The morning sun greeted me like an old friend—if that friend was annoyingly cheerful and insisted on shining directly into your eyes at the crack of dawn. My twenty-foot serpentine body glistened with morning dew as I uncurled from around my newly acquired treasures, stretching to my full impressive length.

  "Today's the day I get hands," I thought, eyeing the three iridescent transformation pills I'd created yesterday. "Opposable thumbs, here I come."

  And perhaps, if the gods were kind, something else. Something I'd been missing for far too long.

  The clearing had become my domain over the past month. Birds avoided flying over it, small animals scurried away at my approach, and even the wind seemed to whisper my name with respectful fear. Or maybe that was just my infted serpentine ego talking.

  I slithered to the stone at the center of my territory—my cultivation stone, now significantly more powerful after a month of spiritual recycling. Beside it sat the brass cauldron I'd cimed from Feng, along with neatly organized piles of herbs, minerals, and other alchemical ingredients.

  The transformation pill gleamed with shifting colors as I carefully picked it up with the tip of my tail. I'd created three, but would test only one today. No sense wasting resources if the formu needed adjustment.

  "Bottoms up," I muttered mentally, opening my jaws wide and dropping the pill onto my tongue.

  It dissolved immediately, spreading a sensation like liquid lightning through my system. Not painful, exactly, but intense enough to make my scales stand on end. The taste was... complex. Bitter herbs, sweet nectar, metallic undertones, and something earthy that reminded me of wet soil after rain.

  I coiled my body tightly as the transformation began, concentrating on the image of a human form. Ideally MY human form from my past life—tall, imposingly muscur, radiating divine authority with just a hint of "I could destroy you with my pinky finger" energy.

  And of course, fully equipped with all the anatomical details that had made me legendary among the immortal concubines of six different realms. That particur appendage had been sorely missed during my serpentine existence.

  Heat spread from my core outward, reaching the tips of my tail and the end of my snout simultaneously. My scales began to ripple like water, colors shifting rapidly as the pill's effects took hold.

  "Work, damn you," I commanded as my body twisted and contorted. "Give me back my glorious human physique. Or at least something that can hold a winegss properly."

  And pleasure a woman properly, I added mentally. A century without carnal delights was far too long for one who had once maintained a harem that spanned three separate dimensions.

  The transformation accelerated, a golden glow enveloping my entire form as flesh and bone rearranged themselves according to the pill's formu and my will. The sensation was bizarre—like being unmade and remade simultaneously, my consciousness stretched between two different physical configurations.

  When the glow faded and the heat dissipated, I reached up to touch my face.

  Wait.

  Reached?

  I had HANDS!

  I brought them before my eyes, examining them with borderline obsessive fascination. Five fingers, opposable thumbs, even fingernails—all there and working properly. I flexed them experimentally, making fists then spreading my fingers wide.

  "Success!" I crowed mentally, then realized I should test my voice.

  "Ssssuccesss!" came out of my mouth, followed by a hissing ugh. "I can ssspeak! Finally!"

  My jubition was short-lived, however, as I attempted to stand and realized something was... off. Very off.

  Looking down, I discovered the transformation had only been partially successful. From the waist up, I was indeed humanoid—albeit with scales patterning my chest and arms, and a decidedly serpentine face. But below the waist?

  Still one hundred percent snake.

  "You've got to be kidding me," I hissed, my forked tongue flicking out in annoyance. "A naga? I turned myself into a freaking NAGA?"

  I spped my newly acquired palm against my forehead, a gesture I'd been longing to make for over a century. The satisfaction of the face-palm was minimal compared to my irritation at the incomplete transformation.

  "Low-quality ingredientss," I muttered, examining my still-serpentine lower half. "Or perhapss my control wassn't precise enough."

  More importantly, where the hell was my cock? I'd specifically focused on recreating that particur feature in exquisite detail. The size, the curve, the function—all gone, repced by smooth scales and no apparent reproductive equipment whatsoever.

  "What good are handss without the ressst of the package?" I thought bitterly. Sure, I could now manipute objects with greater dexterity, but the primary object I'd been hoping to manipute remained conspicuously absent.

  At least I had hands. And a voice, even if it came with an impressive hissing accent that made me sound like I was perpetually disappointed with everyone's life choices. Which, to be fair, I often was.

  I examined myself more thoroughly, taking inventory of what worked and what didn't. My upper body was muscur and well-proportioned, with emerald scales scattered across olive-tinged skin. My face, when I caught a reflection in a nearby puddle, was a disturbing hybrid—human structure but with serpentine features. Vertical pupils, fttened nose, scales instead of hair, and oh yes, a tendency to flick my forked tongue every few seconds.

