Ya Fei's Little Maneuvers

[Ding! Disciple Medusa is currently cultivating. Current cultivation speed: +100 Dou Qi per hour. Returning...]

[Ding! Host's Dou Qi increased by 100,000...]

[Ding! Dou Qi value is full. Heavenly Derivation Saint Physique automatically condensing Dou Qi Vortex.]

[Ding! Dou Qi Vortex successfully condensed...]

[Ding! Detecting... Dou Qi attribute is... Fire... Wood (faint)...]

[No cultivation technique currently practiced. Host, please select a technique within 24 hours to perform Dou Qi conversion... otherwise, the Dou Qi in your body will dissipate.]

Hm?

Zhang Nian was stunned. Dissipate? After condensing the Dou Qi Vortex, one could perform internal observation of their body. He didn't know until he looked, and what he saw gave him a shock. As time passed, the Dou Qi accumulating in his body grew more and more. If he had to describe it, it was like a grain silo filled to the brim. His meridians were still constantly expanding, but fortunately, his physique had undergone a transformation. The Heavenly Derivation Saint Physique—though he had never heard of it, seeing it now, it was truly remarkable. It was worthy of being a 1,000-fold return item. If it were a 10,000-fold return, wouldn't he ascend on the spot and shatter the passage between the Dou Qi Continent and the Upper Realm?

But then again, he wondered how Ya Fei was doing with the arrangements. Another interesting point was his Dou Qi attribute; he felt both annoyed and amused. Was he actually a natural-born alchemist?

Fire attribute + Wood attribute, huh...

According to the timeline, Yao Chen of the Starfall Pavilion in the Central Plains should still be alive, right? Should he?

Yes, upon learning that he had Fire attribute Dou Qi, Zhang Nian couldn't help but set his sights on the Fen Jue in the hands of the old medicine master. Even though it was a low-tier Yellow grade technique, it possessed infinite potential. Furthermore, he had the 10,000-fold Return System. If he got his hands on it and gave it to Medusa for a "nesting doll" effect, perhaps something even more incredible would emerge.

As if detecting the thoughts in Zhang Nian's mind, the system prompted him immediately.

[Ding! Reminding the host: the premise of the return is that the item must be suitable for the disciple and bring them benefits. Under the supervision of this system, all shameless "nesting doll" behavior by the host is rejected.]

Uh...

Zhang Nian was speechless. What was worse was that he had no idea where to find a Fire attribute disciple who had just condensed a Dou Qi Vortex. Besides, once the system bound a disciple, it absolutely forbade unbinding. Not only would it take up a slot for nothing, but it would also freeload off him! It would be one thing if she were beautiful, but if she were ugly, Zhang Nian absolutely could not accept it. Wasn't it just collecting Heavenly Flames? If all else failed, he could use Heavenly Flames to "nest" for Medusa and upgrade the Fen Jue!

Hmph, operating like this was perfectly reasonable, right? Besides, the Nine-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python was a Fire attribute magical beast by nature; she would definitely love things like Heavenly Flames. Of course, they would need to be restrained. He vaguely remembered that when Medusa was still a Seven-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python, she had been injured by the Green Lotus Core Flame, ranked nineteenth.

Thinking of this, Zhang Nian planned to take action. However, before that, he still needed to prepare. Dealing with Yao Chen required more than just strength.

"Hmm, I'll go see Medusa in a bit. I'll gift her this Fallen Heart Flame and get the brand-new flame 'nesting' started first. If the system doesn't allow the nesting, then getting the Fen Jue would be a loss."

Having clarified the sequence of events, Zhang Nian began to sit cross-legged in meditation. Medusa's current situation was not yet stable, so waiting for a while wouldn't hurt. In any case, he just needed to complete this feat within twenty-four hours.

Outside Medusa's room, two maids were attracted by the commotion inside. They stood on tiptoe, eyes wide, peering through the gap in the window frame.

"Slap, slap~" A jade arm reached out from thin air and tapped their shoulders lightly. A puzzled voice came from behind them: "What are you looking at?"

"Ah~!"

"Young Miss..."

The two lowered their heads, knowing they had made a mistake, and knelt on the ground, looking as if they were ready to be punished.

Hearing this, Ya Fei waved her hand and said, "There is no Young Miss here anymore. From now on, just call me Manager. You two have only just left the manor and you've already forgotten the rules?" She crossed her arms over her chest, a trace of frost creeping onto her pretty face as she stared coldly at the two in front of her. One had to know that such behavior was strictly forbidden in the Mite'er Family, let alone here at the Saint's Mountain Gate, where it was even less tolerable.

"We were wrong..." The two spoke with less and less confidence, regretting that they hadn't reined in their curiosity. They had figured there was no one else nearby, which was why they had been so bold. It was truly a case of one slip leading to eternal regret.

"Let this be a warning. It's fortunate that I saw you. If it had been someone else, I'm afraid... speaking of which, we are all people with hard lives. Get up."

"Thank you, Manager! Thank you, Manager!"

Ya Fei waved her hand at them, signaling them to rise. In just a few words, she had grasped their weaknesses and made them feel deeply grateful to her.

"Alright, I came to find you two for something else."

Seeing that the two were still trying to thank her, Ya Fei interrupted them. Time was tight and the task was heavy. Most importantly, what she was about to say could not be heard by others.

Glancing at the situation inside the room, she mimicked the two's previous actions. Through the door crack, Ya Fei saw that Medusa was currently inside a white energy cocoon. Her heart relaxed slightly; surely, in this state, she wouldn't be able to hear their conversation.

To avoid any risks, Ya Fei led the two maids to another quiet room. In the dim room, three pairs of eyes looked at each other.

"Manager, what is this..."

"Shh, don't speak..."

Ya Fei stood up and checked through the door crack to ensure no one was outside before she began to reveal her thoughts: "Have you noticed that our Saint is exceptionally good to his disciple?" Her mysterious tone, combined with the dim environment, added a layer of intrigue.

"Isn't it expected for him to be good to his own disciple?"

"Yeah, what's so special about that?"

Clearly, the two maids did not understand the hidden meaning in Ya Fei's words.

"No!" One of the maids suddenly seemed to recall something and said, "I remember the Saint has two disciples. I saw the other one when we came up. She had purple hair and looked like a porcelain doll. She was so cute."

Although this was the first time Ya Fei had heard of this, she grasped the key point in the statement: the other disciple looked like a porcelain doll, so she didn't receive such generous treatment!

"Look, if you combine this situation, do you still not understand?"

"It means the Saint has taken a fancy to this eldest disciple! Otherwise, why would he bestow such a great opportunity!"

"Ah?!" Ya Fei's shocking words left the two maids dumbfounded. They both raised their small hands to cover their mouths, then looked cautiously toward the outside of the room. Not daring to raise their voices, they asked in hushed tones, "Manager... isn't this a bit..."

The phrase "contrary to moral order" remained unspoken. Ya Fei naturally understood. A sharp glint flashed in her beautiful eyes; as long as the two in front of her thought in that direction, everything would be under her control.