Cultivation starts with picking up attributes-Chapter 42: Ch-: Seeking Alliance

Nightfall at the Temporary Sect Outpost.

The night was calm, the air cool with the crispness of the mountain breeze.

The makeshift tents of the Beast Taming Sect formed a quiet enclave, their flaps gently fluttering in the still night.

The campfires flickered, casting dancing shadows against the earth, as the sounds of quiet chatter and laughter drifted in from a distance.

But far away from the hustle and bustle, in the quiet solitude of the forest’s edge, Tian Shen and Feng Yin found a moment that was just for them.

The soft rustling of leaves above them was the only sound as they walked through the shadowed grove.

The moonlight streamed down in silvery beams, painting the world in gentle hues of blue and white.

Feng Yin’s steps were light, her expression soft, but there was a tension in her gaze—an unspoken expectation that hung in the air.

Tian Shen walked beside her, close enough for their arms to brush, yet neither of them spoke at first. The evening felt sacred—quiet in its serenity.

Feng Yin glanced at him, her eyes soft but searching. She reached out, her hand gently grazing his.

It was the touch of someone who had learned to navigate the delicate space between them—between love and hesitation.

"Are you still troubled?"

She asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Tian Shen slowed his pace, his gaze turning toward the ground for a moment.

He exhaled, a long, steady breath that seemed to carry the weight of all the unspoken things between them.

"It’s... hard to put everything into words," he admitted.

"Sometimes, it feels like I’m still just figuring out how to be with you. How to be worthy of you."

Feng Yin stopped walking, turning to face him fully. She lifted her hand, gently cupping his cheek, and he felt the warmth of her touch seep through his skin, all the way to his heart.

"Sweety," she said, her voice firm yet tender.

"You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to be with me, as you are. I want you, all of you—the parts that are broken and the ones that still have room to heal."

His heart beat a little faster at her words, a warmth spreading through his chest. He reached up, covering her hand with his, holding it there for a moment, his thumb lightly brushing over her skin.

"I’m trying," he murmured.

"I’m not used to being... like this."

She smiled, her eyes reflecting a quiet understanding.

"Then let me teach you."

Her voice was soft, full of a sweetness that made his heart skip.

"Let me show you what it means to let go, to trust, to be held and to hold."

For a moment, they simply stood there, the world around them fading into the background, as if the night itself had paused to give them this moment.

The air was thick with emotion, their shared history hanging between them like a fragile thread that they were both afraid to break.

Without a word, Feng Yin closed the distance between them, her hands slipping around his neck.

Her body pressed close to his, and she felt the warmth of his chest, the steady rise and fall of his breath.

Tian Shen’s hands slid to her back, holding her gently but firmly, as if he never wanted to let go.

Her head tilted slightly, and she leaned in, her lips brushing softly against his. The kiss was light, like the first drop of rain after a dry spell—tentative, yet full of promise.

It was slow, deliberate, as though neither of them wanted to rush what was happening between them. It was an exploration, a mutual discovery of the feelings they had only begun to understand.

As the kiss deepened, so did the connection between them. The world seemed to fall away—time, space, the trials they had faced.

In this moment, there was only the two of them.

The gentle pressure of her lips against his, the subtle warmth that radiated between their bodies.

Every touch was laden with the weight of everything they had shared, everything they had yet to share.

Feng Yin pulled back slightly, her breath warm against his lips.

She looked into his eyes, searching for something—perhaps reassurance, perhaps something deeper.

"Shen, I want this. I want to share everything with you. Not just my body, but my heart, my soul."

Her voice trembled slightly, her emotions raw and exposed in the stillness of the night.

He nodded, his gaze intense.

"And I want to give you that, Yin. All of me. I’ll keep you safe, no matter what."

There was a pause, a moment of stillness where neither of them spoke. Then, with a soft smile, she kissed him again—this time more urgently, the tenderness giving way to a deeper need.

