Wuyun Island.
"Greetings, Master." Luo Lingmiao bowed respectfully.
Wuyun looked at her disciple's hair and was slightly taken aback. Calculating the time, it hadn't even been a day since she left. How had her spirit root fully transformed so quickly?
"Lingmiao, didn't you say you needed time to think it over?" Wuyun asked tentatively. Judging from the complete transformation of her spirit root, she assumed Luo Lingmiao had already engaged in dual cultivation with Lu Bingxuan.
"Yes, but when I saw Senior Brother, I realized how cowardly I had been before. I wanted to change myself. As you said, following Senior Brother is my greatest opportunity," Luo Lingmiao replied earnestly, her eyes betraying a trace of admiration when she mentioned Lu Bingxuan.
"..."
Wuyun stared at Luo Lingmiao, feeling slightly unsettled. Somehow, this Seventh Sequence gave her an ominous vibe.
Her previously obedient and reserved disciple seemed to have undergone a complete transformation in less than a day. Could it really be because of dual cultivation? But that didn't seem right... Luo Lingmiao shouldn't be the type to indulge in such desires.
Could it be that Daoyuan, the Water Vein Patriarch, had passed down some sort of dual cultivation method to his disciple? No, that couldn't be it—Daoyuan himself didn't even have a Dao partner.
Wuyun racked her brain, her expression growing more serious. Finally, she moved beside Luo Lingmiao and grasped her wrist, using her spiritual sense and energy to probe the changes in her disciple's body.
Wuyun hadn't intended to pry into her disciple's privacy. However, when she examined Luo Lingmiao, she couldn't help but be shocked.
"Strange. How did your spirit root transform so quickly? And this technique… I've never seen it before," she muttered.
Discovering that Luo Lingmiao's purity was still intact only deepened Wuyun's confusion. How had her spirit root undergone such a rapid transformation without dual cultivation?
And the cultivation method in her disciple's body was neither the Lingyuan Scripture she had taught nor any technique known to her. Yet it was clearly perfectly suited for an Ice Spirit Root.
Originally, Wuyun had planned to craft a tailored technique for Luo Lingmiao once her spirit root fully transformed.
"This is all thanks to Senior Brother's help. He also passed down the technique, though he instructed me not to share it with anyone," Luo Lingmiao explained, avoiding mention of the bathtub. That detail felt too bizarre and might tarnish her Senior Brother's image.
"..."
Wuyun released Luo Lingmiao's wrist and turned away. She suddenly felt drained, as if her precious disciple—someone she had only recently accepted—had been snatched away in the span of a single day.
"Fine. You may go. If you feel tired, you can always return to Wuyun Island to rest," Wuyun said, choosing not to press further.
The profundity of the cultivation method exceeded her capabilities. Knowing her disciple had found a more suitable teacher, she decided not to intervene.
Still, Wuyun couldn't shake the thought: even Daoyuan himself wouldn't have been able to craft such a technique. This Seventh Sequence clearly harbored many secrets. Then again, anyone capable of awakening a Dao Body was bound to be extraordinary.
Midnight.
The familiar sound of the system refreshing rang out.
[Ding! New check-in location detected: the grave of Tianpin Fire Spirit Root cultivator Xiao Yao. Reward: Ninefold Weak Water.]
"..."
"Six!" Lu Bingxuan blurted out, raising a single finger as if to salute.
He had thought enduring two check-ins involving Luo Lingmiao had tempered his Dao Heart, making it impervious to even the most absurd demands.
But this?
Graveyard check-in?
The sheer audacity of it made Lu Bingxuan question everything.
The system wasn't human—that much he'd long accepted. But why did it insist on dragging him into its inhuman schemes?
Stealing an engagement? Fine. Luo Lingmiao herself had resented the arranged marriage, so that wasn't too bad.
But this? Checking in at someone's grave?
This was crossing a line.
Lu Bingxuan felt a shift in his mental state, but after a long sigh, he decided to ignore the system for now and refocus on his cultivation.
Having switched to the Xuanming True Art, he was still recovering his lost cultivation levels. Moreover, the power of the new technique meant that reaching Foundation Establishment would take longer than expected.
Daytime.
The restrictive formation around his island triggered again. Lu Bingxuan opened his eyes to find Luo Lingmiao standing at the entrance of the Seventh Small Pavilion.
"Greetings, Senior Brother." Luo Lingmiao bowed deeply. Dressed in her black disciple robes, her hair was now tied into two buns, giving her a youthful, innocent look.
"No need for formalities. Cultivate as you see fit."
Lu Bingxuan nodded and used his command token to create a separate room for Luo Lingmiao inside the pavilion. He also granted her full access permissions.
"Understood, Senior Brother."
Luo Lingmiao hesitated before asking, "Senior Brother, may I practice the Suihan Sword Technique?"
"Suihan Sword Technique?"
Lu Bingxuan quickly skimmed through the records of the Xuanming True Art. The technique was one of the strongest offensive sword techniques listed, with room for growth at higher levels.
After confirming its suitability, Lu Bingxuan nodded. "Go ahead."
"Thank you, Senior Brother," Luo Lingmiao said, a faint smile of joy appearing on her face. However, Lu Bingxuan didn't notice as he had already resumed his cultivation.
With unwavering focus, Lu Bingxuan cultivated for over ten days, finally reaching the peak of Qi Refining. His dantian and meridians brimmed with spiritual energy, poised for a breakthrough.
Yet instead of rushing to establish his Foundation, he paused his cultivation and went outside to clear his mind.
On the nearby beach, Luo Lingmiao practiced her swordsmanship. Her snow-white hair was neatly pinned back with a wooden hairpin, and she wielded her sword with unwavering determination.
Each movement displayed a refined elegance as she tirelessly repeated the most basic forms of the Suihan Sword Technique.
After watching for a while and allowing himself to relax, Lu Bingxuan returned to the secluded cultivation chamber inside the pavilion.
The chamber was devoid of external spiritual fluctuations but offered complete isolation from outside disturbances.
It was the perfect place for breakthroughs, as it prevented spiritual phenomena from affecting the outside world.
This time, Lu Bingxuan wasn't only concerned about his Xuanming Dao Body's inevitable manifestation of extreme cold.
There was another, more pressing issue: the Heart Demon Trial.
Breaking through from Qi Refining to Foundation Establishment involved opening the Spiritual Palace at the brow and birthing divine sense. This process brought an unparalleled sense of ease and freedom.
However, such a state of relaxation often left cultivators vulnerable to inner demons.
The trial wasn't just a test of power but a confrontation with one's deepest desires, fears, and regrets.
Left unchecked, these inner demons could manifest as illusions so convincing that distinguishing reality from delusion became nearly impossible.
If one succumbed to the trial, their mind would spiral into eternal fantasy until their life force was completely extinguished.
Even in the prestigious Changsheng Dao Sect, disciples lost to the Heart Demon Trial were not uncommon.
Taking a deep breath, Lu Bingxuan began. As his dantian's spiritual energy condensed into liquid form and the Spiritual Palace opened, he braced himself for whatever illusion might come.
"System… if this trial involves me tearing you apart, I might just give in."