BTTH: Auto Cultivation System

Xiao Yan woke up feeling uneasy, his mind racing with worries about Xiao Hua and Xiao Xun Er potentially telling the elders and his father about his attempt to sneak into Xiao Xun Er's courtyard the previous night. The thought of his actions becoming public made him anxious; he knew that once word got out, his reputation would be ruined.

What was once seen as "The Number One Genius in Wutan City" would quickly become "The Number One Pervert Child in Wutan City." Even his status as the Third Young Master of the Xiao Clan wouldn't protect him from such disgrace.

As he walked to the dining area for breakfast, he was surprised to see his father greeting him with a cheerful wave. Xiao Yan hadn’t expected such a reaction, but soon realized that Xiao Hua and Xiao Xun Er had kept the incident private.

This knowledge lifted a heavy weight from his heart, and he felt a wave of relief. However, the memory of the cold gaze Gu Xun Er had given him sent shivers down his spine. He had never imagined that such a young girl could project such a chilling expression.

To make matters worse, he had fled without explaining himself. Determined to make amends, he planned to visit Xiao Xun Er's courtyard to apologize, hoping she wouldn’t reveal the previous night's events.

Naturally, he wouldn’t disclose the full truth, but he assumed she wouldn’t suspect anything. Xiao Yan knew he shouldn’t have acted so recklessly and had abandoned any idea of experimenting with Dou Qi. He realized that doing so would only invite more trouble and it was embarrassing to admit his faults.

After breakfast, he set out for Xiao Xun Er’s courtyard. Since it was early, there were few people around, reducing the chances of being seen as he made his apology.

“Cousin Xun Er!”

When he arrived at the courtyard, he knocked on the door and called out. After a moment, the door opened slightly, and Xiao Xun Er appeared, moving with a quiet, graceful demeanor.

“May I help you, Cousin Xiao Yan?” she asked, her eyes narrowed with caution.

Seeing her reaction, Xiao Yan smiled wryly. It was no surprise that she was wary, given his previous attempt to sneak in.

Taking a deep breath, he bowed deeply and offered a heartfelt apology. With a guilty and regretful expression, he quickly explained the situation, omitting some details.

“You don’t have to worry about it, Cousin Xiao Yan,” Xiao Xun Er said calmly. “As long as you feel remorseful and don’t repeat your actions, I won’t tell anyone. Besides, I’ve discussed this with Cousin Xiao Hua, and he has agreed not to mention it either.”

Hearing Xiao Xun Er’s words, Xiao Yan breathed a sigh of relief. He felt even more at ease knowing that Xiao Hua had no intention of informing the elders.

When he looked up, he noticed a change in Xiao Xun Er. Her previously cold demeanor seemed to have softened somewhat. Although it had only been a day, Xiao Yan could sense a newfound warmth in her presence.

He observed Xiao Xun Er more closely and thought she appeared even more beautiful and radiant. He dismissed it as his imagination and chose not to dwell on it.

Turning around, he walked back to his courtyard, determined to change his ways and avoid bringing shame to his father and brothers. He had promised his mother that he would become the youngest Dou Huang, or even Dou Di.

As he entered his courtyard, he wondered where Xiao Hua might be. Normally, he would see Xiao Hua heading towards the back of the mountain early in the morning since his courtyard was nearby, but today he hadn’t seen him at all.

‘He must have overslept—he is still just a child. But that’s not my concern. I need to focus on my training and make the most of my reincarnated status. After all, I am the main character in this story, aren’t I? Hahaha!’

‘Just wait, little girl! Once you see my strength, you’ll be like everyone else, admiring me as a hero!’

 

---

 

“Old Ling,” Gu Xun’er called out.

“What is your order, Young Miss?” Ling Ying, who had just returned, appeared behind her and kneeled.

“Is what he said true?” Gu Xun'er asked, seeking clarification on Xiao Yan's words.

“While he did hide some things, most of what he said was the truth,” Ling Ying replied, keeping his head low.

"I see... It seems I was a bit too cold and detached, huh?" Gu Xun'er said, her voice tinged with sadness and loneliness.

Sensing her distress, Ling Ying sighed inwardly but decided to change the subject. “Young Lady, Xiao Yan didn’t mention it, but he actually plans to experiment and experience Dou Qi with you.”