Tian Shen responded in kind, his hands moving to her waist, pulling her closer, as if he couldn’t bear to be apart from her for even a second.

The kiss became more than just a simple act of affection. It became a release, a culmination of all the feelings that had been building between them for so long.

It was trust, it was healing, it was a promise.

As the night wore on, they held each other beneath the stars, the world around them continuing to spin while they stayed anchored in this moment.

The air was filled with the soft sounds of their shared breaths, their hearts beating in synchrony.

And for the first time in a long time, Tian Shen felt a sense of peace. It wasn’t perfect, and it wasn’t easy—but it was real. And it was enough.

Feng Yin’s voice, soft and steady, broke the silence.

"We have each other now. We’ll face whatever comes, together."

Tian Shen tightened his hold on her, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"Together," he repeated, his voice thick with emotion.

Under the moonlight, with the soft whispers of the wind surrounding them, they stayed close, finding comfort in each other’s arms.

...

The Next Morning.

Morning broke gently over the outer sect outpost, the sun’s first light casting a pale gold across the quiet courtyard.

A chill breeze stirred the leaves, brushing past the robes of the young cultivator who stood at the edge of the clearing, arms folded as he gazed into the distant horizon.

Tian Shen’s eyes were sharp beneath his calm expression, but his mind was anything but peaceful.

A new day had begun, and with it came the next step of his quiet plan.

Behind him, the soft patter of footsteps echoed lightly on the wooden floor.

"You didn’t come back to bed," Feng Yin’s soft voice called.

Tian Shen turned slightly. She stood there with a shawl wrapped around her shoulders, hair loosely tied, her cheeks still tinged with the warmth of sleep.

There was a softness to her eyes that hadn’t been there before—not entirely.

He offered a small smile.

"I wanted some air. We’re leaving soon."

She came to stand beside him, eyes narrowing slightly.

"The Profound Qi Sect... do you really think they’ll agree to an alliance?" ƒгeewёbnovel.com

"Hard to say," Tian Shen replied smoothly, his tone composed.

"But it’s worth trying. With knock out against the Demon Sect, smaller sects like ours need to secure reliable allies."

Feng Yin nodded thoughtfully.

"Sect Master Feng said something similar yesterday. But you’re the one who brought up the idea. Was there another reason?"

Tian Shen didn’t flinch, though her perceptiveness always kept him on edge. He turned his gaze back toward the distant mountains, voice light and easy.

"There’s always another reason. I want to see what kind of strength the Profound Qi Sect cultivators have. Understanding their capabilities could help us later if tensions rise."

That, at least, wasn’t a lie. Just not the whole truth.

He needed to see their strength—not just to evaluate it, but to harvest it.

The Sect’s vast compound, filled with powerful cultivators and ongoing training exercises, was the perfect storm for his system.

He could practically sense the attribute bubbles that would be generated there.

But he couldn’t say that aloud.

Not to Feng Yin.

Not to Anyone else.

He felt her eyes on him for a moment longer before she finally said.

"Just be careful. Big sects aren’t always as friendly as they pretend to be."

"I know."

He met her gaze then, and offered something honest.

"But I’ll be fine."

The sound of approaching footsteps ended the moment.

Sect Master Feng Yan strode forward with the same crisp, unfaltering gait he always carried.

His black and silver robes trailed behind him like a shadow.

"Ready?" he asked simply.

Tian Shen and Feng Yin both nodded.

"We’ll arrive by midday," the sect master continued, gesturing toward the waiting spirit boat, a flying spiritual treasure, operated by Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivators.

"The Profound Qi Sect is expecting us. Best not keep them waiting."

As they boarded the sleek spirit vessel, Tian Shen let his fingers rest against the polished rail, eyes focused on the direction they would travel.

Feng Yin believed they were going for politics.

Feng Yan believed they were going for diplomacy.

But only Tian Shen knew he was going for power.

And he intended to take as much of it as the system would allow.