Training Qi Level 8, Liu Yuanming Caught Them Red-Handed

That day.

Evening.

Loft No. 31, quiet room.

Wang Mengde, shirtless, sat cross-legged on a futon.

His physique is still the same as it was four years ago.

His abdominal muscles were as flat as an iron plate, and the muscles on his arms were smooth and powerful.

There were faint flashes of lightning beneath the skin, as if an invisible layer of lightning was moving between the skin and muscles.

He picked up a jade bottle in front of him, tilted his head back, and drank the Organ-Protecting Nourishing Decoction.

The herbal decoction had a slightly bitter taste upon entry, with a strong herbal aroma. It slid down the throat into the stomach, and the warm sensation quickly spread throughout the body.

He put down the jade bottle, took a deep breath, and raised his right hand.

White-purple lightning began to gather in his palm.

Crackling lightning danced between his fingers, illuminating the entire quiet room.

The thunder grew brighter and denser, like a storm of lightning held in his palm.

Then, he slammed the Palm Thunder Technique into his own chest.

Boom..

The moment the lightning entered his body, Wang Mengde's body stiffened abruptly.

White-purple lightning exploded from his chest, surging in all directions along his meridians and flesh, like countless frenzied snakes crawling into his body.

He gritted his teeth, forcing himself not to make a sound.

The Thunder Tempering Body Formula was activated at full power.

He guided the raging lightning power, inch by inch, through flesh and blood, past bones, towards the deepest, most vulnerable places.

The five internal organs and six bowels.

The moment the thunderous force struck his internal organs, Wang Mengde's face turned as white as paper.

That kind of pain wasn't physical pain, nor was it a pain in the muscles and bones; it was an indescribable, excruciating pain that burst forth from the deepest part of the body.

It felt as if someone had shoved a red-hot knife into his heart, or as if ten thousand needles had pierced his lungs at the same time.

Thunder pounded in his heart, each beat like being struck by lightning.

It moved across his liver as if countless tiny knives were cutting it.

It traveled through his lungs, each breath accompanied by a burning, stinging pain.

The pain lingered in his kidneys, spreading from his lower back down to his tailbone.

Veins bulged on Wang Mengde's forehead, and sweat poured out of every pore of his body like a waterfall, instantly soaking the futon beneath him.

But almost at that moment, the Thunder Tempering Body Formula was already guiding the spiritual power, the power of Qi and Blood, and the immense medicinal power contained in the Organ-Protecting Nourishing Decoction to rapidly nourish the five internal organs.

A warm energy rises from the stomach and flows in all directions along the meridians.

Wherever the medicine reached, the organs and tissues scorched by the lightning began to repair, reorganize, and strengthen rapidly.

The newly formed tissue was more resilient and denser than before, with a faint layer of lightning covering its surface.

Under the influence of the Thunder Tempering Body Formula, Wang Mengde's internal organs were slowly being strengthened.

The heartbeat became stronger, each contraction like the beating of a drum.

The lungs expand more fully, allowing each breath to absorb more Spiritual Qi.

The liver's metabolism becomes more efficient, greatly increasing the utilization rate of medicinal and spiritual energy.

The kidneys filter more precisely, and impurities in the body are excreted more quickly.

[Thunder Tempering Body Formula +1]

[Physical Body Cultivation +1]

The pain gradually subsided, replaced by a warm and comfortable feeling, like soaking in a hot spring or being enveloped in sunshine.

The cultivation session is over.

Wang Mengde let out a long breath.

The breath carried a faint, burnt smell, the impurities being expelled from the internal organs.

He closed his eyes and used his divine sense to see himself.

[Subject: Wang Mengde]

[Destiny: Heaven Rewards Diligence (Success is inevitable)]

[Qi Refinement Cultivation: Qi Refining Level 8 (58/12800)]

[Physical Body Cultivation: Body Tempering Level 7 (102/6400)]

[Cultivation Method: True Myriad Beast Taming Formula, Second Level (58/10000);...]

[Law Technique: Sword-Controlling Technique (Transcendent Mastery) 21/6400];...]

[Talisman Drawing Method: Spirit Shield Talisman (Peak Mastery) 1500/3200;...]

...]

Wang Mengde's gaze swept across the panel line by line, his heart surging with excitement.

Four years of arduous training have resulted in a comprehensive transformation.

His Spirit Power Cultivation has been raised to the Eighth Layer of Qi Refinement.

His Physical Body Cultivation been raised to the seventh level of Body Tempering.

Most importantly, he mastered the Sword-Controlling Technique control to a Transcendent Mastery level.

