A goddess dwells in my heart.

Chapter 5 How I Fell for This Kind of Man

However, Da Qiao seemed a bit out of place, so Lu Zheji thought for a moment and smiled, "How about I call you Qiao Qiao? It sounds more friendly, what do you think?"

The goddess remained silent.

Lu Zheji, thick-skinned as ever, immediately made the decision: "Fine, your silence means you agree. Qiao Qiao, hmm, not bad."

He didn't just give her a name out of boredom; he did it to win the goddess's favor.

As the core female protagonist of the game, the goddess is his biggest advantage, and the level of her affection directly affects the unlocking of many functions.

For example, the goddess can help him level up his cultivation while he's AFK, assist him in casting spells, and... provide him with almost limitless spiritual power.

The goddess had not reincarnated; her cultivation was still at its peak, only suppressed by the seal of the Bronze Sparrow Terrace, rendering her unable to act on her own. However, she could transfer her spiritual power to him as a source of replenishment, and the spiritual power of a world-class expert was to him like an ocean to a stream—inexhaustible.

This is a feature that requires a certain level of affinity to unlock, because the way spiritual energy is transferred is... mouth to mouth.

It's a pity the company is based in the country, otherwise we could unlock more than just kissing.

The platform limited my performance...

Just when he thought the goddess would no longer respond, a very soft sigh suddenly came from his mind.

"Emperor Wu..." The goddess's voice remained ethereal, yet it seemed to carry an indescribable meaning. "I told you, I can sense if your emotions fluctuate too violently."

"Huh?" Lu Zheji paused, his face instantly burning.

Was it that obvious that I was trying to transmit spiritual energy and the emotions related to platform limitations?

Isn't this exactly what happened when the person involved in the online joke caught you red-handed, realizing you were using her as a side dish?!

He was so embarrassed he was digging his toes into the ground. Just as he was about to laugh it off, the goddess's voice rang out again: "Why do you think that naming me will please me?"

Lu Zheji chuckled dryly twice. "Isn't that how it's always portrayed in storybooks?"

That's how it is in Galagame!

In the Bronze Sparrow Terrace, the goddess slowly opened her eyes and looked at Lu Zheji's guilty and foolish appearance as he tried to deceive her. A clear confusion appeared in her calm eyes.

How could I have ever been attracted to a man like that?

……

It was already late, and the market was beginning to close, so the search for the cow would have to be planned for tomorrow.

If you really can't find a way, you might as well get a pig, although the effect will definitely be much worse.

Since transmigrating, things haven't gone smoothly for me. Even finding a cow has been a setback. It would be a lie to say that I'm not completely frustrated by all the setbacks I've encountered.

He returned to the private courtyard that the academy had arranged for him and pushed open the door to go inside.

Lu Zheji paused as he passed the hardwood stake in the courtyard used for practicing martial arts.

The inexplicable frustration in his chest, mixed with the restlessness of his newly acquired power, made him stop. He took off his outer robe, casually draped it over the stone bench beside him, walked to the wooden stake, and without bothering with any formalities, took a deep breath and threw a punch.

"Bang!"

The dull thud was particularly clear in the quiet courtyard. The wooden stake remained motionless, but a slight pain shot through his fist from the impact.

But he didn't care, and threw another punch, then a kick, an elbow strike, a knee strike...

His movements were initially somewhat clumsy, merely a brute-force outburst, but soon, something deeply hidden in his body's memory awakened. His movements became increasingly fluid and swift, his punches whistling through the air, his legs whipping like whips, striking the wooden stakes with dense, muffled "bang" sounds.

It is said that those who possess a sharp weapon will naturally have the will to kill. Having attained the second realm of cultivation and gained the blessing of "Swordsmanship on a Narrow Path," he has yet to truly engage in combat with anyone.

At this moment, every collision of his fists and feet with the hardwood, the feedback of power, the burst of muscle strength, the steaming of sweat... all made him feel incredibly real that he was already in this fantasy world where strength reigns supreme.

As the fight went on, Lu Zheji suddenly realized something.

Isn't his martial arts skill a bit too good?

Before awakening his memories, his predecessor's martial arts skills were considered quite good among his classmates, and he was proficient in fist and foot techniques, swords, and spears.

There's no other reason than that the academy's assessments require extra points for those who are skilled in martial arts.

But that excellence comes more from skill and standard.

Now, as he struck the wooden stake, he felt his martial arts skills improving at a visible pace.

Even outside of actual combat, he could clearly perceive the slight delays in the transitions between his old moves, the minor deviations in the angle of force application, and the flaws in the coordination between his breathing and movements... and naturally correct and optimize them.

Each punch he threw was more fluid and powerful than the last, and his rapid progress surprised even himself.

"Could it be that I really am a martial arts prodigy, one in a million?"

As if sensing his confusion, the goddess's clear, cold voice rang out again in his mind:

"What you just used was 'Taizu Long Fist,' which, as the name suggests, was created by you in your previous life. Now that you have unraveled the mystery of your womb and your spirit is gradually awakening, you can use it as easily as your own limbs."

The strong are full of surprises!

Lu Zheji suddenly realized that he had stopped his punches and kicks and thought back to the past. It wasn't just his fist techniques; as a member of the Lu royal family, he had learned all sorts of martial arts skills and techniques since childhood, which were probably passed down from the Martial Emperor. Wouldn't that all of them have a proficiency bonus?

He put down the wooden stake, walked to the weapon rack in the corner of the yard, and took down a long spear with a white ash wood shaft.

He recalled the marksmanship he had learned before, flicked his wrist, the gun trembled, twirled, and then thrust out.

"call out--"

The sharp sound of something cutting through the air brought back that smooth, effortless feeling.

He wielded the spear with ease, displaying various spear techniques with the ferocious aura of a fierce general on the battlefield.

Sure enough!

Lu Zheji felt much more at ease. Remembering that sword attacks had an extra bonus when used in a narrow encounter, he put down his spear and took a standard longsword from the shelf.

He ran his fingers along the blade, then flicked his wrist, and the sword flashed.

Unlike the power and ferocity of fist fighting and the sharpness of spear fighting, sword fighting emphasizes agility and variability.

But when Lu Zheji wielded his sword, he was equally adept. The sword moved with his body, and his body moved with the sword. Although there was no overwhelming sword energy, the sharp sword aura was already quite impressive.

In the heat of his sword dance, his blood and qi surged, and his body radiated heat. Lu Zheji simply ripped open his already sweat-soaked undergarment, tossed it aside, and continued wielding his sword, his well-defined, muscular upper body bare. Sweat slid down the bulging muscles, gleaming healthily in the twilight.

Just as he was basking in the exhilarating feeling of his martial arts skills improving—

With a creak, the old gate of the courtyard was pushed open from the outside.

Lu Zheji paused in his swordplay and turned to look back.

A pretty young girl in a light pink dress stood gracefully at the door, carrying a food box. She looked to be about fifteen or sixteen years old, with delicate features, almond-shaped eyes, and rosy cheeks. When she smiled, two shallow dimples appeared on her cheeks, making her look sweet and charming.

The young girl spotted Lu Zheji practicing swordsmanship shirtless in the courtyard at a glance. Her face showed no surprise or embarrassment; instead, she flashed a bright smile.

"You're back? Shall we eat first, or take a shower first?"

As she spoke, she walked in carrying a food box and casually reached out to touch Lu Zheji's well-defined chest.

"Ugh, you're all sweaty." The girl wrinkled her small nose, but her smile became even sweeter. "Why don't you take a shower first? I've already boiled the hot water for you."