The night air in Mianhua's hut was warm from the braziers, scented faintly with ginseng and the crushed petals she had scattered earlier. Han Li sat cross-legged on the simple bed, shirtless, every muscle tense. Mianhua knelt across from him, her robe loose at the collar, eyes steady despite the flush in her cheeks.
"Relax," she whispered, placing her hands over his. "Follow my breathing."
The Heavenly Root Dao System pulsed in his mind.
> Dual Cultivation Mode: Initiating.
Warning: 88% meridian blockage detected.
Han Li inhaled, matching her rhythm. Warmth pooled in his dantian, a river of heat surging upward as her qi touched his. The sensation was intoxicating — part spiritual, part undeniably physical. He guided the flow with precision born from his past life's anatomical knowledge, avoiding the wasteful spirals her late husband's crude method must have taken.
A soft gasp escaped Mianhua's lips as his qi circled back into her, perfectly balanced.
> Meridian Blockage: 74% Cleared.
Vitality +12. Strength +9.
Han Li exhaled slowly, the world sharper, colors richer. His muscles thrummed with new power, and his heartbeat was steady as a war drum.
Before he could speak, the System chimed again:
> [Heavenly Root Beginner Manual] Unlocked.
Requires Emotional Resonance Level 2 to access.
Han Li's lips curled. Emotional resonance… he had an idea what that meant. And he intended to get it.
Outside, in the moonlight beyond the window, a shadow shifted — watching.