Chapter 203: Talks
In the blink of an eye, the day slipped away, and night quietly arrived. After Tianmei finished sharing her story, Lingluo followed with her own, and then Yu Xuan followed.
Yu Xuan had learned quite a lot about her that evening.
Ming Tianmei’s tale stood out. Her master, she explained, was a peculiar old man whose face was always obscured by a strange cloth — so strange, in fact, that no matter how she looked, she had never once glimpsed his true features. Despite that eccentricity, he had raised her with care, guiding her cultivation step by step.
Most importantly, he had passed on to her a technique unlike anything Yu Xuan had ever heard.
It was called "The Way of Heaven."
Though Ming Tianmei had known it before, but relearning it under her master’s guidance was an entirely new experience.
Her cultivation revolved around interpreting heavenly phenomena, weaving together strands of fate, destiny, karma, and all the unseen forces that threaded through existence. It was not limited to just the abstract concepts. Though not directly combat-oriented, the way she described it made her sound terrifying in battle.
Yu Xuan had to admit — it made sense. Someone who could read the undercurrents of fate itself could practically cheat their opponent. Knowing when or where your enemy would strike was no small thing.
He caught himself daydreaming about having such skills, then quickly reeled his thoughts back in. That was his greed talking. He already had his technique [The Everchanging Ascension Technique]. Greedily piling more onto it would not be a good idea.
After all, his ambition wasn’t simply to reach immortality. His goal was to be the strongest immortal. Once he reaches Core Formation, he had thought about expanding his technique.
Still, both he and Lingluo ended up scolding Tianmei for revealing her cultivation so openly. A unique path like hers should have been guarded fiercely. To that, Tianmei only smiled faintly and said,
"I trust you both."
Yu Xuan nearly teared up. Hearing those words from his first crush in the cultivation world (???) shook him to his very core. Was this it? Was it finally time for flowers to bloom? his ears rang, and for a moment he thought the heavens themselves were playing background music.
Lingluo followed proudly, revealing more of her unique Chaos Path. When his turn came, Yu Xuan spoke of his all-elemental affinity and how he had been taken under the Elemental Heaven Peak’s master.
Ming Tianmei feigned astonishment with practiced ease.
They were so engrossed in their exchanges that none of them noticed when the night fully descended. It wasn’t until their stomachs gave a collective growl that Lingluo announced she had already placed an order with UFC.
Right on cue, a knock came at the door.
"Perfect timing," Yu Xuan said, striding up to receive the food. Lingluo had already paid, so he returned with their meal.
The three of them ate peacefully, steam rising from the dishes, laughter punctuating bites. The warmth of shared food softened the sharp edges of the day’s battles, making the night feel impossibly cozy.
By the end, they had even made casual plans to stroll around town together the next day. Both Yu Xuan and Lingluo felt like they were forgetting something important... but if it was so easy to forget, surely it couldn’t matter that much.
Later, Yu Xuan bade the two women farewell and returned to his cottage. Alone again, he lay down on his bed, folding his hands behind his head. For now, he allowed himself to simply breathe, to bask in the rare stillness.
Tomorrow would bring more challenges, more surprises, more chaos — of that he was certain.
But tonight?
Tonight, Yu Xuan allowed himself a luxury rarer than any pill, treasure, or technique in a cultivator’s life.
He hoped for a good night’s sleep.
A nice dream.
***
Yu Xuan woke early the next morning and, as always, headed straight for a bath. He loved bathing — nothing started the day better. There was also the matter of brushing teeth, but as a cultivator, even if he skipped it, his teeth remained pearly white and flawless.
He remembered when he had first arrived at the sect, back when he still used Spirit Mint Toothpaste. The memory made him chuckle. Truly, spiritual energy was nature’s best dentist.
’Is this the perk of being a cultivator?’ Yu Xuan mused, sinking deeper into the steaming tub until only his nose stuck out of the water.
"Brbrbr—" he exhaled, blowing bubbles like an idiot.
This, he decided, was the pinnacle of luxury for now. Dragons, phantoms, impossible trials? Forget them. A hot bath was undefeated.
