My Mother Has a System but Won't Use It

"Why don't you become mine?" he asked, "I can make you stronger. Way stronger than you currently are. And in fact, I can prove it to you today itself. And in the next Transcendence War, I will make you Transcend."

Hua Yu giggled in derision. Her green eyes glowering at Han Li.

"Even I myself won't dare to say something so ridiculous. Do you take me for a clown, Junior?"

Han Li used his Talents to attempt making her more irrational but it had no effect on her. It was way too weak. He didn't count on them anyway.

He caressed her cheek, his face leaned down and his nose met hers. She smelled like wild grass.

"I just had this idea. Either I die now with you, or I stand to gain a bunch of things. Or you die with me and you stand to gain a bunch of things."

Suddenly, a force of power wrapped around Hua Yu. It was Han Li's measly Soul Sense.

But then it vanished and that power of fear began to attack her once more as Han Li looked into her eyes. Red eyes met green eyes. Both hardened by time. Han Li was colder, more rational. More practical. More fearsome than anything and anyone she had seen.

This was the power of the Heart Han Li had.

Heart Qi was ephemeral yet supreme against all below Transcendent. Fear was palpable.

Hua Yu looked at him for a second before blurting out in fear, "Heart Qi." She knew what it was like most other Power Born. A power exclusive to Transcendent.

He was no ordinary Evolved. She could now guess his plan by trapping her in his grasp if he had access to Heart Qi.

He wanted to make a binding with her to leave this situation!

"This is my offer. I promise you. I will get one of the Transcendence Orb for you, I will make you Transcend. Become mine. I won't ask you for a lifelong thing, protect me for the next twenty years. Become my servant for just that time.

You know what to do, a Heart Qi binding is all it takes."

Hua Yu calmed down. Her heart thudded in her chest. Anyone would know the worth of Heart Qi. Only Transcendents had it. Most Power Borns would accept to work for him in this situation she was in.

"Can I make my Talent stronger than now? Can I become a Sacred Talent like you if I work for you?" She had always envied them. Did he have some secret that could help?

True Transcendent cultivators were said to have it. Maybe it was a myth?

She herself wasn't completely vulnerable now as she could still take out her weapon from her Empty Space. Yet, if Han Li was stronger, it would still leave at least dangerous injuries on her as his last attack. Maybe even death since drawing a weapon was no faster than Soul Sense.

But now she didn't really want to fight him. She wanted to know. A curiosity burned within her. Heart Qi was the signature power of Transcendence. How did he have it?

"No. I cannot improve the Talent of a cultivator past Awakening Stage. But let me teach you something, a Transcendent Orb fundamentally changes you. Once you Transcend, you won't have to worry about Talent since that is a fundamentally different level of its own."

That meant he promised her to get the orb for her.

She cupped his face. A servant? Of an Evolved?

How outrageous. Yet, she felt somehow dumbed by how natural it felt to accept.

"What an outrageously curious youth." She shook her head. "My life has been boring for a long time. Seems like it will be interesting for the next part. As long as you yourself believe completely that you can do what you promised without putting my own interests in line, Why not?"

As long as he didn't believe it, his binding shouldn't work with her condition now.

Now that she thought of it, she hadn't ever been someones.

That was also a curious thing.

Why not?

As long as it doesn't stray her from her path of cultivating to higher levels, it was all good.

Han Li on the other hand, smiled. Soon enough, a Heart Qi binding of equal interests was bound. He couldn't make her do something she didn't want to but she would protect him to a decent degree until the last moment he could keep making her a bit stronger every month.

Contradicting his thoughts, Hua Yu smiled in his embrace.

She doubted someone can constantly make a Power Born stronger every month for long anyway. No matter how much of a freak they were. Might as well see the fun in being submissive to a youth not even half her age for a while before moving on to the next interesting thing.

Han Li, on the other hand, felt his shoulders loosen a bit.

A Power Born Guard...

It might have made others cocky but he knew this was just a completely practical partnership. The moment she felt she had the smaller end of the stick, she could leave. Their binding was set up like that. Of course, she had to warn him a month before she actually left.

And their binding also made sure she couldn't harm Han Li's interests just like he couldn't harm hers from this very day unless situation proved to be against that notion entirely. Yet, in the end of all, it was an equal to equal contract.

Otherwise, she was a Power Born, she could totally blow herself up into moss.

Equal benefits had made her bend the knee.

Of course, him being allowed to touch her was not a part of it at all. Nor was he offered her body. It was a partnership of benefits. Nothing more, nothing less. She was just his guardian.

And constantly, he had to show her that he could make her stronger. Every month. And prove his capability by the end of today itself.

Or it would break the partnership the day it started. He wondered how long it would last.

Caressing Hua Yu's face, Han Li leaned down and she wrapped her hand around his neck. Their lips met and she was briefly lost in a world of sensations.

They were partners anyway, why would she say not to skin-ship?

Han Li was a very, very handsome young man, after all.

Even if all this didn't happen, if he tried a different way, he might have seduced her. He might have even made her fall in love now that she thought of it practically. He was already interested in his spear teaching prowess, after all.

Yet.

She hadn't expected this at all.

How uniquely curious.

Who would have known she would be kissing and making out with a junior, when she was just here to be with Hua Feilan for a while before returning to traveling the world. The world was indeed a curious place.

She felt her tongue be dominated by simple moves and couldn't help but grow defensive and a bit shocked. How could he be more skillful than her in kissing when she had more understanding of the human body in general?

This youth really was an enigma.

After passing 200+ years of age, nary any person cared for their virginity or their bed habits. Even though Hua Yu wasn't one to sleep around—in fact, she had never actually felt interest in a man and, nor had she slept with someone. After all, she was not curious about such things.

But she wasn't one to care too much about such things either if it came to be related to her path as a cultivator. And now it was.

Han Li seemed to have the Powers of a Transcendent and her life was in his hand. He also promised her enough benefits—improbable as they may—which she couldn't refuse.

If Han Li proved truly capable of improving her prospects, deep down, she didn't mind settling down for a while.

It was her womanly instinct after so long of traveling around. Of course, Han Li didn't know her thoughts.

Han Li broke the kiss and looked at the woman's red face. Her green eyes were calm yet filled with charm. He knew this was the most dangerous woman he had ever touched. He had no doubt about it.

She was not like others.

There were no underlying emotions that bound them. Just pure benefits and fleeting interests. Such things were flimsy for them old monsters unless they wanted it not to be.

Both of them could easily betray each other if it came to it, she was just here for the benefits just like himself, but as long as their interests were the same, they wouldn't stray away from each other. Their relationship was just simply transactional.

As of now atleast. If he had to, he could easily kill her without second thoughts.

Both of them knew that.

They were enemies in a gang for benefits.

He brushed aside her green hair, one hand behind, and pushed her waist closer to himself.

But then, he stopped and let her go.

"Let's go make that ancestor of mine no longer a threat. Then we can have our time together and maybe even remove misunderstandings."

Her lips curved into a smile.

Holding his hand, she asked, "Let's go but now what? I have to act like a girl in love with you to pressure Li Xingguang into signing a Heart Qi bond with you?"

Han Li shook his head. "Not pressure, compel. He would do it since he doesn't know I am his son's enemy. I am just an ant in you exalted Power Borns' eyes after all. You guys are all too careless against me."

She chuckled. "Curious. I was indeed a bit careless."