Li Meng’s gaze swept over his Junior Niece, his eyes sharp and discerning. The hidden ailments within her body were not insignificant, but compared to the turmoil in her heart, they were trivial.

He chuckled softly, smoothing his beard with a casual elegance.

“Speak your mind, Junior Niece.”

A flush of crimson bloomed across Yu Youwei’s cheeks. She looked up at him, her beautiful eyes shimmering with a seductive, watery light. She bit her lip, then spoke with a trembling resolve.

“If Senior Uncle can aid me in achieving Foundation Establishment… I am willing to offer my Pure Yin Body to you.”

It was a transaction. A desperate bid.

Facing such a shy yet expectant gaze, Li Meng’s expression remained as tranquil as a still lake. He lifted his teacup, took a slow sip of the fragrant, jade-green liquid, and savored the aftertaste.

Only then did he set the cup down and meet her eyes.

“With your aptitude, Junior Niece, reaching Foundation Establishment is not a difficult task.”

Yu Youwei possessed dual Water and Fire Spirit Roots. In the Joyous Union Sect, such talent placed her in the upper echelon of disciples. Her success rate for breaking through was far higher than those with three or four roots. She did not need to sell her body for this.

Yu Youwei let out a soft, melancholic sigh. Her voice drifted through the pavilion like a wisp of smoke.

“Foundation Establishment is not difficult, true. But what comes after?”

She looked out at the rolling sea of clouds, her expression fragile.

“My aptitude is good, but merely good. After Foundation Establishment, to continue cultivating, to break through future bottlenecks… I will inevitably need to seek a Dual Cultivation Dao Companion. But I do not wish to waste my energy navigating the treacherous waters of romance or managing a partner’s whims.”

She turned back to Li Meng, her eyes burning with a sudden, fierce determination.

“If Senior Uncle does not disdain me… once I reach Foundation Establishment, I am willing to become your Sword Attendant.”

A flicker of surprise passed through Li Meng’s eyes.

Cultivators were inherently proud creatures. To become a Sword Attendant was to become a servant, a weapon, a possession. It was a status lower than a concubine, often reserved for those whose lives were held in another’s hands. It was, in many ways, an insult to one’s own Dao.

Li Meng had once entertained the thought of making Senior Sister Qu his attendant. But after spending time with her, he realized he couldn’t bear to degrade her.

What he desired were not servants, but Confidantes—women who could walk the path of longevity alongside him, sharing in the glory and the burden.

He chuckled, a warm, resonant sound. With a flick of his sleeve, he poured a fresh cup of tea and pushed it toward her.

“Junior Niece possesses exceptional immortal grace. There is no need to degrade yourself so thoroughly.” He looked at her with a gentle, meaningful gaze. “If it were as a Confidante… this Senior Uncle would be very pleased.”

Yu Youwei froze. She stared at him, her heart pounding against her ribs.

A Confidante?

What difference was there between his words and a declaration of affection?

Rumors had called Li Meng kind and virtuous, but she hadn’t truly believed them until now. Who in this ruthless world would turn down a willing servant in favor of an equal?

Gratitude swelled in her chest. His respect had awakened her from her fear.

Terrified of a mediocre future, she had tried to play tricks, using her beauty to latch onto Li Meng’s status as an Alchemist. She knew he was a Five Spirit Roots waste body with no hope of a Golden Core. She had calculated that after a hundred years, when he passed, she would inherit his legacy.

Many female disciples harbored such thoughts. But she was the one sitting here. She was the one who had seized the opportunity.

And yet, he had seen through her transaction and offered something more.

Yu Youwei stood up and bowed deeply, her posture filled with sincere respect.

“Thank you, Senior Uncle, for the awakening. This Junior Niece will never forget it.”

[System Notification: Affection +10] [Sub-profession Experience +50]

Li Meng stood as well. He walked around the stone table, a beaming smile on his face.

“Junior Niece, there is no need for such formality between us.”

He reached out and took her hand. Her skin was cool and smooth as jade. He couldn’t resist running his thumb over her knuckles.

