23: Uninvited

Early the next morning.

When Lu Yang pushed open the door and slowly walked out of the courtyard, the sun was already high in the sky.

Ever since he stopped cultivating diligently, Lu Yang had developed the habit of sleeping until he woke up naturally.

Although his Lifespan was nearing its end and he was often struck by a sense of impending death, sufficient sleep allowed his exhausted body some relief.

What was even more heartening was that his cultivation had steadily risen to the Eighth Layer of Qi Refining, and the withered life force within his body had finally been cracked open a sliver, radiating a faint shimmer once more.

The best proof was that it had extended from the initial few breaths to the current thirty breaths.

Having shed the heavy pressure of cultivation, Lu Yang’s state of mind was more relaxed than ever before.

His days were pleasant; he only needed to perform Alchemy and delve into the various cultivation arts every day, yet he managed to handle both cultivation and women with ease.

It was truly calm and effortless.

Compared to the days when he struggled and suffered in the Qi Refining Third Layer, it was like the difference between clouds and mud.

After his lamentations, Lu Yang took out the Formation scriptures he had purchased yesterday and buried his head in study.

However, after half an hour, he was still completely confused; clearly, his talent in Formations was mediocre.

"It seems I still need the help of proficiency points."

With a thought, Lu Yang summoned the System panel:

[Name]: Lu Yang

[Gender]: Male

[Age]: 66/67

[Spiritual Root]: Five-Element Waste Spiritual Root

[Cultivation]: Eighth Layer of Qi Refining

[Cultivation Technique]: Dragon Phoenix Yin-Yang Art

[proficiency points]: 15 (Can be added to Cultivation Techniques, Spells, and the Hundred Arts of Cultivation; each point is equivalent to one year of hard cultivation)

[Hundred Arts of Cultivation]:

Alchemy: Grade Two

Formation: Grade One

Talisman: Grade Two... Previously, he had used 20 of his 30 proficiency points on Talismans.

After several days of Dual Cultivation with Mu Wanqing and Chi Rong, he had gained another five proficiency points.

Fifteen years of accumulated hard cultivation were enough for him to master these two Formations.

Thinking of this, Lu Yang’s mind moved slightly as he poured 15 proficiency points into his Formation skill.

In an instant, a massive amount of profound Formation inscriptions, principles, layouts, and keys flooded into his mind like a surging river!

With his previous experiences, Lu Yang held his mind steady, gritting his teeth to endure the swelling pain brought by this torrent of information, working hard to organize and fuse it.

Amidst the pain, there was also a refreshing sense of enlightenment.

A moment later, the turmoil in his head gradually subsided.

Lu Yang opened his eyes, a sharp light contained within them. Looking again at the originally obscure and difficult Formation scroll in his hand, he suddenly felt enlightened!

The key points that had been incomprehensible yesterday were now crystal clear.

The complex patterns on the scroll were no longer rigid lines, but a manifestation containing the flow of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, spatial structures, and even a hint of the mysteries of natural Law!

With a clear mind, Lu Yang immediately took out the prepared Materials and began to carefully replicate the Formation, referring to the finished Formation scroll.

The Grade Two Formation level brought by the 15 proficiency points made his writing feel as if aided by a god.

An hour later,

With the precise injection of the final bit of spiritual power, a miniature Formation Plate in Lu Yang's hand emitted a low hum—the Lesser Five Elements Sword Formation was complete!

Suppressing his excitement, Lu Yang immediately injected spiritual power to activate the Formation Plate.

The beast bone patterns engraved on the Formation Plate suddenly lit up, and a surge of spiritual power fluctuations erupted instantly! With the Formation Plate as the center, the Spiritual Qi within five paces churned violently, forming a visible vortex.

Immediately after, "whoosh" sounds of breaking air rang out as several sharp Sword Qi, condensed from pure spiritual power, were generated out of thin air, spinning within the vortex with impressive power!

Its power was the same as the Sword Qi produced by a Sword Qi Talisman.

The difference was that as long as the spiritual power was continuous, the sword Formation could continuously produce Sword Qi.

Whereas that Talisman was just a single strand of Sword Qi, gone once used.

"It's done! A genuine Grade Two sword Formation!" Seeing the steadily operating sword Formation, Lu Yang felt greatly reassured.

After observing for a while, as the spiritual power supply stopped, the Formation also came to a halt.

"Next, the second one, the Golden Turtle Formation!"

After the first success, Lu Yang did not rejoice excessively but immediately set about replicating the second Formation—the Golden Turtle Formation.

He did not delay much, striking while the iron was hot to begin the replication immediately.

With the experience of success, it was even smoother this time.

Soon, the second Formation Plate, known for its defense, was successfully born.

In this way, he possessed a set of Formations that combined offense and defense, and his confidence for this trip out of the Sect increased significantly.

After finishing the Formations, Lu Yang sat in meditation to regulate his breathing, restoring his consumed spiritual power to fullness.

Then he took up his brush to draw Talismans, refining ten Grade Two Talismans and five Grade One Talismans in one go before finally stopping with satisfaction.

"Tomorrow is the agreed time with Senior Sister Liu. I wonder if she has come out of seclusion yet."

Lu Yang stood up, looking at the darkening sky as he pondered.

While he was thinking, a graceful figure galloped through the distant sky, getting closer and closer.

As the figure approached, Lu Yang realized it was Chi Rong.

"Martial Uncle?" Lu Yang was slightly surprised. "You've come so early?"

Seeing Lu Yang staring straight at her, Chi Rong raised an eyebrow and asked, "What are you looking at?"

"Looking at you, Martial Uncle." Lu Yang smiled frankly, his gaze filled with appreciation.

