Chapter 22 Potions and Meteor Shower When Meteor Shower Returns to Another Dimension...

When Xingyun returned to the alternate dimension, it was already noon.

He made sure all his wounds were healed before returning, and made sure there was no trace of blood left on his body.

He returned to find Ethan asleep, which was rather unusual. Starfall hadn't seen Ethan sleep since he became a Guardian, and he had assumed he'd gotten used to not needing sleep. It seemed he was just too busy.

Hmm...? What is Ethan sleeping with? A piece of paper?

Xingyun took a closer look and saw that it was a painting of a night sky, a meadow, and a girl.

This hairstyle looks a bit like Selene's, is it just my imagination? Probably not, Ethan might be thinking about Selene again.

After satisfying his curiosity, Starfall did not disturb Ethan's rare sleep, but left the sofa and went to his study.

Xingyun sat at his desk and drew Yangyan's male and female bodies. He then put a question mark next to the female body to indicate that his authenticity was questionable.

Is Yang Yan really Yang Yan? Xingyun doesn't think so. Damn it, give that idiot lunatic back! Fighting this Yang Yan doesn't feel like getting any revenge at all.

After returning to Yangyan City following the fight, Yangyan sneezed violently. Who insulted her? The city's will doesn't get sick! Who was it? Was it Xingyun?

"Lord City Lord?" Turner asked with concern, "Are you suffering from a cold?"

"No." Yang Yan instantly abandoned her suspicions about Xingyun, gave Tenas a sweet smile, and said in an overly saccharine tone, "The city's will won't get sick."

Turnas silently took a step back, feeling somewhat uneasy.

Yang Yan was quite amused. Teasing the current guardian was one of her current ways of passing the time, and she felt much better after teasing him.

Yang Yan knew she had a bad temper, but this was her guardian, not someone from another city. What was wrong with playing around a bit? She didn't intend to appear in front of Tenas in a male form. Was she surprised or not? Actually, she used to be in a male form more often, but she liked to transform into a female form to tease him.

They'll definitely be angry, haha.

Yang Yan decided that she would not appear in front of Tenas in a male form while Tenas was still alive, even though her male form would be stronger. The city's gender was fixed because using the same gender for a long time would make it more stable and powerful.

Someone like her who loves to change forms has only half the power of a male form in her female form. When she fought Xingyun, she used her male form. If she was provoked, she would switch to her female form. If she angered her opponent and they started fighting, she would switch back to her male form.

The main selling point is its versatility; in case of trouble, use the male body, as it's more resilient and wounds heal faster. And, I don't know if it's just my imagination, but female bodies seem to experience more pain when injured.

Yang Yan moved closer to Tenas again, starting another round of overly intimate actions, before watching Tenas flee in a disheveled state.

LOL, there's no escaping it.

Ethan woke up around three or four in the afternoon.

He was awakened by a strong, familiar, and frightening smell.

Ethan opened his eyes and saw a dozen bottles of various colors of potions, still bubbling and gurgling, neatly arranged on the table in front of the sofa.

Ethan only glanced at it secretly before closing his eyes and pretending to be asleep again.

Before even drinking it, my taste buds seem to be assaulted by all those strange flavors and tastes—spicy, pungent, sweet. Is this muscle memory? SOS.

"Don't pretend to be asleep, I know you're awake." Starfall brought over a tray with several more cups, placed the potion on the table, and the soft sound was Ethan's nightmare.

Ethan counted carefully; there were 23 cups. He paled in shock, mechanically looking up at Xingyun, his voice trembling with undisguised resistance: "Why are there so many this time?"

“I tried several new potions before I finally concocted this one that can sustain your body for longer and is less harmful.” Starfall’s voice was cold and concise: “Drink it now. If I find out you’ve secretly poured out a cup, you’ll have to drink it all again.”

Because you have to drink the corresponding liquid within the specified time; if you don't, it's a waste of your time and won't have any effect.

Ethan picked up the first cup with a bitter face and gritted his teeth, gulping it all down.

It's bitter. So bitter.

It was a bitter taste that instantly cleared his mind the moment he tasted it; it was so bitter that he wanted to cut off his tongue, and he even began to hate his own taste buds for being so sensitive.

Ethan kept going, quickly chugging down bottle after bottle. It tasted sour, bitter, spicy, salty, sweet, and tasteless—it was awful.

Ethan and the five bottles on the tray that Starfall brought out at the end.

He picked up one of the glasses and drank it all in one gulp.

...Huh? That's strange, it's sweet, it tastes like fruit juice.

Ethan looked at Starfall with a puzzled expression. Starfall stood beside him with his arms crossed, his attitude still cold, completely contradicting what he had just said.

“I noticed you didn’t seem to like the original taste of potions, so I made them taste like food, something different.” Starfall gestured for him to continue: “You can try it and guess what it tastes like.”

So considerate! I never expected that Lord Starfall would abandon his unchanging taste. Ethan actually felt very uncomfortable when he drank it before, but he didn't dare to complain to Starfall. He was fine as long as he could drink it. He actually became picky and didn't dare to ask.

Because of his current knowledge and experience, and the lack of the relevant formula, Ethan was unable to concoct a potion to regulate and assist his body's normal functioning, so he still had to endure the original unpleasant taste.

