Chapter 95: buying clothes and Rings

I kept my eyes closed, sitting cross-legged in a meditative posture as my mind navigated the newly unlocked pathways of the System interface. To Qing Yan, it simply looked like I was deep in meditation, stabilizing my new Meridian Stage cultivation.

Sitting right next to me, she was completely naked, her palm resting on her thighs and her arms making her chest more coming forward, her gaze entirely drawn to my form.

Looking at the my handsome face and perfection of my physique, a sudden, unfamiliar heat sparked deep within her. Her breath hitched, and against her own will, her gaze drifted even lower and she something pulsing btw his thighs.

The sight of his refined physique brought a rush of warmth to her cheeks. Tracing the lines of his broad shoulders and defined chest wet with sweats, making his chest a little visible under his clothes, a sudden, unfamiliar nervousness settled deep within her. Her breath hitched, and despite her best efforts to remain composed, her mind began to drift back to the intense events they had shared just moments prior.

‘He really isn’t bad…’ she thought, her mind spiraling into a chaotic, dazed fog.’ In fact, the strength he possesses is undeniable. Would it… would it be okay if we do it again if things continued? No! What am I thinking?! I am loosing myself, I should be focusing entirely on my cultivation and stabilizing my internal energy too! But the connection felt so profound…’

The sheer direction of her thoughts sent a visible flush rushing down her neck. Her skin grew tightly sensitized under the hquiet atmosphere of the cave. Driven by a irresistible curiosity, she unconsciously leaned closer to him. Her movement was fluid as she edged into his personal space, captivated by the quiet intensity of the moment. And try to remove his clothes to see her lean body.

But before she could move any closer, his eyelids slowly opened. Their gazes locked instantly.

Qing Yan froze mid-lean, her wide eyes swimming with absolute panic at being caught. The res blush on her cheeks flared to life instantly.

“Ah!” she gasped, immediately flinching backward. “You—you’re awake! I wasn’t—I was just—”

A knowing smile pulled at the corner of his lips, his eyes locking onto her flustered expression. “You were just what, Qing Yan? From this perspective, it looked like you were observing quite closely. Or were you planning something else?”

“I was not!” she countered, her voice pitching higher as she desperately sought a plausible excuse, her eyes darting toward the stone ceiling. “I was merely checking to see if your aura was stable! Yes! Your cultivation energy felt somewhat chaotic, so as a partner, it was necessary to lean in and inspect your condition! Do not misunderstand the situation!”

“Oh, an inspection?” he replied softly, shifting his weight slightly within the small space. The subtle pressure of his newly stabilized cultivation aura brushed against the air, heightening the tension between them. “An interesting method of inspection. If you wished to discuss our training further, honesty would suffice. There is no need for professional excuses.”

“Be quiet!” she exclaimed, as she trembled under the sheer romantic tension building between them. “The arrogance is entirely unnecessary!”

I looked down from her face.

“But they are very red and hard, are you sure you were not thinking anything else ” i said pointing my fingers at her chest trying to tease her even more.

“I said, turn your eyes around!” She said in full embracement as she try to hide her body.

Her left arm was crushed tightly across her chest, desperately trying to shield the full, smooth curves of her breasts, while her right hand pressed down between her thighs to cover herself. Her skin was a burning rex from her jawline down to her collarbone, her large eyes wide with pure, mortified shyness. “Barry! If you keep staring, I will… I will use my flame to melt those eyes out of your skull!”

I couldn’t help but let out a amused chuckle, though I slowly shifted my gaze upward to look only at her face, giving her a tiny bit of mercy.

“Hey, don’t be like this, an inspection goes both ways, doesn’t it? But alright, alright. I’ll play nice.”

Internally, my mind was already racing. ‘System, open the interface. She can’t stay wrapped in dirt-stained furs forever, and we need to move soon.’

[Ding! System Version 2.0 Marketplace fully initialized. ]

[ Processing Host request: Premium Cultivation Apparel. ]

The sytem floated before my eyes, completely invisible to her. A vast array of legendary garments flickered into view, i saw many set of clothes, but one specific set immediately caught my eye. The item description flashed in golden script:

[ Item: Divine Vermilion Phoenix Robes (Genesis-Peak Tier) ]

[ Description: Crafted from celestial silk woven in volcanic rifts. Provides a permanent +45% physical and spiritual defense modifier. Immune to low-tier elements and automatically self-repairs. ]

[ Price: 4,000 Gold Points. ]

‘Perfect. Buy it,’ I commanded. ‘And System, give me two Cosmic Void Rings while you’re at it.’

The upgrade bonus I had received for breaching the Meridian Stage had left my pockets with Gold Points, so the deduction barely left a scratch.

The reason for the rings was simple—the System had already glitched once before. If it decided to disappear or calibrate again in the middle of a life-or-death battle, I needed a physical backup. A spatial ring would ensure our resources, pills, and extra gear were always accessible, no matter what happened to my internal interface.

[ Ding! Purchase successful. 5,500 Gold Points deducted. Items deposited into temporary hand-buffer. ]

With a slight shimmer of light that I masked behind my own golden aura, a bundle of incredibly soft red silk and two sleek, obsidian-silver bands materialized in my lap.

I picked up the bundle and gently tossed the luxurious red fabric onto the furs right beside her.

“Here. A peace offering. It’s a lot better than the rags the demons left you with, and the defensive enchantments will keep you safe if we run into any more oversized puppies.”

Qing Yan blinked, her hands still tightly gripping herself as she peeked at the gown. The sheer luxury of the fabric—the intricate gold feather patterns lining the low-cut trim, the translucent sleeves that looked like spun liquid ruby—made her jaw drop. “Where… how did you have this hidden on you?”