Third Life Reincarnation: Finally Born Into a Magical World

"Pour water?" she frowned. "The kettle is right next to you. Can't you walk two steps and pour it yourself?"

She pointed at the kettle on the table less than three meters away.

Ryan didn't move an inch. He leaned back lazily and said flatly, "It seems you still haven't fully understood your role as a servant."

There was a faint threat hidden in his tone.

Mu Xianling stiffened, then reluctantly walked over, picked up the kettle, and muttered, "Fine, fine. I'll pour it."

She handed him the water.

"I suddenly want an apple," Ryan said. "Peel one for me."

"Peel an apple?" She glared at him. "You don't have hands?"

Ryan raised an eyebrow.

"I'll do it," she said through clenched teeth.

"Now I want an orange."

"I'll peel it."

"I feel like drinking tea."

"You just drank water!"

"I'm thirsty again."

"I'll make it."

"Come over and thump my back."

"..."

"Pinch my legs."

"..."

"I forgot to bring paper to the toilet."

"Do you want me to hand it to you, too?"

"I—"

"Enough."

Half an hour later, Mu Xianling was panting softly, sweat on her forehead, her clothes slightly disheveled.

Ryan lay comfortably on the bed, eyes half-closed, looking far too pleased with himself. He pointed to the empty spot beside the bed.

"Come here."

"Why?" Mu Xianling froze.

It was already night. The room was dim and quiet. Only the two of them were inside.

Now he wanted her to sit on the bed?

Her heart started pounding.

Her thoughts spiraled out of control.

Her face flushed, and she didn't move.

"Come when I tell you to come," Ryan said impatiently. "Why are you hesitating so much?"

"I… I'm not ready yet," she said softlyering her head.

"Ready for what?" Ryan frowned. "I just told you to come over. What's there to prepare?"

Seeing his impatience, Mu Xianling struggled internally. After a long moment, she seemed to make up her mind. Taking a deep breath, she walked toward the bed.

She sat down cautiously, barely touching the edge, her face red all the way to her ears.

"I… I'm here," she whispered, not daring to look at him.

The room fell silent.

So silent that her heartbeat sounded deafening in her own ears.

Her thoughts went completely out of control.

What is he going to do?

Is he waiting for me to make the first move?

I heard men like that…

Her face grew even hotter.

After hesitating for a long time, she bit her lip, steeled herself, and slowly reached for the ribbon at her waist.

Just as she loosened it...

"What are you doing?" Ryan's voice suddenly rang out.

"What?"

Mu Xianling yelped the instant she heard Ryan's voice. Her hands flew to her waist, and she hastily retied the loosened ribbon, fingers fumbling in panic.

"What were you doing just now?" Ryan asked, puzzled. "And why are you so startled?"

"I—I didn't do anything!" Mu Xianling answered flusteredly. "You spoke so suddenly, you scared me!"

"Sneaky." Ryan muttered under his breath, then added calmly, "Stretch out your hand."

"Why?"

Her nerves jumped again. Instead of extending her hand, she shrank back instinctively.

"You've been acting very strange today. What's going on in that head of yours?" Ryan said with mild dissatisfaction.

Before she could respond, he reached out and took her hand himself. Something cool and firm was placed into her palm.

"What—!"

She cried out first, then blinked in confusion as she looked down. What lay in her hand was a neatly bound manual.

"A cultivation technique?" she asked blankly.

"Since you're my servant now, your cultivation can't be sloppy," Ryan said casually. "This is a Sky-grade technique, Purple Cloud Art. It's far better than what your Mu Clan uses. Take it and practice."

Mu Xianling froze.

"A… Sky-grade technique?" Her eyes widened as she stared at Ryan. "For me?"

"Yes." Ryan leaned back lazily. "Why, touched? You don't need to be. As long as you behave, there'll be more techniques and martial arts later."

His tone was light, almost indifferent, as if handing out a Sky-grade technique were no more significant than giving away candy.

"Li Wei… you called me over just to give me this?" Mu Xianling asked in disbelief.

"What else would it be?" He frowned slightly. "What were you thinking?"

"I thought you were going to…" Her voice trailed off, face instantly burning red.

Only then did she realize she had completely misunderstood him.

Embarrassment washed over her like a tidal wave. If Ryan hadn't stopped her just now, she might have actually done something unbearably foolish.

Just imagining it made her want to crawl into a hole and disappear.

