9 A Morning Visit

As I fully ascended the stairs the night sky shone in glints and glimmers. Stars blanketed the beautiful sky filled with blues and purples. The shapes were almost like rifts and tears as they plastered the sky.

Such an amazing view was offered by the perfect spot on my mountain. It was one of the many reasons I built here in the first place. With such a mystical sight to behold I wished to enjoy it just a little longer. I walked to the pavilion by the pond and took a long gaze at my surroundings.

Underneath the water surface the pond had slow movements. Most of the fish within slept, but it still had a few who calmly swam around. On the surface the reflection of the full moon was shone. The slight waves of the waters give the moon an extra level of vibrancy.

Merely standing here had a calming effect as I stared as I stared at the wonderfully peaceful environment. Standing in the middle of the pavilion I placed my hands behind my back.

Peering into the night sky I thought about that little girl who cared for me all those years ago. It would have been better if I never saw those items again, but since they've now appeared I have to take care of the owner.

'Perhaps I didn't need to give that girl those two items. Giving them such immense wealth to turn them from commoners to lords of the local area should have been enough. That wealth affected 4 generations of their family after all. Their affairs afterwards should have no connection with me.

I suppose I could just treat her as a special pseudo-disciple then. I guess I have to start teaching her a bit about cultivation tomorrow. I'll just give her some basic manuals to get started then leave afterward.'

I was just about done with the scenery when a pair of slender arms appeared from the peripherals of my vision. They immediately wrapped themselves around me followed by a unique warmth from behind that went through our clothing. The soft feeling from behind might have been a surprise, but a welcome one at that.

She naturally used a technique to sneak up on me, else I would have been able to hear the sounds of her stepping on the ground.

"Darling, so this is where you were. I was starting to get worried, yet here you are enjoying the scenery without me. Don't you know how lonely I am without you?" While she said that she rested her head on my back.

"Ying'er, I was just captivated by the by the night's beauty. Come here, let's sit and enjoy it together." Within the pavilion there were two benches, I led her towards one of them and together we sat down.

"I have to say, this view is quite nice. But how could you leave your wife all alone for it? Don't you know how patiently I was waiting for you at home? You could have at least asked me to accompany you." She asked with her head still resting on my shoulder, in return I rested my own on her head.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry aren't I making it up now? How about you choose a day, anyday you want, and I'll spend the entirety of it being with you?"

"Really?"

"Of course!"

"Then I pick tomorrow!"

"Huh? T-tomorrow?"

"Yes! Is there a problem with that?"

'Hmm well I'm sorry pseudo-disciple, but the wife has spoken. I guess I'll just do it the day after. I'm sure she won't mind, after all it's not like she even knows I had those thoughts in the first place.'

"No, no it's okay, but I just have a small task I'll have to do then."

"Oh, it sounds like a bad day for you tomorrow? I guess, as your wife I have to accommodate and just pick another day then…" I had already thought to give her that day and hearing her depressed tone only reinforced my decision to let her have the day.

Straightening up I turned towards her and gently caught her falling face between both my hands before turning her head to face me.

"Ying'er look at me. You wanted to be with me tomorrow right? Don't you worry, I'll take care of my problem before you even wake up! Then as soon as you wake up I'll be ready to be yours the entire day!" She showed a warm smile before nodding.

"En, then I can't wait for tomorrow! We'll do so much tomorrow, I already have a few plans. First we'll go out, perhaps shop a bit and eat at the nearby city. After that we'll take a scenic walk out in nature, before finally returning home!"

"Oh? You already know what to do? Well whatever you say tomorrow, I'll do my best to accommodate you."

"Oh? Fufu~♥ Does that mean anything?~♥"

"Of course! Anything you want tomorrow!"

"Fufu~♥ I'll make sure to make full use of it then~♥"

"Now why don't we just enjoy this spot just a little longer before we go to bed?"

"As you wish~" She said as she snuggled up against my chest.

Where her head was located she could probably hear my heart beating. She was so close and seemed so vulnerable. Sometimes I wonder how I managed to get such a wonderful woman to marry me. It was almost like fate or something that we managed to find each other.

It was like she appeared out of nowhere. On a random day I walked through the city and saw her, she at that point was the most beautiful woman I'd seen. That was all though, I appreciated her beauty, nothing more and nothing less. I had no reason to walk up to speak to her; so I walked by her and I didn't see them for numerous days following that.

