After a moment of silence, Luo Lingmiao suddenly straightened up, her sudden movement unavoidably drawing Lu Bingxuan's attention.
However, she was currently bowing respectfully, her head lowered. In a soft voice, she said, "I understand now, Senior Brother. Please help me complete the transformation of my spirit root!"
"Transform your spirit root? I can do that? When did I unlock this ability?" Lu Bingxuan was momentarily stunned. Thinking back to yesterday's awakening, when Luo Lingmiao was told by her master to cultivate at his side, he seemed to piece together some of the reasoning.
"Please, no need to be so formal," he replied, extending a hand to lift her up. But as his palm made contact, beyond the softness of her skin, there was also a faint chill.
This cold was nothing to him—practically negligible compared to the power of the Xuanming Dao Body—but it confirmed his suspicions. Transforming her spirit root likely required proximity to his Dao Body's extreme cold. Simply cultivating by his side might suffice.
Still, to be sure, he asked, "Are you certain of your decision? It seems your master has already explained the implications. Repeat them to me."
"Yes, Senior Brother." Luo Lingmiao nodded earnestly and began, "Lingmiao must stay by Senior Brother's side to cultivate until the transformation is complete. The… the best method would be… dual cultivation…"
As she reached the end, her voice faltered, and her face turned a vibrant shade of red. She stammered for a moment before finishing, as if suddenly recalling this detail.
"Additionally… the connection between the Xuanming Dao Body and the Ice Spirit Root will be hard to conceal. There will inevitably be rumors…"
Faced with her nervous embarrassment, Lu Bingxuan merely observed her calmly, but inside, he was sorting through the logic of the situation.
His Xuanming Dao Body's awakening could apparently catalyze the creation of an Ice Spirit Root. And thanks to the system's frustratingly specific task location, it now appeared as though he had deliberately chosen Luo Lingmiao.
At this point, his master knew. Wuyun Elder knew. Now, Luo Lingmiao also knew.
Yet he—the supposed originator of all this—was the last to find out.
"This is insane. I'd love to tear this system apart and see if it was made by some Harmony Sect dropout. A simple task, and it ropes me into acquiring a Dao Companion!"
"Senior Brother, since I've already agreed, I will not turn back. It's just… I may be inexperienced…" Luo Lingmiao trailed off, her voice soft, and her head lowered shyly.
"What? She looks so aloof, but her ability to self-strategize is terrifying." Lu Bingxuan's mind reeled as he took in her words.
Still, it didn't seem too bad. Having an elegant goddess at his side wasn't exactly a hardship. Plus, this would make the task easier—assuming she didn't run away midway through.
Resolving himself, Lu Bingxuan retrieved the tub he had purchased yesterday from his storage token and set it down, turning to Luo Lingmiao with a concise instruction: "Get in."
It wasn't that he was trying to be curt—he just worried that saying too much might shatter the image she seemed to have built up of him. Whatever her thoughts were, her gaze carried a trace of reverence that unnerved him. "The imagination of others is truly terrifying."
"Yes…" Luo Lingmiao hesitated briefly at the appearance of the tub, unsure of his intentions. However, she complied, stepping in obediently.
Watching her enter the tub, Lu Bingxuan felt a wave of relief. "Good, it seems the chicken soup I poured yesterday wasn't wasted. This should fulfill the task conditions."
Just as he prepared to step into the tub himself, he noticed Luo Lingmiao shyly beginning to remove her robes.
"Why are you taking off your clothes?" he asked, puzzled. The tub didn't even have water in it—why was she undressing to soak in air?
"Ah?" Luo Lingmiao froze, her blush deepening into a fiery red. Clearly mortified, she fumbled to re-button her robes, her shame palpable.
Satisfied, Lu Bingxuan joined her in the tub, sitting cross-legged opposite her. The system's prompt immediately flashed in his mind: [Task completed. Reward issued.]
The promised reward—Xuanming True Art—flooded into his consciousness. Despite its brevity, the manual's content wasn't ordinary text but profound divine scripts. The sheer volume of information felt like it might overwhelm him, threatening to fry his soul.
Fortunately, the system seemed to intervene, sparing him from mental collapse.
When he regained clarity, he had thoroughly absorbed the True Art. Its teachings extended all the way to the Great Ascension stage—far beyond what most sect manuals offered.
Although Changsheng Dao Sect possessed Great Ascension manuals, no Great Ascension cultivators existed within the sect, so their viability was untested.
Furthermore, the True Art wasn't limited to cultivation methods. It included detailed instructions for offensive formations and other techniques. Up until now, Lu Bingxuan had been cultivating with the Lingyuan Scripture, which was excellent for foundational work but lacked practical applications.
"Focus and regulate your breathing."
Returning to reality, Lu Bingxuan placed a finger on Luo Lingmiao's brow, transmitting the section of the True Art relevant to Qi Refinement through Foundation Establishment.
He didn't transmit the entire manual—not out of mistrust, but because it would overwhelm her spirit.
Besides, the technique was a system reward obtained thanks to her involvement. Sharing it with her didn't bother him.
The Xuanming True Art, while powerful, was highly specialized. Only those with Ice Spirit Roots or Xuanming Dao Bodies could practice it. Within Changsheng Dao Sect, only he and Luo Lingmiao met the criteria.
After a moment, Luo Lingmiao's vacant gaze cleared, replaced by astonishment.
The technique's profundity exceeded her imagination, its vast repertoire of supplementary sword techniques especially dazzling.
"Lingmiao was reckless just now…" she murmured, her voice tinged with embarrassment. Reflecting on her earlier thoughts, she couldn't help feeling ashamed.
"Who passes on techniques in a bathtub?!" She rationalized that perhaps her senior brother had an eccentric habit. Still, considering her own position on the sect's Rouge List, she felt a faint, inexplicable disappointment at his apparent lack of interest.
"This technique is known only to heaven, earth, you, and me. Do not disclose it to anyone, not even your master," Lu Bingxuan instructed coolly.
"Ah? Yes!" Startled, Luo Lingmiao immediately swore an oath: "I swear on my heart's demon—if I reveal this technique, may my soul burn in the Nine Hells for eternity…"
"Enough. As long as you understand." Lu Bingxuan reached out to stop her.
First, he truly didn't care that much. Second, oaths like this only served to set up dangerous flags. Best to avoid them entirely.