Tianxi's voice cut through the air, and Yun Xi snapped back to herself immediately, rising and straightening her clothes before answering him.
"Y-yes." The words left her lips in a flustered rush.
She stole a glance at Ling Tian, then fled the carriage. Ling Tian stepped out after her.
Tianxi was already waiting outside, bent in a bow.
"Young Miss, we have arrived at the inn." His gaze drifted to Yun Xi's reddened face. "Has something happened?"
"Nothing. I simply dozed off along the way." She drew herself up, reaching for the composed bearing befitting a young lady.
"Please forgive the Young Miss, Young Taoist Tian, even though she was the one who invited you." Tianxi bowed toward Ling Tian.
"Think nothing of it, Brother Tianxi. The journey was long; she must be exhausted."
Well... she is exhausted, though hardly from the travelling... A roguish thought curled through his mind, yet his expression remained perfectly serene.
He offered an easy smile, his white robes swaying softly as a mild breeze passed over him.
"Oh… your understanding is much appreciated." Tianxi bowed once more, then cast a lingering look toward Yun Xi.
"Thank you for accompanying us, Ling Tian. Please accept this as a small token of gratitude for your assistance." Yun Xi flicked her finger toward a ring on her hand, and a pouch materialized in her palm, which she extended toward him.
"My thanks, Miss Xi. Also, I forgot to tell you, I will try to join the Azure Dragon Sect. So we will meet again." He smiled at her, then turned and began walking away.
"Wait!" Yun Xi's voice rang out behind him. She hurried forward until she stood before him, face flushed, fingers fidgeting at her sides.
She leaned close to his ear.
"Come to my room tomorrow. I want to talk with you." Then she spun away and disappeared into the inn.
My, she really is adorable.
He gave Tianxi a wordless nod and took his leave.
****
Alone at last, Ling Tian examined the pouch Yun Xi had pressed into his hand. Inside were a few gold coins.
He stared for a moment, genuinely taken aback. He hadn't expected the Yun clan to be quite that wealthy.
With his pockets considerably heavier, he strolled through the broad avenues of Azure Cloud City, his gaze moving across the sprawling cityscape with quiet curiosity.
Only now did its true scale begin to dawn on him. A genuine metropolis, the likes of which he had never encountered on Earth, nor within the inherited memories of the former Ling Tian.
Towering structures rose dozens of floors into the sky, their facades marked with the insignia of powerful merchant houses.
Street performers drew crowds of wide-eyed children, channeling their cultivation into whimsical displays, while vendors lined the thoroughfares with stalls piled high with exotic produce, rare herbs, and all manner of prepared foods.
The majority of those passing by were ordinary mortals, yet even so, the concentration of cultivators here was more than he expected.
He shook his head and set about looking for somewhere to eat. Most establishments were packed to capacity, and it was only after several blocks that he spotted a tavern with a vacant table.
He went straight in and claimed it.
"Welcome to the Azure Moon Pavilion, young master. How may I serve you?"
A waitress appeared at his side, her dark hair pinned into a neat bun atop her head, her face buried beneath a considerable amount of cosmetics.
Ling Tian barely glanced at her, his attention already drifting to the menu.
Her body was voluptuous, but he really didn't want to choke on the kilograms of cosmetics she wore on her face.
"I'll have Beef stew and Spiritual Tea."
"Of course, young master. It won't be long," she replied with a practiced smile, leaning forward just enough to show off her ample cleavage before leaving with a subtle sway of her hips.
Finally left in peace, Ling Tian stretched in his seat and pulled up his lust point balance.
The massage he'd shared with Yun Xi inside the carriage had proven rather lucrative, well over a thousand points.
System, he thought. Is normal cultivation truly off the table for me?
[Yes and no. Advancing through realms and stages remains entirely within the system's domain and requires lust points, the host may still cultivate through dual cultivation in order to build a firm foundation and develop mastery over that power.]
Dual Cultivation?
[Dual cultivation is where you cultivate using the opposite gender qi. Woman yin qi and man yang qi. This method also allow you partner to advance in cultivation in case you cultivate higher.]
I see, so I can also make my woman stronger along with me, for me just to solidify my foundation. So dumping everything into breakthroughs straight away would be shortsighted... he mused.
He knew well enough how critical a solid foundation was; it was common sense, but not many cared. In the Elementary Spirit Realm, it rarely mattered, but by the time he reached the True Spirit Realm, any weakness in his base would be brutally exposed.
His memories held no shortage of cautionary examples, cultivators from the Earth Spirit Realm, cut down by opponents from the True Spirit Realm.
The reason was always the same: lack of a solid base.
These defeated people cultivated with the most expensive materials, making one breakthrough after another, and when they reached the limit, they turned out to be much weaker than their peers, suffering from terrible Qi deviation problems.
That was not the path he intended to walk.
He wanted to be the kind of cultivator who crushed enemies several realms above his, not some hollow young master whose strength was just for show.
For now, let's see what I can do with my point. Since I decided to join the Azure Dragon Sect. He opened the lust store.
He went through all the categories, his eyes dimming with each price he looked at.
Apparently, his adventures with Yun Xi had paid off far less than he had initially thought...
"Hah..." Ling Tian exhaled.
System, how many points to upgrade my spiritual roots?