Chapter 105: The ridiculous “Flirting & Acting Cute” training
Yu Xuefei turned around.
The Insight Academy Palace’s ship was quite simple, as was its interior. The cabin contained only a bed, table, chairs, and a meditation cushion.
The silver-haired woman who’d let her in was lying face-down on the table, looking up with a calm expression. “Fellow Daoist, please save me.”
Hearing the commotion, Error quickly slithered over, anxiously coiling around Echo.
Orb, don’t die!
Yu Xuefei laughed softly. “If you’re really uncomfortable, go lie on the bed first.”
Actually, Echo had already prepared the bed and wanted to lie down, but when guests arrived, proper etiquette demanded she greet them politely.
However, since the guest had made a request—Echo slowly got up.
Error stopped coiling around Echo and used her tail to lift Echo onto the bed, even thoughtfully flipping her right-side up. Very considerate.
“Thank you.” Echo said gratefully.
During the transport, a bloodstained handkerchief fell from Echo’s sleeve.
Yu Xuefei saw it, her smile disappearing. She quickly took out her diagnostic tools and arranged them on the square table. “Fellow Daoist, how were you injured?”
When they left the Twin Dragon Secret Realm, she’d briefly spoken with Lingren during the fragment exchange.
Lingren looked healthy and energetic then. Only three days had passed since then.
And in Sunset Glow City, with the city lord present, who could have harmed Lingren?
Echo lay flat, staring at the ceiling. “I picked a fight with someone.”
Yu Xuefei paused. “……What was their cultivation level?”
“Late Soul Transformation stage.”
Thud. Yu Xuefei nearly dropped the lid in her hand. She looked somewhat shocked. “Fellow Daoist Xi, what’s your current cultivation?”
“Early Soul Transformation stage.”
Error, now tiny and curled on the pillow, bit her tail tip in shock.
Orb has lost her mind!
“……Fellow Daoist, you’re truly blessed with good fortune.” Yu Xuefei said with feeling.
Echo gave her a thumbs up. “Everything went according to my plan.”
Yu Xuefei looked at Echo’s pale face. “This was also part of your plan?”
Echo maintained the thumbs up.
She didn’t die—that’s pretty excellent!
Yu Xuefei was speechless. She informed Echo about making the Heavenly Oath to Seraphine.
Echo quickly looked toward the door Yu Xuefei had closed behind her, but no one was knocking.
“Palace Lord Velka didn’t follow me.” Yu Xuefei said gently.
“Oh.” Echo extended her arm. “Thank you, Fellow Daoist Yu. Please help me get better.”
Echo’s pale arm rested against the white jade pillow—it was hard to say which was whiter.
Even the faint blue veins on Echo’s arm seemed more delicate than most people’s.
Yu Xuefei concentrated, channeling green spiritual energy into Echo’s veins.
The green energy entered Echo’s veins, where silver-white spiritual energy listlessly stirred, looking like it barely had the strength to respond.
It seemed as dejected as its owner, practically radiating an attitude of “go wherever you want, I don’t care anymore.”
Yu Xuefei froze, her face changing dramatically.
What kind of spiritual power is this?
Doesn’t Fellow Daoist Xi have ice spiritual roots? Why does the spiritual power in her veins have no cold energy whatsoever, and why doesn’t it match any known spiritual root type?
What is this spiritual power?!
“Fellow Daoist Xi……” Yu Xuefei called Echo’s name softly.
Echo quickly responded with her eyes closed, “Hello.”
“Your spiritual veins……”
Echo sighed. “My spiritual veins hurt.”
“Ah……” Yu Xuefei’s lips trembled. After the overwhelming shock came delighted amazement at discovering something extraordinary. In all her years of cultivation, she’d never seen such miraculous spiritual veins!
“The world is vast and full of wonders,” Yu Xuefei murmured. “Please rest assured, Fellow Daoist Xi. I’ve already sworn a Heavenly Oath and will never tell anyone about your unique spiritual root. If you’re injured in the future, don’t hesitate to come to me!”
She looked at Echo’s wrist like she’d discovered a new type of spiritual medicine, her eyes blazing with scholarly curiosity.
