[Over the years, you weren't unaware of the girl's budding feelings. As Danzhu grew older, her development wasn't limited to just her physique—her emotions matured as well.]
[Originally, her feelings toward you were a complicated mix of admiration, reverence, and attachment.]
[But as she gradually grew up, that admiration intensified while her attachment quietly transformed into affection.]
[You knew, yet pretended not to. Like a scumbag, you neither took the initiative nor rejected her advances.]
[In your heart, becoming stronger was your top priority—everything else came second. Women were merely useful tools.]
[Soon, your next plan began.]
[Danzhu keenly sensed that something was amiss within the Vidyadhara.]
[She had a rough idea of the reason. The turmoil caused by Imbibitor Lunae had yet to settle. After repeated negotiations between the Vidyadhara and the Ten-Lords Commission, Imbibitor Lunae was ultimately sentenced to molting rebirth, and he had only recently completed his reincarnation.]
[With the position of the Dragon Sovereign left vacant, the Luofu Vidyadhara were scattered like loose sand. The Dragon Elders, meanwhile, harbored their own schemes—some sought to seize the Dragon Sovereign's authority, others attempted to obtain the Dragon Transformation Art, and a few even dared to covet the Alchemy Commission.]
[Especially that last one. If anyone dared to target her master, she would never allow it!]
[If not for the fact that the culprits were Dragon Elders—and impossible to pinpoint—Danzhu's fiery temper would have driven her to hunt them down and beat them senseless!]
[What Danzhu didn't know was that the infighting among the Dragon Elders was entirely your doing. These elders were like puppets on strings, dancing to your tune.]
[Your goal was to muddy the waters, obscuring your true intentions. After all, the current Luofu Arbiter-General, Jing Yuan, was a strategist—far more troublesome to deal with than the previous brute, Teng Xiao.]
[Poor Danzhu was nothing more than a pawn in your game.]
[And so, one night, after a "thorough discussion" with Dragon Elder Taoran, you headed straight to the Shackling Prison. There, you cast a secret art on the newly reincarnated Imbibitor Lunae, forcing him to recall his past life's memories.]
[All of this unfolded under the watchful eyes of Jing Yuan, who believed he had the situation under control.]
[Yet what Jing Yuan didn't realize was that you had also taken advantage of this opportunity to "openly" siphon off a fraction of the Dragon Sovereign's power from the still-unawakened Imbibitor Lunae.]
[As the primary culprit behind the "Sedition of Imbibitor Lunae" and the focal point of negotiations between the Ten-Lords Commission and the Vidyadhara, Imbibitor Lunae drew more scrutiny from the higher-ups than even the Arbiter-General of the Xianzhou.]
[Under such circumstances, any unauthorized contact with Imbibitor Lunae would arouse suspicion.]
[That was why you orchestrated this entire act—to "legitimately" get close to him.]
[The amount of Dragon Sovereign power you stole was pitifully small, barely enough for experimentation and practically useless otherwise.]
[Precisely because of this, no one—not even Imbibitor Lunae himself—noticed a thing.]
[Just as you predicted, you were subjected to a rigorous investigation.]
[Soon after, Jing Yuan issued an order stripping you of your rank and reducing you to a commoner.]
[During this time, the other Dragon Elders, following your command, turned a blind eye to your plight.]
[Only Danzhu—that stubborn, foolish girl—ran around desperately pleading on your behalf.]
[You felt a flicker of gratitude, perhaps, but mostly annoyance.]
[After all, your plan had always been to disappear from the public eye this way.]
[Left with no choice, you had to personally intervene to stop Danzhu's reckless actions.]
[Special Scenario Triggered. Enter Simulation Mode?]
"Huh?"
A look of confusion crossed Solon's face. In the simulation, he had been busy orchestrating major events behind the scenes—he definitely hadn't had time for romance. How had this special scenario been triggered?
Then it hit him.
'No way… this counts?!'
Whatever.
A delicious piece of meat delivered straight to his doorstep—only an idiot would refuse.
He wasn't some clueless, soft-hearted (Japanese) protagonist. And he could guarantee that in real life, ninety-nine percent of those "nice guys" ended up getting cuckolded.
With that thought, Solon didn't hesitate. He selected [Yes].
A familiar wave of dizziness washed over him.
When it passed, Solon found himself standing in an ancient-style study.
The room was filled with books, and on the desk lay scattered medicinal herbs, acupuncture needles, incense burners, and other tools related to traditional medicine.
The air carried a faint, soothing herbal fragrance—a single whiff was enough to calm the mind completely.
Knock! Knock!
Suddenly, urgent rapping came from the door.
"Come in," Solon called.
The door swung open, and a fiery figure rushed inside—none other than his beloved disciple, Danzhu.
Like a blazing furnace, Danzhu brought with her a wave of warmth and fragrance the moment she entered.
Fuming, she threw herself against Solon's back, wrapping her arms around his neck as she whined:
"That ungrateful hag Yunqing! I went to ask for her help today, hoping she'd speak up for you, but she refused no matter what! Hmph! Master, you taught her so much and even promoted her to senior alchemist—and this is how she repays you?"
Danzhu seemed completely oblivious to how intimate their current position was—far beyond what was proper for teacher and student.
Solon raised a finger and lightly tapped her forehead.
"Mind your manners. Is this how I taught you to behave? Yunqing is still your elder, and she once guided you as well."
"But I'm telling the truth~" Danzhu pouted, her voice dripping with grievance.
Solon reached out and gently stroked her head.
"Little Danzhu, these past few days, you've been the only one running around trying to help me. I'm truly touched…"
Normally, adding "little" to Danzhu's name would have made her bristle instantly. But this time, as if sensing the gravity of Solon's next words, she remained silent.
"But the waters of the Luofu… are far too murky."
Danzhu's body stiffened slightly.
"Master, you…?"
"Let it be. I'm tired. It's time for me to leave."
Even just from his tone, Danzhu could hear the exhaustion, the defeat, the weariness weighing down his voice.
Watching Solon's slumped, despondent figure, Danzhu felt as though an invisible hand had seized her heart, squeezing until she could barely breathe.
Before she knew it, she found herself reaching for the collar of her robes.
Rustle.
Silk slid from her shoulders, fluttering to the ground.
Then Solon felt it—a body as warm as a furnace, as supple as a serpent, radiating a soothing, fragrant heat—pressing tightly against his back from behind.
A fleeting pang of guilt shot through Solon's heart, but it was quickly smothered. His body was warmed, yet his heart remained colder and harder than steel.
"Take me with you."
"Alright."
---
Read Up To 30+ Advanced Chapters in pat/reon.com/KyokaSuigetsu