More than a week passed by with Ku Lo engrossed in dual cultivation with Huang Gingge and Dai Meifen. Feng Huling repeated the act plenty of times with her coming more understanding of his side, although still not suspicious of Yao Khange. 

Gingge and Meifen absorbing their part left quite some idle time for him, as the two weren’t able to talk while refining. 

At first, Ku Lo had been stumped, yet after some questions, both girls told over and over again that they needed every inch of focus to refine; they could not chit-chat with him.

They said he was an irregularity for being able to talk and still refine with his unnatural speed. This left him with the question: how could he teach them his ideas without raising suspicions? 

Enhancing them with his ideas would cause their cultivation speed — and so his dick in them time — to skyrocket. On the other hand, being caught as an identity from another world could cause serious problems. 

What if my village has some simple work easing tools… My knowledge of the ideas comes from there… Over the years teach them, machining and such… This standard transmigrator explanation had one drawback in his case, however: his ‘sister’. He planned not only to heal her but take her in afterwards, so she would soon uncover his lies. Moreover, Feng Huling would be sure to try and possibly even create weapons… and I don’t want that.

Anyway, their slowness wasn’t unwelcomed since it gave him time to breathe and reflect on moments now passed. 

Knock Knock Knock

Ku Lo sighed and remained in the lotus position with his light-blue eyes closed. “Gingg’er, could you see who’s there? I want to cultivate your lewd Qis.”

“So bad-” Gingge giggled, blushing. “Meifen shouldn’t be back yet, so it isn’t her… I’ll see who it is.” 

“Hey.” 

“Where were you the one time I could have used you?” Ku Lo chuckled when hearing Rin Tin Tin’s voice. “Come inside, come inside.” He wished to talk with this girl for once.

Two people walked towards him, but he didn’t stop his cultivation as that was what mattered right now. He was too close to Stage Three of the Spirit Foundation Realm to stop. 

“Wow, your cultivation has improved a lot,” Rin Tin Tin commented. 

“So has yours.” 

“Lo’er?” He could hear, and from there image the confusion on Gingge’s face.

“Gingg’er could we talk alone? You don’t need to hear this.” 

“I won’t hurt him, I promise.” 

“I’ve seen you hit him…” 

“And you know I told her to do that.” 

The next sound in the room was a door opening and closing. 

“Won’t stop for me?” 

“I’d rather not. It isn’t good for my mind nor heart.” Ku Lo feared exposing himself to Rin Tin Tin would be a mistake; from merely hearing her voice, his stomach twisted.

“You can’t forget me~?” Rin Tin Tin whispered as a warm breath tickled his earlobe. 

Without Ku Lo’s will, his mind imagined the heart-shaped, light-red lips blowing the breath. This caused his nigh perfect cultivation machine to miss a push.

“Where were you?” 

“In my home. I haven’t been following you in days, you should know this~”

Keep your eyes closed… don’t let her tempt you... keep your eyes closed. “Well, I can’t blame you.”

“Yeah, I think that was what you wanted.” 

“It would’ve been bad if you got hurt trying to save me.” 

“So you do care about me?” Based on the breath, her head moved to his other side. “That means so much to me~”  

The wish to talk with Rin Tin Tin lowered as she dug under his skin. “Yao Khange, what do you know about him?” 

“Yao Khange’s the son of an Inner Court Elder named Yao Changpu, whose biggest achievement is Yao Khange himself. More I don’t bother to know, bastards both of them. Why even waste our words on them?” She placed her arms on his shoulders. 

By instinct, he shrugged. 

“I gave you information, and this is how you repay me?” She pouted, chipping away at his reason.

“I can pay you in herbs.” 

“But I don’t want herbs; you know this too.” 

“What brings you here?” 

“Of course I came to see how you were doing~” Once again, she placed her palms on his shoulders. She wasn’t even satisfied with that, this time, as the hands slipped around his neck into a hug. “It isn’t like I was the only one wanting to see the other.” 

“I am fine, as you can see. Is there anything else?” he asked. “I’m very close to breaking into the Third Stage, so I would love some space.” 

