14: Chapter 14: Recharged Again

Senior Brother Xiao... seemed to have known she would come all along? Even acting as if he were specifically waiting for her?

She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but didn't know where to begin, her eyes filled with struggle and hesitation.

Xiao Yuan didn't rush her either, just watching quietly, the atmosphere turning somewhat stagnant for a moment.

This invisible pressure made Luo Ziyan even more nervous.

After a long while, she seemed finally unable to take it anymore, drew a deep breath, and raised her head, her voice soft yet carrying a desperate determination:

"Senior Brother Xiao... I... I am willing to pay any price! I only ask... I only ask that Senior Brother can help me become stronger! I don't want to be bullied by others anymore!"

Finishing her words, she nervously awaited Xiao Yuan's response.

Yet Xiao Yuan still didn't speak, only looking at her with a half-smile, that gaze seemingly capable of piercing through her disguise and seeing clearly all the hesitation and desire deep within her heart.

Luo Ziyan felt flustered under his gaze, her cheeks burning hot.

Recalling the scene in the dense forest last time, and thinking of her current plight and determination, she gritted her teeth, summoned her courage, and took a few steps forward, arriving before Xiao Yuan.

Then, she removed the scar from her face, trembled as she reached out, and began to unbutton her own clothes.

Her movements were clumsy, tinged with shame and resoluteness.

The smile in Xiao Yuan's eyes deepened. Just as she unbuttoned the first button, he suddenly reached out and gave a gentle hook.

"Ah!" Luo Ziyan let out a soft cry, her entire body tumbling into a warm and powerful embrace.

Immediately following, a trace of spiritual light plunged into her body, temporarily sealing the circulation of her true essence.

Whether she had made up her mind or not, Xiao Yuan had to take precautions just in case.

"Sen... Senior Brother?" Luo Ziyan lifted her face, her eyes shimmering with watery light, holding tension, confusion, and a hint of resignation-like submission.

Xiao Yuan lowered his head to look at the slightly trembling delicate body in his arms, as well as that exquisitely peerless face currently stained with a blush.

In his Dantian, the small tripod that had been quiet for a few days seemed to sense something, beginning to vibrate slightly and emitting a craving hum.

Charging time has arrived.

Xiao Yuan recited silently in his heart and hesitated no longer.

(The following omits several unmentionable characters regarding the process of reaching "deep charging communication" and the "energy replenishment agreement.")

Once finished, Xiao Yuan introspected his Dantian with high spirits.

The energy inside the small tripod was abundant, and radiance flowed around. A rough calculation showed it was roughly equivalent to the sum of Ye Qingcen's ten charges!

Xiao Yuan was very satisfied. Luo Ziyan's cultivation base had broken through to the Qi Condensation 4th Layer, which was equivalent to the Middle Stage of Qi Condensation. The energy gained from charging was obviously more than before.

Meanwhile, beside him, Luo Ziyan was quite exhausted and had long fallen into a deep sleep, her breathing even.

Xiao Yuan casually transferred a wisp of gentle Spiritual Qi over to let her sleep even more soundly.

Then, he concentrated his mind to perceive his surroundings.

The keen perceptiveness brought by the Great Turtle Breathing Technique after entry was fully deployed at this moment.

No one around... Safe.

Only then did he summon out the small tripod with peace of mind, preparing to conduct an important experiment — can Spirit Stones be purified?

He took out a Low-Grade Spirit Stone and carefully placed it into the tripod.

Prompted by his thoughts, a faint light flashed across the tripod body.

When taken out again, the Spirit Stone had already taken on a completely new look! Its color was even more warm and translucent, and both the Spiritual Qi concentration and purity had clearly elevated by a notch!

Mid-Grade Spirit Stone!

"It worked!"

Joy welled up in Xiao Yuan's heart. Looking again at the energy consumption, it used about one-twentieth.

"That means the energy from charging with Ye Qingcen once can roughly purify two Low-Grade Spirit Stones into Mid-Grade ones."

