Chapter 7: As Long as Master Likes It

“However,” Chen Ping calmed down.

“Rising in strength too quickly has its own hidden dangers. I must familiarize myself with the flow of my current power as soon as possible.”

Then there was the New Disciple Tournament in three months, and the bet with Li Xuangang.

“The top hundred…” A sharp glint flashed in Chen Ping’s eyes.

“Perhaps we can set a higher goal?”

With Lin Xiaoyu’s current progress and his guidance, reaching the ninth level of Qi Refining or even the Foundation Establishment realm in three months should not be a problem.

And a ninth-level Qi Refining Heavenly Dao Divine Physique, combined with the 《Heavenly Dao Divine Art》 and Primordial spiritual energy, would likely possess strength rivaling a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator, or even an ordinary Golden Core cultivator.

She would definitely be a dark horse in the New Disciple Tournament.

“But we can’t be too flashy,” Chen Ping reminded himself.

“Tianjian Peak is definitely watching us. Until we are strong enough, we must keep a low profile.”

Just as he was thinking this, Lin Xiaoyu’s voice came from outside. “Master, I’m finished washing.”

Chen Ping pushed the door open and stepped outside. Lin Xiaoyu had changed into clean clothes, her wet hair draped over her shoulders.

Having washed away the impurities, her skin had become fair and delicate.

She looked as if she had undergone a complete transformation, her temperament elevated to a whole new level.

If the previous Lin Xiaoyu was a pretty village girl,

then now, she already showed the budding signs of a fairy.

“Not bad,” Chen Ping said, nodding.

“Go and prepare dinner. I am hungry.”

“Yes!” Lin Xiaoyu ran cheerfully toward the kitchen.

Chen Ping sat under the old locust tree, watching the sun slowly sink below the horizon, his mind filled with a myriad of thoughts.

With the system, a disciple, top-tier cultivation methods, and infinite potential,

this path of cultivation was finally no longer shrouded in darkness.

And the rise of Luoxia Peak officially began today.

In the night sky, the first star lit up.

Chen Ping closed his eyes and began to circulate the 《Grand Dao Divine Scripture》.

The purple-gold Grand Dao Primordial source energy flowed through his body.

With every cycle of circulation, he could feel his body undergoing subtle and continuous evolution.

The Grand Dao Primordial Physique…

He looked forward to seeing just how powerful he would become once he truly achieved this legendary physique.

The aroma of food drifted out from the kitchen.

Lin Xiaoyu’s busy silhouette flickered against the paper window.

On Luoxia Peak, there was a single lamp and two people.

In this vast Qingyun Sect, in this boundless world of cultivation, they finally had a foundation to stand on.

And the future would surely be even more brilliant.

【Ding! System has detected a breakthrough in the host’s state of mind. Dao Heart^[1] stability +10%.】

【《Grand Dao Divine Scripture》 cultivation speed increased by 5%.】

The corners of Chen Ping’s mouth curled up slightly.

This was only the beginning.

Before long, Lin Xiaoyu finished cooking and brought the dishes to the stone table.

There were three dishes and a soup. Though they consisted only of wild mountain vegetables and small fish from the stream, they were beautifully presented and smelled delicious.

The stir-fried fiddlehead ferns were bright green and glistening, the mushroom stew was fragrant, and the grilled fish was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.

There was also a plate of cold-dressed wild celery, which looked highly appetizing.

“Master, please try some.”

Lin Xiaoyu stood to the side nervously, wiping her small hands on her apron.

Chen Ping picked up a piece of grilled fish and put it in his mouth.

The fish was tender and cooked to perfection, with a subtle hint of herbal fragrance.

“Xiaoyu, your cooking is really excellent,” Chen Ping praised sincerely.

This level was far better than the food he had eaten at those trendy restaurants in his past life.

A shy smile appeared on Lin Xiaoyu’s face, but a fleeting look of sadness flashed through her eyes.

“My… my mother taught me…”

She paused, her voice growing softer.

“Mother said that girls need to learn how to cook, so that in the future…”

Before she could finish, her eyes welled with tears.

Chen Ping put down his chopsticks and asked softly, “Your mother…”

“She was killed by evil cultivators.”

Lin Xiaoyu bit her lip, trying hard to keep her tears from falling.

“Three years ago, a group of evil cultivators passed through our village. They wanted to kidnap young boys and girls to use for their cultivation. Mother hid me in the cellar, while she…”

She could not go on, her shoulders trembling slightly.

Chen Ping understood.

No wonder this girl had come to the Qingyun Sect and was willing to take a useless peak master like him as her master.

Aside from having nowhere else to go, she likely harbored a desire to avenge her mother.

