“Truly, it’s Super Delicious!” Lu Xuan declared, his voice brimming with exaggerated enthusiasm. Internally, however, he was screaming. Too disgusting! It smells good, but tastes awful. Negative one point!
Ji Fuyao and Ye Chen exchanged disbelieving glances. They had never heard such high praise from their Master!
Ji Fuyao immediately scooped a large piece into her mouth. Her eyes widened, staring at Lu Xuan. “This, this, this…” Oh. She’d been tricked by her Master. Super Delicious, my ass! Master actually lied?
Ye Chen, ever curious, asked, “Senior Sister, what is it? Is it really that good?”
Ji Fuyao’s eyes sparkled as she shot Lu Xuan a knowing look. Xuanji Holy Lord, however, remained utterly bewildered. Huh? Is it really that good?
Ye Chen took a huge bite himself, then froze, dumbfounded. An indescribable flavor assaulted his senses, and he nearly wept. He’d been tricked by Master and Senior Sister, working together! He silently recalled Master’s previous, more honest rating for his own first attempt at cooking: “Still edible.” This was far worse.
Lu Xuan slowly rose. “Actually, I’m not that hungry anymore.” Thank the heavens, I can escape this culinary disaster. He discreetly used his Insight Eye to check the food for any forbidden powers, finding none, only a truly atrocious taste.
Ji Fuyao also stood. “Master, I have a question I’d like to ask.”
Ye Chen started, “Me too…” Before he could finish, Ji Fuyao pressed him down. “You’re not leaving until you finish your plate.” Ye Chen was speechless. Ji Fuyao glanced around. “Where’s Senior Brother Chen Changsheng? He always disappears at the most crucial moments.”
Meanwhile, Liu Xuan, Fang Yan, and Luo Lingkong, who had been in secluded cultivation for a long time, finally emerged.
At Misty Peak, mist swirled, ethereal and dreamlike, like a realm of immortals. Countless beautiful female disciples sat cross-legged, cultivating in the spirit pool. Steam rose, and within the hazy shadows, glimpses of enchanting figures could be seen.
Suddenly, an incredibly profound aura spread across heaven and earth, accompanied by a faint fragrance. Whoosh! Liu Xuan’s cave dwelling opened, and a burst of divine light erupted. She stepped into the void, petals of divine radiance scattering beneath her feet. Dressed in a flowing white gown, her slender, elegant legs moved gracefully, as if she had stepped out of a painting. Her captivating, curvaceous figure shimmered faintly within the mist.
Instantly, the many female disciples bowed respectfully. “Senior Sister Liu Xuan has emerged from seclusion!”
Liu Xuan smiled faintly. “Has anything major happened on Azure Mystery Peak recently?”
The disciples immediately replied, “Peak Master Lu has taken a fourth disciple!”
Liu Xuan nodded, her chest subtly rising and falling. “Oh? Perfect. I’ve made some progress recently, I’ll go spar with them.” She immediately ascended into the sky, treading on scattered petals, a streak of exquisite divine radiance shooting towards the distance.
The disciples called out loudly, “Senior Sister Liu Xuan, we weren’t finished…” But Liu Xuan was already far away, intent on “bullying” Peak Master Lu’s fourth disciple. During her seclusion, she had achieved Great Accomplishment in the Qianhuan Sect’s inherited cultivation technique!
On the other side, at Body Refinement Peak. Fang Yan, his face covered in a full beard, slowly emerged from his cave dwelling. His upper body was bare, radiating a golden light, his physique as solid as bedrock. On his forehead, an ancient character shimmered: “Earth!” The Dao of Earth Principle! Fang Yan punched the air, causing space to tremble, and waves of sound emanated from his internal world. “As expected of the Panshi Sect, an Outer World inheritance!”
Just then, he received a spiritual message from Liu Xuan. “Come to Azure Mystery Peak immediately! Peak Master Lu has taken a fourth disciple, let’s go spar with them together!”
Fang Yan burst into laughter. “I’m coming! I’m so strong now, even I scare myself!” Fang Yan soared into the sky, divine rainbows surging beneath his feet.
Elsewhere. Zheng! A sword cry echoed through the void. Luo Lingkong, clad in a green robe, stood with his hands behind his back, flying on his sword. Sword qi, like a long river, streamed towards Azure Mystery Peak.
Boom! Boom! Boom! The three geniuses of the Grand Dao Sect had gathered.
Liu Xuan asked, “Luo Lingkong, have you gained anything in the Dao of the Sword?”