  "Not exactly what the diess will be lining up for," I remarked dryly. "Unless they have very specific tastess."

  Though I had to admit, the hands had potential even without the rest. In my previous life, I'd been known for manual dexterity that made empresses tremble and divine maidens beg. Perhaps there were still... possibilities worth exploring.

  I flexed my fingers again, remembering techniques that had reduced immortal cultivators to whimpering, quivering messes. The memories sent a pleasant shiver down my spine—or whatever passed for a spine in this hybrid form.

  Still, the transformation had its advantages. I tested my new hands by reaching for the storage pouch I'd taken from Feng. Opening it was trivially easy now—no more awkward tail maniputions or waiting for Lin to help me access my treasures.

  I reached inside, pulling out the collection of spirit stones, scrolls, and other items I'd cimed. Being able to handle objects properly was surprisingly emotional after so long without hands. I found myself picking up stones just to feel their weight, unfolding scrolls just because I could.

  "Handss are amazing," I decred, flexing my fingers again. "No wonder humanss are so attached to them."

  And no wonder humans enjoyed using them on each other, I added mentally. The sensitivity was incredible—I could feel the slightest texture, the most minute variations in temperature and pressure. What these fingers could do to sensitive skin...

  I turned my attention to the brass cauldron. With proper manual dexterity, my pill-making capabilities had just expanded exponentially. No more crude tail maniputions or mouth-carrying of ingredients. I could measure, mix, and adjust with precision.

  First things first—I needed to craft a better transformation pill. One that would give me a fully human form, preferably without the hissing speech impediment and random scale patches. And definitely with ALL the appropriate anatomical details. A Divine Emperor reduced to celibacy was a travesty that needed immediate correction.

  But as I sorted through the avaible ingredients, I realized I was missing several key components. The shapeshifting moss I'd used yesterday was depleted, and the orchid dew was specific to the full moon. I'd need to wait for Lin to bring the herbs I'd requested before attempting another transformation formu.

  "Fine," I hissed. "Let's make use of what we have now."

  Looking at my newly acquired hands, I realized I could craft other pills in the meantime. Specifically, pills that might be useful in managing my human assistant.

  Lin had proven surprisingly loyal to our arrangement, but her usefulness was limited by her pathetic cultivation base. She was still stuck at Qi Refinement, making her little more than a glorified errand girl from a power perspective. If she were stronger, she could bring me better information, access restricted areas of her sect, and generally be more useful.

  She was also not unattractive, for a mortal. Young and fresh-faced, with a slender figure and delicate features. In my previous life, I might have added her to my collection of concubines—not as a favorite, certainly, but as an amusing diversion.

  "Time to fatten the calf," I decided, though I had no immediate pns to eat her. Her cultivation was too weak to be worth absorbing when compared to tastier options like Chen or the elders that would be coming during the beast hunt.

  But perhaps she could provide... other forms of entertainment in the meantime. A test run for my newly acquired hands, as it were.

  I sorted through the ingredients, selecting those that would enhance qi absorption and meridian expansion. A simple Qi Enhancement Pill would normally boost a cultivator's progress marginally, perhaps saving them a week or two of meditation. But with my knowledge and a special additional ingredient, I could create something far more potent.

  And far more entertaining for me.

  I activated the cauldron, watching with satisfaction as the formation patterns glowed to life at my touch. Having hands made the process infinitely more controlled. I measured Spirit Ginger precisely, added exactly three drops of Moonwater (not to be confused with regur water by moonlight—this was condensed spiritual essence from the actual moon), and carefully ground Cloud Silkworm cocoons into a fine powder.

  As the base mixture simmered, I raised my hand to my mouth and bit down hard on my thumb. Golden blood with faint emerald highlights welled up from the wound—not ordinary blood but the essence of a Body Refinement cultivator with the soul of a Divine Emperor.

  "This should make things interesssting," I murmured as three drops of my blood fell into the cauldron.

  The mixture hissed and changed color immediately, shifting from pale blue to a deep, pulsing purple with golden streaks. The scent changed too, becoming headier, almost intoxicating.

  My blood contained traces of my divine essence—diluted by reincarnation and currently limited by my cultivation level, but still potent enough to supercharge any pill it was added to. It would accelerate Lin's cultivation dramatically... with some thoroughly enjoyable side effects.

  In my previous life, my blood had been known to have certain... aphrodisiac properties when consumed by females. Divine Emperors were creatures of excess in all things, including carnal appetites, and our essence carried that quality. More than one cultivation technique had been developed specifically to harness and amplify this side effect.

  I continued the refinement process, adjusting temperature and energy flow with expert precision. The ingredients transformed, essences combining and reacting under my careful guidance. After an hour of focused work, the pills began to form—three perfect spheres of deep purple with swirling golden patterns.

