Chapter 8: Insufficient Affection, No Peeking Allowed

"Is this 'personally' the kind of 'personally' I think it is?"

With a hint of doubt, Chen Huaian chose to proceed.

"Ah, senior, you're going to personally channel energy to heal me?" He saw Li Qingran freeze for a moment, her delicate face immediately flushing red. The young girl quickly waved her hands. "Qingran is of lowly status, how could I possibly deserve such attention from the senior? I can manage on my own..."

Four dialogue options popped up:

＜Make it quick, I'm busy!＞

＜You dare defy me, little girl? Have you grown tired of living? Hehe!＞

＜Hmph, little lass, don't be ungrateful! This is your honor!＞

＜Recharge 300¥ to purchase a communication talisman for free dialogue.＞

Chen Huaian: "..."

He felt like the game developers were practically reaching into his bank account.

If he had to spend another 300¥ here, he'd truly be out of his mind.

After some thought, Chen Huaian chose the first option.

It was the only one that seemed somewhat normal, even if it came off as a bit arrogant.

After selecting the dialogue, Chen Huaian didn't hear his own voice.

But Li Qingran acted as if she had indeed heard it. Her eyes first showed a hint of fear, then she took half a step back, lowering her head timidly, as if she had been scolded. She pinched the hem of her clothes and whispered, "Alright... but Qingran is all dirty right now. Could the senior allow me to clean up first before the energy channeling session?"

As a cultivator, it was impossible for her to have any unpleasant odor.

But over the past half month, she had been disheveled, her life in shambles, and her clothes stained with dirt and dried blood. She couldn't possibly let the senior channel energy for her in this state, no matter how thick-skinned she was.

She perked up her ears, waiting for the senior's response.

＜No need to clean up, I prefer the natural scent, hehe!＞

＜Very well, go ahead. I'll wait.＞

＜Enough nonsense, take off your clothes now!＞

＜Recharge 300¥ to purchase a communication talisman for free dialogue.＞

Hmm...

First, eliminate options one and four.

Chen Huaian hesitated between options two and three.

If he chose option three, what would happen?

Would Li Qingran really take off her clothes? It looked like she was only wearing one layer.

If he chose option two, Li Qingran would definitely go take a bath. But... would he be able to see?

No wonder the game required players to be over 18. There might be some unspeakable VIP content.

But was Chen Huaian that kind of pervert?

He played games and spent money because Li Qingran, this virtual character, provided him with emotional value. She was the last ray of hope in his desperate life!

Besides, Li Qingran was already beautiful even with her face smudged.

After a bath, she'd be even more stunning.

It definitely wasn't because he wanted to explore the bathroom.

Choose option two!

In the game, Li Qingran nodded with a red face and whispered, "Then... Qingran will go now."

The bathroom was right next door, though it hadn't been there before.

When she had explored the house earlier, she noticed that all the necessary bathing supplies were available. As a girl who valued cleanliness, she had long wanted to wash up but hadn't had the chance to settle down.

Entering the bathroom, she looked at herself in the bronze mirror.

Just as she was about to undo her clothes, her fingers paused at her chest, and the blush on her face instantly spread to her ears.

She bit her lip lightly, her head bowed as she thought to herself: The senior is immensely powerful. He foresaw the demon wolf's attack and sent spirit stones and pills when she coughed up blood. This meant that everything about her could be seen by the senior.

In other words, if she bathed here, she would undoubtedly be exposed to the senior's gaze.

This...

"No, no! The senior isn't that kind of person!"

Li Qingran shook her head vigorously.

She even felt a bit ashamed. How could she think such a thing?

If the senior wanted to take advantage of her, why would he have waited until now?

Besides, the senior was likely a venerable elder hundreds of years old. His voice might sound young, but that didn't mean he was. Such an elder would surely have no interest in a young girl like her.

With this thought, most of her embarrassment and hesitation vanished.

Her clothes slipped off her shoulders, and as she untied her undergarments, a perfectly proportioned, alluring figure was revealed...

Meanwhile, Chen Huaian stared at his phone, his eyes bloodshot.

His finger hovered over the bathroom, hesitating.

He had already tried earlier—he could switch rooms at will with just a tap.

"Chen Huaian, don't become someone you'd despise!"

"But this is just a game! Food, sex, these are human instincts!"

"Chen Huaian, you're a cancer patient. You don't need these desires!"

"What's wrong with being a patient? Can't patients have desires?"

...

"I'm just worried that something might happen to her in the bathroom. What if she slips and falls?

What if a giant shark demon or octopus demon suddenly appears in the bathroom?"

With his thoughts settled, his finger tapped on the bathroom.

[Insufficient affection level, cannot peek.]

Chen Huaian breathed a sigh of relief, his suspended heart both dead and alive again.

But then it revived.

Did this mean he could peek, but his affection level wasn't high enough yet?

"Like I'd even want to look," Chen Huaian scoffed, casually opening a small website to "appreciate" some content.

Halfway through his "appreciation," a notification popped up in the game.

[Li Qingran has finished bathing.]

"So fast? Don't girls usually take over half an hour to bathe?"

Chen Huaian silently put away the tissues he had prepared and focused his attention on the bathroom door.

After a while, the door opened a crack, and a faint mist of steam wafted out. Then it opened fully, and Li Qingran emerged, her delicate shoulders bare, wrapped in a plain white towel. Chen Huaian's vision was instantly filled with her long, fair legs. Zooming in, he could even see water droplets rolling down them.

"Damn! This small studio is amazing! The hackers are amazing!"

Chen Huaian couldn't stop praising the water droplets and steam effects.

"By the way, isn't she going to put on new clothes?"

He saw Li Qingran kneel on the bed, her back facing the camera.

Her flawless back made him want to perform cupping therapy on her.

"Se-senior, Qingran is ready..."

In Li Qingran's mind, the senior was a kind but stern old man, so her embarrassment and psychological burden weren't too severe. However, after taking the Great Restoration Pill and letting her robe fall, revealing her entire back, her ears turned deep red.

Energy channeling for healing couldn't be done through clothes, especially around the back, abdomen, and chest.

The fire poison and impurities accumulated in her body would be expelled during the process.

Since fire poison was extremely hot and could easily ignite clothing, exposing her entire back was the most convenient option.

Besides, showing her back was better than having all her clothes burned off, right?

Chen Huaian stared at Li Qingran's back, completely stunned.

The game's perspective had zoomed in on her back, showing the area from the nape of her neck down to just above her hips.

He could even see the faint outlines of blood vessels beneath her fair skin.

"Really? You're going to test a veteran like this?"

Though he said that, he had to admit.

This back was truly beautiful.

The curves were perfect.

But what was he supposed to do next?

Before he could wonder for long, a golden acupuncture point diagram appeared on Li Qingran's back.

[Please place your left hand on the 'Mingmen' point and your right hand on the 'Qihai Shu' point to begin energy channeling for healing.]