The following morning, Orion discovered two things.
First, possessing a Divine-tier physique did not automatically make someone an expert cultivator.
Second—
The sun hurt.
Not in the conventional sense.
Orion sat cross-legged atop the small stone platform behind his residence, sunlight pouring across his body as he circulated the Solar Absorption Cultivation Art.
Golden Essence flowed toward him.
Slowly.
Painfully slowly.
Tiny strands entered through his skin before sinking into his flesh, where Rao’s Immortal Body eagerly devoured them.
Orion’s muscles tightened.
His bones warmed.
His blood seemed to grow heavier with every circulation.
Then—
The strand of Essence reached his abdomen.
And disappeared.
Orion opened one eye.
“…That’s rude.”
He tried again.
Another thread of solar Essence entered his body.
It moved through his newly awakened meridians.
Down toward where an ordinary cultivator’s spiritual roots would help guide and refine it.
Then—
Nothing.
The Essence dispersed throughout his body.
Orion sighed.
“So that’s the problem.”
Rao’s Immortal Body had changed him completely.
His flesh could absorb solar Essence.
His meridians existed now.
His body was being strengthened with every circulation.
But he still lacked spiritual roots.
He could feel the Essence around him.
He could use sunlight to temper his body.
What he couldn’t do was properly gather worldly Essence into his dantian and convert it into stable cultivation.
In other words—
He had been given an extremely expensive carriage.
Unfortunately, someone had forgotten the horses.
“You’ve been staring angrily at your stomach for almost five minutes.”
Orion nearly jumped.
He turned.
Xuan Mei stood beneath a nearby flowering tree.
Her silver hair moved gently in the morning breeze, cyan robes catching the sunlight as she watched him with quiet amusement.
Orion relaxed.
“I was negotiating with it.”
“Are you winning?”
“Absolutely not.”
She approached.
It had been three days since their conversation at Dawnflower Lake.
Three days since Orion’s life had changed.
Xuan Mei and the Wind Resonant delegation had remained at the Radiant Daybreak Sect while their respective elders discussed the engagement.
Apparently, complicated political negotiations involved a remarkable amount of tea.
Orion had mostly avoided them.
He preferred sunlight.
Xuan Mei stopped beside the platform.
“May I?”
Orion nodded.
She sat beside him.
For a moment she simply observed.
Then her expression became more serious.
“Give me your wrist.”
“That’s usually something people say before diagnosing a fatal illness.”
“Orion.”
“Right.”
He offered his hand.
Her fingers settled against his wrist.
They were cool.
Orion immediately became far too aware of the contact.
Xuan Mei closed her eyes.
A thin strand of spiritual sense entered his body.
Then—
Her eyes snapped open.
She released him.
Fast.
Orion blinked.
“That bad?”
“No.”
Xuan Mei stared at his arm.
“That strange.”
“Somehow worse.”
She ignored the comment.
“Your body is absorbing solar Essence.”
“That’s what I thought.”
“But you still have no spiritual roots.”
“Also what I thought.”
“That shouldn’t be possible.”
Orion smiled.
“I’m beginning to suspect I’m difficult.”
The corner of her lips lifted.
“Your grandfather warned me.”
“Traitor.”
Xuan Mei’s gaze returned to his wrist.
“The Essence isn’t gathering in your dantian.”
“No.”
“It is being absorbed directly by your body.”
Orion nodded.
“I think whatever awakened inside me is allowing me to cultivate through physical tempering.”
Xuan Mei considered that.
It was the explanation Orion and his grandfather had settled on.
Technically, it wasn’t even a lie.
Something had awakened.
He simply hadn’t mentioned the invisible screens.
“My grandfather is going to examine me again later.”
“Will I be permitted to attend?”
Orion glanced at her.
“You’re asking permission?”
“I am still a guest.”
“You’re also apparently my fiancée.”
The word left his mouth before he thought about it.
Xuan Mei froze.
Orion froze.
For approximately three seconds, neither moved.
Then Orion cleared his throat.
“Technically.”
Xuan Mei looked away.
The tips of her ears had become slightly pink.
A translucent window appeared.
[Affection: 18%]
Orion stared.
Interesting.
Xuan Mei turned back.
“Why are you smiling?”
“No reason.”
“You’re terrible at lying.”
“I’m not lying.
I genuinely have no reason that I can explain.”
She narrowed her eyes.
Orion smiled wider.
Her ears turned slightly redder.
[Affection: 19%]
Dangerous.
This system was dangerous.
⸻
Cassian Atlas spent nearly an hour examining his grandson.
By the end of it, the senior elder looked personally offended by reality.
“No spiritual roots.”
Orion sat shirtless in the center of the examination chamber.
“Correct.”
“Your meridians are stronger than most Essence Gathering disciples.”
“That sounds good.”