"I see..." Gu Xun'er replied with a cold tone that could freeze one's soul.

"Ah...!"

Realizing his mistake, Ling Ying felt a surge of Dou Qi raging from his Young Lady. He began to sweat as the temperature around them rose rapidly. He immediately shrouded the area in a protective veil to prevent others from sensing the disturbance and quickly tried to calm her down.

"Young Miss, please calm down! Your Dou Qi is going wild!"

"..."

Seeing that his words had no effect, he mentioned someone dear to her. "Young Miss, Xiao Hua is still resting. You might harm him if you continue to release your Dou Qi wildly!"

"Ah..." With a soft voice, she realized her emotions had caused her Dou Qi, which had assimilated with the Gold Emperor Incinerating Heavenly Flame, to flare up and nearly harm Xiao Hua, who was still recovering.

"I'm sorry, Old Ling, for my outburst..."

"Please, do not worry, Young Lady. This servant was careless and should not have mentioned it."

As Gu Xun'er calmed down, Ling Ying sighed in relief and released the veil covering the courtyard. He didn't blame her outburst; any lady would be angered by Xiao Yan's actions.

Using her to experiment with Dou Qi was unacceptable. It wasn’t surprising that she was angry, but the fact that Xiao Yan wanted to experience Dou Qi with her was intolerable, as it was usually reserved for lovers. Now that she felt love for Xiao Hua, Xiao Yan's actions were practically a death wish.

'Young Lady isn't just angry; she is enraged. Xiao Yan would suffer a terrible fate if he dares to do it again.'

Ling Ying knew he wanted to beat Xiao Yan until his parents wouldn't recognize him, but his Young Lady would outright kill him if he tried again. Despite his desire to punish Xiao Yan, he felt a pang of sympathy for him so he pray that Xiao Yan doesn't do it again.

Gu Xun'er closed her eyes, trying to calm her raging and burning emotions. After a short moment, she opened her eyes swiftly, sensing movement from her room.

Gu Xun’er nodded and clapped her hands excitedly, speaking merrily with a bright smile. “Now then, it seems that Brother Xiao Hua has woken up. I should attend to his injuries.”

Ling Ying stood straight, observing his Young Miss as she made her way towards her chambers to tend to Xiao Hua's injuries. He understood that, despite his vigilance in preventing others from approaching her, he would turn a blind eye if it were Xiao Hua.

Ling Ying shook his head wryly and followed, wanting to ask Xiao Hua a couple of questions. After all, he was curious about Xiao Hua's mysterious and powerful bloodline and wondered if he knew about their situation.

 

---

 

"Mmm... Uhhh..."

Xiao Hua slowly opened his eyes, feeling groggy. His body felt heavy and sluggish. He realized he wasn’t in his room at the orphanage, so he surveyed his surroundings, trying to find any hint of where he was.

In front of him sat Gu Xun’er, with a bright and beautiful smile on her face. He saw Ling Ying quietly leaning against the wall, watching him intently.

Still hazy from just waking up, Xiao Hua's mind hadn’t fully grasped the situation. After some time, his mind processed everything, and he quickly raised his body, ignoring the pain and the cracking sounds of his bones. He swiftly grabbed Gu Xun'er by the shoulders and checked for her injuries.

“Cousin Gu Xun'er, are you alright? Is your body okay? Did my fruit affect your flame? And, and..." Xiao Hua was worried that Gu Xun'er was injured and that her Heavenly Flame had been affected by the Frozen Netherworld Fruit. He knew her Heavenly Flame was still a seed flame, needing much nourishment and time to mature.

“Calm down, boy. Young Miss is fine, and your injuries are far worse than hers. If you keep moving like that, you'll reopen your wounds.” Ling Ying sighed at Xiao Hua's reaction and reassured him about his Young Miss's condition. He gently pulled Xiao Hua back and made him sit properly while checking his body's condition.

For Gu Xun'er, Xiao Hua's reaction warmed her heart. His injuries were far worse than hers, yet he worried about her more than himself. His concern for her made her happier than the huge benefits she had gained from the previous night's events.

“I’m fine, Brother Xiao Hua. Thank you for worrying about me,” she said with a soft and gentle voice.

