As we continue walking out of the room, I look up into Shi’s eyes with a huge smile on my face. Feeling quite eager about the date I have planned for us.
“So… do you want to be surprised, or would you like to know what I have planned for us?”
She gives a smile back and pauses for a mont, considering what she wants.
“I think I’d like to be surprised. I’m looking forward to what you co up with, Master Jas.”
Even as she calls Master, she caresses my head, teasing about our height and age difference, being 2 ters tall and 8 years older than , at 35. Even so, it’s a head pat filled with affection and love.
“Okay, well, we might have to move fast. It’s deep underground, a bit farther than Gong’s territory stretches. Ready for a pleasant run together?”
I add a tease, to egg her on her competitive side a bit.
“Of course, that’s only if you can keep up…”
My ploy works, and she gets a confident smirk on her face.
“Heh, you aren’t the only young master I’ve had to teach a lesson in humility, and you won’t be the last. Let’s do this!”
We both take off, creating a plu of tunnel dust behind us, with her following close behind. Using my scan, I identify the area that will be our date site, deep underground, and the path to it. Leading us down path after path. Remarkably, I can tell based on how Shi is looking around, she’s rembering every turn and twist of the tunnels.
Reminding of the additional ntal power that cultivation brings, even at our lower levels. Though, I suspect she might have been able to, even without cultivation.
Our speed is also blistering fast and even though we’ve soon passed Gong’s underground borders, we still fly past any creatures that might try to stop us.
It isn’t long before we near the secret date site. I decrease our speed to a walk, to imrse her entirely in the mont. Holding her hand tenderly, walking beside her in the tunnels. With the soft light of the light stones around us, our way is illuminated.
The silence between us is comfortable, but I fill it with my thoughts, setting the mood.
“You know… I had a crush on you from the mont I saw you. All I could think was how badass and sexy you were.”
A huge smile crosses her face as she rembers our first eting and how entranced I was then.
She pulls a brown strip, seductively placing it in her mouth, like she did the first ti we t.
My eyes pause on her soft, pinkish lips as her smile grows. She leisurely chews it, then touches her finger to her lips. And then, out of nowhere, she snaps her fingers, regaining my attention.
A smile turns into a smirk. As she moves her fingers up to her eyes, pointing at them.
“Eyes up here, mister.”
Instantly, we both laugh together. Relishing the nostalgia from a ti that wasn't too long ago. She speaks as she giggles.
“I loved that so much. I was sure I was going to have soooo much fun with you after. But you were a surprise in more ways than one.”
She finally stops giggling to smile at before continuing.
“I’m glad you weren’t just a quick lay. That you really were the empathetic man I was always looking for.”
I take her hand back in mine and squeeze it.
“And I’m glad that you beca so much more than my badass guard crush. I don’t know what I would have done without all your help.”
I lean against her a bit as we continue walking.
“Being able to rely on you made feel secure in leaving everyone, allowing to take care of all the other things coming up.
“I love you, Shi. For this, and so much more. Thank you.”
After these words, we lean against each other in comfortable silence. Taking the last stretch to the date site. Which soon appears before our eyes.
In the distance, a subtle blue hue shines. Shi’s eyes widen and she squeezes my hand for a mont, before running off toward the light.
As she runs around, I think about why my scan chose this place.
Shi's entire life revolved around either begging on the streets or working in a room to please people. Only to end up finally as a cultivator guard for a local gang.
The fantastical wonders of the world being far from her life and what she could hope for.
…I know she’s always wanted more from life than that. And I’ll make sure she gets to see it all.
Shi leaps past the light, but I take my ti, observing this area up close.
Giant mushrooms and plants surround the opening to a larger space. A much larger space, filled from ceiling to floor with plants, mushrooms, water, and even so creatures. A hidden underground, self-sustaining ecosystem.
And from what I can tell, this place extends out and down for a few hundred kiloters.
But what I find most interesting are the architectural ruins scattered everywhere. Hinting that soone built this place… or they built here because of the ecosystem.
A closer look reveals so symbols that I recognized from my ti in the library.
Hmm… if I’m not incorrect, that group using those symbols was nomads. So, it’s likely part of their group ca across this place and settled here.
The ruins use the sa material as the cave, but they have a distinct style. Which is what helped identify them.
I move close to one ruin and read the words on it.
“Havenlow.”
Well… that fits their style, as obvious as it is.
I soon move on from the ruins and continue to walk around, noticing that a bluish light seems to co from every direction, but not in a blinding way. Just a constant source.
Starting with small spores in the air and leading to glowing mushrooms and plants.
…I double check to make sure the spores are harmless.
Safe.
I turn my eyes and scan back out to the expansive surround cavern, looking for Shi. I quickly find her poking and hugging a fluffy giant caterpillar creature. One which is slowly, but desperately, trying to escape her. She’s having the ti of her life, playing around with it.
I take the chance to just sit on a secure log and just enjoy the sight of her being happy.
Eventually, it seems she has soothed the caterpillar and is offering it tasty leaves. She catches sight of and enthusiastically waves over, whispering.
“Isn’t this little thing so adorable?! I just want to hug it and take it ho with …”
I look at it and realize that it might actually be a good choice for her to have for a spiritual beast contract. Especially since, like regular contracts, it will turn into completely different form as it grows.
I also realize that if I help her get it, I’ll need to do so for everyone else, too.
Well, that won’t be much of a problem.
I whisper conspiratorially back to her.
“So… do you want it to co back with us?”
She nods with anticipation and I promptly establish a taming contract with the caterpillar, directing it to follow her orders and protect her. It then turns into a smaller form and rides on her shoulder.
She’ll probably go through a formal taming contract after our date, but for now, the cute smile that blooms on her face, as she has it performing little tricks, marks my favorite part of the date.
“So, Shi… we should probably head back soon. After all, there are still the dates with the other girls.”
Her face falls at this, clearly showing a little dismay about leaving this place behind, even though we haven't explored even a small fraction of it. I give her what I hope is an encouraging smile.
“Hey… we’ll be coming back here tons of tis, you know. You can look forward to it.”
Her eyes water a bit before she blinks them away with a smile.
“Right… we have plenty of ti*.
After that, we spend a little more ti here, just holding hands, before sprinting back out and heading back to Gong’s lair.
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