Marcus woke at noon.
His body was better. Much better than the previous mornings.
Xue Lian's "healing pill" had actually healed. Despite the aphrodisiac. Despite the trap.
Bruises remained. Bite marks covered his neck and chest. But the deep damage was gone.
He could move. Function. Think clearly.
Marcus sat up. Opened the system panel.
A notification flashed.
CONGRATULATIONS
Supreme Yang Physique Evolution Complete
Yang Physique → Supreme Yang Physique
New Capability Unlocked: Cultivation Eligible
Your physique can now gather and store spiritual energy.
Celestial Cauldron formed.
You may now walk the path of cultivation.
Marcus stared. Read it again. Then again.
Cultivation. He could cultivate now.
His Yang Physique had evolved past the threshold. Became something rare. Supreme grade.
The system said even heaven would be jealous.
Marcus opened the detailed description.
SUPREME YANG PHYSIQUE
Rarity: Mythical (One in ten billion)
Energy Affinity: Pure Yang (100%)
Cultivation Speed: 1000x normal mortal baseline
Dual Cultivation Efficiency: Maximum
Celestial Cauldron: Formed (Can store and refine spiritual energy)
Benefits:
- Breakthrough bottlenecks reduced by 90%
- Technique comprehension increased dramatically
- Natural resistance to Yin-based attacks
- Automatic energy purification
- Lifespan extended with each cultivation stage
Drawbacks:
- Requires constant energy circulation
- High resource consumption
- [LOCKED - Discover through experience]
Marcus read the drawbacks section. One was locked. Hidden.
He'd discover it through experience. Whatever that meant.
Probably nothing good. Nothing in this world came without a price.
But the benefits. The benefits were insane.
One thousand times normal cultivation speed. Bottlenecks reduced by ninety percent.
Mortals spent decades reaching Foundation Establishment. With this physique he could do it in months. Weeks maybe.
Golden Core in years instead of centuries.
Nascent Soul. Soul Formation. The highest realms. All possible now.
Marcus laughed. The sound was half-hysteria. Half-relief.
Finally. Finally some good fucking news.
He clenched his fist. Felt something different. Energy moving through his body. Faint. Weak. But real.
Spiritual energy. Qi. He could sense it now.
It flowed through the air. Through the walls. Through everything. Invisible to mortals. Clear to cultivators.
And now clear to him.
He tried to pull it in. The way he'd read about in cultivation novels. Breathe. Circulate. Absorb.
A thread entered his body. Thin. Fragile. It circulated once through channels he could barely sense. Then dispersed.
Gone.
He tried again. Same result.
No technique. No method. Just instinct. Didn't work.
He'd need a cultivation manual. Proper instruction. Resources.
But he could sense it. That was the first step. The impossible step most mortals never achieved.
You wait motherfuckers. Primordial Dao Sect. I'm coming for you. For Alex. For all of them.
Give me time. Give me resources. Give me Kama Points.
And I'll burn your sect to the ground.
Another notification appeared.
NEW OPTION UNLOCKED
Kama Points can now be used for:
- Cultivation resources
- Technique manuals
- Breakthrough assistance
Earning Kama Points has become critical priority.
Marcus grinned. Wide. Manic.
Everything was coming together. The chocolate business. The novel. Spreading joy to millions.
Point one Kama Points per person. Millions of people meant thousands of points.
Meant cultivation resources. Meant power. Meant freedom.
He stood. Walked to the bath. The grin never left his face.
---
The dining hall.
The head maid waited. Orange hair tied back. Grey eyes sharp as ever.
Marcus saw her. His body responded immediately.
Heat. Want. The urge to grab her. Pin her. Devour her.
What the fuck?
He pushed it down. Forced a neutral expression. Greeted her normally.
"Good afternoon."
She nodded. Served his food. Left.
Marcus exhaled. His hands shook slightly.
Why was he so horny? All of a sudden. Uncontrollably.
He ate quickly. Ignored the feeling. Focused on the food.
When he finished he left. Fast. Before the urge came back.
---
Outside Xuan Ao waited.
Saw Marcus. Rushed forward. Lifted him in a bear hug.
"Brother Lin Mo! You look better!"
Marcus groaned. "Put me down you're crushing me."
Xuan Ao laughed. Set him down. For the turtle folk Marcus was truly a brother now.
"How's the preparation going?"
