After returning to the City Lord’s Mansion, the three parted ways and headed back to their respective rooms.
Lying on his bed, Yan Zhen immediately entered the Crystal Stone Space. He presented the glutinous rice balls he’d secretly packed to bring back, along with a few appetizers and a jug of fine wine, to his beautiful master.
“Sorry, Master. I’m back late.”
Chen Xi said nothing. She picked up the bowl and scooped out a steaming, plump glutinous rice ball with the spoon, taking a small bite.
After tasting it, she held the spoon with the remaining large half of the rice ball toward Yan Zhen and smiled faintly.
“Eat this, and I’ll forgive you.”
Uh…
Yan Zhen didn’t mind an indirect kiss, but having his beautiful master bite into it first before handing it over felt a bit too deliberate.
He recalled an old wives’ tale from childhood: whoever’s spit you swallow, you’ll end up obeying them. Was his beautiful master giving this “disobedient” disciple of hers a subtle warning?
Yan Zhen suddenly understood. He obediently lowered his head and gulped down the large half of the rice ball. Then he lifted his little face, putting on his best “I’m super obedient” expression.
Those puppy-dog eyes of his struck Chen Xi right in the heart with a thousand percent critical hit. Any lingering annoyance she felt vanished into thin air.
“Come sit with your master and eat together, Zhen’er.”
“Okay~”
Though he’d already dual cultivated with his beautiful master, Yan Zhen wouldn’t let it go to his head. The saying went: one day as a master, a lifetime as a parent. He still held ten parts respect and ten parts affection for her.
This fit the protagonist persona perfectly, too.
In fact, Yan Zhen realized that in terms of personality, he was quite similar to the protagonist from the script.
It was very likely that the System had chosen him to play the lead because of that.
【Hehe, host’s overthinking it.】
—Hmph!
Ignoring the System, Yan Zhen focused on pouring wine for his beautiful master. But she leaned in close, sniffed lightly, and remarked in a bland tone:
“Zhen’er, there’s a faint scent of makeup on you. Whose is it?”
Hearing this, Yan Zhen inexplicably felt guilty, like a middle schooler caught sneaking around in a puppy love affair by his parents.
“Reporting to Master, I went out to play with Cousin Ruyu and little cousin Meng’er. It’s their scent.”
“Only your cousins?” Chen Xi’s eyes narrowed slightly, her tone still casual. “Not your cousins from the boys’ side?”
Yan Zhen swallowed hard.
“My relationship with those cousins isn’t great.”
“Oh?”
“I used to suppress them too harshly, so after I fell on hard times three years ago, they turned around and mocked me mercilessly. It’s not some deep grudge, but we’re not close anymore.”
“And what about your female cousins? Did they come flocking back now that Zhen’er has shown his exceptional talent again?”
“It’s not like that. They’re actually pretty nice. Meng’er even apologized to me, and Cousin Ruyu isn’t as fierce as she used to be.”
Chen Xi drained her cup, two flushes of pink blooming on her cheeks. She turned to face Yan Zhen directly.
“So, who’s better—your master, or them?”
Pinned by those clear eyes of his beautiful master, Yan Zhen perked up and answered without hesitation:
“Of course Master’s better! Master is the best—no one can compare!”
His voice rang out loud and clear.
Chen Xi’s heart bloomed with joy upon hearing it. The lingering sweet taste of wine in her mouth seemed even sweeter. A shallow smile returned to her lips.
“Really?”
Yan Zhen declared loudly:
“Absolutely true! They invited me out first, that’s the only reason I went. Otherwise, I’d planned to spend the whole day by Master’s side, cultivating diligently and making progress to repay all you’ve taught me!”
“Such a smooth talker.”
Chen Xi chided him playfully but said no more. She drank quietly, eating little of the food.
Yan Zhen breathed a sigh of relief and hurried to sit beside her, attending to her needs.
Once they finished eating, Chen Xi slowly rose to her feet and said:
“Zhen’er, let your master see the results of your training these past few months. Start with Tai Chi Shock.”
Huh? Even after such a touching speech, he still had to train?
Yan Zhen looked pitiful, but he braced himself and agreed.
First came Tai Chi Shock. Tough Yan Zhen had already mastered the subtle technique and Shock Vigor proficiently, he was still far below his beautiful master and was easily toyed with in the palm of her hand.
Next was Eight Extremes Explosion. Yan Zhen’s strongest output was Three Heavy Strikes, but she resolved it effortlessly, blocking his full-power punch with one hand.
Finally, they sparred with Fire Control. Yan Zhen wielded the Gold-Silver Fire to attack Chen Xi, but she turned the flames against him instead, scorching him until he yelped in pain.
After the thorough training session, Yan Zhen was utterly spent. He soaked in the large bath tub filled with medicinal broth, panting with his tongue lolling out like a dog.
Chen Xi stood behind him. She rolled up her wide sleeves, baring her snowy white wrist and jade-like hand. With a wooden ladle, she scooped up some medicinal broth and slowly poured it over his red, swollen areas. Her tender fingers brushed lightly across his skin, bringing him waves of gentle relief.
“It seems Zhen’er has mastered everything I’ve taught you quite well. Good job—that deserves praise.”
“Hehe, thank you for the compliment, Master~”
“But there’s one more thing. Have you practiced it with someone?”
“What else?”
Tai Chi Shock, Eight Extremes Explosion, Emperor Flame Technique, and Gold-Silver Fire—that covered Fire Control. That was everything.
Technique Refining? He hadn’t even started that.
He could begin learning Technique Refining after advancing to Mystic Practitioner, but with the holidays, temple visits, and family gatherings, his time had been too fragmented for proper cultivation.
“It looks like you forgot, Zhen’er.”
Chen Xi set down the ladle. Her jade fingers pinched the knot of her sash and tugged gently.
Her black wide-sleeved robe lost its restraint, unable to contain her graceful, voluptuous figure—especially those excessively ample breasts. Freed, they bounced out like joyful rabbits, parting her collar wide before the robe slipped from her fragrant shoulders and pooled in layers on the floor.
Her face flushed slightly, a hint of longing in her eyes, though her voice remained calm as still water.
“…There’s still the Dual Cultivation Method for refining Extreme Flame that needs checking.”
What!?
Yan Zhen froze, his expression twisting comically. Dual cultivation had to be practiced and checked too? How did one even practice or check that?
In his daze, two milky-white arms wrapped around his neck from behind. At the same time, an unparalleled softness pressed tightly against him.
It was a sensation utterly different from usual—one only felt when skin met skin.
Yan Zhen quickly realized what it was, and his body went rigid. He didn’t dare move.
“Master?”
“Zhen’er, your cultivation has advanced quickly. I believe you could reach Mystic Scholar Realm within a year. At that point, you’ll need to refine another Extreme Flame to avoid hindering your progress. Naturally, you must fully master the Dual Cultivation Method before then. Have you practiced it with anyone, Zhen’er?”
Chen Xi still spoke in her authoritative master’s tone. Normally, Yan Zhen would listen intently, but right now—with his head sandwiched between two soft pillows—he could hardly focus.
“I-I haven’t. I forgot.”
“Hehe, then let your master practice it with you~”
A fiery hot body squeezed into the bath tub from behind him, soaking in the scalding medicinal broth. And so began the Secret Teaching.
