The moon was high in the sky. Lin Fan sat in his room, waiting. The room was simple. A bed, a table, and two chairs. He had bathed and changed into a clean, silk robe.
He was feeling very good. Leveling up felt great. It was all thanks to Su Mei. He was truly grateful to her. But the System had a big flaw.
Once a disciple stabilized their foundation, they did not need his Secret Realm again. Su Mei was now ready to break through to the Core Formation realm. She would not come back to kill goblins. She was a one-time customer.
Just like everyone else who came begging to him to stabilize their foundation.
This was bad for his business. His lazy leveling plan needed a steady supply of XP. He needed permanent employees, not temporary clients. He needed official disciples.
A soft knock came at the door.
"Elder, it is Su Mei." Her voice was soft and shy.
"Come in," Lin Fan said.
The door opened. Su Mei stepped inside. She had also bathed. Her long black hair was still a little damp giving her that fresh look. She wore a thin, pink silk robe that showed the beautiful shape of her body. Her face was red. She did not look at him directly.
"Elder, I am here... to give my sincere massage," she said shyly, quietly.
Lin Fan stood up and smiled. "I am glad. You are a disciple who keeps her promises. I like that."
He walked to her. He gently lifted her chin with his finger, making her look at him. Her eyes were beautiful, like dark pools of water.
"You did very well today," he said in a serious voice. "I watched your progress. Your sword skills are good. Your determination is strong. You have great talent."
Su Mei's eyes widened a little. "Thank you, Elder."
"But talent is not enough," Lin Fan continued. "The path of cultivation is long and dangerous. You need a good guide. A good Master."
He put his hands on her small waist. He pulled her a little closer. Her body was soft and warm.
"Su Mei," he said, his voice now a low whisper. "Become my disciple. My first and only disciple. I will guide you. I will let you use my Secret Realms every day. I will make you the strongest cultivator in this sect."
This was his real goal.
Su Mei trembled slightly in his arms. She looked confused. "But... I already have a Master..."
"Your Master cannot stabilize your foundation," Lin Fan said smoothly. "I can. Your Master cannot give you a path without danger. I can. With me, your future is limitless."
He did not wait for an answer. He leaned down and kissed her. Her lips were soft. For a moment, she was stiff with surprise. Then, she melted in his arms. Her body pressed against his.
The room became hot. Their robes became a problem. Soon, they were on the floor, then on the bed. The moonlight from the window shone on their naked bodies.
Lin Fan was a man of action. His hands and mouth explored every part of her perfect skin. Su Mei's shy protests turned into soft moans of pleasure.
In the middle of their passion, Lin Fan did not forget his goal. He held her tightly. He whispered into her ear, his breath hot.
"Say yes, Su Mei... Say you will be my disciple... I will give you everything..."
Su Mei's body arched against his. "Ahhh... Elder... you are... so powerful..."
She did not say yes. She did not say no. She was lost in the feeling.
Lin Fan tried again. He moved his body, making her gasp. "Promise me... you will leave your old Master... You will be mine..."
"Ohh... please... Elder... right there... don't stop..." she moaned. Her fingers dug into his back.
This continued all night. It was a battle. Lin Fan used pleasure as his weapon. He launched attack after attack. He wanted her to submit, to agree to his terms.
"Think of it, my disciple," he panted. "Endless training... endless power... just say the words..."
"Yes! Yes! Elder! Ah!" she cried out.
Lin Fan thought he had won. A triumphant smile formed on his face. He put all his energy into a final, powerful assault. The whole bed shook with the intensity of their passion.
Finally, they both lay on the bed, exhausted and covered in sweat. Lin Fan held her in his arms. He felt victorious. He had secured his first XP farming machine.
The sun began to rise. A thin line of gold light entered the room.
Su Mei stirred in his arms. She opened her eyes and looked at him. Her face was bright red, but her eyes were clear and happy. She looked beautiful and satisfied.
"So, my first disciple," Lin Fan said with a confident smirk. "Report to my courtyard this afternoon. We will begin your daily training."
Su Mei blinked. Then she giggled. It was a light, happy sound. She sat up, covering her chest with the blanket.
"Elder, you are so funny," she said, smiling at him. "Last night was... amazing. Thank you for everything. You saved my cultivation. I will never forget your kindness."
She leaned over and gave him a quick, sweet kiss on his cheek.
"I must go now," she said. "I have to report my high chance of breakthrough to my Master. He will be so happy!"
She got out of bed, gathered her clothes, and quickly dressed. At the door, she turned and gave him one last, beautiful smile. Then she was gone.
Lin Fan was left alone in the messy bed. His confident smirk was gone. His mouth was open. He was stunned.
He had failed.
She had enjoyed the night. She was very grateful. But she had not agreed to be his disciple. All her "yes" and "promise" shouts were just cries of pleasure. He had completely misunderstood.
He had given away a free foundation stabilization, enjoyed a wonderful night, but had gotten zero long-term benefits.
Lin Fan fell back onto the pillows. He let out a long, frustrated sigh that filled the empty room.
"Damn it," he muttered to himself. "This one-time service model is not sustainable. I need to build a proper team. I need to recruit loyal... permanent... employees."
A new fire burned in his eyes. The lazy elder was gone. A hungry Game-Dev had taken his place. His new mission was clear. He needed to find and recruit his own team of disciples.