"Everything's ready. Collected all ingredients. Rented a place in the eastern district. Hired three bakers. All waiting for you."
"Let's go."
Xuan Ao pulled out the flying disc. Marcus's gift. They flew east.
---
The eastern district was quieter. Less wealthy. More mortals than cultivators.
Narrow streets. Small shops. Street vendors selling roasted nuts. Fried dough. Simple foods for simple people.
They landed outside a small cottage. Two stories. Modest but clean. Red tile roof. Wooden walls that had seen better days but were solid.
A sign hung above the door. Freshly painted. "Cloudpeak Bakery - Closed for Private Contract."
Xuan Ao had rented the entire place. Kicked out the previous tenants. Paid them well enough they didn't complain.
Inside voices. Laughter. Chatter.
They entered.
The first floor was one large room. Ovens along the back wall. Work tables in the center. Shelves stacked with ingredients. Flour. Sugar. Salt. Milk.
Three people. One old man around sixty. Grey hair pulled back. Weathered face. Strong arms despite his age. A lifetime of kneading dough.
Two young women in their twenties. Sisters maybe. Similar features. One had her hair up. One down. Average looks. But good figures. Curves that drew the eye despite the simple baker's clothes.
Marcus's body responded immediately. Heat. Want. The urge to grab. To touch.
He gritted his teeth. Pushed it down. Hard.
Not now. Not here. Control yourself.
The three saw Xuan Ao. Bowed immediately.
"Captain Xuan."
Xuan Ao gestured to Marcus. "This is the real boss. Lin Mo. Everything we do here is his vision. His recipe. His business."
They turned. Saw Marcus. Human. Young. Maybe twenty-five at most. Mortal.
Surprise crossed their faces. Confusion. How could a mortal run a business backed by the Black Seal Trade Association?
But they'd signed on for the pay. Three times normal baker wages. Plus room and board. For one year of exclusive work.
They bowed. "Master Lin Mo."
Marcus waved his hand. "Don't be so formal. We're all working together. Just call me Lin Mo."
They relaxed slightly. The old man smiled. Good boss. Not arrogant. Rare.
"My name is Chen Wu." The old man introduced himself. "Been baking for forty years. Bread. Pastries. Cakes. If it goes in an oven I've made it."
The woman with hair up spoke next. "I'm Mei. This is my sister Ling." She gestured to the other. "We've worked in bakeries since we were children. Learned from our mother."
"Good." Marcus nodded. "Experience matters. This product is new. Different. But the techniques are similar."
He walked to the work tables. Inspected the equipment.
Everything was there. Exactly as he'd specified. Xuan Ao had done well.
Grinding stones. Mortar and pestle. Large mixing bowls. Molds carved from wood. Simple rectangular shapes.
Ovens for roasting. Racks for cooling. Storage jars. Measuring tools.
"Is all the baking equipment ready? As per my specifications?"
Chen Wu nodded. "Yes Master. Everything you listed. We also added some extras. Better knives. Finer sieves. We thought they might help."
"Good initiative." Marcus appreciated it. Workers who thought ahead were valuable.
"Before we start you all need to sign this."
Xuan Ao pulled out three jade contracts. Dao contracts. Binding on the soul level.
"Read carefully."
They took them. Read.
The terms were strict. Cannot disclose recipes to anyone. Cannot leave for one year. Cannot work for competitors for two years after contract ends. Severe penalties for breaking terms. Soul binding enforcement.
Standard non-compete. Standard NDA. Marcus had written hundreds of these on Earth.
The three read carefully. Chen Wu's lips moved as he parsed the legal language.
Mei looked worried. "This is... very strict Master Lin."
"It has to be." Marcus's voice was firm. "This product doesn't exist anywhere in the continent. Once we launch every merchant will try to copy it. The recipe is our only advantage. Our only protection."
Chen Wu nodded slowly. "Understandable. Secret recipes are valuable. My master beat me half to death when I tried to share his bread formula."
He pulled out a knife. Cut his finger. Let blood drop on the contract.
Light shimmered. Golden threads wrapped around the jade. The contract activated. Bound.
The two sisters hesitated. Looked at each other.
Then Ling spoke. "Three times wages. Room and board. For one year? We'd be fools to refuse."
They cut their fingers. Blood. Light. Binding.
Done.
Marcus stepped forward to the main work table. Laid out the velvet pods. Xuan Ao had bought fifty. Enough for testing.
