Chapter 79: Three Paths (1)

Chapter 79: Three Paths (1) "T-This is..." Uriel hesitated as she took the scroll, staring at it with a strange expression. "For... me?" She couldn’t believe it. After all, she never imagined she’d receive a proper "coaching" from Xu Tao in the first place. From the beginning, she felt like becoming his direct disciple was more of an afterthought—something that happened simply because he took Henrietta in. "Of course, it’s yours," Xu Tao said with a smile, nodding. "Although it’s shorter and handed to you a bit later than Henrietta’s, it shouldn’t lose out in terms of content, at least." The main reason it was shorter wasn’t because Xu Tao was skimping on her. He didn’t play favorites. Rather, it was because Uriel already had a cultivation technique she was using. It wasn’t as efficient as a "proper" one, but it was crafted with consideration for her special constitution. Thus, Xu Tao left the base intact, only making significant improvements—ones that would increase the technique’s efficiency by at least 500%. "....!" Uriel was left speechless. A storm of emotions stirred in her chest—gratefulness, respect, joy... and a faint, fading trace of envy toward her own employer. She was human too. Seeing someone else receive something grand naturally stirred a desire within to have the same, even if just a little. Even if the other person was someone she thought of almost like her own child. Regaining her composure, Uriel bowed deeply—exactly ninety degrees—and cupped her fists in respectful salute. "Thank you for your guidance, Master! I’ll treasure this scroll and make it a family heirloom!" "Huh? Oh, well..." Xu Tao scratched his cheek, a little taken aback by her enthusiasm. "It’s yours now, so do whatever you want with it." He chuckled softly. Beyond the improved internal cultivation technique, the rest of the scroll included proper martial arts that could be practiced without relying on her Dual-Soul Wraith constitution. However, while the techniques could be inherited as a proper heirloom, their true potential would only be unlocked by someone with a similar constitution. With that in mind, it might end up being a bit... lacking. "Next, Henrietta." Xu Tao turned to the girl who was smiling warmly at Uriel. But as his own expression turned serious, Henrietta felt an instinctive twinge of unease. "I plan to raise your cultivation to Golden Core stage within the next two days," he said plainly. "Golden... Core?" Henrietta blinked in confusion. She wasn’t familiar with Xu Tao’s cultivation terms, but she could roughly infer the meaning from the name alone. Her eyes widened. "Master, you mean... reaching Gold Rank in a few days?!" Xu Tao stealthily checked the system window for the remaining cooldown. [Cooldown Time Remaining: 53:39:28] Only 53 hours left. He had to prepare for the worst. Time was extremely limited, and he had no choice but to take this route to ensure Henrietta’s safety during her birthday. "Basically, yes," Xu Tao nodded. "But doing that in such a short time comes with many limitations. I can only offer you three choices right now." "I’m willing, Master!" Contrary to what he feared, Henrietta didn’t look afraid. In fact, she looked excited. "If I can get stronger fast, safely, then there’s nothing else I could ask for!" To Uriel, this wasn’t surprising. She could only smile wryly at her young lady’s glowing orange eyes, filled with anticipation. "Don’t celebrate too early. I haven’t explained the options yet." Xu Tao continued: "First option is training inside my Spirit World. Time flows faster there compared to the outside, so you’ll be able to compress time and reach Golden Core within those two days." This was the safest and most balanced method. The only downside was that Henrietta’s physical body would remain outside, meaning her body and soul might progress at different rates. "It’s not impossible to fix, but the imbalance can be dangerous if something goes wrong," Xu Tao explained. "So—what do you think?" Henrietta shook her head. "I’d like to hear the other options before deciding, Master." "Are you sure? The next ones won’t be as safe or stable." "I’m sure," she said firmly. "...Alright, I understand." Xu Tao sighed, wondering if her stubbornness was something she inherited from him. "The second option is Dual Cultivation—" "I’ll go with that!" Before he could even finish, Henrietta was already leaning forward on all fours, grinning ear to ear. Her reaction was so fast it was like flipping a switch. "Dual Cultivation! That’s great! Let’s do that, Master!" she blurted, cheeks flushed and breathing a little heavier than normal. "You... need a partner, though," Xu Tao reminded. "Do you have someone in mind already? Preferably someone at the middle stages of Golden Core or higher?" Dual Cultivation was a technique typically used by Dao partners. The one with lower cultivation would be brought closer to the other’s level, while the stronger one could stabilize their Qi by gaining a sense of balance through the process—earning a positive effect to their cultivation. "T-That..." Henrietta squirmed, fidgeting with her index fingers. She might’ve been brave enough to choose Dual Cultivation at once, but mustering the courage to say who she wanted as a partner was another story. ’You can do it, Ritta!’ Even Uriel, who had been quietly watching until now, was silently cheering for her young mistress. "I want... M... Mas..." She stuttered, face turning even redder as the seconds ticked by. Then, gathering all her strength in one breath, she finally shouted: "I want Master to be my Dual Cultivation partner!" She declared it loud and clear—as if trying to crush her own nervousness in the process. Xu Tao’s expression remained unchanged. Calm, serious. "...Me?" "Y-Yes..." Her courage drained completely after the confession. She could no longer meet his eyes, but she didn’t retreat either—keeping her face just an arm’s length away from his. Pat. "...!" Without warning, a gentle hand landed on her head, ruffling her hair left and right. A mix of embarrassment, hope, and fear bubbled in her chest as she slowly looked up at Xu Tao’s face. A soft, warm smile was there. "If it’s for my cute disciple’s sake, I wouldn’t mind doing it," Xu Tao said in a low, gentle tone. Those words lit up her face instantly. "T-Then—" "But—" Xu Tao cut in, halting her words. "I’m sorry. I can’t be your partner right now." "...Eh?" Henrietta’s smile froze. She blinked. Her breath caught in her throat. ’Did I hear that right?’ She stared at him, confused. Completely lost on what she had just heard.