He returned to the quiet courtyard in the secluded valley.
Fang Xuan pushed open the bamboo gate.
Ning Xian was not there; the courtyard was empty.
Gone foraging again? Fang Xuan guessed.
Yesterday was fish; he wondered what it would be today.
Thinking of this, he actually felt a bit of anticipation.
After all, Senior Sister’s cooking truly suited his appetite.
Since he had nothing better to do, he rolled up his sleeves and started looking for tasks to occupy himself.
First, he watered the somewhat neglected herb garden.
These herbs were growing crookedly and their quality was quite poor. He couldn’t tell if Ning Xian lacked the heart to care for them or if she simply wasn't good at it.
Fang Xuan even wondered if Ning Xian actually liked raising these plants or if she just needed something to do.
Or... was she growing them as potential ingredients, like a vegetable patch?
He pondered this while watering, already treating the place as his own home.
After all, Shen Chen had told him to stay here to study, so by his logic, half the courtyard belonged to him now.
He really was quite shameless.
.......
After finishing in the herb garden, the sunlight spilled into the courtyard, feeling warm and pleasant.
Fang Xuan dragged a bamboo chair under the shade of a tree and lay down comfortably.
As he relaxed, his mind began to revolve around the core difficulty.
How could he get Ning Xian to give him some serious training?
The system’s damn progress bar was moving slower than a crawling snail. He needed a breakthrough.
Otherwise, he would be stuck eating crumbs for the rest of his life.
A few bold ideas flashed through his mind.
Option one: a night raid!
He could sneak in while she was asleep to appreciate her feet again...
No, that wouldn’t work. She was unconscious last time, so the risk was low.
Now that Ning Xian was awake, her alertness would be high. If he got caught... that would be a disaster.
Besides, that behavior was a bit too deviant. Though Fang Xuan’s integrity was nearly depleted, he still had a shred of a bottom line left... right?
Option two: seeking hardship!
He could ask her to spar and then "accidentally" provoke her, or simply demand: "Senior Sister, please use a whip on me!"
But... how was that different from directly saying "Please train me!"?
She would likely label him a masochist. Not only would her favorability plummet, but she might even strike him down on the spot for the sake of cleansing the sect.
Option three: slacking off!
He could intentionally make mistakes in his cultivation and act incredibly dull, making her despair over his lack of talent and punish him severely.
For example, making him copy the rules and precepts ten thousand times or face the wall in meditation?
This fit the scope of instruction better, but he felt the punishment wouldn't be intense enough. It would be a waste if the system didn't recognize it as a training act.
Sigh, it was difficult.
Fang Xuan felt that this great task of being trained was harder than cultivating directly to the Nascent Soul Realm.
The main issue was that the scale was too hard to grasp. If it was too light, it didn't count as training; if it was too heavy, it could easily go wrong. It also had to feel natural and not forced...
........
Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, dappling his body with warmth.
He had stayed up late meditating the previous night. Although a cultivator at his level could go days without sleep, deep in his bones, he still kept the old habits from his past life: eat when you should eat, sleep when you should sleep.
As he thought, his eyelids grew heavier.
There is always a way when the time comes...
Things being what they are...
Before long, the sound of steady breathing rose in the quiet courtyard.
.......
Later, toward noon.
Fang Xuan was nudged awake by an enticing aroma.
He opened his eyes groarily. Before his consciousness had fully returned, his nose twitched instinctively.
It smelled wonderful... like fresh white rice.
He found himself still lying on the bamboo chair, but at some point, a simple blanket had been draped over him.
The blanket was clean and carried a faint, cool fragrance, very similar to the scent on Ning Xian.
He instinctively pulled the blanket up, pressing his nose to the corner, and took a deep breath.
Yes, it was definitely Ning Xian’s scent—chilly with a hint of herbal bitterness. It smelled very good.
【Detected the host carefully appreciating Master Ning Xian's personal items and forming pleasurable and possessive associations.】
【Behavioral Judgment: A subject's secret proximity to the master's personal belongings.】
【Training value +0.1!】
【Encouragement: Maintaining high focus and obsession with everything regarding the master is the mark of an excellent trainee. Please keep it up!】
Fang Xuan: "......."
His hand holding the blanket froze in mid-air.
This system's judgment was a bit lewd...
However, the system had already returned to silence, hiding its fame and merit.
Fang Xuan wordlessly folded the blanket and set it aside.
The aroma grew more intense, accompanied by the sizzle of stir-frying from a pan.
He stood up and followed the scent and sound to the small kitchen.
Ning Xian had her back to him, focused on tossing the wok.
The stove fire illuminated one side of her face. There were tiny beads of sweat on her forehead, and a few stray hairs clung to her fair neck.
Her movements were as efficient as ever. In the wok, thin slices of unknown beast meat were tossing with chilies and wild vegetables.
On the small table nearby, two bowls of spirit rice were already set, along with a dish of cold-dressed bamboo shoots and a bowl of clear egg drop soup.
It was the four-dishes-and-a-soup configuration again.
"Awake?" Ning Xian seemed to sense his gaze. She didn't turn around, her voice remaining cool. "The food will be ready soon. Go wash your hands first."
Fang Xuan gave an "oh" and obediently went to the stream to wash his hands.
When he returned, Ning Xian had already plated the final dish of spicy stir-fried beast meat and brought it to the table.
The two of them sat down at the stone table.
"Try it. I was lucky today and found... a musk deer that knocked itself out against a tree in the back mountain."
Fang Xuan couldn't hold back any longer. He picked up a piece of meat and put it in his mouth.
The meat was indeed tender and bouncy, incredibly fresh and savory.
His highest form of praise was to shovel the rice into his mouth.
.......
The dining table was quiet for a moment, save for the slight clinking of utensils.
After a while, Ning Xian seemed to hesitate before speaking. "Today... at the Sword-Honing Hall, did the other senior brothers make things difficult for you?"
Her voice was very light, and her gaze was fixed on the rice in her bowl as if it were just a casual question.
She was only asking this... to repay him for saving her life. It definitely wasn't because of anything else...
Definitely not...
.......
Fang Xuan knew she had probably heard some rumors but didn't feel comfortable asking directly.
"No," he swallowed his food and answered curtly.
Ning Xian looked up at him.
Something seemed to flash in those cool eyes—perhaps understanding, or some other complex emotion.
She didn't press further, only giving a soft "Mm."
"If anything really happens..."
She paused, her voice still calm. "You don't need to endure it. Though my cultivation is currently lacking, I am still your senior sister."
He knew Ning Xian wasn't just being polite.
With her future protective and overbearing personality, saying "I am still your senior sister" now carried a heavy weight.
The subtext was likely: You are mine to train, but no one else is allowed to touch you.
Of course, the current Ning Xian probably wasn't that ferocious yet, but her willingness to back him up was genuine.
"I know, Senior Sister."
Fang Xuan simply smiled.
Ning Xian said nothing more, only nodding before lowering her head to continue eating.
Fang Xuan didn't waste any more words either, burying his head in the task of finishing his meal.
Mostly because it was just too delicious!
System: 【Detected the host immersing himself in the meal bestowed by the master, consistent with the satisfied mindset of a trainee being fed. Training value +0.05!】
...I can get points just for eating? Fine, whatever makes you happy.
Never mind that; eating is more important!
Rate on N.U.
