Traveling through the second dimension, the joy system encourages me to laugh heartily!

Alice's attention was successfully diverted; her eyes widened in surprise, her face filled with curiosity. She always had a strong interest in magic, despite her own mediocre talent in the field.

“Of course,” Chen Ming affirmed in a profound tone, while cleverly shifting the subject, “the magic system of this world is vast and profound, and its variety and effects far exceed your imagination.”

Although Alice still tilted her head in confusion, she chose to follow Chen Ming's instructions out of the trust she had built up over time.

The little girl obediently closed her eyes, her long red eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings.

With her vision shut off, Alice's other senses seemed to become more acute. She could hear her own slightly rapid breathing, feel the texture of the wooden floor beneath her feet, and hear the faint chirping of birds coming from outside the window.

Seeing this, Chen Ming stepped forward, gently took Alice's small hand, and began to dance.

With his strength, he could easily keep up with Alice's rapid pace, which was like a wild horse, and provide precise guidance.

Alice gradually relaxed and began to cooperate with Chen Ming. She began to trust this guidance, and her body naturally turned, glided, and spun in accordance with the force and direction transmitted by Chen Ming.

"This...this is!"

Edna, who was watching the two of them intently, couldn't help but cover her mouth with her hand and let out a short, surprised gasp.

She could hardly believe her eyes!

Alice actually danced the entire etude smoothly!

Chapter 289: Successfully Completed

Although Alice's overall tempo is still noticeably faster than the original rhythm of the music, it carries her distinctive and energetic personal touch.

However, because Chen Ming and she cooperated perfectly, their movements were highly synchronized, and their advances, retreats, and turns were full of tacit understanding.

Therefore, the slightly faster speed did not seem abrupt at all; instead, it cleverly transformed into a unique style—it no longer seemed like a mistake, but rather like a pair of highly skilled dancers deliberately giving a vibrant and innovative interpretation of traditional dance steps.

This interpretation infuses the originally elegant but somewhat rigid court dance with a vibrant energy and a fresh aesthetic.

Edna clenched her fists excitedly, a joyful smile on her face that she hadn't shown in days:

"You did it! You did it, young lady!"

Upon hearing this, Alice opened her eyes and asked with a beaming smile, "Really?"

Chen Ming continued to instruct, "Alright, don't get too excited yet. Alice, you need to remember how you felt when you were dancing just now."

Alice frowned in confusion upon hearing this: "You want me to remember... but I was just dancing to my own rhythm! I don't think I did anything special?"

“No,” Chen Ming explained patiently, “I made many subtle adjustments to your dance movements while you followed your own rhythm. These adjustments brought order to your originally chaotic rhythm and allowed you to control and restrain your power. With the physical awareness you’ve developed through swordsmanship, you should be able to sense these subtle changes, right?”

Now all you have to do is write down these 'calibrated' bodily sensations, and then, through repeated practice, completely internalize them!

"Ah...it seems so...hmm!"

Alice's eyes widened as if she suddenly understood. She carefully recalled what had just happened and indeed felt that at certain moments, her body movements seemed smoother than when she was pinging. She didn't say anything more, but simply nodded honestly and convincedly.

Seeing that Alice had finally found the right direction to work towards, Chen Ming breathed a sigh of relief.

So, the dance at the birthday party should be fine now, right?

"As expected of Master Wuxian, who can get the young lady to sit down and study her academic subjects! He actually managed to discover the commonalities between swordsmanship and dance, and came up with such a brilliant method of guidance!"

Edna's face was filled with sincere admiration as she looked at Chen Ming with eyes full of worship.

However, they actually said, "As expected..."

So teaching Alice academic subjects is such a despairing thing?

Yes, Chen Ming did put in a lot of effort.

Half of it is thanks to Gilead.

Don't get too carried away.

