(MC POV)

The next morning, things were mostly back to normal. It was just after lunch time and we all had a satisfying meal of rice topped with grilled steak.

??

Right now, we were taking a short break after our meal.

"Master, could we learn spells too?" Lian Li asked.

Ah ever the studious one, she is.

"Umu… I could teach you all, but I think there's enough on your plates for now. Spells are really inefficient for Practitioners after all."

Eris pulled at my sleeve, "Master… May this one humbly inquire if this one is a Witch?"

I patted her head, "Mmm… No, you do not have a Mana Core Eris. But you don't need to worry about that."

Eris nodded meekly under my head patting.

Manami tapped her chin, "Master, I still do not understand. If a Practitioner trains long enough, shouldn't their Spells be just as good as Witches?"

"Unfortunately, it isn't as simple as that. You see, it's not a matter of proficiency, it's the matter about the source itself."

Lian Li tilted her head, "The source? Is Mana different from Elemental Quarks?"

"Technically, yes. Mana is an energy that Witches generate within themselves naturally. Their Mana Core can be similarly improved like a Cultivation Point but the Mana is used to influence the Elemental Quarks to do their bidding unlike Practitioners who directly manipulate said quarks within their Cultivation Point."

Manami sat straighter in her seat, "But doesn't that mean that Witches can learn how to manipulate quarks through their Mana? If Mana can be used to influence Elemental Quarks, they should be able to circulate their Mana like how Practitioners circulate quarks right?"

"Very good question, no one has yet to confirm the answer to this date but I managed to come up with a theory after learning how Spells work."

I picked up my tea cup, holding it from the bottom with a hand.

"I have used the imagery of a bowl filled with water for a Practitioner's Cultivation Point for our lessons and this imagery holds true. The water inside the bowl are the Practitioner's innate quarks which they will circulate when attempting to materialise something."

I began to swirl the tea cup at a speed that leaves the water just below the edge.

"Once they have obtained the necessary image, element and target, the Practitioner releases the circulated quarks towards the body part they wish to materialise from."

I sped up the speed I was swirling the cup, letting a quarter of the water to spill out of the cup, hovering in the air.

"The gathered quarks will then materialise as the Practitioner intended, affecting the material world."

I released my hold to let the blob of water splash onto the table.

"As for Mana Cores, you can liken them to water wells where the water stored inside it is their mana. You need a bucket to draw up the water similar to how Witches need Spells to draw out their mana. Both are long processes but the water they draw up is greater in quantity than what a Practitioner can swirl out from a bowl."

I dried the wet spot with a wave of my hand before taking a sip of my tea.

"If a Practitioner tries to attempt a Spell, it would be like removing the well's bucket and replacing it with a small bowl. We can still materialise the spell but it won't be anywhere as good as what a proficient Witch can do. But Witches can't use Cultivation Techniques because you cannot swirl the water in a well. At least, that's what I theorize."

My girls nodded in understanding.

Actually, what I said was a half-lie. I have already confirmed this 'theory' as fact after being the test subject of that Matriarch for those years. I was the one who made a study of it and even recorded my findings down for her.

Well… Considering that I've came back to the past and the study has yet to be officially done, I guess it's still just a theory for now.

A very accurate theory that is.

"But Cai Hong thinks Papa looked very cool when doing 'Spwells'!" Cai Hong exclaimed on my lap.

I patted her head, making her purr comfortably.

"Mmm, I agree with Cai Hong. Master looked really enchanting back then," Lian Li praised, leaning towards me.

Manami mimicked her action, "Fufufu~ I wouldn't mind Master showing us more of his spells~"

"Likewise…" Eris agreed.

But of course, something just had to ruin the moment.

"You damn poser! Come out here and face me!" A voice shouted from outside my courtyard.

Since my courtyard was the only one around this area, there was no doubt that the person was shouting for me.

"Mmm… I should go check what he wants then," I sighed, lifting Cai Hong off my lap.

Cai Hong reached out her arms towards me, "Muuu! Papa don't go! Ignore mean boy! Cai Hong wants huggies!"

"Master, I concur," Manami nodded. "Such a rude person should not be entertained."

Lian Li joined in, "Master, let us go instead. We'll tell him not to bother us."

I stood up from the table despite their protests, "It's alright, I'll just see what he wants since he came all the way here after all."

"Papa, huggies…" Cai Hong pleaded, reaching out for me.

I relented to her cuteness, picking her up in my arms to let her wrap her arms around my neck.

"Mmm… Why don't you girls prepare for the lesson while I'm gone?"

The girls nodded their heads in assent, leaving me to see who the visitor was with Cai Hong hanging on my neck.

"Have you no guts?! I said come out here and face me you--"

I pulled open the doors to my courtyard, stepping out to see that Feng Xian fellow shouting while waving a trident halberd in his hands.

"What do you want?" I asked, turning Cai Hong away so she doesn't get terrified of this guy's angry face.

"What do I want?! You damn well know what you did! After Diao Chan visited you yesterday, she has locked herself inside her room refusing to come out!"

I raised my eyebrow at him, "Why do you assume that I'm the one that caused this? She could just be tired of seeing your face."

"You ingrate! It must be you! Why else would she do this right after coming back from your place?! I knew you were trash the moment I saw you! Using your position to take advantage of her like that!"

I rolled my eyes, what is with people and assuming that girls are only there for men to take advantage of? Like as if you could go far in life just by doing that, I mean just look at those two idiots who tried to touch my disciples, they got their manhood crippled didn't they?

It's like every other male in this kind of world only has a brain in their smaller head.

I wonder how those two idiots are doing now though?

"Papa… Bad man?" Cai Hong asked.

I patted her head to comfort her, she was probably thinking Feng Xian to be a scary person.

Turning back to him once Cai Hong quieted down, I asked, "So did you actually ask her what the problem was or did you just assume I was the problem?"

"Ha? The fact that she became like that is evident enough it was because of you!" He accused, pointing his halberd at me.

Cai Hong's grip tightened, no doubt scared of his raised voice.

I looked down at his weapon, "I suggest that you stop with your incessant shouting… And not to point that thing at me."

He inched the blade closer to me, "Or what?"

I shrugged, making sure my grip on Cai Hong was secure before smacking the blade away with the back of my free hand.

He lost his footing from the sudden jerk of his weapon, stumbling towards me.

I grabbed his head with my free hand and introduced his face to my left knee.

I released my grip on him and let him tumble backwards from the force.

Dropping to a half crouch, I shot my lightning-infused palm forward towards his chest, sending him flying into the air and crashing a distance away.

Well, I guess that should knock him out for a few hours at least.

It's quite a big deal to threaten a senior around here so what I did was not unwarranted. In fact, people would feel that it was weird if I didn't punish him in some way.

What happened to my 'benevolent' appearance?

The fact that he's not crippled is benevolent enough ok? Anyway, no one's here to witness this and as much as it feels scummy to say this, but the Sect will choose to believe my words over this guy's anyway.

But still, I should go and check out that Diao Chan girl, it wouldn't do anyone good if she got traumatised by me and decided to lock herself in her own room for the rest of her life.

Wasting Sect resources and all that.

Hai… Why are all these problems being pushed to me?