Chapter 72: Yan Zhen, What Are You Doing Here?
Returning to his room, Yan Zhen collapsed onto his bed and let out a melancholic sigh.
Instructor Yu Xuan’s feelings for him were undeniable. However, no matter how hard he racked his brain, he couldn’t fathom why she would be attracted to him.
The heroic rescue scene from the script hadn’t even happened yet. He hadn’t made any moves on Instructor Yu Xuan since enrolling. Besides, she wasn’t the type of woman easily swayed by romantic advances. Otherwise, some love-struck expert would have swept her off her feet long ago.
The only unusual event between them was the initial bathroom mishap.
To apologize, Yan Zhen had gifted her the Snow Wind Pearl and a vial of Ice Condensation Dew.
Unfortunately, this led to him accidentally uncovering one of her private hobbies. In a moment of shared awkwardness, he confessed his own preferences, only to be misunderstood as being incredibly “thirsty,” which resulted in their agreement for “special tutoring.”
Carefully retracing his steps, Yan Zhen concluded that the root of the problem likely stemmed from his confession that day. However, he couldn’t recall the specifics of what he had said.
— System.
[…]
— Hello? System?
After two attempts, a sound akin to a computer booting up echoed in his mind.
Was this system really as intelligent as it claimed to be?
[System online. How may I assist you, Host?]
— Do you have a dialogue playback function?
[Affirmative. The system records the Host’s actions and dialogue, constantly comparing and correcting them against the script. Which time period would you like to review?]
Yan Zhen thought for a moment before stating the specific time.
— It should be the evening of the third day after I enrolled.
[Acknowledged. Retrieving data… Retrieval complete. The following is a record of your dialogue from that evening.]
Yan Zhen scanned the lengthy text displayed on the system interface, quickly locating the words he had spoken.
(“…After all, I have a thing for older women, especially mature beauties like you, Instructor. You perfectly match my preferences!”)
“As I suspected, those words were easily misconstrued. Instructor Yu Xuan could have very well interpreted that as a confession.”
Being the kind and gentle soul she was, and with this being her first time taking on a male disciple, she was likely caught off guard by his confession.
To help him focus on his cultivation, she proposed the special tutoring sessions.
And somewhere along the way, she developed feelings for him. After all, Instructor Yu Xuan had no prior experience with romance.
It sounded far-fetched, but he was currently playing the role of the protagonist in this world, possessing an aura that naturally attracted women. Even though this was a “no-female-lead, wish fulfillment story,” it didn’t prevent the women around him from developing feelings for him.
Like his cousin, for example. Her “step-sibling” tendencies were becoming increasingly apparent. He wouldn’t be surprised if she climbed on top of him one day while he slept.
Although he now understood the situation, Yan Zhen’s heart remained heavy.
It seemed he had inadvertently “led on” Instructor Yu Xuan, resulting in their current predicament.
Meaning he shouldered the majority of the blame.
But he couldn’t reciprocate her feelings, at least not now.
According to the script, there were only two women he was destined to be with, and Instructor Yu Xuan wasn’t one of them.
He couldn’t keep stringing her along, enjoying her affections while feigning ignorance.
That would be utterly despicable.
In all honesty, Yan Zhen genuinely liked Instructor Yu Xuan. Whether as her disciple or as a man, he didn’t want to hurt her.
“It seems I really need to talk to her.”
The question was, how?
— Instructor, you misunderstood. I wasn’t actually confessing my feelings. You don’t have to like me back. Because there’s no future for us?
That was way too awkward!
Only a card-carrying member of the “Cringelord Society” would ever utter those words.
And what if, by some chance, Instructor Yu Xuan didn’t actually have feelings for him? What if she was simply trying to guide a promising disciple down the right path? Wouldn’t he just come across as incredibly self-absorbed?
— Distance myself from her? Reject her kindness? Make my intentions clear?
Thinking back to his cousin’s heartbroken reaction, Yan Zhen knew that wouldn’t be fair to either of them.
Besides, he and Instructor Yu Xuan still had scenes together at the Sacred Land Academy. If their relationship soured now, it would disrupt the plot.
“Argh, this is so frustrating! System, any helpful advice?”
[Ding! Helpful System Tip: As long as the Host doesn’t initiate and doesn’t refuse, you are not obligated to take responsibility.]
Yan Zhen’s expression instantly turned flat. In a monotone, he replied, “You know, in some cultures, that kind of advice would get you drowned in a pig cage.”
It seemed seeking relationship advice from a system with the emotional intelligence of a brick was futile.
“Let’s just focus on finishing the academy arc for now. We’ll cross that bridge when we get there.”
His biggest fear was succumbing to Instructor Yu Xuan’s charm, falling into her arms and deviating from his protagonist persona.
He had to stay strong!
He needed an iron will!
— System, show me “How the Steel Was Tempered!”
[Acknowledged.]