Hearing her words relieved him, but he was confused by how she addressed him. ‘Huh? Brother? Isn’t that what she usually calls Xiao Yan? Why is she calling me that?’

Xiao Hua looked up and realized she was smiling. When she arrived at the Xiao Clan, she hadn’t shown any emotion, yet now, she was smiling.

Xiao Hua wasn't so dense as to miss this implication, and it troubled him even more. He had unintentionally won her heart. Though he knew she would be beautiful in the future, it would be troublesome if she didn't support Xiao Yan.

After all, she would be one of the most important people for Xiao Yan, supporting him when he was down, helping and fighting with him when he was in trouble, and being one of the main reasons for Xiao Yan's rise to the peak of cultivation.

‘Looks like I need to work hard to fill the humongous hole I accidentally created. Since it's already like this, I might as well choose to walk my own path, even if that means changing the events stated in the novels. With that decided, now, the problem is...’

Xiao Hua smiled wryly and resolved to at least help with the Hall of Soul and Hun Clan problem. However, he glanced at the old man wearing full black clothing.

“And you are?” Xiao Hua asked.

Although he knew who Ling Ying was, no one should have known about his identity and presence in the Xiao Clan since he always stayed hidden. Naturally, he had to act as if he didn't know Ling Ying, or he would be stumped on how to explain it to these two.

‘Although I get the feeling that the Patriarch and the Elders know someone is guarding Gu Xun Er in secret. With how crafty those old men are, I doubt they are ignorant about Ling Ying. It’s just that no one knows where he is, and nobody bothers to find him since he only protects Gu Xun'er.’

“Ah, I apologize for the late introduction, but he is a servant who has served my family for a long time. He is Ling Ying, or as I call him, Old Ling.” Gu Xun'er introduced Ling Ying, who responded with a respectful nod.

“He told me that you shouted for him to appear. So, I thought you knew him already, Brother Xiao Hua,” she said, tilting her head in confusion.

“After seeing the strength of your flame, I knew you weren’t ordinary. So, I figured someone must be guarding you in secret and just randomly yelled to make him appear to show I’m not hostile towards you, that’s all."

“I see. So that’s why. That means you completely fooled this Old Ling.” Ling Ying sighed wryly, never thinking he’d be tricked by a little boy.

Xiao Hua smiled wryly and said, “Hahaha... Sorry for the offense, and I’m relieved I tried it, or I might have gotten accidentally killed by you. However, can we move on to talk about last night’s incident? Of course, not the Young Master Xiao Yan incident.”

Xiao Hua wanted to move on and discuss the previous night's incident. He wanted to know about the commotion he may have caused in the Xiao Family and Wu Tan City. Then, he saw Ling Ying move forward and stand behind Gu Xun'er.

“I will explain that. However, if you don’t mind, I also have a couple of questions to ask you,” Ling Ying announced.

Xiao Hua already knew what Ling Ying wanted to ask and didn’t mind, so he nodded in agreement. After all, what happened was significant, so it was natural they were curious about it.

“To start with, Wu Tan City hasn’t heard or been affected by last night’s commotion. Xiao Family, Jia Lie Family, Ao Ba Family—nobody. When the sun rose, everyone woke up as if nothing had happened, as if the commotion that Young Miss, you, and I were involved in didn’t happen at all.”

His words shocked Xiao Hua internally. With all that thunderous noise and roaring, nobody was affected, and they all started their day as usual. He didn’t know whether to be delighted or worried, but then he saw a message pop up from his System, which relieved him.

“Next, thanks to you, Young Miss has gained huge benefits. Her body has been strengthened, her potential has grown, and she can fully control her Heavenly Flame without it affecting her body. Now she can reach the peak without any problem.”

Pretending to be confused, Xiao Hua asked about the Heavenly Flame, and Ling Ying kindly explained it, from their nature and usefulness to their ranking and abilities.

“The Heavenly Flame inside Young Miss is ranked 4th in the Heavenly Flame Ranking, the Gold Emperor Incinerating Heavenly Flame. She was able to absorb and refine it, but it is still too powerful for her, and it’s been taking a toll on her body. For that, I’m thankful for what you did, boy.”

Ling Ying lowered his head in gratitude for helping and saving his Young Miss. His action surprised not only Xiao Hua but also Gu Xun'er.