So Chen Ming coughed lightly and said casually, "Well, it's not really that profound. After all, there are some dance forms in the world that use swords as their core props. Since swords can be combined with dance, the body control, rhythm perception, and power release emphasized in swordsmanship training naturally have many similarities with dance. Combining them shouldn't be too difficult."

"A dance using swords as props? Oh? Is there really such a dance?"

Edna, who asked the question, looked incredulous, her eyes wide with curiosity.

In her mind, a sword is a weapon, a symbol of battle and power, while dance is art, an expression of elegance and social interaction; the two are almost irreconcilable.

Chen Ming then realized that, in the cultural context of this World No. 2, it seemed that a "sword dance" art similar to that of the main world, which integrates the power of swordsmanship with the grace of dance, had not developed.

Seeing Edna's inquisitive eyes, he remained unfazed and continued to fabricate a story, solidifying the concept: "Yes, there is. This unique art that combines power and beauty has many different forms of expression. In my travels alone, I have seen no fewer than nine completely different styles and schools."

He spoke with certainty, as if stating a fact that everyone knows.

"Wow! Lord Infinite is truly learned! He even has knowledge of such a rare art form as dance!"

Edna was indeed taken aback, her signature gentle smile returning to her face. She sincerely praised him, her admiration for Chen Ming deepening even further.

In her view, the knowledge of this Infinite Lord was as unfathomable as an abyss.

"That's right! Lord Mugen is really amazing! He knows everything!"

Alice, who was standing to the side, immediately raised her head, puffed out her still-flat chest, and said proudly, as if she herself was being praised, not Chen Ming.

……

Time flies, and the long-awaited tenth birthday dance party finally arrived as scheduled.

The Bereas family mansion was packed with guests.

The air was filled with a luxurious atmosphere of flowers, fragrances, and gourmet food.

Alice, dressed in an exquisite red gown, with her hair meticulously braided and adorned with tiny pearls, exuded a rare air of quiet elegance and charm befitting a noblewoman (though this was merely an appearance).

She was seated in a prominent position next to the head of the table, sitting upright like a real little princess. However, her slightly pursed lips and the occasional glances toward the door betrayed her nervousness and impatience.

With most of the guests present, Alice's burly grandfather, Sauros, with a booming voice, strode to the center of the hall, raised his wine glass, and in his distinctive, loud voice that could make the crystal chandelier tremble slightly, announced the official start of the ball!

Immediately, melodious music filled the air, and the atmosphere in the entire venue became lively.

Chen Ming did not join the crowd, but instead found a relatively quiet corner in the venue, leisurely enjoying the various desserts served by the waiter, observing this typical aristocratic social feast from the perspective of an outsider.

As soon as the ball began, Alice, as the absolute protagonist, naturally became the focus of everyone's attention.

Many elegantly dressed ladies, with carefully rehearsed enthusiastic smiles on their faces, came up one after another with their sons of similar age to strike up a conversation.

Their excuses were all the same: "Miss Alice is becoming more and more beautiful," and "This is my good-for-nothing son. We're about the same age, so it's good for us to get to know each other." Their intention to arrange a marriage in order to win over the Boreas family was obvious.

Most of the young people who were pushed forward were pale-faced and had accumulated a lot of fat on their bodies. They were obviously living a pampered life at home and their behavior was arrogant and spoiled.

Faced with these treacherous middle-class nobles, Philip and his wife displayed superb social skills. They maintained a polite smile throughout, navigating the situation with ease, subtly deflecting each probing attack with vague and polite greetings.

They neither explicitly offended anyone, maintaining a facade of harmony, nor made any promises or hints about marriage. Time slipped away quietly amidst their artful social interactions.

Some people who thought themselves clever tried to bypass Philip and go directly to curry favor with the old master, Sauros, who seemed easier to talk to (?).

However, they clearly miscalculated.

Faced with those roundabout flattery and hints, Sauros would either respond with a deafening laugh and a hard pat on the shoulder (often causing the other person to stumble), or he would simply say in a gruff voice, "Let the kids decide their own affairs, I'll just drink!"

