Arin did not expect his first joint training session with Serenya to involve meditating inside a freezing cave while drinking something that tasted like regret.
"This," Serenya said, placing the delicate white porcelain teacup into his shaking hands, "is Iced Spirit Chrysanthemum Brew, steeped over seven nights beneath the Silver Flame Moon. It cleanses your meridians and exposes spiritual flaws."
Arin took a sip and instantly regretted every life decision that led to this moment.
It was cold. Not just "chilly breeze" cold. No. It was "the ghosts of my ancestors just shivered" cold. His soul felt like it slipped on ice and hit its head on the afterlife.
"Is it supposed to make my eyebrows freeze together?" he croaked.
"Yes," Serenya said, completely straight-faced. "That means it's working."
Yura leaned against a nearby icy stalagmite, tail fluffed up like a frosted feather duster. "Should've brought hot buns. I told you."
Jun Bai poked the frozen rock with his sword. "If he dies, do we get his stuff?"
"Not helping!" Arin hissed, steam leaking from his ears.
---
Ten minutes later…
The training cave, deep in the Verdant Icelands, was silent—except for Arin's chattering teeth and the occasional ominous cracking sound from the glacier walls.
Serenya, sitting in flawless lotus position, emitted a gentle silver flame aura that melted the frost in a perfect ring around her. Her eyes were closed, her breathing steady.
Arin, on the other hand, looked like he was auditioning for a horror film titled "Frozen Cultivator: The Trash Awakens."
Suddenly, Serenya opened her eyes.
"I sense imbalance in you."
Arin tried to laugh. It came out as a wheeze. "Well, yeah. I've got a trash system, a shady admin, and the last time I leveled up, my reward was debugged shoelaces!"
Serenya tilted her head. "Your sarcasm is a defense mechanism. I shall melt it."
"Can we start with my toes instead?!"
---
Meanwhile… In the System Core
Arin's system, nestled deep within his consciousness, was currently watching everything with mild amusement.
[Analyzing: Silver Flame Sect Heiress]
[Threat Level: 8/10]
[Possible Bug Detector: TRUE]
[Flirt Compatibility: NEGATIVE 100%]
It added a new note in its hidden log:
[Avoid direct confrontation. Or she may reset the host.]
---
Back in the real world...
After two agonizing hours, the cave meditation ended.
"Well done," Serenya said, standing. "You only screamed 11 times. A record, perhaps."
"I was expressing my qi vocally," Arin grumbled, crawling out of the ice puddle like a soggy dumpling.
Serenya paused, then did something that shocked everyone.
She smiled—a faint, delicate curve of the lips.
"Not bad… Trash User."
Arin stood straight. "Wait. Was that a compliment?"
Yura gasped. "Was that… a flirt?!"
Jun Bai fell over dramatically. "The frost maiden is melting!"
Serenya walked away without answering.
But as she passed, she dropped a folded slip of paper in Arin's hand.
Inside, it read:
"Next time: fire meditation. Prepare."
Below it, in smaller writing:
"Also… you're not entirely hopeless."
Arin blinked.
Then he whispered, "System… mark this day. A girl said I wasn't trash."
The system replied coldly:
[Noted. But you're still mostly trash.]