Chapter 115: The Immortal’s Proposal: Dual Cultivation
The two of them returned to Phoenix Perch Terrace.
If Insight Academy Palace called itself second safest in the world, nowhere would dare claim first. Therefore, Seraphinehadn’t brought Error along, letting her play in the nearby mountain forests.
Perhaps from being confined in caves too long previously, Error particularly enjoyed chasing birds and teasing beasts in the forests, running wild and free with a head full of fresh flowers.
—Completely unaware she was about to be sent to school.
Echo looked at Error’s happy figure with surprise: “Nine Heavens?”
Error sat in tree branches, holding a translucent long sword as she poked at bird nests and stole eggs.
“Master, Orb!” Seeing them return, Error waved with a smile, not forgetting to show Echo the sword: “Look! Orb! Sword! I found it!”
Ellipses appeared above Echo’s head.
“Oh right, and this!” From behind her back, Error produced a jade flute, showing it off to Echo with a flourish: “I found this too!”
Ellipses: ……………
Seraphine laughed heartily, observing Echo’s stunned expression with meaningful words: “Insight Academy Palace truly is a blessed land where treasures lie everywhere. But if you spend all day sitting on stools in a daze, even with treasures right in front of you, you probably wouldn’t notice.”
Echo lowered her head shamefully, saying quietly: “My flute.”
The flute Seraphine gave her.
“Let her play with it. You’re not in the mood to play it now anyway, are you?” Seraphine scoffed, dragging the reluctant Echo all the way to the room entrance.
Echo looked up.
Red background with golden characters: Phoenix Perch Terrace.
Seraphine said softly: “I don’t know what you’ve been thinking lately, but you need to be honest in front of her.”
Echo asked astutely: “Her?”
Seraphine hooked her finger on the long whip. The whip that had been wrapped around Echo’s wrist rewound to coil around her waist, instantly revealing her slender figure. Echo only glanced once before quickly averting her eyes.
Shy.
“Creak—”
The moment Seraphine pushed open the door, a breeze carrying fragrance swept over, stirring the thin curtains in the room. Pearl curtains swayed and wind chimes by the window made pleasant sounds, as if welcoming their arrival.
“Enter.” Seraphine said. “I should have brought you here on the first day, but……”
—We were fighting then.
Seraphine snorted lightly, telling Echo to go inside: “Now that you’ve recovered and are lively again, it’s time for you to formally meet her.”
Question marks appeared above Echo’s head. She hadn’t detected any other people at the Phoenix Perch Terrace.
But when Seraphine parted the gauze curtains to reveal the inner chamber’s memorial tablet, Echo understood.
It was Seraphine’s mother, Yunong Velka.
Seraphine walked to the offering table, taking out six vermillion incense sticks as she said gently: “Come in.”
Echo straightened her clothes and walked quietly inside, waving at the portrait and memorial tablet: “Hello.”
Wind ran wild and free across the mountains and fields. The wind chimes on the window chimed. Sunlight fell inside, stretching human shadows. Seraphine handed Echo three incense sticks. After they both bowed, they inserted the incense into the burner.
“Hello.” Echo said quietly again.
Seraphine smiled slightly, lowering her eyes as she said softly: “Mom.”
“The enrollment ceremony is complete. I’ve officially become an Insight Academy Palace disciple.” She removed the jade token from her waist and placed it on the table.
Seeing this, Echo quickly removed hers as well, placing it alongside Seraphine’s. The crooked “Immediately Ascend” characters were particularly eye-catching.
Seraphine laughed again, quickly composing herself as she said seriously: “Mother, there’s something I cannot hide from you. Years ago, when you gave so much to eradicate the Nine Heavens Sect, suffering severe injuries and severing your immortal fate—unfortunately, the Nine Heavens Sect demon Zhan Ye was cunning, his spiritual consciousness undestroyed. His potential return remains unknown.”
“The demon is ruthless, harboring old and new grudges. I will definitely find a way to eliminate his spiritual consciousness and avenge you and all the predecessors who died at the demon sect’s hands!”
After speaking, she pulled Echo forward so they both looked up at the gently smiling woman in the portrait.