  "Three for the price of one," I said, pleased with the efficiency. The pills cooled and solidified, and I carefully removed them from the cauldron.

  I examined one closely, already imagining Lin's reaction when the effects took hold. The primary purpose was genuine—it would advance her cultivation significantly. But the secondary effects would satisfy my own curiosity about how well my newly acquired hands worked, while providing some much-needed relief for a century of enforced abstinence.

  With time to spare before my transformation wore off, I decided to craft a few more specialized concoctions. A Spirit Sense Enhancement Pill, useful for detecting hidden enemies or tracking spiritual fluctuations. A basic Healing Pill that worked ten times faster than standard sect versions. And finally, a special creation I called the Meridian Reshaper—a pill that would temporarily alter cultivation pathways, useful for throwing off enemies who might try to track me by my spiritual signature.

  Simple pills by Divine Emperor standards, but likely revolutionary in this backwater cultivation region.

  As I finished the st pill, I felt the transformation beginning to fade. The tingling sensation returned, starting in my fingertips and spreading inward.

  "Time's up," I sighed, taking one st moment to appreciate having hands. I ran them over my chest experimentally, curious about the sensitivity of my partially humanoid form. The sensation was interesting—not quite as intense as I remembered from my fully human days, but far more responsive than my serpentine body.

  I briefly regretted not having more time to... explore the possibilities of this hybrid form. Next time, perhaps.

  I carefully gathered all the newly created pills and stored them in separate jade bottles, which I then pced in Feng's storage pouch.

  The reverse transformation was faster than the initial one. Golden light enveloped me briefly, and when it faded, I was once again a massive emerald serpent with gold patterns. My dexterity was gone, along with my ability to speak normally.

  "Back to the slithering life," I thought, coiling around my treasures protectively. "At least I know the transformation works... sort of."

  The enhancement pills for Lin were safely stored, ready to be offered when she returned. I was particurly looking forward to observing the "side effects" firsthand, with hands that could properly appreciate them.

  The next nine days passed in a rhythm of hunting, cultivating, and exploring. I expanded my territory, marking boundaries with traces of my spiritual energy to warn off other beasts. I practiced combat techniques adapted for my serpentine form, learning to channel qi through my scales for additional protection or into my fangs for more lethal strikes.

  Most importantly, I prepared for the upcoming beast hunt. According to Lin's information, three elders and twelve disciples would be searching these mountains at the next new moon. Facing them directly would be suicide, but with careful pnning and proper terrain advantage, I might be able to isote and pick them off one by one.

  I created traps throughout my territory—some physical, some spiritual. Hidden pitfalls with paralytic poison smeared on strategically pced spikes. Spiritual lures that would separate cultivators from their groups. False trails that led to dead ends where I could strike from above.

  The forest became my weapon, each tree and rock a potential ambush point. I memorized every inch of my hunting ground, identifying choke points and escape routes. When the hunt came, I would be ready.

  On the tenth day, exactly as promised, Lin returned.

  I sensed her approach from nearly a mile away, her Fire-Wind spiritual signature distinctive among the forest's background energy. She carried a bulging sack that likely contained the herbs I'd requested, and her steps were hesitant as she neared the clearing.

  Rather than greeting her in my serpent form, I decided to make an impression. I quickly consumed one of the transformation pills, enduring the now-familiar tingling and restructuring. When she stepped into the clearing, she was met not by a giant snake but by a towering seven-foot naga with gleaming scales and muscur arms crossed over a bare chest.

  Her reaction was priceless. She froze mid-step, jaw literally dropping as she took in my transformed appearance. The sack of herbs fell from her suddenly limp fingers.

  "G-Great Spirit Lord?" she stammered, clearly uncertain whether to kowtow or flee. "Is... is that you?"

  "Who elsse would it be, little cultivator?" I hissed, enjoying her shock. "Did you think another naga just happened to be waiting in my clearing?"

  I observed her with predatory interest, noting how her wide eyes tracked the movement of my muscur torso. She was afraid, certainly, but there was something else there too—a flicker of something that wasn't entirely fear. Fascination, perhaps? Or something more primal?

  "Interesting," I thought. "Perhaps the naga form has certain... advantages I hadn't considered."

  She dropped to her knees immediately, forehead almost touching the ground. "Forgive this disciple's surprise! I didn't know the Great Spirit Lord could assume a... a different form."

  I slithered closer, towering over her prostrated figure. My serpentine lower half moved with the same fluid grace as my full snake form, though it felt strange to have my upper body vertical after so long horizontal.

  "Rissse," I commanded, flicking my tongue toward her face. "Did you bring what I requesssted?"

