The Person Who Shouldn't Appear

The long-legged girl next door was indeed cultivating.

Han Shuangjiang had just completed one cycle of her breathing technique when she once again heard Chu Huai Xu's agonizing screams from next door.

Three acupoints broken through in succession, the pain stacking.

If breaking through the first acupoint felt like a motorcycle crushing his entire body, and the second like a motorcycle with a passenger, then this time—jumping three levels at once—it was practically a taxi.

Han Shuangjiang shot up in alarm. Though she knew it was due to his cultivation technique, she still found herself walking to the outside of his bamboo house, wanting to check on him.

When she reached the door, she hesitated instead.

A few seconds later, perhaps hearing her footsteps outside, Chu Huai Xu's hoarse and weak voice came from inside.

"I—I'm fine, huff—it's just a technique breakthrough."

He hadn't even put on his outer robe, drenched in cold sweat, practically cultivating naked on the meditation cushion.

Chu Huai Xu's build was lean—the kind that looked slim in clothes but had definition underneath, without overly bulky muscles.

Now covered in sweat, the light made his muscle lines stand out even more.

He'd noticed that since practicing the "Sword Refining Art," his physical strength had been steadily increasing, as if he were truly tempering his body.

But it didn't seem to be heading toward a hulking muscle-bound path; no terrifyingly stiff muscles had appeared on him.

"Good. As long as you're fine." The girl's voice came from outside, still icy cold, not sounding like concern at all.

Yet at such a young age, she already had a mature older sister tone—strange indeed.

Han Shuangjiang returned to her own room and resumed cultivating.

She hadn't expected Chu Huai Xu to break through again so soon.

"Has he already opened his third acupoint?"

"I need to work twice as hard too. I don't want to be left behind by him," she thought.

Only after hearing Han Shuangjiang's retreating footsteps did Chu Huai Xu lie on the ground and loudly hiss, "Ssshh—ssshh—!"

He'd been holding up his pride just now, and figured she couldn't hear him anymore.

Though he'd mentally prepared himself before leveling up, his vision had still gone black just now, nearly fainting again.

"Might as well get all the pain over with at once instead of leveling up one by one and hurting three times. Short pain beats long pain." Chu Huai Xu had already given up on being careful.

The result was that he was still twitching uncontrollably all over.

He lay there twitching for a good while before gradually adapting.

Chu Huai Xu stood up and threw out the First Form of the Jiligu Lu Eight Trigrams Palm.

The room filled with the sound of palm wind, much fiercer and more domineering than before!

"Strong!" he marveled.

Though the "Sword Refining Art" was like a heretical cultivation technique, with a brutal training process, the path of training both internal and external was quite fierce, making him nearly invincible in the Aperture Opening Stage.

"This situation actually suits my cheated body control pretty well," Chu Huai Xu thought.

At that moment, he suddenly felt a deep, deep regret.

"If only I'd been this strong back in the dungeon."

"The sound of Liu Chengqi's ribs cracking—beautiful." He savored the memory.

With that thought, Chu Huai Xu suddenly realized: "Han Shuangjiang hasn't fully mastered the Eight Wastelands Roaming Dragon yet?"

"I'll teach her myself when I have the time."

He opened his Character Panel and checked his remaining Experience Points.

He had 136 points of freely allocatable Experience Points left—far from enough to continue opening his sixth acupoint.

Night fell, and Chu Huai Xu finally got to eat a meal personally cooked by Han Shuangjiang.

"Tastes great," he praised.

Lest it sound like empty politeness, he went on to compliment each dish in detail.

"This way, she'll probably be more motivated to cook," thought the man with astonishing culinary skills, who planned to stay hidden forever and insisted on not even washing the dishes.

Han Shuangjiang only nodded slightly on the surface, but after receiving recognition, she felt a bit of joy inside.

After the meal, Chu Huai Xu got up and left without a second thought.

The cold-faced housekeeper showed no emotion either, silently cleaning up his dishes as well.

It wasn't quite cohabitation, but it was starting to feel like sharing a rental.

Chu Huai Xu watched her back as she cleared the table. When Han Shuangjiang bent over, her firm, full buttocks strained against her dress, making her wide hips and curves even more pronounced—plump and round.

