Before the barrier of divine Aura vanished, Kai fixed his and Reika's clothes while she was still sleeping soundly. Before he could lie down again to enjoy the scenery with Reika in his arms, his phone in his pocket suddenly rang. He picked up the phone and answered.
"Hello?"
"Senior Brother, Master asked me where you two are now."
The voice on the other side of the line was Xia Chen. It seemed that they had stayed too long. He checked the phone and it was already almost 11. Kai quickly came up with other reasons why they were running late.
"Sorry, we fell asleep… How's Mae Ling?" Kai asked, changing the topic.
"She still hasn't finished, and my mom is almost here too," Xia Chen replied.
Reika, who was enjoying Kai's care after their intense lovemaking, woke up as she was able to hear their conversation.
"I see… We are on our way now," Kai said as he stood up and helped Reika to her feet too.
"Take care, Senior," Xia Chen said before ending the call.
"Let's continue our night date tomorrow," Kai whispered in Reika's ear.
Reika smiled sweetly and nodded as she clung to Kai's arm after the love they had shared tonight. They made their way to the living room on the first floor where their belongings were stored.
Once they finished gathering their belongings, Kai and Reika made their way towards the garage. As they approached, Kai couldn't help but yawn, clearly showing the fatigue on his face. Reika noticed this and instead of taking her place in the passenger seat, she confidently moved towards the driver's side and opened the door.
"Kai-kun, you need some rest. Let me handle the driving. You haven't had proper sleep since last night," Reika suggested, taking charge before Kai could even respond. Kai, too tired to argue, quietly entered the car and settled into the passenger seat, yawning again.
"Do you even know how to drive?" Kai asked, a hint of concern in his voice.
Reika smirked, a gleam of confidence in her eyes. "Of course I can. I have my own sports car back at our house in Sakura Kingdom but it's not as fancy as this. So Driving shouldn't be a problem."
Seeing her smug expression, Kai decided to accept her offer. "Alright then, I'll trust you on this. I may have overestimated my own stamina. I really need some rest," he admitted, slumping in his seat and closing his eyes.
"Hm, Leave it to me." Reika assured him, starting the engine.
As they began their journey, a strange thought crossed Kai's mind.
'But strange, I felt that my body had a lot of strength before we started having sex since I had just exceeded the limit of a Bodybuilding Stage. But after the last one, I felt my energy being sucked away,' Kai thought before dozing off to sleep.
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Reika and Kai finally made it back to Mr. Zhou's place late at night. The streets were pretty empty, so it didn't take them long to get there, maybe like 20 minutes or so. As soon as Xia Chen and Mr. Zhou heard the sound of the engine, they bolted towards the gate, eager to welcome Reika and Kai back home.
When Reika pulled into the driveway, she noticed that there was another car parked beside theirs that wasn't there when they had left. It must have been Xia Chen and Mae Ling's mother's car. Reika glanced over at Kai, who was still sound asleep, and decided not to disturb him. Instead, she rolled down her window and peered out to talk to Xia Chen and Mr. Zhou.
"How's Mae Ling?" Reika asked while still looking lovingly at the handsome face of the sleeping Kai.
"She's still in the middle of her cultivation," Mr. Zhou replied. "It looks like it's going to take more time for her to finish."
Xia Chen and Mr. Zhou exchanged puzzled glances when they saw that Reika was the one who was driving instead of Kai. But as soon as they saw Kai knocked out in the driver's seat, it all clicked into place.
"He has been having fun since yesterday and has not slept much," Reika explained, gently brushing a strand of Kai's hair away from his face. "I did not have the heart to wake him up. You guys can go ahead."
Mr. Zhou and Xia Chen nodded, understanding the situation, and headed back inside after making sure the gate was securely locked.
After an hour, Kai opened his eyes and looked around. He saw that he was still inside the car and looked to his side to see Reika looking at him with a smile on her pretty face.
"You can sleep more. We have already arrived at Mr. Zhou's place," Reika said.
"I'm fine. We can just sleep later in a comfy bed. How's Mae Ling?" Kai asked.
"Mr. Zhou said about an hour ago that she's still not done," Reika replied.
"I see," Kai muttered.
It was no surprise to him that Mae Ling's progress was taking longer. After all, compared to him, who has the overbearing cultivation method, the Star Dragon Conqueror Body Art, which can absorb and improve his body much faster, Mae Ling only has the Dual Cultivation Art, which is below UR level, and it is a Dual Cultivation method not meant for normal cultivation. So, it will really take her time before she fully consumes all the energy. For sure, she is also being enlightened by the series of skill techniques from the knowledge of the First of Destruction book.
