I alone am the Honoured One!

566  A little time with Master!

"WHAT?!"

Ji Shuang, who was standing in her room, yelled in surprise, her eyes shaking in fear, and her legs gave out as she sat on the bed.

"S-Such.. thing is..."

She muttered in shock and slowly turned her gaze to the silhouette on the mirror.

"Your Grace.. what you are saying is..."

Qian Shi who was on the other side, nodded her head "I know how dangerous it is. This will make Tian the enemy for all High Stars, no... even the Astral Realm may interfere."

"And it will not end there. Zhao Tian's potential has always been exceptional, but this step... this path he is destined to take... it will draw the attention of powers far beyond your comprehension."

"That's why I need your help in that; you need to save him at that time."

Ji Shuang's head spun.

She had known Zhao Tian was no ordinary cultivator, but this? It was unthinkable.

Ji Shuang took a deep breath to digest the news and nodded her head "Yes, Your Grace... I will do my very best."

...

Two more days passed as the preliminary rounds of the tournament proceeded in full swing.

The arenas were alive with energy as disciples battled for recognition, showcasing their skills and determination. Zhao Tian had become a focal point of interest, his matches drawing larger crowds with each victory.

His calm demeanor combined with his overwhelming strength intrigued both his peers and the elders observing from afar.

 Rumors of his past feats, including the controversial elimination of two inner court disciples, only fueled the curiosity surrounding him. ...

"Ugh..."

Zhao Tian's eyelashes fluttered open as a groggy groan escaped his lips and h squinted against the dim light.

There was a strange pressure on his abdomen, and as he shifted slightly, he realized something, or rather, someone was sitting on top of him. Hm? Raising his head he looked at Yao Jing who was sitting cross-legged on top, reading some papers in her hand.

Seeing some movement, Yao Jing glanced at him and smiled faintly "Oh, you woke up.. disciple."

Zhao Tian let out a low grumble, rubbing his temple to shake off the remnants of sleep. "Get down, idiot," Yao Jing rolled the papers and smacked him lightly on the forehead. "Who are you calling idiot?" she retorted, her smile widening.

Zhao Tian raised his hand, brushing his fingers through his hair to move his hair from his face "Uhh, my head hurts from all the study sessions yesterday."

He pushed himself up, and Yao Jing who was on his abdomen, lost her balance, her arms flailing slightly as she tipped backward. "Ah!"

But before she could fall, Zhao Tian caught her waist and placed her on his lap, with her facing him, a faint flush coloring her cheeks.

"You are awfully clumsy."

With a soft giggle, she pushed his long hair from his face "Your sleeping face always looks cute, Tian'er." Zhao Tian glanced around at the stacks of papers "Can't believe you made me study all of that... I don't know how long has it been since I studied like this."

Yao Jing giggled and patted his head "This is just the beginning, Tian'er. As my disciple.. you have to learn more about Alchemy."

Zhao Tian groaned again, rubbing his face with both hands. "Yeah, yeah, I get it... but at least let me breathe once in a while, Master Slave Driver," he quipped, earning himself another light smack from the rolled-up papers.

"Stop whining," Yao Jing said, though her tone was affectionate.  "Now get down. I will go and freshen up."

Yao Jing got down from his lap and sat on the floor "You can use the restroom in my private room to freshen up. And don't you dare go wandering around the sect looking like that, with your hair all messy and your face half-asleep. You'll embarrass me," Zhao Tian stood, stretching his arms above his head as his toned muscles flexed under his robes and he let out a content sigh. "Thank you, oh generous Master," he said with a dramatic bow, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Yao Jing rolled her eyes but couldn't hide the faint smile that tugged at her lips. "Just go," she said, shooing him toward the door with a wave of her hand. Entering the comfortable space, he glanced around, the faint aroma of herbs and incense lingering in the air

Not looking much, he made his way to the restroom.

"The Wing Masters are requesting new batches of elixirs, and I need to ensure the formulas are perfect."

22:00

He glanced at the papers and frowned slightly, looking at the ingredients and formulas required. "Let me guess, restorative elixirs, astral energy enhancers, and maybe some detoxification pills?" As he splashed water on his face, Zhao Tian let out a relieved sigh, the coolness chasing away the last remnants of sleep.

He stared at his reflection, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. 'Alchemy lessons, tournaments, suspicious gazes from the elders... life hasn't been this busy since I came to the sect.'

After freshening up, he dried his face with a towel hanging nearby and walked back to the main room. Yao Jing was still seated on the floor, her focus entirely on the stack of papers in her hand.  Her brow furrowed slightly as she scanned through the documents, muttering under her breath about ratios and formulas.

Zhao Tian smiled as he went and sat beside her, his left arm coiling around her shoulder, pulling her closer.

However, Yao Jing was focused on the documents; she didn't look up at him.

"What's so important that you're ignoring your favorite disciple?"

Yao Jing didn't look up but waved a hand dismissively. "You're always my favorite Tian'er, but these are important too."

"The Wing Masters are requesting new batches of elixirs, and I need to ensure the formulas are perfect."

He glanced at the papers and frowned slightly, looking at the ingredients and formulas required. "Let me guess, restorative elixirs, astral energy enhancers, and maybe some detoxification pills?" Yao Jing turned to him, raising an eyebrow. "Oh? Someone has been paying attention in class." With a smile, he replied, "I pick up a thing or two. But seriously, don't you have assistants for this kind of tedious work?"

Yao Jing chuckled softly. "Well, there are assistants outside to take care of all of that stuff in the Alchemy Chamber; I am just rechecking everything."

"I see..." With a soft sigh, he leaned his head on her shoulder, and her gaze softened as she continued reading through the documents.

"By the way Tian'er, have breakfast with me... We can continue your classes after that."

Zhao Tian's lips twitched "No, you dumb woman. I have two matches today... Don't try to kill me with all this stuff."

Yao Jing shook her head helplessly "I want you to become the best Alchemist in the world, but here you are slacking off."

Zhao Tian closed his eyes "Shut up."

"Hahaha...."

-------------------------------------------------

I hope you guys liked this chapter!

Damn, a lot of Slice of Life..