“So you joined the Qingyun Sect because you wanted to learn skills and seek revenge?” Chen Ping asked.

Lin Xiaoyu nodded heavily, her eyes filled with hatred.

“Before those evil cultivators left, they said they were from the Blood Fiend Sect.

I’ve asked around, and it’s a demonic sect in the Southern Border… I must become strong. I must have my revenge!”

Chen Ping fell silent for a moment, then reached out and patted her head.

“Leave the revenge until after your cultivation is successful,” he said, his tone gentle yet firm.

“I have heard of the Blood Fiend Sect. Their sect master is a Nascent Soul cultivator, and they have many Golden Core experts under them. Going there now is just suicide.”

Seeing that Lin Xiaoyu wanted to say something else, Chen Ping waved his hand.

“But since you have joined my peak, I will naturally help you.

Once the New Disciple Tournament is over in three months, I will support you in whatever way you want to take your revenge.”

“Really?”

Lin Xiaoyu looked up, tears shimmering in her eyes, but a spark of hope had returned.

“When has your master ever lied to you?” Chen Ping smiled.

“Sit down and eat. The food is getting cold.”

“Mm!” Lin Xiaoyu nodded vigorously, sat across from Chen Ping, picked up her bowl, and began to eat in large mouthfuls.

Since her mother left, she had experienced the coldness of the world.

On her flight to safety, she had been looked down upon, bullied, and had even nearly been taken by human traffickers.

On her way to the Qingyun Sect, she had slept in the wilderness, chewed on tree bark, and drunk dirty water.

Joining Luoxia Peak had been a desperate last resort.

Yet in these few days, her master had not only taught her cultivation and granted her great fortune, but had now also promised to help her seek revenge…

She had not experienced this feeling of being treated with genuine care for a very long time.

Her eyes grew wet again, and she quickly lowered her head to shovel rice into her mouth, hiding her emotions.

Chen Ping saw this and sighed softly in his heart.

This girl had truly lived a hard life.

As they ate, Chen Ping suddenly remembered the Qingluan Meat rewarded by the system.

With a thought, he retrieved a piece of meat half the size of a person, glowing with a faint green light, from the system space.

The moment the chunk of meat appeared, a rich spiritual energy wafted through the air, making the surrounding atmosphere feel noticeably crisper.

Mysterious, natural patterns were etched across the flesh, and the faint cry of a phoenix seemed to echo from within.

“Master, what is this…?” Lin Xiaoyu asked, her eyes widening.

“Just some wild game,” Chen Ping lied without batting an eye.

“When you cook from now on, slice off a small piece and toss it in. It will benefit your cultivation.”

He paused, then added, “Remember, use a piece no larger than a finger at a time. Any more and your body won’t be able to handle it.”

“And don’t mention this to anyone else.”

The Qingluan was a divine beast. The spiritual energy and divinity contained in its meat could be a miraculous blessing to low-level cultivators, but it could just as easily act as a deadly poison.

Had Lin Xiaoyu not already possessed the Heavenly Dao Divine Physique and the Primordial Violet Qi to anchor her foundation, Chen Ping wouldn’t have dared to let her touch it.

“Yes, Master!”

Lin Xiaoyu carefully took the Qingluan Meat. It felt warm to the touch, pulsing gently as if it were still alive.

Though she had no idea what it was, its extraordinary appearance alone told her it was no ordinary item.

Her master was truly too good to her.

Once they finished eating, Lin Xiaoyu quickly cleared the table and washed the dishes.

Chen Ping let out a satisfied burp. “Xiaoyu, your cooking is excellent. From now on, the meals here on Luoxia Peak are in your hands.”

“I’m just glad you like it, Master!” Lin Xiaoyu replied with a sweet smile.

Chen Ping waved his hand and headed back to his room.

Closing the door, he intended to cultivate the 《Grand Dao Divine Scripture》, but the moment he circulated his technique, a sharp pain shot through his brow.

“It seems I overused the Grand Dao Divine Eyes today. My divine sense is completely drained,” Chen Ping muttered, rubbing his temples.

The Grand Dao Divine Eyes were incredibly powerful, but their cost was equally staggering.

With his current cultivation level, he could use them at most three to five times a day, and for no longer than ten breaths each time.

“Forget it, no cultivation tonight.”

He pulled a yellowed picture book from the headboard, which he had bought in the town at the foot of the mountain to pass the time.

It was a cliché story about a mortal scholar who crossed paths with a fairy.

He had bought it to relieve his boredom back then and had simply never thrown it away.

Opening the book, Chen Ping leaned against the headboard and began to read by the dim, yellow glow of the oil lamp.

After an unknown amount of time, just as he reached the part where the scholar was being ravished by the fairy, a system prompt suddenly rang in his mind: