Chapter 724

Chapter 724

Though the two terms are often used interchangeably, theres a marked difference between having sex and making love, a discovery I only arrived at in recent months.

Sex is great. Its fun, feels amazing, and at the end of the day, orgasms are just awesome, but when all is said and done, thats all there is to sex. You get together, get off, and get gone, maybe right away or maybe the next morning depending on the circumstances, until it comes time to have sex again. Regardless of whether your partner is a complete stranger or a close and intimate sweetheart, the act of sex is largely about pleasure. Some people are selfish and seek only to sate themselves, others are generous and focus their efforts on ensuring their partner enjoys themselves, while most fall somewhere in between, but at the end of the day, sex is about fulfilling a primal urge designed to help propagate the human race. When the sex is over and done with, hopefully all youre left with is a sense of satisfaction and pleasant memories of the act. Unless, yanno, youre having sex for the express purpose of getting pregnant, or Heaven forbid chasing after one of those generally unintended consequences like a burning sensation when you pee.

Different strokes for different folks, and while I cannot say I will not judge, so long as all parties involved are happily consenting, informed adults, youll get no grief from me.

Now it sounds cheesy and corny to even think this, but as I lay beside my wife and look deep into Mei Lins eyes, I know that we have made love tonight, even if I cant entirely describe the difference. This wasnt so on my wedding nights with Mila and Yan, but thats not to say things are better or worse. Both times were a magical experience wherein we consummated our marriage and expressed our love and lust for one another in a physical manner, and I will forever cherish the memories of those nights. There's nothing inherently wrong or inferior about what we did, but while we shared and took part in an expression of love, I had sex with Mila and Yan respectively on our wedding nights. Lots of sex. Great sex, phenomenal sex, but I am positive that we did not make love on those first nights or even in the days and weeks shortly thereafter.

Dont get me wrong, I love Mila and Yan, loved them both long before I married them, and they love me as well, but on our wedding night, we were still strangers in so very many ways. How could we not be, as we had not revealed so very much of ourselves to one another? As time passed by and we settled into our new and unfamiliar roles, we loved and learned until we were ready to make love for the first time, and it elevated our relationship to new and wondrous heights. The difference was like night and day, because while our sexcapades were always fun and exciting, making love was a whole different experience, one I am grateful to have shared with not one, not two, but three women now, and my love for them continues to grow by the second.

Now, this isnt a whole spiel to say sex is hedonistic, meaningless and, empty, because thats not true. You can find intimacy and fulfillment in sex, because even long married and loving couples will sometimes have sex rather than make love, while it isnt impossible for strangers to make love the first time they get together. I dont buy into the moral hierarchy in which sex is only valuable when performed between two loving individuals for the express purpose of baby making, but there is no denying that there is a difference between having sex and making love. The distinction between the two acts is not one of action or motivation, but of connection and emotion, because making love involves a level of intimacy that goes beyond the physical. Though there are unpleasant exceptions to the rule, sex in and of itself is already an intimate act, but making love takes everything a step further. You can have sex without love, but making love is more than just sex because it is a process that involves the body, mind, and soul, as opposed to only one or both of the first two. When two people make love, there is an amalgamation of needs, desires, and intentions until both parties become one in every sense of the word. You move beyond seeking pleasure and gratification, beyond deep feelings and fond affections, and together, take part in a profound act of care and connection filled with a sense of familiarity and affinity that is difficult to describe.

It took time to develop this intimate rapport with Mila and Yan, time in which we learned our preferences and tested our boundaries, but with Lin-Lin, there was no need to learn anything because she is utterly guileless. She has her secrets, but she never goes to any great effort to hide them, and she acts on her whims and desires without thinking twice, which makes it easy to read her. As for me, though I have more layers than an onion and secrets aplenty, Ive never felt the need to hide who I really am from Lin-Lin and pretend to be someone Im not. Though she is not privy to my secrets, she knows me even better than I know her, and our mutual understanding allows us to express our innermost desires without uttering a single word.