“Oh really now?” Her hands travelled around his chest and neck. “A Stage in a week? The Cultivation Partner Assessment Tool wasn’t wrong. You are special.” 

“Many people call me a genius, a prodigy, special too.” 

“The stars are in the right Ku Lo! We are meant for each other~” Her face… it was in front of him.

“I asked for space,” he said, trying to keep his eyes closed.  

“Right-” The arms withdrew, she even took steps away from him. “Can I stay here during your breakthrough? You know I’m a good teacher, so—” 

“Feel free to stay, but before you sit down, could you open the door for Gingge?” 

“Fine” Rin Tin Tin did so. 

“Lo’er!” The next second, he heard the door open in came an excited shout of a girl who sounded more like they’d been separated for years rather than minutes. 

“Don’t poke him now, he has entered the breakthrough phase.”

“Is he gow cupsr” Gingge’s voice became unintelligible nonsense as his mind raced elsewhere. 

Is it happening again?

[You have been slain] 

Seems so, but… Ku Lo found himself sitting in his chair, in his home, on earth. Why am I here again? 

The ‘you have been slain’ notification on his computer screen faded and in came [Respawn] 

Ku Lo sprung up, knocking the plastic chair to the ground, and rushed towards the window. 

To the window! he jumped and slid the last inches there, his hands setting aside the curtains.

There it flew, a river barge, similar in design to items on Terra, but of higher quality than what he had seen so far. The two little red sails fluttered in the wind as it plummeted towards him.  

To the wall! he screamed inside his mind, too late.

… 

“Welcome back!” It was Gingge who plunged against him from behind. However, his ears locked on the other conversation while his body fell forwards. 

“Well, that didn’t take long, as expected.” 

“How long was he out for?” 

The fluffy girl snuggling him answered, “I’d say for around an hour but not two, Sister Dai.” 

“That’s quick indeed. Now, mind leaving? Haven’t you already leeched enough residual Qis?” 

“Ku Lo told me I could stay.” 

From the corner of his eye, he noted Rin Tin Tin get up and leave as Meifen had told her to. 

“Lo’er… why are you ignoring mee?” 

“I’m not ignoring-” He turned around and fumbled on the bed with Gingge for a moment. 

“Uhum,” Meifen cleared her throat. “Congratulations.” 

Back against the bed, his hands drew Gingge against him tight while he looked over her shoulder. “Thank you. The process was very easy for me, I didn’t feel or think anything before everything was okay.” 

“Weird-” She frowned. “You should write everything down.” 

“Okay.” 

“Fast as you can, meaning stop playing around. Grab a quill and a piece of paper.” Meifen pointed her hand towards the table on which laid said tools. “This isn’t even the only matter I wish to talk about now, so hurry!”

“Lo’er…” Gingge complained. “One more kiss~”  

He gave it, savouring the way their lips pushed against, before going for the quill. “What did you mean by the leaching of residual Qis?” 

“Breakthroughs for us dual cultivators are an opportunity,” she said while coming to look over his shoulder. “Those who have dual cultivated with each other can enjoy a boon from their partner’s breakthrough.” Her hand gripped his shoulder. 

“I’ve talked about her with you.” It wasn’t a lie when considered in a roundabout way. “Or did alcohol wash that memory away?”

The grip she had on his shoulder eased. “Darling, she’s your first time?” 

“Yeah,” he said, scribbling what little feelings he’d felt during the breakthrough. 

“Who’s Lo’er’s first time?” Gingge asked, stopping to play ‘bored’. 

“The girl who came here to leech of his residual Qis.” 

“Sister Meifen, you hadn’t already realised this?” Gingge looked at Meifen like she saw a dumb person, ironic considering her antics. “I know you are the person least awake in class, but haven’t you seen how she looks at him?” 

“Do you want to be taught or not?” Meifen glared at her private student. 

Gingge shut her mouth.

“That’s what I thought!” 

Ku Lo set aside the quill after writing in three words.

“Earth. Terra. Confusion?” Meifen spoke aloud those words. “Was there anything else?”

“No-” He shook his head. “The whole thing lasted for less than ten seconds. I was waiting for something grand to happen, but no. I was out of this world and the next I came back.”