139: Chapter 139 Little brother, teach me the cultivation techniques, and I'll make you the sect leader, okay?

Inside the Ancient Hall of Love and Heaven, the passage of time seemed to be isolated from the outside world.

Xu Ruyu sat cross-legged on the bluestone floor, the first draft of the "True Explanation of Taixu Source Energy," inscribed with True Qi, spread out before him.

If ordinary Cultivators were to see those complex formulas, formation diagrams, and energy conversion models, they would likely feel dizzy and confused.

But at this moment, a pair of distinct, black-and-white eyes were staring unblinkingly at these "heavenly books."

The Little Girl had sat cross-legged opposite Xu Ruyu without him noticing, resting her tender, pink face in her hands, her pigtails draped crookedly over her shoulders.

She watched with extreme focus, frowning at times, then looking enlightened, and at other times displaying a confused expression that seemed to say, "What on earth is this?"

"Big Brother—"

The crisp, clear call interrupted Xu Ruyu's train of thought.

Xu Ruyu looked up to see the Little Girl gazing at him with those watery, wide eyes, her little mouth slightly pouted in a look that said, "I'm unhappy because you're ignoring me."

"Hm?"

Xu Ruyu responded, though he felt somewhat helpless inside.

This was the thirty-seventh time he had been called that today.

From the initial "little brat," to the later "Junior Nephew Xu," and now "Big Brother"—the Little Girl's forms of address changed incredibly fast, and her attitude had become equally intimate.

Anyone who didn't know better would think they were long-lost siblings.

"Big Brother, are you going to teach me this Cultivation Technique or not?"

The Little Girl shifted her little bottom, scooting closer until she was almost pressed against Xu Ruyu's face. She had a faint, fresh scent about her, like a mix of grass and dew, which suited her youthful appearance quite well.

"Young lady," Xu Ruyu said with a wry smile, "this Cultivation Technique is truly just a first draft; many key points have yet to be perfected, and to impart it rashly would likely…"

"Oh, so it's not perfect, big deal!"

The Little Girl waved her hand, completely unconcerned:

"If it's not perfect, we'll just perfect it together! Big Brother, you teach me the basics, and I'll help you deduce the rest. If we join forces, we might just be able to push this Cultivation Technique to a Realm that no one has ever reached before!"

She spoke with great animation, her little face full of excitement, as if she had already envisioned the day she would achieve success and become invincible in the world.

Xu Ruyu, however, felt his heart skip a beat.

Deducing it together? Letting this mysterious Little Girl, who looked no more than eight or nine years old, participate in perfecting the "True Explanation of Taixu Source Energy"? Are you kidding me!

Although this Cultivation Technique was born from the scientific concepts of his previous life, it had, after all, incorporated the cultivation Laws of this world, involving many profound fields such as energy conversion, micro-manipulation, and Law mapping.

He was still in the exploration stage himself, treading on thin ice with every step, terrified that a single wrong move would lead to a backlash from the Cultivation Technique. Letting a Little Girl participate? If she misunderstood a formula or deduced a formation diagram incorrectly, then when the Cultivation Technique backlashed, both of them would suffer!

"Young lady," Xu Ruyu said, carefully choosing his words, "this Cultivation Technique… is indeed somewhat special. It does not cultivate Spiritual Qi in the traditional sense, but rather…"

"It's the kinetic energy in the air, right?"

The Little Girl interrupted, a flash of slyness in her eyes: "I've figured it out. When you demonstrated it just now, you were extracting the thermal motion of air molecules and converting it into ice-attribute True Qi—to be precise, not 'Haotian True Qi,' but 'Taixu True Qi.'"

She paused, her little face wearing an "I saw through you long ago" expression: "Although this True Qi was born from air kinetic energy, its essence has undergone a qualitative change, carrying a flavor of 'encompassing all things and evolving all phenomena,' so calling it 'Taixu' is fitting. Big Brother, am I right?"

Xu Ruyu was stunned. He hadn't expected that this Little Girl could actually understand it! Not only did she grasp the basic principles, but she had even guessed the name "Taixu True Qi," which he had only just decided upon in his mind, almost perfectly!

