NOVEL NEXT Chapter 5
Shen Shi flew back to his courtyard, floating in the air with a look of disillusionment on his face, gazing at the sky.
“Disciples are too tempting. It’s tough to be a master these days. Taking a female disciple risks scandal, and a male disciple… who knows what might happen.”
“Ideally, Yue Li is loyal to me, unlike Xuan Yu. Even under the strong aura of the protagonist, she still sides with me, showing her loyalty. So, the Fourth Grade Yuan Ling Pill wasn’t wasted on her.”
Sitting on his bed, Shen Shi consoled himself, patting his chest.
A Fourth Grade medicinal pill is a rare and valuable item, even for Shen Shi, who only had about a dozen. In a cultivator’s battle, one such pill could be the deciding factor. If it weren’t for the Snow Velvet Grass, a cash cow on Er Bai Peak, Shen Shi would have to sell everything he owned just to afford one or two Fourth Grade medicinal pills.
Yue Li’s condition was more serious than he had anticipated, so he had reluctantly given her a Yuan Ling Pill after rummaging through his pouch.
He returned to his residence and sat cross-legged on the bed, entering meditation.
According to the setting, Shen Shi had dual spiritual roots of water and wood, adept at illusion, trapping techniques, and healing. His strongest known move was the “Layered Mountains” technique.
In the “Era of Cultivation,” techniques were categorized as Spirit, Mystic, and Immortal Techniques, with Spirit Techniques being the most basic. Even perfected Spirit Techniques weren’t overly powerful.
Immersing his mind into his dantian, Shen Shi observed his full and round Golden Core floating in the sea of qi, its color indicating its purity and his proximity to the Great Perfection of the Golden Core Stage.
Shen Shi, at the Great Perfection of the Golden Core Stage, was only one step away from the Nascent Soul Stage. However, this step could be a lifetime’s barrier, as reaching the Nascent Soul Stage would place him among the strongest in the Qingzhou Domain.
Shen Shi withdrew his focus, curious to test his current power.
“Let’s try again.”
With a thought, a stream of water formed before him, as fine as a hair. He flicked his finger, and the water stream swept towards a chair in the room. Silently, the water cut through the chair, leaving a smooth, edgeless cut.
“This feeling is truly amazing.”
With a lift of his finger, the water stream returned, coiling in his palm into a small sphere. This was no technique, just a casual action, but its cutting power was beyond normal comprehension.
The rest of the afternoon, Shen Shi familiarized himself with his strength and noticed differences. The protagonist, Xiao Qi, had five-element spiritual roots and, under the plot’s favor, cultivated all five elements, a typical overpowered protagonist.
Shen Shi had to create such a protagonist due to the story’s demands.
Lost in deep meditation, Shen Shi explored the world of cultivation, rapidly analyzing fundamental cultivation principles with his advanced soul.
As evening fell, Shen Shi opened his eyes, realizing he could easily advance to the Nascent Soul Stage but decided to hold back.
He felt different when using his abilities today. The world seemed to respond and favor him, potentially due to being the creator of this world’s rules.
It was as if the laws of nature favored him, enhancing his attacks and weakening his enemies.
Satisfied with this resonance, Shen Shi resolved to remain vigilant, understanding the importance of keeping a low profile and conserving his trump cards in the dangerous world of cultivation.
—————-
Under the bright moon and sparse stars, two figures ran up Er Bai Peak towards the second area.
“We won’t be caught by Master, right?” Xuan Yu worried.
“Don’t worry. Master cultivates at night; he won’t notice us coming here,” Cang Yu Ling reassured her.
Reaching Yue Li’s door, Cang Yu Ling called out softly, but there was no response.
“Is Elder Sister asleep?” Cang Yu Ling wondered.
“Maybe she’s unconscious from punishment,” Xuan Yu speculated.
Cang Yu Ling, annoyed, suggested breaking in.
Before Xuan Yu could object, Cang Yu Ling charged in, falling face-first as the door was unlocked. She lay motionless, her legs still in the air.
“Why did this happen?” Cang Yu Ling moaned in pain, clutching her nose.
Peering inside, Xuan Yu’s eyes widened in shock, pulling Cang Yu Ling up, “Sister, look, Elder Sister is becoming an immortal.”
Cang Yu Ling, nursing her nose, was stunned to see Yue Li radiating a faint glow, her body as pristine as white jade.
“Her body is so beautiful,” Cang Yu Ling admired, especially envious of Yue Li’s ample chest.
Xuan Yu was more surprised to see Yue
Li’s scars gone.
Cang Yu Ling, still focused on Yue Li’s figure, proposed getting a closer look.
Before they could, they felt dizzy and found themselves outside the door, which slammed shut.
“What happened?” Cang Yu Ling asked, puzzled.
Then, a chilling voice from behind asked what they were doing there.
Realizing they had been caught by Shen Shi, they immediately knelt and begged for forgiveness.
After explaining their intentions, Shen Shi warned them not to disturb Yue Li, who was undergoing a breakthrough, and let them go.
Walking back, the girls were silent and puzzled.
“Has Master changed? He seemed so gentle,” Cang Yu Ling mused.
Xuan Yu, unsure, simply replied, “I don’t know.”
Despite their surprise at Shen Shi’s change, they said no more, feeling this gentler Master was preferable.
The next morning, Shen Shi’s voice resonated through all disciples’ communication talismans, summoning everyone to gather at the Bai Yu Warm Bed atop the mountain.