Cannon fodder in the Interstellar

Mrs. Li is just an ordinary Level 4 martial artist, so she doesn’t find the taste of this food particularly good or useful. She only tasted a bit to be polite and then didn’t pay it any more attention.

Li Qixing, on the other hand, is a psychic and certainly knows the purpose of this dish. Ruo Manni noticed he had specifically placed this dish in front of her, clearly intending for her to eat it.

Seeing Ruo Manni’s reaction when she tasted the dish, Li Qixing smiled and said, “This is the Luosheng Flower, a specialty from the planet where my cousin, your teacher, is stationed. Its production is very limited and its price is high. Knowing that I took you on as a disciple, she specifically arranged to send it to you. When you return to school, take it with you and have a portion every day. Over time, it will have good effects.”

Ruo Manni didn’t think much of it and simply felt that her teacher’s cousin and her teacher had a good relationship, extending to her as well.

“Speaking of Cousin Lixi, I received a message from her yesterday saying that she will arrive at Sirius tomorrow morning,” Mrs. Li said.

As Mrs. Li spoke, she glanced at Ruo Manni with a thoughtful expression. When she first saw the girl, she felt that Manni resembled someone very much.

Initially, Mrs. Li thought it was just a coincidence, but with so many coincidences, it might not be a mere chance. Considering why her husband suddenly took on this disciple, Mrs. Li seemed to have figured something out and gave her husband a subtle look.

Li Qixing, being exceptionally perceptive, understood his wife’s look immediately and returned an apologetic glance.

Mrs. Li then gave him a look that said he needed to explain himself properly.

Ruo Manni naturally noticed the silent exchange between the couple, but since it was related to Cousin Lixi and not her, she chose to act as if she hadn’t noticed and continued eating.

After dinner, Li Qixing said to Manni, “Your Aunt Lixi will be coming to Sirius in a few days for military duties. She will definitely come to see both me and your teacher’s wife. You should thank Aunt Lixi in person then; she went through a lot of trouble to get these Luosheng Flowers,” Li Qixing said with a smile.

“Okay,” Ruo Manni naturally agreed without any hesitation.

As a younger person meeting an elder, it’s always a gain rather than a loss, and there might even be a gift for the meeting. Indeed, after dinner, Mrs. Li was eagerly preparing to buy her clothes as a gift for their first meeting.

The arrangement for Ruo Manni to be picked up was only communicated to Mrs. Li at noon, so she didn’t have time to prepare a gift for their initial meeting.

Ruo Manni had no resistance to beautiful clothes. When Mrs. Li called her over to look at the clothes, Ruo Manni sensed Mrs. Li’s anticipation and went over without hesitation.

Shared interests are the best way to strengthen the bond between two women. Although Ruo Manni was intentionally trying to please Mrs. Li, their tastes were somewhat similar. Plus, clothes and accessories are universally loved by women, so the older and younger women end up enjoying the process of selecting them together.

Online shopping is very advanced in this world. If Mrs. Li wanted to buy clothes for Ruo Manni, she only needed to upload Ruo Manni’s 3D image onto the website. The site would create a virtual model, and by trying on different clothes virtually, she could see clearly if the clothes suited Ruo Manni.

After Ruo Manni was reborn, she had been wholly absorbed in her cultivation and had no time to think about other things. Apart from the two times Mentor Fang had bought her clothes, she had never purchased clothes for herself.

So when Ruo Manni saw how advanced online shopping was in this world, she couldn’t help but show an expression of amazement at new things, which elicited Mrs. Li’s sympathy.

Originally, when Mrs. Li heard her husband’s plan to raise his young disciple as a daughter and introduce her into noble circles, she intended to buy some impressive gowns and jewelry for Ruo Manni to help her make a good impression at important events.

This was to prevent Ruo Manni, who came from a commoner background, from being unsure of what to wear at important banquets, which might lead to mistakes and mockery, potentially leaving a poor impression on others.

Seeing the girl so endearing, and considering she was only wearing her school uniform and probably didn’t have any good clothes, Mrs. Li decided to buy her some casual outfits as well. After all, the couple had plenty of money and didn’t mind spending it.

Li Qixing observed his young disciple chatting animatedly with his wife, as if they had been long-time friends. He couldn’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction.

It was great that his wife liked Ruo Manni. As a man, besides teaching her cultivation and improving her martial skills, he didn’t know much about teaching her other things. It was best for his wife to educate a commoner girl into a refined young lady.

However, if his wife didn’t accept Ruo Manni, he couldn’t let his wife suffer because of Ruo Manni. He would have to come up with another solution.

Seeing his wife readily accept Ruo Manni, Li Qixing felt greatly relieved. Despite an urgent matter at hand, he patiently sat to the side handling official business while listening to the two women happily discussing their interests. Only after that matter was settled did he call Ruo Manni to accompany him.

Li Qixing took Ruo Manni to the cultivation room and, with a serious expression, said, “You should be at the stage where you need to make a breakthrough. Fortunately, I’m available these days, so I’ll be outside protecting you.”

Ruo Manni initially wanted to politely decline and avoid troubling her teacher, but then she realized that she now had a mentor. There was no need for her to continue growing independently as she had before.

Additionally, Ruo Manni’s psychic energy had suffered severe damage during her training. Although she felt that her cultivation was advancing rather than regressing, the progress seemed too rapid, leaving her somewhat unsettled and worried that she might be experiencing forced growth. With her teacher, a psychic master, protecting her, she could avoid potential pitfalls without realizing it.

For martial artists, once they reach a certain level of cultivation, any minor stimulation often leads to a natural breakthrough. However, for psychic masters, upgrading involves certain risks; the higher the level, the greater the risk.

Although the probability of accidents is low and most consequences are not too severe, the human psychic energy is intangible and elusive, and human thoughts are often filled with distractions. Sometimes, one may not even be aware of unresolved inner conflicts.

The main reason for accidents during psychic upgrades is usually the sudden emergence of inner demons, which can trap the individual in illusions and lead to spiritual deviation.

At such times, if a highly skilled psychic master is present to guide and “wake up” a psychic master who is controlled by inner demons and trapped in illusions, there will be minimal long-term effects. The most that might happen is a failed advancement, with rarely any damage to their fundamental abilities.

This is why most high-level psychic masters are straightforward and noble individuals. People with such qualities are less likely to engage in underhanded activities or harbor unresolved inner conflicts.

Ruo Manni, as someone who has been reborn and subjected to second-generation gene-enhancement drugs, has incredibly strong willpower. Although she had previously practiced and advanced in a somewhat confused state, she never encountered inner demons.