’In the future I should establish a luxurious place for myself to relax.’ He thought seriously.
Still, today’s plan promised its own amusement: a stroll through town with both Lingluo and Tianmei. Secretly, Yu Xuan hoped for drama.
Perhaps a pompous fool, an arrogant young master, or a so-called prodigy would block their path. Cliché, yes, but wasn’t it fun to humble such people? Maybe this time he could even play the role of the arrogant one first, just to spice things up.
"Ah," he muttered, leaning back, "I have a feeling something nice would happen today."
After soaking far too long, he finally emerged, drying himself leisurely before donning his Yu Clan robes. Simple, crisp, and dignified, they carried a quiet pride.
He stepped outside, the morning sun warming his skin, and stretched with a deep breath. Birds called from the trees, a gentle breeze carried the faint scent of blooming spirit grass, it was a quality morning.
For some reason, Yu Xuan felt unusually optimistic.
With a small smirk, he thought,
’Maybe it’s finally time for flowers to bloom.’
It wasn’t cryptic at all.
He made his way toward his sister’s cottage, scratching his head along the way.
"I really think I’m forgetting something important..." he muttered.
Then he shrugged. "Probably just déjà vu."
When he knocked on the door, muffled voices came from inside. A moment later, Lingluo appeared alongside Ming Tianmei. Lingluo wore her signature purple robe, while Ming Tianmei’s golden robes shimmered in the sunlight.
Yu Xuan gave a satisfied inward nod. Both of them looked dazzling. Even though he had seen various beautiful people his previous life, of course through internet, none would compare to the two beauties standing in front of him.
It was always nice knowing you are accompanied by some beautiful people.
"Let’s go then," he said, and the three departed. They were planning to grab a proper breakfast, but before leaving the peak, a familiar short figure intercepted them.
The shorty immediately eyed them suspiciously.
"Where are you going? And who is she?" She jabbed a finger toward Ming Tianmei.
"Hello, Senior," Tianmei said politely, bowing slightly.
"I’m Lingluo and Xuan’s friend from their world. My name is Ming Tianmei from Celestial Heaven Peak."
The shorty looked at her and then nodded approvingly. "You’ve got better manners than both of them."
Lingluo froze, utterly betrayed.
Just last night after Yu Xuan left, she had told Tianmei about "her short yet strong junior" as a prank. She had imagined multiple scenarios but this one was the best she could come up with.
The plan had been simple: Tianmei would innocently call her "junior," and Lingluo would enjoy the fireworks when Shorty inevitably exploded. To her disturbing the peace of Shorty was enjoyment itself.
But now... the prank was ruined.
Tianmei glanced at her knowingly, as if to say, "I know you too well."
Still, she kept her composure. She already knew that this shorty was the personal disciple of the Chaos Heaven Peak Master. Building a good relationship here would be quite beneficial for her. And she really didn’t want to annoy this shorty, because among the three of them, only she knew what kind of notoriety the shorty had.
"We’re just going out for a stroll," Yu Xuan said quickly, answering for all of them.
The shorty frowned. Her master had specifically told her that both Yu Xuan and Lingluo would begin intense training today. Yet here they were, smiling, relaxed, carefree.
Especially Yu Xuan, whose cheerful face irritated her for reasons she didn’t care to admit. A face more beautiful than hers to smile so happily, it irritated her for no reason.
But then, she smirked darkly to herself.
’Hehehe. Let them enjoy themselves now. Later, I’ll enjoy watching them suffer.’
The trio caught her eerie little grin and exchanged nervous glances.
"Senior Sister... are you alright?" Lingluo asked, sounding genuinely concerned.
"Good, good, good!" the shorty said, smiling slightly.
"I just remembered a funny joke."
All three stiffened. Cultivation world was strange, whenever someone said "Good" three time it rarely meant something good.
"Go enjoy yourselves as much as you can," she added, and walked off.
Yu Xuan frowned. Her last words carried a sinister edge. Was it just his imagination or a warning he should take seriously?
Either way, he wasn’t going to let it ruin the day. Today was just beginning.