Shen Yuan’s face formed a smile. “Exactly. That’s your starting point. Once you master Lotus Spark, you’ll find controlling your furnace flame so much smoother. And from there, you can progress to Blossoming Inferno, then Petals of Precision—though that’s a ways off.”
Qingyu smiled in return, glancing briefly at the pill furnace, then back at him. “I’m ready to try it whenever you are.”
He rose, extending a hand to help her up. “All right, then. Let’s see the might of your new flame arts, Lady Alchemist. Show me just how steady your Qi flow can become.”
Blushing a bit at his playful tone, Qingyu stood. “You won’t be disappointed,” she said, her eyes speaking of her resolve.
Qingyu took a deep breath, letting the warmth of the Crimson Lotus Flame Art settle into her meridians.
She rolled her shoulders, blinked once or twice, then raised her hand. This time, when she summoned the flame, it emerged in a gentle swirl of embers—noticeably steadier and more refined than before.
Shen Yuan nodded approvingly. “Better already. Keep that flow nice and even.”
Qingyu concentrated. She guided the flame beneath the pill furnace once again, channeling the newly learned Lotus Spark technique to maintain a precise temperature.
Though a few flickers disturbed the flame’s surface, her confidence grew with each try.
First Attempt: The flame wavered halfway through the heating process, resulting in the herbs charring too quickly.
Second Attempt: Much closer—her Qi usage stabilized, but she misjudged the final infusion’s timing, leaving the mixture slightly under-refined.
Third Attempt: She managed a decent, though not flawless, Mortal-grade foundation pill. Its color looked a touch pale, but it was complete—and didn’t fail, which was a win in itself.
Qingyu withdrew the pill from the furnace with a mix of relief and mild dissatisfaction. “It’s serviceable,” she said quietly. “But far from ideal.”
Shen Yuan chuckled, moving closer. “Don’t fret. Given you only just began the Crimson Lotus Flame Art, I’d say this is excellent progress. If you keep refining your flame control, you’ll achieve a perfect concoction soon enough.”
She exhaled, brushing away a stray bit of ash from her sleeve. “I’d like to keep practicing, but we only have so many hours in a day before I need to go back for training. Plus, the Aurora Zone Competition is coming up, right?”
Shen Yuan’s eyes flashed. “That’s true—time is a limiting factor out here.” He paused, then snapped his fingers. “Why don’t we head inside my Dual Cultivation Chambers? If you hadn’t realized, the time there flows 30 times faster than the outside.”
Qingyu’s eyes lit up. “Oh yes, we can use that. Thirty times time dilation should be enough for me to practice.”
He nodded. “Exactly. We can spend a few months in there refining your foundational skills, and only a few days will have passed in the outside world. You can reach a solid Spirit-grade mastery—maybe even push past that—without missing any sect duties or the upcoming events.”
Her gaze flicked around the courtyard, then settled back on him, excitement plain on her face. “That’s… incredible. Yes, let’s do that. But are you sure we can just spend so long in there? What if others need you?”
Shen Yuan waved off the concern. “No urgent obligations for me right now. Mom and the others know I just finished a big cultivation session. If anything arises, they can still contact me through our harem connect feature. Otherwise, no one will notice we’re gone.”
Qingyu took a moment to consider, then gave a resolute nod. “Alright, I’m in. Why would I refuse to improve faster?”
“Good.” Shen Yuan turned toward a clear spot in the courtyard. A faint ripple of Qi spiraled outward, and the very air shimmered as though bending to his will.
Within seconds, a glowing portal appeared, swirling gently with golden-silver radiance. “We’ll go inside and practice for a few months. Ready?”
She strongly nodded her head and faced him with a determined expression. “Ready.”
Shen Yuan lightly touched her shoulder. Together, they stepped through the portal, vanishing into the bright swirl.
They emerged back in Shen Yuan’s cultivation room, with a large luxurious bed in the middle and a table on the side.
Shen Yuan stretched as soon as he came back. “Uhm~ Wasn’t expecting to come back here so soon.”
Han Qingyu giggled. “Hehe, you haven’t even been in the outside world for a day, and you’re back here already.”
Shen Yuan turned around and looked at her. “And whose fault is that, hmm?” His lips formed a playful smile.
Qingyu coughed and turned her head around. Shen Yuan smiled and took a step towards her, standing in front of her. “Don’t you think I deserve a little reward for this?”
Her cheeks flushed pink, and she quietly asked, “Wh-what do you want as a reward?”
He leaned forward and whispered softly beside her ear, his warm breath tickling her skin. “I’ll leave that up to you, my dear wife. Surprise me.”
Han Qingyu’s cheeks turned a deeper shade of crimson, and she reflexively stepped back a little, her gaze darting away. “Y-you’re always teasing me like this,” she murmured, though a small smile tugged at her lips.
Shen Yuan chuckled, closing the gap again. He reached out gently, tilting her chin so their eyes met. “Only because I love seeing you like this—flustered but still so graceful.”
Her lips parted slightly as she tried to respond, but the intensity in his gaze left her momentarily speechless. His thumb softly brushed her cheek, his touch feather-light yet electrifying.
“Qingyu,” he said in a low, soothing voice. “You’ve worked hard today. Let me help you relax.”
She blinked up at him, caught between her usual composure and the warmth building in her chest. “Brother Yuan… I-I’m fine, really. We should focus on practicing.”
He smiled, tilting his head. “Practicing is important, but so is taking a moment to breathe. Besides, I’d say this is part of bonding with my wife, wouldn’t you?”
Qingyu’s resolve faltered as she caught the playful yet sincere look in his eyes. She sighed softly, her shoulders relaxing. “Fine.”
Shen Yuan’s grin widened as he led her toward the luxurious bed in the center of the room.
The ambient glow of the chamber cast a warm, golden hue over them, adding to the intimate atmosphere. He guided her to sit at the edge of the bed before lowering himself beside her.
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Without breaking eye contact, he reached for her hands, cradling them in his. “You’ve been pushing yourself hard while I was in seclusion, and I admire that,” he said, his tone turning gentle. “But you don’t have to push yourself all the time.”
Her heart skipped a beat at his words. “Brother Yuan, how do you keep saying these sweet words?” she whispered with a sweet smile.
He chuckled, leaning closer. “That’s because I mean every word.”
The distance between them closed as his hand brushed against her cheek, cupping her face tenderly.
Qingyu felt her heart race as Shen Yuan’s hand cupped her cheek, his thumb gently caressing her soft skin.
She leaned into his touch, her eyes fluttering closed for a moment, savoring the warmth and tenderness of his gesture.