21: Chapter 21 Senior Sister, don't move! You need to wear this bell on your ankle!
Two hours later.
Inside the pavilion, the last wisp of spiritual energy fluctuations finally subsided.
Cao Kun slowly opened his eyes, a sharp light flashing within them.
He could clearly sense that the mass of Chaos power within his Dantian had expanded to a staggering degree.
His cultivation, which had only just entered the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment, had now surged to the Peak of the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment!
He was only one step away from a Breakthrough to the Late Stage Foundation Establishment!
[Good heavens, the quality of this Primordial Yin Power is thirty percent purer than Revered Master's.]
[As expected of a Top-grade Ice Spirit Body. If this continues, the Golden Core Stage is just around the corner.]
Cao Kun calculated happily in his heart, his gaze involuntarily drifting to the side.
Leng Qingyue was facing away from him, her slender fingers trembling slightly as she straightened her clothes.
The snowy-white nape of her neck glowed with a faint flush under the moonlight, clearly having not yet fully recovered from the treatment just now.
A moment later, she closed her beautiful eyes and began to inspect her internal state.
The moment her Divine Sense entered her Dantian, Leng Qingyue's delicate body jerked violently!
The cold poison that had originally occupied the area around her Qi Sea had receded significantly once again!
If it was just a thin layer last time, this time... it had receded by at least twenty percent!
According to today's progress, if it could recede this much every time...
It would only take one month,
And this cold poison that had tortured her for twenty years could be completely eradicated!
Thinking of this, Leng Qingyue's heart began to throb violently.
Twenty years!
She finally saw the hope of completely ridding herself of the cold poison!
However...
Thinking of the two-hour treatment process just now, Leng Qingyue's pretty face flushed even redder.
The treatment time this time had extended from one hour to two hours.
If it continued according to this trend...
Next time, and the time after that...
She didn't dare think further, only feeling her cheeks burning intensely.
"How do you feel?"
Cao Kun's gentle voice came from behind, interrupting her thoughts.
Leng Qingyue hurriedly stood up and turned around, her eyes filled with gratitude and joy.
"Manager Cao, the cold poison has receded a lot more! At this rate, I'll be completely cured in a month at most!"
Her voice carried an irrepressible excitement.
"That's good."
Cao Kun smiled slightly, standing up to straighten his somewhat messy robes.
"However, don't be happy too soon. Although the cold poison is receding, the Solar Essence just injected into your body is not yet stable."
"If it's not consolidated, I'm afraid it will be counterattacked by the residual cold poison, and all our previous efforts will be in vain."
"Ah?"
Hearing this, the joy on Leng Qingyue's face instantly froze.
"Then... then what should I do?"
Cao Kun didn't answer immediately, but instead sank his mind into the System.
"System, open the Mall."
[Mall opened]
[Current task points: 2800]
Cao Kun's gaze quickly swept across the dazzling array of items in the list.
Ultimately, his gaze settled on the "Beast Tamer Tools" category.
Since he wanted to subdue Leng Qingyue, he naturally had to use some professional tools.
However, task points were limited, so he had to be frugal.
Cao Kun's gaze swept over the items one by one.
[immortal binding rope: Price 5000 task points.]
[Pass, too expensive, and this thing clearly isn't meant for Leng Qingyue.]
[Heart-Charming Incense: Price 800 task points.]
[Pass, this thing is too obvious, easy to get caught.]
[Jade Pendant · Heart Lock: Price 500 task points.]
[Hmm... it's okay, but I feel like it lacks a bit of ritual.]
Just as he was about to keep scrolling down, a high-quality and inexpensive treasure jumped into his sight.
[purple gold bell: Price 100 task points.]
[Item Description: Exquisite appearance. Upon wearing, it automatically establishes a Master-Servant Spiritual Contract, subtly increasing the wearer's submissiveness toward the Revered Master.]
[Note: This item has no side effects, cannot be detected by conventional means, and can be worn long-term.]
Cao Kun's eyes lit up.
[This is it!]
[Affordable price, outstanding effect, and most importantly, not easily discovered.]
[It's simply an essential item for home travel and capturing Jade Beasts!]
He chose to exchange it without hesitation.
[Ding! Exchange successful! Consumed 100 task points, remaining task points: 2700.]
[purple gold bell has been issued to the System space.]
With a thought from Cao Kun, a shimmering purple bell appeared in his palm.
The bell was about the size of a thumb, entirely purple-gold in color, with complex and exquisite patterns carved on its surface, glowing with a faint spiritual light under the moon.
At a glance, it was clearly no ordinary item.
"Senior Sister Leng."
Cao Kun looked up at the anxious Leng Qingyue.
"Hmm?"
Leng Qingyue turned around and looked at him in confusion.
"Come here, I'll show you a treasure."
Cao Kun beckoned to her.
Although Leng Qingyue didn't know why, she still walked over obediently.
"This is..."
When she saw the exquisite bell in Cao Kun's palm, a flash of fondness appeared in her beautiful eyes.
As a woman, she naturally had little resistance to such delicate small objects.
"This is a Magical Artifact I obtained by chance, called the purple gold bell."
Cao Kun explained solemnly.
"Although this item has no offensive capabilities, it can assist in stabilizing spiritual power within the body and prevent external evils from invading."
"At the same time, it makes it convenient for me to check your condition at any time!"
"So..."
He handed the bell to Leng Qingyue.
"Take this and wear it on your person to ensure your safety."
Leng Qingyue looked at the shimmering bell, her fondness for it growing even stronger.