"The product is called chocolate. Made from these. Velvet pods. You know them?"
Chen Wu picked one up. "Bird food. Exotic pet treats. Bitter. Terrible for humans."
"Processed correctly they're delicious. Revolutionary. Here's the method."
Marcus explained. Step by step. Drawing on memories from Earth. From factory tours. From cooking shows. From trial and error in his previous life's kitchen.
"First. Extract the seeds. Thirty to forty per pod. They look like this." He cracked one open. Showed the white pulp-covered beans inside.
"Second. Fermentation. Crucial step. Pile the seeds in wooden boxes. Cover with banana leaves or cloth. Let them sit for five to seven days. The pulp will break down. The beans will darken. They'll start to smell fruity. Slightly alcoholic."
Mei wrote notes. Fast efficient handwriting.
"Third. Drying. Spread the fermented beans in the sun. Turn them frequently. Three to five days until completely dry. They should rattle when shaken."
"Fourth. Roasting. This is where flavor develops. Low heat. Twenty to thirty minutes. You'll smell it. Sweet. Rich. Like nothing you've encountered before. Don't burn them. Burnt beans ruin everything."
Chen Wu nodded. Temperature control. He understood that intimately.
"Fifth. Winnowing. Remove the outer shells. You want just the inner nibs. Crush lightly. Blow away the husks. Traditional winnowing technique."
"Sixth. Grinding. This takes time. Grind the nibs to paste. The friction generates heat. The cocoa butter melts. It becomes liquid. Smooth. This is chocolate liquor. The base."
"Seventh. Mixing. Add sugar. Ratio is three parts chocolate liquor to one part sugar. Adjust to taste. Add condensed milk. Ratio is two parts mixture to one part milk. This makes milk chocolate. Sweeter. More accessible."
"Eighth. Conching. Keep stirring the mixture. Hours. The friction smooths the texture. Develops flavor. Reduces bitterness. This is where good chocolate becomes great."
"Ninth. Tempering. Cool it slowly. Specific temperatures. Heat again. Cool again. This creates the snap. The shine. The professional finish."
"Tenth. Molding. Pour into molds while still liquid. Let it set. Cool. Harden. Then remove from molds."
Marcus finished. Looked at their faces.
Chen Wu was nodding. "Complicated. But logical. Each step has purpose."
Mei was still writing. "How long does the whole process take?"
"From pod to bar? Two weeks minimum. Most of that is fermentation and drying. The actual chocolate making is one day once you have processed beans."
"And the taste?"
Marcus smiled. "Unlike anything in this world. Sweet. Rich. Smooth. Addictive. Women especially will love it. But men too. Children. Everyone."
He showed them the mold design Xuan Ao had commissioned. Simple rectangular bars. Divided into segments. Easy to break and share.
"Each bar is four ounces. Sells for one low-grade spirit coin. Affordable for wealthy mortals. Cheap for cultivators. High volume low margin."
Chen Wu calculated mentally. "If we make a hundred bars a day. That's a hundred spirit coins. Three thousand a month."
"We'll make more than a hundred. Once you perfect the recipe we'll expand. Hire more workers. Get more ovens. Scale up."
He looked at all three. "I'll check your progress in two days. First batch will probably fail. Second too. Don't worry. I budgeted for waste. Learn. Experiment. Taste as you go. Any questions?"
Ling raised her hand. "What if we accidentally discover a better recipe? Improvements?"
"Tell me immediately. We'll test it. If it works I'll pay bonuses. Innovation is valuable."
They smiled. Good boss. Fair boss.
Marcus and Xuan Ao left.
Outside Marcus turned. "Meet me in two days. Same time. I have other work to finish first."
"The novel?"
"Yes. I need to finish it. Fast."
Xuan Ao nodded. Flew him back to the mansion.
---
Marcus's room.
He sat at the desk. Stared at the pages he'd already written.
Twenty chapters done. About eighty pages. A quarter of the way through.
He picked up the pen. Started writing.
Chapter twenty-one. The forbidden kiss.
Chapter twenty-two. The scandal revealed.
Words flowed. Hours passed. The story poured out.
Night fell. Marcus kept writing.
His hand cramped. He switched hands. Kept going.
Dinner came. He ate quickly. Returned to writing.
More chapters. More words. The lovers' conflict. The family's rage. The impossible choice.
Marcus wrote until his vision blurred. Until the lamp oil ran low.
