Is my luck really this good?
If I had this kind of fortune in my old world… no, this is better. Remember—thank the heavens, not curse them.
Shi Yang set his cup down and glanced at hi—no, her.
Xiu Mei smiled at him, her lips curving into something deceptively pure.
"So… that friend of yours back at the market," she asked slyly, "is he truly your dual cultivation partner?"
Her fingers pressed harder against his hand, pressure building with every heartbeat. The silence grew heavy. D- Did I just say I had good luck? He laughed inwardly, scrambling for an excuse that might satisfy a girl like her.
"There are reasons I can't discuss that with you right now," he murmured, wincing at the ache in his hand. "Instead, I want you to focus on the third inheritance—and the City Lord's tournament."
"I feel like something fishy is afoot in this city, but I can't tell if it's tied to the Tide Sect… or something entirely unrelated."
His words were half-truths, lies wrapped in just enough honesty to sound convincing.
Xiu Mei's eyes widened, as if remembering something. "That's right…" she murmured, glancing around before leaning closer. "I think I know where the tournament will be held."
She recounted how she'd discovered the cave through the stone map. But one piece of the stone was missing—something that had haunted her for years. Still, from the fragments she possessed, she had uncovered that the final section depicted the Eastern Sea.
"What does that have to do with the stone?" Shi Yang asked. Then suddenly, a thought sparked. "Wait… did the stone resonate with its missing pieces here?"
She pulled back and gave a small nod, falling silent as people passed nearby. Instead, she picked up her chopsticks and began eating.
Shi Yang's thoughts wandered as he chewed slowly. If the map pointed to the Eastern Sea, and Xiu Mei sensed a pull from the missing fragment within this city—likely hidden in the City Lord's manor—then perhaps the City Lord himself knew of the Tide Sect. Perhaps he intended to use the contestants as pawns, testing them as lab rats to retrieve what he wanted.
But it might not be that simple.
He remembered the rumors that had drawn him to this path: jade beauties slumbering beneath the waves, the ruins of a great clan seated at the ocean's floor, its barrier formations weakening by the year.
Is that another remnant cave?
Shi Yang lowered his gaze, picked up his utensils, and took a bite of meat from his bowl. The flavor lingered richly on his tongue. This world truly is interesting, he thought to himself, savoring both the taste and the knowledge placed before him.
But knowledge alone meant little without power. Right now, there was only one path to grow stronger quickly. He lifted a thick cut of pork, savoring its aroma, then offered it across the table.
"Mmm. Little Xiu, try this."
Xiu Mei leaned forward, taking the bite directly from his chopsticks. Her lips brushed against them softly, her eyes never leaving his. "Not bad," she said with a teasing lilt.
Shi Yang chuckled, emboldened. "Tell me… how would you feel if I asked you to share a herbal bath with me?"
Her smile sharpened. "Why? Haven't you already done that with your dual cultivation partner?"
Shi Yang shook his head firmly. "No. I haven't."
"Then sure," Xiu Mei said at once, a glint of challenge in her eyes. "Let's share a bath afterwards." Her smile curved into something triumphant.
The meal wound down in a quiet, simmering tension that neither of them voiced. Shi Yang ate steadily, while Xiu Mei clung to his arm with a softness that contrasted the sharp glint in her eyes whenever she caught him sneaking a glance at her. She was smiling, but there was weight behind her thoughts.
When they finally left the restaurant, the night air greeted them with a cool breeze carrying faint traces of incense and lantern smoke. The streets of the city were alive with chatter, merchants still hawking trinkets under paper lanterns, yet the two walked in silence—an odd, unspoken anticipation stretching between them.
By the time they returned to the White Lotus Pavilion, the corridors were hushed, its courtyards lit only by the pale glow of moonlight against the white-tiled roofs. Shi Yang led her to his room, sliding the door open with a quiet creak.
Xiu Mei stepped inside and glanced around. The room was simple but orderly—his sword rested by the wall, scrolls neatly stacked on the desk, and the faint musk of lingering bodily fluids from his last bout of cultivation hung in the air. Her hand brushed across a damp spot on the desk. She lifted her fingers, playing idly with the sticky residue, before turning back to him, brows furrowed with curiosity.
"Tell me," she asked at last, voice calm but edged with intent, "why did you ask about sharing a bath?"
Shi Yang hesitated, weighing his words, before speaking evenly. "I've recently picked up a cultivation technique. It allows me to absorb impurities from sweat and refine them into strength. That's part of why I sought a dual cultivation partner."
He stepped closer, eyes narrowing slightly. He wasn't blind to her jealousy—whether it came from past misunderstandings or feelings that had taken root through obsession, he couldn't say. But it was clear she was unsettled by the thought of another woman in his life.
"Recently, I've realized something more," he continued. "If I enter a steaming bath with the right partner, the effect multiplies. If my method is correct, I can advance faster, temper my body further, and push beyond my limits."
His gaze lingered on her, waiting for her response.
Xiu Mei blinked, tilting her head as a faint smile curved her lips. Rather than mocking him, she looked intrigued. "So that's it… greedy and ambitious as always." She exhaled slowly, amusement fading into seriousness. "But hear me clearly—I'm only considering this because you're special to me. I am not… a loose woman."
Her eyes locked onto his, daring him to take her lightly.
Then, after a steadying breath, her composure softened. "This world is dangerous, Shi Yang," she murmured, her tone quieter now, tinged with something vulnerable. "There were times I thought my life would end before I ever met you. Yet here I am… alive, and standing beside you."
Her eyes shimmered as she continued, "With your explanation, I finally understand why you're in the relationship you're in…" A strange light flickered within her pupils—the instant of the ocean swirling, as her eyes lit with water Qi, manifesting the illusion of two four-eyed fish swimming across her gaze.
Shi Yang's breath caught, his body instinctively stepping back. This… this is elemental-infused Qi? His thoughts raced. She's not in the middle Refinement Realm at all—she's at the peak of late stage! Just a single step shy of Foundation. To have already fused her Dao into her natural meridian flow… truly blessed by the heavens. She's surpassed even the original Shi Yang.
But Xiu Mei mistook his reaction for hesitation, smiling softly as if he were merely overwhelmed. "So," she said, voice gentle but sharp in its clarity, "you marly combined testing a new technique with your own… physical loneliness. Naturally, you sought someone after all these year, who aligned closely with your female taste."
She stepped closer, fingers brushing against his collar. Slowly, she gripped it, pulling herself up to press her lips against his. The kiss was tentative at first, warm, lingering. When she drew back, her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes glimmered with nervous resolve.
"I won't hold it against you," she whispered, her breath mixing with his. Shi Yang said nothing about her unspoken comparison to Han Jie, but she leaned in anyway, whispering, "I'm here now."
Her face grew hotter, but her words were steady. "I'll gladly take on your techniques. All I want… is to leave behind something you can always remember. So forgive me—for being selfish."
Her hands trembled as she reached for the ties of her robe, loosening the fabric. The outer layer slipped from her shoulders, baring pale skin beneath. Her gaze never left his, unwavering even as her body flushed with heat.
"Uncle Shi…" Her voice cracked slightly before she steadied herself. "Make me a woman… before we enter that bath."