“Good, thank you,” Echo said. “But I’m going to try not to get injured. Getting hurt is painful.”
And it makes Seraphine angry.
Thinking about this made Echo sigh again.
Yu Xuefei assumed Echo was sighing from pain and quickly channeled her cultivation method, guiding spiritual energy to repair her veins.
Where the green energy passed, the canyon-like wounds on Echo’s veins smoothed considerably. By the time treatment ended, Yu Xuefei’s spiritual energy was completely depleted.
She was Middle Nascent Soul stage—a significant cultivation gap from Echo—and Echo’s injuries were far more severe than she’d anticipated.
Yu Xuefei looked at Echo, her complexion much improved from before, and smiled wearily. “I used up all my medicinal materials in the secret realm and lack basic ingredients. For the next few days, I’ll treat your spiritual veins like this. Once we reach the Insight Academy Palace, I’ll refine proper medicine for you.”
Echo asked suspiciously, “Medicine soup?”
Yu Xuefei looked surprised. “Does Fellow Daoist want medicine soup? That’s certainly possible.”
“No need, thank you.” Echo shook her head quickly. She flexed her fingers, feeling most of the pain fade, and became quite happy. “Thank you!” She repeated.
“Fellow Daoist, you’re too polite.” Yu Xuefei wanted to discuss Echo’s unique spiritual power more, but since Echo needed rest, she stood up and arranged their next treatment session.
With Error coiled on her head, Echo escorted Yu Xuefei to the door.
Just before opening it, Echo suddenly remembered the most important matter. “Fellow Daoist Yu, do you happen to know how to act cute? I’d like your guidance.”
Yu Xuefei thought she’d misheard. “Hm?”
Echo observed Yu Xuefei’s expression and nodded. “Never mind. I don’t know how either. I’m still learning.”
Yu Xuefei: Huh? What?
She left carrying her instruments, completely bewildered and tilting her head in confusion.
At the end of the corridor, a red-robed woman leaned against the wall, casually gazing out the window.
Yu Xuefei approached with a smile. “Palace Lord Velka, sorry to keep you waiting.”
Seraphine glanced at her, then back out the window.
The scenery below the ship was picturesque, mountains and seas like paintings, but prolonged viewing only made one irritable.
Seraphine asked softly, “How is she now?”
Yu Xuefei gave her a complete account of Echo’s condition. Seeing Seraphine’s brow furrow deeply, she smiled. “But please don’t worry, Palace Lord. With proper care, she won’t develop any lasting ailments.”
“Thank you.” Seraphine’s eyes turned cold.
She’d better take proper care of herself!
“I’ll return tomorrow. Would Palace Lord Velka like to observe?” Yu Xuefei asked.
Since she was so concerned, why not come into the room instead of waiting outside?
Seraphine said coldly, “No need.”
Yu Xuefei sensed the tense atmosphere between the two—they’d clearly had a fight. Remembering what Echo had asked her earlier, Yu Xuefei’s eyes lit up with sudden understanding. Could it be that……
“What is it?” Seraphine noticed her odd smile.
Yu Xuefei thought for a moment and smiled. “Nothing, just that I had the privilege of witnessing Fellow Daoist Xi’s uniqueness. It was quite eye-opening.”
Hah. One glimpse was more than enough.
Thinking of Echo’s recent “accomplishments” made Seraphine’s head throb with anger. She suppressed her fury and said to Yu Xuefei, “Hold out your hands.”
Yu Xuefei curiously extended her hands. Seraphine lifted her sleeves, and amid rustling sounds, Yu Xuefei quickly raised both hands to catch an increasingly heavy load of wrapped milk candy, peanuts, and melon seeds.
“Eat these.” Seraphine said. “Take care, Fairy.”
She spoke the words to Yu Xuefei—yet turned and walked away first.
Yu Xuefei, holding the fragrant snacks, watched Palace Lord Velka’s angry departure with an involuntary smile.
Fellow Daoist Xi, Palace Lord Velka—these two are really……
“Quite entertaining!” Yu Xuefei left with a chuckle, carrying her treats.
