There are fifty Great Daos of the universe, of which forty-nine are manifested, leaving one that escapes categorization. This escaped one is the heavenly mystery, and "one" is change. Change represents a glimmer of vitality existing within all things, leaving endless variables for the future.
The Taiyi Bead had changed hands many times. Though obscure in history, it had played crucial roles. Legend has it that the Yellow Emperor once received its assistance, ultimately uniting the major tribes of ancient Huaxia and laying the foundation for the Huaxia race.
Later, the Taiyi Bead transformed into the He Shi Bi, which was discovered by Bian He of the State of Chu during the Warring States period and ultimately acquired by the King of Qin, helping Qin sweep across the six states, ending the chaotic era of the Warring States, and achieving total unification.
As dawn broke, Lin Tianchen had already cultivated the Xuanyuan Heaven-Breaking Art to the initial mastery stage. Legend has it that at grand mastery, even the heavens could be shattered, filling him with anticipation.
After finishing his cultivation, Lin Tianchen returned indoors, sat cross-legged on the sofa once again, and meditated on his recent gains, hoping for a deeper comprehension of the Taiyi Refining Heaven Formula.
Around eight in the morning, Su Shanshan was the first to flutter her hazy eyes open. Finding herself lying on a bed in an unfamiliar environment, she immediately checked herself over. Fortunately, her clothes were still on, and the stone in her heart dropped.
Turning her head, she saw that Gu Yanzi was also lying in bed, and hastily reached out to shake her awake.
Gu Yanzi opened her blurry eyes and mumbled discontentedly, "Shanshan, what are you doing? Disturbing someone's sweet dream early in the morning."
"Yanzi, are you a little pig? Still sleeping! Look at where we are. Weren't we in the mountains? Hurry up and see where we are now."
At this, the two young women quickly scrambled up. Gu Yanzi checked herself carefully and found no anomalies with her body, then patted her pounding little heart, saying, "Good, good, this young lady's innocence is still intact."
Hearing the commotion from the sofa, Lin Tianchen opened his eyes to see that the two women were already awake, and said, "You're awake."
Hearing the voice, the two women turned their heads and spotted Lin Tianchen as well, demanding loudly, "Who are you? Why are we here?"
"You don't remember anything at all? Yesterday you got lost in the deep mountains and were struck by the mirage dragon's venom. I saved you. Don't you remember?" Lin Tianchen said.
"Really?" Gu Yanzi asked doubtfully.
"Could this be fake? You have no idea how exhausted I almost got detoxifying you," Lin Tianchen said.
"You didn't take advantage of the opportunity to do anything strange to us, did you?" Su Shanshan asked.
"What strange things? Spell it out," Lin Tianchen asked, scratching his head in bewelling.
"Fine, we'll tentatively believe you. Tell us, how do you want us to reward you?" Gu Yanzi said.
"Doesn't it always say on TV that a life-saving grace should be repaid by offering oneself in marriage?" Lin Tianchen said bashfully and shyly.
The two women spoke in unison, "In your dreams!"
Lin Tianchen said weakly, "Or I could offer myself in marriage to you instead."
The two women each picked up a throw pillow and hurled it at Lin Tianchen. "Why don't you just go die?"
"Why don't you pick a more realistic condition? Stop thinking about such impractical things; young people shouldn't aim too high," Su Shanshan said, completely forgetting that she was a young person herself.
"Well~~ I want to go to the big city to make my way in the world. If you two are heading that way, how about giving me a lift? Does that condition work?" Lin Tianchen said.
...
Then, the two women lowered their heads and whispered together for a while. After about twenty minutes, they straightened up.
Su Shanshan: "Hey, what's your name?"
Lin Tianchen: "Before asking someone else's name, shouldn't you introduce your own first?"
Su Shanshan: "I am Su Shanshan, campus belle of the Economics Department at Jizhou University."
Gu Yanzi: "Gu Yanzi, campus belle of the Computer Science Department at Jizhou University."
Lin Tianchen: "Lin Tianchen, home is Dragon King Village, eighteen years old, unmarried, parents deceased."
Su Shanshan: "You're only eighteen? So you're just a kid. We accept your conditions; when we head back, you'll come with us."
Lin Tianchen: "Great."
Gu Yanzi: "Considering that you saved both of us, we... are also people who repay kindness. We've decided to give you two choices. First, we'll give you a sum of money to repay your life-saving grace."
Lin Tianchen: "And what is the second choice?"
Gu Yanzi: "Oh, looks like you're quite greedy! This second choice is for you to be our errand boy and bodyguard. You know that we're both campus belles, and wherever we go at school, a huge swarm of flies surrounds us. We'll use our connections to make you a student at Jizhou University, and you'll be responsible for protecting the two of us."
Lin Tianchen thought to himself that his cultivation had now broken through to the Kaiyang Realm, and if he continued to cultivate step-by-step, his speed would definitely slow down significantly. It would be better to head down the mountain and temper himself through experience; perhaps he would gain new insights and encounters.
Lin Tianchen: "Fine, but you must provide food, clothing, housing, and transportation, and you have to pay me a salary."
Gu Yanzi: "Allowing you to follow two great beauties like us is something countless people would kill for, and you still want a salary?"
Lin Tianchen: "Hey, this is what I'm legally owed for my labor. Why can't I ask for a salary? Besides, can good looks fill your stomach?"
The two women instantly flared up, their four small fists clenched tightly as they glared angrily at Lin Tianchen.
Su Shanshan: "Eat, eat, eat, all you think about is eating! Why don't you just go die? Is that the main point here? Tell me, how much salary do you want?" At the same time, she cursed Lin Tianchen out fiercely in her heart: *How dare he ignore this young lady? Am I really less attractive than money? Hmph.*
Lin Tianchen weakly held up a single finger.
Gu Yanzi: "You actually dare to ask for ten thousand? Don't even think about it. We'll give you five thousand a month at most, or else the deal is off!"
Lin Tianchen was stunned. He had originally only wanted one thousand, but since the other party put it that way, it seemed he had quoted too low. He hadn't expected these two women to be little heiresses. He spoke up, "Then I suppose I'll reluctantly agree."
Gu Yanzi: "You are only responsible for protecting us, and you are not allowed to harbor any improper thoughts about us, understand? Otherwise, we'll geld you." At the same time, she made a scissors gesture with her right hand.
Lin Tianchen: "Rest assured, I have no interest in you two. As long as the money is right, everything else is negotiable. Besides, with a handsome guy like yours truly around, would I ever worry about not finding a girlfriend? Ridiculous."
Su Shanshan curled her lip. *Such a narcissist. It would be a miracle if any girl took a fancy to you—just a country bumpkin who has never seen the world.*
Lin Tianchen: "Well, two beauties, you haven't eaten anything all night. Must be starving, right? I'll go make you some breakfast."
"Let's just hope what you make is edible," Gu Yanzi said. Lin Tianchen immediately headed to the kitchen, moving briskly while humming an unfamiliar little tune.