[The Grimoire of Eve (Divine)]
Keith just stared at the information for a good few seconds, and he did not know what to think of anymore.
Never in his life did he think that he would feel envious of someone, much less his own daughter, but it happened, and all he could do was just sigh and suck up the fact that Venessa doted on Minami much more than him.
On the side, both Kashish and Minami were reading the details of the Noverian Nine Spring Deer on the page of their Grimoire, and they were quite happy that the magical beasts were very talented.
A moment later, a ray of light escaped the Grimoire, taking the form of the stag, and his daughter smiled at the beast who bowed to her to say thank you for giving them a beautiful home.
"You're welcome!" She gently caressed its head and spoke to it before summoning it back inside her Grimoire, and then she happily turned to look at him. "We should go back. It's almost morning."
"Mhm." He nodded with a smile and then rushed back to the lake together with the two of them.
As soon as they neared their destination, Keith sensed a presence rush at them at an alarming speed, but since he was familiar with it, he just smiled.
Milo appeared out of nowhere in Minami's arms, and she started talking to it, asking it why it was up so early.
"I will take you with me this time." She promised when it complained to her, and the little cub cutely yelped before licking her hand.
A lot of people were already up when they arrived at their campsite, and Qingyue curiously looked their way but did not stop practising with her sabre.
However, Kiara teasingly jumped on his back and complained to him about why he only took Minami and Kashish out on a late-night walk.
"Since you had sensed us, why did you not join us?" He asked, and she planted a kiss on the cheek before smiling at him.
"You never asked me to come with you."
"Right." He chuckled.
"I was studying." She giggled and nibbled his cheek before immediately rushing away, fearing some retaliation. "What do you want for breakfast?"
"Anything." He simply said and then approached the cabin that belonged to Venessa.
"Master." Ginara, her maid, immediately bowed to him but then continued combing his mother's hair.
"Good morning." Venessa smiled at him when he approached the table and sat on it, grabbing her attention.
Keith looked into her eyes and curiously raised his brow.
"I see that you are already at the Peak of the First Martial Realm."
"I am." She nodded.
"How long will it be before you surpass me?"
His words made her smile, and even Ginara froze for a moment, deep in shock.
"A few years, but yes, it will happen." She admitted and meaningfully continued. "Unlike you, I will also not have to spend much time in my Second Desolation."
"I see."
Keith ran his mind and started piecing things together.
"You don't need the Elemental Spirits?"
Venessa did not answer him but just smiled at him.
"Are you jealous of Minami?" She knowingly asked, trying to pull his leg, and he played along by nodding his head.
"Very."
"Good."
Her reply caused him to raise his brow at her, and Ginara could not suppress her giggles.
"Behave."
"Sorry." The maid quickly apologised, but she was still trying her best to not look at him, fearing that she would end up laughing.
"Don't bully her." Venessa chastised him.
"She is mine to bully." He shrugged, causing the blue-eyed girl to blush at his words.
"And yet you haven't touched her." She smiled. "You can only bully her if you show her some love. You know, she really wants..."
"Mother!" Ginara panicked when she heard Venessa's words, and her face was red as a tomato right now.
"Go help your sisters with breakfast."
As a bird freed from her cage, she rushed out of the cabin after quickly bowing to her Masters.
"She's cute." Keith chuckled at her antics and then met Venessa's eyes again, which were of their enchanting red shade right now.
He felt an unknown suppression from her, and subconsciously, his eyes changed to match hers.
"No gifts for me?"
"Do you need gifts?" She asked, standing up from the chair and sitting on the table by his side.
"Yes."
"Really?" She smiled as she approached him and kissed him on his lips.
"Yes."
At his words, she nibbled his lower lip and then giggled.
"You don't." She met his eyes again and playfully, yet seriously said. "You are already blessed beyond envy, my Child."
Keith could not really refute her words, not even as a joke, so he just shrugged and accepted the truth.
"I suppose that's true."
He leaned in and captured her lips again, losing himself to her taste.
Venessa too was lost in him, and when their lips finally separated, they did not know how much time had passed.
"Here."
