Tang Hui had once believed there were only two difficult things in the cultivation world.
Cultivation itself.
And earning spirit stones.
She had now discovered a third.
Teaching Gu Beichen how to speak like a normal person.
The morning sunlight had barely reached the outer sect market when Tang Hui arrived carrying a basket of breakfast buns and profound emotional exhaustion.
Several stall owners were still setting up nearby, and thin morning mist lingered between the stone pathways of the market. Spirit birds circled lazily above the rooftops while disciples drifted sleepily toward morning classes.
Peaceful.
Quiet.
A perfect morning ruined immediately by Gu Beichen’s arrival.
The moment the black-robed sword cultivator appeared at the entrance of the market street, the surrounding disciples visibly straightened.
Some moved aside instinctively.
Others immediately began whispering.
Tang Hui already understood why.
Gu Beichen carried natural pressure around him even while doing absolutely nothing. His spiritual aura remained sharp and restrained, like a sword hidden inside calm water. Combined with his cold expression and tall figure, he looked less like someone attending relationship lessons and more like someone arriving to challenge a sect elder.
Unfortunately, Tang Hui now knew the truth.
This man could split mountains apart but could not survive basic emotional interaction.
“Senior Brother,” Tang Hui greeted while sitting behind her stall.
Gu Beichen nodded once before placing something carefully onto the table.
Tang Hui blinked.
It was a food box.
“…What’s this?”
“The soup from yesterday.”
Tang Hui looked at him suspiciously. “Why?”
“You said improvement requires repetition.”
Tang Hui stared at him for several moments.
Then slowly opened the lid.
Warm herbal fragrance drifted upward immediately.
Inside sat another carefully prepared spirit herb soup, along with several side dishes that looked… surprisingly edible.
Actually, more than edible.
Good.
Disturbingly good.
Tang Hui suddenly felt offended on behalf of every untalented person in existence.
“You practiced overnight?” she asked.
Gu Beichen answered calmly, “I had free time.”
Nearby disciples who had secretly gathered around the stall nearly collapsed from emotional damage.
One whispered shakily, “Senior Brother Gu spent the entire night learning to cook?”
Another looked close to tears. “Why does this feel so sincere?”
Tang Hui ignored them while tasting the soup carefully.
Still good.
Maybe even slightly better than yesterday.
Unbelievable.
She set the spoon down slowly. “Senior Brother.”
“Yes?”
“You’re banned from becoming better at things this quickly.”
Gu Beichen looked faintly puzzled.
Tang Hui sighed heavily and pushed the food box aside before gesturing toward the chair opposite her stall.
“Sit. Today’s lesson is more important.”
Gu Beichen obeyed immediately.
Around them, more disciples gradually slowed their pace while passing the market.
Tang Hui noticed several outer disciples pretending to browse nearby stalls while obviously listening.
Even Old Chen had positioned himself suspiciously close this morning.
Honestly, nobody in this sect had dignity.
Tang Hui folded her arms seriously.
“Today,” she announced, “we practice conversation.”
The nearby disciples immediately became excited again.
Gu Beichen, meanwhile, looked significantly less enthusiastic.
Tang Hui pointed at him firmly. “Your biggest problem is not sincerity.”
“…It is not?”
“No. The problem is that your sincerity sounds emotionally threatening.”
A few disciples choked trying not to laugh.
Tang Hui continued calmly, “Senior Sister Lin already likes you.”
Gu Beichen’s gaze shifted slightly.
Tang Hui noticed immediately.
Interesting.
The man really was easier to read lately.
“However,” she continued, “if you continue speaking carelessly, she may eventually ascend from frustration.”
“That severe?”
“Yes.”
The answer came from multiple surrounding disciples simultaneously.
Gu Beichen fell silent.
Tang Hui leaned back thoughtfully before speaking again.
“Let’s begin with simple greetings.”
“…Greetings.”
“Yes. Imagine you encounter Senior Sister Lin naturally.”
Gu Beichen nodded once.
Tang Hui gestured at herself. “I’ll play her role again.”
The nearby crowd instantly looked emotionally energized.
