"Energy."
"Pain."
"Then my granddaughter crying."
The old man smiled faintly.
"I don’t know where my soul went."
"I don’t know what you tore it away from."
"But I know what it cost you."
Shen Tian looked toward the water.
"It was fine."
"No."
The old man shook his head.
"It wasn’t."
He looked directly at Shen Tian.
"Do not make a habit of tearing open death."
Shen Tian gave him a strange look.
"That’s an oddly specific warning."
"I’m serious."
"So am I."
The old man sighed.
Then smiled.
"But..."
"If you ever die..."
Shen Tian raised an eyebrow.
"I’ll return the favor."
"You don’t know the formation."
"I’ll improvise."
"That sounds dangerous."
"It worked for you."
"You were unconscious."
"Details."
Shen Tian laughed.
The old man raised his cup.
"To second chances."
Shen Tian lifted his own tea.
Their cups touched.
"Second chances."
From the other side of the wall...
Chi Lingxi’s voice suddenly came.
"Grandpa!"
The old man froze.
"You’re not drinking wine, are you?"
He looked toward Shen Tian.
Shen Tian smiled.
"Answer her."
The old man cupped his hands around his mouth.
"NO!"
Meng Lan’s voice followed.
"Why did you answer like that?"
The old man whispered.
"They know."
Shen Tian laughed.
After the springs...
Everyone gathered in the main lodge wearing comfortable robes and pajamas.
Rain had begun falling outside.
It tapped softly against the windows.
The fireplace burned.
Snacks covered the low table.
Someone suggested board games.
Nobody later admitted who.
Probably Chu Mei.
The first game was harmless.
A strategy game involving territories, armies, and resources.
Ling Shuangxue won.
Completely.
Not closely.
Not fairly, according to Bai Xue.
Ling Shuangxue controlled half the board before anyone understood the rules.
Bai Xue stared.
"You’ve played this before."
"No."
"That’s worse."
Yin Suyi took a sip of tea.
"You traded Chu Mei three useless territories for her entire eastern army."
Chu Mei stared at the board.
"They had pretty trees."
Everyone looked toward her.
"What?"
Ling Shuangxue calmly completed another acquisition.
Shen Tian sighed.
"This is why she has twenty-eight gold after one night in Eternal Realm."
Ling Shuangxue smiled.
"Market inefficiencies."
The second game involved drawing cards and completing ridiculous challenges.
Chu Chuchu had to imitate Shen Yan.
She stood.
Straightened her posture.
Then glared at everyone with exaggerated disgust.
"Tian is perfect."
She pointed at Bai Xue.
"You are suspicious."
Then at Ling Shuangxue.
"You stood too close to him."
Then at a houseplant.
"You are also suspicious."
The room exploded in laughter.
Everyone except Shen Yan.
She stared at Chu Chuchu.
"That is inaccurate."
Shen Tian laughed.
"It was pretty accurate."
Shen Yan immediately looked hurt.
"Tian."
He raised both hands.
"Mostly accurate."
"That’s worse."
The third game became dangerous.
Not physically.
Socially.
Bai Xue brought out a box of engraved wooden tiles.
Shen Tian looked at it.
"What is that?"
She smiled.
"A penalty game."
Xu Ning floated closer.
[That expression concerns me.]
Shen Tian agreed.
Bai Xue explained.
Each person rolled dice.
Moved around the board.
Completed challenges.
Anyone who refused...
Or lost a round...
Removed one accessory or outer clothing layer.
The room became silent.
Shen Tian slowly looked around.
Everyone was already wearing comfortable robes or layered pajamas.
No one seemed concerned.
That concerned him more.
He pointed toward Chi Lingxi and the younger members.
"Keep it harmless."
Bai Xue smiled.
"Obviously."
The rules were adjusted.
Only accessories, socks, jackets, slippers, hair ribbons, or outer robes could be forfeited.
Anyone reaching their final comfortable layer switched to harmless penalties instead.
Truth questions.
Snack challenges.
Embarrassing stories.
Imitations.
Shen Tian relaxed slightly.
Then Su Yue looked toward him.
"You’re scared."
"No."
"You are."
"Of the game?"
"Of losing."
Shen Tian stared.
"I’ve beaten world champions."
"At a video game."
"I’m good at games."
Ling Shuangxue calmly spoke.
"You lost to a claw machine fourteen times."
Chi Lingxi laughed immediately.
Shen Tian looked betrayed.
"You told them?"
Chi Lingxi hugged the wolf plush she had brought on the trip.
"It was funny."
"It was traumatic."
Su Yue smiled.
"Then this should be easy."
Shen Tian looked around.
Every woman had suddenly become competitive.
Yin Suyi sat beside him.
Shen Yan on his other side.
He realized...
Too late...
That he was the shared target.
The game began.
Round One...
Chu Mei lost.
She removed one sock.
Then looked at her remaining sock.
"Can I remove both?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Rules."
She sighed and continued wearing one sock for the next hour.
Round Two...
Bai Xue failed to answer a trivia question about classical music.
She removed her hair clip.
Her hair fell around her shoulders.
She smiled toward Shen Tian.
"Better?"
Shen Yan answered before him.
"No."
Bai Xue laughed.
Round Three...
Shen Tian rolled badly.
A tile instructed him to name three things he appreciated about the person to his left.
Yin Suyi smiled.
Shen Tian stared.
The entire room became quiet.
His mother waited.
He sighed.
"You’re strong."
Yin Suyi’s expression softened.
"Elegant."
Her smile grew.
"And..."
He hesitated.
Shen Yan leaned closer from the opposite side.
Yin Suyi’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Shen Tian finished.
"You always protect everyone, even when you pretend you only care about me."
The room became quiet.
Yin Suyi stared at him.
For once...
Her dignified expression slipped.
A real smile appeared.
Warm.
Almost shy.
She gently touched his cheek.
"My son."
Shen Yan watched.
Her jealousy rose visibly.
The next round...
She deliberately used a reroll card to move herself into Yin Suyi’s position.
Yin Suyi stared.
"You did that intentionally."
Shen Yan smiled.
"Strategy."
Ling Shuangxue nodded.
"Valid."
Yin Suyi narrowed her eyes.
The game continued.
Round Four...
Shen Yan’s tile instructed the person to her right to compliment her.
Shen Tian stared.
She smiled brightly.
"Tian."
"You manipulated the board."
"Prove it."
He sighed.
"You’re loyal."
Her smile softened.
"Strong."
She leaned closer.
"And..."
Shen Tian looked at her.
The woman who had crossed continents after training.
Destroyed a rival family after someone attacked him.
(Author’s Note: IMPORTANT!)
SEND POWESTONES!!!
ALL SUPER GIFTS (Magic Castle, Space Ship, Golden Gachapon) = MORE ChapterS!

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