⁂
The Insight Academy Palace’s ship flew through the sky for ten days. During those ten days, many people on board received “rewards” from Palace Lord Velka—except for Echo.
Echo sat despondently on the deck, watching Seraphine not far away leaning against her Fire Rock Dragon while reading a novel, and whispered, “Melancholy.”
Water Dragon’s Hymn materialized as a human-shaped phantom. “Are you healed?”
“Not yet. I have to take medicine for a while longer.” Echo sat up straight and told Water Dragon’s Hymn, “I don’t have any milk candy.”
Water Dragon’s Hymn: “Oh.”
It didn’t have any either.
Echo continued, “I still haven’t learned how to act cute. I asked several people, but their answers were all different and confusing.”
When she’d asked Xue Mengtao, her face turned red and she said she didn’t know. Mu Rong excitedly said, “Make your voice gentler and softer,” but when she asked how gentle and how soft, she couldn’t explain.
So she’d gathered courage to ask the scariest human she knew. Siyi told her to show weakness to the palace lord, but when she asked how to show weakness, she just smiled and said she was afraid of punishment from the palace lord, telling her to figure it out herself.
Water Dragon’s Hymn: “Did you figure it out?”
Echo: “I did not figure it out.”
Water Dragon’s Hymn said, “Pity.”
Echo raised both hands and drew circles in the air beside her head with her index fingers, crossing her legs and closing her eyes.
“Don’t bother me. Let me contemplate this.”
Water Dragon’s Hymn transformed back into a spear and dropped to the ground.
Contemplate away.
Seraphine, who’d been watching them from the corner of her eye, snorted softly and muttered, “Idiot.”
It’s been several days now, and she still hasn’t come to me. Seraphine’s anger had transformed into sullen frustration, her fingers drumming irritably as she turned pages.
The nearby Luanyang Palace disciples all hunched like quails, not daring to disturb their palace lord.
The spirit ship continued its slow flight. Some cultivators, tired of staying in the cabins, came up to the deck to spar. Before the match concluded, one of the spectators pointed into the distance with shock. “What is that?”
Everyone quickly looked where he pointed. In the distant sky, an enormous shadow pushed through clouds as it slowly flew. The shadow was so massive that just seeing it from afar filled viewers with awe.
From inside the cabin, Lanzhi set down her book, opened the door, and smiled. “Fellow disciples, that is where you’ll be living from now on—the Insight Academy Palace!”
Echo paused her contemplation and scanned the distance. “Turtle.”
Without looking up from her book, Seraphine corrected flatly, “Profound Turtle.”
Echo: “Oh!”
Big turtle!
“So the sacred land that all cultivators yearn for is on a turtle’s back!”
“I’ve never seen such an enormous spirit beast in my life—it’s actually carrying mountains and lakes while soaring through heaven and earth!”
Five hundred cultivators unconsciously gathered together, gazing longingly at that massive shadow.
Lanzhi said warmly, “That’s right. The academy sits on the Profound Turtle’s back. It flies freely through the five continents and two domains, sometimes covering a thousand miles in a day, sometimes moving leisurely—entirely according to its mood.”
A disciple asked curiously, “Senior Sister, if the Profound Turtle flies above my hometown, can I go home to visit?”
Lanzhi smiled. “If you can make it back in time, naturally you can.”
“Senior Sister, why have we never seen it in the sky before?” someone asked.
Lanzhi explained, “The Insight Academy Palace has barriers set by our predecessors. Only we academy disciples with proper identification tokens can see it. If others sail past it, they won’t notice it at all.”
“Now then, there are other matters to discuss once we arrive at the academy. The academy has abundant spiritual energy, and everyone has just left the Twin Dragon Secret Realm not long ago. Many are physically and mentally exhausted, and some still carry injuries. Our venerable has ordered everyone to rest and recover before the entrance ceremony.”
The crowd suppressed their excitement and said together, “Thank you, Venerable! Thank you, Senior Sister!”
The spirit ship slowly approached the massive shadow. Up close, the Profound Turtle seemed to carry half a continent through the sky.
Mountains layered upon mountains, lakes reflecting mountain colors—as far as the eye could see.