“Mother, her name is Echo—you may call her Xi Lingren. She’s not from this realm and has repeatedly saved me from danger. She has a pure personality and innocent nature. I…… am very satisfied.” Seraphine said quietly.
Echo tilted her head, looking at Seraphine with bright eyes.
Seraphine praised her.
But Seraphine closed her mouth. After silently telling Yunong Velka many things about Echo, she said seriously: “Please bless us to quickly find the Phoenix Codex and eliminate demons to protect the righteous path.”
Having said this, she lifted her skirts to kneel on the meditation cushion, kowtowing to Yunong Velka’s memorial tablet.
Seeing this, Echo quickly knelt down, solemnly but awkwardly kowtowing three times to Yunong Velka.
“Bless us, bless us.” She said.
Seraphine laughed softly, helping Echo up and opening a jade box covered with red cloth on the offering table.
Inside lay a jade token identical to the two on the table—one side carved with “Dawn and Dusk Seeking Dao” the other with “Virtue Carries All Things.”
The four characters “Virtue Carries All Things” were elegant and beautiful, expressing the breadth of mind and aspirations of one who was once first under the Heavenly Dao.
And she had achieved it.
“Come.” Seraphine tied Yunong Velka’s jade token together with her own and handed them to Echo, having her help fasten them at her waist.
Echo obediently complied, tying a beautiful and proper butterfly knot for Seraphine.
Seraphine watched Echo’s fingers dancing up and down, suddenly asking: “What exactly have you been thinking these past few days? Why are you avoiding me?”
“Ding.”
An exclamation mark appeared above Echo’s head.
An alert exclamation mark.
“Are we keeping secrets from each other now?” Seraphine deliberately pressed, pointing to Yunong Velka’s portrait and telling Echo: “Or do you have some complaint against me? Come, my mother is here—you can tattle on me to her.”
Ding ding ding.
Several exclamation marks appeared above Echo’s head in succession.
Seraphine curved her lips, crossing her arms and jerking her chin toward the portrait: Speak.
That’s when Echo knew—she wasn’t Echo anymore. She was a ceramic pot named E-sandpot, and Seraphine was ready to smash her open. She pressed her lips together and said: “I was just thinking.”
“Thinking about what?” Seraphine looked suspiciously at Echo’s brain. “Tell me and I’ll help you think.”
She feared whatever Echo was thinking might hurt her again—this person’s thought processes were different from normal people.
No way.
This matter required her to think through to a conclusion before considering action. But until then, she had to avoid any actions that might make Seraphine misunderstand.
However, Seraphine seemed unwilling to let Echo off, staring directly at her face.
Being looked at by those exquisite, beautiful eyes, for the first time since becoming human, Echo’s heart pounded. A slight blush appeared on her pale face as she shyly looked up at the roof beams.
Ah, roof beams, roof beams!
Seraphine: “……”
She turned around, saying gently to Yunong Velka’s tablet: “Mom, please close your eyes first while I discipline someone.”
The air heated up as several flames appeared. Seraphine “talked to herself”: “My fire has roasted many spirit beasts but never roasted an Echo. Today I’ll give it a try.”
“Where should I start roasting?” Seraphine asked Echo with a smile. “Do you have any suggestions?”
A crying system appeared above Echo’s head. To avoid being roasted into a black system, she had a flash of inspiration—reason overcame honesty. She suddenly lowered her head, grabbing Seraphine’s hands and shouting: “Actually, the Main System recently opened a snack shop, and I’m the snack shop’s spokesperson! So the Main System gave me lots of points!”
“……?” This completely unexpected explanation made Seraphine raise her eyebrows thoughtfully. “So?”
“So…… I’ve been thinking about what Seraphine needs most recently!” Fighting the urge to let her gaze wander, she looked directly into Seraphine’s eyes, forcibly suppressing her thought bubbles.
“I’ve been calculating how to make Seraphine stronger!” Echo shouted extra loudly.
Seraphine’s ears rang. She inhaled, rubbing her ears and pushing against Echo’s chest to make her step back: “Just talk normally—why are you shouting!”
Echo’s heart beat even faster than before as she forced a smile for Seraphine.
