Li Yingling's unreasonable request was naturally rebutted by Chu Xingchen.
The techniques provided by the system were all capable of leading one to immortality. They were perfectly tailored for her spirit root.
Even the top sects might not have such a thing. If Li Yingling could practice this, she should be over the moon—how could she dare to be picky?
Besides, he didn't have any other cultivation techniques to offer her.
Nighttime.
Li Yingling lay on the cold wooden plank. Without the soft pillows from home, she found it hard to fall asleep.
Even though she wore clothes, with her little belly exposed and no blanket covering her, she felt completely uncomfortable.
"Master," she whispered.
A grumpy reply came from Chu Xingchen: "What are you doing up at this hour?"
"The wind is seeping through the temple door… I'm cold."
Chu Xingchen yawned and said, "Get up and walk around for a bit; you won't feel cold after that."
Li Yingling weakly countered, "But won't I just get cold again if I lie down?"
With a hint of helplessness, Chu Xingchen said, "I already told you, that technique is called the Supreme Yin Mystical Water Heart Sutra. You should practice it boldly!"
"Once you reach the third or fourth level of Qi Refinement, you won't feel cold anymore."
Li Yingling silently glanced at the cultivation manual beside her—Water Heart Sutra.
Master! What you're saying is really hard to believe!!
Fine! If she had chosen this master, she'd better cry and keep on cultivating.
With gritted teeth, Li Yingling got up, took the Water Heart Sutra, and walked to the fire pit. She opened the first page and looked at the first line.
[This technique, authored by the Water Spirit True Monarch, is an exclusive skill of the True Immortal Realm Water Spirit True Monarch.]
Whoa! True Immortal technique?
Li Yingling's mood brightened as she read the second line.
[This is written by the Angry Waves True Monarch, who has updated the Water Spirit True Monarch's original text! This version has more powerful effects—rest assured and practice!]
Whoa! A major figure has even thoughtfully revised it?!
Feeling satisfied, Li Yingling nodded and moved her gaze to the third line.
[This is written by the Ocean-Overturning True Monarch; the previous two are rubbish. What kind of nonsense are they writing? They mislead the disciples! I have revised it.]
...…????
Li Yingling's eyes quickly scanned the rest of the first page.
Goodness!
The entire first page was filled with "This technique" at the beginning of every line, harshly criticizing the previous authors.
According to the first page, this Water Heart Sutra had been revised by at least seventeen masters.
In other words, it was a cultivation technique that had gone through seventeen versions.
Li Yingling trembled as she turned to the next page.
Please don't let there be any more revisions!
[This technique…]
Li Yingling felt her vision blur, but she forced herself to read on.
[This is written by the North Sea Emperor; for heaven's sake, don't revise it anymore! It's not only terrible but also leads to confusion! I nearly went mad practicing this! This version has been finalized by me! It's safe to practice! One last reminder—don't change it again!]
Looking at the next section, she was relieved to find that no one had revised it further.
However, the original text had been completely covered with thick ink.
The only remaining line on that entire page read:
Water is the spiritual source of heaven and earth.
Great, another useless saying.
Without hesitation, she turned to the next page.
The entire page had been blacked out but had red ink scribbled over it, only to be mostly covered again.
The various colors of ink left the page looking entirely dark.
Then, in white paint, someone had forced more text onto it.
These masters… were incredibly stubborn.
The multicolored letters made Li Yingling's eyes feel like they were spinning.
She raised her head and weakly said to Chu Xingchen, who was lying on the wooden plank: "Master… I think I'm going to go mad; can you save me in time?"
Chu Xingchen propped himself up, looking at Li Yingling, who was squatting by the fire with the Water Heart Sutra in her hands. He sighed and said, "Just practice it; you won't go mad. Why would your Master harm you?"
"Master, didn't you buy this from a roadside stall?"
"Didn't you see? Do you really think you can buy this kind of technique from a roadside stall?"
Hearing this, Li Yingling looked down and indeed saw the ridiculous amount of fake ink money that had clearly been spent.
She weakly said, "Master, if I really practice it, can you protect me?"
Standing up from the wooden plank, Chu Xingchen walked over to Li Yingling and nodded.
"Don't worry; I'll ensure you're safe. Once you start practicing, you'll understand just how powerful this Water Heart Sutra really is!"
Master! You're the one who called it the Water Heart Sutra!
But what else could she do?
Li Yingling steeled herself and read through the Water Heart Sutra, which had probably strayed far from the original text.
Then she began to cultivate according to this technique.
Once she started… she felt an instant difference.
The spiritual energy of heaven and earth quickly condensed and surged toward Li Yingling.
She absorbed the spiritual energy according to the technique, following the pathways of the heart sutra.
A natural sensation spread throughout her body.
Meanwhile, Chu Xingchen stared in shock as he watched Li Yingling rapidly break through to the first level of Qi Refinement.
Then, with her aura solidifying quickly, she suddenly broke through to the second level of Qi Refinement!
This genius seedling was terrifyingly powerful?!
Damn it, it's no wonder she has the "genius" attribute; how enviable!
[Big Disciple: Li Yingling has broken through to the second level of Qi Refinement.]
[100% cultivation power returned.]
Chu Xingchen's eyes lit up—such good fortune existed?!
A faint and clear spiritual energy entered his body.
Chu Xingchen quickly sensed this spiritual energy but couldn't detect much.
After all, she was just at the second level of Qi Refinement; for him, a Golden Core cultivator, it was far too low.
Well, at least he didn't have to worry about her surpassing him.
He'd always be one Golden Core level ahead of her!
In the middle of the night, after observing Li Yingling for a while and finding no significant issues, Chu Xingchen lay back down on the wooden plank, yawned, and planned to continue sleeping.
Since it was a technique produced by the system, there shouldn't be any problems.
Then it seemed Li Yingling had become addicted to cultivating.
She practiced straight through the night until morning.
Sunlight streamed through the broken door and illuminated the temple.
"Master! Master!"
Chu Xingchen groggily opened his eyes to find Li Yingling staring at him with adoring eyes.
"What's the matter?" Chu Xingchen asked in confusion.
Li Yingling excitedly said, "I've reached the fifth level of Qi Refinement! I achieved it in just one night! This Water Heart Sutra is truly top-tier!"
Chu Xingchen yawned, turned over, and planned to go back to sleep, but he still perfunctorily praised her, "Mm-hmm, you're doing great."
Seeing Chu Xingchen getting ready to sleep again, Li Yingling quickly spoke up, "Master, I haven't established my foundation yet, so I can't abstain from food. I've been hungry all day! There's nothing to eat in this desolate mountain area. Do you have any solutions?"
Chu Xingchen sighed helplessly, "Didn't you say it's desolate out here? Just go catch a wild chicken."
"You've already reached the fifth level of Qi Refinement; surely you can catch at least one wild chicken, right?"
Li Yingling froze upon hearing this.
When she had been tricked into becoming his disciple, he hadn't been like this at all!
How had he changed so much after she joined the sect?
She wouldn't know how to catch a wild chicken, but looking at Chu Xingchen lying motionless on the wooden plank made her think.
Well, maybe… this was what cultivation was like?
Just like that Water Heart Sutra.
After comforting herself, Li Yingling picked up a nearby wooden stick, stepped out of the temple, and prepared to hunt a wild chicken.
As she exited, she heard Chu Xingchen's voice behind her.
"Remember to leave two chicken legs for your Master."
Just having stepped into the fifth level of Qi Refinement, Li Yingling nearly stumbled and fell over.