Other Law Technique have also seen some improvement.

In addition, his Talisman drawing skills have also improved significantly; his success rate in drawing advanced second-tier spirit shield spells has reached 90%.

In four years, his cultivation and combat strength have improved significantly.

Of course, the consumption of Spirit Stone is also extremely terrifying.

Especially recently.

After reaching the seventh level of Physical Body Cultivation, one must use the Organ-Protecting Nourishing Decoction to cultivate the Thunder Tempering Body Formula.

This one dose of medicine costs four hundred Spirit Stone, and one dose contains ten bottles, which can only sustain the body for two days.

Each day, we need to consume more than five catties of Demon Fish from the fifth level of the Lesser Demon Realm and three catties of top-grade Spirit Rice. The food alone costs two hundred and eighty Spirit Stone per day.

These two things combined will consume nearly five hundred Spirit Stone a day.

Five hundred Spirit Stone.

This figure is comparable to the daily consumption of a cultivator in the Foundation Establishment Early Stage.

Even some Foundation Establishment cultivators who aren't doing so well don't have that many Spirit Stones to consume.

These are just the basic costs.

In addition, he also had to allocate resources to Liu Yiyi and Shen Qingyue.

He also spent 13,000 Spirit Stone to purchase a mid-grade Law Artifact Flying Sword.

He also spent 2,800 Spirit Stone to purchase a second-tier Storage Bag that was three zhang square.

He spent 720 Spirit Stone to purchase two Tier 3, beginner-level Shrinking Earth Talisman.

He spent eight hundred Spirit Stone to purchase two mid-level third-tier Substitute Talisman.

He spent 820 Spirit Stone to purchase two third-tier intermediate attack Talisman Sword Aura Talisman.

There are also robes, spirit ink, Talisman Paper, and elixirs.

Spirit Stone slipped through his fingers like water; the more he earned, the faster he spent them.

He even disguised himself and went to Twin Moon Island twice, secretly disposing of the Storage Bag, Flying Sword, and robes of the Qin brothers and Yang Daqiang in batches. The Spirit Stone he got in return didn't stay in the Storage Bag for long.

He also wanted to purchase a mid-grade dharma robe.

I also want to stockpile more Tier 3 Talisman.

I'd like to buy a spirit beast cub with exceptional potential. I've already Perfection the first level of the True Myriad Beast Taming Formula a long time ago.

Spirit Stone.

It's still Spirit Stone.

Wang Mengde sighed.

You only realize how little money you have when you need it.

I'll first find Liu Yiyi to cultivate with tonight and boost my cultivation level, then I'll go to sea tomorrow to make up for the losses.

Just as I was thinking this, I suddenly saw a Voice Transmission Talisman in front of me light up quietly.

Wang Mengde raised an eyebrow, picked up the Talisman, and infused it with spiritual power.

A line of small characters appeared on the Talisman, the handwriting delicate and graceful. "You naughty thing, I've been cultivating diligently for over two months, and the Yin-Nature Power within me has accumulated quite a bit."

Wang Mengde looked at the line of delicate characters on the Talisman, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.

Almost at the same instant, he felt the spiritual energy within his body begin to stir.

Wang Mengde took a deep breath and suppressed his agitation.

He stood up and took out a well-fitting blue robe from his Storage Bag.

He put on his robe, adjusted his spiritual energy, and the robe fit him perfectly.

She then took out a bronze mirror, tidied her hair simply, and tied it up with a jade hairpin.

The person in the mirror looks exactly the same as they did four years ago.

His jawline is strong, and his brows exude a sense of composure.

His body, tempered by lightning over a long period of time, had smooth and powerful muscle lines, with faint lightning flowing beneath his skin, making him look heroic and extraordinary.

He nodded in satisfaction.

Wang Mengde stepped out of the quiet room, slapped an Invisibility Talisman on his body, and vanished without a trace.

Wang Mengde quietly activated the Protective Spirit Formation's Light Barrier and slipped out unnoticed.

He quickly arrived at the No. 3, No. 1 pavilion not far away and gently tapped the Light Barrier.

A moment later, the Light Barrier silently cracked open.

The opening was small, only wide enough for one person to pass through.

Wang Mengde slipped inside.

His movements were swift, like a fish gliding into the water, clean and efficient, without making a sound.

The Light Barrier enveloped him silently, and the ripples gathered again, filling the opening completely, as if it had never been cracked at all.

He stood in the courtyard, his body trembling slightly.

