Chapter 4: Farewell

“Senior!”

Ban Wan’er’s voice broke the silence of the ruined temple.

Her body was still trembling slightly, whether from injury or fear.

“Senior… this junior knows this request is very abrupt, but… could Senior allow this junior to stay here one more night? Just one night. I’ll leave at dawn and won’t disturb you anymore…”

She bit her lip, hesitated, but still spoke.

“Their methods are ruthless. If they catch up, I will surely die.”

After speaking, she lowered her head, not daring to meet Li Nü’s eyes.

Li Nü watched her expressionlessly.

Firelight flickered on his face, revealing no emotion.

Ban Wan’er waited for a moment.

Seeing he wouldn’t speak, a hint of dimness flashed in her eyes.

She quickly added, “This junior was too forward. Senior’s life-saving grace is already beyond repayment. I shouldn’t have made such an improper request.”

She stood up, walked to a corner of the ruined temple, sat down with her back to Li Nü, and curled up.

She stopped speaking.

Li Nü looked at her back, his feelings mixed.

‘Is she asking me to help? Is this girl trying to guilt-trip me? “Dark Lotus Sect”—just the name sounds like a demonic sect. This is clearly a life-or-death feud between good and evil. If I go against the Dark Lotus Sect, are they afraid I’ve lived too long? And she’s treating them like “ordinary evil cultivators” when they want to kill her to silence her? I can’t wade into this muddy water. Although Ban Wan’er is a high-quality experience pack, if I get myself killed too, the loss would outweigh the gain.’

Li Nü withdrew his gaze, looked at the fire, was silent for a moment, then slowly spoke:

“In worldly affairs, you cannot remain a child forever in this life.”

“The path of cultivation is inherently defying heaven. Fortune and misfortune are your own to bear; life and death are your own to cross. Venerable Self saved your life, which is already fate at work. How can I clear every obstacle for you?”

His voice was flat, devoid of any emotion.

“The matter of the Dark Lotus Sect is your own karma. If you can’t even survive this one night, how can you talk about the Great Dao?”

After speaking, he closed his eyes and said no more.

Ban Wan’er’s shoulders trembled slightly.

She didn’t turn back, only responded softly, “This junior understands.”

Her voice carried a hint of loneliness.

Li Nü said no more and closed his eyes.

The night grew late.

Li Nü couldn’t sleep.

The fire crackled.

He couldn’t use any other cultivation techniques; only the one, the Diamond Indestructible Body (Grand Grade), was perfected, his only path to rely on.

Now, despite having the cultivation of the Early Foundation Establishment Stage, though it was only an empty shell, it could still bluff others.

His eyes were open, his mind racing.

Li Nü stealthily opened his eyes, glanced at Ban Wan’er in the corner, then examined the Diamond Indestructible Body (Grand Grade).

With a thought, he opened the details of that technique on the system panel.

[Diamond Indestructible Body (Grand Grade) (Perfected)]

[Status: Automatically cultivated to Great Perfection realm]

[Current physical strength: Immortal Realm.]

[Effect: Skin like metal, bones like refined steel, blood like silver mercury, body like a furnace, immune to all laws.]

Li Nü stared at the panel for a full ten seconds.

‘What realm is the Immortal Realm?’

He subconsciously clenched his fist, then released it.

‘It doesn’t feel like anything special…’

He pinched his arm.

It was a bit hard, but only to the level of someone who had practiced martial arts for years.

He tried cutting himself with a knife.

Hiss

That hurt!

The corner of Li Nü’s mouth twitched.

‘Those tai chi people still claim they practice “Hunyuan Skill.” I knew this system wouldn’t be that kind. Grand Grade technique, automatic perfection—it sounds good, but in reality it probably just gave me a little “body strengthening” effect. Thicker skin, harder bones, enough to be an expert among mortals, but my opponent is a cultivator! What a loss! And I thought I’d found a treasure.’

Li Nü took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to swear.

‘Well, something is better than nothing. At least I can take a few more hits when I get beaten up in the future.’

He closed his eyes and stopped thinking about these annoying things.

Just as dawn was breaking, Li Nü was startled awake by a slight movement.

He had handled too many things last night and almost forgotten there was still an injured person here.

“Senior, this junior has taken your words to heart. I cannot stay here long, lest I implicate Senior.”

She turned around, saw Li Nü’s eyes were already open, and deeply bowed.

She raised her head, her gaze firm.

“Senior, this junior has taken your words to heart. Senior, thank you for your life-saving grace. Wan’er has no way to repay, only to thank you here. Senior, until we meet again.”

After saying that, she turned and walked out of the ruined temple without looking back.

Li Nü watched her back disappear into the morning mist.

A strange, indescribable feeling welled up in his heart.

A bit of regret.

After all, she was a high-quality experience pack.

It really was a shame to let her go like this.

But more than anything, he felt relieved.

Even though he was just an empty Foundation Establishment shell, his cultivation was real.

Those minor Qi Refining cultivators couldn’t see through his true level.

As long as he acted well, he could bluff them one by one.

At this thought, the corner of Li Nü’s mouth involuntarily curled up.

He stood up, dusted off his robe, and prepared to leave the ruined temple.

Just then—

Boom!

An explosion came from outside the temple.

“Damn! They’re fighting!”

Li Nü jumped in shock, instinctively stepping back.

Ban Wan’er!

That explosion most likely had something to do with her.

Li Nü gritted his teeth.

‘No, I can’t go. Ban Wan’er might be pretty, but I’m not the type to let my lower head control my upper head. Besides, I’m as weak as a newborn right now. If I’m not careful, I’ll get dragged into it too. Better run.’

He climbed over the back wall of the ruined temple, planning to take a detour.

Just at that moment, the system panel suddenly popped up, bright red characters flashing, stinging his eyes.

[Urgent Notification!]

[Warning: If Ban Wan’er dies, the Host’s cultivation will be completely reset!]

[Repeat: If Ban Wan’er dies, the Host’s cultivation will be completely reset!]

Li Nü froze.

He stared at the panel, his mouth opening and closing, unable to speak for a long time.

“God damn it!”

“Why didn’t you say so earlier!!”

The words “completely reset” struck him like a hammer.

What?

He was completely numb.

The Early Foundation Establishment Stage he had painstakingly faked, the persona of a great master he had carefully put together—if they were all gone just like that, what would he be?

“System, are you screwing me over?”

Li Nü ground his teeth, his voice low.

“Why the hell didn’t you tell me earlier? What if I hadn’t turned back? What if I had just left like that?!”

The system gave no response.

The red characters on the panel flickered twice and disappeared.

Li Nü took a deep breath, and then another.

“Fine. You win.”