The skies gradually turned dark. The winter snow fell on the streets. The thick clothes Kiana bought worked well here.
"Yawn…"
She yawned after devastating fifteen plates of boneless chicken wings. That was 90 chicken wings in total!
I, on the other hand, only ate forty.
It's a perk of being a cultivator. Kiana's monstrous appetite was further increased. The same went for me, except that it is weaker than hers.
She started off with a strong enough body, which is 80% through the entire Early Stage. I expect her to complete it faster than me.
Oh, that's right…
"I haven't told you about your talent."
"Talent?"
"Mn."
Two auxiliary techniques and three cultivation techniques were created just to find out about it.
Up to now, I am not sure how or why Spirit Roots existed on Kiana's body. My best guess is that the spiritual qi tinkered with something in the body and caused it to adapt.
This is the honkai world, not the cultivation world. The body's adaptation to foreign powers is a reasonable explanation.
"Your Spirit Root is a mutant one. A Void Spirit Root."
Kiana did not match any of the five qi cultivation techniques I brought out. She can use them, but it's seriously inefficient.
Several trial and errors occurred before I realized she had that mutant root. I made another technique based on that.
I explained the short version.
"In short, don't be surprised if you develop the ability to teleport and the likes."
"Teleport?"
She sounded very interested in that prospect.
"I can think of… no, hand you a new set of techniques."
"I need to relearn it again?"
"It won't be hard. I promise. You can follow my lead in the circulation part."
"Got it!"
When she heard that she won't have to study much, she became instantly cheerful.
I guess being a tuna (i.e., salted fish) is in her blood.
"You were born in the United Kingdom, right? Did you really practice on the mountains?"
"Yes. Dojos."
"Are they strict?"
"Kind of. But I am fine with it."
"Do you have others with you?"
"To practice? Nope…"
Our casual talks held a double meaning for me. Whenever she asks about the 'dojo', I think of my 'home'. When she asked about my friends, I think of my best friends in 'college'.
I am not technically lying; just saying half-truths.
I do not have a place to return to for the time being. I am also alone in this world. None of my friends, acquaintances, and family members I knew existed.
In this regard, I feel bad for Kiana.
I felt this bad in less than a month. How can she withstand something like this for years?
That must be the reason why she became happy when she crossed paths with Mei and Bronya. It also gave rise to her obsession with cute girls.
"Your father… What did he cook for you?"
"Hm? They're… bad."
Kiana's expression visibly shuddered. She is self-aware of Siegfried's inability to cook.
Such is the curse passed down on the Kaslana Bloodline.
"I can cook for you." I stated. "It won't be as good as the fancy restaurants, but I think it's alright."
To that, she responded:
"You can cook?!"
Sorry, Kiana.
It's only you who can't cook.
"Yes. I learned it myself."
"..."
Her expression turned complicated.
I can understand it.
A twelve-year-old can cook better than a fourteen-year-old?
There's no need to underestimate these children. Their presence in a restaurant alone means that the food is good—more so if they are helping their family while solving their homeworks.
You know the food's going to hit hard.
With Kiana's expression of defeat, we finished dining. We did not go to any other places and returned to the hotel she booked.
Aside from it being larger, it has the same things as the other hotel room we previously got. A single bed, a couch, a flat-screen television…
All the amenities we need are here.
"I will finish a session first. You can go first…"
"Um."
I pointed towards the bathroom.
At first, I was embarrassed. It's unusual for two people of the opposite sex to live together. I got used to it as time passed.
If I am shy, then don't look.
That solves the problem.
"Fu…"
I positioned my palms and the top of my head upwards. The opening formula started causing wind to flutter inside the room. Transparent blue air started to surround me.
It becomes more abundant once the 'source' inside the bathroom is added. Each normal breath felt very refreshing.
This is the second-grade spirit vein. If I can absorb the minute amounts of honkai energy in this entire city, I might be able to elevate it to third-grade. Fourth-grade is not a pipe dream.
This is the advantage of honkai. The energy alone is very abundant.
Then again, I can't do it. Honkai energy will converge at this exact point. I am asking for trouble if I do it.
This second-grade spirit vein does not make a large disturbance. It is just fine for usage.
"Fu…"
Breath in.
Hold it.
Circulate on the governing vessel…
Breath out for three seconds…
…
An entire hour passed in a flash. I opened my half-closed eyes and felt very refreshed. My entire body felt very relaxed.
"Ah?!"
"Eeh?!"
I jolted in surprise. Kiana is standing very close to my face. My nose is greeted by a fragrant smell.
Lavenders? That must be the shampoo…
…
"Ah."
My brain short-circuited.
Despite seeing her several times without her braids, her looks are still stunning. Her long white hair reached up to her waist. I can stare at her blue pupils for hours.
There are no blemishes on her face. She is the literal manifestation of a goddess back in my world.
Thank goodness my cultivation session ended. I can't maintain my state anymore.
I faced downwards and stood up from the couch.
"I'll take a bath."
"Oh! Drain the bathtub first!"
…
Kiana's bathwater?
The devil inside my head was pierced straight with a sword.
"I will."
Click.
I entered the bathroom. I passed by the mirror and saw my face.
"..."
I am as red as a tomato.
…Shit.
Nothing has changed since back then. It was just like this when I was embarrassed in front of my friends. I am being read like an open book because of this.
Fwoosh-!
I threw these thoughts out of the trash bin and allowed the bathtub to drain.
Argh.
Why am I still embarrassed now?!
But then, it's Kiana.
THE Kiana Kaslana. The beloved tuna.
…
It's a critical hit.
"Okay. Should I create an auxiliary technique that calms me down?"
My ridiculous coping mechanism started coming up with ridiculous ideas.