Spiritual energy surged from his Dantian, flowing along his meridians to his limbs and bones, dispelling the invisible power within him.

His figure reappeared.

He wore a blue robe, his hair was tied up with a jade hairpin, and he had broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and an upright posture.

The moonlight fell on him, casting his long, straight shadow on the bluestone pavement.

The courtyard gate was open.

Behind the door, under the eaves, a lantern casts a warm yellow light, illuminating the area in front of the doorway.

Liu Yiyi stood behind the door.

She wore a moon-white dress, the fabric light and soft, like a layer of pale moonlight draped over her body.

The hem of her skirt just covered her feet, revealing a pair of fair and delicate feet with rounded, pearl-like toes and light pink nail polish on her toenails.

Her face looked even more youthful than it had four years ago.

Her round face, with a small and delicate chin and a touch of baby fat, resembled a peeled egg, so white and tender it looked like you could almost squeeze water out of it.

Her nose was small and pert, with a slightly upturned tip, giving it a playful touch.

Her lips were a natural pink, full and moist, with a slightly protruding cupid's bow on her upper lip, like a ripe cherry.

That face looked like it belonged to someone who was only sixteen or seventeen years old.

But her figure formed an extreme contrast with her face.

Beneath the dress was a body that was almost excessively voluptuous.

Her chest was high and rounded, stretching the moon-white fabric tightly, creating a deep curve at the collar, as if it might burst open at any moment.

That fullness wasn't deliberate or artificial, but a natural, vibrant life force that almost overflowed from the dress.

Her waist, however, was extremely thin.

The dress was cinched at the waist, outlining a slender, graceful curve, like a tree bent over by the weight of its fruit, its delicate branches laden with abundant ripeness.

Her waist was so slender that one worried it might break under the weight of her overly full upper body.

The hem of the dress flares out from the waist, concealing the outline of the hips and legs, but the smooth and full curve from the waist to the hem is enough to make one imagine what kind of scene lies beneath the fabric.

She stood there behind the door, the warm light of the lantern shining from the side, clearly outlining her silhouette.

Her youthful face and mature body created a strange, almost unreal harmony.

It's as if the Creator, when shaping her, gave her an angelic face and casually stuffed her with a devilish body.

Innocence and allure, naivety and maturity coexist in her, complementing and amplifying each other.

The moment she saw Wang Mengde appear, her almond-shaped eyes suddenly lit up.

Like two ignited stars, light burst forth from the depths of her pupils, illuminating her entire face.

It was a pure, undisguised joy, like a child seeing their favorite candy, or a kitten smelling the aroma of fish.

Her lips parted slightly, revealing a row of neat, white teeth. The corners of her mouth turned up, and she smiled so sweetly it was almost cloying.

"You naughty thing," she called softly, her voice as sweet and gentle as a freshly cooked glutinous rice ball, with a hint of coquettishness at the end.

Then she reached out and grabbed Wang Mengde's wrist.

Her fingers were slender and fair, with slightly cool fingertips, but her palms were warm.

She held on tightly, as if afraid he would run away; her five fingers gripped his wrist bone firmly, her nails digging slightly into his skin.

Before Wang Mengde could say anything, she pulled him forward and into the room.

[The Luan-Phoenix Harmony Formula +30]

[Spirit Power Cultivation +30]

[The Luan-Phoenix Harmony Formula +15]

[Spirit Power Cultivation +15]

This training session gave Wang Mengde a total of 68 experience points.

Because the interval was short, the effect was far worse than the first time.

However, it was enough to compensate for his more than two months of arduous training.

It's late at night.

Moonlight streamed through the windowpanes, spreading a patch of silvery-white light across the ground, like scattered pieces of silver.

Wang Mengde sat up from the couch and bent down to straighten his clothes.

He moved very quietly, trying not to make a sound.

Are you leaving?

The voice came from behind, soft and sweet, with a nasal tone from just waking up and a hint of barely perceptible grievance.

Wang Mengde paused slightly.

He turned around.

Liu Yiyi had already sat up.

"Okay." Wang Mengde nodded, his voice low. "You rest first, I'm going back. You should cultivate diligently."

Liu Yiyi suddenly reached out and hugged his waist.

The movement was so fast that Wang Mengde didn't even have time to react.

Her arms were like two soft vines, tightly wrapped around his waist, her fingers interlaced behind his back, holding on so tightly that she was afraid he would disappear if she let go.

Her face was buried against his waist, her forehead against his ribs, and the tip of her nose brushing against the fabric of his robe.

