Li Taixing had become suspicious of her own changes.
'It's impossible for Lu Tong to lie to me, but why can I devour Spirit Stones when I'm not even in the Qi Gathering realm? Could it be that I don't have these restrictions? Or is my physique more unique than just being without attributes?'
Li Taixing couldn't figure it out. The more she thought about it, the stranger it seemed.
Just then, Lu Tong opened the door, walked into the dormitory, and saw Li Taixing already resting. He couldn't hide his envy.
"Boss, you came back so early!"
"Yeah." Li Taixing got up and out of bed.
As he landed lightly on the ground, he felt as if she were as light as a feather, landing without making any sound at all.
This sight stunned the group who had come in with Lu Tong.
"No way, boss, you didn't make a sound when you jumped down?" Sun Bohu's expression was one of disbelief.
Normally, with his build, every time he jumped off the bed, the ground trembled. Even though Li Taixing wasn't as heavy as him, there was no way to land silently like that.
"Maybe it's the result of my training," Li Taixing offered.
Hearing this, the corners of their mouths twitched in disbelief.
'Training in a horse stance can make you as light as a swallow? Yeah right.'
Li Taixing quickly changed the subject, turning to the three Xiong Hu brothers. "Did you guys practice your horse stance today?"
"Yes."
"Did you pass it?"
"Not yet." Xiong Hu, the eldest, performed much better today, but even with his physique, he felt it would take at least a few more days to pass the horse stance test like Li Taixing did.
Li Taixing nodded at his response. After a bit more chatting, they all headed to the cafeteria to grab some food for lunch.
As they reached the cafeteria, a sudden commotion erupted at the entrance.
"It's the Inner Sect's Fifth Elder! Why is she here at the Outer Sect cafeteria?"
"Yeah, it's so rare to see an Elder out here!"
"And the Fifth Elder is so beautiful—she doesn't look old at all."
"Totally!"
Li Taixing and the others overheard these excited whispers, so they turned toward the entrance to see what was happening.
Sure enough, the Fifth Elder stood at the entrance, dressed in a striking red robe, looking heroic and glamorous. It seemed like she was searching for something, her gaze sweeping over the crowd.
When her eyes landed on Li Taixing, they lit up, and in a flash, she dashed toward him.
A fragrant breeze swept past, sending both Sun Bohu and Lu Tong flying backwards, landing painfully on the ground.
"Ouch, what just hit me?"
"Me too, it hurts."
When they looked up, they were stunned. There, standing across from Li Taixing, was a woman dressed in red—the same woman who had just caused the commotion.
And now, she was sitting in the spot that had been occupied by Lu Tong and Sun Bohu moments earlier.
"Hey, little brother, your breathing is very steady, and you seem to be in great condition." The Fifth Elder's voice held a mix of surprise and admiration.
She was the mysterious woman who had witnessed Li Taixing devour thousands of Spirit Stones in the forest. After leaving that scene, she had rushed to inform the Sect Leader of what she had seen. However, the Sect Leader had simply brushed her off, thinking she was making excuses to borrow resources. He had kicked her out without a second thought.
"You're the Fifth Elder?" Li Taixing asked, having pieced together some of the conversations going on around him.
At that moment, Li Taixing realized that his perception had improved significantly. Even without actively cultivating, he could sense changes in the world around him with startling clarity. In a way, he might already be considered a Great Master in the mundane world, if not something more.
"Yes, I am," the Elder replied, her gaze piercing yet kind. "Are you interested in becoming my personal disciple?"
"What?"
Her words sent shockwaves through the crowd.
Lu Tong and Sun Bohu completely forgot their pain, staring in shock at the unfolding scene. They were utterly dumbfounded.
"Am I dreaming?" Sun Bohu muttered, his jaw nearly hitting the floor in disbelief.
"I'll check." Lu Tong responded quickly, reaching out to pinch Sun Bohu's thigh.
"Ouch!"
Sun Bohu yelped in pain, glaring at Lu Tong, who quickly added, "Nope, not dreaming. The Fifth Elder really just said she wants to take the boss as a disciple."
"If the boss accepts, he'll be a direct disciple! Damn, that's a huge leap! He really is the boss." Sun Bohu's eyes were wide with awe.
Li Taixing, too, was caught off guard.
He had never imagined becoming a disciple of any Elder. In fact, her goal upon entering the Sect had been to secure a decent environment to cultivate in, after which she planned to rely on her own efforts, along with the help of the dimensional space bag, to advance along the path of immortality.
But now, this stunning beauty had appeared out of nowhere, wanting to take her as an apprentice. The offer was incredibly tempting.
'Having a master would definitely give me status and recognition. People will respect me more, at least on the surface. Plus, I'll get better benefits and resources, and my cultivation path will be much smoother.'
However, Li Taixing remained calm and asked cautiously, "Fifth Elder, are you serious? This isn't a joke?"
"Of course not." The Elder's tone was firm, and her face was adorned with a sincere smile.
Something still felt off to Li Taixing, but considering the Fifth Elder's status within the Inner Sect, it was clear that becoming her disciple would bring great advantages in the future.
So, Li Taixing rose from her seat, bowed respectfully, and said, "If the Fifth Elder isn't joking, then this disciple humbly accepts."
As soon as she finished speaking, the Fifth Elder burst into laughter, throwing Li Taixing into confusion.
For a moment, Li Taixing wondered if she was being tricked.
"Great! Now that idiot Sect Leader can't mock me for not having a disciple!" She laughed joyfully. "Alright, my new disciple, let's go! We're not staying to eat in this dingy place. I'll take you somewhere with better food."
Without waiting for Li Taixing to respond, the Fifth Elder grabbed her hand and flew out of the cafeteria. In the blink of an eye, they were soaring through the sky, leaving the Outer Sect behind. Her speed was so fast that the cafeteria was thrown into chaos once again.
Everyone was stunned.
"Boss… the boss is gone?" Sun Bohu stammered, still in shock.
Lu Tong smacked Sun Bohu on the back of his head and scolded, "Can you speak properly? The boss hasn't gone missing! He's been taken as a disciple by his master."
"Oh," Sun Bohu muttered, rubbing his head, still feeling dazed. But then he remembered something. "Wait, the boss's master is so beautiful!"
The three Xiong Hu brothers were equally envious, their faces reflecting awe and daydreams.
Not far away, Lu Qingyao and Li Yueniang watched with wide eyes.
"I didn't expect Li Taixing to be so powerful. Within just a few days, the Inner Sect's Fifth Elder chose him to be her personal disciple!" Lu Qingyao exclaimed in amazement.
"Yes, it's incredible," Li Yueniang added, equally in awe.
Meanwhile, a few Outer Sect disciples nearby began gossiping.
"Haha, another unlucky soul."
"Yeah, getting taken by the Fifth Elder…"
"Shh! Do you want to die? Keep quiet!"
"Right, right. Let's eat and keep our mouths shut."
Lu Tong overheard their conversation, and a bad feeling began to grow inside him. He frowned, thinking to himself, 'It seems that this isn't as simple as it looks. We have to find out more about this Fifth Elder and make sure the boss doesn't fall into a trap.'