The bathroom door creaked open, and a light mist drifted out with her as the young lady stepped into the room. A towel clung tightly around her slender frame, beads of water still glistening on her pale skin. Her light blue hair fell loosely over her shoulders, the ends slightly curled from the steam.
She glanced toward the couch—where Luo Chen sat, unmoving, cigarette balanced between his fingers. The faint glow of the ember reflected in his cold eyes.
She whispered to herself, almost in awe, "Still unbelievable… That little brother was able to get rid of Peng Wu. He looked like just an ordinary student. I don't even know how he did it."
Her thoughts were interrupted by his voice—calm, low, and devoid of warmth.
"Your time is over."
She froze.
His words echoed in her mind: "Stay here only for 25 minutes. You've been drugged."
Her eyes widened. Oh no! she thought, I got so comfortable in the shower… I forgot the time completely!
Panic mixed with embarrassment as she fiddled with the end of her damp hair, her voice small and unsure.
"Th-That… It's so late, and my clothes… they're ruined. And now, like this…"
She peeked at Luo Chen nervously, trying to gauge his expression—but his face remained unreadable.
He… he can't possibly be so heartless as to throw me out now, right? she thought to herself, a hopeful spark lighting in her chest. With a beautiful woman like me here, any normal guy would be thrilled…
But then she stopped, face flushing with alarm.
Wait—what if he wants to do something? If I stay… would he…?
She shook her head, cheeks burning. No, no, no! What am I thinking?!
Trying to maintain some dignity, she clasped her towel tighter and spoke with a soft, slightly embarrassed voice.
"H-How about this… could you lend me your phone?" she asked, hesitating before continuing. "I'll have my assistant bring me a change of clothes…"
Luo Chen's voice was flat and unbothered, like he was stating a simple fact.
"Until someone comes to pick you up, go to the second bedroom. Lock the door. Don't disturb me."
The young lady blinked, caught off guard. "H-Huh?"
He stood up with casual indifference and tossed his phone toward her.
"I won't say it again."
She fumbled, catching it just in time. "Okay, okay…"
Clutching the phone against her chest, she pouted inwardly, whispering to herself, I can't believe he didn't even glance at me…
Her eyes drifted back toward him as he turned away. But now that I get a better look, this little brother… he's actually pretty good-looking, she murmured silently, her cheeks tinting pink.
That silent force around him… It doesn't scream power—it just exists, effortlessly. Even compared to Peng Wu, he's not inferior at all. Maybe even scarier…
She was still dazed when Luo Chen, holding a simple wooden box in one hand, walked toward his room.
"Go on," he said without turning back. "Don't bother me with anything."
Her mouth twitched. "Oh," she replied sharply, and then stomped off toward the second bedroom. Just before closing the door, she grumbled under her breath, "What a bad attitude… Sigh. Good night!"
Click.
Behind her, the sound of the door echoed as she shut it—half frustration, half defeat.
Meanwhile, in the master bedroom, Luo Chen sat cross-legged on the bed. He placed the wooden box before him and pressed his palm against it. A faint glow emerged as spiritual energy flowed from his hand, seeping into the wood.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"As expected…"
Click.
The box unlocked with a whisper, revealing a set of unassuming but ancient-looking seeds nestled within layers of soft silver cloth. Luo Chen's fingers hovered just above them, reverent.
"These are seed remnants—the essence marks left behind after the fall of ancient great powers," he whispered. "Hard to come by…"
He paused, the golden glow from the seeds reflecting in his sharp, calculating eyes.
"If not for the Nine Heaven Emperor's Sutra, I might've missed this opportunity altogether."
A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
"Even the weakest among them is enough to awaken a god within the spiritually exhausted wasteland of this modern world…"
A faint hum filled the room as the wooden box opened with a whisper. From within, a seed began to rise—floating gently, encased in a pulsating blue glow. The air turned heavy with spiritual energy, vibrating subtly like a heartbeat from another world.
Luo Chen's gaze sharpened.
"…Not to mention," he murmured, eyes never leaving the seed, "this one carries the trace of a Heavenly Eye ability."
The blue glow intensified, dancing across his face in delicate ribbons of light.
"If refined properly," he continued, voice barely above a whisper, "not only can one awaken the dormant God within… but also inherit the Eye of Heaven—the power of divine perception… clairvoyance, insight, perspective…"
He exhaled slowly, brows drawing together.
"I've already lost my cultivation," he admitted inwardly. "What remains… is but the last breath of the Nine Heaven Emperor's Sutra. That alone lets me maintain the strength of a Martial Master—but it won't last. One day, even that aura will be depleted."
The seed hovered above his palm. Its glow intensified and began to seep into him, wrapping his body in waves of cool, blue energy. He closed his fingers slowly, letting the seed rest against his skin.
"The only way forward," he said, "is to awaken again. To start over."
But as the energy flowed, his expression darkened.
"…This seed," he muttered, disappointed. "It's not well preserved. The inner core is completely desiccated. The essence is fractured. It's useless—at least, for now."
A flicker of frustration passed through his otherwise calm face.
Suddenly—knock knock.
He turned, sharp eyes flicking toward the door.
The handle turned. A moment later, the door creaked open slightly.
Peeking inside was the young woman, now dressed in a loosely wrapped towel, her damp hair falling past her shoulders, cheeks flushed not just from warmth, but hesitation.
"Um… sorry to bother you," she said in a soft, almost guilty voice. "My assistant's phone… it's not working. I—I tried, but…"
She hesitated, stepping a bit further in.
"Can you… change it for me? I mean… I can't really sleep outside the door, and I'm a little scared."
She glanced at him, trying her best to appear innocent, almost pitiful
She gasped, quickly waving her hand as if to explain herself.
"Of course I won't take advantage of you!" she said, flustered. "I'll pay twice the room price—how's that? Fair enough?"
Luo Chen remained silent, his expression unchanged.
She bit her lip. "I mean, it's not like the second bedroom is uncomfortable or anything… but what if Peng Wu suddenly comes back? What if he brings someone? Who knows how crazy he is…"
Luo Chen glanced sideways, his eyes flickering faintly.
If Peng Wu really tried to force his way into the master bedroom, he'd have to go through the second one first. It's just an extra layer of insurance, he thought. Smart.
He gave a faint smirk. "So… this is a request?"
Her eyes widened, her head turning away in embarrassment, like a child caught stealing candy. "Y-You—!"
Luo Chen raised a brow, still calm. "You've already done all the calculations. It's written all over your face."
Her cheeks flushed crimson. "Cut the crap! Just say yes or no!"
Luo Chen leaned back against the headboard, a faint smile playing on his lips.
"No."
That single word hit her like an arrow to the chest.
Her breath hitched. She stared at him for a long moment, frozen.
Then she turned her head away again, frustration boiling over. "Hmph. I don't believe it…"
She whispered under her breath, eyes narrowing with sudden determination. "I don't believe that I, Xingyue, don't have any charm… Can't even handle a college boy?"
With a sharp inhale, she tugged her towel away—revealing a silky, elegant blue dress that hugged her curves perfectly, as though she had prepared for this moment all along.
She walked forward slowly, every movement deliberate, the soft swish of fabric like a whisper against the tension in the air.
Crawling onto the bed beside him, her voice dropped to a sultry tone.
"If I want something tonight…" she said, her fingers tracing gently up his arm, "you'll have to sleep."