The woman remained seated on the table for several seconds, apparently unsure of how she should react.
The confident expression she had worn when entering the room had disappeared, replaced by an embarrassment she was trying to hide.
Her face was slightly flushed. She adjusted her hair, then her clothes, avoiding looking directly at Yun Che.
Her breathing was still deeper than usual, as though her body was taking a while to completely leave its state of relaxation.
Yun Che noticed the change but decided not to comment.
"Was it just a massage?"
"It was."
She gave him a suspicious look.
"You don’t have to answer as if you’re being interrogated."
Yun Che almost smiled.
"I’m just answering your questions."
She looked away.
"I know."
For several seconds, neither of them spoke.
The woman ran her fingers through her hair and took a deep breath, trying to recover her usual composure.
"I have to admit something."
Yun Che waited.
"It was a much better treatment than I expected."
"I’m glad it at least met your expectations."
"Don’t get too pleased with yourself."
She quickly added:
"That doesn’t mean I particularly enjoyed it."
Yun Che looked at her.
"I didn’t say you enjoyed it."
She fell silent.
Her face became even redder.
"You..."
She pressed her lips together slightly, clearly annoyed with herself for falling into that response.
"You’re very different from what I’ve heard."
"Is that good or bad?"
"I haven’t decided yet."
She picked up her belongings and walked toward the door. Before leaving, however, she stopped.
"You don’t need to think too much about it. I’m just an outer disciple. I work at the Massage House and perform some services for Mei Liang."
The woman slowly nodded.
"Then I’ll remember you."
Yun Che raised an eyebrow.
"That sounds like a threat."
"Maybe it is."
She finally smiled.
"My name is Lin Yue. I’m an inner disciple of the Profound Flower Sect."
Yun Che gave a slight bow.
"Nice to meet you, Lin Yue."
She watched him for several seconds.
"Yun Che..."
"Yes?"
"Don’t hide a skill like that again."
Yun Che became serious.
"I wasn’t hiding it. I simply never had the opportunity to show it."
Lin Yue let out a small laugh.
"Of course you didn’t."
She opened the door and left after making the payment.
"Until next time."
The door closed.
Yun Che remained alone.
The smile slowly disappeared from his face.
A blue interface appeared before his eyes.
[Mission completed.]
[Reward received.]
[Supreme Necromancy Art unlocked.]
Yun Che’s eyes narrowed.
"Finally."
He sat down on the floor and focused his mind on the interface.
[Supreme Necromancy Art.]
[Classification: special cultivation art.]
[Main function: transform corpses into physical corporeal spirits.]
[Summoning condition: the corpse must possess a cultivation level equal to or lower than the user’s current realm.]
Yun Che continued reading.
[Corpses belonging to the same major realm are permitted.]
[The greater the difference between the minor levels within the same realm, the greater the energy consumption required for the summoning.]
[Corpses belonging to higher major realms cannot be controlled.]
Yun Che became thoughtful.
"So, if I am at the Elementary Profound Realm, I can control a corpse from the Elementary Profound Realm."
The interface confirmed.
[Correct.]
"Even if the corpse is at a higher minor level than me?"
[Correct.]
A smile slowly appeared on Yun Che’s face.
This meant that Necromancy was not simply a technique for creating weak soldiers.
If he found the corpse of an extremely talented cultivator who had died within the same major realm, he could transform it into a powerful physical corporeal spirit.
He continued reading.
[Characteristics of a physical corporeal spirit.]
[Can retain part of its original physical constitution.]
[Can retain certain physical techniques.]
[Can retain combat instincts.]
[Can use Yin energy to restore physical damage.]
Yun Che fell silent.
"Interesting."
But there was a limitation.
[Number of physical corporeal spirits currently controllable: 1.]
"One?"
[The number will increase as the user advances in the Supreme Necromancy Art.]
Yun Che was not disappointed.
On the contrary.
A single powerful creature could be far more useful than dozens of useless corpses.
He closed the interface.
That was when he heard footsteps in the corridor.
The door opened.
A woman entered the room carrying a small basket of spiritual herbs.
She possessed an elegant appearance, long hair that was carefully tied up, and a calm expression that contrasted with her attentive gaze.
It was Mei Liang.
She placed the basket on the table and immediately noticed that something was different.
"Yun Che."
He stood up.
"Mei Liang."
She looked at the table and then at him.
"Who performed the last treatment?"
"I did."
Mei Liang froze.
"You?"
"Yes."
"I left you in charge of cleaning, not the customers."
"I know."
"Then why did you give the massage?"
Yun Che explained what had happened.
Mei Liang listened without interrupting, and when he finished, she crossed her arms.
"Do you know that you could have caused a serious problem?"
"I know."
"And you did it anyway?"
"The customer needed treatment."
Mei Liang narrowed her eyes.
"That wasn’t the only reason."
Yun Che remained silent.
She approached him.
"I’ve known you for quite some time, Yun Che. Before, you were afraid to take on any responsibility. Today, you decided to treat an Elementary Profound cultivator by yourself."
She stopped in front of him.
"What happened to you?"
Yun Che held her gaze.
"Maybe I’m tired of being useless."
Mei Liang fell silent.
For several seconds, her expression softened.
"If you really want to stop being useless, then cleaning this place won’t be enough."
Yun Che became attentive.
Mei Liang continued:
"You’ve always been responsible. You never complained about the work, even when other disciples treated you badly. You have little strength, but you have discipline."
She turned around and began organizing the herbs.
"If you’re willing to learn, I can teach you."
Yun Che was surprised.
"Teach me?"
"Don’t make me repeat myself."
He immediately bowed.
"Thank you, Master."
Mei Liang glanced at him from the side.
"Don’t thank me yet. First, I need to find out whether you actually have any talent for something."
Yun Che smiled.
"I’ll try not to disappoint you."
Before Mei Liang could respond, a deep bell echoed throughout the sect.
Three times.
Mei Liang stopped.
Her calm expression disappeared.
"The summoning bell..."
Yun Che looked toward the corridor.
A few moments later, a powerful voice spread across the mountain.
"By order of the leadership of the Profound Flower Sect, all eligible disciples are to prepare for the opening of the Ancient Flower Secret Realm."
Yun Che’s eyes lit up.
The voice continued:
"The secret realm will open in seven days."
"Disciples may search for spiritual herbs, treasures, ancient techniques, and cultivation opportunities."
"Access will be limited to disciples who meet the requirements established by the sect."
The announcement ended.
Yun Che remained silent.
Seven days.
Mei Liang immediately noticed the change in his gaze.
"Are you interested?"
"Yes."
"Don’t get too excited. The Ancient Flower Secret Realm is not a place for weak disciples."
Yun Che looked at his own hands.
It was still the same body everyone considered useless.
But now he possessed an art that no one knew about.
And perhaps, a path that no one expected.
That night, when he was finally alone, the interface appeared once again.
[New mission detected.]
Yun Che opened his eyes.
[Mission: Preparation for the Secret Realm.]
[Time limit: 7 days.]
[Main objective: reach the minimum requirement to participate in the Ancient Flower Secret Realm.]
[Additional objective: obtain at least one suitable corpse for the Supreme Necromancy Art.]
Yun Che remained motionless.
Then the final message appeared.
[Reward: unlock the second function of the Supreme Necromancy Art.]
He clenched his fists.
"Seven days..."
The former Yun Che might have considered that impossible.
But that man no longer existed.
Yun Che slowly stood up.
"Then I have seven days to change my destiny."