Teacher?

Kong Yang and Shi Yan accepted their orders, then took their leave.

As they passed the doorway, their steps unconsciously paused. A capable-looking woman had already arrived outside.

Tu Shen!

"Deputy Director Tu!"

The two greeted her with smiles, exchanging familiar pleasantries.

Over the past ten years, they had worked closely with Tu Shen, so they naturally knew her well.

After nodding their greetings, the three passed by one another.

"Come in!"

Li Qingshan looked at Tu Shen, then shifted his gaze toward the corridor outside. His eyes seemed to pierce through the wall, and he shook his head with a laugh.

"Little one, stop hiding. You come in too."

"Ah?!"

A startled cry rang out. A young girl hiding behind Tu Shen crept into the office on tiptoe.

"M-Minister!"

The girl kept sneaking glances around, her expression incredibly vivid.

Excitement, unease, curiosity, admiration...

"Please forgive her, Minister!"

Tu Shen bowed with cupped hands and said helplessly,

"My daughter has dreamed of meeting you ever since she was little, so..."

"It's no matter."

Li Qingshan waved a hand. His gaze fell upon the girl, and he revealed a gentle smile.

"You must be little Tu Ye!"

"Y-Yes, yes, yes..."

Tu Ye nodded repeatedly, becoming even more excited.

After examining her briefly, Li Qingshan suddenly gave a soft exclamation.

"Body Tempering Seventh Level?!"

At sixteen, the Body Tempering Seventh Level was by no means low. It had far surpassed where he himself had been at the same age.

But this was not Ziying Star!

Tu Ye's mother was Tu Shen, a woman who held real power, a genuine powerhouse ruling her own corner!

The moment those words left his mouth,

Tu Ye immediately drooped in dejection, shame written across her face.

Tu Shen shook her head, lightly patted Tu Ye on the head, and explained with a smile,

"This little one's comprehension is rather ordinary. I've been busy with official duties these past years and rarely taught her personally."

"And..."

Tu Shen's smile faded slightly as she hesitated.

"I brought her here today because there is something I would like to ask the Minister to advise us on!"

"Advise you?"

Li Qingshan raised his brows and nodded lightly.

Tu Shen immediately patted her daughter on the shoulder, signaling her to step into the middle of the office. Tu Ye spread her legs apart and began demonstrating movement after movement.

"Starry Sky Beckons?"

Confusion filled Li Qingshan's eyes as he quietly watched the girl perform one stance after another.

After the tenth movement, Li Qingshan's gaze gradually changed.

Not standard!

From the very first movement, it had already gone out of shape.

Originally, he had assumed Tu Ye's comprehension was simply too poor, which had led to this result.

But...

Ten consecutive movements had all gone astray, yet they had strangely coordinated with her breathing, producing a body-tempering effect.

Coordinating one's breathing was something one could only comprehend at the second layer of Starry Sky Beckons!

Tu Ye could not even perform the first layer's movements properly. How could she speak of comprehending the second layer?

Yet right now...

Though it was less efficient than the true second layer of Starry Sky Beckons, it had nonetheless produced a genuine body-tempering effect!

Was this... a case of mistakes accidentally leading to the right result?

Li Qingshan's expression turned serious as he watched the girl continue her demonstration with rapt attention.

Twenty movements, thirty movements, fifty movements...

Until, one hundred and eight movements.

All one hundred and eight movements of Starry Sky Beckons had gone out of shape, yet every one of them produced a body-tempering effect!

At this moment, Tu Ye was drenched in sweat, steam rising from above her head.

This could no longer be explained by coincidence...

Li Qingshan looked at Tu Ye and revealed a gentle smile.

"Little Ye, who taught you this set of movements?"

"No one taught me... no, it was Teacher... ah! That's not right either..."

Tu Ye spoke in a jumble, scratching at her forehead. It took her a while to sort out her thoughts.

"No one taught me, but whenever I practiced, it felt as though a teacher was beside me, guiding me. I just naturally learned it."

"A teacher? Naturally?"

Li Qingshan glanced at the bewildered girl, then turned his gaze to Tu Shen.

"I never hired a teacher for her. At first, she always practiced by following ordinary instructional videos. Later..."

