives me more than what I deserve, what’s stopping me from enabling him to get more women if that’s what he wants? Jealousy? Possessiveness? All of those are valid, and I still feel them whenever I see him with you all, even when you came out of the woods that day with him. However, would I take it away from him? The answer is no because I love him so much that I would give him the entire world if I could, but the truth is, I’m weak enough that I couldn’t do anything in this competition other than run…”
“Fiora…”
Hearing Fiora’s voice starting to shudder, Mo Mingzhi shook her head, wanting her to stop.
“There were so many gifted people in Wind Laws in this competition that when I saw them, I knew for a fact that if the same resources that were spent on me were spent on them, they would’ve benefited more from it and became even stronger than me that I find it comical because I want him but can’t measure up to be like Isabella, Evelynn or Shirley… They are the ones who truly deserve to be by his side, not even my elder sister for she… we both are lacking as all we did was consume from him…”
Mo Mingzhi’s lips opened wide as she saw Fiora quiver and pour out her true thoughts and couldn’t help but say.
“Maybe you really do love him more than me…”
She wanted to console, but Fiora shook her head as she uttered softly.
“I don’t know about that as I now think we love him more in different ways, but these are my thoughts that underwent a change after I married him. It doesn’t matter how many women come to him, he’s still mine, and I’m not letting him leave me no matter what. If he leaves me, I will kill him using whatever means necessary, although I know that I would die trying. As far as it concerns me, it’s a far more good ending than being abandoned as I get to die in his hands.”
“…”
Mo Mingzhi thought she herself was crazy and obsessive but didn’t think that this Fiora was crazier than her.
“Go ahead. Say what I said to all else. I’m sure I’m going to be punished for being impertinent one way or another.”
Fiora pouted as she lowered her head, but Mo Mingzhi merely smiled.
“Evelynn also said that she would kill him.”
“As the first wife, she naturally has the right to do so but not me. I’m just the fifth wife…”
Mo Mingzhi sighed as she shook her head. She reached out her hands and pulled the trembling Fiora into her embrace.
“You…! What are you doing?”
“Fiora, you can cry on my bosoms if you want to…”
“…”
“I revealed your hidden thoughts that a woman wouldn’t usually reveal and made you feel this way. Let me take responsibility, okay?”
“…”
In the blaring silence, Mo Mingzhi started to feel that her bosoms were becoming wet with Fiora’s tears before she raised her hand and caressed her head, running her fingers through her silky hair.
The tremble was very real.
“I… I… just want to be… useful to him… and prove that I deserve to be by his side….”
“Mhm…”
Fiora sniffled as she spoke while Mo Mingzhi responded and continued caressing while it became clear to her that this girl just wanted to act tough. It was only a short while that Fiora cried in her arms before separating, quickly wiping away the traces of tears.
“I’m not going to say anything about this to the others. Think of me as a big sister and confide in me whenever you want, okay?”
“Ridiculous.” Fiora embarrassedly uttered, “You’re my little sister as you’re the sixth wife…”
“Alright, elder sister.”
Fiora still looked embarrassed despite being acknowledged. It was the first time anyone other than Natalya and Davis held her like this and consoled her.
“You’re cheekier than me, and that’s not good for you, sixth sister. If you are like this, I will trick you into serving husband with me on the same bed on your wedding day, so be careful. Hmph!”
Mo Mingzhi looked dumbfounded by the embarrassed Fiora, who ran away after making a threat that was not a threat. She couldn’t help but scoff at the next moment but then, recalling that she actually had experience with him with her real elder sister on the same bed, her cheeks couldn’t help but turn red as unneeded images of their two bodies tangling with Davis came to her mind.
‘She really wouldn’t do it, would she…?’