50: Chapter 50 Master, you've come again?

Although it was only the lowest level of the Qi Refinement Stage, for Xu Ruyu, the significance was nothing short of groundbreaking!

This proved that his path was correct!

It was feasible!

He did not need to rely on Spiritual Qi, nor did he need to cater to others' whims!

The air between heaven and earth was his inexhaustible Treasure Trove!

He suppressed the ecstasy in his heart and took a deep breath; the active molecules in the air seemed to be cheering for him.

He began to carefully experience the differences of the Qi Refinement Stage—a keener perception, clearer Meridians, and a silver vortex in his Dantian that rotated steadily, continuously providing wisps of cool True Qi...

"At this rate, if I can optimize my Cultivation Technique and improve the absorption and conversion efficiency..." Xu Ruyu began to calculate, "Three months... I might just have the strength to fight back!"

Just as Xu Ruyu was immersed in the joy of his Breakthrough and planning for the future—

Inside the Main Hall of Ningyin Hall, Lady Qingli, who had been lazily reclining on a brocade couch while chatting idly with Xiao Nianyin, suddenly narrowed her charming peach-blossom eyes, her long eyelashes fluttering.

She seemed to sense something, her gaze seemingly piercing through the layers of palace walls and casting toward the direction of the side hall.

A playful and surprised arc curved at the corners of her rosy lips.

"Oh?"

She let out a soft nasal sound, the volume so low that only she could hear it.

Just a moment ago, her incredibly keen Divine Sense had captured a faint yet exceptionally clear energy fluctuation.

The fluctuation was very weak and at a low level, but the pure aura of "rebirth" and "Breakthrough" it contained, along with a hint of an "Origin" flavor that was vastly different from traditional Spiritual Qi, allowed her to instantly lock onto the source—Xu Ruyu's side hall.

That Xiao Yuer who had "persuaded" himself... had achieved a Breakthrough to the Qi Refinement Stage?

Lady Qingli was truly surprised in her heart.

Although she knew that Xu Ruyu had a special Physique and contained immense power within his body, according to common sense, for a Mortal without a Spiritual Root to step into the Qi Refinement Stage, even with the direct guidance of an expert, it would require a long time of guidance and adaptation.

It had only been one night? He had managed to figure it out on his own?

Furthermore, that energy fluctuation from the Breakthrough just now... it didn't seem to be a pure Spiritual Qi fluctuation?

It carried a bit of... the rippling sensation of air being stirred? And a hint of a cold, sharp "Metal Element" quality?

"Entering the Qi Refinement Stage in one night... tsk tsk, this little fellow really keeps giving people surprises." Lady Qingli mused inwardly, her interest deepening, "Although he is still pitifully weak, such talent and speed of Breakthrough would be considered a Genius in any School.

Xiao Nianyin, oh Xiao Nianyin, I'm afraid you didn't expect that this little disciple of yours, whom you regard as a 'Cauldron', is actually an unpolished gem, right?"

She raised her eyes and glanced at Xiao Nianyin, who was sitting on the jade throne opposite her, slightly frowning.

At this moment, Xiao Nianyin was unconsciously rubbing a miniature mutton-fat jade bottle, her eyes drifting, clearly her mind was no longer here.

Seeing Xiao Nianyin's absent-minded appearance, Lady Qingli understood; this Sect Master of the Hehuan Sect was likely thinking about how to reclaim her cultivation from Xu Ruyu.

Thinking of this, a bit of mischievousness couldn't help but rise in her heart.

She decided not to tell Xiao Nianyin about Xu Ruyu's Breakthrough.

"Let you also taste the feeling of being kept in the dark and things spiraling out of control." Lady Qingli picked up the Spiritual Qi tea beside her, took an elegant sip, and hid the smile at the corners of her lips, "Besides... I want to see how many more 'surprises' your disciple can bring you.

Perhaps he is more interesting and valuable than you imagined...

Hmm, perhaps our Taihu Clan shouldn't view him just as a supreme Cauldron..."

At this moment, Xiao Nianyin was indeed restless.

Last night, she had adjusted her breath for a long time before barely suppressing the emptiness and that inexplicable agitation in her body.

But the loss of her Saint Realm Power was like a bottomless pit, constantly devouring her essence, energy, and spirit.

Relying solely on her own weak recovery and normal diet (such as the slight energy brought by those two grilled fish) was simply a drop in the bucket.

She could not wait, and she dared not wait.

Three months seemed like a long time, but for recovering her cultivation, it was extremely urgent.

The Hehuan Sect was not monolithic, and there were countless eyes watching from the outside.

She had to regain her power as soon as possible.

The small jade bottle in her hand contained "Drunken Immortals Lure," which had a lighter dosage than last night's but a longer-lasting and more subtle effect.

She planned to sneak into the side hall again, while Xu Ruyu was fast asleep (or so she thought), to guide a portion of her own power back from his body in a gentler and less noticeable way.

Although the inexplicable resistance and hesitation in her heart remained, the reason of a Sect Master and her desire for power ultimately overwhelmed that faint ripple of emotion.

After perfunctorily chatting with Lady Qingli for a while, Xiao Nianyin finally found an excuse to end the conversation.

