They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, the tranquility of the garden enveloping them.
“Senior Brother,” she began hesitantly, “I wanted to thank you again for your help. Not just today, but for always taking the time to assist me.”
He met her gaze. “It’s no trouble. We’re fellow disciples, after all. And you are the disciple of my Big Sis as well.”
She looked down at her teacup, tracing the rim with her finger. “Still, I appreciate it. You make me feel… capable.”
He gently patted her head. “You are capable, Wan Ling. You have a lot of potential.”
She glanced up, a hint of shyness hidden within her eyes. “It means a lot to hear you say that.”
He gently smiled at her words. “I’m just stating the truth.”
She took a deep breath, gathering her courage. “I very much like spending time with you, Senior Brother. Perhaps, after the competition, we could… spend more time together?”
He felt his eyes twitching at the similar request; nonetheless, looking at her hopeful expression, he gently patted her head. “I would like that as well.”
Her face brightened. “Really?”
He nodded. “Yes. I have a few locations I want to visit in the surrounding region as well.”
She nodded her head with a sweet smile. “That would be perfect.”
He chuckled. “Let’s make some plans after the competition ends.”
She looked at him thoughtfully. “You’re right, though. It’s easy to become consumed by training.”
They continued chatting, sharing stories and discussing their aspirations within the sect.
The conversation flowed effortlessly, and the afternoon sun cast a warm glow around them.
As the day began to wane, Wan Ling stood up. “I should probably let you go. I’m sure you have other things to take care of.”
He rose as well. “Time does fly. Thank you for the tea.”
She walked with him toward the mansion’s exit.
As they approached a small bridge over a koi pond, she stumbled slightly on an uneven stone.
Shen Yuan reacted swiftly, his hand reaching out to steady her. “Careful,” he said gently, his hand placed on her arm.
She looked up at him, her eyes meeting his.
For a moment, the world seemed to slow, the only sound the gentle ripple of water beneath them.
“Thank you,” she whispered, a soft blush tinting her cheeks.
He released her arm slowly. “You’re welcome.”
They continued walking, a subtle shift in the atmosphere between them.
At the gate, she turned to face him. “Take care, Senior Brother Shen Yuan.”
He nodded his head. “You too, Wan Ling. Don’t overwork yourself. And if you encounter any problem, don’t hesitate to approach me, whether it’s a problem with your cultivation or from outside the sect.”
She paused at his last line but soon smiled warmly. “I will. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight,” he replied.
As he made his way back to his own residence, the evening air grew colder and became refreshing.
He thought back on his time with Wan Ling, appreciating her earnestness and the ease of their conversation.
Yue Lan’s teasing voice echoed in his mind. [Got another in the bag, huh?]
He responded inwardly with a hint of amusement. “I don’t know what you are talking about.”
[It seems your circle of admirers is growing.]
He didn’t reply directly, but a slight smile played on his lips.
[Good, good. Keep growing your harem; it would be beneficial for you in the long run,] she continued. [Both personally and strategically.]
He tilted his head in confusion. “What do you mean by that?”
[Don’t worry about it for now; it’s still far in the future. You will get a surprise when you break through to the Transcending Tribulation Realm,] she said in a mysterious tone.
“Hmm… if you say so. But I would need a lot of time to reach that level.” He rubbed his chin while walking back towards his mansion.
[Tsk, you reached Origin Core Creation Realm from Foundation Establishment Realm in mere months! Freaking months. Others take years for that, and normal cultivators can’t even hope to achieve it in a decade. And you didn’t even focus on cultivation in this time; you reached this level passively.]
“…The clouds look really great today.”
[Forget you.]
“If it’s in your human form, sure.”
[…]
He soon reached his mansion and entered the garden, the soft glow of twilight lighting up the surroundings.
He stepped beneath the cherry blossom tree, its petals fluttering gently in the evening breeze.
“Another good day,” he thought to himself.
[So, will you talk with Shen Yuxin and the others about Wan Ling and Han Qingyu?]
“…Yes, not only that, I need to share a lot with them. And I also need to ask Mom if she has a Space Element Cultivation Technique.”
[Hmm… So you have decided to tell them about your Chaotic Vessel Physique?]
Shen Yuan sat down on the chair. “Indeed, if I want to cultivate multiple techniques, then I would need the help of everyone I can get to gather the best possible techniques. And who is better for that than Mom, who likely has a whole library filled with higher-level cultivation techniques?”
[So you have thought it through thoroughly, seems plausible as well. You can better explain your multiple attributes with that as well.]
“That’s the plan for now. I would need quite a bit of time and peace of mind to cultivate the Space Cultivation Technique if I manage to get my hands on it.” He leaned back on the chair and closed his eyes peacefully.
He sat there in silence for a few moments, enjoying the gentle breeze that rustled the cherry blossom petals above him.
[When do you plan on contacting them?] Yue Lan inquired.
He remained silent for a moment before replying, “Soon. Perhaps tonight. There’s no point in delaying it any further.”
[That’s wise. No point in delaying the inevitable.]
He stood up from his chair, stretching his limbs. “Let’s head inside. I need to prepare a message.”
Walking back into his mansion, he made his way to the study.
The room was adorned with bookshelves filled with ancient texts and scrolls.
“At least they give some random scrolls while giving the mansion,” he remarked, seeing the scrolls and books on the bookshelves.
[Those are not random; they have the history of the Eastern Desolate Continent, maps of the surrounding region, little details about the surrounding major powers…]
“Yeah, so as I said, random scrolls—not useless.”
[…]
“Hmm, I could have just sent them a message through the Harem Connect feature; no point in coming here.” He shook his head as he sat down on the chair with a plop, forgetting about the system feature after not using it for quite a while.
“Well, I can just message her with Harem Connect now,” he said before linking with Shen Yuxin and sending the message.
“Mom, there is something serious that I want to discuss with you. Please bring both Big Sisters when you come.”
Sending the message through Harem Connect, he leaned back in his chair.
[Feeling nervous?] Yue Lan teased.
He smirked lightly. “Not really. Just curious about how they’ll react.”
[Your mother will probably be pleased. As for your sisters, well, you know how both of them are.]
He chuckled. “Indeed.”