"Listen well to that roar in the wind."
Wu Duan Tian and Zhao Ling Tian's faces darkened instantly.
"Senior, has this junior offended you in any way? We are strangers, so there's no need for such humiliation, is there?"
Zhao Ling Tian was defiant.
A peerless genius like him was always revered wherever he went.
His Dantian had been injured by a demon cultivator. As a late-stage Soul Transformation cultivator, his master, Wu Duan Tian, was constantly fretting and bustling about. Wasn't it all because of his exceptional talent, which could potentially elevate Qingyun Sect's future by leaps and bounds?
When had he ever been subjected to such verbal abuse?
Even a single "scram" left Zhao Ling Tian's face burning with shame.
But the Wanqing Mountains fell silent, with no response forthcoming.
Zhao Ling Tian was embarrassed and furious. He wanted to leave but couldn't bear to give up the chance to restore his Dantian. He stood there helplessly, turning to Wu Duan Tian for help.
"Alas, let's go. Gain is fortune, loss is fate. What's meant to be yours will be, and what's not indicates no karmic connection with that senior," Wu Duan Tian sighed, shaking his head. He was equally helpless in this situation.
If the other party had been a cultivator of comparable strength, he could have sought justice for his disciple.
But so far, even though the mysterious cultivator had transmitted their spiritual awareness, Wu Duan Tian couldn't trace their location.
This meant the other party could avoid detection if they wished.
From the start, the stranger held all the initiative, with strength no less than his own. Further entanglement would only invite humiliation.
"Master..." Zhao Ling Tian was reluctant.
Wu Duan Tian patted his disciple's shoulder, not summoning a flying sword, but walking on foot, feigning nonchalance as he said, "Let's go."
Inside, he felt even worse than Zhao Ling Tian.
As a master, he should have protected his disciple and stood up for him, yet now he had to swallow his pride and retreat.
On the other side, Lu Changtian and the enforcement hall disciples sat shaken beneath a pine tree.
They had come with fifty, but now only thirty-six remained.
Fourteen enforcement hall disciples had perished in the battle with the red-haired zombie.
Fortunately, a powerhouse in the Wanqing Mountains had cast a spell. When the thunderbolt struck, a branch of it had also dispatched the red-haired zombie. Without that expert's aid, they would have suffered greater losses.
" Wonder which magnate did this, summoning heavenly thunder to vanquish evils. Such skill is beyond our reach," a disciple sighed.
Though Lu Changtian kept silent, he too yearned for the mysterious expert's prowess.
If he could meet that master and receive guidance, his cultivation path would surely smooth out.
"Brother Lu, after this ordeal, should we continue the mission?" a disciple asked.
" Yeah, Brother Lu, we don't know if that demon cultivator is dead or not. Alas..." another added.
Though unspoken, their evasive eyes and hesitant words betrayed their desire to retreat. Lu Changtian, noticing this, felt disdain and coolly said, "The Sect Leader's orders must be carried out. Here's the plan: you lot seem shaken, so head back and report the casualties first. I'll take care of the rest."
" Oh, Brother Lu, that's not right," one protested.
" The Wanqing Mountains are dangerous. How can you manage alone?" another worried.
Lu Changtian curled his lip at their feigned concern:
" That's settled. I've made up my mind. As the team leader, you'll follow my orders!"
With that, the disciples stopped arguing, thanked him profusely, and left, leaving Lu Changtian alone under the pine tree.
" Sniveling cowards," he scoffed.
" With such mettle, you'll never seize opportunities."
Continuing the mission wasn't just for pride or the Sect Leader's command.
It was also for opportunities.
After all, an opportunity for one was far different from one shared by many!
...
In the hut, all was calm.
" Junior Qingran's Dantian restoration is entirely due to Senior's grace. I'm infinitely grateful."
The girl bowed to the ceiling, having voiced countless thanks. Yet words felt inadequate to convey her joy and gratitude. Empty repetitions would only sound perfunctory. So she tucked those extra words deep inside.
" What are you thanking me for? You're my electronic girlfriend!" Chen Ping An's face lit up as his affection level hit 60. "As a cyber boyfriend, aiding my electronic girlfriend is my duty! Qingran, cultivate diligently and trample those who look down on you. My life is set, but yours isn't. Though you're just data, data can grow. Before this game officially launches, I'll definitely groom you into the strongest female cultivator! Then even if the Grim Reaper takes me, I'll smile in my next life as a reborn billionaire!"
What Fang Qingzhi heard:
[ Cultivate diligently, avoid arrogance and impatience! ]
"Yes, I won't let you down, Senior!" Fang Qingzhi bowed deeply, her face grave. But inwardly, she mused:...
Senior remains aloof, yet unexpectedly reliable and reassuring...
"Hehe," she giggled, then quickly resumed her serious demeanor. From her storage ring, she took out a bracelet.
Crafted from spirit stones, each polished into uniformly sized beads, it was exquisite.
"Senior, this is a good fortune bracelet I made. The material isn't top - notch, please do not think lightly of it. When I get better materials, I'll make a new one for you!"
Lower-grade spirit stones were the only resource Fang Qingzhi felt free to use.
Spirit crystals were reserved for her daily advanced spirit-gathering array. She'd wanted to use those for the bracelet but feared her senior's disapproval.
However, the lower-grade spirit stones her senior provided daily seemed to be her discretionary allotment.
If it was discretionary, she'd allow herself a little indulgence.
[ Your electronic girlfriend 'Fang Qingzhi' has sent you a small gift, please check your inbox ]
"Wow! A gift too? Qingran, you're amazing! Hehehe..." Chen Ping An grinned like an auntie, feeling all his spending was justified.
Even knowing it was part of the game's playbook, he didn't care.
Emotional value was priceless!
He accepted it.
Meanwhile, in the Cangyun Realm.
What Fang Qingzhi heard:
[ Well done, thoughtful of you. ]
...
...
"I wonder when the gift will arrive..."
At a certain 7-day inn.
Chen Ping An clutched his phone, reluctant to put it down.
"Speaking of which, that amulet from last time was subpar. Climbed a mountain once, came back, and Senior's name faded from sweat...," Chen Ping An recalled with a sigh.
After contributing so much money,
the amulet faded?
No sincerity whatsoever.
He hoped this time's gift was more upscale.
[ Tsk, what's this human brat grinning at that black box for... ]
Through the shoebox crack peeked a pair of round cat eyes.
The cat stealthily observed.
[ My body's too weak now; a direct confrontation might not work. Plus, this human seems to have a special ability—grabs my scruff and I'm paralyzed. Better safe than sorry; wait till the human sleeps to act! ]
Late at night.
Fang Qingzhi practiced as usual.
Before sleeping, Chen Ping An checked his balance and turned green.
Wait, where's his money?
In two days, the hard-earned cash was nearly gone?
"Looks like I need to start the second challenge stream as soon as possible..."
But his foot wasn't better yet. For a stream to be effective, the difficulty couldn't be lower than Mount Tai; otherwise, who'd watch? Or he could introduce a new gimmick. But neither option was disability-friendly.
Chen Ping An frowned until four a.m. before dozing off.
Moonlight crept in through the window, brushing the windowsill, sofa, and quietly blanketing the shoebox.
The motionless box suddenly opened.
Four nimble black paws alighted soundlessly on the table.
In the dark, a pair of cat eyes glowed red, fixated on the sleeping man in bed.
It approached step by step.
Stepping into the moonlight.
The shadow on the wall wasn't a cat's but a terrifying giant beast.
Outside, the wind stilled, grass ceased to rustle,
and insect chirps vanished in an instant.