Its so strange to look back on my thoughts now and laugh at how silly my concerns were. In the days leading up to the wedding, I mourned the coming loss of Lin-Lins innocence while simultaneously eagerly awaiting the moment in which I would take it. The duality of man, a concept I have struggled with more than most. I worried I would scare her, disappoint her, hurt her, or worse, and imagined all manner of nightmarish scenarios playing out in my mind time and time again, but when the moment finally arrived, all those worries melted away when faced with her beautiful smile, so full of love and trust. For so many years, she has been the calming presence standing by my side, her curious, carefree attitude a much needed balm for my abused soul. Somewhere along the way, I lost track of the time and now she is a woman grown, one who has long since held the key to my heart in the palm of her dainty hand.

And so, after a long and mostly uneventful day of parades, receptions, ceremonies, and banquets, with plenty of laughter and tears shared with family and friends, the wedding finally came to an end and I was left with my sweet wifey. As I carried her over the threshold into our bedroom and set her down upon the bed, I gazed deep into her eyes as she stroked my cheek, and I knew I loved this woman with all my heart. We smiled, we kissed, we laughed, and we loved, a progress so natural we simply fell into our roles as husband and wife. There were no rushed movements or nervous pauses to mar the experience, as we wholly committed to expressing our love for one another on this most special of nights.

The first of many yet to come, though as I lay here breathless and see the glint in her beautiful brown eyes, I can tell my sweet wife is not yet ready to call it quits for tonight, and I am more than happy to rise to the occasion.

Several more times in fact, for long hours until I am faint-headed from repeated exertion, but my fun-loving wifey is not yet sated. Short of breath and cheek pressed against my shoulder, her eyes sparkle at the discovery of this enjoyable new experience and her appetite is still ravenous for more. Though she is lacking in stamina, my boundless libido has finally met its match in Lin-Lin, a thought which sparks my competitive nature much to my rivals amusement. Our fingers entwine, our bodies embrace, and we make love once more until we are both truly sated and spent, our tired bodies panting heavily in sync as we bask in marital bliss.

Biting my shoulder softly, her eyes twinkle as she gazes up into mine, her aggressive affection conveying her disgruntled admission of frustration over her lacking endurance as well as a silent promise to pick this up later after shes had a good rest. Tonight has thoroughly shattered my sweet wifeys image of wholesome innocence and replaced it with one of a sensual woman wholly comfortable with her sexuality, and I love her all the more for it. Gathering her lithe body up in my arms, I cradle her close and wrap her in a clean blanket I left folded on the nightstand before carrying her away to freshen up. Uttering a soft sigh as I run a cool, wet cloth over her face, she closes her eyes and accepts my ministrations without resistance, and though I would much rather take my time to appreciate the experience, I work quickly as I can so that we can head back to bed and sleep the sleep of the dead.Visit no(v)eLb(i)n.com for the best novel reading experience

Still carrying her in my arms, I Conceal us both and head over to open the door and let the floofs in. While Aurie, Mama Bun, and Ping Ping are quick to trot in with Blackjack, Pong Pong, and Guai-Guai respectively, Jimjam and the bears are slower to react, as they are all fast asleep and snoring without a care in the world. Well, not entirely true considering they were all pressed up against the door, likely unhappy over being left out in the hallway instead of being invited into the room, but such is life. I should have a second bedroom attached to mine, a bigger one with a bigger bed for only sleeping, so when me and my wives are done with the happy fun times, we can just migrate over and fall asleep with the floofs without so much of a hassle. The things we do for our pets, but only because we love them, and it soon proves well worth the effort as I lay down with Lin-Lin in my arms, Mama Bun, Pong Pong, and Blackjack stretched out across my chest, Ping Ping pressed against my flank, Aurie laid out over my legs, and two warm, fuzzy bears nestled up on either side, their chins pressed against the top of my head in a blatant attempt to steal my pillow. Though Jimjam doesnt care to snuggle, he gives everyone a few good nuzzles before circling around to sleep on the other side of Baloo, laying out in the opposite direction with his cheek pressed up against Auries by my feet.

This is just the best, I whisper, and my wifey giggles at the sound of my hoarse voice, for these are the first words Ive uttered since carrying her into the bedroom so many hours ago. The moon must already be on its way down by now, though not quite yet ready to sink into the horizon, which means we might end up sleeping through the entire day and waking up to resume our recreational activities, but honestly, I dont mind. Theres nothing planned for tomorrow anyways, and Luo-Luo can handle anything that crops up, so I might as well take the day off and catch up on rest, though I fear I might soon be trapped in a cycle of lust and exhaustion.