The system interface promptly displayed the process of steel forging. Clang, clang, clang! A hammer pounded against a red-hot piece of iron, powerful and awe-inspiring.
“…”
Physical steel forging wasn’t quite what he had in mind. He wasn’t planning on embarking on a technological farming route.
Yan Zhen decided to seek out his Beautiful Sect Master for their next scripted interaction.
Just as he was about to activate his Star Shifting Fire Seal, he remembered. During his bath, Instructor Yu Xuan had showered his neck, shoulders, and ears with kisses, likely leaving behind plenty of evidence.
He checked his reflection in the mirror. As expected, several telltale marks were clearly visible.
If his Beautiful Sect Master saw those, he would be in deep trouble.
Yan Zhen channeled his Mystic Power, massaging the skin around his neck to erase the evidence before entering the Crystal Stone Space.
— This feels strangely like cheating on your girlfriend.
Stepping into the Fire Refining Starry Sky, Yan Zhen was once again struck by the sight of the towering pillars surrounding the plaza and the blazing stars beyond. It was a breathtaking spectacle.
Of course, nothing captivated him more than the sight of his Beautiful Sect Master at the center of the altar.
Silver hair, ample bosom, bare feet, mature beauty.
His Beautiful Sect Master was the best in the world!
“Master.”
Yan Zhen greeted her with utmost respect.
Although their relationship had grown intimate, she was still his master, and he would not neglect proper decorum.
Chen Xi opened her eyes, her gaze settling on him. “Zhen’er, is your arm feeling better?”
“Thanks to the miraculous medicine you gave me yesterday, Master, it’s almost fully healed. It’s just still a little weak.”
The memory of the milky taste in his mouth that morning resurfaced, stirring a strange feeling within him.
Chen Xi felt her own cheeks warming. The experience had been a first for her, akin to a maternal instinct, yet different from the pleasure she felt during their dual cultivation sessions. It was a happiness that enveloped her entirely, a desire to lose herself in that moment, as if her mind and body had been enthralled by his gentle suckling.
“Ahem, in that case, we’ll continue your alchemy lessons once your arm has fully recovered. For today, I’ll teach you a mental Mystic Technique that doesn’t require the use of your hands.”
Yan Zhen’s eyes lit up. “A mental Mystic Technique?”
“That’s right. Like Mystic Power, Spiritual Power also has cultivation techniques and skills. The ‘Ancestral Talisman Scripture’ is a cultivation technique. While it does possess offensive capabilities, it’s not something you can grasp at your current level. We need to start with the basics.”
“I understand. Please, Master, teach me.”
Chen Xi nodded slightly and began her lesson. “Although you possess Spiritual Power now, Zhen’er, you are only using it to control your Mystic Power and muscles. You haven’t tapped into its greatest potential—its sensory abilities. What I’m going to teach you is the technique for expanding your Spiritual Power and integrating your perception with it.”
[Ding! Key plot point commencing.]
Before the system could finish its announcement, Yan Zhen swatted the notification away from his face and focused intently on his Beautiful Sect Master’s instructions.
“Your Spiritual Power was born from the foundation of the Fire Talisman. Imagine it as a spark, spreading with the wind, gradually transforming into a boundless inferno, engulfing everything in its path. In this way, your Spiritual Power can naturally extend outwards.”
Yan Zhen nodded thoughtfully.
“For your first attempt at extending your Spiritual Power, you’ll need to maintain a calm mind for one to two hours. The range will be limited at first. Encompassing a ten-meter radius around your body is considered a pass. However, your soul is naturally powerful, Zhen’er. I estimate you should be able to reach at least thirty meters.”
Following his master’s guidance, Yan Zhen attempted to extend his Spiritual Power, integrating his perception with it.
He quickly succeeded, but the range was limited, barely reaching a meter around him.
His Beautiful Sect Master had estimated he could reach over thirty meters, and the script mentioned forty-nine meters.
He continued to extend his Spiritual Power outwards, forming an invisible barrier. One meter, two meters… ten meters… twenty meters… forty meters… forty-nine meters!
There! Just as he was about to withdraw, he realized his Spiritual Power still had room to grow.
Fifty meters… sixty meters… ninety meters… His Spiritual Power finally came to a halt, encompassing a radius of one hundred meters!
Within his perception, the surrounding hundred meters pulsed with incredibly pure Heavenly and Earthly Mystic Power, each strand shimmering with a rainbow of colors.
His Beautiful Sect Master appeared as a silhouette of pure, white light, a five-colored flame flickering within her lower abdomen.
Unaware of her disciple’s astonishment, Chen Xi’s eyes widened. Despite her Half-Saint cultivation and mastery over her emotions, she couldn’t help but feel a surge of disbelief.
Impossible! In his previous life, Zhen’er’s initial range was only forty-nine meters, a far cry from her own eighty-one meters at his age. She had even teased him about it back then. How could it have doubled?