  She scrambled to her feet, hastily retrieving the fallen sack. "Yes, Great Spirit Lord! Everything on the list. The Nine-Leaf Spirit Grass was difficult to obtain, but I... I managed."

  "I'm sure you did," I replied, taking the sack from her hands. Our fingers brushed during the exchange, and she flinched slightly at the contact. "Sstolen from the ssect sstore rooms, perhaps? Or did you offer... other servicesss to an inner disciple?"

  Her face flushed red, confirming at least one of my guesses. "I... I did what was necessary, Great Spirit Lord."

  The thought of her trading sexual favors for herbs sent an unexpected pulse of... something through me. Not jealousy, certainly—Divine Emperors didn't feel such petty emotions. But perhaps possessiveness. She was my servant, after all. Her body should serve my purposes, not those of some insignificant sect disciple.

  "Admirable dedication," I said, examining the herbs with a critical eye. The quality was excellent—she'd managed to acquire premium specimens of each requested pnt and mineral. "You've done well, Lin."

  The praise seemed to rex her slightly, though she remained wary of my new form. Her eyes kept darting to my bare chest, then lower to where human skin transitioned to serpentine scales, then quickly back up as if afraid to be caught looking.

  "You find my appearance unsssettling?" I asked, deliberately moving closer to her.

  "N-no, Great Spirit Lord! It's just... unexpected." She swallowed hard. "You can... speak now."

  "Among other things," I replied, holding up my hands and flexing them dramatically. "Handss are quite usseful, wouldn't you agree?"

  I let my gaze linger on her body as I said this, watching with amusement as her breath caught. Did she understand the implication? Probably not fully, but some primal part of her clearly sensed my intent.

  She nodded quickly, clearly unsure how to respond to my casual conversation. In our previous interactions, communications had been limited to me scratching messages in dirt and her reporting information. This new dynamic had her off-bance, which was exactly how I wanted her.

  "You remain at Qi Refinement Stage," I observed, examining her spiritual presence. "No progress since our st meeting? Disappointing."

  Her face fell. "I've been trying, Great Spirit Lord, but between my duties and gathering these herbs—"

  "Excusses," I cut her off, circling around her with predatory grace. "Your cultivation is pathetic. At this rate, you'll be an old woman before reaching Foundation Establishment."

  She looked genuinely distressed, which wasn't surprising. In the cultivation world, slow progress was a death sentence. Sects had limited patience with disciples who couldn't advance at an acceptable pace.

  "Perhaps," I continued, stopping directly behind her, "you need... assisstance."

  I reached into my storage pouch and removed one of the purple-golden pills I'd crafted. It gleamed in my palm as I held it before her eyes, pulsing with barely contained power.

  "What is that?" she whispered, unable to hide her fascination with the pill's unusual appearance.

  "A gift," I replied, my voice dropping to a lower hiss. "A Qi Enhancement Pill of my own creation. Far superior to whatever crude concoctions your sect alchemists produce."

  And with special added benefits that would satisfy my own long-deyed appetites. The thought sent a pleasant anticipatory shiver through my new form.

  Her eyes widened, gaze fixed on the pill with naked desire. Enhancement pills were tightly controlled resources in most sects, doled out as rewards to promising disciples or used as incentives for completing difficult missions.

  "For... for me?" she asked hesitantly.

  "Consider it payment for your continued loyalty," I said. Then, unable to resist adding a touch of drama, I leaned down until my face was inches from hers and flicked my tongue against her cheek. "You taste of ambition, little cultivator. Perhaps you deserve to be... fattened up."

  The taste of her skin was intoxicating—salt and fear and youth and the faintest trace of arousal. My tongue gathered all these fvors and more, sending them directly to my brain for analysis. In this form, my sense of taste was even more acute than in my full serpent form, and I could detect the subtle shifts in her body chemistry.

  She froze at the contact, confusion and fear crossing her face. "F-fattened up?"

  "An expression," I assured her with a predatory smile that probably didn't reassure her at all. "Take the pill. Cultivate. Grow stronger. A more powerful servant is a more useful servant, yes?"

  And a more entertaining one, I added silently, already imagining how those enhanced meridians would respond to my touch. How that strengthened body would writhe under my expert maniputions.

  She hesitated only briefly before accepting the pill with trembling fingers. "How... how should I take it?"

  "Sit on the stone," I instructed, gesturing to my cultivation stone. "Assume meditation posture. The pill will work better if you're actively circuting qi when you consume it."

  Lin obeyed, settling cross-legged on the stone and arranging her robes neatly around her. She closed her eyes, took several deep breaths, and began the basic Qi Circution technique taught to all Azure Cloud disciples. I could sense her spiritual energy moving through established pathways, the flow steady but unimpressive.