She could feel the heat of his body seeping through her clothes, making her cheeks flush, but she didn't let go; instead, she hugged him even tighter.

Wang Mengde was taken aback.

His hand was still suspended in mid-air, in the same position as when he touched her head, and he didn't know where to put it for a moment.

"Yiyi," he called out, his voice a few decibels lower than before.

Liu Yiyi didn't look up; her voice, muffled and tinged with a hint of grievance, came from his side. "Don't go."

Wang Mengde's fingers curled slightly.

"You're always like this." Liu Yiyi's voice grew softer and softer, almost inaudible. "You leave as soon as you're done cultivating, never lingering."

Her fingers tightened behind his back, her nails gently digging into his back through his robes.

"Can't you stay tonight?"

Wang Mengde remained silent for a moment.

"Stay with me." Liu Yiyi's voice was even softer, as light as a feather falling on the water's surface, barely causing a ripple, yet its weight pressed heavily on his heart. "Please?"

She nuzzled her face against his waist, like a spoiled kitten.

"I won't bother you, I'll just stay here quietly."

Wang Mengde looked down at her.

Her shoulders trembled slightly, her breathing was a little unsteady, and her arms around him were shaking gently.

His Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and he let out a slow sigh.

"Good."

Liu Yiyi's body stiffened for a moment.

Then she suddenly raised her head and looked up at him.

Those almond-shaped eyes were astonishingly bright, like two stars washed clean, their pupils reflecting the moonlight and his own image.

Her eyes were slightly red, the tip of her nose was also red, and her lips were slightly parted, revealing a row of neat, pearly teeth.

"Real?"

Looking at her youthful face, which resembled that of a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl, and her bright, sparkling eyes, Wang Mengde suddenly found it somewhat amusing.

"Really." Wang Mengde nodded.

Liu Yiyi's eyes crinkled into a smile.

The smile started at the corners of her mouth and spread like a pebble thrown into water, ripples spreading outwards until her entire face was soaked in the smile.

Her eyes curved into two crescent moons, her eyelashes fluttered, and the corners of her mouth turned up high, revealing two shallow dimples.

Her voice brimming with undisguised joy. "You have to keep your word."

"I keep my word." Wang Mengde nodded.

I knew you were the best.

"Get some rest."

"I can't sleep, love me quickly."

Early the next morning.

At dusk, a streak of light appeared on the sea west of Rosy Cloud Island, approaching from afar.

The light arrived quickly, reaching the airspace above the island in the blink of an eye.

The light faded, revealing a figure that quietly landed in front of Loft No. 31.

The man appeared to be in his fifties.

He stopped in front of the attic, raised his hand, and gently tapped the Light Barrier.

Three times.

The rhythm was neither too light nor too heavy, but steady.

Inside Loft No. 31.

Liu Yiyi's bedroom.

Liu Yiyi and Wang Mengde were getting ready to rest.

Then.

"Knock knock knock."

Three soft sounds came from outside the attic.

Liu Yiyi and Wang Mengde both frowned at the same time.

"Who is it?" Liu Yiyi mumbled, her voice still slightly nasal, as she reluctantly sat up from Wang Mengde's lap.

She listened intently, then closed her eyes and Divine Sense into the protective array of the attic.

Her Divine Sense extended outwards along the patterns of the array, passing through the walls of the quiet room, through the courtyard, and through the pale blue Light Barrier.

Then, she sensed the person standing outside the Light Barrier.

Liu Yiyi's face turned deathly pale in an instant.

Those almond-shaped eyes widened suddenly, their pupils contracted sharply, and undisguised panic and fear were reflected deep within them.

"It's my father." Her voice was extremely low, with a barely perceptible tremor, as if she were afraid of being overheard by those outside. "Why is he here?"

Wang Mengde's expression also changed slightly.

Liu Yuanming.

Liu Yiyi's father.

A powerful figure in the Foundation Establishment Late Stage.

The sixth elder of the Evergreen Sect.

"Hurry." Liu Yiyi's voice was extremely low, carrying an undeniable sense of urgency. "Get dressed."

The two of them sprang up from the tatami mat almost simultaneously.

Wang Mengde's movements were as fast as lightning.

He slapped his hand on the Storage Bag, and the blue robe flew out of the bag, unfurling in mid-air like a blue cloud blown by the wind.

He stretched out his hands, slipped his arms into his sleeves, and spiritual energy surged from his Dantian, rapidly circulating through the rune circuits on his robe.

The robe slid onto his body with a "whoosh," the lapels automatically closing and the hidden buttons fastening one by one—the whole process taking less than a second.