“It is not supposed to be possible.”
“We covered this part.”
Cassian glared.
Xuan Mei stood nearby with Orion’s uncle Rowan and Sect Master Jian.
A Spirit Appraisal Stone sat beside Orion.
Dark.
Completely inactive.
Sect Master Jian stroked his beard.
“Again.”
Orion placed his hand on it.
Nothing.
Jian frowned.
“Now circulate that technique.”
Orion closed his eyes.
The Solar Absorption Cultivation Art activated.
Sunlight entered through the chamber’s open windows.
Golden particles appeared around Orion.
Xuan Mei’s silver eyes widened.
The Essence moved toward him.
Entered his skin.
His veins briefly glowed beneath the surface.
The Spirit Appraisal Stone remained dead.
Rowan stared.
“That’s absurd.”
Orion opened one eye.
“Thank you.”
“That wasn’t a compliment.”
“I’ll take what I can get.”
Cassian slowly approached.
“How much stronger do you feel?”
Orion considered it.
“Than three days ago?”
“Yes.”
“Significantly.”
“Could you defeat a first-stage Body Tempering cultivator?”
“Probably.”
“Second?”
“Maybe?”
“Third?”
Orion shook his head.
“Absolutely not.”
Cassian nodded.
That answer seemed to please him.
Orion frowned.
“Why do you look happy about that?”
“Because you’re sensible.”
Rowan laughed.
“Half the young geniuses in this sect awaken a decent constitution and immediately believe they can punch mountains.”
“I have no desire to punch a mountain.”
“Good.”
“I’d probably hurt my hand.”
Xuan Mei laughed quietly.
Cassian looked toward her.
His eyes narrowed.
Then he looked at Orion.
Then back to Xuan Mei.
Orion recognized that expression.
“Grandfather.”
“What?”
“Stop.”
“I said nothing.”
“Your face did.”
Cassian smiled innocently.
Orion decided retirement should be mandatory for elders over a certain age.
⸻
Later that afternoon, Orion found Xuan Mei standing beside Dawnflower Lake.
He carried a small wooden box.
She noticed it immediately.
“What is that?”
“A problem.”
Xuan Mei raised an eyebrow.
Orion held it toward her.
“Specifically, your problem now.”
She accepted the box cautiously.
“That is a terrible way to give someone a gift.”
“I’m inexperienced.”
“Clearly.”
She opened it.
Moonlight spilled from within.
Despite the afternoon sun, the pearl inside seemed to carry its own night sky.
Xuan Mei went completely still.
“Orion.”
“Hm?”
“Where did you get this?”
He had prepared for that question.
“I can’t tell you.”
Her eyes lifted.
Orion continued before she could misunderstand.
“Not because I don’t trust you.”
He scratched his cheek.
“It’s complicated.
And I don’t want to lie to you.”
Xuan Mei looked back at the pearl.
“You know what this is?”
“A Moonwell Essence Pearl.”
Her head snapped upward.
“So you do know.”
“Yes.”
“This is Earth-tier Superior.”
“So I’ve been informed.”
“Orion.”
He smiled.
“It’s for you.”
She immediately closed the box.
“I cannot accept this.”
“Why?”
“It’s too valuable.”
“I can’t use it.”
“That isn’t the point.”
“It feels suspiciously like the point.”
She frowned.
“You only began cultivating three days ago.
Resources like this could be traded for things you desperately need.”
“Maybe.”
“And you’re giving it away.”
“To you.”
“Why?”
Orion paused.
Because the system told him to?
That sounded terrible.
Because it couldn’t be used by anyone else?
Somehow worse.
So he told her the simplest truth.
“Because it’ll help you.”
Xuan Mei stared.
Orion shrugged.
“You’re staying here because of me.
Your sect isn’t exactly thrilled about it.
And I imagine you’ve spent the last few days listening to several old men explain why your own decisions are incorrect.”
Her expression changed.
Only slightly.
But enough.
“If I can make your life a little easier, why wouldn’t I?”
Silence.
Then—
[Affection: 21%]
Orion’s eyes widened.
Two points.
At once.
Xuan Mei looked down at the box.
Her voice became quieter.
“You are strange.”
“I’ve been getting that a lot.”
She held the pearl carefully.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
She hesitated.
Then asked,
“Would you train with me tomorrow?”
Orion blinked.
“You realize I’m barely capable of cultivation.”
“I know.”
“And you’re one of the strongest young disciples of a supreme sect.”
“I know.”
“This feels unsafe.”
Xuan Mei smiled.
“I’ll be gentle.”
Orion stared.
“I don’t believe you.”
Her smile widened.
He couldn’t help smiling back.
The system remained silent.
And strangely—
Orion was glad.
He didn’t want every moment between them reduced to a number.
Some things were better experienced without knowing exactly how much they were worth.