The day was clear.

Zhang Xian was meticulously carving the joints of a puppet when the communication jade token at his waist suddenly vibrated.

“Come to the evening lecture hall immediately.”

It was a message from Li Fuxi.

Has Master returned? Zhang Xian put down the unfinished puppet and hurried to the evening lecture hall.

When he pushed the door open, several people were already standing inside: Senior Brother Zhenhai, Fourth Senior Sister Chen Tiexin, and Lin Yinyin. Li Fuxi sat upright in the main seat, her expression calm, revealing nothing unusual.

This was the entire roster of Spirit Sword Peak. There had been a few other disciples before, but after Li Fuxi’s half-year disappearance, they had all transferred to other peaks.

Zhang Xian glanced at Li Fuxi. Her face was exquisitely beautiful, unchanged from when she left, yet her aura seemed even colder and more aloof than before.

Subconsciously, Zhang Xian used his system to check on his master.

【Li Fuxi, Daughter of Destiny (2 points). Current Favorability: 1.】

Zhang Xian’s heart sank. The Favorability had risen back up, but her Destiny value was even lower.

“Master.” He cupped his hands in salute and stood to the side.

Li Fuxi gave a faint nod. Her gaze swept over everyone before finally settling on Lin Yinyin.

“Lin Yinyin,” she began, “I intend to take you as my personal disciple. Are you willing?”

Lin Yinyin was taken aback and instinctively looked toward Zhang Xian.

Zhang Xian gave an almost imperceptible nod.

Lin Yinyin took a deep breath, knelt down, and kowtowed. “This disciple is willing!”

A slight curve touched the corner of Li Fuxi’s mouth before it smoothed back into impassivity. “From today onward, you are my final disciple.”

She paused, her eyes shifting to Zhenhai, Chen Tiexin, and Zhang Xian. “The three of you must assist her in becoming the Supervisor of Spirit Sword Peak.”

The three responded in unison.

Li Fuxi felt a sliver of relief inwardly. She had initially thought the relationship between Zhenhai and Zhang Xian was strained, but she saw them exchanging what seemed like friendly glances.

“Additionally,” she looked at Zhang Xian, her tone uncharacteristically gentle, “I will not stand in the way of your relationship with Yinyin.”

Lin Yinyin’s cheeks flushed slightly pink.

“She has made significant progress during my absence; I presume that is your doing,” Li Fuxi said calmly. “However, you must promise me one thing: you are not to engage in dual cultivation with her before she breaks through to the Golden Core stage.”

Zhang Xian nodded. “This disciple understands.”

He knew Lin Yinyin was nearing minor completion in her cultivation of the Nine Turns Jade Condensation Sutra. If she were to lose her virginity again during this period, all her efforts would be wasted.

Li Fuxi waved her hand. Several faint patterns around Lin Yinyin’s waist silently shattered—the Locking Garment Curse was broken.

Lin Yinyin delightedly touched her waist, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Zhang Xian.

“Finally,” Li Fuxi’s voice remained calm, “I am about to enter closed-door cultivation for a life-or-death breakthrough.”

The entire hall was shocked.

“Master!” Zhenhai couldn’t help but exclaim.

Li Fuxi raised a hand to stop him. “No need for words. Zhenhai, you have been on Spirit Sword Peak the longest. And Tiexin, I personally brought you into the sect. You are both disciples I trust. From now on, Spirit Sword Peak will rely on you to uphold it until Yinyin matures.”

Even the usually lively Chen Tiexin’s eyes reddened; the words ‘life-or-death closed-door cultivation’ hit her too hard. Countless senior cultivators in the Yunmiao Sect had announced such intentions only to vanish into some unknown cave dwelling.

In the end, most died alone in solitude, their bones turning to dust; only a very few ever emerged successfully after their breakthrough.

Even Zhenhai clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles turning white. He knew his master had been stuck at the sixth level of Golden Core for many years and was now attempting to break through to late Golden Core. At their level of cultivation, the more attempts one made at a breakthrough, the lower the success rate became.

It was highly likely that once Master entered seclusion this time, they would never see her again.

Seeing that neither of them replied for a long time—a situation that would normally have angered her—Li Fuxi merely said calmly today, “Your delayed response… does it mean you are unwilling?”

“This disciple respectfully obeys Master’s instructions.” The two spoke simultaneously, kneeling and kowtowing.

Li Fuxi nodded slightly and turned her gaze to Zhang Xian, who had remained silent beside them. “Zhang Xian, I have no particular instructions for you. Just do not fail Yinyin.”

Zhang Xian nodded in acknowledgment.

“Very well, all of you may leave now. From now on, our peak’s morning and evening lectures will be merged with those of Po Yun Peak. I still need to prepare for my seclusion and will give you further instructions before I leave.”