  I watched with barely concealed anticipation. My newly acquired hands flexed unconsciously, eager to explore and manipute. It had been so very long since I'd experienced the pleasure of female flesh beneath my fingers.

  "Now," I said once her circution stabilized. "Consume the pill and continue circuting. Do not stop regardless of what you feel. Understand?"

  She nodded, pced the pill on her tongue, and swallowed.

  The effect wasn't immediate, but it didn't take long. Within minutes, her peaceful expression began to change. First came surprise—her eyebrows rising, lips parting slightly. Then discomfort—nose scrunching, forehead creasing. Finally, something approaching wonder—eyes flying open, mouth forming a perfect 'O' of astonishment.

  "What... what is this?" she gasped, her circution faltering momentarily before she remembered my instructions and forced herself to continue. "I've never felt anything like—AH!"

  Her back arched suddenly as the pill's effects intensified. Golden light began to leak from her pores, tendrils of energy escaping her overwhelmed meridians like steam from a pressure valve. The scent of her qi changed, taking on hints of my own spiritual signature as my blood essence integrated with her cultivation base.

  I watched with fascination as the transformation took hold. Her cultivation base expanded visibly, meridians widening to accommodate increased energy flow. The spiritual fluctuations around her spiked dramatically as she advanced from the fifth step of Qi Refinement to the sixth... then seventh... then eighth.

  "Impossible," she whispered between rapid breaths. "This can't—how am I—AAAH!"

  The final breakthrough hit her like a spiritual avanche. Her entire body glowed golden-red as she shattered the barrier between the eighth and ninth steps of Qi Refinement. In the span of thirty minutes, she'd accomplished what would normally take years of dedicated cultivation.

  But the advancement came with costs she was only beginning to realize.

  "Hot," she gasped, pulling at the colr of her robes. "Why am I so hot?"

  I slithered closer, my senses drinking in the changes in her. The sweet-spicy scent of female arousal filled the air, detectable even to a human nose but unmistakable to my enhanced serpentine senses. My tongue flicked out automatically, tasting her increasing arousal on the air.

  "Divine Heavens, that scent," I thought, feeling a stirring in my own system. Without proper equipment, it wasn't quite arousal as I'd known it in my human form, but something simir—a heightening of senses, a tightening of focus, a hunger that had nothing to do with food.

  "A side effect," I expined casually. "My blood essence was a key ingredient in the pill. It's... potent."

  "Your blood?" she repeated, looking horrified for a moment before another wave of sensation hit her. "Nnngh! What's happening to me?"

  Her cultivation continued to stabilize at the ninth step of Qi Refinement, but the secondary effects were just beginning. My blood essence contained not just power but aspects of my nature—including certain appetites that had made me infamous in my previous life.

  "Your body is experiencing accelerated energy absorption," I expined, circling her slowly. "Every sense is enhanced, every nerve ending sensitized. Including some... recreational ones."

  I observed her with clinical interest and decidedly non-clinical desire. Her breathing had quickened, her pupils dited, a fine sheen of sweat making her skin glisten in the filtered sunlight. Each minute shift and adjustment of her body on the stone broadcast her increasing discomfort—or rather, comfort of the wrong sort.

  "When were you st touched by a man, Lin?" I wondered silently. "Have you ever been touched properly at all? Or just fumbling encounters with inexperienced sect brothers?"

  She stared at me with dawning comprehension and horror. "You... you drugged me? With some kind of... aphrodisiac?"

  "I enhanced your cultivation," I corrected, flicking my tongue near her ear and enjoying her full-body shiver in response. "The arousal is merely a side effect. It will pass... eventually."

  The taste of her skin was even more intoxicating now—fear and arousal mixing in a potent cocktail that made my own senses sharpen with predatory interest. If I'd had my proper human form, complete with all appendages, I'd have already pushed her back on that stone and showed her exactly what a Divine Emperor could do to a mortal woman.

  "Eventually?" she squeaked, pressing her thighs together in a vain attempt to alleviate the growing pressure. "How long is 'eventually'?"

  I made a show of considering the question thoughtfully. "Minutes? Hours? Days? Perhaps months? I'm not entirely sure. This is something of an experimental formu."

  The look she gave me would have withered a lesser being. "You used me as a test subject?"

  "I gave you a priceless cultivation boost," I countered smoothly. "One that would cost a fortune in any major sect. A little discomfort seems a fair trade, wouldn't you say?"

  Another wave hit her, and she doubled over, gasping. "Discomfort? This is—this is torture!"

  "There are solutions," I offered magnanimously. "You could... relieve the pressure yourself. I would grant you privacy, of course."

  Her face, already flushed from the pill's effects, turned an even deeper shade of red. "That's... that's indecent! I couldn't possibly..."

