Zhangmen Peak.
Li Xingyao stormed back, full of resentment and indignation.
“Damn it, he actually refused my challenge…”
The arrogant expression Lin Ci had just now replayed vividly in her mind, flooding her again with shame and unwillingness.
However, when she reached the courtyard gate, she hesitated for a moment, bit her lip, then took a deep breath before putting on a bright smile and stepping inside.
“Mother, I’m back!”
She ran into the courtyard and glanced toward the bedroom. The window was half-open, and inside it was completely dark.
“You’re here?”
A hoarse voice, as if draining the entire sect’s vitality into ashes, came from inside.
“Mother…”
Li Xingyao stood by the door, hesitating, but did not enter.
“You came home fifteen minutes later than usual today.”
“Mother, it’s because I…”
“Accept your punishment.”
The voice cut her off without a trace of concern for her explanation.
“…Yes.”
Li Xingyao replied softly, then raised her hand and slapped herself hard across the cheek with a crisp sound.
A faint trace of blood appeared at the corner of her mouth.
Hearing the noise, a sigh seemed to escape from inside before the voice continued:
“How many times have I told you, don’t be so careless and come home on time. Why can’t you manage it?”
“Your father is the Sect Leader, burdened with sect affairs enough as it is. Don’t give him more trouble! And your cultivation—he has no time for it, so he left it to me. If I can’t even manage you properly…”
The voice faltered for a moment, then deepened in tone:
“Xingyao, your mother only wants what’s best for you. Don’t make your parents sad, understand?”
“I understand, Mother.”
Li Xingyao looked down helplessly at her toes, then added, “I will cultivate well, surpass all the genius disciples, and never let you down.”
“It’s good you have that resolve. Now go to the training room. Today, the instructor guiding your cultivation is the sect’s Third Elder, Zhenren Linglong. He’s already here, waiting in the reception room…”
“I’ll go right away.”
Li Xingyao nodded, took two steps back, then turned and walked toward the reception room.
Before she left, she vaguely heard the voice inside say again:
“If only it had been your brother who survived back then…”
Her hands and feet suddenly grew cold.
A gust of chilly wind stirred the red leaves on the ground.
Wenxuan Peak.
Early morning.
The sky was dimly lit, and the ground was covered with a thin layer of frost as delicate as cicada wings. The grass had withered completely.
A plump rabbit cautiously emerged to forage, preparing to store fat for winter…
Lin Ci hadn’t slept last night. Instead, he had cultivated throughout the entire night.
He had become much more proficient with this self-created cultivation method. Compared to the first days when he had just started experimenting with it, his control speed was now over three times faster.
Although his Spirit Power growth was not obvious yet, at least he was maintaining his current level and not letting his cultivation slip away.
This was a good sign—it proved he had grasped some fundamentals of cultivation.
Next, Lin Ci planned to focus on sword techniques.
After all, the original owner was a Sword Dao genius.
He didn’t expect to rival the original owner’s level of swordsmanship—it would be absurd—but at least he wanted to reach a level where he could put on a good show in front of other cultivators and get by.
It was time to find some Sword Manuals to study again.
While planning this, Lin Ci stepped out of his residence.
“Xiaochan?”
Seeing the figure tidying the courtyard, Lin Ci was somewhat surprised.
“Senior Brother, good morning!”
Xia Xiaochan turned around with a sweet smile.
Today, she wasn’t wearing a padded jacket but a thin, dark purple cloth robe. Her brown hair was twisted into a bun atop one side of her head, giving off a delicate, playful vibe.
“Aren’t you cold without thick clothes?”
Lin Ci asked gently.
After these days of getting familiar, he no longer felt the need to act arrogantly or sternly toward his junior sister except when instructing her cultivation. There was no need to always be serious—it wouldn’t feel human.
He only needed to imitate the original owner’s personality a little—a taciturn person who didn’t smile much.
“No, thanks to Senior Brother. I’ve broken through. Now my physical body can resist the cold.”
“Hmm, that’s good.”
Lin Ci said casually, but in his mind, he was wondering if he should buy his junior sister some nicer clothes.
The ones she wore now were too plain and didn’t suit his identity as an unparalleled genius’s junior sister…
Hmm?
Wait a minute… What did she just say?
“Broken through?”
Hadn’t she just recently entered the path?
“Show me your Spirit Power.”
“All right, Senior Brother!”
Xia Xiaochan stretched out her palm and manifested her Spirit Power, eagerly waiting for Senior Brother to assess her progress.
She was still at the Spirit Movement Realm, but her Spirit Power had indeed become denser…
After observing her Spirit Power, Lin Ci roughly estimated.
So that was it…
It was known Xiaochan’s talent was average. Comparing the speed of her two cultivation sessions, it corresponded to the speed of a normal cultivator.
That meant cultivators who cultivated faster than Xiaochan had good talent; those slower had worse talent.
Cultivation trivia +1.
He had filled in a gap in his understanding of cultivation talent.
“Not bad.”
Lin Ci lightly patted Xiaochan’s head.
Her eyes squinted into crescent moons, thoroughly enjoying the moment.
She loved how, beneath her Senior Brother’s cold and aloof exterior, there was a fleeting tenderness that made her feel cherished.
So she needed to work even harder.
“Senior Brother, shouldn’t you teach me sword techniques now?”
Xia Xiaochan asked.
Lin Ci rolled his eyes inwardly. Why bring this up again? Has it been seven days? Have you figured out the question I gave you?
“I’ve already comprehended the Senior Brother’s question!”
Uh… you have?
“What’s the answer?”
Lin Ci was curious to hear what she had figured out in one day.
Xia Xiaochan then explained her entire comprehension process from yesterday, including her reasoning and the final answer—“Preserving Original Heart.”
It actually made a lot of sense…
Lin Ci thought about it and found the answer quite perfect. He couldn’t find any points to refute.
If he tried to argue, it would seem like he was being contrary for the sake of being contrary.
Besides, he couldn’t think of a better answer. Denying his junior sister’s words would put him in an awkward spot.
“Hmm, the answer is correct.”
Lin Ci had no choice but to say.
“Great!”
Xia Xiaochan jumped up excitedly. “Then Senior Brother, hurry and teach me swordsmanship!”
“Not so fast…”
Lin Ci turned away and rubbed his temples with a headache. Sword techniques—he needed to research them himself first before fooling Xiaochan again.
Otherwise, like last time during sword practice, he was afraid he’d accidentally slice a major artery.
“Cultivation requires balance between work and rest. Don’t be impatient. Proper rest is important…”
“Tomorrow you’ll come down the mountain with me, and I’ll buy you new clothes.”
“New clothes? Really?”
After all, Xiaochan was a fourteen-year-old girl, and girls naturally loved to dress up.
Plus, Xiaochan came from a poor background and had only ever worn hand-me-downs from her older sister. Hearing that Senior Brother wanted to buy her new clothes, she instantly became full of anticipation.
Senior Brother is really, really too good to me!
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