Keith curiously raised his brow when she handed him a Beast Ring, similar to the ones Leilah had gifted to Minami, Kiara, and Rebecca.
"It's just a ring or is there something inside it?" He asked as he accepted it, and watched her smile at him.
"You don't have a mount yet. I thought you would like to have one." She playfully said, successfully rousing his curiosity, and when he linked with the Beast Ring, he was surprised to see the Beast inside it.
"I will be using his sister as my mount for our time in the Lower Heaven." She informed him, and he could only smile at her words.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome." Venessa pecked him on his lips and then beckoned him out of the Cabin. "Go now, I need to unlock the second Sun."
"Oh." He surprisedly looked at her, and then something clicked in his mind. "It was always yours, wasn't it? The Nine Yang Divine Physique?"
"What makes you say so?" She curiously asked.
"Just a hunch." He said and watched her nod her head.
"Yes, it was always mine. I created it, but only half of it is with me now."
Even though he was already expecting the answer, the truth still shocked him to the core.
"The other half..." He was about to ask her when an image flashed in his mind.
"Rouxi has it." She smiled. "The Physique of Nine Divine Moons and Nine Divine Suns was created by me. Now it is divided into two halves, the Nine Yin Divine Physique and the Nine Yang Divine Physique."
"You can't merge them again?" He curiously asked.
"And kill my daughter for it?" She asked back, and he smiled at her.
"What are you going to do then?"
"I will create something new, and I will help Rouxi develop a Nine Yin and Nine Yang Physique." She shrugged as if it did not matter to her at all.
"And how would you do that?" He curiously asked.
"I have my ways." She grinned at him but refused to tell him her plans. "And you don't need to worry about Creating or Developing your Special Physique. Be grateful."
"I am." He laughed and then jumped off the table. "Will you be joining us at breakfast?"
"No." She shook her head and accepted his kiss. "Go now."
"Yes, yes." He smiled and then planted a kiss on her forehead before leaving her to her devices.
Once outside, he quickly walked to the side, where Qingyue was practising with her sabre and then summoned the Magical Beast that his mother had gifted to him.
A bright smile broke out on his face as he met the starry blue eyes of the black Stallion, which looked quite similar to a Zaverian Horse. But where those beautiful creatures were always in a uniform coat, this Magical Beast was entirely black, except for a white sword mark on its head, under its conical black horn.
It was lean in build, but his keen eyes could see the detailed muscles, which held the power that Zaverian Horses could only hope for. And then there was its long and lustrous straight black hair on its neck and tail that added to its beauty.
Even the Bloodline was superior. It was a Heaven-Grade Bloodline.
Keith remembered the day he and Rouxi were travelling through the Kunlun Mountains, heading to the Qin Sect, and how excited his dear wife had been when she expressed her desire to one day possess an Alkaynian Horse.
She believed these horses were the most beautiful wingless horses in existence, and as he looked at this beautiful creature, he could not deny it.
"Hey, boy..." He chuckled when the Beast approached him and sniffed him, and then lovingly planted a kiss on the white patch on its head.
He was terribly missing Rouxi, Feifei, and Roulan right now, but at the same time, he was very happy to receive this present from his mother.
"I will call you Anakin. It means the Light within the Darkness." He said and smiled as he sensed the Beast take a liking to the name. "Like it?"
Anakin proudly neighed in an answer, and even a passerby would have been able to tell that it was very happy.
"Keith..." He felt someone tug his shirt and turned around to smile at his wife.
"Yes, Yue?"
"What horse is this?" She asked, not taking her eyes off the beautiful Beast, and before he could answer, someone was already next to her, wearing a very bright smile.
"It's an Alkaynian Horse!" Kiara exclaimed and then happily ran her fingers through the Beast's hair.
"It's mine." Keith made it clear to her, and she pouted at him before planting a kiss on the Beast's head.
"You are beautiful." She told it before she happily brought out her two Black Zaverian Horses. "Let me introduce you to my friends..."
Pretty soon, the entire family was gathered around them, and every one of them was very eager to play with Anakin.
And some of them, who were unaware of what the Alkaynian Horses were, found themselves quite shocked at the respect the Proud Zaverian Horses were showing to this Magical Beast.