Cultivation starts with picking up attributes-Chapter 65: Ch-: Half Justice Time

"What?"

The women asked, confused.

"Nothing."

"Didn’t think anyone else to come here, did you?"

She said, her tone light but edged with curiosity.

Tian Shen looked up, then returned his gaze to the stream.

"Not many do," he replied.

Her lips curved.

"Then maybe we’re both strange."

"Or just ahead of the curve."

She laughed—soft, but genuine.

"Mind if I sit?"

He gestured to the smooth stones beside him.

"Be my guest."

She lowered herself with practiced ease, folding her legs and placing her hands on her knees.

For a time, silence fell between them, broken only by the babble of the brook and the occasional rustle of wind-kissed leaves.

Then she tilted her head toward him.

"You’re Tian Shen, right?"

He turned slightly, one brow raised.

"How do you know?"

"You were part of the spirit beast trial."

She said.

"The elders mentioned your name... and there’s been talk. Battle, trashy potential, mysterious techniques..."

He shrugged.

"I’d say most of it’s exaggerated, but that’d be a lie."

She smiled, appreciating his honesty.

"I’m Lu Yanyue."

She said, inclining her head.

"I came here to settle my thoughts before heading out."

"Oh, where?"

He asked.

She nodded, brushing a few strands of hair from her forehead.

"I’ve been assigned a task. A nearby village—Qingwei—is being harassed by a group of rogue cultivators. Bandits, essentially. Low-level, but disruptive. I was asked to investigate and handle the situation."

"Going alone?"

Her lips twisted into a wry smirk.

"That’s the plan."

Tian Shen glanced at her. Though her aura was intense, her cultivation likely 5th stage Core Formation realm, the words "going alone" on a bandit-hunting mission didn’t sit right with him.

"Mind if I tag along?"

Lu Yanyue looked at him, surprised.

"You just said you came here to relax."

"I came here to grow quietly," he said, rising and brushing off his robes. "But fate dropped a mission in my lap with a scenic companion. Can’t really ignore destiny, can I?"

She chuckled, standing as well.

"Scenic companion, huh?"

Tian Shen offered a mock bow.

"Strictly observational. No offense meant."

"None taken."

She said, amused.

"Alright, Tian Shen. Let’s go catch some bandits."

By noon, they had passed the last marker of the sect’s outer boundary and made their way into the lush valleys that surrounded Qingwei Village.

The terrain grew more rugged, with stone paths giving way to uneven trails. Yet conversation flowed easily between them.

"So, you specialize in alchemy?"

Tian Shen asked as they walked side by side.

"Partly."

Yanyue replied.

"I trained under Elder Mu. Herbology and stuff... nothing flashy, but essential."

"That’s a refined path."

She glanced sideways.

"And you? You strike me as someone who... doesn’t like rules."

"I like results."

He said with a smirk. "The Syste-matic, Systemic way helps me get them faster."

"Systematic way?"

Tian Shen blinked.

"Uhh, my cultivation methods."

Yanyue raised an eyebrow but let it slide with a knowing smile.

"Right."

They paused atop a ridge overlooking Qingwei. The village was a quaint cluster of houses surrounded by paddy fields and forested hills.

Smoke rose from cooking fires, and the distant bleating of goats echoed through the valley.

But something felt off.

Tian Shen narrowed his eyes.

"No signs of villagers."

Yanyue nodded.

"Let’s proceed cautiously."

They descended into the village, their steps silent and deliberate.

As they entered the central square, they spotted signs of struggle—overturned carts, cracked walls, and broken ceramic pots.

Then came the scream.

A woman’s cry rang out from the far side of the village.

Without thinking, both Tian Shen and Lu Yanyue dashed toward the sound.

Rounding a corner, they came upon a scene that sent Tian Shen’s blood boiling.

Three men in worn cultivator robes stood laughing cruelly. One of them held a young village woman by the wrist, while the others pawed through sacks of grain.

"Let her go," Yanyue said coldly, stepping forward.

The bandits turned, sneering.

"A sect disciple? What a treat," one of them leered. "And you brought a little boyfriend too. How sweet."

Though Tian Shen didn’t respond, his body did. freёnovelkiss.com

In a blur, he appeared before the speaker, and with one controlled strike, slammed his palm into the man’s chest.

A ripple of force exploded from the point of impact, and the bandit was hurled backward into a stack of crates—splinters and curses flying in all directions.

