Liu Qingxuan felt a mixture of embarrassment and annoyance upon hearing her father’s blunt assessment. “Father, you didn’t come all this way just to tell me that, did you?”

Liu Huaigu shook his head in silence. He had originally intended to nudge Zhang Xian and his daughter closer together, hoping their relationship would progress naturally, but he never expected them to move at such a breakneck pace. He truly didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Suddenly, as if sensing an anomaly, he reached out. “Qingxuan, you—”

Before he could finish, he lightly pressed his fingertip against her wrist, channeling a trace of spiritual power into her pulse. A flicker of genuine surprise flashed in his eyes.

“Your spirit root,” he said, his voice dropping to a low whisper. “It seems far more refined than before.”

Liu Qingxuan had been consistently consuming the Immortal Ascension Pill and Marrow Cleansing Fruit provided by Zhang Xian, pushing her aptitude toward the legendary grade of a Heavenly Spirit Root. However, she had promised Zhang Xian to keep his gifts a secret.

“I… I had an epiphany during the battle,” she whispered, unable to offer a better explanation.

“An epiphany?” Liu Huaigu’s mouth twitched as his meaningful gaze swept over his daughter’s reddened earlobes. “An epiphany in the middle of a life-or-death struggle?”

“Mhm…” Liu Qingxuan buried her face even lower.

Liu Huaigu stared at her for a long moment. He knew his daughter had been timid since childhood and was a terrible liar; whenever she tried to deceive him, she became nervous and began to stutter.

Ah, now that she has a sweetheart, she’s already started fooling her old man.

Liu Huaigu let out a long, weary sigh. “Forget it. I won’t meddle in the affairs of you young people anymore.”

He turned to leave but stopped abruptly in his tracks. “No, I can’t let him off that easily. If I do, he won’t learn to cherish you.”

“Father!” Liu Qingxuan’s embarrassment reached a fever pitch, her ears turning a shade of red so deep they looked ready to bleed.

Ignoring her protest, Liu Huaigu flicked his sleeve. “Zhang Xian! Get in here!”

When Zhang Xian pushed the door open, he was met with a heavy atmosphere. Liu Huaigu sat stiffly behind the desk, his face a mask of stern authority as his fingers tapped a rhythmic beat on the wood. Liu Qingxuan stood to the side with her head bowed, stealing a quick, nervous glance at Zhang Xian before looking away.

“Chief Liu,” Zhang Xian said, bowing respectfully.

“Hmph!” Liu Huaigu snorted.

“This matter is entirely my fault,” Zhang Xian began earnestly. “The situation was urgent, and I was forced to resort to a final, desperate measure that offended Supervisor Liu. Please rest assured, Chief—as long as she does not disdain me, I will take full responsibility for her.”

“Responsibility?” Liu Huaigu narrowed his eyes. “And just what do you have to offer in the name of responsibility?”

Without a word, Zhang Xian flicked his wrist. With a heavy clatter, a massive chest appeared on the floor. He opened the lid with a solemn expression.

“I possess little of value myself, but my clan is blessed with mineral resources. Here are fifty thousand top-grade spirit stones, offered as a betrothal gift for Supervisor Liu.”

“Fifty thousand!?” Liu Qingxuan gasped, covering her mouth with her hand.

Liu Huaigu nearly tumbled off his stool. The brilliant spiritual light radiating from the chest was almost blinding. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he stared at the mountain of wealth, struggling for several seconds to find his voice.

“You… you brat…” He couldn’t manage a coherent sentence.

Liu Huaigu took several deep breaths, forcibly suppressing his shock to maintain a facade of composure. “Ahem… spirit stones alone are not enough. You must hold a Dao Companion Bonding Ceremony and announce it to the entire sect.”

“That goes without saying,” Zhang Xian agreed readily.

Liu Huaigu pondered for a moment. “Wait until you reach the Golden Core stage. Your current cultivation is too low, and your reputation in the sect is… complicated. There will be gossip.”

