128: What kind of master is this?

Ling Xi suppressed her surprise and pressed, "But just now... I couldn't see through him at all? What kind of Qi Concealment Secret Art is this?"

Xiao Ruobai raised his hand, pointing at the languid Gu Changge, his tone full of reverence: "It's normal that you Can't See Through Me."

"This is a Cultivation Technique given by Master, Can't See Through Me. As long as we don't want to reveal ourselves, outsiders Can't See Through Me. Master said this is the safest way."

A Cultivation Technique given by Master?

Can't See Through Me?

It can completely shield my Divine Soul perception. Could it be that the Cave Heaven Realm I perceived before was also intentionally controlled by Master?

Ling Xi's heart sank, and an even more horrifying thought exploded uncontrollably.

Could it be... could it be that the 'Cave Heaven Realm' I perceived before was not his true cultivation level at all, but also a layer of disguise he deliberately controlled for me to see?!

This thought was like a bucket of ice water poured over her, making her body instantly turn cold.

That's it! That's it!

How could such a miraculous Qi Concealment Secret Art, one that could even shield her Great Emperor-level Divine Soul perception, have been easily seen through by her back then?

Her "easy" "seeing through" to the Cave Heaven Realm at that time, now that she thought back, was full of strangeness and deliberateness!

That was not a flaw at all; it was more like... more like an "answer" he casually threw out, specifically for people like her who harbored intentions of testing and were self-righteous!

She had even thought she had uncovered a secret and was secretly pleased, but in reality, she had been spinning in his palm the entire time!

At this thought, Ling Xi felt an extremely complex emotion surge into her heart: shame and indignation at being completely fooled, and strong doubts about her own judgment.

And there was also an... indescribable shock and horror, as if she had truly caught her first glimpse of the tip of an iceberg.

She unconsciously supported her smooth forehead with one hand, her fingertips cold, as if only this could support her somewhat dizzy head.

I'm convinced!

I'm really convinced by this old fox!

She silently cried out in her heart, what kind of Master was this?

She secretly rolled her eyes, and even her pride as a Great Emperor in her previous life shattered into pieces.

She couldn't help but recall that when she was in charge of the Tianlan Great World, any Cultivator who disguised themselves in front of her could be seen through with a single glance.

But upon arriving at Zizhu Peak, she was first startled by the Saint Realm aura of a plowing ox, and then completely fooled by Master's Qi Concealment Secret Art.

"What 'Can't See Through Me' Cultivation Technique? This is clearly the 'I'll let you see whatever I want you to see' Cultivation Technique!"

Ling Xi gritted her teeth, remembering her smugness when she "saw through the Cave Heaven Realm" back then. Now, she really wanted to find a hole to crawl into.

But the Senior Brothers are all in the Cave Heaven Realm!

What Realm has this Master's true cultivation reached?

An intense curiosity and desire to investigate instantly overwhelmed Ling Xi's earlier shock and slight awe.

She almost instinctively looked again at the honest Great Senior Brother Xiao Ruobai beside her and asked, "Senior Brother, then... what is our Master's cultivation level?!"

When Xiao Ruobai heard this question, the honest smile on his face instantly froze, and the corners of his mouth twitched uncontrollably, as if he suddenly had a toothache.

His gaze drifted for a moment, seemingly recalling some unbearable memories. Xiao Ruobai swallowed, raised his hand, and touched his face, which still seemed to be throbbing faintly.

He said dryly, "Mas-Master's cultivation... Junior Sister, don't ask. If you ask, it's the Core Formation Realm."

Ling Xi: "???"

"Core Formation Realm?!"

She almost thought she had misheard! Her beautiful eyes instantly widened, filled with an absurd feeling of "you must be joking."

Ling Xi pouted and said, if you don't want to say, then don't say. Core Formation Realm? I don't believe a word of it.

At this moment, Gu Changge just slowly took a bite of the spiritual fruit in his hand. The sweet juice seemed to make him squint contentedly, his aura peaceful and restrained, looking... looking exactly like an unremarkable Middle Stage Core Formation Realm Cultivator!

But the more "normal" he appeared, the more absurd Ling Xi found it!

Forget it... Core Formation Realm it is.

Cave Heaven Realm it is.

Whatever you want to be, you are.

I won't guess anymore, and I won't probe anymore.

Whatever you say, it is.

This Zizhu Peak's 'Gou' (Cunning/Cautious) art, I will learn it!!!

She finally deeply and painfully understood the true meaning of Zizhu Peak's third rule—"Conceal your edge, hide your sharpness, and preserve your life."

This place, from Master to Disciple, not a single one was normal!

And she, too, was now a member of this "abnormal" group.

Ling Xi silently and solemnly carved the 'Gou' art onto the starting point of her new Imperial Path.

Gu Changge slowly finished the last bite of the spiritual fruit, accurately flicking the pit into the base of a dense clump of Purple Bamboo in the distance. Only then did he clap his hands and lazily stand up.

"Alright, the rules have been explained. It's getting late, so hurry up and go to sleep."

Finally, his gaze fell on Ling Xi, "Ling Xi, wait for me in front of the bamboo house tomorrow morning. This Master will begin to teach you how to Cultivate."

With that, he didn't wait for a reply, yawned, stretched lazily, and then turned and ambled towards his own bamboo house.

Xiao Ruobai and Fang Hanyu were clearly used to this. Upon hearing him, they immediately respectfully replied, "Yes, Master," and then each turned and walked towards their own bamboo houses.

Only Ling Xi remained. The night wind rustled through the Purple Bamboo, and the extremely dense Spiritual Qi enveloped her, yet her mind was restless.

She watched Gu Changge's back disappear behind the bamboo house door, then looked at the figures of her two Senior Brothers leaving swiftly, her expression constantly changing.

If it had been fifteen minutes ago, hearing a "Core Formation Realm or Cave Heaven Realm" Cultivator wanting to teach her, a former Empress, how to Cultivate, she would probably have scoffed, thinking it was a huge joke.

In her former Realm, what was the difference between a Cave Heaven Realm Cultivator and an ant?

But now, that thought could no longer be justified.

This Master before her was too mysterious and unfathomable.

The Cultivation Technique he produced could allow Disciples to directly enter the Cave Heaven Realm and shield Divine Soul perception... The rules he set were strange yet subtly contained an indescribable profound meaning... His own cultivation seemed to be only Core Formation, yet it was profound and unfathomable. And the Spiritual Qi was so dense, and the Zizhu Peak was full of mysteries... All of this far exceeded the scope of an ordinary Cultivator, even far beyond any Realm Cultivator she knew.

There were layers of mist surrounding this person; he was definitely not as simple as he appeared on the surface.

Seeing how young yet mysterious this person was, she wondered what stage his cultivation had truly reached?

Ling Xi's eyes narrowed slightly, a sharp glint flashing in their depths.

Very well, tomorrow I'll see what Master teaches.

This is a good opportunity to carefully probe his depth and see what astonishing secrets are hidden beneath his disguise!

Having made up her mind, Ling Xi took a deep breath, forcibly suppressed her turbulent thoughts, and turned to walk towards the wild-style new bamboo house that her two Senior Brothers had helped build...