One disciple whispered, “This is better than storytelling hall performances.”
Tang Hui ignored them and calmly adjusted her sleeves.
“Alright,” she said. “Approach naturally.”
Gu Beichen stood.
This time, at least, he no longer looked like he was preparing for battle.
Progress.
He stopped in front of Tang Hui’s table and remained silent briefly before speaking.
“…Junior Sister Lin.”
Tang Hui immediately frowned. “Wrong.”
Gu Beichen paused. “Wrong?”
“You called her Junior Sister.”
Another pause.
“…She is younger than me.”
“That’s not the issue.” Tang Hui rubbed her forehead. “You’re speaking like an elder addressing a disciple during punishment.”
The surrounding disciples nodded solemnly.
Gu Beichen seemed thoughtful. “Then what should I say?”
Tang Hui considered carefully.
Actually, she had never realized how difficult normal conversation became for socially isolated cultivators.
“Use her name naturally,” she said finally. “Softer tone. Less interrogation aura.”
Gu Beichen frowned slightly. “Interrogation aura?”
“You sound like you’re questioning demonic spies.”
A nearby disciple whispered weakly, “That’s incredibly accurate.”
Tang Hui gestured again. “Try once more.”
Gu Beichen remained quiet briefly before trying again.
“…Qingyue.”
The market became silent.
Tang Hui blinked once.
Nearby disciples looked stunned.
One female disciple grabbed her friend’s sleeve violently.
Because for the first time, Gu Beichen’s voice actually sounded gentle.
Not dramatically emotional.
Not overly soft.
Just sincere.
Simple.
Natural.
Tang Hui slowly narrowed her eyes.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
The man learned frighteningly fast once he understood the problem.
Gu Beichen noticed the silence around him and frowned slightly. “Still incorrect?”
Tang Hui immediately recovered.
“No,” she admitted. “That was acceptable.”
The surrounding disciples exploded.
“ACCEPTABLE?”
“That sounded terrifyingly romantic!”
“I suddenly understand why Senior Sister Lin gets nervous!”
Tang Hui ignored the chaos and continued the lesson professionally.
“Good. Now continue naturally.”
Gu Beichen thought briefly before speaking again.
“…Thank you for treating my injuries previously.”
Tang Hui nodded approvingly.
Good.
Normal.
Human.
Excellent progress.
Then Gu Beichen added:
“Your bandaging methods were also not entirely ineffective.”
Tang Hui closed her eyes immediately.
The marketplace collapsed into horrified screaming.
“HE DID IT AGAIN!”
“WHY WOULD YOU SAY IT LIKE THAT?”
“Senior Brother Gu PLEASE!”
Even Old Chen looked spiritually wounded.
Gu Beichen himself frowned slightly at everyone’s reaction. “I was attempting reassurance.”
Tang Hui opened her eyes slowly.
Calm.
Remain calm.
Murdering customers harmed business reputation.
“Senior Brother,” she said carefully, “compliments should not sound like performance evaluations.”
Gu Beichen fell silent again.
Honestly, Tang Hui almost admired Lin Qingyue now.
Falling in love with this man required extraordinary emotional resilience.
Still—
progress existed.
The important part was that Gu Beichen was genuinely trying.
And beneath all the disastrous wording, Tang Hui could see sincerity clearly now.
Actually, that sincerity was becoming difficult to ignore.
He listened carefully to every suggestion she made.
He practiced seriously.
He even spent an entire night learning to cook simply because Tang Hui suggested thoughtful gestures mattered.
Most cultivators would never work this hard for romance.
They would rather challenge rivals to duels and call it devotion.
Tang Hui sighed internally.
This job truly was exhausting.
As the morning crowd continued gathering around the stall, Tang Hui suddenly noticed movement near the edge of the market street.
Several medicine hall disciples were passing through the outer market carrying herb baskets.
Among them—
a familiar figure in pale green robes stopped walking entirely.
Lin Qingyue stood frozen near the entrance of the street.
And directly in front of her—
Gu Beichen still held the practice flower Tang Hui had forced him to use during apology rehearsal.
The entire marketplace became silent.
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