CH-33: Not The Best Girl At All

"If you excuse me, I have matters I have to attend, so maybe we can talk later."

Gleam Shard Leopard, Melly, then had a understanding look.

"Aah, you guys gonna mate now? I get it, even back home there would be many mating after an intense physical activity."

"No, that's not what- And she's gone…"

'Does cultivating do something to your brain? Why everyone has to assume that?'

"So, who is she?"

"A transfer student, but actually a wild Divine Beast offspring who is imposing on the Institute. She left her home to travel and ended up here. Her grandfather likely pressured the academy to accept her and keep her pinned. Anyway, I don't think they could've kept her here even if they had wanted to."

"She won't bother us anymore, right? I don't want to get sniffed again."

"Tough luck on that. You heard her. She said that this place was smelling like home, and she was intrigued. You can count that as if she will stay here for as long as we do."

"I just hope she doesn't stick to me cause I smell too much like her Granduncle Tiger. Any chance we can throw her to Ye Tian?"

"She said he smelled like herbs, and she doesn't like herbs."

"Sigh… Are you up to mining? I have to unwind somehow."

"Works for me."

—

"I can't believe how much ore you keep finding. Are we finally going to see the Myriad Ores Cave run dry?"

"Haha. You jest, Senior. I'm just slightly more lucky. Also, I won't be coming here much after next month, so I'm sure this place won't run out any time soon."

"Oh? What are you gonna do?"

"Smithing. I will only come here when I need ores."

"Then, I bid you good luck, Youn Master Axel."

We submitted to ores we mined. It hadn't been that long, only an hour or so. Iyana still had to cultivate after all. I was going to take a good sleep and give it my all tomorrow. 

"I will be going out to missions next month."

"So soon? You sure don't have anything else to do here."

"Not much. And honestly, Melly will come bothering me if she can't find you, so it's better to be out. I will likely be Qi Refining Fourth Stage by then, maybe even Peak Fourth Stage, so I will be able to leave."

"Don't forget to leave me some boons as well. You know what they say, sharing is caring." Just as she was about to rebuke me…

"OHYA! Isn't that Axel and Iyana? I thought you guys were going to mate?"

"Huh, don't joke about this, Miss Melly."

Gleam Shard Leopard Melly and the protagonist template, Ye Tian crossed paths with us. 

"Miss Melly, I thought you hated the smell of herbs?"

"Oh that, it's nothing. This fellow here had some delicious meat on him, and he kindly shared some with me. I can look past some herb smell with that."

'So you are a foodie…'

"Fellow Daoist Axel, Miss Jiang, I was touring the Institute with Miss Melly. Would you like to join as well?"

"Maybe next time, as it's late, I wish to rest."

"I will be cultivating, so I won't be able to join this time."

"I see. Then, good night to both of you. Where were we left, oh right. This place is the Myriad Ores Cave…"

As we walked past them, Ye Tian's voice died out and we were left with the night's silence. Indeed, the protagonist had the power to turn a bad first impression into a friendship instantly. I parted with Iyana after we reached her cave, and as always, she didn't thank me for my gentlemanly behaviour. I opened my cave, put on my pajamas, and lay on the bed.

"A Divine Beast off-spring, huh? Doesn't that make us distant cousins? What is this, Ye Tian is collecting my cousins like Pokémon?

"Well, whatever. As long as he doesn't come after big sis, I don't really care. No way I'm letting my sister be a protagonist's 'Harem Girl A', and definitely not that guy."

What I didn't know at the time was that Ye Tian was pursuing not just two, but three! I was unaware of that before he constructed a body for his master, but I would witness things that were better left unsaid.

[P.O.V. CHANGE]

"How are the preparations going?"

"Everything is ready, Milord."

"Good, it's time for Central Continent to know who truly rules this place. I've endured them invade my land for far too long, and it's time to fight back. Three years later, when they come once again, we will start our counterattack just then. The Clear Sky Institute won't be able to do anything as I raze it to the ground! The Deadmen Tomb will be their grave!" 

[P.O.V. CHANGE]

"Deadmen Tomb insurgency is approaching. There I can get the Yin Bead of Underworld, which could be used to build my Altar with. Before that, however, I need to collect a few artefacts. It's also good that Axel brat has Lightning roots, which always worked great against the undead. Maybe I will call him for that. 

"When I build my altar with that, I will be able to sense the Dead Qi better, a subsidiary of the Yin Qi. Not to mention that it will be easier to comprehend laws regarding 'Death', it may also add to my own understanding of the Yin related laws. Too bad, I had missed such a chance in my previous life, but I won't give it to anyone in this life. Even you won't be able to take it from me, Ye Tian…

"Heh, as he said, sharing is caring." You better surrender this chance to me, lest I kill you."

—

I woke up to the birds chirping the next morning. How did the sound of birds chirping make it to my Cave? I had no idea. Maybe the formations didn't block everything about the outside, I thought. Anyway, today would be the day I would start learning refining, so I put on a fitting attire and went out. I had no accessories, and had pinned my hair with a jade hairpin. I had tight-fitting robes, which were almost black, a dark grey colour. They were highly resistant to heat, so I wouldn't sweat during the lesson. It wasn't until the lesson started that it wasn't necessary at all…