She patted her chest lightly, breathing out in relief.

"Why are you suddenly patting yourself?" Ryan looked at her strangely. "Choked?"

"N-no! Nothing!" Mu Xianling quickly changed the subject. "Thank you… really. But how do you even have a Sky-grade technique? Even Mu Clan's best is only mid-rank Earth grade."

"Don't look so shocked." Ryan snorted. "Just because your Mu Clan doesn't have a Sky grade one doesn't mean I don't. Do you know who I am? I'm Li Wei, unparalleled in heaven and earth, invincible across the Holy Mystic Continent. A Sky-grade technique is nothing. As long as you listen to me, even a Heaven-grade one isn't impossible."

"Pfft." Mu Xianling laughed. "Go on, keep bragging. Heaven-grade techniques? Invincible across the continent? You're uniquely talented at boasting, that's for sure."

Ryan sighed helplessly. "When I lie, people believe me. When I tell the truth, nobody does."

"Alright, alright." Mu Xianling smiled brightly. "Thank you anyway, my great Master Li Wei."

"Why does that sound so perfunctory?" Ryan muttered, turning to look at her—

—and froze.

They were sitting close, less than half a meter apart. Her features were clear in the soft light: delicate brows, smooth skin, lips lightly curved into a smile.

She was… beautiful.

Ryan realized it then. Not the distant, cold beauty he had first noticed, but something softer, closer, enough to quietly unsettle the heart.

"You… what are you staring at?" Mu Xianling asked, flustered, meeting his gaze for just a second before looking away, cheeks flushed.

Ryan snapped back to himself and coughed awkwardly. "It's late. First day and all. Go rest."

"Oh." She replied softly and turned to leave, movements stiff and slightly dazed.

"Wait."

She stopped, but didn't dare turn around.

"You'll sleep here tonight," Ryan said. "You take the bed. I'll sleep on the Taishi chair."

Mu Xianling's back stiffened.

"Okay."

Night deepened, quiet settling like dust after a long day.

Because it was already late, Ryan did not let Mu Xianling leave alone. Instead, he kept her in the room. Even so, nothing improper happened. Mu Xianling slept on the bed, while Ryan rested on the Taishi chair nearby. One upright, one restrained, the two shared the same space yet kept a careful distance, drifting into sleep with their own thoughts.

Thus, the first day at Western Mansion quietly came to an end.

Yet while most people had already fallen into dreams, there were still some who remained awake.

Inside a room within the Yongbing Courtyard, lamplight flickered faintly. Several figures gathered together, their expressions cautious and secretive, as if plotting something that could not see the light of day.

Like the Yongling Courtyard, the Yongbing Courtyard was also a resting place for candidates. The difference was that Yongling housed candidates from the North District, while Yongbing was reserved for candidates from the West District.

The people gathered here all wore the attire of Western District candidates. On the surface, nothing seemed unusual. However, the strange part was not who they were, but what they were doing. Instead of resting at night like ordinary candidates, they were secretly convening.

Even more striking was the presence of an elderly man dressed in Western Mansion robes. Anyone familiar with Western Mansion would instantly recognize him. He was Qin Yutong, one of the ten hall masters of Qiangong, a powerhouse at the Lord rank expert level.

Such a figure secretly meeting with candidates who had not even entered Western Mansion yet was, by itself, deeply unsettling.

"Is everyone here?" Qin Yutong asked calmly, his gaze sweeping across the room.

"There are twenty-three of us," replied a candidate with a black mole on his neck as he stepped forward. "All members of the Jade Emperor Division assigned to this mission have arrived. We're carrying concealment artifacts, so none of the Western Mansion elders detected us."

"That's good." Qin Yutong nodded. "You have seven days before the entrance examination. During this time, do not act rashly. Avoid unnecessary exposure. I assume you already know the mission?"

"Yes," the candidate answered respectfully. "We were informed before leaving the sect. Our task is to infiltrate Western Mansion as candidates, enter the Holy Land during the entrance examination, obtain the Blood of the Holy Spirit, and bring it back."

"Correct." Qin Yutong's eyes narrowed slightly. "The entrance examination takes place in the Xiaoji Holy Land. I learned by chance that the Blood of the Holy Spirit exists there. That's why I personally requested your deployment. This mission must succeed. Once you obtain the item, someone will extract you from Western Mansion immediately."

"Yes!" All twenty-three candidates responded in unison.