Leaving Grandma Zhang to settle into the safety of our Shanghai base, Su Yun and I boarded the maglev transport back to Bo City. The mission had been a success, and we had secured our foothold, but I knew the real work was only just beginning. In this world, status was a shield, but cultivation was the sword—and mine needed sharpening.
As I stepped through the threshold of my home in Bo City, the familiar silence of the house was broken by the vibration of my phone. I pulled it out, and a small smile tugged at my lips when I saw the message from Xinxia.
[Xinxia]: Brother Yuzi, will you come to play this evening?
I'll be there, I typed back, feeling a brief moment of normalcy. Amidst the schemes of the Black Vatican and the pressure of the knowledge of this world, those quiet moments with her were a necessary anchor.
....
Once inside my room, I locked the door and collapsed onto the bed. The physical exhaustion was manageable, but the mental tax of managing a private force and a "System" was starting to weigh on me.
"System," I whispered into the quiet room.
The familiar blue interface flickered to life, bathing the darkened room in a ghostly glow. It had been six months of grueling preparation since my last draw. Six months of accumulating energy and staying under the radar of the local factions.
I checked my notifications. A new chance to spin the Lucky Wheel had finally refreshed. There was no point in hoarding it; in a place as volatile as Bo City, power delayed was power denied.
"Start the Lucky Draw," I commanded.
The ethereal wheel manifested in the air, its golden needle trembling with potential. The segments this time seemed different—strobing with deep purples and vibrant silvers. As the wheel began its high-speed blur, I sat up, my eyes locked on the center.
"Give me something that changes the game," I muttered. My heart hammered against my ribs, the rhythmic tick-tick-tick of the needle echoing the frantic pace of my pulse. This spin wouldn't just determine my next move—it might determine the speed at which Li family progress.
The wheel's rotation became a blur of color before the needle finally clicked into a narrow, silver-bordered segment. A cold, crystalline chime echoed in my mind.
[Congratulations, Host! You have received: 1x Moonlight Cultivation Vessel (High-Grade).]
[Item: Moonlight Cultivation Vessel – A soul-nourishing tool that passively absorbs starlight and moonlight. When placed in the user's meditation space, it increases the cultivation speed of all awakened elements by 40%. Note: The effect is doubled during a full moon. It can be used with other cultivation magic tools.]
I let out a low whistle, This time I only got one item but it is quite useful. A 40% boost to cultivation speed was astronomical specially when stacked on other magic cultivation tools that I have. In the Versatile Mage world, even the most expensive cultivation Magic Tools that can be stacked with other kinds of magic tools, usually only offered a 10% or 20% increase, and those were prone to breaking or running out of energy. This vessel was a permanent multiplier.
"With This my foundation, and speed will be much faster," I thought, clutching the small, glowing pendant that had materialized in my hand. It felt cold to the touch, like a piece of frozen moonlight. "With Su Yun and my private forces growing in Shanghai, I can't afford to fall behind. If I'm going to lead them, my own cultivation has to be at the peak."
I tucked the vessel into my pocket, feeling its steady pulse against my skin. With this, the six months of "grinding" I had planned would now yield nearly a year's worth of progress.
I checked the clock—I was cutting it close. I couldn't keep Xinxia waiting. I quickly smoothed out my clothes, checked that my expression was calm, and headed out.
The evening air in Bo City was crisp. As I walked toward the park where I usually met Xinxia.
I reached the clearing and saw Xinxia sitting in her wheelchair, the sunset casting a soft, golden glow over her. She looked up, and her face brightened instantly.
"Brother Yuzi! You're actually on time for once," she teased, though her eyes held a deeper relief at seeing me back from Shanghai safely.
"You're late by two minutes," Xinxia said softly as I approached. She didn't look up immediately, her fingers tracing the edge of a book in her lap, but I could see the tiny, shy smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
I didn't say a word at first, simply stepping behind her and taking the handles of her wheelchair. "The maglev from Shanghai had a minor delay," I lied smoothly. "I'm sorry for making you wait, Xinxia."
"It's okay," she whispered, her voice like a light breeze. "I just... I'm glad you're back safely, Brother Yuzi."
As I began to push her along the familiar path toward the quieter edge of the park, where the jasmine was in full bloom, I focused my mind.
System, Information Oversight: Scan Xinxia
The blue window shimmered into my vision, floating silently over her head.
[Target: Ye Xinxia]
Current Status: Healing Element (Dormant/Early Awakening stage)
Potential: Divine Class (Blessing/Healing)
Condition: Soul-bound restriction (Active). Physical mobility restricted.
I stared at the "Divine Class" readout for a heartbeat before closing the panel. Even though I knew her worth from the original lore, seeing the System confirm it in cold, mechanical text made my pulse quicken. She was the ultimate support, a jewel that the rest of the world hadn't noticed yet.
"Brother Yuzi?" she asked, her voice pulling me back. She was tilting her head down slightly, a habit she had when she felt someone staring. "Is there... something on my face?"
"No," I said, my voice softening. "I was just thinking that the air in Bo City feels much better than the smog in Shanghai. It suits you better."
A light blush crept up her neck, coloring her pale cheeks. "You always say such things when you come back from a trip," she murmured, ducking her head further to hide her expression.
"I only say them because they're true," I replied.
We stayed in a comfortable silence for a while, the only sound being the soft roll of the wheels on the pavement. But internally, I was already calculating. With the Moonlight Cultivation Vessel I'd just pulled, I could accelerate my growth enough to act as her shield. I couldn't let the tragedies of the future touch this quiet peace.
"Brother Yuzi," she said after a long pause, her voice barely audible. "When the school term starts... will you still have time to visit? I heard the middle school examinations are getting harder."
I leaned forward slightly, making sure she could hear the conviction in my voice. "Xinxia, it doesn't matter how hard the exams are or how busy I get. I'll always have time for you."
She didn't reply, but she reached back and lightly brushed her fingers against my hand on the handle—a small, shy gesture of thanks that spoke louder than any words. We just stood there under rising moon.
To Be Continue...
there will be one more on usual time.
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