Social Death, Second Blooming

Until the sun completely sank below the horizon, Li Wei slowly managed to pull herself out of her lonely mood.

She intended to go to bed, but then she remembered the progress made on the Cold Pond Sinking Wall after today's battle. A tickle of curiosity made her decide to try again.

What if? What if practicing also increased proficiency? Wouldn't that mean I could try to become the Sword God of Ten Mile Slope?

Since "Cold Pond Sinking Wall" didn't have fixed routines or moves, she could only imagine an enemy in her mind. Then, she drew the soft sword from her waist and began to practice in the empty room.

Swish, swish-swish...

Thrust, parry, slash, poke...

The result... the progress bar on the panel remained stubbornly still.

"Doesn't work?"

Li Wei stopped, frowning as she recalled the battle from earlier.

It seemed... the progress on her combat method only surged after she entered that mysterious "99+1" state.

Could the key be that state?

She took a deep breath, sinking her consciousness into the sea of her mind between her eyebrows, attempting to stir the pool of water there.

Hummm—

A clear, vast aura permeated the space once more. Her almond eyes sharpened, and she swung her sword again.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

This time, she also incorporated footwork, utilizing the bedroom space to its maximum.

Sword light flashed, her figure was elusive, and she quickly broke into a light sweat.

However... after dozens of swings, the numbers on the panel remained stubbornly stuck at 600.

"Damn it!"

Li Wei dejectedly sheathed her sword, the mysterious state dissipating with it.

"Damn! Does it only work through actual combat or by adding points?"

She glumly shook her sore wrist, and her nose suddenly caught a strange scent.

"Huh? What's that smell... it smells good!"

Li Wei instinctively twitched her nose, sniffing around in confusion.

At some point, a faint, ethereal fragrance had begun to fill the room...

Pure, ethereal, like the crisp air after a fresh snowfall, yet with a hint of sweetness that was barely perceptible.

This scent... it was somewhat familiar.

She suddenly remembered that earlier, in the training ground, when she was exhausted and drenched in sweat, she seemed to have smelled something similar? She had thought it was just her imagination at the time...

Could it be... from her own body?

A thought that made her scalp tingle popped into her head.

Li Wei's eyes flickered. The next second, she abruptly turned and rushed out of the bedroom, clattering down the stairs, heading straight for the basement.

The small building had a layout of two floors above ground and one below, with a total area of six to seven hundred square feet. The laundry room was located on the lowest floor.

Li Wei rushed in like a gust of wind, heading straight for the laundry basket in the corner and lifting its lid.

Inside, as expected, were the clothes she had changed out of. The torn dress and athletic shorts had likely already been dealt with by Liang Qiushi. Only her intimate bra and panties lay alone at the bottom of the basket.

She hesitated for a moment, then reached out and took out the bra she had worn back from Britain. It was cool and slightly damp to the touch.

Holding her breath, she resignedly brought the garment to her nose, sniffing it carefully.

There was no sour, putrid smell of sweat as she had expected.

Instead, there was a clearly discernible, pure and ethereal fragrance, exactly the same as the scent she had smelled in the bedroom just now!

Because it was intimate apparel, the scent was even stronger!

"Holy crap! Is this real or fake? My sweat smells good?! Is it because of the Great Yin Jade Lotus Treasure Scroll?!"

"No way... After my cute little brother disappeared, now even the sweat unique to manly men is going to be taken away? Can this cultivation technique get any worse?!"

Li Wei's eyes widened. Holding her intimate apparel, she was plunged into immense shock.

Just then, the light at the laundry room doorway suddenly dimmed, and a tall figure appeared there silently.

Gu Jinzhi was about to call Li Wei for dinner. The bedroom was empty, so he followed her down. As soon as he reached the basement, he saw this scene—Li Wei with her back to him, holding a piece of underwear, bringing it to her nose with a strange expression, seemingly... smelling it?

"What... are you doing?" he asked hesitantly.

Li Wei was still immersed in the immense shock of becoming a "fragrant concubine" from a "manly man." She hadn't realized what she was holding, nor did she remember it was hers.

Hearing his voice, she suddenly turned around. Seeing Gu Jinzhi, her eyes lit up instantly!

As if grabbing a lifeline, she shoved the bra under his nose without a second thought!

"Quick, smell it! Does it have a fragrance?!"

The soft, cool, damp fabric was almost against his nose, carrying that unique, crisp, ethereal scent from the girl that had stirred his heart during the day.

Gu Jinzhi's face instantly flushed crimson, from the base of his neck to the tips of his ears. His heart felt like it was about to leap out of his chest!

He took a sudden step back, his eyes darting away in panic, his mind buzzing.

However, that sudden, fragrant, alluring thought that had just surfaced was forcefully extinguished.

The Zhang family, the Gu family, the Western Frontier... the almost certain outcome... scene after scene flashed through his mind.

He couldn't, and shouldn't...

"Ignorant."

He coldly uttered four words, turned, and walked away quickly, his steps somewhat unsteady.

Li Wei watched his retreating back, then looked down at the item in her hand...

Her brain froze for three seconds.

What the hell did I just do?!

I took my own... and let Gu Jinzhi smell it?! And then asked him if it smelled good?!

