33: Chapter 33 If not now, when?

"It... it was just a few days ago."

"A few days ago?"

Liu Rumeng took a deep breath, feeling her blood pressure soar.

She had only been away from the Sect for two months!

Two months!

The little cabbage her family had painstakingly guarded for twenty years had been uprooted by a pig?

And looking at the situation, not only was the cabbage gone, but the pig had taken the whole pot too!

"Exactly how many days?" Liu Rumeng asked relentlessly, determined to get to the bottom of it.

Leng Qingyue bit her lip, her eyes darting away.

"Three... four days, maybe."

Liu Rumeng's vision went dark, and she nearly lost her footing.

"Three or four days?"

She grabbed Leng Qingyue's shoulders and shook her vigorously, her voice changing pitch.

"My god! Qingyue, I didn't know you were that kind of person!"

"Three or four days was enough to get you so thoroughly marinated in his scent?"

"Are you living on the bed? Or did you two just never touch the floor?"

"I never would have guessed! You usually look so pure and detached, but behind the scenes, you're playing so wildly!"

"No... it's not what you think!"

Leng Qingyue waved her hands repeatedly, trying to salvage her image in her best friend's heart.

"The cold poison in my body was becoming uncontrollable. If I didn't resolve it before Core Formation, my life would be in danger!"

"He is the antidote Revered Master found for me. We only engage in Dual Cultivation at night to neutralize the cold poison!"

Hearing the words 'neutralize the cold poison,' Liu Rumeng's movements paused slightly.

She eyed Leng Qingyue suspiciously.

It was true.

Before, although Leng Qingyue was beautiful, her face always had a sickly paleness, and her lips lacked color.

But now...

Her complexion was rosy, her skin had a glow, and even that year-round chill between her brows had dissipated significantly.

Instead, there was a hint of... a woman's charm?

"Even if it's for detoxification..."

Liu Rumeng let go, her brow furrowed as she began searching her mental list of suspects.

"For a picky girl like you to take an interest, the other party must be no ordinary person."

"Is it Lin Feng, the Head Disciple of Heavenly Sword Peak? I heard he's always liked you, and he has a single Metal Spiritual Root with powerful offensive capabilities."

Leng Qingyue shook her head.

"It's not him."

"Then... is it Zhao Wuji from the Artifact Refining Hall? That guy is a bit rugged, but his fire-attribute spiritual energy is pure, perfect for suppressing your cold poison."

Leng Qingyue still shook her head.

"Not him either."

Liu Rumeng was getting anxious.

"It couldn't be that constantly nagging Ye Fan, could it?"

Seeing her friend's guesses becoming more and more ridiculous—even considering the old sweeping man at the outer gate who was only at the Qi Refinement Stage—

Leng Qingyue sighed.

She looked up, her cheeks burning hot.

"It's Cao Kun."

The air suddenly went still.

Liu Rumeng's mouth hung open as she stared blankly at Leng Qingyue, as if she had heard some fantastical tale.

A full three breaths passed.

"Who?!"

Liu Rumeng dug at her ear, thinking she had misheard.

"Cao Kun," Leng Qingyue repeated, her voice firmer than before.

"Huh?!"

Liu Rumeng completely lost it.

She pointed toward the Outer Gate Servant Quarters, her finger trembling.

"You mean *that* Cao Kun?"

"That... that old man whose Spiritual Root was destroyed and was sent back to the outer gate to wait for death?!"

Liu Rumeng felt her worldview collapsing.

She knew Cao Kun, of course.

Years ago, he was a brilliant figure, but unfortunately, he was later crippled.

The last time she saw Cao Kun was six months ago when she was collecting supplies at the outer gate.

That guy had white hair, a face full of wrinkles, and needed three gasps of air for every two steps. The decaying smell of someone with one foot in the grave could be smelled from three miles away.

"Qingyue, are you crazy?!"

Liu Rumeng cupped Leng Qingyue's face, examining her from side to side with terror in her eyes.

"Has the cold poison reached your brain and frozen your mind?"

