While Aotian was trying to calm Rihai’s anger during those three days, he hadn’t abandoned his cultivation—he had just slowed down considerably to appease the embarrassed beauty.

And as soon as he finally spoke with her again and had that conversation about other sects, he withdrew to his room. Not long after, he broke through once more, reaching the 4th level of Qi Refinement.

This meant that he, along with all his avatars, were now mid-level cultivators in their respective realms.

“It took about 25 hours to break through this time. The next level should take around 35 hours before I advance again. Pills can speed up progress, but I’m already going too fast. Is it really necessary?”

He pondered for a moment.

Thanks to the synthesis of alchemy inheritances and the vast experience he had gained through his avatar Dan Hong and the others, he could now create Refiner-Tier pills with virtually no impurities. This made them extremely beneficial, without any side effects for his cultivation.

“Well, why go slow when you can ride a rocket?”

Amused by his own thought of going slow, he quickly reached a conclusion.

“I can also take the opportunity to invite Rihai for a walk while I buy the materials I need.”

With this idea in mind, he didn’t hesitate and went to her room.

Upon arriving, he knocked gently on the door.

Knock! Knock!

“Hai’er, are you busy?”

He called out in a soft tone, not wanting to disturb her if she was cultivating.

“It’s fine, you can come in, Tian’er.”

Her gentle voice came from the other side of the door.

Aotian then pushed the door open, and as he stepped inside, his eyes immediately locked onto the stunning Liu Rihai, seated cross-legged on the stone platform. The fabric of her dress flowed delicately around her, its hem spreading over the platform, while her long golden hair cascaded over her shoulders, creating a breathtaking scene.

For a moment, he was frozen, completely mesmerized by her beauty.

Rihai, noticing his dazed expression, smiled playfully.

Every now and then, Aotian had this silly habit of simply stopping and admiring her as if he were enchanted.

“When you get tired of staring, you can tell me what brought you here. It doesn’t seem like it’s time to eat again… In fact, I have the slight impression that we parted less than an hour ago.”

She teased, already accustomed to his ways.

Aotian snapped out of his daze slightly at her words and smiled back, flirting.

“If I have to wait until I get tired of looking at you, I guess I’ll never say why I came. Besides, an hour is more than enough to start missing you.”

Rihai couldn’t help but feel flustered, her face blushing slightly—his words were always so captivating.

“Stop teasing me, Tian’er… Why did you come?”

She pouted slightly, averting her gaze.

Aotian chuckled softly, then crossed his arms and lifted his chin with an arrogant expression.

“Well, your handsome man here is a great alchemist. I need to buy materials to make pills for both myself and you. Don’t worry, my pills are amazing—you’ll see!”

Rihai, who had been secretly admiring his profile, froze as she processed his words.

“Wait, wait, wait!”

She waved her hands, looking at him in confusion.

“Are you telling me that you, the guy who has been cultivating for what… a month? Are already a qualified alchemist without ever having owned a single medicinal herb to practice with?”

Aotian looked at her seriously and slowly nodded.

“Yes.”

Rihai widened her eyes, completely stunned.

And then…

“Pfff!”

She couldn’t hold it in and burst into laughter.

“Hahaha! Aotian, if that were true, you’d be the reincarnation of an immortal! But what kind of immortal could have such a lack of common sense? Were you cultivating under a rock in your past life?”

She mercilessly teased, laughing so hard she could barely breathe.

Aotian rolled his eyes, powerless.

One of Rihai’s traits he had discovered over time was that she loved teasing those she liked.

“Ha ha… laugh all you want, but I’ll prove it to you.”

He then arched an eyebrow and smiled mischievously.

“How about a bet? If I win, you’ll have to help me with ‘that’ again… and also let me help you.”

He pointed at his junior brother, which twitched slightly at the mention of “that.”

Rihai, of course, understood immediately.

Her face turned as red as a tomato—from embarrassment and anger.

Gritting her teeth, she glared at him challengingly.

“And what do I get?”

She asked, eyes narrowed and filled with fury.

Aotian got excited.

After all, if she was asking… that meant there was a chance!

But then, he hesitated.

‘If I offer too high a price, Rihai will get suspicious of my excessive confidence and back out. But if it’s too low, she won’t be satisfied and won’t accept… What should I offer?’

Aotian mentally chewed his nails, pondering.

Then, he had an idea.

Transferring one of Bao Hui’s Enlightened Minds to himself, he began analyzing the situation from a negotiator’s perspective. In an instant, strategic insights started surfacing in his mind.

Suddenly, his expression looked slightly distressed in Rihai’s eyes, as if he were having a hard time considering the proposal.

She couldn’t resist the provocation.

“Heeh, where did all that confidence go, Aotian?”

Her tone was playful. The anger from his perverted bet had already diminished quite a bit upon seeing him struggle with his own schemes, and a smile began forming on her lips.

“Of course not!”

Aotian gritted his teeth at her and then threw out the bait.

“Then, what do you want in return for accepting the bet?”

Yes, this was the tactic he had planned:

Show hesitation, let her get lost in her own arrogance, and finally, reluctantly ask for the price.

Rihai took the bait.

“Heh, how about being my servant for a month and doing everything I say? If I want a foot massage, you do it. If I ask for a shoulder massage, you don’t dare go for the arm.”

She teased with a mischievous smile, mocking the famous phrase: “If I tell you to go east, you don’t dare go west.”

But Aotian didn’t give in so easily.

‘Reject the initial price. Don’t reveal your cards too soon.’

He shook his head reluctantly and countered.

“That’s unfair. I only asked for something quick and something we’ll eventually do as a couple anyway. But you want me to sell myself for a whole month.”

Rihai felt even more confident.

“You dare or don’t dare?”

She challenged, crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes.

Aotian gritted his teeth and spoke fiercely.

“Who wouldn’t dare? It’s a bet!”

‘Hehe! I think this is one of those moments where the protagonist says: hook, line, and sinker.’

Aotian amused himself internally, already imagining a beautiful spring scene between the two.

But just as Rihai was about to seal the deal, a sudden hesitation arose.

Aotian had shown a lot of confidence before, but now he hesitated when it came to betting? Something smelled fishy.

She observed him more closely, analyzing his handsome face, the deep black eyes staring back at her, the long dark hair neatly tied in an elegant bun.

Her doubt turned into a slight lip bite.

And finally, she sighed discreetly and agreed, still hesitant.

‘Even if I lose… doing that once wouldn’t be such a big loss.’

Her gaze landed on the man before her, and her face blushed slightly.

“It’s a deal!”

The moment the words left her lips, Aotian’s reluctant expression vanished, replaced by a wide, excited smile.

It was at that moment that Rihai realized she had been tricked.

But, in any case, she herself had come to the conclusion that losing this bet… might not be so bad.

“Hehehe! Rihai, let’s go shopping!”

Before she could react, he swiftly moved in, stole a quick kiss, and, holding her hand, pulled her out of the room.

However…

Neither she nor he could imagine that, on this journey, something unexpected awaited them.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep