Chen Lan had successfully reached Foundation Establishment.

If they were to engage in Dual Cultivation via “Dao Exchange” now, the one with the lower cultivation base would benefit immensely. Lü Meng’s breathing hitched, his gaze burning with anticipation.

However, Chen Lan simply closed her eyes.

The Yin Qi radiating from her body surged, becoming several times more potent than before, creating an invisible barrier of cold rejection.

Looking at the breathtakingly beautiful Junior Sister before him, Lü Meng opened his mouth, but no words came. The blazing heat in his eyes gradually faded, replaced by a dull, aching chill.

A strong sense of crisis gripped his heart. He and his Junior Sister seemed to be drifting further and further apart, separated by an invisible chasm. He wanted to change this situation, to bridge the gap, but standing before her newfound power and distant demeanor, he realized with despair that he didn’t know how.

Joyous Union Sect, Inner Sect Territory Moon Gaze Peak

The autumn wind whistled desolately through the peaks. High above, the Lunar Star hung large and full, casting a silver veil over the silent pavilion.

In a secluded room on the upper floor, steam curled into the air.

Inside the large wooden medicinal tub, the water roiled with scalding heat. Li Meng sat cross-legged, his arms wrapped securely around the unconscious Senior Leng Yiyue. Beside them, also submerged in the medicated waters, sat Leng Yixue. Her forehead pressed against Li Meng’s, their minds linked in a precarious bridge to guide the healing energy.

The tub emitted a brilliant, multicolored radiant glow, illuminating the sweat on their faces.

Time seemed to lose its meaning. Finally, Li Meng’s eyelids fluttered open.

A trace of dark blood overflowed from the corner of his mouth, staining his lips.

He slowly turned his head to look at the woman beside him. His voice was hoarse, barely a whisper. “Senior Sister, are you alright?”

Leng Yixue pulled back, wiping a trace of blood from her own lips. This was her first time assisting Junior Brother Li in launching a soul attack on her Master’s sealed Sea of Consciousness. She had merely maintained a Soul Connection with Li Meng, acting as a stabilizer, not directly touching the chaotic seal. Yet, even that secondary contact had caused her a backlash.

If she felt this much pain, the backlash Li Meng endured as the primary healer must have been terrifying.

Leng Yixue reached out, her trembling fingers gently wiping the blood from the corner of Li Meng’s mouth.

“This Senior Sister is fine,” she whispered, her usual cold demeanor cracking. “How are you, Junior Brother?”

Senior Sister’s hand is so smooth.

Although her fingers merely brushed past the corner of his mouth, the lingering sensation left Li Meng with a distracting, pleasant aftertaste. He forced a weak smile onto his deathly pale face and shook his head.

“I didn’t control the force well. Mas… Junior Brother is fine!”

Despite his brave words, his body betrayed him. His strength evaporated, and he slumped sideways.

Leng Yixue’s expression changed instantly. She lunged forward, catching him before he slipped under the water.

Li Meng felt his face buried into a wall of astonishing softness. Even separated by the thin, soaked layer of her inner garment, the sensation was enchanting, a stark contrast to the pain racking his soul.

“Senior Sister… sorry,” he mumbled, his voice fading. “Junior Brother needs to rest for a while.”

A faint blush rose on Leng Yixue’s cold, stern face. She stared blankly at the man in her arms. He looked vulnerable, his breathing shallow. A trace of tenderness and pity flashed in her eyes, melting the ice that usually guarded her heart.

He was risking his life for her Master. How could she remain indifferent?

Leng Yixue turned her head to look at her unconscious Master, then back at Li Meng. Holding a man in her arms within the intimate confines of a bath, she felt a strange, foreign warmth spreading through her chest. She sat there, absent-minded, lost in thoughts she dared not voice.

Time passed, bit by bit. The night deepened, then yielded to the dawn.

The next morning.

With a crisp click, the main door of the pavilion opened from the inside.

Li Meng walked out, dressed in fresh yellow robes, looking refreshed and energetic. The fatigue from the previous night was gone, hidden behind his usual mask of casual confidence.

Yao Ning was nowhere to be seen. She had returned to Masked Moon Peak three days ago. The cultivation technique she practiced was complex, requiring frequent guidance from her Master. Cultivating three paths simultaneously was no easy task, even for a genius.

Li Meng summoned the wind. He rose into the air, his robes fluttering as he soared upward, flying towards the mist and clouds that shrouded the peak’s exit.

In the blink of an eye, he plunged into the white expanse.

Among the mountain peaks, Li Meng flew on his sword, navigating the terrain with practiced ease. Sometimes he passed through patches of mist; other times, he flicked his sleeve, sending a burst of spiritual pressure to disperse the clouds blocking his path.