"That's Cao Kun! That's an old fossil with half a foot in the coffin!"

"How old is he? Ninety-nine?"

"What do you see in him? His age? That he knows how to take care of people?"

"You're only twenty! You could be his great-granddaughter!"

The more Liu Rumeng spoke, the angrier she got; she was beside herself.

Her family's fresh, succulent cabbage had actually been gored by a toothless old pig!

And it had been gored for several days straight!

"No!"

Liu Rumeng grabbed Leng Qingyue's wrist with surprising strength.

"Qingyue, you must have been tricked! That old thing must have used some evil technique to bewitch your mind!"

"Come on! Take me to see him!"

Seeing her friend's violent reaction, Leng Qingyue hurriedly explained:

"No, Rumeng, you've misunderstood."

"Cao Kun... he's different now."

"He's regained his youth, and his cultivation also..."

"Regained my ass!"

Liu Rumeng wouldn't listen at all, dragging Leng Qingyue along as she charged out, radiating Killing Intent.

"Have you ever heard of a 'final burst of energy'? That's a deathbed rally!"

"Hurry! If we're late, I'm afraid he'll die right on the bed, and then you'll have to wear mourning clothes for him!"

...

Meanwhile.

Lianxiang Peak, inner chamber of the main hall.

Cao Kun was leaning comfortably against a soft pillow.

[Ding! Detected that the Jade Beast 'Leng Qingyue' is defending the host's reputation, creating a strong emotional bond.]

[Jade Beast 'Leng Qingyue' taming value +5!]

[Current taming value: 30]

[Congratulations to the host for obtaining 500 task points!]

[Ding! Jade Beast Yu Linglong has developed intense shame, indignation, and dependence due to the host's 'shameless' behavior just now. taming value +5!]

[Current taming value: 48.]

[Reward: 500 task points.]

The sudden System notification in his mind made Cao Kun pause.

"Hmm? What did that girl Qingyue do? Why did it inexplicably increase by 5 points?"

"Increasing stats from a distance? Could this girl be praising my handsomeness behind my back?"

Cao Kun stroked his chin, feeling quite pleased with himself.

However, when his gaze fell on the second notification, his eyes instantly lit up.

Yu Linglong, 48 points!

He was only one step away from the 50-point milestone!

According to the System's pattern, 20 points gave a Bronze Gift Pack, so 50 points would be Silver, or maybe even a Gold Gift Pack!

This wasn't just a Revered Master; she was clearly a walking gold mine!

Cao Kun looked down at his glamorous Revered Master lying beside him.

As if sensing Cao Kun's aggressive gaze, Yu Linglong's body trembled slightly.

She struggled to open her peach-blossom eyes and gave Cao Kun a resentful glare.

"Rebellious Disciple... what are you looking at?"

Though her voice was still a bit raspy, her tone was fierce.

"What else do you want?"

Yu Linglong tried to get up, but found her waist so sore and weak she couldn't muster any strength.

She could only raise her long leg and give Cao Kun a kick in the face.

"Revered Master, with you saying that, how could your Disciple not want more?"

Cao Kun took the opportunity to grab that smooth, jade-like ankle.

"Just now, your Disciple observed the celestial bodies and discovered that your heart's knot is just a tiny bit away from being completely unraveled."

"Just that little bit."

Cao Kun held up two fingers, indicating a tiny distance.

"Scram!"

Yu Linglong didn't believe his nonsense at all, her long legs kicking wildly.

"None of that. This seat is tired and needs to rest."

All she wanted to do now was sleep.

That feeling just now, as if her Soul were about to experience Soul Emergence, was even more terrifying than Undergoing Tribulation.

Her dignity as a Golden Core Elder lay shattered on the floor at this moment.

She had to hurry and chase this Rebellious Disciple away, find a place to bury herself, and properly calm down.

However.

Not only did Cao Kun not stop,

he instead slid down and pulled her slender waist into his arms.

"Revered Master, are you really trying to chase your Disciple away?"

That wouldn't do.

The big gift pack was right in front of him. If he didn't charge now, then when?

Yu Linglong