67: Chapter 67 Foundation Establishment Servants

He made a silent wish in his heart.

My dear lady, you must survive.

After all, he had risked falling to come here!

Whether it was Xu Changsheng's prayers or because Chu Linger's time hadn't come yet...

Fifteen minutes later, he actually detected her breathing.

Although she was exhaling more than inhaling, she had at least truly come back to life.

He draped a cloak over her, picked her up in his arms, and carried her away.

But even though she was breathing, Xu Changsheng still couldn't sense any Spiritual Pressure from her.

It was likely that her internal injuries were still too severe.

A few days later.

Xu Changsheng successfully settled Chu Linger in a hidden cave outside Donglin Fortress.

He ordered Ink Shadow to guard her day and night and to inform him immediately through the Spirit Beast contract if anything unusual happened.

...

Seven days passed in the blink of an eye.

Xu Changsheng arrived at the hidden cave.

He had already converted this place into a bedroom that was warm in winter and cool in summer.

Beneath his feet was a thick log floor.

A few night-luminescent pearls were scattered and embedded in the ceiling.

Chu Linger was sleeping soundly on a heavy solid wood couch.

"Strange, her breathing has stabilized, so why is there still no Spiritual Pressure? And she hasn't woken up either."

Xu Changsheng rested his chin in his hand, murmuring thoughtfully.

He asked Ink Shadow, who was standing guard outside the cave, through his Sea of Consciousness, and received a vague response that she hadn't woken up.

[Todays Intelligence (White): Chu Linger's Little Scheme]

[Chu Linger has already woken up. Because her cultivation hasn't recovered, she fears the host who saved her is an evil Cultivator, so she has cast the Turtle Breath Secret Art on herself, pretending she hasn't awakened.]

Seeing Todays Intelligence, Xu Changsheng's brow furrowed slightly.

So this woman was acting.

He thought to himself, "No, I must send her away and establish a favor before her cultivation recovers. Otherwise, once she returns to Foundation Establishment, I will no longer have the advantage."

He immediately cleared his throat.

"Senior Chu, I know you're awake."

There was no response.

He cleared his throat again and explained, "I am no evil Cultivator, but a person of pure character. Otherwise, I wouldn't have saved you, Senior."

Still no response.

His brow furrowed tightly.

A bad feeling rose in his heart.

"Something's wrong. This doesn't seem like the kind-hearted nature described in the intelligence."

"Could the life-and-death crisis have caused a drastic change in her temperament?"

Xu Changsheng had seen intelligence delays before; some Spiritual Plant intelligence was only two days late, and they had already been taken by others or Yao Beasts.

At this thought...

A cold dread rose within Xu Changsheng.

"No, I must strike first!"

"Fortunately, I've made a Breakthrough to the Late Stage Qi Refining. I'll take this chance to try this move!"

He closed his eyes.

Three breaths later, he suddenly snapped them open.

A golden light flashed between his eyebrows.

He thought to himself: "True Yang Heart Fire!"

His hands moved like a spinning wheel, forming hand seals.

The True Solar Fire in his Dantian gradually grew larger and more turbulent.

He chanted incessantly.

"Rise!"

His hands were covered in flames as he rubbed out a ring of golden fire.

"Go."

The fire ring flew to the side of Chu Linger's head and then shrank into the shape of a golden hoop that fit her.

In the next moment...

It went straight onto Chu Linger's head.

She felt the world spin. Her eyes widened instantly, and she sat up, glaring fiercely at Xu Changsheng.

Seeing this, the latter was even more certain of his judgment.

This woman's heart had changed!

He brought his hand seals together.

"Lock!"

A wave of pain from the Soul level struck her. Her face twisted in agony, and she screamed incessantly.

"Aah!"

It was even more painful than her previous severe injuries. She clutched her head and rolled around on the bed.

Witnessing this scene...

Xu Changsheng snorted coldly, "Since you refuse to do things the easy way, Senior, don't blame this Junior for being impolite."

The pain in her skull lessened.

In her terror, Chu Linger hurriedly inspected her Sea of Consciousness.

At this moment, a massive golden ring, as brilliant as a red sun, completely bound her Sea of Consciousness, rotating almost imperceptibly.

