Chapter 142: Senior Sister, Are You Alright?
Chen Lan had successfully reached Foundation Establishnt.
If they were to engage in Dual Cultivation via "Dao Exchange" now, the one with the lower cultivation base would benefit imnsely. Lü ng’s breathing hitched, his gaze burning with anticipation.
However, Chen Lan simply closed her eyes.
The Yin Qi radiating from her body surged, becoming several tis more potent than before, creating an invisible barrier of cold rejection.
Looking at the breathtakingly beautiful Junior Sister before him, Lü ng opened his mouth, but no words ca. The blazing heat in his eyes gradually faded, replaced by a dull, aching chill.
A strong sense of crisis gripped his heart. He and his Junior Sister seed to be drifting further and further apart, separated by an invisible chasm. He wanted to change this situation, to bridge the gap, but standing before her newfound power and distant deanor, he realized with despair that he didn't know how.
Joyous Union Sect, Inner Sect Territory Moon Gaze Peak
The autumn wind whistled desolately through the peaks. High above, the Lunar Star hung large and full, casting a silver veil over the silent pavilion.
In a secluded room on the upper floor, steam curled into the air.
Inside the large wooden dicinal tub, the water roiled with scalding heat. Li ng sat cross-legged, his arms wrapped securely around the unconscious Senior Leng Yiyue. Beside them, also subrged in the dicated waters, sat Leng Yixue. Her forehead pressed against Li ng’s, their minds linked in a precarious bridge to guide the healing energy.
The tub emitted a brilliant, multicolored radiant glow, illuminating the sweat on their faces.
Ti seed to lose its aning. Finally, Li ng’s eyelids fluttered open.
A trace of dark blood overflowed from the corner of his mouth, staining his lips.
He slowly turned his head to look at the woman beside him. His voice was hoarse, barely a whisper. "Senior Sister, are you alright?"
Leng Yixue pulled back, wiping a trace of blood from her own lips. This was her first ti assisting Junior Brother Li in launching a soul attack on her Master’s sealed Sea of Consciousness. She had rely maintained a Soul Connection with Li ng, acting as a stabilizer, not directly touching the chaotic seal. Yet, even that secondary contact had caused her a backlash.
If she felt this much pain, the backlash Li ng endured as the primary healer must have been terrifying.
Leng Yixue reached out, her trembling fingers gently wiping the blood from the corner of Li ng’s mouth.
"This Senior Sister is fine," she whispered, her usual cold deanor cracking. "How are you, Junior Brother?"
Senior Sister’s hand is so smooth.
Although her fingers rely brushed past the corner of his mouth, the lingering sensation left Li ng with a distracting, pleasant aftertaste. He forced a weak smile onto his deathly pale face and shook his head.
"I didn't control the force well. Mas... Junior Brother is fine!"
Despite his brave words, his body betrayed him. His strength evaporated, and he slumped sideways.
Leng Yixue’s expression changed instantly. She lunged forward, catching him before he slipped under the water.
Li ng felt his face buried into a wall of astonishing softness. Even separated by the thin, soaked layer of her inner garnt, the sensation was enchanting, a stark contrast to the pain racking his soul.
"Senior Sister... sorry," he mumbled, his voice fading. "Junior Brother needs to rest for a while."
A faint blush rose on Leng Yixue’s cold, stern face. She stared blankly at the man in her arms. He looked vulnerable, his breathing shallow. A trace of tenderness and pity flashed in her eyes, lting the ice that usually guarded her heart.
He was risking his life for her Master. How could she remain indifferent?
Leng Yixue turned her head to look at her unconscious Master, then back at Li ng. Holding a man in her arms within the intimate confines of a bath, she felt a strange, foreign warmth spreading through her chest. She sat there, absent-minded, lost in thoughts she dared not voice.
Ti passed, bit by bit. The night deepened, then yielded to the dawn.
The next morning.
With a crisp click, the main door of the pavilion opened from the inside.
Li ng walked out, dressed in fresh yellow robes, looking refreshed and energetic. The fatigue from the previous night was gone, hidden behind his usual mask of casual confidence.
Yao Ning was nowhere to be seen. She had returned to Masked Moon Peak three days ago. The cultivation technique she practiced was complex, requiring frequent guidance from her Master. Cultivating three paths simultaneously was no easy task, even for a genius.
Li ng summoned the wind. He rose into the air, his robes fluttering as he soared upward, flying towards the mist and clouds that shrouded the peak’s exit.
In the blink of an eye, he plunged into the white expanse.
Among the mountain peaks, Li ng flew on his sword, navigating the terrain with practiced ease. Sotis he passed through patches of mist; other tis, he flicked his sleeve, sending a burst of spiritual pressure to disperse the clouds blocking his path.
