Frostfire Legacy

After that, Kurenai continued teaching Aster about Qi—mostly through classroom lessons rather than practical ones. If they used the "shortcut" method, Aster would end up gaining too much Qi for his own good.

Such a case could lead to Qi Deviation—and most likely result in death shortly afterward.

But with his astronomical amount of Qi, the resulting Qi Deviation would probably drag the entire village down with him. As such, for her safety, Aster's safety, and everyone else's, she had to hammer all the theories and control techniques into him.

Thankfully, the control techniques came naturally to Aster. They didn't even need the entire day before Aster mastered all the Qi control techniques that Kurenai knew.

"It's already dusk. Let's end the training here," she said, clapping her hands together.

"There's a well behind your hut, so you should wash off your sweat there before dinner," she added. "And right after that, I'll help you unlock your meridians..."

Aster nodded, smiling lightly.

"Thank you, Miss Kurenai." He smiled. "Then, I'll be relying on you later." He cupped his fists, performing the bow Kurenai had taught him earlier—the way cultivators show respect to each other.

Kurenai frowned, her cheeks blushing once more, before she turned around and walked away. She didn't bother leaving any further words to Aster, knowing they would meet again in a few hours anyway.

Following her suggestion, Aster made his way back to his small hut. Instead of heading to the entrance, he went around it to the back, where a modest well stood, just as Kurenai had said.

The well was crude, its perimeter made of smooth stones stacked atop one another. Peeking inside, he spotted a bucket down below with a rope tied to it, secured to one of the well's posts.

Without hesitation, Aster removed his borrowed clothes—the black belt and dougi, along with the hakama—leaving him in just a "fundoshi," a type of traditional underwear. Though he felt awkward stripping out in the open, it was better than getting his clothes wet—he didn't have a change of clothes, after all.

"Hup...!"

With some effort, he pulled up a bucket of water from the well and examined it carefully. The water seemed clear enough, with no visible impurities or muddy qualities.

"Well, she wouldn't have suggested using it if it were dirty." Aster shrugged, pouring the water over his head.

Usually, as dusk approaches, the water would be cold enough to make anyone shiver—but with Aster's passive ability, the water became lukewarm before touching his body, sparing him from the cold.

Without soap or any washing materials, he could only rinse off the sweat from his training. After two more bucketfuls, Aster was finished.

He carefully dried himself with magic, controlling the water particles clinging to his hair, skin, and underwear, then spraying it onto the patch of grass behind him.

Once done, he grabbed his clothes—only to realize they reeked of sweat.

"... No choice."

Sighing, Aster fetched another bucketful of water and washed his clothes lightly, drying them rapidly with magic. It wasn't enough to clean them completely, but at least they no longer smelled foul.

Returning to the hut, Aster sat down and stared blankly at the ceiling. The lessons from earlier still lingered in his mind—but more than that, he was concerned about the procedure to unblock his meridians.

"I hope it isn't painful..." he muttered wishfully.

As the surroundings darkened, Aster lit the candles atop the small table in his room. The dim light was just enough to push back the oppressive darkness of night.

Just as he wondered when Kurenai would arrive with his meal, a knock echoed from the door. Moments passed in silence, making him frown in doubt.

'Did I lock the door?'

Aster wondered as he stood and slid the door open—it wasn't locked.

"Pardon me for being late, Aster-sama. I was delayed while preparing myself."

Kurenai knelt gracefully in a seiza position at the doorway, explaining herself. But Aster couldn't help but gulp at the sight of her.

Her long white hair—combined with her cute pair of furry cat ears—glowed under the faint light from the moon shining down over her. To add, instead of her usual skintight suit—which concealed nothing of her figure—she wore a thin, white kimono loosely secured with a wide sash around her waist.

The fabric was sheer and light, generously exposing her cleavage and thigh through the slits.

Despite covering more of her body than usual, her allure seemed heightened. Kurenai had always been beautiful, but now Aster struggled to decide where to look.

"A-Ah, it's alright," he stammered. "I wasn't that hungry anyway. You're just in time."

Kurenai stared silently before lifting the tray of food beside her. "Shall we have dinner now?" she asked.

Aster raised a brow. "Oh? You're joining me today?"

Usually, Kurenai would deliver the food and simply watch him eat—but this time, she offered to dine with him.

"Well, eating here with you is more convenient than eating alone first before coming here. After all, we need to work on unblocking your meridians right afterward..." she said with an unreadable smile.

"Right... Then come in. It's cold outside, right?" Aster offered, stepping aside.

Kurenai rose gracefully, carrying the tray inside. "Well then, please excuse me," she whispered as she passed by.

'This smell... Roses?'

A faint fragrance lingered as she passed. It wasn't overwhelming but rather a gentle, soothing scent. Realizing he had stood frozen for several seconds, Aster quickly closed the door and returned to the low table. Find your next read on My Virtual Library Empire

As he was wearing a hakama, Aster easily sat cross-legged on the floor, admiring the meal spread before him. Unlike the usual porridge, this time the fare was more substantial.

It appeared to be a standard Asian meal: bowls of white rice accompanied by grilled fish and soup. On the side were fried vegetables mixed with threshed, steamed poultry meat.

For drinks, there were two options: plain water in a pitcher and a small earthen bottle of wine.

The meal's quantity and quality was balanced—neither overwhelming nor lacking.

"Shall we eat?" Aster asked, feeling his hunger stir.

Kurenai smiled softly, bringing her hands together. "Itadakimasu. (Thanks for the food.)"

They ate slowly, chatting lightly throughout the meal. The atmosphere was amicable, resembling two friends sharing dinner.

As the meal came to a close, they savored the taste of the Fireroot Wine. Kurenai's cheeks flushed slightly, tinged red from the strong drink. Yet despite the tipsiness, her eyes remained clear and sharp.

However, her next words made Aster question whether she was truly sober.

"Well then, Aster-sama, please strip."

"... Huh?"