"What did you do!"

Chu Linger was already deficient in blood and Qi, and now her pretty face turned even paler.

"It's just a simple Restriction. I was merely afraid that you might bite the hand that fed you, Senior."

Hearing this...

Chu Linger bit her lip and mobilized her Soul Power, which was like a black stream, in an attempt to break out.

The golden ring seemed to sense it and instantly emitted ten thousand feet of intense light, crushing all her Soul Power. This was followed by a sharp pain that went deep into her brain.

"Ah!"

Chu Linger once again experienced unforgettable pain and rolled around several more times.

After a long time...

She finally recovered.

Shaking all over, she looked at Xu Changsheng. "Junior—no, Fellow Daoist, don't do anything. Let's talk this through."

Xu Changsheng's face was solemn. "My name is Xu Changsheng, a common Loose Cultivator of the Ancient Wood Mountain Range. If nothing goes wrong, I will enter Yellow Ox Immortal City in a few months to seek an Opportunity for Foundation Establishment."

Chu Linger cried out, "You know me?"

"Naturally. Senior Chu's reputation precedes her. I originally thought that as the high disciple of Yellow Ox, you would repay my life-saving favor and provide me with some care in the Immortal City."

"But I didn't expect you to be someone who only responds to force. You were clearly awake, yet you still thought of plotting against your savior!"

Chu Linger realized she had made a mistake and quickly apologized, "I was just... afraid..."

Xu Changsheng sneered, "There's no need for that now. From now on, I am the Revered Master, and you are the servant!"

Hearing that she, a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, was to be a slave to Xu Changsheng in the Qi Refinement Stage, Chu Linger's face flushed with anger. "Junior! You must be talking nonsense!"

Her fair hands gathered spiritual light, about to condense a Spell.

However, in the next instant...

Another sharp pain struck her mind. Unable to bear it, she immediately clutched her head and begged for mercy, "I was wrong, Revered Master! I know I was wrong!"

Xu Changsheng's tone remained icy. "Very well. You may go back."

To Chu Linger, it sounded like heavenly music. She quickly agreed, "Yes, Revered Master. If Revered Master comes to the Immortal City, you only need to inject spiritual power into the Token, and this Servant Girl will know."

She took out an earthy yellow, palm-sized Token from her sleeve and gave it to Xu Changsheng.

"In addition, I will ask Revered Master for a foundation establishment pill to repay Revered Master's kindness. It's just that I used the last one when I reached Foundation Establishment, so it will take some time."

With that, she limped out of the cave entrance.

From behind came Xu Changsheng's cold farewell.

"You are more than welcome to go to Yellow Ox to remove the Restriction. We'll see if he can remove it faster than the Restriction can self-destruct."

Chu Linger's delicate body trembled, and she shook her head vigorously. "This Servant Girl wouldn't dare."

Then, a Storage Pouch was thrown beside her.

"There are several hundred Spirit Stones inside. They can help you recover your cultivation."

Chu Linger's face lit up with joy. She picked up the Storage Pouch and quickly thanked him, "Thank you, Revered Master!"

But in her heart, she felt a strange sensation.

This Revered Master of hers saved her life and even gave her Spirit Stones; he didn't seem to be an irredeemable person.

The humiliation of being a slave lessened considerably.

Seeing Chu Linger walk away...

Xu Changsheng looked inside his Dantian.

It was already dim, and the spark of True Solar Fire was nowhere to be found.

True Yang Heart Fire would exhaust all the True Solar Fire and potential in his body in one go.

It would take three months to reignite it.

This method could only deal with Cultivators whose Divine Sense was weaker than or slightly stronger than his own. Chu Linger, being in the Early Stage Foundation Establishment, happened to fit the criteria.

Additionally, the casting time was extremely long, so it could only be used in situations like this where the enemy was completely under control.

He had already decided in his heart that if he couldn't capture Chu Linger, he would kill her on the spot while her cultivation hadn't recovered.

Fortunately, he succeeded.

As for the number of people he could enslave, with his current Qi Refining cultivation, he could only have one.

"Everything is just right."

With joy in his expression, he walked out of the cave and destroyed it. "Ink Shadow, let's go."