[Excellent! Now for the advanced demonstration. I need you to try a spinal alignment technique. Host, place your free hand on her lower back. Mei, place yours on his shoulder. This will complete the energy circuit.]
They both froze
"That's pretty intimate," Lin Wei said.
[It's ANATOMICALLY OPTIMAL. The lower back position aligns with the kidney meridian, the shoulder position connects to the heart meridian. Together, they create a full body energy circuit. This is legitimate advanced cultivation!]
Mei looked at him. "Is it actually legitimate?"
"The meridian pathways make sense, technically..."
"Do we trust the system?"
[You trusted me this far and you're both getting stronger! Now commit or abort the mission. Your choice, but remember: Qi Dissonance for a week if you fail. Can't be near each other. Can't practice synchronization, all that progress—GONE.]
Mei squared her shoulders. "For cultivation purposes."
"For cultivation purposes," Lin Wei agreed.
Slow and carefully, he placed his free hand on her lower back.
She placed hers on his shoulder.
The energy circuit completed with an almost audible snap.
Both of them cried out as Qi flooded through the connection—much powerful than anything they'd felt before. It wasn't just their cores connecting anymore, It was full body resonance, every meridian aligning, fire and lust Qi spiraling together in perfect harmony.
[SYNCHRONIZATION RATE: 94%]
[HOLY SHIT YOU TWO ARE COMPATIBLE]
They were glowing now, actually glowing. Golden red light surrounded them, moving with their synchronized heartbeats.
"This is incredible," Mei gasped. Her fire Qi was responding to the resonance, dancing across her skin in harmless flames.
Lin Wei's Lust Qi was doing something similar—pink gold energy tracing his meridian pathways visibly through his skin.
They looked like living art.
The recording array captured everything—the glowing Qi, their clasped hands, the intimate proximity, the expression of wonder on both their faces.
[This is PERFECT. Hold this for another minute and we're done, you're already way over the required time.]
They held the position, breathing together, glowing together, existing in perfect resonance.
Finally, after what felt like both seconds and hours, they carefully separated.
The glow started fading slowly.
Both of them were breathing hard, faces flushed with eyes wide.
"That was..." Mei started.
"Yeah."
They sat back, putting a bit of distance between them, both needing space to process what just happened.
[MISSION COMPLETE!]
[And WOW. Just. WOW. That was some of the best synchronization I've EVER recorded. You two are going to break the internet. Cultivator internet. Whatever.]
[Uploading now...]
"Wait—" Lin Wei said.
[Too late! Posted!]
[PROCESSING REWARDS...]
[Both participants gained +20 Qi Purity]
[Synchronization Rate: 89% → 94%]
[NEW ABILITY UNLOCKED: "Resonance Technique" - Can share Qi reserves during combat or emergencies]
[Partnership Bond: Strengthened significantly]
Mei pulled out her communication jade with a shaky hands.
"It's already getting views, a lot of views."
Lin Wei checked his own jade.
The video had been live for barely ninety seconds and already had two hundred views.
The comments were exploding:
[@OuterSectGossip: "I AM NOT OKAY. THEY'RE GLOWING. LITERALLY GLOWING."]
[@SwordDisciple: "Is this cultivation or a marriage ceremony?"]
[@RandomFan: "THE CHEMISTRY IS OFF THE CHARTS"]
[@InnerSectJade: "I've been cultivating for ten years and I've never seen Qi synchronization like this. What technique is this?!"]
[@DefenderOfJustice: "JUST KISS ALREADY"]
[@HuoLiang: "Disgusting display of degeneracy."]
[@Anonymous91: "@HuoLiang Why are you always in these comment sections? Obsessed much?"]
"They think we're dating," Mei said, face bright red.
"We're not dating."
"We're sitting in a cave glowing with synchronized Qi after holding hands and touching each other's backs."
"For cultivation purposes."
"Lin Wei, we looked like we were about to kiss."
He pulled up the video and watched it back.
She was right.
The way they'd been staring at each other. The intimacy of the poses, the glowing, the breathless voices.
It looked exactly like two people on the verge of kissing.
"Oh no," he said.
"Oh no," Mei agreed.
[Oh YES! This is FANTASTIC content! Your subscriber count is about to EXPLODE!]
And it was.
They watched in real time as the number climbed.
300 subscribers.
350.
400.
[MILESTONE REACHED: 400 SUBSCRIBERS!]
[BONUS REWARD: "Partner Bond (Tier 2)" unlocked - Can sense each other's location and emotional state within 100 meters]
"We can sense each other now?" Mei asked.
"Apparently."
She stood up and walked to the other side of the cave.
Lin Wei could immediately feel her presence—not just physically seeing her, but feeling her location like a warm spot in his awareness.
"That's... actually really useful," she said. "For coordination during fights or emergencies."
"Silver lining."
Mei walked back and sat down beside him.
They watched the subscriber count continue climbing.
450.
480.
500.
[MILESTONE REACHED: 500 SUBSCRIBERS!]
"This is insane," Lin Wei said.
"We created something people want to learn," Mei said quietly. "Look at the questions in the comments, half of them are asking for technique breakdowns. People with compatible partners wanting to try this."
She was right. Mixed in with the shipping comments were genuine questions:
[@CultivationStudent: "Can someone explain the hand position? I want to try this with my practice partner."]
[@DualCultivator: "What level of compatibility is required for this to work?"]
[@ResearchDisciple: "Is there a written guide? This could revolutionize partner cultivation."]
"We're actually helping people," Mei said, sounding surprised.
[You're helping people AND entertaining them! Best of both worlds! This is what good content DOES!]
Lin Wei's jade buzzed with a private message.
[@MorningDewDisciple: "That was beautiful. Also: are you two actually together? Asking for a friend."]
He showed Mei.
She laughed—surprised and genuine. "What do we even say to that?"
"The truth? We're cultivation partners exploring advanced techniques?"
"That makes it sound even more suggestive."
"Everything about this path is suggestive."
"Fair point."
They sat in comfortable silence, watching their subscriber count stabilize in around 520.
"So," Mei said eventually. "That was 94% synchronization."
"Yeah."
"The texts say maximum theoretical synchronization is 100%."
"Yeah."
"I wonder what that would require."
Lin Wei looked at her, she looked back.
Both of them knew what it would require.
But neither was ready to say it out loud yet.
[For the record: 100% synchronization requires complete trust, emotional vulnerability, and yes—full physical intimacy. But you two aren't ready for that yet. You're GETTING there.. But not yet.]
[Give it two weeks, maybe three.]
[In the meantime: Practice daily. Build your connection. Let the bond deepen naturally.]
[And enjoy your success! 520 subscribers! Multiple viral videos! Actual cultivation progress! You're WINNING at this system thing!]
Mei stood up, gathering her things. "Same time tomorrow?"
"Yeah, though maybe we should warn the system before it suggests increasingly intimate poses."
She smiled, pausing at the cave entrance. "Lin Wei? Today was... intense... But good intense."
"Yeah, good intense."
She smiled again and left.
Lin Wei sat in the empty cave, feeling her presence fade as she moved beyond 100 meters.
520 subscribers.
94% synchronization.
A partner who made his Qi sing.
And the growing, terrifying realization that this was becoming about more than just cultivation.
[You're falling for her.]
"I know."
[Good! That'll make the advanced techniques MUCH more effective!]
"That's not why—"
[I know it's not why but it's a nice bonus. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)]
Lin Wei shook his head and started cleaning up.
Two weeks, the system said.
Maybe three.
He could wait that long.
Probably.. Maybe..