Chapter 22: Differential Treatment!

Half a month later...

Just as Lin Zhiwei said, with enough cultivation resources, even a pig could cultivate into a spirit beast. So, under the influence of massive amounts of medicinal pills and day-and-night training, Luo Xing finally broke through to the Tui Fan stage on the very last day.

There are 10 realms in the world of cultivation: Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Spirit Severing, Refinement Void, Integration, Mahayana, and Tribulation Transcendence, followed by the end of the human path, Ascension.

Each realm is further divided into early, middle, and late stages.

Only by reaching the late stage of Qi Refining can a cultivator be considered to have truly stepped onto the path of cultivation, as all impurities of the mortal shell are gone, lifespan is increased, and the physical body is strengthened.

Over these 15 days, several of Luo Xing's mysterious skills also improved...

[Massage: 1/10]

[Touching Dao: 1/10]

[Fire Starting Lv.1: 12/20]

[Fire Control: 6/10]

[Cooking Lv.1: 4/20]

[Knife Skills: 8/10]

[Cultivation: 8/10]

[Breathing Technique: 7/10]

He chose to focus on leveling up [Cooking] because he felt it was the fastest and most convenient to upgrade, and he wanted to see the effects once it reached a certain level.

As for the other skills...

[Massage]? Ye Li wasn't there, and there wasn't a soul to be found at Duan Tian Peak. Who was he supposed to massage?

He hadn't failed to try massaging his own feet to farm experience points, but that obviously didn't work...

Tsk...

'He knew that wretched author wouldn't be kind enough to let him exploit a bug.'

The wretched author!

Can't even play fair!

Pfft! (Pointing fingers)

[Cultivation] required entering a meditative state to gain experience, and [Breathing Technique] required focus on every inhalation; with his time being limited, they could only be leveled slowly. He would see their effects later.

[Fire Starting] only counted if the fire was "reasonable and appropriate," and while he had tested [Fire Control] a few times, perhaps his level was too low, as no effects were visible regardless of how he tried to manipulate it.

He didn't have tea leaves to brew, so the [Tea Art] skill couldn't be leveled either.

Thus, all things considered, only [Cooking] and its derivative skills were the easiest to upgrade.

Of course, Luo Xing hadn't failed to try developing new skills, such as writing, drawing, singing (while Ye Li was away), and reciting poetry, but he had come up empty-handed.

He deduced that these skills couldn't be forced; they required a sense of letting nature take its course. The more you thought about them, the less likely they were to manifest.

Tsk...

'The wretched author can't play fair.'

'Giving him a system but no way to exploit bugs...'

(Pointing fingers)

Just as Luo Xing reached the late stage of Qi Refining, Ye Li returned.

It really had been 15 days...

"Master," Luo Xing said.

"Hmm..." Ye Li examined Luo Xing for a moment, and upon confirming the aura of the Tui Fan stage, she nodded. "Not bad, I suppose. I will consider you qualified."

Tsk...

So many resources used just to barely reach the Tui Fan stage; his natural talent really was worse than average.

"I... it is all thanks to Master's work," Luo Xing said, forcing a smile despite seeing the disdain in Ye Li's eyes. "If not for the cultivation resources you provided..."

Damn!

She's even looking down on me now?

What right do you have to look down on me!

It's not like I asked to be your disciple!

"I'm glad you know," Ye Li said, taking a Spirit Sword from her storage ring. "No time to waste. Let's go."

She cast the Spirit Sword into the air, where it spun against the wind and grew steadily until it became a giant sword over 30 feet long, hovering right in front of her.

"Uh... Master?" Luo Xing asked, feeling confused. "What are you doing..."

He had actually been wondering for a long time why Ye Li was forcing him to reach the Tui Fan stage in 2 months, as if she were chasing a duck onto a perch.

Even the sect tournament was still 1 year away. He, the person directly involved, wasn't worried, so why was Ye Li in such a hurry?

The original story hadn't mentioned any plot points like this...

Ye Li didn't answer his question directly, instead jumping lightly onto the giant sword. "Get on."

"Huh?" Luo Xing asked.

*

"AAHHHHHHHH!"

In the sky, a giant sword cut through the sea of clouds and shot toward the heavens. Ye Li stood with her hands behind her back, steady as a rock, her robes fluttering and her long hair dancing, like an immortal descending to the world.

In contrast, Luo Xing, who stood behind her...

"AHHH! Master! Master! Slow down!"

He swayed on the blade like a roly-poly toy, his legs shaking violently as he flailed his arms, desperate to grab onto something. "I... I'm going to fall!"

Luo Xing felt the fierce gale howling past his ears, his internal organs feeling as if they were being churned together. It was the perfect definition of a person flying in front while their soul chased desperately from behind...

"Condense your spiritual energy into your feet," Ye Li said coolly.

Tsk...

He's scared just by sword flight, how is he supposed to be a sword cultivator?

But Luo Xing could only hear the thundering roar of the wind, unable to hear a word Ye Li said...

He remembered in the original story, the first time Ye Li took Luo Han sword flying, it was like a driving instructor teaching a beginner course. Not only was the flight steady, but Ye Li had supported her with her hands, holding her close as if afraid she wouldn't be able to stand or might get bruised...

Why was there such a huge difference when it came to him?

She skipped the basics and went straight to the advanced maneuver!

This is differential treatment!

This is gender discrimination!

Perhaps due to how noisy Luo Xing's screaming had become, Ye Li clicked her tongue and slowed down, finally giving Luo Xing a moment of relief...

He gasped for air, clutching his chest with lingering fear, and just as he was about to say something, the sight before him stopped him in his tracks...

The mountaintops he had once viewed as insurmountable were now "crawling" beneath his feet. The clouds churned like boiling water, a vast expanse of white that looked like chains connecting all the peaks together.

This magnificent sight struck a chord deep within Luo Xing's heart...

This is cultivation...

To be able to soar between heaven and earth, to look down upon everything in the world...

"Focus your spiritual energy into your feet," Ye Li said suddenly, back turned to him while Luo Xing was still immersed in the majestic view. "Try to link your spiritual energy with the Spirit Sword."

"Uh... what?"

Luo Xing looked toward Ye Li instinctively, but a lock of black hair suddenly brushed against his face...

The cool, delicate, tingling sensation made Luo Xing shudder...

It wasn't a normal itch, but one that seemed to seep into his pores, wandering beneath his skin...

It felt present, yet he couldn't grasp it; it felt as if it didn't exist, yet the tingly sensation refused to fade.

On top of that, a faint, cold fragrance from her hair caught him off guard and invaded his breath.

It was different from rouge or powder, not like the flowers or grasses of the mountains, but a unique, cold, and quiet fragrance—the only one of its kind in the world, the scent that belonged solely to Ye Li...

This overpowering scent was compressed and concentrated by the howling wind, replacing every breath Luo Xing took, making it feel as if he were greedily swallowing Ye Li's scent...

Tasting her presence...

Thump... Thump...

The heart in his chest beat violently. Luo Xing's face turned red and hot in a place he couldn't see...

Is he motion-sick... air-sick... or "sword"-sick...

"Are you done yet?"

Just as Luo Xing was stunned, Ye Li spoke again.

Luo Xing didn't know what she was specifically asking about, so he mindlessly replied, "Oh... oh... okay... AHHHHHHHH!"

The giant sword transformed into a streak of light, tearing through the clouds once more, and Luo Xing's screams echoed through the heavens again.