  "Or," I continued, holding up my newly acquired hands and wiggling the fingers suggestively, "I could assist you. These are quite dexterous, I've discovered."

  In my previous life, those hands had pleasured concubines, immortal maidens, and even a goddess or two. I'd spent centuries perfecting techniques that could bring ecstasy with the slightest touch. The thought of testing those skills again after so long sent another surge through my system.

  Her expression of shock was almost comical. "You want to... with your... NO!"

  "Suit yourself," I shrugged, moving away slightly. "The overflow of energy could cause cultivation deviation if left unaddressed, but perhaps you enjoy the risk."

  That got her attention. Cultivation deviation was every practitioner's nightmare—a condition where uncontrolled energy damaged meridians, sometimes permanently. Most would choose embarrassment over risking their cultivation future.

  "I'll... I'll do it myself," she decided, her voice barely audible. "If you would... turn away..."

  I made a show of turning my back, though my serpentine senses could still detect her every movement, every change in breath and heartbeat. I heard the rustle of fabric as she adjusted her robes, her breathing accelerating further.

  "This is delicious," I thought, savoring her embarrassment and arousal like fine wine. "Even if I can't properly enjoy her physically yet, watching her struggle is its own form of entertainment."

  Her inexperience was immediately apparent. Her movements were hesitant, uncoordinated, more frustrating than satisfying judging by her increasingly distressed sounds.

  "Having difficulties?" I asked innocently after several minutes of her fruitless efforts.

  "I can't... it's not... nothing is working!" she admitted, frustration evident in her voice. "The pressure keeps building but there's no... no release."

  I turned back to face her, finding exactly the disheveled, desperate state I'd anticipated. Her robes were loosened but still mostly in pce, her hair sticking to sweat-dampened temples, her pupils so dited they nearly swallowed the iris.

  "My blood essence requires... specific handling," I expined, slithering closer once more. "Allow me."

  Before she could object, I moved behind her and pulled her back against my chest. One hand swept her hair aside while the other untied her outer robe completely.

  The warmth of her body against mine sent a shock of pleasure through my system. So long—it had been so very long since I'd felt a woman's body pressed against me. The softness, the heat, the subtle trembling—all of it fed a hunger that had been gnawing at me since my reincarnation.

  "What are you—" she began, then gasped as my fingers found the meridian point at the base of her neck and applied precise, qi-enhanced pressure.

  "Silence," I commanded, my voice dropping to a deeper register. "Focus on your circution technique. Direct energy as I instruct."

  Despite her embarrassment, the cultivator in her responded to the authoritative tone. She closed her eyes and resumed the circution pattern, her energy flowing more smoothly under my guidance.

  My enhanced senses could detect each meridian, each energy pathway in her body. I pressed specific points in sequence, directing her qi flow with expert precision while simultaneously... addressing her more immediate discomfort.

  This wasn't entirely selfless. The sensation of her skin beneath my fingers was exquisite—warm, soft, responsive. Every small gasp and shudder fed my own pleasure. Without the proper equipment, I couldn't experience release the way I once had, but there was still intense satisfaction in exercising skills I'd thought lost forever.

  "Channel energy to your lower dantian," I instructed, one hand moving lower to press against her abdomen just below the navel. "Then up the spine meridian."

  "Gods, the sensitivity of these fingers," I thought as I explored her body. "When I regain my full human form, this will be even better. To feel everything so precisely..."

  She followed the instructions, gasping as the redirected energy intensified sensations wherever my fingers touched. I worked methodically, treating this as both cultivation guidance and physical relief—which, given the nature of my blood essence, were now inextricably linked in her system.

  "Great Spirit Lord," she whimpered as my fingers found particurly sensitive junctures of meridian and nerve. "This is... improper..."

  "We're addressing a cultivation emergency," I replied smoothly, my other hand moving to her shoulder, then colrbone, then lower. "Would you prefer deviation?"

  She didn't answer verbally, but her body's response was clear enough. As I continued working key pressure points while simultaneously exploring increasingly intimate territory, her resistance faded, repced by urgent need.

  The process took time—my blood essence had thoroughly saturated her system, creating a level of arousal that wouldn't be easily dispelled. But I was nothing if not thorough, applying techniques refined over centuries of experience with the female form.

  "You respond so beautifully," I thought as I worked. "In my previous life, I'd have kept you for weeks, teaching you pleasures beyond mortal imagination. When I regain my power, perhaps I still will."

  The feel of her skin, the sound of her accelerating breath, the scent of her arousal—all of it was intoxicating after so long denied. My hands moved with increasing confidence, rediscovering ancient skills with each passing moment.

  When she finally reached release, it was spectacur—a full-body convulsion accompanied by a spike in spiritual energy so intense it briefly formed a visible aura around her. Golden-red light pulsed outward in waves, her excess energy finally finding an outlet.

