Chapter 35: Another Pity Reward Again?

As the saying goes: “If I’m not embarrassed, then it’s someone else who is.”

So Lin Wuming put on a completely serious expression, staring straight at her as if that slightly intimate moment earlier had never happened.

Unfortunately for He Yingying, who’d grown up in the royal palace and had little worldly experience, that was enough to fluster her completely.

She thought back to her earlier impure thoughts and felt even more ashamed.

She didn’t dare meet Lin Wuming’s gaze.

“M-my injuries are fine now… Thank you, Senior Brother…”

She spoke softly, her tone filled with seven parts shyness and three parts guilt.

That got Lin Wuming fired up.

—If you want to talk to him about this kind of stuff, he’s suddenly wide awake!

Look at her—talking in such a small voice, barely audible, no energy at all.

That’s basically the universal sign of reluctant gratitude, isn’t it?

And what does that mean?

It means that Lin Wuming’s “Steel-Straight Senior Brother Trains Junior Sister to Get a New Technique” plan was a total success!

Come on, this mission—was it not beautifully done?

Was it not masterfully executed?

If this mission didn’t give him top marks, he’d delete the memory of that Snowy Mountain Red Plum Scene from his mind on the spot!

Full of anticipation and excitement, he opened the system panel like a victorious general returning from war, waving his hand with confidence.

“System, pull up the mission panel for your grandpa!”

The task interface appeared. Sure enough, the mission “Rescue Junior Sister Plan” was marked complete.

Lin Wuming immediately opened the rewards screen, and then—

[Congratulations, Host, for completing the mission ‘Rescue Junior Sister Plan’]

[Junior Sister Gratitude Level: Overwhelmed, at a loss for how to repay you]

[Mission Completion: Extremely Poor]

[Reward: One copy of Strengthening Body Technique]

“Are you friggin’ kidding me?!”

Lin Wuming looked at his junior sister beside him, blinking with her head lowered in silence.

No way.

Seriously?

Officer, are you sure you’re not a secret masochist?

This is what you call “overwhelmed with gratitude”?!

What kind of nonsense is this?

“Senior Brother?”

He Yingying noticed his strange reaction and asked, confused.

Lin Wuming took a deep breath and slumped in defeat.

Forget it.

He’d already bullied her so much, the low completion score could only be blamed on his own poor handling.

No point blaming her.

“It’s… it’s nothing. As long as you’re okay.”

Hearing that complicated tone, He Yingying’s heart trembled again.

‘Senior Brother’s about to cry from joy…’

Seeing how he tried to hide his relief and satisfaction—it only showed how much he truly cared for her.

Thinking back on how much he’d done for her, she was deeply moved.

Meanwhile, Lin Wuming’s mood had hit rock bottom.

After all that effort, he ended up with nothing.

He reluctantly accepted the reward and looked at his still-pathetic Qi Condensation cultivation.

Then looked at Junior Sister—Qi Condensation Peak. He nearly burst into tears.

Three whole mid-grade spirit stones—and not a single drop of Qi went to him.

All for Junior Sister.

And the result?

A crappy technique with a name like Strengthening Body Technique?

Just hearing the name sounded lame.

Still, a reward’s a reward.

He accepted the technique.

A flash of system light entered his body.

[Mission reward delivered. Please check accordingly.]

“Huh? What does that mean?”

Lin Wuming blinked.

Where was the technique? He didn’t receive anything!

Even for a trash technique, were they too stingy to even give him a scroll?

[System Notification: Strengthening Body Technique is a passive technique and has taken effect automatically.]

Just as Lin Wuming was about to lose it, the system’s message came—fashionably late.

And maybe it was his imagination, but the system’s voice sounded almost mocking, like it was enjoying the show.

“Passive technique?”

He didn’t care about the sarcasm.

His full attention was now on those four words.

He’d never heard of passive techniques before.

In cultivation, body refinement was a path different from Qi cultivation.

One didn’t store Qi to cast spells, but instead used Qi to strengthen the body, proving the Dao with physical might.

Body refinement meant more effort, more resources, slower progress…

But in return, at the same level, a body cultivator could easily overpower a Qi cultivator in direct combat.

So then—what the hell was a passive body refinement technique?

Did it mean he didn’t have to cultivate it?

Lin Wuming was confused. But if the system said so, then… he probably did receive the technique… right?

Just then, his attention returned to the junior sister in front of him—long lilac hair, golden eyes shimmering with noble light, her graceful figure wrapped in a blanket, peeking at him shyly.

“Ahem—”

Lin Wuming glanced—totally unintentionally—at her half-exposed shoulder and cleared his throat.

“Don’t move from here. I’ll go out and buy you some new clothes.”

He Yingying nodded, her expression a bit complicated.

She couldn’t move even if she wanted to in this state…

Now that he knew Junior Sister wasn’t angry—in fact, she seemed grateful—Lin Wuming felt some peace of mind.

Even if he was still annoyed about the pity reward…

At least he didn’t have to worry about getting his head chopped off now that her cultivation surpassed his.

With that burden off his back, he hurried off to buy her some clothes.

As he walked through the bustling street, Lin Wuming sighed again and again.

He still didn’t get it—what went wrong?

Everything had gone perfectly.

Junior Sister’s behavior matched all his expectations.

So why…?

Lin Wuming wasn’t the type to stay down for long.

Even if he got hit with another pity reward, at least he’d built a good relationship with Junior Sister, right?

She had a bright future.

If she became the next Human Emperor someday, he’d be right there enjoying the benefits.

Imagine walking around saying, “I’m the emperor’s senior brother.”

That kind of clout?

Now that he thought about it, maybe this round wasn’t such a loss after all…