~Xu Fang's POV~
'It's proceeding smoothly, and I hope no one suspects me,' I reassured myself in my thoughts as I returned to my room and lay on the bed for some rest.
A few minutes later, as I closed my eyes to relax, I perceived the door opening, and someone entered the room. Since I hadn't locked the door, I continued pretending to be asleep and refrained from opening my eyes, having already detected the familiar aura.
"Oh, he's already sleeping," my mother, Zheng Yu, whispered.
While she had entered my room to discuss something with me, upon approaching and seeing me seemingly asleep, she changed her mind.
"I will talk with him when he is awake," she whispered as she began to leave. However, as she turned towards the door, a voice stopped her.
"Mother, why are you here? Do you need anything?" I questioned, still feigning sleep.
"Oh, Xu Fang, you're awake. I thought you were sleeping," Zheng Yu said, a warm smile on her face.
"I just laid down to rest a few minutes ago," I replied, returning her smile.
"I'm here to discuss something, but you can rest now. We can talk about it later," she suggested, a hint of guilt in her expression.
"No problem, Mother. We can talk now, and I'll rest later," I assured her, expressing my willingness to engage in conversation.
'Now it's time to absorb Yin Qi from my mother,' I thought excitedly. I knew she possessed a remarkably pure Yin Qi, likely due to the Light element. Such purity was rare and challenging to find in a woman who wasn't a virgin.
She smiled and approached me, taking a seat on the bed. The conversation began, and she wore a serious expression as we delved into the discussion.
"Great, so let's start with a simple question first. What is your next plan for cultivation?" Zheng Yu inquired.
"What do you mean by that, Mother?" I responded with an innocent voice.
"I mean, do you plan to take on a teacher for training, or are you going to handle everything on your own again?" she clarified.
"Mother, I don't see the need for a teacher in my cultivation. I already possess enough knowledge to guide myself," I replied confidently.
"Why do you resist having a teacher every time? Wouldn't it be beneficial for you?" she asked, attempting to persuade me.
"Seriously? How is it beneficial for me when someone hinders my approach and insists on doing things their way?" I questioned her, expressing my reluctance to have a teacher and elaborating on my perspective.
"I already have something planned for my future training, and I'd like to discuss it with you later. That's one reason why I don't want to have a teacher. However, since we're already talking about plans, I'd like to share them with you now."
"What is it?" Curiosity filled her voice as she asked.
"I plan to embark on an adventure outside our world to become stronger. I want to explore and gain experience in the reality of this world. We lack the experience of facing reality and understanding how we react in life-and-death situations. My goal isn't just to become stronger; I want real fighting experience. And that only happens when I take on tough and dangerous tasks, not by training and cultivating within the safety of castle walls," I explained with confidence and determination.
My words left her in shock, prompting her to ponder the validity of what I had expressed. She knew there was truth in my words, but for the sake of my safety, she was reluctant to grant permission for me to venture outside the castle.
What I revealed to her was only partially true. My real intention was to venture outside the castle in search of ancient tombs for potential inheritances and other items crucial to my plans. In my storage, I already possessed full maps and fragments from various sources, including books in the LOG's library.
"Sigh... and is it also because of that dream you had?" she asked, wearing a sad expression.
I chose not to speak, simply nodding in response. I wasn't aware that they took my mention of dreams seriously. It became apparent that I needed to carefully consider what to reveal about my dreams in the future.
'Wait, I can leverage this for my plans to make things easier, hahaha...' I pondered in my mind.
"When will you share details about your dream?" she asked, her expression a blend of seriousness and curiosity.
"I hope to tell all of you about it in the future when the right time comes. But not now," I replied with a complex expression, keeping my true intentions hidden for the time being.
"What if I don't give you permission to leave the castle?" she asked, a smile playing on her lips.
"Don't worry, Mother. I have no intention of leaving now. You have one or two years to think about it. But after that, you'll have to let me go. If you try to stop me at that time, I'll leave the castle without informing anyone. You'll regret your decision, so don't make it difficult, Mother," I warned her, making it clear that I intended to venture out eventually. However, I also acknowledged that it wasn't an immediate concern, giving her time to consider.
"Don't even think about doing something like that," she responded with concern. Then she continued, "I understand why you want to explore the real world, but it's still dangerous for you. Moreover, when you turn eighteen, you'll need to join the Manifest Academy, where you can gain valuable experience."
Her words conveyed both understanding and worry, emphasizing the potential dangers I might face and the structured opportunity for growth that awaited me within the academy.
"I already know about that, but waiting for four more years to get admitted into the academy seems like a waste of time. Why should I wait until I'm eighteen to gain experience there?" I expressed it with a serious tone, emphasizing my reluctance to wait.
"Sigh... Okay, you win. But I have a few conditions if you want to leave the castle for an adventure," she conceded, giving in to my determination.
"What are the conditions?" I asked, and my curiosity piqued.
"First, your cultivation must surpass that of your sisters before embarking on an adventure. If not, you're not permitted to go.
Second, before venturing outside, you must take a training class from me on the Earth and Light elements, and your mother, Lie Ning, will teach you about the Lightning element.
Third, if you decide to leave the castle, I want someone to accompany you on your adventure to assist in dangerous situations." She outlined three conditions for granting permission for my adventure outside the castle.
'Oh, hahaha, I've already fulfilled the first condition. For the second condition, I guess I should get closer to my mother, Zheng Yu, and stepmother, Lie Ning. But what about the third condition? What if she sends someone who will be a hindrance?' I pondered the conditions for the next few moments and then responded.
"I agree with your first two conditions, but for the third one, I also have a condition to accept it."
"Hahaha, as expected. I already knew you would say something like that. Now, tell me what you have in mind." She laughed and inquired about my condition.
"If you want to send someone with me, I want to choose that person. How does that sound?" I revealed my condition.
"Who do you want to choose?" She asked, her curiosity evident.
"I haven't decided yet. I'll leave that choice for the future when I'm ready for the adventure," I replied with a calm tone.
Of course, I already have a name in mind—my stepmother, Long Xiu. However, I want to see whom they choose. Their decision will become clear in a few days, as they will send that person to get closer to me.
"If that's the case, we can leave this decision for the future. Can you tell me about the routine you want to set for your classes and cultivation starting tomorrow?" She inquired about my cultivation routine.
"Yeah, I already had a plan, but now I need to make some changes and add three more class times to my routine," I responded while shaking my head.
"Let's do it this way. After breakfast, I'll study in the library for two hours, then attend two classes before lunch. Afterward, I'll head to the Ledal Alchemist Association for my alchemy practice. The last class will be before dinner, and after dinner, I'll cultivate in my room before going to sleep," I explained my revised routine to her.
"Three classes from you and Mother Ning, you decide the time, and I'll follow that."
"You also want to practice alchemy?" she inquired, sounding surprised. I nodded in response.
"Additionally, what do you plan to study in the library?"
"Nothing specific, just random topics: array formation, artifact manufacturing, swordsmanship, and..." I trailed off, my expression turning thoughtful as if pondering something.
"What's the matter?" she asked with a concerned tone.
"Nothing; I just forgot about something," I replied to her.
"What is it?" she asked with a curious expression.
"The three classes are from you and Mother Ning. I didn't have time to help my sisters in cultivation, and I'm sure they weren't happy when they heard that. But it's not my fault, so you and Mother Ning can explain it to them," I said with a mysterious smile.
"You little rascal, always finding a way to shift your troubles onto others," she scolded me with a hint of irritation.
"Hahaha... don't be angry, Mother. I just didn't want to get beaten up by my big sisters," I chuckled, enjoying the playful banter with my mother.