Xian Di's heart raced as the girl's red eyes snapped open, her presence filling the cave with a pressure so intense it felt as though the air itself was trying to suffocate him. Her aura, cold and crushing, wrapped around him like a vice, leaving him breathless. For a moment, Xian Di felt his knees buckle under the sheer weight of her power.
"I need the egg," she said, her voice sharp and absolute. There was no warmth in her tone, only a cold certainty that made Xian Di shudder. "But I am not one to take without offering something in return."
Her gaze locked onto his, and Xian Di felt a wave of her killing intent wash over him, freezing him in place. It wasn't just a request—it was a command. She was giving him no choice.
"If you give it to me, I will offer you two favors," she continued, stepping closer. The pressure around him intensified, and Xian Di felt his breath catch in his throat. "One of those favors is to eliminate the cultivators and the beast coming after you. They won't live long enough to regret coming after you."
Her words were laced with finality, and Xian Di could only nod, knowing full well that refusal wasn't an option. Slowly, he handed the egg to her, his hands trembling slightly as he did so.
The moment the egg left his hands, the overwhelming pressure around him faded slightly. The girl cradled the egg carefully, her gaze softening for a brief moment. Then, without another word, she vanished from the cave in a flash, leaving Xian Di standing alone.
Moments later, the forest outside erupted in screams—short, sharp, and full of terror. The cultivators, the beast, they were all being eliminated, just as she had promised. Xian Di didn't even need to see it to know their fates were sealed.
Before Xian Di could fully process what had happened, the air in the cave shifted once more, and the girl reappeared in the exact spot where she had been sitting before. Her calm aura returned as if nothing had transpired, but the sharp edge of her presence remained.
Without looking at him, she sat down and crossed her legs in meditation, her gaze distant. "You will sit here and not leave for the next three days," she said, her voice calm but with an underlying menace that left no room for negotiation.
Xian Di felt a shiver run down his spine as her killing intent flared up again, stronger this time, pressing down on him with unbearable weight. His body froze, and for a moment, he could hardly breathe.
"If you leave…" she trailed off, but the unspoken threat in her words was enough. He didn't need her to finish the sentence to understand the consequences. Whatever she would do if he defied her, it would be far worse than anything the cultivators or the beast could have done.
Wordlessly, Xian Di sat down in the cave, across from her. He watched as she flicked her wrist, and suddenly, ration food appeared in her hands, as if conjured from thin air. She placed it beside him without a second glance.
"Eat. Meditate. Grow stronger," she said simply before closing her eyes once more, returning to her deep meditation.
For the next three days, Xian Di followed her instructions, eating only when necessary and devoting the rest of his time to cultivating. The aura in the cave was dense with energy, and under her silent presence, he found his mind sharpening, his Qi flowing more freely than ever before.
By the end of the second day, he felt a surge within him. His Qi Refinement Stage advanced swiftly, pushing him from Stage 5 (Early) to Stage 5 (Mid) with little resistance. His body hummed with newfound strength, each breath drawing in more energy than the last.
On the third day, he pushed through again, breaking into Qi Refinement Stage 5 (Late). The tension in his meridians grew, but he remained focused, cultivating deeply under the girl's watchful presence.
As the third day came to a close, Xian Di felt the final barrier break. His cultivation surged forward, finally pushing him into Qi Refinement Stage 6 (Early). The power coursing through him felt like a storm ready to be unleashed, his body now stronger and more refined than it had ever been.
Just as Xian Di's Qi settled, the girl's eyes snapped open, her gaze sharp and calculating as she looked at him. A small, almost imperceptible smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she studied him.
"Cultivating a Heaven Grade manual in this backwater village," she murmured to herself, her voice barely above a whisper. "Interesting."
Her words sent a chill through Xian Di's spine. Heaven Grade? His heart raced as he froze, realizing the weight of her comment. He hadn't even fully understood the significance of the manual he had been using.
Before he could ask anything, she stood up, her aura retracting as she turned away from him. "You may leave now," she said, her voice calm but distant.
And just like that, she vanished from the cave, leaving Xian Di alone with the echo of her final words.
The chapter ends with Xian Di frozen in place, the word "Heaven Grade" repeating in his mind as he contemplates the immense implications of her revelation.