"Holy Son, wake up, it's time for your morning meal."
A faint voice reached his ears.
It was Ah Qin, providing her customary morning wake-up service.
Li Ran rubbed his drowsy eyes.
Ever since he acquired the automatic cultivation function of the Heaven-Seizing Art technique, he no longer needed to meditate, so he simply slept soundly at night.
"Good morning, Holy Son."
"Morning."
Li Ran got up from the bed.
While Ah Qin helped him get dressed, she said, "Today, I've prepared your favorite lotus seed soup for you, along with green jade lotus soup and snow mushroom dumplings."
"Mmm, thank you for your hard work."
Li Ran ruffled her hair.
"Not hard at all."
Ah Qin smiled with crescent-shaped eyes, gently caressing him like a little kitten.
Since yesterday, she had undergone a noticeable transformation.
She had become less submissive and her smile radiated more warmth, exuding a youthful vigor.
Moreover, her gaze toward Li Ran had grown even more affectionate.
"Huh? You've already entered the Foundation Establishment stage?"
Li Ran sensed her significantly changed aura and couldn't help but be surprised.
"Yeah," Ah Qin replied, "According to the Mysterious Luminous Scripture, Ah Qin should now be in the early Foundation Establishment stage."
Li Ran was astonished.
The Charming Maiden Spirit Marrow Body was truly a one-in-a-million sacred body. Apart from its top-tier "dual cultivation ability," its cultivation speed was also incredibly exaggerated.
Coupled with the highly compatible Mysterious Luminous Scripture, being able to make a breakthrough into the Foundation Establishment stage after only cultivating for a single day was nothing else than outstanding.
Li Ran had a thought and furrowed his brow, "You didn't stay up all night practicing, did you?"
Ah Qin sheepishly nodded, "Yes..."
She added, "But Ah Qin doesn't feel tired at all. Instead, I'm filled with energy!"
Li Ran shook his head, "Absorbing spiritual energy can indeed replenish physical strength, but it doesn't exempt you from mental fatigue. If you can't focus during cultivation, you might end up going astray."
"Oh..."
Ah Qin nibbled on her finger, partially grasping the concept.
Helplessly, Li Ran said, "Lie down and rest now. Sleep here, and you're not allowed to get up until you've slept for at least two hours."
"But Ah Qin wants to cultivate..."
"This is an order!"
"Okay."
Ah Qin obediently walked to the edge of the bed and lay down.
Smelling Li Ran's scent on the bedding, her heart began to race, and her face turned as red as if she had a fever.
Her eyes, black and white like a yin-yang symbol, were wide open with no hint of sleepiness.
"Holy Son, Ah Qin can't sleep..."
"..."
Li Ran pressed his finger to her forehead, allowing his spiritual energy to circulate within her body.
With that, Ah Qin drifted off to sleep in a daze.
"I didn't expect her to be so diligent. Coupled with this unique body and the cultivation technique, her potential is truly limitless," Li Ran nodded to himself.
"By the way, I wonder if the Sect Master is still upset..."
Thinking about what had happened yesterday, he shuddered involuntarily.
"Attack and retreat both result in the same outcome. It's better to take the initiative and apologize to the Sect Master, striving for a lenient resolution."
...
Rakhasa Peak.
Hidden Gauze Sacred Temple.
In the grand hall, Leng Wuyan sat on a phoenix-patterned chair of black and gold, her gaze heavy as she looked at the elderly man beside her.
He was an old woman with snow-white hair. Despite her frail appearance beneath her all-black attire, her eyes shone brightly, showing no signs of age.
"Elder Sun, what urgent matter brings you to me today?" Leng Wuyan inquired.
Sun Wei.
Elder of the Hidden Gauze Sect, Although her cultivation was not on par with Leng Wuyan's, her status within the sect was highly respected.
Even though she was the Sect Master, she still had to give Sun Wei some face.
To Leng Wuyan, she was a senior worthy of respect.
Sun Wei placed her tea cup down and spoke, "News arrived from the Central Lands yesterday. Has the Sect Master had a chance to review it?"
"This..."
Leng Wuyan felt a bit embarrassed.
Due to Li Ran, her mind had been in turmoil last night. How could she have had the mood to read any reports?
"I've been having some insights in my cultivation lately, so I haven't had the time to look at it."
"I see."
Sun Wei didn't doubt her and nodded, "Cultivation is, of course, a top priority, but as the head of the sect, you can't completely ignore matters concerning the sect."
"Yes, Elder Sun is right," Leng Wuyan humbly accepted.
Sun Wei continued, "Recently, the righteous path has been making frequent moves, and the major devil sects are not staying idle either. Currently, the Hehuan Sect and the Slaughter Prison are taking the lead, forming a Dark Path Alliance. They're inviting us, the Hidden Gauze Sect, to join them."
"A Dark Path Alliance?" Leng Wuyan sneered, "Since when did the devil path learn to use these tactics?"
"I assume it's because the pressure from the righteous path has become too great," Elder Sun analyzed.
"They've been acting recklessly lately, crossing the bottom line of the imperial court and the major righteous sects. Now that they've been pushed to the brink, they want to drag others down with them? Do they really think I'm a fool?" Leng Wuyan coldly snorted.
"In that case, how does the Sect Master view this matter?" Elder Sun inquired.
"I disdain associating with that group of trash!"
Leng Wuyan's voice turned ice-cold and fierce, "Whatever they're scheming, I have no interest. But they better not even think about targeting the Hidden Gauze Sect! Otherwise, I won't care about distinctions between the demonic path and righteous path—I'll strike them all down with a single sword!"
Her eyes deep as an abyss, her black hair dancing in the wind, her aura akin to a bottomless pit, her presence exuding a terrifying intensity!
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