  "That's it," I encouraged as she shuddered against me. "Let the energy flow naturally. Don't fight it."

  The climax seemed to st forever, wave after wave of both physical pleasure and spiritual release. I savored each moment, each tremor, each gasping breath. This was but a pale shadow of the pleasures I'd once commanded, but after a century of nothing, it was deliciously satisfying.

  When it finally subsided, she slumped against me, completely limp and barely conscious.

  "Fascinating reaction," I observed, gently arranging her boneless form more comfortably against my chest. "The integration of my essence with your cultivation has created an interesting symbiosis."

  And an entertaining diversion for me, I added silently. Until I could regain a proper human form with all the necessary equipment, this would have to suffice. The feel of her body against mine, the power to reduce her to this quivering, helpless state—it fed something in me that had been starving.

  She made a small, unintelligible sound, too exhausted to formute words.

  "Rest," I instructed, checking her meridians with light touches that lingered perhaps longer than strictly necessary. "Your cultivation has stabilized at the ninth step of Qi Refinement. When you awaken, you will find your control significantly improved."

  As she drifted into an exhausted sleep, I considered the results of my experiment. The pill had worked even better than anticipated, advancing her cultivation rapidly while creating a spiritual connection that would make her more susceptible to my influence.

  The sexual side effect had been entirely intentional. Part demonstration of power, part indulgence of long-denied appetites, part practical test of my new form's capabilities. The results had been deeply satisfying, if incomplete compared to what I remembered from my previous life.

  "Soon," I promised myself as I carefully id her sleeping form on the stone, my fingers trailing across her flushed skin one st time. "Soon I'll craft a better transformation pill. One that gives me everything I need to properly enjoy the pleasures of the flesh again."

  I arranged her robes to preserve some sembnce of dignity. She would be unconscious for hours as her body adjusted to the massive influx of energy and the subsequent release.

  While she slept, I examined the herbs she'd brought, organizing them for future pill-making. The Nine-Leaf Spirit Grass was particurly impressive—vibrant and bursting with energy, clearly harvested at the optimal time. However she'd acquired it, she'd chosen well.

  "I wonder what she had to do to obtain this," I mused, imagining her trading sexual favors for these premium ingredients. The thought should have been merely amusing, but instead sent another pulse of possessive irritation through me. "Perhaps I should be more specific about my expectations regarding her methods in the future."

  When Lin finally stirred several hours ter, the sun was beginning its descent toward the western mountains. She blinked groggily, then sat bolt upright as memory returned.

  "Welcome back to consciousness," I greeted her, currently occupied with sorting herbs nearby. "How do you feel?"

  She took a moment to assess herself, running through what I recognized as an internal energy scan. Her eyes widened as she discovered her new cultivation level.

  "I'm... at the ninth step of Qi Refinement," she whispered incredulously. "How is this possible? It would take years of cultivation to—"

  "To accomplish what my pill did in minutes," I finished for her. "Impressive, isn't it?"

  She nodded slowly, then flushed crimson as she remembered everything else that had happened. "You... we..."

  "I assisted with a cultivation emergency," I said matter-of-factly. "Nothing more."

  Though it had been considerably more for me—a welcome reminder of pleasures I'd once taken for granted, and a promise of greater indulgences to come once I regained my proper form. The memory of her skin beneath my fingers, her body trembling against mine, sent another pleasant shiver through my system.

  She ducked her head, clearly mortified but unable to deny the results. Her spiritual energy flowed smoothly now, her meridians expanded and strengthened. She was on the cusp of Foundation Establishment—a massive leap from where she'd been just hours ago.

  "The pill's full effects will continue to manifest over the next few days," I informed her. "You may experience additional... episodes of overheating. The methods I demonstrated should help manage them."

  "I can't possibly..." she began, then trailed off, unable to even complete the thought.

  "You'll find a way," I assured her with a predatory smile. "Necessity is a powerful motivator."

  And I would find it highly entertaining to watch her struggle with the lingering effects. The thought of her alone in her quarters, fighting against waves of arousal derived from my essence, was deeply satisfying to a part of me that had always enjoyed power over others.

  I slithered closer, towering over her seated form. "Now, let's discuss your next assignment. The beast hunt approaches, and I require more detailed information."

  She seemed relieved at the change of subject, straightening her shoulders and adopting a more professional demeanor. "Yes, Great Spirit Lord. The hunt is scheduled for the new moon, seven days from now. Elder Zhan will lead, accompanied by Elders Hu and Su. Twelve inner disciples will participate, including Senior Brother Chen."

  "Their pnned route?" I asked, mentally mapping the mountain.