Huh? Junior Sister Chen succeeded in Foundation Establishnt?
Li ng checked his internal relationship list and raised an eyebrow. Chen Lan had successfully broken through.
Junior Sister Yuan should be soon too, right?
Although Chen Lan was Li ng’s first woman, if one were to ask which Junior Sister he favored the most, it would undoubtedly be Yuan.
Chen Lan was too ordinary. She was pretty, yes, but without Li ng’s intervention, she would have remained just another sowhat attractive female disciple of the Joyous Union Sect—destined for diocrity, lacking both the scheming mind and the unique personality to stand out.
Fortunately, she had the wisdom to seize her opportunity. Through Li ng, she had lifted herself out of the "ordinary" category.
A faint, knowing smile played at the corner of Li ng’s mouth. Once Junior Sister Chen left seclusion, he would have to properly "bully" her to celebrate. The pleasures between n and won were nurous, and he intended to explore them all.
Li ng narrowed his eyes and stroked his beard, his expression shifting into sothing decidedly lecherous.
Inner Sect Territory, Main Peak
A streak of sword light tore through the sky, arriving from the distance with a speed that far surpassed the sluggish flight of Outer Sect Qi Condensation disciples.
On the flying sword stood an Inner Disciple wearing yellow robes, his bearing radiating an aura of carefree opulence.
It was Li ng.
He descended, his robes snapping in the wind, and landed gently on the Main Peak plaza. With a flick of his sleeve, he stowed his sword and began to stroll leisurely towards the Sect's main hall.
The plaza was bustling. Nurous Inner and Outer Disciples were milling about, relaxing or enjoying the scenery.
"Greetings, Senior Brother Li!"
An Inner Disciple recognized him imdiately and hurried over to bow.
Li ng offered a polite, practiced cupped-hand salute in return, not breaking his stride.
"Greetings, Senior Li!" another Outer Disciple called out, bowing deeply.
Li ng chuckled, nodding in acknowledgnt with the air of a benevolent sage.
"Who is he?" so newer disciples whispered, puzzled by the reverence shown to this yellow-robed cultivator.
"That is Elder Ruoshui's disciple, the Alchemist from Moon Gaze Peak who has recently beco famous."
"So it's him? The Master Iron Ox?"
"No wonder he's so popular!"
Listening to the hushed discussions, Li ng’s smile widened slightly. The feeling of being popular was undeniably pleasant. It was a layer of armor; even the most brainless instigator wouldn't dare casually cause trouble for a man beloved by the masses. As long as he maintained his image as the "Great Good Person," he could establish a towering reputation that would shield him from minor annoyances.
"Hmph. A sanctimonious fellow!"
A loud, jarringly inappropriate sneer cut through the harmonious atmosphere. The voice was deliberately amplified, intended for everyone to hear.
Li ng naturally heard it too. He paused and followed the sound.
Not far away stood a group of disciples. The leader was a young man with a face twisted in disdain. Li ng blinked.
Who was that again?
A trace of genuine confusion flashed in Li ng’s eyes. The man looked vaguely familiar, but he couldn't recall the na. A nobody, likely.
Dismissing the thought, Li ng paid no further attention to the group and continued walking towards the Sect's main hall.
Behind him, Su Can watched Li ng’s retreating back, his face turning a livid shade of purple.
"Has that guy forgotten who he is?" Su Can clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white.
A storm of bewildernt and jealousy raged in his eyes. That Five Spirit Roots trash... how had he actually succeeded in Foundation Establishnt? How had he beco Elder Ruoshui's disciple? And now, he was a famous Alchemist?
Why? Why did this trash have such unbelievable opportunities while I struggle?
"Se... Senior Brother Su," one of the Inner Disciples behind him stamred, his face pale. "Junior Brother Li is from the Masked Moon Peak lineage. You... you better not..."
The faces of Su Can's entourage were filled with dread. Junior Brother Li was famously a "Great Good Person" and a wealthy Alchemist. Was Senior Brother Su crazy? Not befriending soone like Li ng was one thing, but actively provoking him?
That was the behavior of an incurably stupid pig.
The Inner Disciples beside Su Can inconspicuously took a few steps back, putting distance between themselves and their leader. They were friendly with Su Can only out of respect for his Elder relative. But if Su Can insisted on courting death by offending a rising star like Li ng, they wouldn't accompany him to the grave.
Watching Li ng’s figure disappear into the hall, ignoring him completely, Su Can’s eyes filled with venomous resentnt.
"Hmph!"
He snorted coldly, spun around, and stalked away, unaware that his allies were already abandoning him.
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