Lu Xinran's face turned deathly pale, her heart ashen.
The pain in her heart was far more intense than any physical sensation.
"The disparity is so immense. I can't even touch him with a single blow!"
"He struck so ruthlessly. It seems that in his eyes, I'm no different from anyone else."
Lu Xinran's heart felt like it was being twisted with a knife.
"Xinran!"
Elder Sun exclaimed in shock and leaped onto the arena.
However, Li Ran took a step and stood in front of him.
Elder Sun anxiously said, "Holy Son, she has already been beaten like this. Shouldn't you calm down? Spare her for now!"
Li Ran ignored him and gazed at Lu Xinran.
"Now, do you yield?"
"I yield."
Lu Xinran's voice was hoarse, her spirit shattered.
"The path of immortality is arduous, requiring constant honing. If you do not wish to fade into the masses, you must exert efforts beyond the ordinary. Natural talent indeed determines the upper limit, but the extent of your hard work will decide your lower limit," Li Ran's voice echoed mysteriously.
"Your teachings are noted, Holy Son," Lu Xinran nodded.
"Your meridians are obstructed, and the flow of spiritual energy is hindered at multiple points. That is the reason you have yet to establish your foundation," Li Ran explained,
"Do you still remember the acupoints I touched just now?"
"Acupoints?"
Lu Xinran blinked, a bit bewildered, and hesitantly replied, "I remember..."
"Follow the sequence of acupoints I touched and circulate your cultivation technique again," Li Ran instructed.
"Yes."
Lu Xinran didn't question.
Enduring the intense pain that coursed through her body, she sat cross-legged and began to circulate her cultivation technique.
After just one complete cycle, she was utterly shocked.
The previously obstructed meridians were now clear and unobstructed, and the efficiency of her spiritual energy circulation had more than doubled!
The surrounding spiritual energy was drawn to her like a magnet, surging into her body.
"This..."
Elder Sun looked at Li Ran in astonishment.
So that's how it works!
No wonder the Sect Master didn't want me to intervene!
Lu Xinran continued to circulate the technique for forty-eight cycles, compressing the spiritual energy within her body to its limit. Her robe fluttered without any wind.
Yet, there was still a thin barrier preventing a breakthrough.
"Open your mouth."
Li Ran casually flicked a pill towards her.
Lu Xinran obediently parted her cherry lips, and the pill landed perfectly in her mouth.
The pill dissolved upon entering, transforming into a surge of heat that flowed along her meridians.
Boom!
Her spiritual energy within her body was instantly ignited, causing her to rise into the air!
After the duration of a tea cup's steeping, the spiritual energy subsided.
Lu Xinran opened her eyes, a trace of profound light flashing within them, and she exclaimed in disbelief, "The spiritual energy has liquefied, it seems... I've completed my foundation!"
"What!"
"Sister Lu has established her foundation?"
The disciples below looked utterly puzzled.
Wasn't she always being defeated by the Holy Son? How did she suddenly succeed in building her foundation?
Elder Sun stepped forward, a smile in his eyes, and said, "Xinran, you should thank the Holy Son. If it weren't for him clearing your blocked meridians and using a precious marrow-cleansing pill, how could you have built your foundation so smoothly?"
He was genuinely amazed.
Breaking through blocked meridians usually required gradual cultivation on one's own, and external assistance could lead to an unstable foundation.
But Li Ran had managed to accurately locate the blockages without even using his spiritual energy, which was quite astonishing!
"Truly worthy of the Holy Son... Is this a show of goodwill? Could it be implying that I should align myself with him?"
Elder Sun glanced at Li Ran, his demeanor growing more cautious.
"Thank you, Holy Son!" Lu Xinran's smile was radiant, her heart feeling like an overturned honey jar.
So, the Holy Son was actually teaching me a lesson on the surface but was secretly helping me break through.
And for this, he used a precious marrow-cleansing pill!
"No need to thank me, your talent is just too lacking, it's unbearable for me to watch," Li Ran said expressionlessly.
Lu Xinran: o(〃▽〃)o
Clearly, he cared about her, but he still refused to admit it.
So proud, so adorable!
I really want to take a bite of the Holy Son!
Li Ran: "..."
Other female disciples gazed at him with infatuated expressions.
It seemed the Holy Son was different from the rumors. His cold exterior and warm interior were truly captivating!
The entire martial arena was filled with pink bubbles of excitement.
In a corner.
Leng Wuyan was like a block of ice, emanating a chilling aura.
"Hehe..." she tugged at the corner of her lips, "These rebellious disciples, how about we just expel them all from the sect?"
Li Ran inexplicably shivered.
At that moment, his task prompt indicated completion, and he no longer lingered. With a swift movement, he slipped away.
...
At the back mountain's secluded villa.
Li Ran let out a sigh of relief.
These Hidden Gauze Sect girls were all so fierce, as if they wanted to devour him.
But fortunately, the task was done.
Li Ran opened the system interface.
[Task completed.]
[Task Completion: Perfect]
[Rewards: 2 Advanced Treasure Chests]
"Only two advanced treasure chests? Last time, I had three super treasure chests."
From this, it's evident just how exaggerated the difficulty of confessing to Leng Wuyan was...
Li Ran opened the treasure chests.
[Congratulations, Host, you have obtained the physique "Charming Maiden Spirit Marrow Body"!]
[Congratulations, Host, you have obtained the cultivation technique "Mysterious Luminous Scripture"!]
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