As they stepped out of the car, Kai and Reika hurried over to check on Mae Ling. To their surprise, they found a tent set up, with a woman who looked strikingly similar to Mae Ling standing outside, gazing at the young girl inside who was still diligently cultivating. Meanwhile, Xia Chen and Mr. Zhou sat nearby, engaged in a lively conversation.
The beautiful woman looked towards Kai and Reika when she noticed them. Mr. Zhou and Xia Chen also noticed their arrival and looked at them as well.
"You should sleep more, Kai," Mr. Zhou said.
"Nah, I'm good. I can't continue sleeping there or else I'll have muscle cramps or aches when I wake up," Kai replied.
He then looked towards the woman and bowed. "Aunty, nice to meet you in person," Kai said.
However, Mae Ling's mother didn't answer him. She just looked at his handsome face, sizing him up and down.
"You're more handsome in person," Mae Ling's mother complimented out of nowhere.
"Ugh… Thank you, I guess," Kai said as he scratched the back of his head.
This was the first time that the mother of his woman complimented him, so he didn't know what to say. He also doesn't care about his appearance after all.
"Since you're already here, I'll take my leave now. I still need to open my shop early in the morning," Mae Ling's mother said and smiled at Kai like a mother.
"Ahm… Aunty, about my relationship with Mae Ling," Kai said.
Mae Ling's mother gently shook her head, a warm smile on her face. "I don't have any opposition to her decision. Mae Ling has always been such a well-behaved child. Ever since she was little, she's followed everything I've told her without any complaints or rebelliousness. This is the first time she's ever asked me for something for herself, so I think it's only fair that I grant her wish," she said, her gaze filled with motherly affection as she looked at Mae Ling.
And she continued, "Although she can be a bit upfront and sometimes even a handful, but she's a good kid and my precious daughter. So, I'm entrusting her to you. Take good care of her," she added with a meaningful glance towards Kai and Reika, who was standing beside him.
Kai hastily bowed to Mae Ling's mother, and Reika did the same. "Absolutely, Auntie. Even though I'm just a high school student, I'll do everything in my power to build a bright future with Mae Ling. Please guide us and watch over us," Kai said, his voice filled with determination, his eyes shining with hope.
Mae Ling's mother examined Kai closely, trying to gauge his sincerity. After years of dealing with her unfaithful husband and his empty promises, she had developed a sort of lie detector. But when she peered into Kai's eyes, all she saw was unwavering dedication and ambition, as if there's already a blueprint of their future in his mind that only needs to be built.
The intensity in Kai's eyes captivated even a seasoned observer like Mae Ling's mother. Despite having two children of her own and a history of broken promises, she couldn't help but be mesmerized by the depth and mystery hidden within Kai's eyes. His eyes were looking far ahead that no one could see or measure.
She let out a contented sigh, relieved that her daughter seems to have found a reliable man. Just like Mae Ling, she also likes to seize a chance when something good is presented before her. Just like her daughter, when she sees a beautiful future with her husband, she also does the same. The only difference is the man they both fell for is far apart like heaven and earth. Just like they say, like mother like daughter.
"I'm glad. I can see why my daughter is head over heels for you. You're not only handsome but also determined. But it's still all talk. Reality is different, so if you kids encounter a problem, don't hesitate to ask for my help," reassured Mae Ling's mother.
Kai bowed deeply, gratitude shining in his eyes. "Thank you, Auntie, for accepting our relationship," he expressed sincerely.
Mae Ling's mother placed a comforting hand on Kai's shoulder. "I trust you with my daughter," she said, her words carrying the weight of her love for her daughter and faith in him.
She then bid farewell to them, and Xia Chen sent her off. They all ate their midnight meal, except for Mae Ling who is still cultivating. Since Mr. Zhou's house was small and only enough for 2 people to sleep, Mr. Zhou made another tent beside Mae Ling's for Kai and Reika to sleep in, since Kai cannot leave Mae Ling's side.
Once the tent was made, Reika forced Kai to sleep and told him to leave Mae Ling to her, since she was able to sleep plenty compared to him, who only slept for a few hours or so. Kai wanted to reject, but upon seeing Reika's angry face for the first time, he reluctantly agreed. He lay down on the futon, closed his eyes, and before even a second passed, he fell asleep and went to dreamland.