Heh.
Idiot.
Really can’t lie.
Seraphine laughed lightly, staring at Echo’s “complex” expression with appreciation. This really is a rare sight.
What could be more interesting than this?
Seraphine’s lips curved high as she showed Echo a gentle smile: “This matter troubles you so much you can’t think of tea or food?”
“I drink tea and eat lots of food every day, but I am indeed very distressed because it involves future plot developments, the plot’s future, the future…… anyway, it’s very complicated.” Echo said with feeling.
“Oh, I see. Our Echo really has worked hard.” Seraphine said methodically, snapping her fingers. The flames surrounding her instantly vanished as she said softly: “Look at you, hiding even this little thing from me. It really hurts my feelings. Since it concerns me, you should have discussed it with me early so I could give you advice.”
“Yes, yes.” Echo clasped her hands together, squinting as she smiled: “Hahaha.”
Hmph. Seraphine sneered inwardly, beckoning to Echo with her finger.
Echo cautiously approached, curiously lowering her head.
“How many points did the Main System give you?” Seraphine asked.
Echo wasn’t feeling guilty anymore, pulling up her interface to show Seraphine.
The endorsement fee was real—recently delivered points that she hadn’t paid attention to because—“It’s a bit little.”
She asked Seraphine not to mind.
Seraphine looked at the string of numbers on the interface, paused, thought about Nine Heavens’ price, and scoffed lightly: “You wanted to use these points to make me stronger, so you’ve been so conflicted daily that you wouldn’t even talk to me?”
I didn’t not want to talk to Seraphine.
Echo stared at the little X symbol, quickly shaking her head.
Seraphine glanced at Echo, raising her hand to bow to Yunong Velka’s tablet before hooking her finger through Echo’s sleeve to lead her out of the room.
Echo immediately relaxed, turning back to wave at Yunong Velka’s portrait with a smile.
Goodbye!
The door closed on their figures as wind chimes swayed “ding-dong” in the wind.
Under the eaves, Seraphine released her finger, turning back to look at Echo. She curved her lips in a smile: “Echo, I’ve thought it over, and there really is one thing I desperately need.”
This was the first time Seraphine had requested an item exchange from her. The bloodline hidden in Echo’s data activated as she immediately said: “Please state the item the host desires!”
Host?
“Tsk.” Seraphine stood with arms crossed, glancing into the distance.
Outside the courtyard, plane tree leaves drifted down, carpeting the ground in golden yellow. Several leaves blew up in the wind, falling at their feet. Error held Nine Heavens, happily swinging it around in the forest—the sword tip alternately shooting fire and ice.
Seraphine’s gaze fell on a nearby crabapple tree, its bright red flowers blooming profusely like a ball of intense fire reflected on her face.
“Seraphine?” Echo called softly.
Seraphine seemed to wake from a dream, suddenly lowering her eyes to hide the expression within. Shereached up to touch the golden hairpin at her temple, but forgetting she wore a ponytail today, she could only stroke her long hair, drawing the strands forward.
Echo tilted her head, making an attentive listening gesture that suggested she’d produce whatever Seraphine wanted in the next second.
Seraphine cleared her throat, absently playing with her hair as she said quietly: “You know my cultivation method and bloodline are different from others—choosing a cultivation partner requires caution. But you don’t seem worried about this matter, suggesting you have some confidence.”
“In that case, before you spend all your points, why not exchange for a peerless dual cultivation manual that can ignore my bloodline limitations and allow dual cultivation with me?”
She curved her lips, meeting Echo’s stunned gaze with a slight smile: “How about it?”
“Such a small thing should be nothing to someone as powerful as you, right?”
[Author’s Note]:
Work Log…
Today, Echo didn’t write a work log.
But the Main System replied: “?”
Then the Main System replied again: “??”
And it kept replying: “What’s troubling you? Tell me, I’m listening! Hello? You there? Please log on!”
Oh, Seraphine wants something, and it’s not a new sword. Her request is just… a little bit spicy. Want to see me lose my mind? Find out what happens next, 20 chapters ahead, at Pxtreon➡️LoveisLove520!