Li Wei, Li Wei, are you an idiot?!

She wanted to cry but had no tears. Turning to face the smooth wall of the laundry room, she repeatedly banged her forehead against it.

Once, twice, thrice...

Why didn't it hurt?

Can't find the book by searching the title, maybe try searching the author, perhaps they just changed the name!

Li Wei stopped, touching her forehead.

It seems... after becoming a First Order martial artist, my body's strength has indeed improved quite a bit? I don't even feel it when I bang my head against the wall...

She quickly touched the wall tiles, which looked very high-end.

Fortunately, they weren't broken...

"Phew—!"

With a sense of utter despair, she tossed her bra back into the laundry basket and, with unsteady steps, floated back to her second-floor bedroom.

Li Wei threw herself onto the soft, large bed and pulled the quilt over her head, attempting to achieve physical isolation.

But her mind was filled with the foolish things she had done.

It's over, it's over. I was embarrassed this afternoon, and tonight I've dug my own grave. My dear integrity, you've died a tragic death...

She tossed and turned on the bed like a pancake, suffering for nearly an hour, unable to sleep.

Frustrated!

Immensely frustrated! And filled with a bone-deep embarrassment!

Finally, unable to bear this mental torture any longer, she decided to get up and cultivate the Great Yin Jade Lotus Treasure Scroll, hoping to distract herself and calm her mood.

Pushing aside the quilt, she sat down cross-legged and began guiding the Vitality within her body, letting it flow slowly along the cultivation path.

Strands of Vitality, like gentle streams, continuously washed over her skin, muscles, and even deeper tissues.

An extremely faint, tingling sensation spread from her limbs and bones, like soaking in a hot spring, warm and comfortable, with every pore opening up.

Her previously tense nerves gradually relaxed as the cultivation technique circulated.

Li Wei felt her eyelids growing heavier...

So comfortable...

As a result, she got too comfortable.

After only a few minutes, Li Wei's body tilted, and she fell asleep fully clothed.

The next day, Li Wei was startled awake by a not-too-light, not-too-heavy knocking at her door.

She sat up instantly, fully alert in a second.

Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling window, a little dazzling.

"Who is it?" she asked as she got out of bed.

Gu Jinzhi's cool voice came from outside the door: "It's me. Get up, it's time for breakfast."

Li Wei jolted. Certain unpleasant memories resurfaced, but thankfully, they weren't as awkward as last night...

Cautiously, she looked down to check if she had any stains, finding that she was still wearing yesterday's light gray cotton dress. She had slept in it all night, and the dress was wrinkled.

But she couldn't worry about that now; as long as there were no stains, that was enough.

Li Wei unceremoniously yanked the door open, her heart pounding, considering whether she should explain what happened last night.

However, before she could even organize her thoughts.

Gu Jinzhi's excessively handsome face suddenly collided with her gaze.

Damn, a new day starts with being jealous of Gu the dog...

The man's gaze calmly rested on her face. He then subtly scanned her from head to toe. Her long hair was as messy as a bird's nest, and her dress was wrinkled...

He frowned slightly, his handsome brows furrowing.

"Go wash up," he said concisely.

"Oh..." Li Wei responded, instinctively reaching to close the door.

But she saw that Gu Jinzhi had no intention of leaving. Instead, he walked past her and straight into her room, his steps unwavering as he entered the walk-in closet.

"Huh? What are you doing?" Li Wei froze.

Gu Jinzhi didn't reply.

Li Wei, with her hair like a bird's nest, stood still for a few seconds before turning and heading into the bathroom.

Fine, I'll wash up first.

A few minutes later, she finished washing her face and brushing her teeth at the fastest speed possible. She haphazardly ran her fingers through her hair a few times before storming out.

Just then, she saw Gu Jinzhi standing at the entrance of the walk-in closet, holding a pure white, shirt-style dress.

Seeing Li Wei emerge, he handed her the dress. "Put this on."

"Huh?" She was a little confused.

Does he get to decide what I wear now?

Li Wei had originally planned to wear sportswear today, as she was going to participate in an assessment.

But seeing Gu Jinzhi's insistence, she, being new here, dazedly took the dress and turned to go back into the bathroom.

Changing in front of the mirror, the dress fit perfectly, accentuating her graceful figure. However, the style was a bit too formal, with a hint of... school uniform vibes?

When she walked out of the bathroom, Gu Jinzhi's gaze lingered on her for a moment before he handed her a pair of pure white, square-buckled, pointed-toe low heels.

"And these too."

"Ah?" Li Wei was a little resistant. "Isn't this too formal?"

Gu Jinzhi looked at her, his tone calm and unwavering, but he dropped a bombshell.

"This is perfect."

"Today, we're going to the Civil Affairs Bureau to get our marriage certificate."

"After that, we'll go try on wedding dresses."

Li Wei: "???"

Get married?!

Wedding dresses?!

Today?!

Her mind went blank, buzzing loudly.

Wait... didn't we agree to go to the Martial Arts Alliance to show off?!

How did it turn into getting married?!

The former emperor's ambition was not yet fulfilled, but he died halfway...

Was her life of being cool and impressive, which hadn't even begun, about to end?!