Lady Qingli also very "tactfully" indicated that she was going to rest, her figure disappearing gracefully through the side door of the Main Hall.

Only Xiao Nianyin remained in the hall.

She gripped the warm, moist jade bottle, her knuckles turning slightly white from the force.

She sat quietly for a long time, until she was sure Lady Qingli had gone far away, and then she slowly stood up, her plain white robes tracing a cold arc in the hall as the morning light began to dawn.

Like a ghost in the dark night, she left the Main Hall silently, passed through the corridor, and arrived outside the side hall where Xu Ruyu was.

The room was silent, and it seemed the person inside was still fast asleep.

Xiao Nianyin held her breath and probed a wisp of weak Divine Sense into the door crack—she dared not go too deep, fearing to disturb Xu Ruyu, who might not be sound asleep, and fearing to touch the sensitive power within his body.

Her Divine Sense fed back that the aura in the room was steady, with only the sound of even breathing.

Her heart steadied slightly; she gently pushed open the unlocked door, slipped in, and pulled the door ajar behind her.

The room was dimly lit, carrying the unique scent of a man's dwelling, as well as a hint of... faint, lingering energy?

Xiao Nianyin frowned slightly but did not dwell on it, assuming it was an anomaly brought about by Xu Ruyu's special Physique.

She walked to the bedside.

Xu Ruyu was lying on the hard bed, fully clothed, facing inward, appearing to be in a deep sleep.

His breathing was even and long, his chest rising and falling slowly with his breath.

Xiao Nianyin stood by the bed, looking down at the defenseless youth in his sleep, her mood complex.

Moonlight shone through the window lattice, outlining the contours of his profile; his nose bridge was straight, his lips slightly pursed, and with the daytime's trepidation stripped away, he actually had a touch of the cleanliness that belonged to his age?

She shook off the inexplicable thoughts in her mind, took a deep breath, and unplugged the stopper of the jade bottle in her hand.

A faint, elegant, exotic fragrance immediately drifted out from the bottle's mouth.

This fragrance was not strong, even carrying a hint of floral freshness, but as it dispersed in the air, it had a power of laziness and intoxication that went straight to the Divine Soul.

Xiao Nianyin pointed the bottle's mouth toward Xu Ruyu's nose and mouth, gently fanning it.

The exotic fragrance drifted in wisps toward the sleeping Xu Ruyu.

Xu Ruyu, who had just finished his Breakthrough and whose body and mind were in a state of relaxation after extreme excitement, was not actually fully asleep; he was merely closing his eyes to regulate his breath, savoring the feeling of the Breakthrough.

As this exotic fragrance drifted over, at first he only felt a pleasant floral scent, but immediately afterward, a strong sense of dizziness and an irresistible drowsiness swept over his consciousness like a tide!

"Not good!"

Alarm bells rang in Xu Ruyu's heart, and he immediately realized something was wrong!

He wanted to hold his breath and circulate the newly acquired Taixu True Qi to resist, but it was too late!

The medicinal power of "Drunken Immortals Lure" was overbearing and swift, specifically targeting the Divine Soul; his meager cultivation and just-condensed Mental Energy were vulnerable before it.

He only had time to vaguely see a hazy white figure standing by the bed, with the familiar, cold, and slightly weary fragrance lingering at the tip of his nose, the word "Revered Master" flashed through his mind, and his consciousness sank completely into boundless darkness.

Watching Xu Ruyu's breathing become deeper and more steady, his body completely relaxing, Xiao Nianyin knew the medicine had taken effect.

She put away the jade bottle, the coldness on her face wavering for a moment, but it was quickly replaced by determination.

She sat gently by the bed, hesitated for a moment, then extended her slightly cool fingers, carefully untying the knot of Xu Ruyu's robe, revealing his smooth-lined chest.

As her fingertips touched his warm skin, Xiao Nianyin's hand trembled imperceptibly.

Immediately, she closed her eyes, adjusted her breathing, and followed the "Guidance and Backflow" method she had explored last night, which combined the secret techniques of the Hehuan Sect and her own insights, slowly leaning down and pressing her cool lips gently onto Xu Ruyu's lips.

At the same time, her hands, with a sense of unfamiliarity and determination, reached into his robe, caressing his firm waist and abdomen, searching for the "Origin" and "Meridians" of that immense power within his body...

In the silent side hall, only the extremely light, gradually chaotic breathing sounds remained, along with the rustling of clothes.

The morning light was blocked outside the window, the room remained dimly lit, filled with the exotic fragrance of the drug, the masculine aura of the man, and the cold, elegant fragrance of the woman, creating an ambiguous and dangerous atmosphere.

In his daze, Xu Ruyu only felt his body becoming hotter and hotter; as his consciousness floated, a familiar, cool, and soft body once again pressed onto him with an irresistible force... Following that, the dormant Saint Realm Power within his body began to be slowly, thread by thread... tugged, guided, and flowed toward that cool source by an external, homologous, yet yearning intent...

A silent, one-sided "extraction" and "backflow" was quietly unfolding once again in the side hall as dawn approached.

And Xu Ruyu, who had broken through to the Qi Refinement Stage, remained powerless against this, only able to sink into a chaotic abyss of half-dream and half-wakefulness amidst the intoxication of the drug and the passive flow of power.