Sensing my thoughts and Aura, Lin-Lin bites me again, this time with a little more force, a reprimand for my naughty thoughts and a reaffirmation of her promise to pick this up where we left off. Though I am thoroughly exhausted, I stay awake long enough to hear her drift off to sleep and bask in the sound of her adorably quavering breaths, so light and dainty it hardly seems fair to even call it a snore. Then the sweet embrace of sleep plucks me from the waking world and time stalls for a second that stretches on into eternity, the blissful oblivion of undisturbed slumber here to wick away my weary fatigue.

Once my mind decides it has rested enough, it sends out the call before retreating to my Natal Palace, where I emerge from the covers of my bed to find Ping Ping, Pong Pong, and Mama Bun already playing with Buddy on the ground. Pausing their game of tag, they all clamber onto the bed to come greet me while I try and make sense of the situation, my thoughts still muddled and tired from having just woken up. How long have they been here? Did they just arrive, or have they been playing since I fell asleep? I know none of them mean me any harm and I have Buddy to make sure no one gets out of hand, but at the end of the day, theyre all still animals who might well do something harmful without meaning to. What if they accidentally take control of my body and make me do something embarrassing? The thought of Pong Pong controlling me like a puppet in order to procure more shrimp sets me to laughing uncontrollably, even though I doubt he would ever consciously make the decision to do so. On the other hand, Mama Bun would most definitely have no qualms about borrowing my body, especially if it meant getting some Spiritual Plants in the process, a thieving bun who lacks a thorough understanding of morals and boundaries.

Mm, too early hubby. Uttering a small groan from beneath the blankets beside me, my sleepy wifey burrows her face into the pillow to escape from Buddys enthusiastic sniffing, his tail wagging so hard his entire butt is swinging back and forth with it. If youre gonna play with the floofs, then bring them outside please.

Sorry wifey, I reply, braving a heavy tail lashing as I lift Buddy away and speaking up to be heard over his exciting yips and barks. Ill leave you here to... sleep...

Wait. What?

Wifey? What are you doing here?

Trying to sleeeeep. Theres no pique in her tone, only mournful appeal, the poor girl so exhausted she doesnt even realize shes made it into my Natal Palace. Even as the thought strikes me, she lifts her head from the pillow to reveal half-lidded eyes below a brow furrowed in thought. Is that a doggy? The shoe drops as she comes face to face with Buddy, and excitement sweeps her lethargy away, her smile emanating sheer delight at finally meeting my best fried. Buddy! Hi! Youre so cuteeeeee! A woman after my own heart, she cups my dogs cheeks and showers his head in kisses before wrapping her arms around him, so enamoured by my sweet dog and his adorably goofy expression that it takes several minutes for her to refocus her attention on her surroundings. So this is your Natal Palace, ya?

And here it is. The moment Ive always dreaded. Seating in my king-sized bed and wrapped in sheets of the softest cotton, my sweet wifey scans the room from atop my Natal Throne and takes in everything there is to see. The glowing PC with spinning RGB fans and all the peripherals one would expect. The cluttered bookshelf bearing titles in a language shes never seen, arranged next to toys, comics, and all manner of clutter like Lego spaceships and spindles of CDs. The superhero movie posters plastered across my ceiling and the steady white light illuminating it all. Lin-Lins eyes stop on each and every one of these never-before-seen curiosities and I watch with bated breath as the gears turn in her head, dreading her eventual realization that all is not right. How will she react? With confused discomfort? Horror and denial? Anger and disgust?

Here it comes. Something catches her attention outside the window. Her back straightens and eyes go wide, her muscles tensing as she draws in a deep breath. Her head turns and gaze matches mine, and in it I see...

Joy? Glee? Excitement? Anticipation?

Hubby! Pointing outside the window, Lin-Lin exclaims, Its home! Were home! And were so high up!

Um... yea.

