Chapter 58: Don’t Smile So Lewdly

Qu Rou, reclining on the bed, cast a cold glance at Li Meng. “Since you’re here, don’t smile so lewdly.”

Li Meng hurriedly wiped the lecherous grin off his face. His aged body settled down beside Senior Qu. Inhaling the faint, feminine fragrance emanating from her, Li Meng’s expression turned intoxicated.

Senior Qu smells so wonderful!

He felt that lewd smile threatening to creep back onto his face, but it was quelled by another icy glare from her.

Li Meng chuckled and produced a small wooden box from his robes. “Senior Qu, this disciple has a gift for you!”

Qu Rou lowered her gaze to the box in the old disciple’s hand. What is this little old man up to? Why would he give me a gift for no reason?

“What is this?” she asked coldly.

Li Meng chuckled again, stroking his beard. “Why not open it and see for yourself, Senior?”

Qu Rou extended a slender hand and took the box. Without hesitation, she opened it. “This… this is an Ageless Pill?”

She stared blankly at the jade-green pill within. This medicinal aroma… Flawless Quality?

Her expression shifted noticeably. A Flawless Quality Ageless Pill was a treasure women cultivators dreamed of. “You refined this?” Qu Rou looked up at him.

Li Meng scooted closer with a smile and wrapped an arm around Senior Qu’s voluptuous figure. “Mhm. Does Senior Qu like it?”

【+10 Affection】 【+50 Sub-profession XP】

Li Meng’s heart bloomed with joy. Excellent! Senior Qu’s Affection had finally surpassed 90.

Qu Rou closed the small box and put it away. Only now did she fully realize something: the little old man beside her was a true genius in the Dao of Alchemy, his talent nothing short of heaven-defying.

She looked at him, her face still cool. “Stop being so lewd.”

“As you command!” Li Meng replied with a cheeky grin.

Qu Rou could only stare at him in speechless exasperation. He was even more lewd than before.

Night fell, a full moon hanging in the sky.

Li Meng opened his eyes on the bed. The person beside him was gone. He sat up, crossing his legs into a meditative posture.

Senior Qu is probably cultivating on the stone platform by the cliff edge. If a late-stage Foundation Establishment expert like her works so diligently, naturally, I must cultivate hard too.

Li Meng took out a bottle of Spirit Gathering Pills, uncorked it, and poured several into his mouth. He could feel he was on the verge of Peak Qi Condensation. Tonight was the opportunity to break through.

“Come on, Peak Qi Condensation!” Li Meng formed hand seals with both hands. The aura around his body suddenly surged violently. Five-colored Spiritual Power began to overflow from his aged form.

Unnoticed by him, Qu Rou had returned to the pavilion at some point. She stood by the window, watching the disciple meditating on the bed.

“Is he about to break through?” Watching his aura steadily climb, a flicker of delight passed through Qu Rou’s eyes. Once Disciple Li breaks through to Peak Qi Condensation, there will be hope for Foundation Establishment.

Time flowed on, and the night deepened.

The next day, afternoon. Atop Cloud Peak, in the summit pavilion.

A dazzling five-colored spiritual light suddenly erupted from the upper floor. The power of the Five Elements rolled outwards, forming a miniature tide of spiritual energy.

“Success!”

On the bed in the pavilion’s second floor, Li Meng opened his eyes, face alight with joy. He had finally broken through to Peak Qi Condensation! A graceful figure floated in lightly through the window, landing nimbly before the bed.

Qu Rou sat down beside it and placed her slender fingers on Li Meng’s wrist. “Meridians are clear and spiritually attuned… no trace of Pill Poison invasion. Strange.”

A hint of confusion flashed in her eyes. She understood this disciple beside her less and less with each passing day.

“Don’t worry, Senior Qu, I’m perfectly fine,” Li Meng said, squinting happily as he stroked her delicate hand.

Qu Rou shifted her graceful form slightly and, expressionless, leaned into Li Meng’s embrace. Li Meng blinked in surprise for a moment before happily wrapping his arms around the soft body now in his lap. He took a quick glance at his status.

【Name: Li Meng】 【Age: 78】 【Luck: 1500】 【Cultivation: Peak Qi Condensation】 【Aptitude: Five Spirit Roots (Waste Body)】 【Alchemy: Tier 2 Alchemist】 【Talismans: Tier 2 Talisman Master】 【Artifact Refining: Tier 2 Artificer】 【Formations: Tier 2 Formation Master】 【Alchemy XP: 2000/5000】 【Talisman XP: 2000/5000】 【Artificer XP: 2000/5000】 【Formation XP: 2000/5000】

“Excellent! Finally at Peak Qi Condensation!” Li Meng chuckled contentedly, stroking his beard. “Foundation Establishment…”

To celebrate his breakthrough, Li Meng spent the entire day on Cloud Peak. As the sun set in the west, darkness enveloped heaven and earth. The vast Cloud Peak fell into silent stillness, save for the full moon hanging high in the sky, its light spilling across the land.

However long the night, dawn eventually arrives. The night passed quickly.

As morning light rose from the eastern horizon, heralding a new day—a time when all things revived—within Cloud Peak’s summit pavilion, Li Meng and Senior Qu sat facing each other at the tea table.

“Have you looked your fill?” Qu Rou glanced up at him over her cup. He should just drink his tea; why does he keep staring at me?

Li Meng grinned slyly and took a sip of fragrant tea. “How could I ever look my fill? This disciple will never get enough of looking.”

A trace of imperceptible shyness flickered in Qu Rou’s eyes. Really… how shameless! Too bullying! Even an offhand comment like that can make my heart flutter strangely. Sometimes she even wondered if Disciple Li might become her Heart Demon.

“Senior Qu,” Li Meng ventured after a moment of comfortable silence filled only with sipping tea. “The Market City will soon host an Immortal Auction Conference. Do you plan to attend?”

Qu Rou brushed aside a stray lock of hair from her forehead. “Only cultivators at Golden Core or above may enter.”

Li Meng paused awkwardly before rubbing his nose sheepishly; he’d nearly forgotten that rule. However, that rule primarily applied to rogue cultivators. Disciples of major sects could attend using their sect Elder tokens—tokens from Elders of any of Zhao’s five great sects were valid. Additionally, sellers of auction items could also participate if their item’s value exceeded five thousand spirit stones.

“So… does Senior Qu want to go?”

“No.”

Qu Rou stood up gracefully and began walking out without another word. Li Meng offered an awkward chuckle; Senior Qu’s answers were always so unpredictable. He quickly followed after her.

The two left the pavilion one after another, following the small path outside leading down to the stone platform. Qu Rou sat cross-legged on a cushion, gazing at the rising morning sun.

“When will you enter life-or-death seclusion?” Her cool voice carried on the air around them.

Li Meng produced another cushion and placed it beside hers. With a smile, he settled onto it, joining Senior Qu in admiring the dawn’s first light together in companiable silence.