The next time I saw her was when I was in a place to drink tea and relax. Suddenly she appeared as I drank and she happened to pick a table near me. After the first glance I looked away and continued to appreciate the tea I drank. It was similar to the Tieguanyin tea I had in the past and just drinking it in this world brought back a few memories.

Out of nowhere she started speaking to me. At the time when she spoke with me she was like an elegant woman of high class, completely different to how she is when she's with me now. I don't even remember what we spoke about, only the fact that we had somehow managed to keep a simple conversation going for quite a while until her own tea came. Once it did she suggested moving tables and sitting with me, it was nice to have company I thought at the time so I accepted.

I thought at the time she would only be a nice acquaintance I would make for an afternoon, but I was wrong. Unknowingly this woman would seem to just keep appearing again and again in my life. Slowly, but surely the other suitresses I had were becoming overshadowed by her. I saw them less and less and yet saw her more and more.

A low splashing from the pond was heard and woke me up. Taking a glance at Ying'er I saw and heard her calm and shallow breaths.

'Oh? She fell asleep? How cute.'

Picking her up I tried to be as gentle as possible so I wouldn't wake her. From the exterior pavilion to the front door, up the steps, and to bed. Moving the bed sheet over I slowly and lightly laid her down before covering her back up. Entering the bed from the otherside I lied there gazing at Ying'er.

"Hmm… Husband… hehe~…"

'Oh, dreaming of me? How nice.'

…

When I woke up it was quite early in the morning. Ying'er was still asleep so I had to go quickly to give my little pseudo-disciple some things. Quietly exiting the house I made it to the steps before I started flashing down them. I could teleport exactly down to where I want to be, but such actions require a strenuous amount of Qi.

When I reached the door I gave it a few knocks and waited a moment. Hearing no movement I took out a few things from my storage ring before beginning to slide them under the door, but just before I slid the final item the door just opened.

"Big Brother? What are you doing here so early?"

Seeing that she was here slightly shocked me. Did she somehow manage to hide the sounds of her feet? Or did she fall asleep here just at the door? If she walked I should have heard her steps no?

"I was just coming here to give you a few things, but now that you have them I'll just leave. That letter should explain everything."

***

(Xue Jinzi)

"You're already here, why don't you just come in and tell me about them?"

*Crack* Mentally another crack appeared within my mind

'Huh, did he really want to leave without telling me anything? Sure he wrote a note, but he's right here now.'

"Please come in!" I pushed open the door all the way so that his figure could enter and hesitantly he did.

After picking up the few items on the ground I led him to the spot we sat at yesterday and once he sat down on the sofa I sat right in front of him on the floor.

"So what were you doing with these?"

"Well they're a few things to help you with beginning your cultivation. I would have taught you today, but my wife needs me."

'Wife needs me? Is this her way of getting back at me? Ahh! They're too close together! I need to find a way to separate them, or maybe I have to resort to blackmail? But how am I supposed to find anything bad about him?'

"The first item is a manual so you'll know how to start cultivating at the beginning Body Tempering realm. Each realm is separated into 3 major stages which also contain 3 minor layers each. All for a total of 9 layers, each major stage greatly boosts your power. So even if you were within the same realm if you were at different stages then there's a good chance that the higher of you two would win.

The second item is a movement technique manual. I noticed when you were tracking me before that your speed was quite lacking. You were able to trail me, but just barely so I felt that you would like to have this. You also have plenty of room to practice this technique around. The mountainous forest around your house ranges far and wide, but I would still advise against going too deep in.

Finally the last item is contained within that little bottle. It's a pill to help your cultivation during the Body Tempering realm, but be warned in the future you will have to expel the impurities of the pills.You should never let too many impurities build up or else it will stagnate your cultivation.

That's all for now, I should go. I'll answer any questions you have tomorrow. Goodbye!" With a light wave he stood up and quickly left. I didn't even get a word in before he disappeared from my house.

Looking down at items in front of me I contemplated a bit.

'So this is cultivation? It's a lot simpler than I thought it would be. I just have to follow these instructions and I'll become a cultivator like Big Brother is?'

Placing down the bottle and movement technique I sat down where he sat and opened the Body Tempering manual. There was a slight warmth left behind by him, one which I wholly welcomed. Any lingering remnant of his I have to quickly take advantage of.

'Once I become a cultivator I can stand up against that wife of his right?'