Sorry for failing to live up to expectations and for making our wedding so political. Not the best way to start off our happily married life together. Truth be told, aside from the time spent receiving gifts and eating, I was almost always out and about doing something or the other all day, leaving her to her own devices for the most part. My wifey is a sweet and simple woman who cares little for wealth or luxury, and though she likes dressing up, changing into seven different outfits in one day could not have been fun.

Dont be silly hubby. I never told you about the big tree in our courtyard, so how could you have known? Besides, this makes up for it, ya? We didnt get married here, but its everything I ever wanted, even the big tree house high up in the sky. Can we keep this a secret though? From everyone, ya?

You being here? Erm... sure?

I dont want Mi-Mi and Yan-Yan to get jealous is all. Though somewhat true, its not the whole truth, but I would much rather not have to explain why Lin-Lin can make it into my Natal Palace when no other humans can, mostly because I dont really have a good answer. It would break my heart and theirs as well if I had to admit I didnt trust Mila and Yan enough to let them into my innermost sanctum, my mental man-cave where I go to be alone and ponder the past, present, and future.

Sure I spend a lot of time playing with the floofs here, but thats just an added bonus.

Good. Also, before we wake up, I have something to say, hubby. Reaching up to poke me in the cheek, Lin-Lin pouts in full force and my heart threatens to explode in my chest. You shouldnt have spent so much time playing with that stinky Yong-Jin today. You were too nice and let him lead you by the nose right up until the end, when you smashed the log out from under his feet. Thats how you shouldve done it from the start hubby, overwhelm him with strength and show everyone why youre the best.

To be fair, Yong-Jin isnt exactly weak, though Im pretty sure he had multiple Runic objects helping him focus his Chi skills, like that bangle of yours that helps with Lightening. Maybe thats why Shen ZhenWu has been in hiding all this time, so he can avoid giving me more wedding gifts. Stingy jerk. Its just a Runic bracer, how expensive can it be? Ill admit I couldve been more careful to avoid stepping into their trap, but I was caught well and good before I even realized it.

Thats not the problem hubby. You were up against an old fogey who even Luo-Luo cant figure out, so of course you took the bait, even though you didnt hafta be so enthusiastic about it. The problem isnt that you fell for their trap, but how you handled it afterwards. Raising her dainty little fist, my sweet wifey scowls and says, If you just kicked Yong Jins stinky butt right from the start, then he wouldve had no choice but to slink away with his tail between his legs. Instead, you took it easy and let things play out because you thought youd win anyways and wanted to see what they had planned. You cant do that hubby, because it encourages everyone else to keep trying, and next time you might not be so lucky.

Shes not entirely wrong, and theres something particularly endearing about her ruthless and bloodthirsty ways. Though no Warrior herself, Lin-Lin has lived her whole life immersed in the Martial culture and seen all manner of people trying to take advantage of her father, so she knows exactly what shes talking about. That being said, I do take issue with one part of her statement, namely that tiny little bit at the end. Lucky? I beat Yong-Jin fair and square, and only humiliated him when he pushed me too far.

Thats the problem hubby. You waited too long to show your fangs, and people will wonder why. I know and you know its because you were being nice, but who knows what everyone else will think? Poking me in the leg with a steely finger, Lin-Lin grumbles, The next time someone stupid challenges you, you beat them silly without giving them a chance to recover okay? Dont let them off so easily either, you shouldve taken one of Yong Jins arms or legs as the price of admission. Or better yet, chopped off that dumb man-bun which he loves so much. Youre my hubby now, so you need to show everyone that your time and efforts are too valuable to be wasted on those smelly stupid heads.

Oh? Now that were married, it seems like youre ready to show your fangs. Laughing as her cheeks turn a deep shade of red, I hug her tight and add, Well, not like they were very well hidden to begin with. Dont you worry, I always knew they were there and still love you, fangs and all. After thinking over her words for a bit, I add, Youre right though. I was too lenient with Yong Jin, which played right into their hands. I dont think he was ever meant to beat me, just... diminish my reputation a bit. If he didnt push his luck too far at the end there, then I wouldve walked away and left the whole Citadel believing that Yong Jin wasnt too too far behind me in terms of Martial Strength. I never went all out, but he came close to throwing me into the water more than once, which he never could have accomplished against someone like Dad or Nian Zu.