"How… how did you know?" Xu Ruyu couldn't help but ask.

"Hehe, it's because I'm smart!" The Little Girl raised her little chin triumphantly, but immediately let her face fall, pulling on Xu Ruyu's sleeve and shaking it: "So Big Brother, just teach me! It would be such a pity not to learn such an interesting Cultivation Technique! I promise to be obedient; I'll practice exactly how you say, and I absolutely won't mess around!"

As she spoke, she held up three fingers, making a swearing gesture, with a very serious look on her little face.

Looking at her like this, Xu Ruyu felt even more hesitant. This Little Girl was too smart. Smart to the point of… being somewhat wrong. Even if a child of eight or nine years old was naturally gifted, it might be one thing to understand these profound theories, but that ability to draw inferences and gain insight into the essence was definitely not something a child should possess.

Who exactly was she? Madam Qingli told him to come find her, saying she could be the Dominator of the Hehuan Sect… could it be true?

Xu Ruyu's thoughts raced, but his face remained calm as he simply shook his head: "Young lady, it's not that I'm unwilling to teach you; it's just that this Cultivation Technique carries too much risk. I am still exploring it myself, and if something were to…"

"What 'if' this, 'if' that!" The Little Girl suddenly let go of his sleeve, placed her hands on her hips, and gave him an "impatient" look: "Why are you so wishy-washy! It's just teaching a Cultivation Technique, not asking you to die!"

Her eyes rolled, and she suddenly changed her expression, leaning into Xu Ruyu's ear and lowering her voice, using the tone of "I'm telling you a huge secret": "How about this, Big Brother, let's make a deal."

"A deal?" Xu Ruyu raised an eyebrow.

"Yes!" The Little Girl nodded vigorously, a sly glint in her large eyes. "You teach me the Cultivation Technique, and I'll let you be the Sect Master of the Hehuan Sect, how about that?"

Xu Ruyu thought he had misheard. "You… what did you say?"

"I said—" The Little Girl enunciated clearly, word by word, "You teach me the Cultivation Technique, and I'll let you be the Sect Master of the Hehuan Sect."

She paused, and seeing Xu Ruyu's "are you kidding me" expression, she added: "Really! I'm not lying to you! When the time comes, all the beauties in the Hehuan Sect will become your harem, and you can do whatever you want! Whether it's Leng Ningshuang, Hua Xunhuan, or those Junior Sisters from the inner and outer sects…"

She counted on her fingers, her little face full of an "you're getting a great deal" expression: "Just think about it, every morning when you open your eyes, you're surrounded by a group of gorgeous beauties, one serving you tea, another massaging your legs, and some even…"

"Stop, stop, stop!" Xu Ruyu hurriedly interrupted her, cold sweat already breaking out on his forehead. What is all this! A harem? Gorgeous beauties? Serving tea and massaging legs? What kind of messy nonsense is in this Little Girl's head!

"Young lady, you mustn't say such things," Xu Ruyu said sternly. "The position of Sect Master of the Hehuan Sect is not child's play, is it? Furthermore, the current Sect Master, Xiao Nianyin, has profound cultivation and is highly respected…"

"Highly respected? Xiao Yinzi?" The Little Girl burst out laughing, laughing so hard she swayed back and forth, almost rolling on the ground: "Big Brother, you say Xiao Yinzi is 'highly respected'? Hahahaha! You haven't seen her when she was little! She still wet the bed at seven, stole and ate her Revered Master's osmanthus cake at eight, and got spanked for being lazy in her cultivation at nine…"

She laughed until tears came out, and it took her a long time to catch her breath, wiping the corners of her eyes: "Anyway, that Sect Master position of Xiao Yinzi's is just so-so. If you want to be it, it's just a matter of me saying one word!"

Xu Ruyu listened in stunned silence. Xiao Nianyin… wet the bed when she was little? Stole osmanthus cake? Got spanked? This was too much information; he couldn't digest it all at once.