His unreasonable and domineering approach left those who tried to curry favor with him utterly humiliated, and they could only make a hasty escape under some pretext.

It's worth mentioning that Philip's wife, Alice's mother, is named Hilda. She is a beautiful woman who still retains her charm, with the same bright red hair as Alice, like burning flames, and... well, an extremely magnificent and proud snow-white baby canteen.

With her as a reference, Alice's future growth is worth looking forward to!

Chen Ming thought to himself with a hint of academic inquiry.

As he savored his dessert and let his imagination run wild, envisioning what Alice would look like when she grew up, the most important part of the evening—the opening dance—finally arrived.

As agreed during the rehearsal, Chen Ming will be Alice's dance partner.

Therefore, when the music changed and the emcee announced that the young lady was to enter, Chen Ming immediately put down his plate, calmly walked through the crowd, and went to Alice, who was still sitting in her seat with a tense body.

He bent down slightly, extended his hand to her, and wore a reassuringly gentle smile: "It's our turn to step in, Miss."

Alice looked up at Chen Ming's outstretched hand, took a deep breath, and as if she had made up her mind, placed her small hand in his palm.

Chen Ming gently took her hand and led her towards the center of the dance floor, under the curious, expectant, or scrutinizing gazes of all the guests—after all, Alice was the undisputed protagonist tonight and deserved to stand in the most dazzling position.

The chosen dance is the simplest and most basic piece. The movements are not complicated. Just follow your instincts and dance as you did when you practiced before.

After taking his position, Chen Ming whispered a reminder to Alice, who was so nervous she was almost moving her hands and feet in unison:

"Take a deep breath, relax, we're about to begin!"

"Wh...wh...what...! I...I wasn't nervous at all!" Alice retorted stubbornly, but her stammering tone and her almost wooden body had already betrayed her.

As the melodious prelude to the dance music began, bright lights focused on them, and the gaze of countless eyes around them pressed down on them as if they were real. Alice's tension instantly reached its peak.

Her whole body stiffened, even the muscles in her face were somewhat out of control, her eyes began to wander, and her feet seemed rooted to the spot, unable to move.

If this continues, it's no longer just a matter of aesthetics regarding whether she dances well or not. She might be unable to withstand the immense pressure and, driven by instinct, make the astonishing move of suddenly turning around and fleeing the scene!

At this critical moment, Chen Ming made his move.

He didn't offer any words of comfort, nor did he forcibly pull her. Instead, he naturally raised his other hand and gently placed it on Alice's neatly combed red hair, stroking it tenderly.

This seemingly simple "head pat" move seemed to possess some strange magic. Alice trembled violently, as if struck by a warm current, and her extremely tense nerves strangely relaxed a little.

At the same time, Chen Ming held her little hand and took the first step in the dance, leading his nervous little dance partner in a graceful dance.

After just a few steps, Alice seemed to have forgotten the burning gazes and suffocating anticipation around her. Her body regained the familiar rhythm she had during practice, and her eyes returned to their usual liveliness and... well, with a touch of stubbornness.

She transformed back into the fearless Alice, only now she was focused on her dance steps and her coordination with Chen Ming.

The dance that followed wasn't perfect—Alice's occasional loss of control and still rather fast rhythm caused her delicate feet, clad in small leather shoes, to accidentally step on Chen Ming's shoes several times.

With Chen Ming's physical strength, this force was like a tickle. He didn't even flinch, maintaining perfect composure and leading the rhythm.

Fortunately, Alice herself did not fall due to nervousness or mistakes, and overall she danced the opening dance smoothly and energetically.

As the last note faded, Chen Ming led her in a simple closing gesture, which was met with enthusiastic and polite applause.