Suddenly, Zhang Xian stepped forward. “This disciple has a matter requiring a private report to Master.”

Li Fuxi frowned. She initially wanted to refuse but, seeing Lin Yinyin’s hopeful look, ultimately nodded. “The rest of you may leave.”

After everyone else had departed, only master and disciple remained in the evening lecture hall.

“Speak,” Li Fuxi said flatly.

Zhang Xian looked directly into her eyes. “During Master’s absence… did you fail a breakthrough attempt and damage your Spirit Root?”

Li Fuxi’s pupils contracted slightly.

“If not for Beauty Preservation Pills maintaining it… I’m afraid even your current appearance wouldn’t be preserved?” Seeing Li Fuxi’s expression confirmed his suspicion further.

Li Fuxi stared at him, her tone indifferent. “You presume too much. I will not punish you for this today. You may leave.”

Zhang Xian let out a soft sigh. “I possess a unique secret technique that allows me to see through your current condition; it cannot be hidden from me. So when Master speaks of life-or-death closed-door cultivation… you intend to find some deserted cave to eke out another decade or so of life before having Lin Yinyin inherit Spirit Sword Peak? Is that it?”

Li Fuxi’s face remained placid; she offered no reply.

Zhang Xian wasted no more words and directly retrieved an item from his system space—the Heaven-Seizing Heart-Mending Lotus Seed.

Li Fuxi’s gaze sharpened. “You—”

“Consume it; it can repair your Spirit Root,” Zhang Xian stated.

A flicker of struggle passed through Li Fuxi’s eyes. After a long moment, she shook her head slightly. “Although this Heart-Mending Lotus Seed can protect my Spirit Root… I have already failed three times. Even if my root is protected… its grade will still deteriorate.”

Seeing that Zhang Xian had even produced the Heaven-Seizing Heart-Mending Lotus Seed… she no longer concealed the truth.

“This Master has no hope left of breaking through to late Golden Core in this lifetime… What use is clinging to life?” Her voice was calm. “You should take it back instead… I acknowledge your sentiment… I only hope you can keep this secret… I do not wish to see them saddened…”

Zhang Xian did not answer but took out three more items instead:

Immortal Ascension Grass!

Immortal Ascension Pill!

Marrow Cleansing Fruit!

“The lost quality of your Spirit Root can still be restored!”

Li Fuxi was utterly stunned!

Any one of these heavenly treasures would be enough to make high-level cultivators fight tooth and nail for them… yet Zhang Xian casually produced so many!

“This… is too precious…” She admitted it—she was tempted!

“Precious? Master may be utterly unaware of my financial power,” Zhang Xian chuckled lightly. “I control all resources within an entire minor world… What seems immensely valuable to you means little to me.”

“I also have my pride,” Zhang Xian continued with a smile. “In this life… I’ve only ever acknowledged you as my Master… If word got out that my Master failed her breakthrough attempt and died sitting in meditation… I’d never be able to show my face again.”

Li Fuxi: “…”

After a long while… Li Fuxi managed one sentence: “…I cannot repay this debt.”

“You can repay it after breaking through to Nascent Soul,” Zhang Xian said directly. “Are you truly content with finding some deserted place to die sitting in meditation? Since you’ve taken Beauty Preservation Pills… presumably wanting to maintain dignity… why not aim for even greater dignity?”

“But I’ve already failed three times…”

Suddenly furious, Zhang Xian snapped, “Why are you being so wishy-washy?! Giving up just like that?!”

“I started as a mere mortal without even a Spirit Root! Cultivating False Core techniques! Even now I don’t know how I’m supposed to form my Golden Core!”

“And you?! Have you been too sheltered?! Never experienced true despair?! Can’t handle this little setback?! What kind of immortal cultivation is that?! You might as well die right now!”

Li Fuxi’s chest heaved violently.

“What do you know?!” she retorted sharply. “This Master possesses dual Spirit Roots! My cultivation difficulty is twice yours! Back then, during a martial competition arena match, someone severely injured me! My Golden Core nearly shattered! It hasn’t fully recovered even now! Yet still, I didn’t give up!”

“If it shattered, then re-condense it anew!” Zhang Xian continued berating her. “Or perhaps you’re reluctant to part with your useless Golden Core.” He pressed on relentlessly. “After all, just some woman with big breasts and no brains… Yinyin following you truly blinded herself! Right now, I’ll go sleep with her! We’ll both switch allegiance under Po Yun Peak together!”

“You dare!!!” Enraged beyond measure, Li Fuxi shot up from her seat, fury seeming ready to erupt from within her eyes themselves!

【Ding! Current favorability: 31.】