  "They'll enter the forest from the eastern path, then split into three groups to cover more ground. Each elder will lead a group of four disciples."

  Excellent information. If they split up, that would make them much easier to deal with individually.

  "And what warnings have they been given about the... beast they hunt?" I inquired, curious how I was being portrayed.

  Lin hesitated. "Elder Zhan believes you're a variant of the Emerald Shadow Serpent, a high-level spirit beast thought to be extinct in these mountains for centuries. He's warned the disciples to approach with extreme caution and to avoid direct eye contact, as legend says these serpents can entrance victims with their gaze."

  I almost ughed at the inaccurate assessment. An Emerald Shadow Serpent was a mid-tier spirit beast at best, nowhere near my current capabilities. But the misconception worked in my favor—they'd be preparing for the wrong threat.

  "I'll need a detailed map of their pnned routes," I said, already formuting my strategy. "And any information on their combat specialties. Which disciples use what techniques, which elders have what weaknesses."

  Lin nodded. "I can provide that, though I don't know all the inner disciples' techniques."

  "Learn them," I commanded. "You have seven days."

  I reached into my storage pouch and produced another jade bottle containing two more of the Qi Enhancement Pills. "Take these with you. Use them only in private, and only if absolutely necessary to advance your cultivation before the hunt. They will help you access restricted information."

  And provide me with the entertaining knowledge that she would be struggling with the same effects again, probably desperately trying to replicate what my hands had done for her.

  Her eyes fixed on the bottle with a mixture of desire and trepidation. "The... side effects..."

  "Will be the same," I confirmed, enjoying her discomfort. "Consider it motivation to master the relief techniques I taught you."

  I pced the bottle in her hand, then caught her wrist as she tried to withdraw. "Your cultivation will continue to advance rapidly if you remain a good pet," I told her, my voice dropping to a silky hiss. "Serve me well during this hunt, and I'll craft pills that will take you to Foundation Establishment... perhaps even beyond."

  And I'll enjoy watching you squirm through every step of the process, I added silently. The mixture of power, pleasure, and control was intoxicating—a pale echo of what I'd once commanded as a Divine Emperor, but satisfying nonetheless.

  The naked ambition that fshed across her face confirmed what I'd already suspected—Lin would betray anyone, endure anything, for cultivation advancement. It was the universal currency of this world, more valuable than gold or status.

  "I understand, Great Spirit Lord," she said, tucking the bottle into her own storage pouch. "I won't fail you."

  "See that you don't," I replied, releasing her wrist. "Return in three days with the maps and whatever information you've gathered. More herbs would also be appreciated—particurly those on this new list."

  I handed her a scroll containing a detailed list of ingredients for my next round of pill-making. Many were common, but a few would require significant effort to acquire. A test of her resourcefulness and dedication.

  And at the very bottom, carefully specified, were the precise components I needed for a more complete transformation pill. One that would give me not just hands, but all the anatomical details I so desperately missed. I had pns for that particur appendage once it was restored—pns that involved seeing just how far Lin's dedication to cultivation advancement would take her.

  "Is there anything else you require, Great Spirit Lord?" she asked, rising to her feet with only a slight wobble.

  I considered the question, then smiled slowly, revealing fangs that remained impressively sharp even in my transformed state.

  "Just one thing," I said, leaning down until our faces were inches apart. "When this is over—when I've consumed Chen's cultivation and dealt with the elders—I may consider advancing to a different form. One with... additional appendages you might find more interesting than hands."

  Her face went scarlet, her imagination clearly filling in the details I'd left unspoken.

  "Until then," I continued, flicking my tongue against her cheek one more time, "remember to whom you belong, little cultivator. Your fortunes rise and fall with my pleasure."

  And perhaps other things will rise and fall with my pleasure as well, once I regain what's rightfully mine, I added silently, savoring the taste of her skin one st time.

  She nodded jerkily, then backed away, bowing deeply before turning to leave the clearing.

  As she disappeared into the forest, I allowed my transformation to fade, returning to my full serpentine form. The hunt was approaching rapidly, and I needed to conserve my resources. The next time I assumed a humanoid form, it would be to feast on the cultivation bases of those foolish enough to enter my territory uninvited.

  And after that... well, I had other appetites to satisfy. Appetites that had been denied for far too long.

  "Seven days," I thought as I coiled around my treasures, already pnning my next moves. "Seven days until the feast begins."

  The cultivation world had forgotten what it meant to face a Divine Emperor. It was time for a reminder, delivered one crushed elder at a time.

  Let them come. The hunter would become the hunted. The predator would become the prey.

  And I would be one step closer to reciming my rightful pce among the divines—complete with all the power, glory, and carnal pleasures that were my due as an Emperor of Heaven and Earth.