Since then, a month has flowed by.
Each day blurred together, and I followed the same pattern each and every day.
Upon waking up, I would change from my night clothes into a black robe, before making my way out into the courtyard.
Once there, I would care for the White Willow, using my Water Qi to nurture the tree.
When I had poured half of my Qi into its pale bark, I sat down on the bench under it, finding momentary peace when I was surrounded by its white leaves.
Sometimes I would cultivate, staving away boredom by guiding the Qi in circuits inside my body, letting it flow between meridians.
When I completed 10 rotations, I would take that Qi and wrap it around the Water Qi sphere in my dantian, slowly compressing it into a core.
Doing that a few times, I would then get up and eat whatever it was that Bao prepared for me; although she was a wild White Tiger, the woman was surprisingly good with food.
I had asked her before, and she said that it was her distraction, her vice; every cultivator had one, and most fell under one of the Mortal Sins.
Gao Chen's vice was lust, which I had learned early on.
Bao's was gluttony, and she enjoyed cooking.
I had suggested she pursue it as a side career, since her meals were good, but the Tigress had growled at me that day, taking my words as sarcasm.
So, I never spoke about it again.
When my meal was over, I then returned to the courtyard and exercised, wanting to exhaust any remaining energy I had, before returning to my room to read through my three books.
I had memorized each, but I found solace in the familiar words, using them to eventually drift asleep.
It was at the end of that month that Bao entered my room at night, her body weak.
I may have not experienced it myself, but the scent of sex pulsed off her body in waves.
Ignoring it, I waited for her to speak, staring at her tired crimson eyes.
"L-Lady... Lady Gao Chen has asked me to inform you... that there is a parcel for you in the main hall."
Nodding, I was about to turn back over when my Servant said "It's labeled from Lady Li Hui Ling, your elder sister."
Freezing, I pursed my lips before sighing, getting up.
"Very well."
Approaching my dresser, I opened it up and grabbed a basic black robe, swiftly tying it on myself.
"Bao, go rest. I'll be alright alone."
She nodded to me; it was only in these moments, after she had been with Gao Chen, that the Tigress was ever grateful to me.
Making sure the robe was secured, I slipped on some black slippers before exiting my room, traversing the dark corridors towards the main hall.
Since the Shimmering Palace was so large, it took me a dozen some odd minutes to reach the hall, where I was greeted with the sight of a lavish and ornate display of wealth.
Dozens of gifts and offerings were scattered around the hall, each one labeled to Gao Chen for placing first in the Three Moon Tournament.
Her four personal Servants, An, Bo, Ci, and Da organized the dozens, hundreds of packages, each one glancing at me before returning to their work.
Turning towards the seated woman, I stared at Gao Chen for a moment.
Long, ash black hair fell onto her muscular shoulders, her piercing dark orange eyes meeting mine as I bowed to her.
"Yi'er greets Gao Chen."
Since the woman was my fiancee, and I was to be wed to her, she had the position as 'head of family', meaning I had to respect her; as such, I introduced myself in a friendly, yet respectful manner... even as my voice remained bland.
Narrowing her dark orange eyes, Gao Chen spoke, her silky voice entering my ears.
"Yi'er, I apologize for missing your birthday banquet; please, accept this as a... token of apology. Ci!"
The curvy Snow Woman nodded to Gao Chen, approaching me.
Summoning a parcel from her Storage Ring, Ci handed me the small container, the pale blue box glimmering in the light.
Nodding to her, I bowed to Gao Chen again, my still whisper filling the air.
"Many thanks, Gao Chen. I shall open it when I return to my room."
Giving me another look, she turned her gaze back to her Servants, and I waited another few moments before moving towards the entryway, where a small table was set out.
Engraved in the wood plaque above it was 'Li Yichen', and sitting all alone on the table was another small parcel, this one wrapped in a black paper.
Lifting it up, I walked back towards the corridor that led towards my room, bowing to my fiancee one last time before leaving.
She never looked at me again, instead focusing on her Fox An, a smirk on her lips as she watched the woman's russet tails sway.
Getting back to my room, I laid the two parcels on my bed, staring at them.
Should I even bother opening them?
What could Gao Chen or Li Hui Ling even know about me to give a gift?
Sighing, I turned towards my sisters gift first, undoing the thin black thread that tied it together.
Unfolding the paper, I stared down at a two books; one was a Cultivation Manual, and the other was a romance book, signed by the author herself.
"'Crashing Wave Technique' and 'Tale of Hua Jieyu, the Golden Empress'..."
Both were in pristine condition, and they were both bound in ornate covers.
Opening the 'Crashing Wake Technique', I snorted as I saw the requirements.
'Must be in Soul Transformation Realm to practice'
Glancing at the romance book, I sighed and added them to my shelf; at the very least, I was going to have something new to memorize.
With my sister's gift out of the way, I stared at the pale blue box before me, wondering what could be inside.
Lifting it up, I opened the lid, before my eyes widened at the contents.
It was a pendant of two orchids sitting in a silver vase.
One was a pale, icy blue, and the other was a dark orange.
Alone, an orchid symbolizes love or beauty, but together, it describes the union of a married couple.
Staring at the silver chain and pendent, and bit my lip, before shutting the box.