He set the pen down. Stretched.
Looked at the pages. Forty chapters done. Halfway there.
Two more days of this and he'd finish the first volume.
He stood. Stumbled to bed.
Lay down. Closed his eyes.
But sleep wouldn't come.
His body was restless. Agitated. Something was missing.
An itch he couldn't scratch. A hunger that had nothing to do with food.
He needed... something. Someone.
The head maid's image flashed through his mind. Her curves. Her lips. Her body pressed against his.
No. No. Stop it.
He tried to push it away. Focus on sleep. Think about the business. The novel. Cultivation. Anything else.
But the need grew stronger. Urgent. Overwhelming.
Physical. Chemical. Like withdrawal from a drug.
Marcus lay there. Fighting it. Gritting his teeth. Fists clenched in the sheets.
One hour passed. Two.
Midnight came.
He was sweating. His heart raced. His body ached with need.
This wasn't normal. This wasn't him.
What was happening?
The Supreme Yang Physique. The locked drawback. The one he'd discover through experience.
This was it.
Increased libido. Constant need. The body demanding what it had been trained to crave through dual cultivation.
Three nights with Xue Lian. Three nights of intense stimulation. Of pleasure and pain mixed until they were inseparable.
His body had adapted. Become dependent.
Addiction. Physical and psychological.
And now she was gone. A week away. Maybe more.
His body didn't care. His body wanted. Needed. Craved.
Marcus's hand moved. Grabbed himself. Stroked.
Relief. Brief. Temporary.
He tried to stop. Couldn't. His hand kept moving. Faster. Desperate.
He came. The release was hollow. Empty. Like scratching the itch made it worse.
The craving remained. Deeper. Stronger than before.
Marcus lay there panting. Disgusted with himself.
This is pathetic. You're pathetic. Control yourself.
But he couldn't.
Five minutes later the need was back. Worse. Insistent.
He tried again. Same result. Empty relief. Growing desperation.
Marcus didn't know why this was happening. Didn't understand the full scope.
But part of him did. The part that had studied the system. The part that remembered the warning.
Supreme Yang Physique. Drawback: High resource consumption.
Resources didn't just mean money. Didn't just mean pills.
It meant Yin energy. The balance to his Yang. The energy he'd been absorbing through dual cultivation.
His body had evolved to need it. Require it. Like air. Like water.
And without Xue Lian he had no source.
Marcus stood. Quiet. Careful. Each movement deliberate.
Walked to the door. Opened it slowly. No creak.
The hallway was dark. Empty. Everyone asleep.
Servants' quarters were in the west wing. The head maid had a private room. Larger than the others. Privilege of rank.
He moved toward it. Silent. Like a ghost. Bare feet on cold stone.
His mind screamed. Turn back. This is wrong. This is a line you don't cross.
But his body kept moving. Driven by need he couldn't control.
His hand still stroking. Keeping the edge off. Barely.
Just a peek. Just to see her sleeping. That's all. Just to calm this fucking need.
That's all.
He reached her door. Pressed his ear against it.
Heard breathing. Deep. Steady. Rhythmic. She was asleep.
Marcus's hand was on the handle.
One turn. That's all it would take.
He stood there. In the darkness. At the edge of a line he'd sworn never to cross.
The person he'd been on Earth would walk away. Would fight this. Would win through willpower and discipline.
But that person was corroding. Piece by piece. Night by night. Decision by decision.
The darkness inside was winning.
Marcus could feel it. The slow surrender. The quiet acceptance of what he was becoming.
Not Marcus Rhineheart. Billionaire. Genius. Man of principle.
Just Marcus. Slave. Addict. Thing that craved what hurt him.
His hand turned the handle. Slowly. The mechanism was well-oiled. Silent.
The door opened.
Moonlight from her window cast silver across the room.
He saw her.
Orange hair spread across the pillow. Grey eyes closed. Peaceful expression. Blanket pulled up to her shoulders.
Beautiful. Vulnerable. Unaware.
Marcus stepped inside. The door closed behind him with a soft click.
He stood there. Watching her breathe. His body screaming. His mind fracturing.
The line was crossed. There was no going back.
Tomorrow he'd hate himself. Tomorrow he'd swear to be better.
But tonight. In the darkness. With the addiction burning through his veins.
Tonight he was just the thing Xue Lian had created.
And he didn't have the strength to fight it anymore.