Immortal cranes flew through the clouds, and in the dense greenery, a dragon’s roar thundered like storm clouds.
Error, coiled around Seraphine’s golden hairpin and pretending to be decoration, quickly perked up, her green eyes excited and curious as she looked toward where the dragon sound came from.
The barrier rippled like water, gently enveloping the spirit ship. The moment we entered the Insight Academy Palace’s domain, the surrounding spiritual energy became visibly denser.
Seraphine put away her novel and stood with her hands behind her back, gazing at this world.
Lanzhi called out loudly, “The Insight Academy Palace currently has ten masters and seventy-two disciples. The masters’ teaching locations are scattered, but the main academy buildings are in the center. Everyone can rest in the academy buildings or find suitable places to establish cave dwellings.”
“Ten days from now, at 7 a.m., please gather at the Saint’s Statue in the southeast.”
As Lanzhi finished speaking, many cultivators excitedly flew off on their swords, wanting to explore this place they’d fought through two rounds of competition to enter. Seraphine didn’t move, quietly watching the landscape below.
A blue shadow slowly approached. Echo asked, “Seraphine, where are we going to live?”
Seraphine lifted her chin slightly. “I’m going to Phoenix Perch Terrace.”
“Huh?” Echo said curiously. “Phoenix Perch Terrace?” Like the one in Sunset Glow City?
Lanzhi descended and smiled. “Phoenix Perch Terrace is where Senior Velka once lived. It’s been preserved all these years. I’ll guide you there, Junior Sister.”
If that’s the case……
Echo looked at Seraphine’s cold expression and thought carefully before saying, “Seraphine, you go ahead. I’m applying for a day of leave. I have something to do. I’ll come find you when I get back.”
The fire in Seraphine’s heart flared up with a whoosh, followed by an almost uncontrollable sense of grievance.
She had been waiting for Echo these past ten days. But aside from that one offhand apology on the first day, Echo hadn’t sought her out even once.
Apart from the brief, meaningless exchange on the ship just now, it was the first time they’d really spoken in days.
Grown bold?
Or do you think you’re in the right?
Seraphine kept her expression rigid. When Echo said a quiet “Goodbye” and vanished into the wilderness in a flash of silver light. She pressed her lips together, her fists clenching tightly in her sleeves.
In her anger, she didn’t notice the silver orb at her waist glow briefly before dimming again.
⁂
System Realm—yet another day of beautiful sunshine.
The mission hall entrance was as lively as ever, with round systems happily nuzzling their system friends.
One system cheerfully showed off the little flower it had crafted and placed on its head, striking an elegant pose for photos.
A silver streak of light whooshed through the mission hall, and the data flower on its head fell to the ground.
System: “Wow!”
A shooting star!
Main System Office Building.
Eight silver spheres sat in chairs, their matchstick limbs propped on the table.
Each system had a small notebook, small pen, and small bubble tea cup in front of them.
Every system’s speech bubble displayed a uniform serious emoji.
One system, tired of holding its pose, lifted its bubble tea cup for a few sips while maintaining the serious expression.
Seeing this, the other systems’ matchstick limbs twitched with temptation.
A silver system pulled a small cookie from its inventory and stuffed it in its mouth, its speech bubble showing an even more serious expression than the others.
Extremely serious!
The Main System adjusted its data glasses and checked the time.
Fifty-seven, fifty-eight, fifty-nine, six—
Ding dong.
Echo burst out of the elevator, crashed through the door, and flew into the conference room, whooshing into her little chair and sitting down. “Sorry for the delay! I just had to request leave from Seraphine.”
She quickly put on her serious expression emoji and pulled out her small notebook and pen, arranging them neatly on the table.
Perfectly aligned with everyone else’s.
The golden Main System nodded and pressed a button.
Whoosh!
A panel immediately appeared on the round table, displaying enormous text:
“System-Activated: Flirting & Acting Cute — Targeted Training Program Now Launching!”
[Author’s Note]:
Echo: “It really wasn’t easy gathering the very best systems from the whole System Realm!” (wipes sweat, looks proud)
Seraphine: “Outwardly calm, inwardly dying of rage.”