Huh? Junior Sister Chen succeeded in Foundation Establishment?

Li Meng checked his internal relationship list and raised an eyebrow. Chen Lan had successfully broken through.

Junior Sister Yuan should be soon too, right?

Although Chen Lan was Li Meng’s first woman, if one were to ask which Junior Sister he favored the most, it would undoubtedly be Yuan.

Chen Lan was too ordinary. She was pretty, yes, but without Li Meng’s intervention, she would have remained just another somewhat attractive female disciple of the Joyous Union Sect—destined for mediocrity, lacking both the scheming mind and the unique personality to stand out.

Fortunately, she had the wisdom to seize her opportunity. Through Li Meng, she had lifted herself out of the “ordinary” category.

A faint, knowing smile played at the corner of Li Meng’s mouth. Once Junior Sister Chen left seclusion, he would have to properly “bully” her to celebrate. The pleasures between men and women were numerous, and he intended to explore them all.

Li Meng narrowed his eyes and stroked his beard, his expression shifting into something decidedly lecherous.

Inner Sect Territory, Main Peak

A streak of sword light tore through the sky, arriving from the distance with a speed that far surpassed the sluggish flight of Outer Sect Qi Condensation disciples.

On the flying sword stood an Inner Disciple wearing yellow robes, his bearing radiating an aura of carefree opulence.

It was Li Meng.

He descended, his robes snapping in the wind, and landed gently on the Main Peak plaza. With a flick of his sleeve, he stowed his sword and began to stroll leisurely towards the Sect’s main hall.

The plaza was bustling. Numerous Inner and Outer Disciples were milling about, relaxing or enjoying the scenery.

“Greetings, Senior Brother Li!”

An Inner Disciple recognized him immediately and hurried over to bow.

Li Meng offered a polite, practiced cupped-hand salute in return, not breaking his stride.

“Greetings, Senior Li!” another Outer Disciple called out, bowing deeply.

Li Meng chuckled, nodding in acknowledgment with the air of a benevolent sage.

“Who is he?” some newer disciples whispered, puzzled by the reverence shown to this yellow-robed cultivator.

“That is Elder Ruoshui’s disciple, the Alchemist from Moon Gaze Peak who has recently become famous.”

“So it’s him? The Master Iron Ox?”

“No wonder he’s so popular!”

Listening to the hushed discussions, Li Meng’s smile widened slightly. The feeling of being popular was undeniably pleasant. It was a layer of armor; even the most brainless instigator wouldn’t dare casually cause trouble for a man beloved by the masses. As long as he maintained his image as the “Great Good Person,” he could establish a towering reputation that would shield him from minor annoyances.

“Hmph. A sanctimonious fellow!”

A loud, jarringly inappropriate sneer cut through the harmonious atmosphere. The voice was deliberately amplified, intended for everyone to hear.

Li Meng naturally heard it too. He paused and followed the sound.

Not far away stood a group of disciples. The leader was a young man with a face twisted in disdain. Li Meng blinked.

Who was that again?

A trace of genuine confusion flashed in Li Meng’s eyes. The man looked vaguely familiar, but he couldn’t recall the name. A nobody, likely.

Dismissing the thought, Li Meng paid no further attention to the group and continued walking towards the Sect’s main hall.

Behind him, Su Can watched Li Meng’s retreating back, his face turning a livid shade of purple.

“Has that guy forgotten who he is?” Su Can clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white.

A storm of bewilderment and jealousy raged in his eyes. That Five Spirit Roots trash… how had he actually succeeded in Foundation Establishment? How had he become Elder Ruoshui’s disciple? And now, he was a famous Alchemist?

Why? Why did this trash have such unbelievable opportunities while I struggle?

“Se… Senior Brother Su,” one of the Inner Disciples behind him stammered, his face pale. “Junior Brother Li is from the Masked Moon Peak lineage. You… you better not…”

The faces of Su Can’s entourage were filled with dread. Junior Brother Li was famously a “Great Good Person” and a wealthy Alchemist. Was Senior Brother Su crazy? Not befriending someone like Li Meng was one thing, but actively provoking him?

That was the behavior of an incurably stupid pig.

The Inner Disciples beside Su Can inconspicuously took a few steps back, putting distance between themselves and their leader. They were friendly with Su Can only out of respect for his Elder relative. But if Su Can insisted on courting death by offending a rising star like Li Meng, they wouldn’t accompany him to the grave.

Watching Li Meng’s figure disappear into the hall, ignoring him completely, Su Can’s eyes filled with venomous resentment.

“Hmph!”

He snorted coldly, spun around, and stalked away, unaware that his allies were already abandoning him.