“I accept those terms.”

Satisfied, Liu Huaigu glanced at his daughter. Seeing the light in her eyes eased his mind. “Remember to maintain a professional distance once we return to the sect. It wouldn’t be good for either of you if the disciples start whispering.”

“This disciple understands,” Zhang Xian said.

Liu Huaigu stood up and patted Zhang Xian on the shoulder. “Do not let her down.”

With that, he strode out of the cabin, his departing figure looking significantly more cheerful. Fifty thousand top-grade spirit stones meant his daughter would never want for anything again.

[Ding! Transaction successful. 20,000 stones exceed Liu Qingxuan’s limit; converted return: 3,000,000 top-grade spirit stones.]

It seems researchers really do need more funding, Zhang Xian thought.

Over the next few days, the ship continued its journey back to the Yunmiao Sect. Having benefited from his union with Liu Qingxuan, Zhang Xian’s progress was staggering. He not only recovered his lost cultivation but advanced to the seventh level of Foundation Establishment.

Up on the deck, Zhang Xian was practicing the art of sword flight.

“Keep your wrist steady. Channel your spiritual power evenly,” Liu Qingxuan instructed.

She stood close behind him, her delicate hands supporting his wrist to guide the flow of energy. Her hair occasionally brushed against his neck, carrying a faint, sweet fragrance.

“Supervisor Liu is an excellent teacher,” Zhang Xian remarked, turning his head to smile at her.

“Focus!” she chided, her ears heating up.

She tried to maintain a stern face, but seeing his mischievous grin, she couldn’t help but pinch his arm in irritation. “If you keep laughing, I’ll stop the lesson!”

“Alright, alright—I’m being serious now.” He reigned in his laughter, though he still stole glances at her flushed profile.

Suddenly, a cabin door creaked open. Li Fuxi stood in the doorway, taking in the scene. She saw Zhang Xian balanced on his flying sword with Liu Qingxuan practically plastered against his back, the two of them laughing intimately.

An inexplicable tightness gripped her chest. Her fingers clenched the fabric of her sleeve.

“Master!” Zhang Xian called out cheerfully.

Li Fuxi swept a cold, disdainful gaze over the pair. “You can’t even master basic sword flight? How disgraceful.”

She turned and marched away, her footsteps notably heavier than usual.

“Is Supervisor Fuxi angry?” Liu Qingxuan asked anxiously.

“Maybe she thinks I’m learning too slowly?” Zhang Xian pondered.

“But your progress is quite fast, especially with your improved spirit root,” Liu Qingxuan added hesitantly. “Should you go ask her for advice?”

Zhang Xian shook his head. “She’s already gone. Besides, Supervisor Liu is doing just fine.”

Master is quite cute when she’s grumpy, he thought privately.

Li Fuxi stomped through the corridors, nearly bumping into Captain Yunshang. She glared at the captain’s revealing attire.

Zhang Xian really is a little pervert, isn’t he?

Hmph! Whatever. Why am I getting angry at a puppet anyway?

She retreated to her bedroom to meditate, but her mind was a whirlwind. Failing to find peace, she went to the hot spring instead. She submerged herself in the warm water until only her eyes peeked above the surface, staring blankly into the mist.

What is wrong with me?

I am his master. I should be the one teaching him sword flight. He should be coming to me for guidance!

Three days later, as the ship neared the Yunmiao Sect, Zhang Xian visited Liu Qingxuan’s cultivation chamber. She was sitting cross-legged, her complexion glowing with health and vitality.

“Fully recovered?” he asked with a smile.

She opened her eyes, beaming. “My spirit root has improved even further!”

She pointed a finger at a seed on the table. It sprouted instantly, transforming into a lush green vine in the blink of an eye.

Zhang Xian checked her status.

[Liu Qingxuan: 64-point Daughter of Destiny; Current Favorability: 70]