But immediately, she waved her hands repeatedly and took two steps back.
"No, no! This is too precious!"
"Manager Cao, you have already exhausted your Origin to remove the poison for me, and now you want to give me such a precious Magical Artifact..."
"I... I don't deserve this!"
Leng Qingyue's voice was full of guilt.
In her view, Cao Kun had already sacrificed too much for her.
Not only could she not repay him, but she also had to continue taking from him. How could she feel at ease?
"You don't want it?"
Cao Kun's face darkened.
"Fine, I'll take it back."
He made a motion to put the bell away.
"Wait!"
Seeing this, Leng Qingyue hurriedly reached out to stop him.
"I... I didn't mean that..."
"Then what did you mean?"
Cao Kun raised an eyebrow, his tone carrying a hint of displeasure.
"Qingyue, do you know that if the Solar Essence in your body is unstable and causes the cold poison to relapse, all my previous efforts will be for nothing?"
"At that time, not only will you suffer, but even Revered Master will be worried."
"Do you... have the heart to let that happen?"
These words directly hit the softest part of Leng Qingyue's heart.
Revered Master...
Right, Revered Master had already sacrificed so much for her.
How could she let Revered Master's hard work go to waste because of a momentary hesitation?
Thinking of this, Leng Qingyue bit her lower lip and finally relented.
"Then... alright."
"Thank you, Manager Cao."
She reached out her hand, wanting to take the bell.
However, Cao Kun did not hand the bell to her, but instead squatted down.
"What... what are you doing?"
Leng Qingyue was startled by his sudden action and subconsciously took half a step back.
"Don't move."
Cao Kun looked up and gave her a gentle smile.
"This bell must be worn on the ankle to be most effective."
"I'll help you put it on."
Before she could react, Cao Kun reached out and grabbed Leng Qingyue's slender ankle.
"Ah—!"
Leng Qingyue let out a cry of surprise, her body stumbling, nearly falling over.
Cao Kun was quick and supported her lower back with his other hand.
"Don't move, it'll be quick."
He lowered his head and carefully tied the purple gold bell onto Leng Qingyue's ankle.
His warm fingertips inadvertently brushed against her cool skin, bringing a tingling sensation.
Leng Qingyue felt as if all the blood in her body was rushing to her head, her entire face turning so red it looked like it might drip blood.
She lowered her head, not daring to look at Cao Kun, only able to stare fixedly at her toes.
"Done."
Cao Kun stood up, looking at his masterpiece with satisfaction.
The purple gold bell tied to that snowy-white ankle shimmered faintly in the moonlight, looking indescribably exquisite and enticing.
The moment the bell's clasp locked.
In Cao Kun's mind, the System notification sounds rang out consecutively.
[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for successfully capturing a Jade Beast!]
[Jade Beast Information: Leng Qingyue, Early Stage of Foundation Establishment, Top-grade Ice Spirit Body.]
[Task Reward: 1000 task points.]
[Current Beast Taming taming value: 20.]
[taming value reached 20 points, additional reward of 2000 task points!]
[Ding! Detected taming value breaking through the 20-point mark for the first time!]
[Congratulations to the Host for obtaining a periodic achievement reward: one Mysterious Gift Pack (Bronze Grade)!]
A series of notifications exploded in his mind, making Cao Kun almost unable to maintain his expression.
[Holy crap, what a huge profit!]
[Just captured her, and the taming value went straight to 20?]
[This Senior Sister Leng is truly a good girl!]
Cao Kun suppressed the wild joy in his heart, his face still maintaining a gentle smile.
"How is it? Do you like it?"
Leng Qingyue finally dared to raise her head, looking down at her ankle.
The purple gold bell shone brightly under the moonlight, as exquisite as a piece of art.
"I... I like it."
She murmured softly, her voice carrying a hint of shyness.
"It's good that Qingyue likes it."
This intimate form of address made Leng Qingyue freeze slightly.
She looked up in astonishment, meeting Cao Kun's eyes which were full of doting.
Those eyes seemed to hide thousands of stars, so gentle it made one's heart tremble.
Leng Qingyue felt her heart racing like a panicked deer, the temperature of her face rising even higher.
"I... I'll go back first!"
She could no longer bear this suffocating atmosphere.
Hurriedly dropping those words, she turned to leave on her Flying Sword.
However, after taking just two steps, a crisp ringing sound came from her ankle.
"Ding-ling— Ding-ling—"
The sound was crisp and pleasant, sounding exceptionally clear in the silent night.
Leng Qingyue's footsteps paused, and she uncontrollably looked back at Cao Kun.
Under the moonlight, that man still stood in place, a gentle smile on his lips, looking at her with tender eyes.
Leng Qingyue's heart beat even faster.
She didn't dare look any longer, hurriedly summoning her Flying Sword and vanishing into the night sky as a streak of white light.
Only the string of crisp bell sounds remained, echoing in the night wind.
Cao Kun watched her disappearing back, the smile on his lips no longer suppressible.
"System, open the personal panel."
[Name: Cao Kun]
[Age: 99/450]
[Spiritual Root: Top-grade Flame-Sun Spiritual Root]
[Cultivation: Peak of Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment]
[Jade Beast Quantity: 2/2]
[task points: 5700]
[Beast Tamer Rank: Novice Beast Tamer (53/100)]
Five thousand seven hundred points!
This wave was a direct takeoff!
Cao Kun suppressed his excitement and sank his mind into the System.
"System, open the gift pack!"
[Ding! Opening Mysterious Gift Pack (Bronze Grade)...]