Path to Dual Cultivation

Chapter 2: First Love

Upon returning home, Su Yang went directly to his desk, but instead of resuming his studies, his mind was occupied with the General's appearance.

'Why am I unable to take my mind off her? What is this sensation in my heart that feels as though someone's squeezing it?'

Despite living for 16 years, Su Yang had yet to encounter the elusive emotion of love. It wasn't for lack of experience with women, as he had crossed paths with many, none lacking in allure. Yet, he had never felt anything quite like what he was feeling at that moment.

Unable to remain focused, Su Yang closed the books before him and left the desk.

"Mother, I am being troubled by something that I don't understand." Su Yang approached his mother in hopes of finding answers for his condition.

"What's the matter, my dear?" His mother, Su Lin, inquired with a gentle smile on her face.

"I don't know how to explain this, but my heart is acting weird."

"What?!" Su Lin was immediately alerted by his poor choice of words, worried that he might have an illness related to the heart.

"It's been restless for a while now, and I don't know how to calm it down." Su Yang continued, shaking his head.

"L-Let me see!"

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Su Lin pulled Su Yang closer to her before planting an ear directly on his chest to hear his heartbeat. Sure enough, it was beating faster than normal, almost as though he'd just finished working out.

"How long has this been happening? Why didn't you say anything sooner?!" she began questioning him.

"It started today when I saw this woman at the Mayor's Estate," said Su Yang with a calm expression.

"Eh?" Su Lin's eyes widened with shock after hearing her son's baffling words, and it took a moment for her to comprehend what she'd just heard.

"Your heart's been restless after seeing a woman?" Su Lin rubbed her eyes and sighed in relief.

She continued to speak after taking several deep breaths, "You nearly gave me a heart attack, dear."

"Now I cannot be sure, especially since you've never shown any interest in the girls at your age, but I believe that restlessness in your heart is caused by love."

"Love...?" Su Yang's eyes widened with surprise.

While Su Yang had never personally tasted the flavor of love, he had, at the very least, encountered the term and grasped its conceptual meaning.

Su Lin's eyes flickered with excitement after seeing Su Yang's expression, and she immediately began inquiring for more information.

"Who's this woman? How old is she? What did she look like?"

As her son delved into his first experience with love, Su Lin felt a duty to ensure he didn't face any unpleasant situations, aware of their potential impact on his future romantic endeavors.

However, to Su Lin's surprise, Su Yang shrugged and said, "I don't know anything about her, except that she's a General from the Tranquil Bamboo City."

Su Lin's expression froze upon hearing this.

"G-General from Tranquil Bamboo City...?"

Su Yang nodded, but before he could say anything else, the door opened with Su Qiao returning home.

"I'm home!" Su Qiao announced as he entered the room.

He quickly noticed the weird atmosphere in the room and asked, "Hm? What happened?"

"L-Listen to this! You might not believe this, but our Su Yang has fallen in love!"

"What?!"

Hearing this, Su Qiao dropped everything in his hands and sat beside Su Lin.

"Tell me about it!"

Su Qiao had been worrying about Su Yang's future for the last several months due to his seeming lack of interest in women. As the local merchant had pointed out, Su Yang was at the age where having a partner was normal, even expected. However, to Su Qiao's consternation, Su Yang hadn't even had a single girlfriend his entire life despite having such a godly appearance, let alone a wife.

"Su Yang, tell your father about this person who made your heart restless." Su Lin winked at him.

Su Yang nodded and said, "I believe I am in love with the General at the Mayor's Estate."

Su Qiao's eyes and mouth widened with shock after hearing such words.

"T-Th-The General?!" he exclaimed.

"Who is this General?" Su Lin inquired.

"She's a powerful warrior who was recently promoted to General of the Royal Family's military. Not only is she twice Su Yang's age, but she's also a cultivator at the Heavenly Spirit Realm. I don't want to say this, especially since this is your first experience with love, but you should give up on her." Su Qiao spoke with a serious expression on his face as he stared into Su Yang's eyes.

"Dear... why are you..."

Su Qiao raised his hand, halting Su Lin's attempt to speak.

"Firstly, that General is a cultivator, destined for a far longer lifespan than us mere mortals. Even if you were to become a cultivator yourself, the chasm between the two of you would remain insurmountable. Chasing after her would only become a lifelong pursuit for you."

"Honestly, she's simply out of your league. If that General were to seek a partner, there would be a queue of distinguished individuals vying for her affections–enough to encircle this entire city."

"Even with your looks, there are things in this world that cannot be solved with your appearance alone."

Su Yang listened to every word with a profound expression on his face, his thoughts unknown.

Seeing the stubborn look on Su Yang's face, Su Qiao sighed, "I understand the severity of my words, but I won't deceive you with false hope. It's crucial to understand that although we inhabit the same world, there are two distinct worlds within it, and you and she reside in different worlds. Trust me, nothing good will come out of interacting with the other world. There's a good reason why cultivators don't intervene with our mortal affairs and vice versa–Ack!"

Su Qiao suddenly felt a sharp pain by his side. He looked at Su Lin, who just pinched him, her face filled with anger.

A bittersweet smile appeared on Su Qiao's face. He cleared his throat and continued, "With all that being said, if you really intend on chasing after her, I can only support you. I've been told that she, the General, will only accept a warrior who's stronger than her as her partner. Do what you will with this information."

Su Yang fell into a deep silence afterward.

Sometime later, Su Yang stared at the sword sitting beside Su Qiao and asked, "Father... can you teach me how to wield a sword?"

Unbeknownst to his parents, Su Yang's feelings for the General weren't as simple as love. However, even Su Yang himself was unaware of the true meaning behind his feelings at this moment.