“I must go into seclusion to attempt my Golden Core breakthrough.”

The cool, clear voice of Qu Rou sounded from within his embrace.

Li Meng’s expression stiffened. A trace of reluctance flashed in his eyes.

He had just successfully established his Foundation, and now she was about to leave for her Core Formation.

Seclusion for Core Formation was nothing like Foundation Establishment. The time required far exceeded the few years needed for a Qi Condensation cultivator to break through.

At minimum, ten years. Often, twenty years or more.

“Although my aptitude is decent, I cannot afford to waste time.”

Li Meng narrowed his eyes, savoring the warmth and softness of her delicate form against him. He would not selfishly ask her to stay for a few more days. Although the lifespans of those on the mountain path far exceeded mortals, the one thing cultivators could least afford to waste was time itself.

“When?”

“Tomorrow.”

“So soon?”

Qu Rou looked up at Li Meng’s handsome, distinguished face. She had to admit that he possessed the aura of an immortal sage. The faint Dao rhythm emanating from him—that sense of merging with heaven and earth—was like a cultivator permanently in a state of Deep Meditation.

“I have been waiting for you.”

She gazed at him with an expressionless face, though a sliver of tenderness, almost imperceptible, flickered in her eyes.

Li Meng reached out and gently stroked her cheek. He lowered his head and kissed those rosy lips.

This time, Qu Rou did not evade. She closed her eyes.

Time flowed on, moment by moment. The next day, Cloud Peak.

Atop the peak, within the pavilion.

With a soft click, the door opened. Li Meng and Qu Rou walked out, stopping in the courtyard to gaze out at the sea of clouds encircling the mountain.

“Senior Sister, a small token of your Junior Brother’s regard.”

With a flick of his sleeve, Li Meng sent a storage pouch flying from his waist. It hovered in the air before her.

A slight change crossed Qu Rou’s expression. She turned her head to look at him.

“The resources inside should be enough for you to break through to mid-Foundation Establishment. You possess the crippled Five Spirit Roots body; cultivation is already difficult for you. You should keep them for yourself.”

Li Meng chuckled softly, stroking his beard.

“Senior Sister overestimates this crippled body. The resources in the pouch are not insignificant, but at most they can only help me reach the mid-stage. Since I will have to go out and solve my resource problems regardless, having a little more or a little less makes no real difference.”

He paused, his voice softening.

“Please do not refuse, Senior Sister. This is merely your Junior Brother’s heartfelt wish. I hope that one day I may again have the honor of calling you ‘Senior.’ The path of immortality is long; we have only just set foot upon its starting point. You must not fall so early along the way.”

Qu Rou found herself at a loss for words.

With a flick of her sleeve, she collected the storage pouch.

“Be careful during your travels outside.”

A sect disciple could not spend their entire life secluded within the walls. With his constitution, his path was exceptionally arduous. Relying solely on sect contribution points was like trying to put out a cartload of burning firewood with a single cup of water. He would have to seek his own opportunities.

“Mmm, this Junior Brother will be careful.”

Li Meng had no interest in “seeking opportunities” in the traditional sense. Going out to search for uncertain chances was foolish. He did not have time to wander about relying on luck.

“Senior Sister, then I shall take my leave.”

Li Meng turned and bowed respectfully.

Qu Rou bent her graceful figure in return.

Looking at the breathtakingly beautiful woman before him, Li Meng gave a cheeky grin—that specific smile she so disliked.

Before she could straighten up, he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her warm, soft form once again. He lowered his head and planted a kiss on her smooth cheek.

Compared to before, the current Qu Rou was even more beautiful, possessing a transcendent aura. She must have taken the Flawless Ageless Pill.

After successfully ambushing her, Li Meng took flight as if fleeing for his life, soaring on the wind away from the peak. As he ascended, he glanced back at her standing outside the pavilion.

That lecherous grin returned to his face.

“Heheh… so fragrant.”

Hearing his frivolous words, a flash of embarrassed annoyance crossed Qu Rou’s eyes… followed by a faint smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

Li Meng plunged headlong into the clouds and vanished.

[System Message: +5 Affection] [Affection has reached maximum value. Relationship List has been updated.]

Flying beyond the peak, Li Meng heard the system prompt.

“Relationship List?”

He glanced over his information screen.

[Name: Li Meng] [Age: 80] [Luck: 4500] [Cultivation: Early Foundation Establishment] [Aptitude: Five Spirit Roots (Crippled Body)] [Sub-professions: All Third Grade (Alchemy, Talismans, Artifact Refining, Formations)] [XP: ~57,920 / 100,000 for each]

“It’s fortunate Junior Sister Chen’s Affection reached max value.”

Looking at the XP required to advance to Fourth Grade—that long string of zeros made his scalp tingle. Without the daily XP from Dual Cultivation, reaching the next tier would take forever.

A new sub-page had appeared. A Relationship List popped up, displaying information on various individuals.

Column 1: Junior Sister Chen, Senior Sister Qu. Column 2: Junior Sister Yuan Baobao, Little Junior Sister Qi Wei. Column 3: Junior Sister Shui’er, Junior Sister Zi’er, Junior Sister Hua Biying. Column 4: Senior Sister Liu, Master (Ruoshui), Ancestor Nangong.

“Huh? Master and Ancestor are on here too?”

He checked their stats. Without him noticing, his Master’s Affection had reached 30 points, and Ancestor Nangong’s was at 20. The Ancestor’s detailed information remained blank.

“Junior Sister Chen is still at Peak Qi Condensation… it seems she is in seclusion attempting Foundation Establishment. Her Luck is as high as 3000; she has hope.”

“Junior Sister Yuan hasn’t been idle either; she’s already broken through to Qi Condensation Ninth Layer… Huh?”

Li Meng frowned.

“Why is her Luck so low?”

Junior Sister Yuan’s Luck was only 50.

This was lower than some cultivators whose Lifespan Limit was imminent.

“Could it be… she is not within the sect?”

Li Meng’s expression turned grave. For her Luck to plummet this low, she faced a bloody calamity—a situation with nine deaths and only one chance at life. Within the sect walls, such mortal danger should be impossible.

Joyous Union Sect. Main Sect Hall Plaza.

Li Meng descended on the wind and landed on the plaza.

The sect’s main peak was a place of scenic beauty and spiritual density, second only to the Supreme Elders’ abodes. Outer Disciples loved to come here to cultivate.

Stone platforms dotted the area, occupied by figures in meditation. Green-robed Outer Disciples and yellow-robed Inner Disciples sat in pairs, the energies of Yin and Yang converging as they engaged in mutual exchange.

“Senior Brother Li… you’ve established your Foundation?”

An Inner Disciple wearing yellow robes approached him, looking surprised at Li Meng’s transformed appearance. The change was drastic; anyone who wasn’t an old acquaintance would never have recognized him.