Add to that her straight, slender jade-like legs, and if she wore a qipao or a stepmother dress, it would surely be a breathtaking sight.

But he didn't let his mind wander. He just tossed an Information Scan toward that rear.

"Third acupoint already opened?" Chu Huai Xu gritted his teeth in envy.

He guessed that Han Shuangjiang's Spiritual Embryo Attribute wasn't the only maxed-out stat—her Comprehension was probably sky-high too.

If it weren't for the fact that after opening her apertures, a normal person's body needed a short time to adapt, she would have broken through even faster!

The World Protagonist—terrifying indeed.

After all the twists and turns, both of them were tired today and went to sleep early.

The next day, the east turned white.

Han Shuangjiang got up early and started making porridge, busying herself.

After they finished breakfast, Chu Huai Xu took the initiative to teach her the Eight Wastelands Roaming Dragon.

He certainly wouldn't be as sleazy as Liu Chengqi, directly teaching by touch.

"This spot really does need to sink a bit lower." He pointed at Han Shuangjiang's slender waist.

Though Chu Huai Xu's fingers were still a distance away, the girl felt her waist tingle and grow warm.

Maybe it was because they were standing quite close.

"Come, I'll demonstrate once more." Chu Huai Xu began to strike with his palms.

The "Jiligu Lu Eight Trigrams Palm"—no need to learn the full set.

After all, it was only for breaking the formation at the Scripture Pavilion, not for actual combat many times.

Once they reached the First Realm, they'd learn proper techniques. Mortal martial arts were too useless to invest much time in; they'd reach the First Realm soon enough anyway.

Clearly, Han Shuangjiang's comprehension was truly high.

After Chu Huai Xu taught her a few times and corrected her movements, she had it fully mastered.

Besides, a beauty striking with her palms was oddly pleasing to watch.

He was starting to understand why some girls online recorded self-defense videos, only for netizens to joke they were "thrilling the attacker."

Just then, a group of uninvited guests arrived at the Bamboo House.

Leading them was the half-gray-haired Liu Tianfeng.

Liu Chengqi and Liu Chenggong obediently followed behind him, forcing flattering smiles onto their faces.

Behind them trailed a batch of servants, each carrying gift boxes.

They could have just put these things in storage rings, but when giving gifts, this looked better.

Han Shuangjiang couldn't help but glance at Chu Huai Xu—she hadn't expected him to be right.

Liu Steward had figured it out: since he believed their background, he had to get on good terms.

Apologies were apologies, offerings were offerings.

"Liu Steward, what brings you here?" Chu Huai Xu asked knowingly, but didn't spare Liu Chengqi a second glance.

"Didn't I say yesterday that I'd prepare a modest gift for you, worthy nephew? I must follow through." Liu Tianfeng said with a smile.

But seeing the two today, the Old Man felt something was different about them.

Sweeping them with his divine sense, Liu Tianfeng was greatly shocked—this time, his expression wasn't faked.

"Worthy nephew, and this young lady—you've broken through! Congratulations!"

Han Shuangjiang opening her third aperture was one thing.

But this Chu Huai Xu had broken through three apertures in a single night!

"How is this possible!"

"He's clearly just a low-grade spiritual fetus!" Liu Tianfeng's heart churned with shock.

All his doubts vanished in that moment.

If anyone said he was just an ordinary Registered Disciple, this Old Man wouldn't believe it for a thousand years!

"You lot, put the things down, carefully." Liu Tianfeng began directing the servants.

After speaking, he glanced at their Bamboo House and added, "If you need anything else, just tell me."

"By the way, worthy nephew, do you need servants to attend to you?" Liu Steward started finding angles to flatter.

Chu Huai Xu certainly had no such intention—one more person would just make him uncomfortable.

He casually swept his gaze over the servants setting down gifts, about to refuse.

But soon, his gaze sharpened, locking onto a short, hunched servant.

This person was barely under 1.7 meters tall, with rosy lips, white teeth, and delicate features.

He had little masculine aura—a classic case of a man with a woman's appearance.

"I want him!" Chu Huai Xu suddenly raised a finger and pointed. Meeting this person shocked him more than anything.

"How is he here?"

One of the Four World Protagonists of "Borrowed Sword"—Xu Ziqing!

(PS: Second update, request monthly votes! There's a third update too.)