Chapter 17: Chapter 17: Triggering Rewards Again
As soon as he reached Serenity’s Peak, a breathtaking view welcomed him.
It may look another ordinary cave, but lotus petals blooming with radiant light made the place feel like a little piece of heaven.
He looked around carefully, but found no one in sight.
But from inside, the same womanly perfume drifted under his nose, making his heart beat a little faster.
It had only been a day, yet he already missed her presence so much.
With slow strides, he continued to walk toward the entrance.
But suddenly, a little girl stepped in front of him.
The little girl blocked his path with her hands on her hips.
Vahn smiled at the sight of her.
"Zephya, your master is inside, right?" he asked.
"Humph..." In reply, she first snorted with disdain.
"No, she is not. Why are you here?"
Vahn smiled amusedly as he replied,
"What do you mean, ’Why am I here’? I’m her husband. Obviously, I came to check on her and see if she’s well or not."
Zephya’s ears twitched, and her nose wrinkled in disgust.
"Tch. Do you even hear yourself? My master is the Saintess of Holy Land, and you’re... nothing. So how can the two of you be together? I Won’t accept this. No one will accept this."
"Haha... Their opinion doesn’t matter. We’re already married, so we’ll have to play our roles like one," Vahn teased while keeping his skin thick.
"Y-you..."
Zephya was speechless by his shamelessness. She was really getting annoyed by his smug smile. But just as she was about to use force, Seraphina interrupted in time.
"Zephya, let him in."
Her voice was still calm and warm, just like yesterday. She hadn’t changed at all, contrary to what he suspected.
Zephya, now with no choice but to comply, stepped aside, though her reluctance was clear.
She didn’t follow him. She remained in place where she was.
Guided by the soft glow of white fireflies, entered the cave.
Inside, the cave wasn’t dark. It was well-lit by magical crystals scattered throughout, their gentle light illuminating the space.
Seraphina sat in the center, meditating with her eyes closed. Her chest rose and fell with each inhale and exhale, giving off a dangerous allure.
Vahn’s heartbeat faster.
"Calm down, Vahn. You mustn’t think of her like that."
He cursed inwardly and forced his gaze downward toward her legs. Her bare feet was smooth, like polished jade.
No matter how much he tried, he couldn’t look away.
Just then, Seraphina’s bright blue eyes flicked open. Their eyes met, and a moment of silence passed between them.
Her eyes were like a serene blue lake, drew him closer and closer. It was working like a divine charm, pulling his soul deeper into her beauty.
Vahn couldn’t allow that to happen. He swallowed hard and forcefully broke the eye contact, pulling himself back into focus.
Seraphina lips curve a small arc, as if amused by his internal struggle.
"So, how did your first lesson go, Vahn? Did you learn something?" she asked kindly.
Vahn looked at her face like a man and replied,
"Yes, I did. They told me to complete my body tempering first. After that, I can get a cultivation manual from the Scripture Hall,"
She nodded in agreement.
"That’s right. Body tempering comes first. But if you want to stay ahead of others, you need to build a flawless foundation. For that, you’ll need expensive Heavenly Treasures. I can give you 1,000 spirit stones if you want..." she offered, her smile gentle.
Vahn could feel that she wasn’t lying. But if he accepted her offer now, he would feel weak, like he was relying on her, and that thought left a bitter taste in his mouth. Her good impression of him might decrease as well, and he didn’t want that.
He would do this his own way. Without relying on her.
He denied her offer with a bright smile.
"No, Saintess. I don’t want your help."
"Why not?" She was a little surprised.
"Don’t misunderstand," Vahn quickly added. "It’s not because I’m rejecting you or anything like that. It’s because I don’t want to rely on anyone anymore. I want to grow on my own. A long time ago, I decided I would carve my own path. So, yes... that’s how it is. Pretty stupid, right?" He finished with a sheepish smile.
Seraphina’s smile widened, though something unreadable flashed in her eyes. Maybe it was a little admiration for his resolve and courage.
"But I would like to get one thing from you though," Vahn suddenly added, his expression turning a little hesitant.
Seraphina’s curiosity was piqued.
"And what’s that?"
"I want to know about your past. Can you tell me?" He asked with sincere hope.
But the answer was a firm rejection.
"Sorry, Vahn. But I think I cannot speak about it right now."
Her beautiful face showed great sorrow, but it was quickly gone as it came.
Vahn was now sure she must have a tragic past, one she wasn’t ready to reveal yet.
But Vahn wasn’t going to give up so easily. He had to get closer to her, no matter how many walls she built around herself.
"I understand your difficulty, Seraphina. But can you at least walk with me outside for a while? I would like to share a story with you. Maybe then, you’d be able to share some of the burden in your heart."
Seraphina raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Huh, you’re that certain?"
Vahn nodded. "Yes, I am confident. Just come with me."
He reached out to grab her smooth hand, but then paused, realizing how forward he was being. They had only just begun their relationship, and here he was, thinking of touching her so soon.
But then, unexpectedly, something soft and smooth brushed against his palm.
He turned, surprised, to find Seraphina’s hand accepting his own.
"Let’s go," she said calmly, rising to her feet.
Vahn’s heart surged with excitement, a feeling he couldn’t quite put into words.
As they walked together, a sudden ding echoed in his mind.
---
[ Your Physical Connection with Seraphina increased by 1.5%. Reward Gained: 1 Bottle of Heaven Grade Body Tempering Liquid ]
[ Do you want to extract it now? ]
[Yes] / [No]