Chapter 23: Wanna Go Shopping?

Shen Qingxue was already deep into practicing the Mountain-Cleansing Body Art I had taught her yesterday.

Her brow was furrowed in fierce concentration, a thin sheen of sweat glistening along her brow. She sank into the deep horse stance of the first form, pivoted with sharp precision into the second elbow strike, and then attempted the third sweeping kick.

Stumble.

Her balance wavered slightly on the turn, her back foot catching the edge of the stone tile. She couldn’t cleanly link past the third form just yet, but the sheer stability, fluidity, and sharpness of her first two forms were miles ahead of yesterday’s clumsy attempts.

Watching her persist through the strain with that unbending, ferocious focus, I couldn’t help but admire her grit.

Then, a sudden thought struck me.

Wait a second!

"System," I muttered, raising an eyebrow. "I gave her a full bottle of Dragon-Tiger Vitality Pills last night before she went to sleep. Why didn’t I get a notification for the 10x reward return?"

The System’s crisp chime answered instantly inside my head:

[Host was engaged in deep aperture-refining meditation throughout the night. To avoid causing spiritual backlash or disrupting the Host’s delicate meridian breakthrough, System notifications were temporarily suppressed and queued.]

[All investment returns have been safely processed and deposited into System Storage.]

[Ding! Reviewing overnight transaction...]

[Host unconditionally gifted: 1x Bottle of Dragon-Tiger Vitality Pills (Mid-Mortal Grade) to Target Shen Qingxue!]

[Target’s Affection remains high: 95/100 (Unwavering Devotion)!]

[10x Investment Multiplier successfully triggered!)

[Reward mutating... Critical Evolution Success!]

[You have acquired: Heaven-Grade Primordial Dragon-Marrow Elixir!]

[Effect: Extracted from ancient dragon vitality, capable of endlessly nourishing internal organs, rapidly regenerating depleted blood essence, and tripling the user’s natural physical lifespan.]

Heaven-Grade Primordial Dragon-Marrow Elixir?!

I rubbed my chin, thoroughly satisfied with the sheer efficiency of the System. Giving away one cheap bottle of mortal pills and waking up to amm ancient dragon elixirs was the kind of effortless wealth generation I could definitely get used to.

Pushing the notifications aside, I wiped the greedy smirk from my face, tucked my hands into my wide sleeves, and casually sauntered into the courtyard.

"Your third stance is turning the hips half a beat too early," I called out, my voice carrying a relaxed, warm tone across the terrace. "Don’t let your eagerness outrun your breathing."

Shen Qingxue froze mid-movement.

Recognizing my voice, the ferocious intensity in her dark eyes melted away in an instant, replaced by warmth. She immediately pulled her feet together, straightened her posture, and lowered her head in a respectful greeting.

"Master!" she said, slightly breathless from the exertion. A healthy flush colored her cheeks under the morning light. "Good morning. Disciple was merely reviewing yesterday’s movements while the morning qi was crisp."

"Practicing is good, but don’t overexert yourself on an empty stomach," I smiled, stepping up to her side and casually wiping a stray drop of sweat from her cheek with the edge of my thumb.

She leaned into my touch for a brief, sweet second, her delicate eyelashes fluttering bashfully.

"Go wash up and catch your breath," I told her, flashing her an easygoing wink. "Today, we’re taking a break from the peak. Get yourself ready, little disciple, your Master is taking you down to the commercial district to buy you some proper clothes of your own."

...

It didn’t take long for Shen Qingxue to freshen up and return to the courtyard.

She was dressed in another set of Wan’er’s spare robes, a pale, lavender-tinted moonlight silk that draped loosely over her slender frame. With her damp hair brushed out and hanging straight down her back, she looked remarkably fresh and spirited.

Stepping up to the stone pavilion where I sat enjoying the morning breeze, she offered a bright smile.

"Master, the Dragon-Tiger Vitality Pill you gave me last night was incredible," she said, her dark eyes shining with genuine wonder. "I took it right before bed like you instructed, and when I woke up, the constant, hollow ache inside my chest and joints was completely gone. I feel more energetic than I have in months."

I let out a soft chuckle, taking a slow sip of morning tea. "That is merely scratching the surface, little disciple. There is still a vast universe out there that you have yet to witness. Cultivation is not merely about swinging a blade or gathering power; it is about reshaping the mortal shell until it harmonizes with the endless rhythm of heaven and earth. When the inner spirit finds its proper anchor, the body naturally flourishes like spring bamboo after rain."

Hearing my effortless, casual wisdom, Shen Qingxue stood there in rapt silence, looking at me with an expression of bottomless reverence and admiration.

To her, I was an unfathomable grandmaster who could peer into the deepest truths of the cosmos with a wave of my sleeve. In reality, I was just spouting whatever poetic nonsense sounded profound enough to keep my transcendent image intact. Still, seeing her look at me like I was a living god was undeniably satisfying.

"Enough philosophizing for the morning," I grinned, setting my teacup down.

With a soft whistle, my green flying sword slid smoothly out of its scabbard, hovering in the air right beside the terrace railing.

"Tell me, Qingxue," I asked, glancing over at her. "Have you ever ridden a flying sword through the clouds?"

She blinked, looking at the slender, shimmering blade floating in mid-air, and shook her head honestly. "Never, Master. In the mortal borderlands, flying swords were legends spoken of in tea houses. Mortals only ever see a flash of light in the sky."

"Then this will be a good first experience for you," I said with a smile.

I casually flicked my fingers toward the blade.

HUM-

A gentle pulse of golden Late-Stage Core Formation qi rippled through the steel. Under Qingxue’s wide, astonished gaze, the slender three-foot sword expanded rapidly, stretching outward until it was as wide as a wooden skiff and long enough to comfortably fit three people.