A Playful Game

“Hooo…”

Yuan Xing exhaled a cloud of turbid air, slowly pulling his mind back from his sea of consciousness and into his physical body.

Originally, he had been at the early phase of the Foundation Establishment stage. After one full circulation in this high-density environment, he felt he had reached the midpoint of the early phase. A few more cycles, and he would surely break through to the middle phase.

He decided to rest for a moment before continuing, so he slowly opened his eyes.

When he did, he was startled. Xiao Siyu was sitting directly in front of him, a sweet, almost predatory smile on her face.

She looked even more beautiful than before. A faint, ethereal aura of immortality clung to her—a clear sign that she had successfully completed her breakthrough to Foundation Establishment.

“What’s wrong?” Yuan Xing asked, quickly regaining his composure.

“Hehe, you’re finished.” Xiao Siyu reached out with lightning speed and tapped a major acupoint on Yuan Xing’s chest.

“Huh?” Yuan Xing froze.

As the point was struck, his entire body went numb. He found himself unable to move a muscle. Of course, this was only because he hadn’t resisted; if he used his true strength, he could easily shatter the internal lock and regain his freedom.

Yuan Xing didn’t act immediately. He wanted to see exactly what Xiao Siyu was up to.

“You fell for it, didn’t you? The only reason I took care of you and gave you that fruit earlier was because I was worried you’d cause trouble while I was establishing my foundation. I gave you those benefits just to keep you docile. Now that I’ve successfully broken through, I have no reason to fear you,” Xiao Siyu said smugly, her chin tilted up.

“Uh… then why didn’t you just kill me before?” Yuan Xing asked.

“Huh?” Xiao Siyu was taken aback, then snorted, puffing out her cheeks. “It’s not too late to kill you now!”

Yuan Xing gave a faint, knowing smile. “Then go ahead.”

“Hehe, what’s the rush?” Xiao Siyu’s eyes darted around. “If I kill you directly, all that spiritual energy you just absorbed would go to waste.”

She raised her hand and drew a wide semicircle in the air. “The spiritual energy in this entire Spirit Realm belongs to me. Since you’ve already absorbed some of it, I’ll just have to… suck it back out of you.”

Yuan Xing raised an eyebrow. “Our spiritual energy attributes are different. How exactly do you plan on absorbing it?”

Xiao Siyu smirked confidently. “Let me tell you, I’m a genius. Not only do I have exceptional bone structure, but I also have a photographic memory. It takes others decades to go from the early Qi Refining stage to the late stage; I did it in less than a year. No matter what technique I see, I can master it after just one look.

“That ‘technique’ you taught me that night? I’ve already memorized it. If I use it, I can convert my spiritual energy into the same attribute as yours, and then I can absorb everything you’ve cultivated.”

With that, she closed her eyes, pretending to enter a deep state of meditation.

However, Yuan Xing noticed that she wasn’t actually circulating her Qi. If she were truly running the dual-cultivation technique he had used on her previously, her body would inevitably show signs of heat or perspiration. That technique, by its very nature, triggered intense physical sensations.

But Xiao Siyu showed no such reaction.

After a few moments, she opened her eyes again. They were as clear as mountain springs, showing no sign of the technique’s influence. Yet, her gaze was shifty. She didn’t seem to dare look directly at him, yet she couldn’t help but lean closer. Her hesitant, indecisive demeanor was, frankly, adorable.

Yuan Xing found it highly amusing. He understood her plan perfectly.

Xiao Siyu clearly had developed an attraction to him, but her pride and the cold logic of this world wouldn’t allow her to admit it. So, she had invented the “absorption of power” as a practical, selfish excuse to initiate intimacy. She didn’t actually want to steal his hard-earned cultivation; she just needed a reason to touch him.

Seeing through her, Yuan Xing decided not to expose her. In fact, he was looking forward to it. Last time, he had been the one to take the lead while she was dazed. This time, with her fully conscious and acting of her own volition, it would be a novel experience.

Moreover, her breakthrough to Foundation Establishment had refined her further, giving her an even more divine air. He was eager to see how this played out.

Playing along, Yuan Xing feigned a worried expression. “Don’t mess around… I barely managed to reach this level of cultivation…”

“Hehe, you can only blame yourself for being too naive. I’m helping you grow, little brother—letting you understand the true dangers of this world.”

Xiao Siyu smiled triumphantly and took a deep breath, finally steeling her resolve. She lifted her head and slowly leaned toward his face.

As the distance closed, her cheeks flushed a deep crimson, and her lips trembled slightly. Finally, unable to maintain eye contact, she squeezed her eyes shut.

This behavior was nothing like the “confused” version of her from that night. She was acting more like a mortal girl experiencing her first love. The presence or absence of the technique’s mind-altering effects made her two completely different people.

Yuan Xing leaned in to meet her halfway.

“Mmn…”

The moment their lips touched, Xiao Siyu’s entire body shuddered, and she let out an involuntary hum. This was the feeling she had been craving. Because she had just broken through, her senses were sharper than ever, making the physical sensation exponentially more intense. She found herself immediately immersed, unable—and unwilling—to stop.

After a long time, as the sensation became overwhelming, Xiao Siyu finally pulled back, gasping for air. Her mind was in a haze of bliss. In her daze, she felt Yuan Xing’s breath against her ear.

“You haven’t learned enough yet,” he whispered. “If you really want to absorb my power… you need to follow my instructions.”

“Mm…” Xiao Siyu answered breathlessly, her resistance entirely gone.