According to her knowledge, the most powerful Mystic Refiner in history, a being naturally gifted with exceptional Spiritual Power, had only managed to achieve a range of one hundred and one meters on their first attempt. Could Yan Zhen truly rival such a legend?
Yan Zhen opened his eyes, excitement bubbling over. “Master, I did it! I… Master, what’s wrong?”
He immediately noticed the stunned expression on his Beautiful Sect Master’s face.
Chen Xi quickly composed herself, schooling her features into a serious mask. “Zhen’er, your initial Spiritual Power range has reached an astonishing one hundred meters. This is practically unheard of, possibly even the second highest in recorded history. Until you are strong enough to protect yourself, you must never speak of this to anyone, lest you attract unwanted attention. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Master.”
“Master is not trying to frighten you. There is a faction in the Mystic Heavenly Continent known as the ‘Demon Realm.’ They are sworn enemies of the Azure Lotus(Jia Lan) Sacred Land. If they were to discover your existence, Zhen’er, they would stop at nothing to either capture you or eliminate you.”
“I understand, Master. I will heed your warning.”
Yan Zhen was well aware of the Demon Realm. It was a massive, terrifying organization with a presence in all seven continents. Its members were all evil cultivators, devoid of morals and known for their brutal acts. They thought nothing of slaughtering entire cities and villages to fuel their cultivation. Due to their wicked cultivation techniques, many of them had been twisted into grotesque mockeries of human beings.
The master of the Demon Realm was a truly vile and powerful entity, as cunning as he was ruthless.
In the final battle of his previous life, Yan Zhen had shattered the Demon Realm Master’s physical body and destroyed his soul, leaving only a sliver of his essence to escape the Mystic Heavenly Continent and flee to the realms beyond.
The story ended there, so it was unclear whether Yan Zhen had remained in the Mystic Heavenly Continent to enjoy his well-deserved glory or if he had pursued the Demon Realm Master to conquer new territories in the vast unknown.
He was getting ahead of himself.
In the script, his master hadn’t revealed this information at this point in the story. His Spiritual Power was supposed to stop at nineteen meters.
“There, there. You’ve just pushed your Spiritual Power to its limit. It’s natural to feel a bit dizzy. Would you like Master to massage your head for you?”
Now that she mentioned it, Yan Zhen did feel a slight dizziness, but it wasn’t severe. He could recover with a bit of rest.
However… Gazing at his Beautiful Sect Master’s breathtaking beauty and alluring smile, he couldn’t resist the temptation of her gentle touch. With a blush warming his cheeks, he nodded.
“Yes, please, Master.”
Chen Xi chuckled softly. She shifted from her meditative position to a kneeling posture, patting her thighs invitingly.
“Come here then.”
Yan Zhen shuffled over to his Beautiful Sect Master and leaned back, resting his head upon her lap.
Her thighs were soft and yielding, their warmth spreading through him. He instinctively nuzzled closer, closing his eyes as he surrendered to her touch.
…
Emerging from the Crystal Stone Space, Yan Zhen was still in high spirits. The system interface, however, had other plans. It materialized abruptly, practically slapping him in the face.
[Ding! Friendly System Reminder: Mission incomplete. Please do not slack off, Host.]
Yan Zhen glanced at the notification. Besides extending his Spiritual Power beyond ten meters, his current objective also included “Preventing Xiao Shi from drugging and assaulting Xiao Xinyan.”
Right, right.
He dismissed the system interface. The thought of being drenched by Xiao Xinyan’s bathwater didn’t exactly thrill him.
He checked his clothes. Fortunately, he wasn’t wearing his favorite outfit.
Closing his eyes, he extended his Spiritual Perception. The world around him became transparent, every object within range taking shape as a distinct outline within his mind.
With his current Soul Realm cultivation, he could only perceive outlines, not specific details.
He focused his Spiritual Perception towards the backstreets, quickly locating a shadowy figure lurking beneath a window, eavesdropping on the sounds from within.
Inside, Xiao Xinyan was taking a bath. Having already succumbed to the effects of the concentrated Dream Drop Dew, she was sprawled in a tub filled with flower petals, her breathing ragged and punctuated by soft moans. Both her hands were submerged in the water, indicating she had already begun pleasuring herself.
Why they couldn’t have waited until after class to act out their little scenario, he had no idea. Now, he had to play the role of the unwelcome savior.
Yan Zhen slipped out of his room, leaping onto the roof and using the rooftops to reach the Xiao family’s residence in the backstreets. He dropped down just as Xiao Shi was impatiently trying to pry open the window, intent on entering his cousin’s room and having his way with her.
“Hey!”
Yan Zhen delivered a swift kick to Xiao Shi’s backside, sending him sprawling. “What do you think you’re doing?”
Xiao Shi whirled around, his face contorted with rage, only to freeze when he saw who had interrupted him.
“Yan Zhen? What… what are you doing here?!”
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