Watching Zhang Meng’s retreating figure gradually fade into the distance, Qin Lu’s expression remained somewhat dazed.

“Was I a bit too impulsive? Seeing a beauty and losing all sense, agreeing immediately when she mentioned living together…”

“What about my daily skill practice? Won’t that arouse their suspicion…”

“The expenses for a family of three, isn’t that a bit much…”

Before the meal, he was a lonely bachelor, one person full and the whole family fed.

But after the meal, he was suddenly about to live with a woman, and this woman even brought along a little boy.

It was truly like a supermarket promotion, buy one get one free.

“Ah, ah, this is not easy to handle…”

Qin Lu scratched his head, casually closed the courtyard gate, and sat back down on the chair.

He glanced at the unwashed dishes on the table, paused for a moment, then looked up towards the west wing of the courtyard.

His courtyard had two rooms, a main room and a west wing.

Since moving in, he had always lived in the main room, rarely even entering the west wing.

“They’re moving in tomorrow, so I should help clean it up today.”

Qin Lu was a man of action. He immediately stood up and simply cleared away the pots, pans, and dishes from the table.

Then, picking up a broom, rags, and other cleaning tools, he entered the west wing and began a thorough cleaning.

One hour later.

Gazing at the completely refreshed west wing before him, Qin Lu patted his hands together in satisfaction, his eyes filled with delight.

This room would definitely satisfy Madam Zhang!

After fetching some water to wash his hands, various thoughts once again bubbled up in Qin Lu’s mind.

“Should I go buy some daily necessities?”

“Bedding and quilts are probably needed too…”

“Ah! Forget it, forget it! She’ll probably bring everything tomorrow. Better not overthink it. Cultivate! Cultivate!”

Cutting off the distracting thoughts, Qin Lu took out the [Shangqing Sword]. Holding the longsword level, he stood in the center of the courtyard.

He calmed his mind and focused his spirit, driving away all desires and emotions.

He planned to practice the Gray Shadow Sword Art.

And this time, he intended to incorporate the Soft Wind Technique into his sword practice.

Cultivating this way would definitely greatly increase his spiritual energy consumption.

But in turn, the proficiency on his panel would also increase rapidly in proportion.

Qin Lu focused his mind, circulating spiritual energy throughout his entire body, making it feel light and agile.

He activated the Soft Wind Technique.

Simultaneously, his mind began recalling the stick-figure movement images of the Gray Shadow Sword Art.

Mind and body linked, his wrist twisted.

“Shi!”

The longsword began to dance.

His figure started to dart, twist, leap, and weave continuously within the courtyard, brandishing streaks of sword shadows.

Under the enhancement of the Soft Wind Technique, his sword techniques became exceptionally smooth and natural, completely devoid of the stiffness he felt last night.

Furthermore, each movement was reinforced and assisted by a faint flow of spiritual energy, greatly increasing both lethality and speed.

“Now this is swordsmanship!”

Qin Lu was ecstatic in his heart. Only by wielding the sword like this could his passion for cultivation be ignited.

Time passed minute by minute, and the spiritual energy within his body also dwindled bit by bit.

Soon.

“Thud!”

Qin Lu stumbled. As his spiritual energy dissipated, he fell directly to the ground with a dull thud.

He couldn’t even hold onto the [Shangqing Sword] in his hand, and it dropped not far away.

“Huff! Huff!”

Lying on the ground, Qin Lu spread his arms, gasping for breath in great heaves. Every muscle in his body ached with soreness, and his inner robe was thoroughly soaked with sweat.

“Training like this, this one-pack abs won’t take long to become an eight-pack, will it…”

Qin Lu rubbed his round belly, thinking to himself.

With the addition of the Soft Wind Technique, his swordsmanship had become smoother, and the intensity of the training was unlike before.

He had only gone through the forms twice, yet he was already drenched in sweat.

Carefully recalling the feeling of practicing the sword just now, Qin Lu lay on the ground for quite a while before finally standing up.

He first returned to his room and drank a large bowl of cool boiled water.

After his chest felt somewhat more comfortable, he stripped off all his soaked clothes.

Stepping out into the courtyard, he fetched some water, squatted down completely naked, and began pouring water over himself.

A simple bath.

……

After bathing, Qin Lu changed into a new set of inner robes and sat cross-legged on the meditation cushion in the main room.

He naturally began circulating the Mystic Sun Mantra.

He started recovering his spiritual energy.

After advancing to the third layer of Qi Refining, his spiritual energy reserves had increased significantly.

The Ignition Technique, which he could originally only cast twelve times in a row, could now be cast fifteen or sixteen times consecutively.

This was very convenient for Qin Lu’s skill practice.

Moreover, the increase in spiritual energy reserves did not increase the time needed for meditation to recover it.

It still only required two hours of meditation to fully restore all his spiritual energy.

As the mantra and technique circulated, the invisible, intangible spiritual energy between heaven and earth began seeping into his body through all his skin.

He was like a sponge, frantically absorbing the surrounding heaven and earth vitality.

After absorbing enough energy, that slender strand of spiritual energy within his dantian gradually stirred awake.

After the technique’s upgrade, this strand of spiritual energy had grown considerably thicker, like a newborn little snake.

It emerged from the dantian and began circulating along the meridians within his body, constantly wandering to various parts, nourishing his physique.

Suddenly, the spiritual energy snake instantly enlarged, its speed abruptly skyrocketing.

A wave of pain began assaulting Qin Lu’s brain!

“Again?!”

This sensation was very familiar to Qin Lu; it was exactly the same abnormality he experienced during his technique upgrade some time ago.

Clearly, after this period of arduous cultivation, the Mystic Sun Mantra had achieved new progress!

Having experienced it once before, Qin Lu didn’t overthink it. He gritted his teeth, enduring the impact of this intense pain.

Sweat slowly seeped out, soaking the inner robe he had just changed into not long ago.

The pain continued to intensify, but Qin Lu maintained his cross-legged posture, his form not moving in the slightest.

Twenty minutes later.

The pain rapidly receded, and a warm, flowing sensation gradually returned.

His furrowed brows slowly relaxed.

A moment later.

The meditation session ended.

Qin Lu opened his eyes and exhaled a mouthful of turbid air.

Focusing his mind, he opened his status panel.

[Name: Qin Lu]

[Lifespan: 36/107 years]

[Cultivation: Qi Refining Layer 3: 34/100]

[Techniques:]

「Mystic Sun Mantra」(Proficient): 1/600

[Skills:]

Spells:

「Ignition Technique」(Proficient): 525/600

「Finger Flick Technique」(Proficient): 540/600

「Illumination Technique」(Proficient): 32/600

「Cutting Technique」(Proficient): 31/600

「Soft Wind Technique」(Novice): 46/100

Talisman Crafting:

「Water Qi Shield」(Proficient): 110/200

「Cleansing Talisman」(Novice): 30/100

Sword Arts:

「Gray Shadow Sword Art」(Novice): 8/100

[Talents: None]

Looking at the various skills on the panel.

Qin Lu smiled with satisfaction.

Compared to over a month ago, his current strength could already be considered that of a qualified loose cultivator.

At that moment, his gaze suddenly caught the age column.

[Lifespan: 36/107 years]

“Huh? I’m a year older. When did my birthday pass?”

Qin Lu stared at the number thirty-six, his mind involuntarily recalling Xiao Ziyun’s address for him as ‘Uncle’.

“Sigh…..”

He slowly shook his head and sighed helplessly.

“Have to admit, this age is getting a bit old. Really like an old lady celebrating the New Year, each year worse than the last…”

==========