『Congrats host, you killed a 7th stage Foundation Establishment realm cultivator and gained Spiritual Qi points ×150.』

『Host gains Physique points ×300.』

The other two bandits tried to react, but Yanyue moved just as swiftly. With a graceful flick of her fingers, talismans ignited in mid-air, forming a binding array that trapped the second man.

He howled in frustration as the symbols chained his limbs.

The third bandit bolted—but Tian Shen was faster. A bubble formed from the earlier clash drifted near him.

『Host gains Wind Element ×50.』

With a burst of wind-enhanced speed, Tian Shen appeared behind the fleeing man and landed a swift chop to the back of the neck. The man collapsed like a felled tree.

Silence returned, broken only by the whimpering of the rescued woman.

Yanyue went to her, checking for injuries.

"It’s alright now. You’re safe."

More villagers emerged from hiding, cautious but hopeful.

Soon, the headman approached, a bent old man with watery eyes.

"You saved us."

He said, bowing deeply.

"They came here three days ago. Demanded food, money... even took two of our daughters..."

Yanyue’s expression darkened.

"We’ll escort them back and make sure they’re taken cared for."

She said.

Tian Shen nodded.

"The rest of the bandits?"

"There are more," the old man said.

"Six or seven. Camped in the hills northeast of here."

By dusk, Tian Shen and Yanyue stood at the mouth of a cave hidden among the cliffs. The entrance was faintly warded, but nothing compared to sect-level arrays.

Tian Shen turned to her.

"Want to try something flashy?"

She grinned.

"I’ve got just the thing."

She drew several talismans and pressed them together. They fused into a radiant sigil glowing with pale light.

"On your go."

Tian Shen stepped forward, placed his palm against the ward, and channeled Qi.

『Host gains Fire Element ×50.』

He ignited the sigil.

A shockwave erupted, breaking the barrier.

The bandits inside barely had time to curse before Tian Shen leapt into the fray, fists blazing with fire-imbued Qi.

Yanyue flanked from the side, sending streaks of talisman lightning into the shadows.

It was swift, brutal, and beautifully coordinated.

Each movement from Tian Shen complemented Yanyue’s strategies.

When one immobilized, the other struck. When one advanced, the other defended.

When the dust settled, eight men lay unconscious—or wishing they were.

Yanyue wiped her brow.

"I should take you on all my missions."

Tian Shen laughed.

"I accept payment in spiritual tea and spiritual fruits."

She raised a brow.

"Not spirit stones?"

He shrugged.

"Only if a beauty offers it."

"Tsk, sweet talker."

The trip back was quieter, though not in a bad way.

Villagers waved in gratitude, and children ran beside them, offering wildflowers and snacks.

The woman they rescued, Meilin, gave Tian Shen a small charm as thanks.

Yanyue watched this with a warm expression.

"You’re surprisingly gentle."

"Can’t let the beast inside me get out," he said, tucking the charm into his sleeve. "I’ve got a reputation to maintain."

They returned to the Whispering Brook just as the stars began to glisten above the treetops.

Yanyue sat beside him again, brushing dust from her robes.

"You were good today."

She said.

"You weren’t so bad yourself."

She tilted her head.

"If I get another mission..."

Tian Shen smiled.

"You know where to find me."

They sat in silence once more, this time not as strangers, but as allies who had danced through battle and walked back unscathed.

As the moonlight kissed the brook, Tian Shen realized something.

Sometimes, strength didn’t come from solitude or grinding.

Sometimes, it comes with impressing a beauty. Albeit not quite cost effective.

The night deepened, stars shimmering like scattered silver across the ink-black sky.

The brook’s soft babble filled the silence, a gentle rhythm that mirrored the calm between them.

Tian Shen leaned back on his palms, eyes turned skyward.

"You know," Yanyue said softly.

"I expected you to be an arrogant fool."

"Oh?"

He smirked.

"And now?"

"Still arrogant," she replied with a playful glance, "but in a way that somehow feels... earned."

Tian Shen chuckled.

"I’ll take that as a praise."

She turned to face him fully, her features lit by moonlight.

"There’s something different about you, Tian Shen. Most cultivators climb with desperation or greed. You... you move... weirdly."

His smile faded slightly, a flicker of memory passing behind his eyes.

"Maybe I just know what it feels like to have nothing to lose."

Yanyue said nothing, but her gaze softened. She shifted closer, just enough for their shoulders to brush.

"Next time," she murmured, "I won’t ask if you want to join me. I’ll just expect it."

Tian Shen looked at her, a rare warmth blooming in his chest.

"I’ll be there," he said. "Always if you pay handsomely."