Luo Lingkong slowly closed his eyes. “I’ve comprehended a great deal.” He had received the inheritance of the One Sword Sect, which perfectly aligned with his own sword Dao. One sword strike, life or death! He was no longer the same as before.
Soon, Luo Lingkong and the other two arrived at Azure Mystery Peak. Lu Xuan was eating with a pained expression, while Xuanji Holy Lord sat with her eyes closed, three powers surging around her: Xuanji’s Art, Eerie Power, and Ominous Power...
Boom! Crack! Space tore open. Liu Xuan and the other two looked at Ye Chen, slightly stunned. “A Five-star Great Emperor?!” How was this possible?! The three of them had cultivated desperately, yet they were only at the late-stage One-star Great Emperor realm! And that was after refining vast amounts of Outer World inheritance power! Had Ye Chen found some cheat code? They felt utterly defeated! Luo Lingkong’s spirit sword beneath his feet wavered slightly, his Dao heart growing restless.
Liu Xuan asked, “Doesn’t this senior in purple robes look a bit like… Xuanji Holy Lord?”
Fang Yan slapped his head. “I came out of seclusion too fast, didn’t even ask what’s been happening in the sect!”
Liu Xuan gave a charming smile. “It couldn’t possibly be that Xuanji Holy Lord is Peak Master Lu’s disciple, could it?”
Ye Chen looked up, his eyes lighting up as he saw the three. “Senior Sister Liu Xuan, you’re here!”
Fang Yan’s fists rubbed together. Seeing Ye Chen was a Five-star Great Emperor, a tiny spark of jealousy still flickered in his heart.
Liu Xuan asked, “We heard Peak Master Lu took a fourth disciple, so we came to spar.”
Pfft! Ye Chen spat out his food. After all this time, the old tradition of “sparring” was still alive and well?
Ye Chen looked at Xuanji Holy Lord. “Junior Sister, someone wants to spar with you.”
Xuanji Holy Lord slowly opened her eyes. Her jade-like feet danced lightly, her purple robes fluttering as she stepped into the void, instantly appearing before Liu Xuan and the other two.
“Huh?” “What?!” Liu Xuan, Luo Lingkong, and Fang Yan were utterly dumbfounded. “Senior… Senior!” “We truly didn’t know it was you…” “Our apologies for the disturbance.” Bitterness filled their hearts. They’d just emerged from seclusion, only to find that Xuanji Holy Lord was now Ye Chen’s junior sister? What the hell was there to spar about now?! Luo Lingkong’s Dao heart, already unstable, nearly shattered.
Xuanji Holy Lord gracefully descended, resuming the circulation of her three powers.
Fang Yan indignantly said, “Ye Chen, we’re brothers, heart to heart! Why are you messing with us?”
Ye Chen rubbed his nose. “To express my apologies. Here’s some delicious food my Junior Sister made! Come, try some!” Saying so, Ye Chen took a big bite. “It’s truly delicious.” (Internal: Master and Senior Sister tricked me, now it’s my turn to trick them!)
Soon, Liu Xuan and the other two gracefully landed, sat at the stone table, and began to eat. The next instant, Liu Xuan, Luo Lingkong, and Fang Yan stared at Ye Chen, utterly dumbfounded. “Eat more,” Ye Chen urged, piling food onto their plates. The three glanced at Xuanji Holy Lord, then could only swallow the food with tears in their eyes.
Just then, a dense black mist suddenly erupted from Xuanji Holy Lord’s body. The Eerie Power had abruptly lost its balance. Her face flushed, and her condition seemed dire. Ye Chen immediately cried out, “Master! Junior Sister’s Eerie Power is erupting!”
The moment his words fell, a divine radiance burst forth from Lu Xuan’s cave dwelling, manifesting into a void handprint that effortlessly seized Xuanji Holy Lord and pulled her inside. Lu Xuan, who had just been drifting off for a nap, was exasperated. What the hell now? Can’t a guy get some peace and quiet?
Whoosh! Xuanji Holy Lord’s white hair billowed, the Eerie Power on her body growing denser and denser, like a black abyss. Her body began to contort strangely. The power of “Eerie”! On her exquisite face, a rare, alluring charm appeared, her delicate body trembling incessantly. Her eyes, like autumn waters, met Lu Xuan’s as she placed her jade-like hand on his shoulder, her breath like orchids. “Master…” she whispered. “Master, help me absorb a mouthful?”
Lu Xuan’s internal thoughts were a mix of bewilderment and a casual, almost pervy-but-innocent observation of her beauty and physical attributes. This disciple… truly mischievous!