Terrifying Gains, Ascending to Heaven in One Step

Long Xuanye slowly woke, his eyelashes fluttering slightly.

Faint morning light filtered through the gaps in the vines at the cave entrance, casting dappled spots of light.

The air was filled with a faint aroma of meat and the fresh scent of plants.

Long Xuanye slowly opened his eyes, his vision filled with an unfamiliar rock wall. He struggled to sit up, aggravating his wound, and a tearing pain instantly spread through his limbs.

He let out a muffled groan, only then realizing that it was already broad daylight.

He had actually slept this late.

A flicker of surprise crossed Long Xuanye's mind.

He knew what kind of rigorous training Cai'er had undergone.

In the wild, she would never let her guard down. Those guardians would even actively create dangers to temper her.

She must have woken up much earlier than him.

As soon as the thought formed, a petite figure gracefully walked in from the cave entrance, holding a rough stone bowl.

Saint Cai'er's eyes, like glass, instantly lit up with surprise when she saw him awake.

"Xuanye, you're awake."

Her voice held a hint of joy as she hurried to the makeshift bed of straw.

"I picked some wild fruits and hunted a low-level Demonic Beast. I made some meat porridge for you."

She handed the stone bowl to Long Xuanye, the steam and aroma of meat wafting towards him.

"I didn't know what flavor you liked, so I found a place in the forest that produced rock salt, processed it, and added a little."

Long Xuanye glanced over and indeed saw a few small pieces of rock salt residue in the corner by the cave entrance, which had clearly been crushed and processed.

His heart warmed slightly, and he reached out to take the bowl.

"I can do it myself..."

Before he could finish, Saint Cai'er deftly shifted her hand away, dodging him.

She scooped a spoonful of warm meat porridge with a small wooden spoon and brought it to his lips.

"You're the patient, and your injuries are much more serious than mine."

The girl's tone was gentle, yet carried an undeniable firmness.

"Just be good and listen, okay?"

Long Xuanye had intended to insist, but his actions froze at the words "be good and listen."

He suddenly had a premonition that if he refused again, this sister, who treated him like family, might say something even more unbearable.

After weighing his options, he could only obediently open his mouth.

Seeing this, Saint Cai'er's lips curved into a satisfied smile, and she carefully fed the meat porridge into his mouth.

"Your spiritual power is severely depleted, and you have internal injuries. You absolutely cannot use spiritual power for the next few days. You also need to be careful with your wounds and not let them get wet. I'll change your dressing every day..."

She whispered as she fed him.

Long Xuanye listened quietly. At first, he only felt heartache.

These were insights gained through her own blood and tears during her harsh solitary survival.

But as he listened, he began to sense something was amiss.

Saint Cai'er was being too detailed, so detailed that it felt like he just needed to be a complete invalid, sitting there quietly, waiting for her to arrange everything.

Long Xuanye fell silent for a moment.

Why did it feel like... she was becoming more and more like my mother?

No, no.

He immediately dismissed the thought.

Cai'er is my sister. It's just that I'm still injured and temporarily need her care.

It must be like this.

As Long Xuanye's thoughts cleared, the slight awkwardness in his heart dissipated.

That's right, Cai'er is his sister. It's only natural for a sister to take care of her injured brother.

After finishing the bowl of meat porridge, warmth spread from his stomach, dispelling much of the chill brought on by his injuries.

Saint Cai'er put down the stone bowl and pointed to the other side of the cave.

There, an unexpectedly flat stone platform had been prepared, covered with soft dry grass.

"Xuanye, come here for a moment."

"I'll help you re-bandage your wound."

Long Xuanye instinctively started to refuse.

"No need, I can do it myself."

He propped himself up, his tone carrying a hint of insistence.

"I can still do things like this. I've tangled with Demonic Beasts in the woods before and gotten injured quite a bit."

Saint Cai'er's beautiful brows furrowed slightly, then relaxed.

She didn't argue, merely gazed at him with her clear eyes, then said softly.

"Alright, Xuanye, be good. Come to Mama."

She patted the spot beside her, her voice so gentle it could drip.

Long Xuanye: "..."

All his prepared retorts were instantly choked back by those five words.

In the end, he still walked over in silence, though his mind was rapidly finding a way to save face.

It's mainly because Cai'er's technique is good. Yes, that's it.

"Lie down."

Saint Cai'er said again.

Long Xuanye's movements stiffened for a moment, but he still obediently rested his head on the young girl's soft lap.

Hmm, this is just to make it convenient for her to operate.

Sigh, I, as an older brother, am truly understanding.

The young girl's movements were incredibly gentle. She unwrapped the old bandages and carefully wiped the wound with clean water. Her fingertips occasionally brushed against his skin, causing a slight itch.

She leaned down, focusing on treating the wound on his shoulder. Her warm breath gently blew against his earlobe, bringing a tingly, comfortable sensation.

Long Xuanye closed his eyes, but his mind quietly sank into his body.

His fingertips twitched slightly. He could clearly sense the Chaos Spirit Furnace coiled in his Qi Sea, emitting a warm aura.

Even when he had been unconscious, this divine and mysterious Spirit Furnace had not stopped. Like a tireless heart, it had autonomously absorbed the spirit power drifting in the world.

Innate Inner Spiritual Power was just a step away from 102 points.

External Spirit Power had already surged to a height of 202 points.

He knew this was the 'bonus' from the Spirit Furnace's initial awakening; such rapid growth would be impossible later.

But this effect was already incredibly potent.

Even without cultivation, his internal and external spirit power would slowly increase.

If he cultivated diligently, the efficiency would likely be several times that of ordinary cultivators.

Thinking of this, Long Xuanye's mood couldn't help but lighten.

With a shift of his thoughts, he silently began to sense the power of "Chaos Begins."

A huge profit.

This was his only thought.

Previously, he had used this move to directly withstand an attack from that eighth-tier white-robed figure. Even if the opponent had held back considerably, it was still something to be proud of.

If it were a third or fourth-tier opponent, this move might even be able to turn their attack into his own power.

Of course, the consumption of mental energy and inner spiritual power was also terrifying. His near-fainting yesterday was the best lesson.

But regardless, his combat power now was worlds apart from before.

After finishing the wound treatment, Saint Cai'er was carefully smoothing out the dry grass beneath them.

The young girl's profile, illuminated by the faint light in the cave, appeared serene and beautiful.

Long Xuanye's gaze fell upon her. The surge of excitement from his greatly increased power gradually transformed into a warm current, flowing through his limbs.

He suddenly spoke, his voice very soft.

"Thank you, Cai'er."