Affection at 70, he noted. Maxing this out is definitely possible.

“Come,” he said, his voice dropping an octave. “Let this Senior Uncle take a proper look at the hidden ailments within your body.”

He pulled her back to the stone bench and, with a natural fluidity, sat down and pulled her into his lap.

Yu Youwei gasped, her cheeks flushing a deep scarlet. She hadn’t expected him to be so… direct.

Enveloped in his masculine scent, her heart raced. Her Charm Technique triggered instinctively, her body softening, releasing a natural, fox-like allure meant to entrap men.

“Focus, Junior Niece,” Li Meng admonished lightly, his voice calm. “Do not harbor improper thoughts. Center your mind.”

He grasped her wrist, his fingers pressing against her pulse point. Closing his eyes, he released his Divine Sense, sweeping through her meridians.

A trace of shyness and indignation flashed in Yu Youwei’s eyes.

Improper thoughts? Me?

He was the one holding her on his lap! He was the one pressing his hand against her lower back! Senior Uncle Li truly knew how to shift the blame!

Despite her internal protest, she obediently closed her eyes and focused her spirit.

After a long silence, Li Meng opened his eyes.

“It is not a major issue.”

Just some common cultivation errors accumulated over time—residue in the meridians, slight instability in the dantian.

He patted her waist gently. “Alright. You can open your eyes now.”

Yu Youwei’s lashes fluttered open. She lowered her head, afraid to meet his gaze.

What were they now? The atmosphere had shifted from transactional to something intimate, something harmonious.

Li Meng flicked his wrist, and two porcelain vials appeared in her hands.

“The [Spirit Nurturing Pills] will repair your damaged spirit meridians. The [Spirit Tempering Pills] will purify your spiritual power. Go into seclusion for a time, stabilize your foundation, and these hidden dangers will vanish.”

Yu Youwei sent a wisp of Divine Sense into the bottles.

Her body stiffened. Her pupils constricted.

“Se… Senior Uncle… I… I cannot afford these!”

Second-Grade, Superior-Quality pills. A fortune. An Outer Disciple like her would have to work for decades to afford even one, let alone two bottles. Even as Elder Wen’s disciple, she received protection, not resources of this magnitude.

Li Meng reached out, tilting her chin up so she had to look at him.

“What? Is Junior Niece unwilling to become this Senior Uncle’s Confidante?”

Yu Youwei stared at his handsome, confident face.

In that moment, she understood.

She was not a servant. But by accepting her proposal in spirit, if not in title, their relationship had irrevocably changed. He was investing in her.

Silently, she closed her fingers around the vials.

Perhaps, for a woman in the Joyous Union Sect, this was the best possible outcome.

“Junior Niece, remember: going too far is as bad as falling short. Return, calm your mind, and cultivate.”

…

They spent the rest of the afternoon in the pavilion, discussing the Dao. Li Meng offered guidance on her cultivation method, pointing out flaws she hadn’t even realized existed.

As the sun began to dip below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and purple, they finally parted ways.

Yu Youwei soared into the air on her flying sword. Her silhouette against the setting sun was graceful, like a celestial maiden returning to the heavens. Before she vanished into the clouds, she glanced back, a lingering shyness in her eyes.

Standing in the pavilion, Li Meng watched her go, his eyes narrowed in calculation.

“Max value is within reach.”

Only when she was gone did he step onto the wind, soaring upward toward Moon Gaze Peak.

As towering peaks swept past him, Li Meng reflected on the interaction.

In the future, there would be no shortage of beautiful female cultivators trying to latch onto him. But most would find it impossible to reach maximum Affection. Their motives were too impure—they wanted to take, to extract value without giving anything in return.

Yu Youwei was different.

Her motives were impure, yes. She sought safety and resources. But she understood the Law of Equivalent Exchange. She had been willing to sell her freedom, to become a Sword Attendant, for the sake of her Great Dao.

That resolve, that willingness to trade everything for power… that was something Li Meng respected.

And that was why she had potential.