The sky was blue and the clouds white; after the snow, the skies had cleared.
The weather was even colder after the snowfall. There was no heating in Gao Xian's room, and the windows let in no sunlight. It was as cold as an ice cellar.
Zhou Yuling had been freezing all over as she made her way there. Now that she was holding Gao Xian, she could hardly bear to let go.
"How is it? Comfortable, right?"
Gao Xian grinned. "Are you cold when you sleep at night, too? I can warm your bed for you."
"In your dreams."
Zhou Yuling pinched the soft flesh at Gao Xian's waist, but it didn't feel as nice as before. It was particularly firm, and she couldn't get a good grip.
She immediately realized something was off and exclaimed in surprise, "Your cultivation has improved recently!"
"Mm. I've reached the third level of Qi Refining."
Gao Xian felt proud and pleased with himself. With his physique, breaking through to the third level of Qi Refining so quickly was no easy feat.
He had cultivated in the mountains for more than thirty days, fighting almost every day. He had learned how to control his qi and blood, and his cultivation had advanced by leaps and bounds during this time.
Now, as he circulated his qi and blood, warmth spread through his entire body. When Zhou Yuling pinched him, his muscles had instinctively tensed up to resist, leaving her unable to exert any force.
"Not bad, not bad."
Zhou Yuling was genuinely happy for Gao Xian. "The Five Elements Technique may be ordinary, but it's balanced and peaceful. The further you go, the faster your progress will be."
To encourage Gao Xian to cultivate diligently, Zhou Yuling said gently, "Once you reach the later