He calculated quickly, "The total amount of charge from Luo Ziyan this time can roughly purify about twenty pieces."

This result left him somewhat speechless and amused.

"The efficiency is still low..."

He sighed and glanced at the sleeping Luo Ziyan on the bed.

If this 'power bank's' cultivation base could reach the Foundation Establishment Stage, the energy of a single charge would definitely skyrocket.

But right now... Have her achieve Foundation Establishment in the short term?

Unrealistic.

Besides, he hadn't even reached Foundation Establishment yet; if the other party achieved Foundation Establishment first, who knew what might happen.

But given the current 'charging frequency' and 'charging intensity', if he wanted more Cultivation resources, he estimated he would toss her apart in just a few days.

Shaking his head, he abandoned the thought of continuing to purify Spirit Stones.

Energy was precious and had to be used where it mattered most.

Purifying Spirit Stones right now wasn't very cost-effective; it was better to use it to enhance Cultivation Techniques and combat power.

Having cultivation without matching combat power was just an empty shell.

His gaze swept across several Cultivation Techniques.

Great Turtle Breathing Technique (Entry) — Comes with perceptiveness, comparable to a weakened version of Divine Sense, extremely practical!

If trained to Minor Achievement, the perception range and clarity would definitely skyrocket; whether facing enemies, scouting, or saving one's life, it was a divine skill!

Gale Shadow-Chasing Sword Art (Entry) — Main means of attack; if upgraded, combat power would directly double.

As for the remaining three Spells, he wouldn't consider them for now!

"Charge Great Turtle Breathing Technique first!"

Xiao Yuan quickly made his decision.

Stronger perception meant a larger early-warning range and battlefield control; survivability came first!

No sooner said than done!

He guided the abundant energy within the small tripod, slowly injecting it into the cultivation meridians of the Great Turtle Breathing Technique.

In his Sea of Consciousness, the Cultivation Technique progress bar began to jump forward slowly and steadily.

10%... 25%... 50%...

The energy was like floodwaters from an opened gate, and the consumption speed made Xiao Yuan secretly startled.

"This consumption... is fiercer than adding up all the Spells trained to the entry level before!" He felt a bit heart-pained, but the arrow was already on the bowstring and had to be fired.

About half an hour later.

"Hum!"

With a soft chime in his mind, the progress bar of the Great Turtle Breathing Technique finally jumped to 100%!

The words Minor Achievement also appeared behind the Cultivation Technique!

At the same time, the energy in the small tripod splashed and bottomed out by more than half. A rough estimate showed only about the amount of Ye Qingcen's three charges remained.

"Good grief, it directly swallowed seventy percent of my energy!" Xiao Yuan's mouth twitched, "It seems the further along a Cultivation Technique is trained, the exponentially increasing consumption of energy... Who can withstand this?"

However, when the brand-new perceptiveness spread out like flowing mercury, all the heart pain turned into wild joy!

The perception range expanded directly from around fifty meters previously to a hundred meters!

Furthermore, it was no longer a vague sensation, but an incomparably clear, meticulous "panoramic insight"!

Within a hundred meters, grasshoppers kicking their legs in the grass, dewdrops rolling on leaves, earthworms turning soil underground... every movement was as if seen with his own eyes and heard with his own ears!

"This... isn't this fucking the 'Divine Sense' of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator?!" Xiao Yuan was excited.

According to records in classical texts, the Divine Sense detection range of an Early Foundation Establishment Cultivator was roughly between one hundred to two hundred meters, perceiving minute details.

His current clear perception within a hundred meters had firmly stepped into the threshold of Foundation Establishment-grade Divine Sense!

"I've made a huge profit!" He was overjoyed beyond measure.

With this trick of a "pseudo-Divine Sense", whether it was discovering danger in advance or anticipating enemy moves in combat, the advantage was simply too huge!

Just as he was immersed in the joy of leveling up, his ears twitched slightly. At the edge of the hundred-meter mark, a burst of extremely faint conversation carried by the wind drilled into his perception.

"... When are we making a move?"