It was another ordinary morning.
Yunchuan woke up at his usual time, washed his face, brushed his teeth, dressed neatly, and ate a solid breakfast. Then, as he'd done countless times before, he headed out alone to the training grounds. No need to be carried by Bibi Dong anymore—the place wasn't that far from Spirit City, and his body could easily handle the jog.
Soon, he arrived at the familiar dirt-red training road, only to spot two faint silhouettes waiting at the starting line.
He slowed down in surprise, then jogged toward them. One of the figures was, of course, Bibi Dong. Standing beside her, however, was a young girl he didn't recognize, holding onto the Pope's hand and peeking at him nervously.
"Mom," he asked curiously, "who's she?"
The girl looked about ten or eleven—maybe four or five years older than Yunchuan. She had shoulder-length orange hair and large, gleaming eyes—slightly narrow and shaped with an alluring curve, as if her gaze could pull people in without trying.
Her face was delicate, her features exquisite despite her youth, with just a hint of baby fat that hadn't fully faded. Even now it was easy to imagine: when she grew up, she'd be a devastating beauty.
"This is Hu Liena," Bibi Dong said with a warm smile, gently brushing her hand affectionately over the girl's hair. "She's my new disciple."
Then, looking at Yunchuan, she added, "From now on, Nana will join you for your morning training. And Chuan'er—since you're a gentleman, you must be kind to her, okay?"
Ah.
Yunchuan instantly understood.
Mom was worried I'd get bored, so she found someone to train with me.
Classic logic: a boy performs better when there's a girl watching.
When there's an audience—especially someone cute—guys can't help but show off. And let's be honest, having a pretty girl around while doing boring physical training? That's motivation.
It wasn't combat tactics.
This was mom-level matchmaking.
Was this still just training… or was it an early companion quest?
At that moment, Yunchuan honestly didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
This isn't a real mom?
Because... she was acting like the best possible mom on the planet.
From childhood to now, she'd cared for him like the center of the world. If he wanted stars, she'd try to bring him the moon. And now, fearing his training might be dull, she'd arranged a potential "future wife" as a training buddy?
What kind of heavenly favor was this?
Tears welled up in his heart.
Getting taken in by Spirit Hall had been the greatest blessing of his life.
Otherwise, he might still be rolling around in the dirt of Holy Soul Village, playing stick games with kids who hadn't wiped their noses properly.
"Turns out… being handsome really is a cheat code."
He sighed internally, grateful that he'd maxed out his [Charm] stat early on—what the system had ranked as "transcending mortal standards."
This wasn't just surface-level attractiveness.
It wasn't the kind of shallow charm used to seduce—it was the kind of presence that made others instinctively feel comfort, trust, and admiration. People felt drawn to good things. It was only natural to love what was beautiful.
No, it didn't make women fall head-over-heels instantly or act like loyal dogs with one glance. But when someone wasn't harboring malice, their goodwill status just... escalated.
Winning favor became that much easier.
Bibi Dong had fallen this way, step by step.
And now, it seemed Hu Liena was on the same track.
The girl's cheeks were already blushing. Her beautiful eyes stole quick glances at Yunchuan, only to dart away again in shy panic every time their gazes met. As if one more second of eye contact would make her melt on the spot.
"Hi, I'm Yunchuan," he said with a warm smile.
He looked nothing like what she'd imagined—he was cuter. Bright-eyed, charming, and calm beyond his years. That soft glow was almost unfair. He didn't need to do anything; just standing there made it hard to look away.
"Hi… I-I'm Hu Liena…" she stammered.
She lowered her head, twisting her hands nervously on the edge of her skirt. Which was honestly hilarious considering she was nearly half a head taller than him—but here she was, trembling like a mouse.
Once pleasantries were exchanged, Bibi Dong nodded, pleased.
"Well then," she smiled, "Chuan'er, I leave Nana in your care. She'll be training with you each morning."
Yunchuan puffed out his chest like a little general. "Leave her to me, Mom!"
The scene of this little man pretending to be all responsible made both women laugh—mature elegance and youthful sweetness overlapping in a brief, happy moment.
"Nana is yours to guide, then," Bibi Dong chuckled, gently nudging the girl forward.
At age eleven, Hu Liena stood taller than the six-year-old Yunchuan by a good head. Yet despite her height, she looked at him shyly like a younger sister watching an admired older brother. There wasn't an ounce of confidence in her, only nervous excitement.
Yunchuan summoned a weighted vest from his soul tool and threw it over his shoulders. It easily weighed several hundred jin. Then, glancing toward Hu Liena, who wore nothing extra for training, he asked, "Wait, she's not wearing any weights?"
"She doesn't need them," Bibi Dong replied, shaking her head. "Nana isn't like you. You're too monstrous."
A few hundred jin? And just six years old?
Not everyone was a walking cheat code.
Hu Liena, unlike Yunchuan, didn't have terrifying innate power or exaggerated training progress. Her innate soul power was a solid 9—not incredible, but respectable. Her Martial Soul was a fox—charming and elegant—but she didn't have the freakish talent that Yunchuan had. Still…
She was disciplined. Diligent. She had risen from level 9 to level 25 in five years—all through hard work.
That was why Bibi Dong had chosen her.
There were many with better starting points. But very few with her quiet persistence. It was that quality that earned Bibi Dong's favor—and her apprenticeship.
And now?
She would start her mornings alongside the boy who just might reshape the continent.
(End of Chapter)