He wouldnt have been able to do it to you either, not if you were serious from the start.

Yea, and thats the problem. I wasnt serious, and almost made everyone think Im weaker than I really am. Half of my newfangled popularity is because Im so strong, so it could have really set me back in terms of reputation if I left things as they were after our little game. Shrugging, I sigh and give thanks to my ability to fail upwards time and time again. I almost made a major blunder today, but then I lost my temper and threw a little tantrum, so now it looks like I was toying with Yong-Jin the whole time. Oh wow... I knew I was lucky, but I didnt even realize how lucky until just now. At Lin-Lins silent prompting, I explain, I mightve actually lost against Yong-Jin if I hadnt figured out Domain Plating while getting changed for the reception. Compressing my Domain against my body and forming a Shroud around me (which is what I now know as the proper term for the Exo-Suit I envisioned), I narrate the chain of events that took place withing my changing room just before I set out to accept Shuai Jiaos gift. So yea. If it wasnt for Domain Plating and my Shroud of Reinforcement, Yong-Jin might well have thrown me into the water and embarrassed me in front of the crowd.

And it wouldve served you right. Giggling at my feigned outrage, she cleverly pivots back to the topic of Domain Plating and asks, So how come you werent able to Plate your clothes and armour? Seems really, really weird, ya?

Being the terrible actress that she is, its clear my wifey is trying to direct me to an answer she already knows, which again leads me back to questions regarding her secrets, but if shes not ready to tell me, then Ill just wait until she is. Thinking the question over, I stick with what I think is the correct answer. Because the clothes are not a part of me. I can merge my Domain with my physical body because theyre two parts of the same puzzle, but my clothes are pieces from a different set, and therefore incompatible.

Maybe. Which means close, but no cigar. I wish she could just tell me the answer, but it could do me more harm than good if I dont agree with her reasoning and insisting on hearing it will only make her clam up and claim ignorance. Still staring up at the sky, Lin-Lin asks, The Domain is a part of you yea, and your clothes are not, but that doesnt mean its impossible to Domain Plate your clothes. You just hafta figure out the right process, yea?

True. Shes not saying Im entirely wrong, only partially so regarding the whole incompatible bit. Itd just be really difficult probably, involving something silly like becoming One with the Clothes. Chuckling at the absurdity of so many ones, I stop mid laugh when it dawns on me that thats probably the actual answer. So long as I become one with the clothes and make it a part of me, then I should theoretically be able to Domain Plate it. Ive seen it in action before too, like with Mahakalas spade, the Abbots fish drum, Guan Suos pipe, and probably Shuai Jiaos stinky robes which he never changes.

And...

...Nothing. Nope. Just forget it and move on. It doesnt matter anyways.

What is it hubby?

Nothing, I lie, nuzzling my sweet wifey to remind myself I love her more than life itself and I shouldnt be jealous of other peoples skills. I just had a weird thought, but it wasnt important.

Oh. Nuzzling me back, Lin-Lin stretches her arms and lets loose with the daintiest of yawns before settling back into my arms. Anyways, you should probably forget about Domain Plating clothes. You never cared about ruining your outfits before, so why go to all that effort now? Instead, I think you should think about other things you could Domain Plate.

Like what? Even as I ask the question, the answer comes to me as I turn towards my Natal Sea, and I could almost kick myself for not seeing it sooner. This is the answer Ive been looking for all along, the key to utilizing my Blessing of Water effectively. I can conjure up Water Chi that behaves just like water, which is less than useful in a fight, but what if I Domain Plated that Water Chi to make it harder than steel or razor sharp?

Water Bullets, Water Shields, Water Swords, and Water Tentacles, so many possibilities lie before me, but all that can wait until later. I have at least an entire month to practice before my army is ready to sail west, so I can spare a few days to relax and enjoy my honeymoon with my sweet wifey. Life is good, so I should take the time to appreciate it while I can. Thats the whole point of struggling through all these trials and tribulations, to enjoy the good times while they last.

A lesson I learned far too late in life, but one I will make sure never to forget.

Chapter Meme

- Volume 39 end -