Alice was slightly out of breath, her face flushed, whether from exhaustion or excitement, but her eyes clearly showed a sense of relief and a barely perceptible sense of accomplishment, as if she had finally finished.

"Thank you for your hard work, Lord Infinite."

As soon as the opening dance ended, Edna, who had been watching closely from the edge of the dance floor, immediately came up to her with a sincere gratitude and a relaxed smile on her face.

She witnessed firsthand how Chen Ming turned a potential disaster into a relatively successful public appearance, and a huge weight was finally lifted from her heart.

Now that the most important task of being a backup dancer had been successfully completed, Chen Ming was happy to have some free time. So he and Edna walked to the long tables at the edge of the venue, which were filled with all kinds of exquisite food, and prepared to treat their taste buds.

The culinary style of this second world may be slightly inferior to that of the main world from which Chen Ming originated, in terms of cooking techniques and the complexity of seasoning.

However, the unique advantage of this world lies in the fact that many ingredients themselves possess a certain amount of magic. This magic not only endows the ingredients with better taste and nutritional value, but also gives the cooked dishes a unique and pure flavor that is difficult to replicate in the main world.

Especially at banquets hosted by noble families like Boreas, the ingredients used are the finest of the finest, many of which are rare delicacies or magical dishes specially prepared by the court chefs.

Although Chen Ming possesses the ability of [Realistic Manifestation], which allows him to conjure up any delicious food he knows at any time.

But most of these uniquely shaped, enticingly fragrant, and exotic dishes were new to him.

So his curiosity was fully piqued, and like a food explorer, he tasted each dish with great interest, from roasted meat drizzled with purple sauce to transparent jelly exuding a cool mint and unknown vanilla aroma, and then to a strange fruit with a hard outer shell but a molten center like a cake inside...

Whenever he encounters a dish that particularly suits his taste, he silently makes a mental note of it, like keeping a food archive, so that he can bring it to life in the future to satisfy his and his family's appetites.

Chapter 290: Master-Disciple Inheritance

Just as Chen Ming had finished tasting most of the special dishes on the table and was sipping a magical drink that resembled juice, he noticed out of the corner of his eye that a very cute-looking girl was walking shyly toward him.

The girl was about twelve or thirteen years old, wearing an elegant light pink dress, her long flaxen hair neatly styled in a bun. She first stopped in front of Chen Ming, clasped her hands in front of her, slightly curtsied, and gave a standard greeting, saying in a clear voice:

"Nice to meet you, I'm sorry to bother you!"

She then politely introduced herself and her family—she seemed to be the daughter of a middle-class noble family that wasn't particularly prominent.

Chen Ming quickly searched his memory and confirmed that she was not an important character with a name in the original work, so he didn't pay much attention to her and just maintained a gentle smile, waiting for her to continue.

Then, a faint blush rose on the girl's fair cheeks. She mustered her courage, raised her head to look at Chen Ming, and asked in a soft but clear voice, "Um...I wonder...I wonder if I would have the honor of asking you to dance with me?"

Given such an invitation, made by a cute young girl and brimming with youthful energy, any man with normal aesthetic sense would likely not refuse it outright.

Chen Ming was no exception. He was quite surprised, but remained calm on the surface. He first frankly told the other party, "I only know some of the simplest and most basic dance steps. I'm afraid I can't accompany you to any more complicated songs."

Seeing that the girl quickly said she didn't mind at all and her eyes were full of expectation, Chen Ming smiled and nodded, put down the cup in his hand, extended his hand in a very gentlemanly gesture of invitation, and then walked with her to the dance floor where the atmosphere was still lively.

Thanks to his extraordinary physical abilities, coordination, and rapid learning capacity, Chen Ming, despite claiming he "only knows simple dance steps," actually performed quite well. His steps were steady, his guidance clear, his posture composed, and his coordination with the girl was also quite good. At least to outsiders, it was a pleasing dance to watch.

When the song ended, Chen Ming politely escorted the girl back to where she was.