By the time the sun neared its zenith, Yin Shiren had finally awoken.
Since arriving in this world, this was the first proper sleep Yin Shiren had taken—six full hours of undisturbed rest.
He and Yan Wushuang had only retired to bed in the early morning.
Yin Shiren had indulged himself the entire night.
Ever since coming to this world, an immense weight had pressed upon his heart.
After all, Yin Shiren had originally been an ordinary man, suddenly thrust into the perilous world of Pili Puppetry.
And from the very beginning, he had been forced to confront terrifying beings like the Grand Academician. It was no wonder his heart had been so burdened.
Thus, given the chance to indulge, Yin Shiren had seized it without restraint.
However, while he himself felt no regrets, the same could not be said for the woman beside him.
Yan Wushuang lay deep in slumber, tear stains still fresh upon her cheeks.
Gazing at her exhausted form, Yin Shiren's eyes softened with tenderness.
After all, Yan Wushuang was the first woman he had known in both this life and the last.
Naturally, he was also her first man.
Though she was the premier courtesan of the Heartless Pavilion, she had always sold her talents, not her body—remaining untouched until now.
And when Yin Shiren recalled her original fate—to become a lonely widow—he decided it was far better for her to stay by his side.
In the original tale, Yan Wushuang had married Chi Zixin, the young master of Hundred Strategies City, also known as Guigu Yan.
But Guigu Yan's luck had not been strong enough to survive the chaos of the martial world.
Not even his status as the heir of Hundred Strategies City, nor his relation to the Northern Tyrant Whale Tides, had saved him.
Having made his decision, Yin Shiren's gaze upon Yan Wushuang grew even more tender.
He reached out, gently brushing away the tear stains on her face.
"Hmm…?" Yin Shiren murmured.
But as his fingers traced her skin, he noticed something peculiar—
Yan Wushuang's complexion had become smoother, softer, more delicate, and even more supple.
In short, her skin had improved dramatically.
And Yin Shiren was certain this was no illusion.
After all, he possessed the medical expertise of Medicine Tathāgata, granting him acute sensitivity to the subtlest changes in a person's vitality.
Moreover, after a night of exertion, he had memorized every inch of her skin's texture.
Curious, Yin Shiren slowly pulled back the covers, examining the rest of her body for similar changes, his fingers confirming what his eyes observed.
Yet as his hand glided over her, Yan Wushuang unconsciously let out a murmur.
"Young Master… please, no more… this servant is still exhausted," Yan Wushuang pleaded.
Stirred by his touch, Yan Wushuang lazily opened her eyes.
Her gaze was half-reproachful, half-seductive—an intoxicating mix of rebuke and allure.
At the sight, Yin Shiren immediately rolled atop her.
An hour later, Yan Wushuang lay nestled in his arms.
"Does the Young Master… think this servant is a loose woman?" Yan Wushuang asked.
Her voice carried a trace of insecurity.
Despite her background in the pleasure quarters, Yan Wushuang feared Yin Shiren might look down on her—even though she had never sold her body.
"Of course not. I know my own charm," Yin Shiren replied.
Yin Shiren lifted her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes.
Then, with a teasing lilt, he added, "If you had not reacted this way, I would have worried my appeal was fading."
"Young Master is wicked! Wushuang won't speak to you anymore!" Yan Wushuang exclaimed.
She made it as if to rise, but Yin Shiren caught her wrist, holding her in place.
"No, Young Master… this servant truly cannot endure any more," Yan Wushuang protested.
Though her face flushed with indignation, a flicker of fear also surfaced in her eyes.
Yan Wushuang was genuinely afraid of him now.
"This servant needs to bathe… and arrange a meal," Yan Wushuang offered.
She hastily offered an excuse.
"Fine," Yin Shiren agreed.
Yin Shiren released her.
As she left the bed, Yan Wushuang gathered her discarded robes, dressing slowly before him.
The sight left his throat dry.
"Prepare the bathwater. I will join you," Yin Shiren declared.
His sudden declaration made her freeze.
Taking one look at his expression, Yan Wushuang understood his intentions perfectly.
"Young Master?!" Yan Wushuang gasped.
With a stomp of her foot, she hurriedly fled the room.
If she stayed any longer, she knew she wouldn't escape.
Alone again, Yin Shiren returned to his earlier question—
Why had Yan Wushuang's skin undergone such a transformation overnight?
Now, at last, he had the time to ponder it.
Yet without her here for closer inspection, he could not pinpoint the cause.
A moment later, he summoned his system panel.
To his surprise, new messages had appeared.
Ding. The system has detected the Power of Creation. Commencing absorption.
Ding. The Equivalent Exchange System's energy has recovered by 1%.
Ding. Mission issued: The System's Request.
Mission Details: To grant the host a physical form, the system expended all its energy. The host must now gather energy to fully restore the system's functions.
Rewards: Distributed every 5% progress. Specific rewards unknown.
Staring at the three notifications, Yin Shiren fell into thought.
Now he knew—his system was called the Equivalent Exchange System.
And judging by the fact that absorbing the mysterious Power of Creation had only restored 1% of its energy, the system was clearly starved for power.
Moreover, it seemed to require this Power of Creation to recover.
But where did this energy come from?
Yin Shiren carefully checked the timestamp of the system's absorption.
"This…" Yin Shiren muttered.
The moment he saw it, his heart jolted.
"So that is how it is," Yin Shiren concluded.
Now, he had a rough idea of why the Power of Creation had suddenly manifested within him.
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