Li Fuxi rested for a short while before she found herself unable to resist the remaining crystal ice cakes.

They were sweet and refreshing; she truly adored them.

After finishing the treats, she settled cross-legged upon a meditation cushion in the quiet room to begin her cultivation.

However, she soon discovered that tranquility eluded her.

Perhaps the environment was simply too opulent, leaving her feeling unsettled. She attempted to circulate her energy through several cycles, but her mind drifted back to the events of two days prior.

The memory of Zhang Xian stumbling upon her bathing in the hot spring flashed through her mind, followed by the vivid sensation of consuming the Immortal Ascension Pill.

“Rebellious disciple!” she muttered, her irritation growing. Even the calligraphy for “Calm” hanging on the wall seemed to mock her, only making her feel more restless.

She rose and headed for the exit. The maid stationed at the door immediately approached with a bow. “Does the True Person have any instructions?”

Li Fuxi had intended to go to the deck for some fresh air, but as she extended her spiritual sense, she detected Zhang Xian’s presence there.

Reluctant to face him, she pivoted. “Take me to the hot spring room.”

The maid led her through a carved archway into a corner suite. The entire chamber was fashioned from warm jade, and the pool water glowed with a faint, milky-white luminescence.

“The spring water is replaced daily and is infused with a spiritual energy array. The True Person may activate any elemental attributes she desires,” the puppet explained.

“Would the True Person care for fruits or desserts? I can fetch them for you.”

Li Fuxi glanced at the puppet uneasily, feeling as though Zhang Xian’s eyes might be watching her through the construct. She waved her hand dismissively.

“You may leave. Do not enter without my permission.”

“Understood. This servant shall take her leave.” The puppet bowed and thoughtfully closed the door.

Li Fuxi inspected the array core of the hot spring. She found five elemental nodes: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. To her astonishment, each node was powered by a high-grade spirit stone.

Such extravagance! She was secretly stunned; she had only used a handful of high-grade stones when she attempted to break through to the seventh level of the Golden Core.

She activated the metal and water arrays but did not enter immediately. Instead, she meticulously searched the room for any hidden mechanisms.

Still feeling cautious, she deployed several of her own concealment arrays to block any external detection.

With a hesitant hand, she produced a vial of Dragon Saliva Jade Liquid and let a single drop fall into the water. She slowly untied her sash, tested the temperature with her snow-white toes, and slid her body into the pool.

“Mmm…” She sighed as the tension bled out of her, sinking until only her eyes remained above the surface.

It felt as though a thousand warm, tiny hands were massaging her meridians. She had to admit she was becoming fond of this luxury; the comfort was immense, and the benefits to her cultivation were undeniable.

She toyed with the jade vial, sniffing the delicate fragrance of the Earth-grade treasure. Using such a rarity for a simple bath felt wasteful, yet wonderful.

Involuntarily, her mind returned to the hot spring encounter from a few days ago. Water droplets rolled down her flushed cheeks. In a daze, she imagined Zhang Xian’s smiling face reflected in the rippling water.

Absurd!

She abruptly dunked her head beneath the surface.

Out on the deck, Zhang Xian sat cross-legged. Beside him, a puppet identical to him in appearance was performing an intricate sword dance.

Under the moonlight, the puppet’s movements were fluid, its blade carving faint trails of light through the air.

“Such exquisite control!”

Liu Qingxuan appeared beside him. She pointed at the sword-wielding figure. “If he didn’t possess a metal spiritual root, I wouldn’t be able to tell which one was your true body.”

Zhang Xian opened his eyes and stood up, though his movements were somewhat sluggish. Simultaneously, the puppet’s swordplay became stiff and mechanical.

“Neither of them is the real me,” a voice called out from behind Liu Qingxuan.

The real Zhang Xian stepped out from the cabin.

Liu Qingxuan gasped, covering her mouth. “This… this is incredible! You can actually control two puppets at once?”

The moment she spoke, the puppet that had been trying to stand bumped into the one practicing swordplay. With a dull thud, both constructs collapsed into a tangled heap.

Zhang Xian offered an awkward smile. “It’s far inferior to the work of Sister Zhiyin. The captain of this ship is her creation; her puppets can manage every function of this vessel simultaneously.”

Liu Qingxuan shook her head. “That is different. Zhiyin has been at the peak of the Golden Core stage for many years. To my knowledge, no Foundation Establishment student at Heavenly Puppet Peak has ever managed to control two puppets at once.”

“And your puppets are so lifelike,” she continued. “You’ve only been at Heavenly Puppet Peak for a few months. You have a remarkable talent for this.”

“Is that so? At Green Wood Peak, I stayed for months and still couldn’t recognize half the spiritual plants.”

Liu Qingxuan chuckled softly. “True. You were among the most… challenged students I have ever taught.”

“Perhaps you were just a poor teacher and are blaming me?” Zhang Xian teased.

“Nonsense! You simply didn’t study. Who knows what you were daydreaming about every day.”

As she said this, a memory seemed to strike her, and her face turned a sudden shade of crimson.

“What could I possibly have been thinking about?”

“Thinking about…” Liu Qingxuan faltered, unable to finish. She quickly changed the subject. “By the way, where is your master?”

“Making tea, perhaps. Or resting,” Zhang Xian replied.

“I see.”

She had intended to remark on the luxury of the ship or thank him again for his gifts, but the words failed her.

Zhang Xian stood beside her, focusing his mind to make the two puppets stand up again—one returned to a meditative pose while the other resumed its sword practice.

“Zhang Xian,” Liu Qingxuan said softly, looking at his profile. “Why do you maintain this disguise? You clearly possess beauty-preserving pills.”

Zhang Xian blinked in surprise before waving a hand to dispel the illusion. His original, handsome face was revealed.

“I have enemies I would rather not have recognize me,” he admitted. “So? Am I handsome?”

“Just average,” Liu Qingxuan teased, laughing behind her hand. “Actually, the disguise is unnecessary. Even if you hide your face, those familiar with you can recognize your spiritual fluctuations. You should use arrays to mask your presence instead.”

For cultivators, beauty was common, and Zhang Xian was indeed only ‘somewhat’ handsome by those standards. Yet, as she looked at his easy smile, Liu Qingxuan found him increasingly pleasant to be around.

“Haha,” Zhang Xian laughed. He couldn’t easily explain that he was hiding from Nan Gongyao, who had known him as a mere mortal.

A gentle night breeze stirred, lifting strands of Liu Qingxuan’s hair and carrying a faint, sweet fragrance toward him.

“Zhang Xian,” she asked, her voice dropping to a whisper. “Why are you so good to me?”

Zhang Xian paused, then smiled warmly. “Because you deserve it, Supervisor Liu. You are sincere and kind. You didn’t look down on me because I came from an outer peak or because I practiced False Core techniques.”

“Is that all?” Her voice was so quiet it nearly vanished into the wind. “Do you not want anything in return?”

He gazed out at the sea of clouds in the distance. “Supervisor Liu, when you make a friend, do you immediately calculate the profit? I follow my heart. If it feels right, I do it.”

He turned back to her, a playful glint in his eyes. “Besides, you are very beautiful. It makes me happy to be friends with a beautiful lady.”

“Smooth talker,” she replied, laughing softly. A sense of peace settled over her, and deep within her heart, a long-silent string began to vibrate.