Humans are generally fond of compromises. Although Lina had good intentions, it wasn't appropriate to force Alex. So she settled for the next best thing and suggested waiting a couple of days to see.
"Alright, bye"
Alex nodded and turned to walk towards the stairwell. He hadn't eaten lunch yet.
"Hey, wait"
Lina called out to him and caught up, saying, "What's your phone number? Give me a way to contact you"
Upon hearing this, Alex spread his hands.
"I don't have a phone"
But Lina had clearly anticipated this and wasn't surprised. The corner of her mouth curled up, "I guessed as much"
Then she took out a phone from her pocket and handed it to him.
"Here, use this. I've already set up the SIM card for you. If you run into any issues, just give me a call directly"
After saying that, Lina didn't wait for Alex to refuse and turned to leave.
She took a few steps, then stopped and looked back at Alex with a very serious expression, "I hope you take what I just said seriously. It won't be long before the revival of spiritual energy becomes public knowledge. Our future college entrance exams will no longer be just an ordinary academic test"
She looked up at the azure sky with a longing look on her face.
"It's a mysterious world. The college entrance exam might be your only ticket to get there"
Alex looked at her and suddenly blurted out, "You talk big, but how come you almost got stabbed?"
Lina's expression froze, and a flash of embarrassment passed through her eyes. She frowned, unconvinced, "That's because I haven't learned any techniques yet!"
"Do you even understand the value of having the potential for Foundation Establishment? Now that everyone has just started figuring out cultivation methods, a genius like me who's just one step away from entering the first level of Qi Refining - there probably aren't more than twenty people my age like that in the entire country"
"And that's including those who have been cultivating since childhood, living in Taoist temples"
"Besides, who knew the authorities would be so unreliable? They said there definitely wouldn't be any problems in Shadehaven City"
As she spoke, Lina felt a bit annoyed, "But I guess I was a little too careless.."
She didn't notice that when she mentioned "Foundation Establishment potential" and "first level of Qi Refining," Alex's expression suddenly changed.
'Foundation Establishment... potential?'
Alex thought for a moment. On the path of cultivation, there was Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Transcendence, Deity, and Great Deity.
This Foundation Establishment potential, he found it hard to evaluate right away.
Even when hearing others boast, they at least started at the Nascent Soul stage...
This was the first time he heard someone so proud of their Foundation Establishment potential...
Lina looked at him suspiciously, roughly guessing his thoughts, and then said in realization, "You think Foundation Establishment is simple?"
As she spoke, the corner of her mouth lifted again, and the silly hair on her head suddenly stood up.
"You don't know this, but although the revival of spiritual energy has only been around for a year, the concentration of spiritual energy in the world has already stabilized"
"The so-called Foundation Establishment is already a powerhouse capable of moving mountains and overturning seas!"
"The currently known Foundation Establishment powerhouses in our country are only the old patriarchs of Shady Mountain and Longhu Mountain"
After saying that, Lina looked at Alex with some pride, hands on her hips, "Now you know how amazing I am"
Alex sighed inwardly, thinking that she was still just a teenage girl after all. She had probably been holding this in for who knows how long.
Finally encountering someone she could show off to, she blabbered on and on, wanting him to praise her.
So Alex cooperated by gasping in surprise, "I never imagined you would be... so terrifying!"
Lina saw through his perfunctory response and snorted, turning to leave.
"… Ignorant fool, you really anger me…"
This time she really left, without stopping, leaving only Alex standing there.
The boy suddenly laughed and followed her down from the rooftop.
'This standing with her hands on her hips and seeking praise, really did seem a bit familiar'
...
...
Divine Land.
On the official road to Luoyang, two figures walked side by side.
The adult had an upright posture, wearing a plain and elegant Taoist robe. His face was handsome, and from a distance, he seemed to have a transcendent aura.
The little girl holding her hand was also bright-eyed and fair, petite and adorable.
Her originally mud-stained clothes had been changed, and she now wore a Taoist robe identical to her master's, just several sizes smaller. It looked extremely cute on her.
The little girl's expression was a bit restless. She swung her master's arm, her eyes darting around, and occasionally bit her fingertips.
"Master, where are we going?"
Selene raised her little head and asked. Children's emotions come and go quickly. Plus, with Alex's technique soothing her earlier, that bloody and cruel scene had already been sealed away.
If nothing unexpected happened, she probably wouldn't remember it again in the future.
In her memory, she was just an abandoned baby girl who was picked up by a kind immortal and taken in as a disciple.
Alex looked down at her and gently squeezed her little hand.
"We're going to a place where no one will disturb us"
"But Master, aren't you an immortal? Can't you whoosh and fly us there? Why do we have to walk?"
The disciple's innocent words made Alex's expression a bit awkward.
He had actually just entered the path of cultivation less than three months ago, barely breaking through to the Golden Core stage.
Although one could fly on a sword once reaching Foundation Establishment, he had to use an explosive technique to slaughter the evil leaders of Su Village a few days ago.
Now the golden core on his spiritual platform had become dull and lifeless, temporarily unable to function normally.
Of course, he definitely couldn't tell Selene about this.
Alex pondered for a moment and said, "Selene, as the saying goes, reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles. Walking is naturally a means of cultivation"
"Really?"
"Of course"
"Oh!"
Selene responded disinterestedly. Then she turned her head and saw a small pebble by the roadside. Her eyes lit up, and she quickly broke free from her master's hand, rushing over to kick it.
The pebble whooshed through the air and then landed on a luxuriously decorated carriage traveling ahead, making a thud.
The carriage slowly came to a stop.
The coachman also poked his head out.
"Oh no!"
Selene's heart jumped. She quickly retreated to her master's side, hugging his arm with both hands while blinking innocently.
She met her master's gaze, a pair of extremely beautiful and deep pupils, making her heart cry out in despair.
'It's over, it's over. I just got picked up by my master and I've already caused trouble...'
'Wuwu...'
Fortunately, the expected scolding didn't come.
Selene mustered up the courage to look over and found that there was no trace of anger on her master's face, just a smile towards her.
"Sele, you're in trouble~"
Upon hearing this, Selene hung her little head, her expression downcast, "Sorry Master. I'll be more careful next time.."
A large hand stroked the top of her head, giving a warm sensation.
"It's alright. Let's go apologize together. When you do something wrong, it's good to make amends promptly"