"The ghostly wails seem to be more plentiful tonight."
The maid Jia'Er gazed into the night, noticing something different.
"The ancestral rites are approaching; perhaps the wandering souls are awaiting incense and offerings."
Shen Wang spoke lightly. The Shen Family's Grave Mountain had something ominous about it, easily nourishing wandering souls and ghosts, thus a cleansing was performed every year during the ancestral rites.
"There used to be people guarding here. Once you arrived, young master, they left, purposely making things difficult for you."
Jia'Er spoke indignantly. Before they came, this ancestral residence had multiple protectors. Now, with only Shen Wang alone and Uncle Hu being called back earlier, things were becoming more unmanageable. To her, it seemed intentional.
"Besides the arrangements of the family, who would be willing to stay in this ghostly place?"
Shen Wang shook his head, glancing at the maid looking even more beautiful under the lamplight, saying, "Jia'Er, you've been with me for over ten years, haven't you?"
"Fourteen years now."
The maid Jia'Er showed gratitude: "If not for your grace, young master, I might have been kidnapped to the Land of Smoke and Willow or left to die in the wilderness by now."
"Now that Wan'Er has left, what are your thoughts?"
Shen Wang looked at the maid Jia'Er: "Don't hesitate to say whatever is on your mind."
"She is heartless, but someday, she will regret her actions of last night."
The maid Jia'Er spoke with some anger.
"So, do you like Xue'Er?"
Shen Wang asked.
"Yes, I do. Xue'Er is so sweet. I can't understand how she could bear to abandon her own daughter."
Jia'Er's eyes were filled with affection, for even though this little one had only been in the world for a day, she already liked her from the bottom of her heart.
Shen Wang smiled, "Without a mother, would you be willing to be Xue'Er's stepmother?"
"Ah."
Jia'Er was stunned, her spirited eyes filled with surprise, turning to delight and shyness. She pinched her clothes, cheeks flushing, nervous and uneasy, "Jia'Er is of lowly status, afraid she's unworthy of the young master."
"You know that with me, people are not that different from one another. You are the closest person to me now, and becoming my woman would naturally free you from your lowly status."
Shen Wang spoke earnestly. He had thought it over today; finding another woman was worrisome because he was unfamiliar with them, uncertain if she might abuse his daughter in his absence.
But Jia'Er would not. This young woman had been with him for over a decade; though her talents and looks were ordinary, she was patient and grateful.
Becoming Xue'Er's stepmother, this personal maid was the most suitable choice.
"The family will surely gossip about you, young master. Jia'Er doesn't want you to be mocked by certain people."
Jia'Er's eyes welled with tears, happy: "I will treat Xue'Er as my own daughter."
"I'm already here; why fear their gossip?"
Shen Wang sneered, grabbing the maid Jia'Er's hand, which couldn't compare with Han Wan'Er's delicacy but gave him reassurance.
"Young master..."
Jia'Er's heartbeat quickened, her face awash with red clouds.
Shen Wang used his other hand to cradle Jia'Er's chin, looked into her eyes seriously, "Here, far from the Shen Family, there is no one to witness for us. If you don't mind the formalities, then with Heaven and Earth as our witness tonight, you are my second wife!"
Tears trickled from Jia'Er's eyes as she heard this, "Young master... just hearing this from you is enough."
As Shen Wang's personal maid, she had fantasized about being his wife or concubine, but as Shen Wang's cultivation grew higher, this fantasy had shattered.
Now, her unwavering support for Shen Wang, despite his damaged foundation, had resulted in his sincere treatment, unbothered by her lack of a Spirit Root or her lowly origin.
She felt it was all worth it.
Shen Wang embraced Jia'Er: "Before coming here, hardly anyone in the family was willing to follow me. Back then, I wanted to marry you, but as Han Wan'Er was pregnant, I didn't rush to say it. I didn't expect her actions then, but now, whether for you or the child, there's nothing for me to hesitate about."
He led Jia'Er to the bedside, poured two cups of wine, and handed one to Jia'Er: "Shen Chuxue is my kin, let her witness our union."
Jia'Er smiled with pursed lips, "Young master, Xue'Er doesn't understand anything and is still asleep."
"She is our witness anyway."
Shen Wang insisted: "Come, drink the crossed-cup wine, and you shall be my woman."
Jia'Er shyly crossed arms, drank with Shen Wang, and mustered the courage to look at him: "Young master, I will certainly take good care of Xue'Er."
"Still calling me young master? Call me husband." Shen Wang corrected.
Jia'Er blushed: "Husband."
[You promptly found a stepmother for your daughter Shen Chuxue, ensuring her well-being. Dantian's daily recovery speed +2, now 3/100]
Shen Wang's eyes caught a piece of text, much to his surprise.
Is this possible?
Being stared at by Shen Wang, Jia'Er lowered her head shyly and whispered, "Husband, it's late; you should cultivate now."
She didn't want Shen Wang to disrobe and sleep with her right now, mainly because it seemed inappropriate.
"It's been hard for you."
Shen Wang brushed his hand across Jia'Er's cheek affectionately.
A cup of wine and a word had brought her into marriage, a stark contrast to the grand occasion when he married Han Wan'Er, leaving him guilty.
"Jia'Er doesn't suffer. Being with my husband feels very sweet." Jia'Er smiled like a blossoming flower, a genuine smile of contentment and happiness.
"Stay here tonight; no need to return. I'll be cultivating next door."
Shen Wang pointed to the big bed, settled in the side room, and quickly entered a cultivation state.
His Dantian had recovered 2 more points, quite noticeable, potentially allowing for some cultivation progress tonight.
He swiftly calmed his heart and concentrated his spirit, as an experienced practitioner of Qi Cultivation, quickly sensing the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, excluding the rare Abnormal Attribute Spiritual Qi, absorbing the usual Five Elements Attributes.
Though he had multiple options, this tended to result in chaotic Spiritual Power, so he only chose one type of Spiritual Qi to absorb, which was the gentle and healing Wood Attribute Spiritual Qi.
Initially, he had cultivated the powerful and aggressive Fire Attribute Spiritual Power, but after the breaking of his Dantian and a period of lost cultivation, he switched to Wood Attribute Spiritual Qi to aid recovery.
During winter, Wood Attribute Spiritual Qi was scarce, yet a trickle of it followed his Breathing, entering his body, flowing through the meridians, reaching the Dantian, and then gathering there under an attractive force.
This force was the Spirit Root, crucial for cultivators to sense and cultivate Spiritual Qi. Without a Spirit Root, one could only cultivate internal Essence Qi, becoming a Martial Artist.
Drawing upon the Power of Heaven and Earth, Spiritual Qi flourished endlessly compared to relying solely on physical Essence Qi, which was inherently limited, posing a significant natural difference.
After his foundation was damaged, Shen Wang was also forced to attempt Martial Arts Training, but upon realizing his broken Dantian rendered martial arts unfeasible, he abandoned it.
The Dantian was fundamental to cultivation; with it shattered, neither martial nor Qi Cultivation was possible.
At this moment, some changes occurred,
As usual, after converging Qi in the Dantian, due to its damage, there was leakage, but this time a portion remained.
The proportion wasn't much, less than thirty percent, but it excited Shen Wang immensely: "Now able to retain more Spiritual Power, my cultivation is... starting to recover!"