Half a month had passed since Li Ran crossed over, and due to the loss of his cultivation, he hadn't had a proper night's sleep. Now that he was finally back to normal, he felt completely at ease.
He had enjoyed a particularly sound sleep.
"Holy Son, wake up."
A soft voice sounded in his ear, and Li Ran groggily opened his eyes.
He saw a delicately featured young woman standing by the bed, holding his clothes.
"Holy Son, it's time for your morning meal," she whispered.
Her name was Ah Qin.
Ah Qin was originally a noblewoman from the prestigious Shen family, her entire clan had been absorbed by the Li family due to an offense that they had made in the past, and she herself became Li Ran's servant.
Even after entering the Hidden Gauze Sect, Li Ran had kept her by his side, tending to his daily needs and meals.
Not because he particularly liked her.
On the contrary, Ah Qin had suffered countless torments at his hands. Li Ran either beat her or scolded her. If it weren't for the sect's prohibition on romantic relationships, her life might have been in even greater danger.
And the reason he kept her around was simply because she was an obedient dog.
"It's Ah Qin's fault, please punish me, Holy Son!"
Li Ran's gaze made Ah Qin tremble in fear, and she quickly knelt down.
Seeing the whip marks on her body that hadn't fully healed, Li Ran couldn't help but shake his head.
How could he have treated such a beautiful young woman so harshly before?
"You haven't done anything wrong, there's no need to apologize to me," Li Ran said.
Upon hearing his words, Ah Qin became even more flustered, and she bowed her head repeatedly.
"Ah Qin is wrong, please punish me, Holy Son!"
She remained prostrated on the ground, her body trembling incessantly, clearly overwhelmed by fear.
Li Ran let out a sigh.
It takes time to thaw a frozen heart, and such deep-seated psychological scars wouldn't be healed overnight.
Sudden changes in demeanor would undoubtedly raise suspicions, so it was best to maintain the status quo.
He could only take it step by step.
"Rise, and help me dress," he said calmly.
"Yes."
Ah Qin stood up and skillfully and gently helped Li Ran put on his clothes.
He wore a pure white silk robe with silver filigree borders peeking out from the inside. A white jade belt cinched his waist, adorned with a translucent emerald pendant. Handsome and dignified, he resembled a charming and noble young master of the mundane world.
Ah Qin blinked her eyes, gazing at him without blinking.
"Do I look good?" Li Ran asked.
Ah Qin nodded earnestly, "Holy Son looks the best!"
"Chuckles..."
Li Ran couldn't help but suppress a laugh and reached out to pinch her small face. "You've got good taste."
With that, he got up and left.
The room fell silent.
Ah Qin covered her cheeks, her small mouth slightly agape, her eyes filled with disbelief.
She stood in place as if sculpted, unable to move.
...
After finishing breakfast, Li Ran wandered aimlessly with his hands behind his back. With the existence of the "Heaven-Seizing Art," he could practice at any time and didn't need to meditate in seclusion. He was feeling restless.
"Holy Son."
"Greetings, Holy Son."
All the disciples he encountered along the way respectfully greeted him.
Li Ran, however, remained expressionless, maintaining his cold demeanor throughout.
"Holy Son!"
Just then, a cheerful cry came from behind him.
Li Ran turned around and saw a lively young woman standing behind him, her eyes forming crescent moons as she smiled.
"Young Junior Sister?"
Li Ran arched an eyebrow.
Given yesterday's misunderstanding, she bore the brunt of the responsibility.
Lu Xinran smiled brightly, "Good morning, Holy Son. It's been a day, and you seem even more handsome now."
"Is there any need for you to tell me that?"
Li Ran replied coldly, "It's early in the morning. Why aren't you cultivating? What are you doing here?"
Lu Xinran was accustomed to his attitude and chuckled, "Holy Son, I've been making rapid progress in my cultivation. I'm already in the late Qi Refinement stage. Even Senior Elder Sun said I'm a little genius!"
Her tone sounded like she was seeking praise, much like a child eagerly awaiting approval.
"It's none of my damn business..."
Before Li Ran could finish his sentence, a sudden prompt rang in his mind.
[New quest available.]
[Provide guidance on your Junior Sister's cultivation issues and offer assistance to help her make progress.]
[Reward quality will depend on the completion degree of the quest!]
Li Ran's heart skipped a beat.
Yesterday's reward had left a sweet taste in his mouth, and he wouldn't let this opportunity slip by.
"Offering some guidance may be simple, but achieving progress is easier said than done. It's not something that can be resolved in just a few words."
"And I don't exactly enjoy helping others; it doesn't fit my character."
"It looks like I'll need to come up with a different approach..."
Li Ran's thoughts raced as he hatched a plan.
...
"Holy Son?"
Lu Xinran was still waiting for his praise.
"A genius? Hah, you think you're worthy?" He coldly chuckled.
Lu Xinran pouted, slightly unwilling, "It was Senior Elder Sun who said that. He claimed I have extraordinary talent and a high compatibility with the sect's techniques, indicating a promising future!"
"Extraordinary talent..."
Li Ran shook his head and said, hands behind his back, "You're sixteen now, right? At your age, I was already breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage, while you're still at Qi Refinement, not even completing the Foundation Building stage."
"With such poor talent, you dare call yourself a genius in front of me?"
"It's truly laughable!"
Li Ran's voice was as cold and biting as winter.
The nearby disciples couldn't help but shiver.z
Indeed, this was the style of the Holy Son – utterly merciless!
Lu Xinran pursed her lips, her large eyes welling up with tears.
Li Ran remained expressionless. "Do you disagree?"
Lu Xinran bit her lip, bowing her head without speaking.
"Very well, I'll give you a chance to prove yourself."
"How?" Lu Xinran looked up.
"Fight me," Li Ran casually stated.
"What?!"
Lu Xinran was utterly baffled upon hearing the Holy Son's words.
<+>
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