Tu Shen shook her head, took out a bottle of nutrient solution for her daughter to drink, and frowned.

"I checked the surveillance footage. She truly did correct her movements bit by bit while practicing alone, until they became what they are now."

With Tu Shen's abilities, she naturally had countless ways to help Tu Ye complete body tempering, but Starry Sky Beckons was absolutely not among them!

The most precious aspect of Starry Sky Beckons was its universality, as well as its tailored, gentle, gradual body-tempering effects that continued until Limit Realm Completion.

This was something that could never be matched by brutal training followed by resource-based compensation.

But Starry Sky Beckons also had a threshold...

Comprehension!

Tu Ye's comprehension could not even cross into the second layer, yet she had now independently developed a "low-spec version" of Starry Sky Beckons...

At that thought, Tu Shen's frown deepened and deepened.

"Don't worry. I can help you ask around."

Li Qingshan smiled and offered reassurance.

Although he could not make sense of it either, he could call in reinforcements!

He tapped open the light screen on his wrist and pulled up his contacts.

Hua Yu.

Since this involved Starry Sky Beckons, connections in the Star Martial Hall were naturally the most reliable ones to seek out.

Beep~

After only a single ring, the light screen popped up at once.

At the center of the image was a slightly plump middle-aged man in splendid attire, his face glowing with health as he said happily,

"I was just thinking of contacting you, yet you called first. Are you preparing to use Body as Celestial Body?"

"Er... Senior, your information network is truly well-connected."

Li Qingshan smiled and gently shook his head.

"Body as Celestial Body is still too early..."

"It's not too early!" Hua Yu glared and urged,

"Don't forget my previous reminder. Whatever you do, do not recklessly attempt it..."

"Senior!"

Li Qingshan hurriedly interrupted him and changed the subject.

"I contacted you this time because there is another important matter!"

As he spoke, he moved the camera toward Tu Ye.

Tu Ye immediately understood and began demonstrating the movements once more.

"An important matter?"

Hua Yu stared at the girl on the screen, stunned for a moment, but his expression soon began to change...

An hour later, Tu Ye stopped moving, soaked in sweat.

"Senior, this is the situation..."

Li Qingshan quickly spoke, repeating everything Tu Shen had said earlier.

Hua Yu pondered briefly before slowly saying,

"I have heard of her 'teacher' before..."

With only that half a sentence,

Li Qingshan and Tu Shen both revealed startled, doubtful expressions.

They had never imagined that Tu Ye truly had a "teacher"!

But that was only half a sentence. Hua Yu's words came to an abrupt stop.

"Senior?" Confusion appeared in Li Qingshan's eyes.

"It isn't that I'm deliberately keeping you in suspense. It's just that I do not know much either, and..."

Hua Yu gently shook his head, his expression gradually turning solemn.

"Starry Sky Beckons is the foundation of our human race. Everything related to it is top secret!"

"In any case, there is no problem with this 'low-spec version.' She can continue practicing it."

"As for anything else, the relevant research groups will naturally keep watch over it. There is no need for you to interfere!"

Li Qingshan seemed to grasp something and nodded in understanding.

"Understood!"

Tu Shen, meanwhile, let out a sigh of relief and cupped her hands toward the screen in thanks.

"Thank you, Senior, for clearing up our doubts!"

The call ended.

Li Qingshan first summoned Kong Yang, asking him to take Tu Ye out for a tour, while he kept Tu Shen behind alone.

"Minister?"

Tu Shen looked puzzled, and at the same time, somewhat nervous.

"Don't be anxious. Let's watch a video first."

Li Qingshan spoke with a faint smile and opened his light screen. A video began playing automatically.

At the center of the image was a refined middle-aged man wearing a bitter smile.

Li Wenbo!

"Director Li, I never expected that we would meet again in this manner..."

Tu Shen stared at the screen, and her expression shifted slightly.

The last time, she and Li Qingshan had both been present and watched this video together.

However, Li Qingshan had paused it back then and had not played it to the end.

This time,

Li Qingshan interlaced his fingers, watching the screen with a smile.

At last, the video reached the point where it had previously been paused.

"But there is one Black Gold VIP you will definitely be interested in..."

"Yue Zhen!"