On the way to Bixin Hall, Ji Qinglin was still thinking about the upcoming matters with the Xindong Street Comrce Guild.
Maybe because not much info leaked from that conference room that day, the other guild mbers outside were still mostly guessing about his true strength.
So more cynical folks even suspected that Yu Jizi and he were putting on a show—that Yu Jizi took a dive on purpose just to hype up a made-up powerhouse.
As absurd as it sounded, Ji Qinglin actually hoped that rumor would spread.
From a tactical standpoint, being underestimated was way better than being taken seriously.
But if he was being honest, the whole thing with defeating Yu Jizi last ti went so well partly because he was already familiar with her style and caught her off guard.
Based on what he’d seen over the past couple of years, his own abilities—whether objectively or pessimistically assessed—were currently Grandmaster-Level in terms of his internal data-driven Qi force.
Second would be his Movent Technique, which combined Phantom Shadow Soul-Chasing Steps and Beidou Maps into a refined form—barely scraping Grandmaster-Level.
Beyond that, he probably wasn’t at the Grandmaster tier in anything else.
As for weapons, Mo Warrior gave him the elent of surprise, but when it ca to actual combat skills with weapons, he still fell far short of the top-tier experts.
Fortunately, Divine Perception helped him learn quickly. Until he found a technique truly suited to him, he might need to go the “master of a hundred arts” route first.
The upcoming Elder Assembly might bring more conflicts. Against Grandmaster-Level opponents, escaping unscathed was doable, maybe even barely winning—but if he wanted another overwhelming win to assert dominance for the Xindong Street Comrce Guild’s HQ, he’d have to think of so clever tricks.
Lei Laoda, Lei Laoda, you really know how to make things tough for .
At least in terms of thick skin, he was without a doubt Grandmaster-Level.
Then there were the assassins from the dark web sent after him. He wasn’t sure if that cannon fodder Jiao Yang was from the sa bunch.
The Xindong Street branch wouldn’t stoop to internal sabotage, so it was most likely other Comrce Guilds kicking him while he was down.
In the next couple of days, he’d see if he could trick them into trusting him—if there were only a few, he’d take them out himself. If there were too many, he’d just lure them to the Xindong Street Comrce Guild HQ and take them out in one sweep.
Little Yu Ye was already at the Core Formation Realm, and should do decently in the Cultivation Tournant—but that alone wouldn’t be enough to change the guild’s situation.
The other side already sent assassins—they clearly had no intention of playing by the rules.
While thinking this over, they arrived at Bixin Hall.
The visit to Shen Bixin was to have her check Yu Ye’s body and make sure there were no side effects from breaking through to the Core Formation Realm, and also to get so intel on the West Chang District.
When she saw the Master and Disciple pair arrive, Shen Bixin flipped back her curls with her chanical arm and frowned, giving them a look like, “Ugh, these two again.”
She handed off her work to a student and so Intelligent Machines, changed clothes, and walked out of the dical room. As soon as she stepped out, she lit a cigarette, took a long drag, and teased:
“Deadbeat conman Elder showing up—is this a checkup or a secret plot to kick down my shopfront?”
“Spare , will you? I’d rather not end up in pieces. Just give my Disciple a checkup first.”
“Oh? That fast and she’s already pregnant?”
“Dr. Shen!”
Yu Ye honestly couldn’t figure out who was more unreliable—her Master or Shen Bixin.
But when it ca to her profession, Shen Bixin was serious. She led Yu Ye alone into the exam room and began a slow, thorough checkup with the instrunts.
Once the thick door closed, Yu Ye started a casual conversation:
“Dr. Shen, are you taking part in the Cultivation Tournant too?”
“Doctors aren’t affected by the tournant results, so we’re just there for dical support.”
“Dr. Shen, can I ask you so professional questions?”
“There’s no deadbeat conman here, so why so uptight? Just ask.”
Yu Ye organized her thoughts, then asked:
“I have a friend in the Xindong Street Comrce Guild. He was born with a defect in his soul sense and can’t refine his soul. His Dao Companion wants to help him through Yin-Yang Dual Cultivation, but he says it won’t work for him. I wanted to ask if that’s really a thing?”
After hearing Yu Ye’s question, Shen Bixin raised her brow, tilted her head, and gave a sly grin as she asked:
“You trying to use Yin-Yang Dual Cultivation to help your Master with soul reinforcent?”
“???”
Yu Ye’s apricot eyes trembled, her lips parted, and for a mont she didn’t know what to say.
She hadn’t expected to be seen through that quickly—she felt like even her ears were burning.
Mad Ye: Girl, you just got read so hard you’ve got nothing left—not even your underwear.
Yu Ye tried to stay composed and change the subject.
“Dr. Shen, so you already know about my Master’s condition?”
Shen Bixin chuckled.
“Well, I’ve treated him before, so yeah, I know a bit. But are you really prepared to do Yin-Yang Dual Cultivation with your Master to help fix his soul?”
“Actually... I haven’t really decided. But there’s one thing I’m sure of: I really want to help Master.”
Seeing the sincerity in her eyes, Shen Bixin nodded.
“That deadbeat conman’s luck is insane, landing a Disciple like you. But yeah, this problem really can’t be solved with just Yin-Yang Dual Cultivation.”
Yu Ye asked in confusion:
“Does Master have so other issue with his body?”
Shen Bixin shook her head.
“No, it really is a soul-sense defect. But what most people don’t understand is that using Yin-Yang Dual Cultivation to repair the soul requires one prerequisite: the soul has to be in a state of openness. To put it simply, the heart has to be open.”
“Open the heart?”
“Exactly. Like when you want a doctor to treat a wound—you have to show them the wound first. Soul repair is the sa. If you want to succeed, you’ve got to find the damaged part first. If you just keep clinging to the broken bits and refuse to open up, soul repair is absolutely impossible.”
Mad Ye: Got it. Just like how soone has to move on after heartbreak if they wanna heal, right?
Yu Ye: Quiet!
“So you’re saying... if I can get Master to open up, then there’s a chance I can help repair his soul?”
Shen Bixin gave a wry smile and shook her head.
“If it were anyone else, that would be true. But your Master... don’t bla for being blunt, but getting him to open his heart is harder than digging it out with your bare hands.
He’s great at analyzing others, but it’s like he’s always wearing armor himself—never giving anyone a chance to understand him.
You try to treat him with sincerity hoping to get the sa in return, but the way he treats you will always surpass the way you treat him. In the end, you won’t succeed and might even end up owing him emotionally. So unless he wants it, there’s no way to repair his soul.”
Yu Ye thought back, and it was true—since the day she beca his Disciple, she hadn’t really learned that much more about him.
Her Master had done enough to win over any Qi Refiner in Bangkok, while she... had attacked him three tis?
Seeing the troubled look on Yu Ye’s face, Shen Bixin added:
“But in your case, there might actually be hope. After all, you’re the first and only Disciple he’s ever taken, which ans that underneath all that armor of his, there’s a lonely and scarred soul that might be starting to trust you—or even rely on you.”
Yu Ye thought back to that thunderstorm night, when her Master ca to sleep beside her.
That was the first ti she saw him show weakness...
“Thank you, Dr. Shen. I’ll find a way to knock open Master’s heart.”
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