"Is it good? Haven't you seen enough?"

Instead of avoiding him, Chi Rong took a light step forward, closing the distance. Her cold and stunning face was almost touching Lu Yang's nose, carrying a hint of scrutiny.

However, as the absurdity of the past few days involuntarily flashed through her mind, she felt her own ears burning first.

"Martial Uncle has the appearance of a celestial being. Even if I were to look a thousand or ten thousand times, it would never be enough." Lu Yang's skin was as thick as a city wall.

Chi Rong, however, had other thoughts.

This kid indulged in this path every day without getting tired. Who knew if he was deliberately slowing down his cultivation progress?

If he was just seeking pleasure, wouldn't she have become his Cauldron for nothing?

As soon as this thought arose, Chi Rong decided to strengthen her "supervision" of Lu Yang's cultivation.

Thus, starting from yesterday, she had come uninvited, and today she arrived even earlier.

"Less nonsense, get inside and Cultivate!" Chi Rong suppressed the strange feeling in her heart, regained her cold tone, and took the lead in walking into the house.

Entering the room, Chi Rong sat down by the bed and looked at Lu Yang composedly, a faint, almost imperceptible tease curling at the corner of her mouth:

"Have you thought of a new excuse for today?"

Lu Yang straightened his chest, looking certain: "Rest assured, Martial Uncle! Today I will surely make you satisfied!"

"Satisfied?"

Chi Rong’s beautiful eyes shifted as she repeated his words, her tone playful.

However... thirty breaths later.

Lu Yang's Magic Treasure once again ceased its activity.

"Cough... Martial Uncle, you came really too early today... Disciple... I wasn't prepared yet..." Lu Yang said sheepishly, trying to find a way out.

Chi Rong looked at him quietly, her eyes seeming to say: "Keep making things up, keep going."

Even she found this excuse clumsy.

What did her arriving early have to do with this matter?

Lu Yang also realized the excuse was too forced and hurriedly changed the subject: "Martial Uncle, I need to go out of the Sect tomorrow. It might take as short as three to five days, or as long as half a month to return."

"Oh?" Chi Rong’s expression remained unchanged, her tone cold. "What does that have to do with me?"

"I carry the heavy responsibility you entrusted to me, Martial Uncle; my life is no longer my own. How could I dare not report my whereabouts to you?"

Lu Yang spoke with a straight face.

Chi Rong was silent for a moment and didn't say much, only taking out a Jade Talisman shimmering with spiritual light from her Storage Pouch and handing it over.

"Take it." Her tone was still flat. "This is a sound transmission Talisman. Every time you reach a stopping point, use this Talisman to notify me."

She paused and added, her voice remaining cold:

"If there is no news after half a month, at least I will know where to go to... collect your corpse."

Lu Yang’s mouth twitched slightly, but he laughed inwardly:

This woman, clearly caring, yet her mouth was as hard as ten-thousand-year-old profound ice.

He reached out to take the warm Jade Talisman, his fingertips intentionally or unintentionally brushing against Chi Rong's cool fingertips.

"Thank you for your concern, Martial Uncle." Lu Yang Collapse sound transmission Talisman and asked tentatively:

"Then... could Martial Uncle stay tonight and 'guide' me some more?"

"I have nothing to teach you."

Chi Rong coldly dropped a sentence and said no more, just sitting there quietly, like a beauty carved from ice and snow.

Lu Yang thought he had been flatly rejected again and didn't care much; anyway, there was plenty of time ahead.

He composed himself, sat cross-legged, and began to regulate his breathing to restore his spiritual power.

A night passed in silence.

Early the next morning, Lu Yang woke up slowly.

The soft and warm sensation in his arms made him startle slightly, and he looked down.

What he had subconsciously hugged in his sleep last night—how was it a quilt?

It was clearly Martial Aunt Chi Rong, who had returned and was now quietly lying in his arms.

Her breathing was even, and her cold sleeping face appeared exceptionally soft in the morning light.

Martial Uncle didn't leave?

Lu Yang’s heart warmed, and his arms subconsciously tightened a bit more.

"How much longer are you going to keep hugging?"

A cold voice rang out from his side.

Only then did Lu Yang wake up as if from a dream, and with some reluctance, he slowly released his arms.

Chi Rong did not look back at him, but silently sat up.

The morning light outlined her graceful silhouette.

She raised her hand, her fingertips carrying an almost deliberate composure as she tucked a few strands of hair scattered by her cheek behind her ear. Her movements were elegant yet held a trace of imperceptible stiffness.

Then, she stood up, her back to Lu Yang, and began to tidy her slightly messy clothes.

In a moment, when she turned around again, she had changed into a neatly tailored, black-and-white elegant long dress.

Her posture was upright, her expression indifferent, and the usual majesty and aloofness reconsolidated between her brows, as if the soft warmth curled in his arms last night was just a dream of Lu Yang's.

"There are still important matters at the External Affairs Hall today." Her voice was calm and without ripples, showing no emotion, as if she were merely stating something unrelated to both of them.

Looking at her currently stern and inviolable appearance, a strange feeling crossed Lu Yang's heart.

Who would have thought that the Grand Elder Chi, whom those Outer Sect Disciples viewed with awe and who enforced the Law like a mountain, actually spent a night in his simple dwelling.

This made the corner of Lu Yang's mouth unable to resist curling into a very faint, yet proud and playful arc.

Chi Rong did not say anything more, not even sparing him a glance, as she walked out the door with steady steps, her figure quickly disappearing from the courtyard.

Only when that cold back had completely vanished did Lu Yang withdraw his gaze and rise from the bed.