However, he didn't expect that Starfall would add something else to change the taste of his potions, just like he does when brewing them. Adding other things to some potions can alter their properties. Starfall is also a rather meticulous person, striving for perfection in everything he does, so it's unlikely he would have served it on his first attempt.

Ethan looked at Starfall with teary eyes, deeply moved. Starfall frowned and took a step back. Ethan knew that Starfall was a little uncomfortable, so Ethan obediently lowered his head and began to open the blind box.

I drank the first cup a bit too fast, but it tasted like watermelon.

The second cup was sweet and sour, like strawberries.

The third cup tasted like apples, the fourth like grapes, and the fifth like mangoes.

Ethan hadn't enjoyed a beverage so much in a long time, even though he could afford to buy whatever he wanted now. He didn't drink any because he couldn't digest recycled beverages.

What a surprise! They all taste like fruit juice. Opening blind boxes is so much fun! Before drinking, I was guessing what the potion in my hand would taste like.

After spending some time together, Ethan also discovered that Starfall was not the cruel and ruthless city spirit that was rumored to be. Although it did appear cold on the outside, it was actually warm-hearted.

Starfall is very attentive and considerate of him in every way. She can perceive his preferences and what he doesn't like to do, and then adjusts her way of getting along with him to make him comfortable. She even changes the scent of her potion, which has remained unchanged for so many years.

Ethan declared Starfall to be the best city, and if he were human, he would declare Starfall the second best person, with his mother being the first, for his sake.

Seeing how easy Starfall was to get along with, Ethan felt his courage had grown.

"Lord Starfall." Ethan put down his cup, cleaned the cups on the table with cleaning magic, and casually asked, "Could you perhaps make it taste like food next time?"

Starfall glanced at him, thinking that Ethan was getting bolder and bolder, even wishing for flavors. Did he look like a chef?

If he really is a chef, then he should have a serious talk with Ethan about how the potion that heals the body is replaced with the flavor of a different dish.

Potions that taste like food... they're practically culinary disaster! No, this isn't food, it's just utterly monstrous and an outrageous existence.

So, Starfall coldly said to his guardian, "For now, I can only make you steak flavored."

"?! Yay!" Ethan was surprised that Starfall would actually agree to his request. Although he could only taste the steak for now, he was so happy he almost jumped for joy. He gave Starfall a hug: "Thank you, Lord Starfall!"

Only after hugging him did he realize what he had done. Feeling Xingyun's body stiffen in his arms, he let go, took several steps back, and stammered, "I'm sorry, Lord Xingyun, I offended you. I promise I will never do such a thing again—"

Starfall still stared at him stiffly.

To be honest, he could have dodged, but he realized that Ethan didn't seem to be trying to attack, so he let him get closer. Unexpectedly, Ethan opened his arms and hugged him. The speed was so fast that Starfall was caught before he could even react.

Starfall is very uncomfortable with being close to people, whether it's talking or physical contact. She didn't like it to begin with, and after being affected by Yangyan and developing PTSD, she disliked it even more. Speaking of which, there was a Guardian who was too close to people, and he killed her.

But he really liked Ethan. He couldn't quite put his finger on why he liked him; was it like having a pet? A child? Or someone to keep him company?

He didn't know, he couldn't explain his mindset. Calling it a pastime wouldn't be considered entertainment, but was talking about the child a bit...too cheesy?

In other cities, everyone is my resident, my child, I'll stick to them! But in Starfall, everyone is an idiot, stay away from me.

However, it is clear that he does not reject getting closer to Ethan, but he still resists being suddenly hugged. Ultimately, PTSD is the main reason, and his discomfort with such enthusiasm is a minor one.

He was supposed to give Ethan a proper talk, but looking at Ethan's cautious and uneasy expression, it reminded him of how he was insecure and afraid of everything before he even had Ethan.

It's like going back to square one... Xingyun knows she can't be too forceful, otherwise the intimacy built up over so long will disappear, and even if she tries to rebuild it, she might not be able to return to this casual level.

So, Xingyun said dryly, "It's okay, don't worry about it. It's not a mistake, you don't need to apologize for it."

Ethan looked up in surprise and uncertainty, blinked, and finally smiled.

A note from the author:

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The update was a bit early today, but it feels a bit rushed [laughing and crying emoji]

Tenas has been a guardian for quite some time now, but he still hasn't gotten used to Yangyan's teasing. [However, Tenas doesn't like Yangyan's behavior, so there won't be any romantic scenes between them.]

I never imagined I could spoil someone like this before I started writing...

Actually, Xingyun is the kind of person who is cold and a bit arrogant [? Is that right?]. In short, she finds it hard to express her true thoughts and is not good at speaking her mind, but she is good at being sarcastic and insincere.

He wasn't cold on the outside but warm on the inside; he only treated Ethan Hotspur with affection, bringing his elderly father into the picture.

Ethan, oblivious to what he'd done, forced the conflicted Starfall to indirectly admit that he wasn't averse to it.

Today's slacking-off pictures are in the same old spot [starry eyes]. If any readers are interested, please leave a comment so I can see who's actually following the updates and not just letting the story gather dust on their bookshelf [kissing face].