He bent down to fasten his belt, his fingers flying across the paper, his movements clean and efficient, without a single unnecessary movement.

Liu Yiyi's side was a bit slower.

Her hands were trembling slightly.

She hurriedly grabbed the moon-white dress from the couch and put it on.

The dress had several straps, which she could usually tie with her eyes closed, but this time she couldn't tie them right no matter what she tried. She wrapped her fingers around the straps twice, tied a knot that was impossible to untie, and then had to start over.

Her breathing was rapid, her chest heaving violently, making the dress, which hadn't been fastened yet, even tighter.

The stray hairs on her forehead were damp with sweat and stuck to her temples, making her youthful face look even more flustered.

"Don't panic," Wang Mengde said in a low voice, reaching out to help her adjust her collar, his fingers quickly tying the straps.

His fingers were steady and his movements were quick, yet his tone was as calm as if he were talking about something completely ordinary.

Liu Yiyi looked up at him, her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she just nodded heavily.

"I'll go open the door for my father." Liu Yiyi finished getting ready, grabbed his wrist, and said in a very low voice, but with an undeniable determination. "You hide yourself with Concealment Talisman first."

My father doesn't know I dao companion. I'll go out and deal with him first, and you can come back when the opportunity arises...

She didn't finish her sentence, but Wang Mengde understood what she meant.

Keep it hidden for now.

Wait until the time is right before coming out.

Wang Mengde nodded.

Liu Yiyi released her hand and turned to walk out of the quiet room.

As she reached the door, she paused and glanced back at Wang Mengde.

Her almond-shaped eyes were filled with tension and worry, and her eyes were slightly red, like a little rabbit being cornered by a hunter.

"Hide well," she mouthed silently, then turned and pushed open the door to leave.

Wang Mengde took out a Concealment Talisman and smashed it.

His figure vanished silently into the quiet room.

Even their very presence was completely concealed.

The quiet room was empty, with only the messy bedding on the tatami and the lingering scent of gardenias in the air, proving that someone had been there.

Liu Yiyi quickly crossed the courtyard and walked to the gate.

She placed her hand on the door and took a deep breath.

Then she raised her hand and released a burst of spiritual energy to open the Light Barrier.

The Light Barrier silently cracked open, like an invisible door.

A person stood in the twilight outside the door.

Liu Yuanming.

Liu Yiyi tried her best to keep her voice steady, bowed her head, and respectfully said, "Father, please come in."

Liu Yuanming looked at his daughter and stopped.

The blush on her face hadn't completely faded; her cheeks were a pale pink, like peach blossoms just beginning to bloom on branches in March.

Liu Yiyi's lips were slightly red and swollen.

Liu Yuanming's pupils contracted slightly.

Then, he sensed the spiritual power emanating from Liu Yiyi.

That spiritual power.

Zhongzheng.

Peaceful.

Profound and robust.

Long and drawn-out.

My daughter cultivates the Luan-Phoenix Harmony Formula.

He knew it all too well.

I know all too well under what circumstances spiritual power would be so balanced and peaceful, without a trace of Yin-Nature Power.

His face darkened instantly.

The friction between the Golden Sun Sect and the Evergreen Sect intensified, and he worried that it was not safe for his daughter to be alone on Rosy Cloud Island, so he sent messages to her repeatedly, asking her to move back to Azure Cliff Island.

But Liu Yiyi refused each time.

"Father, I grew up here and I'm used to it."

"Father, Rosy Cloud Island is very safe, you don't need to worry."

"Father, I will return once my cultivation has improved further."

He initially thought his daughter was simply reluctant to leave the place she had lived in since childhood.

Now he knows.

So that's where the problem lay.

It turned out that his daughter refused to return to Azure Cliff Island not because she was used to life on Rosy Cloud Island, but because...

There is a man here.

His daughter.

On Rosy Cloud Island, she secretly became dao companion with a wild man who appeared out of nowhere.

And he, as the father, was completely unaware of it.

His chest rose and fell slightly, as if a fire was burning inside him, making his throat dry and the veins on his temples throb.

You bastard.

He really lost all face.

Liu Yuanming suppressed his extreme anger, nodded, and stepped into the spiritual energy Light Barrier.

Liu Yiyi stepped aside to make way for her father, following behind him with light steps as if she were walking on cotton, trying her best to make no sound.

Her heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was going to jump out of her chest, but she gritted her teeth and tried to keep her breathing steady.

The two people walked one after the other across the courtyard and into the reception room.

Liu Yiyi quickly brewed a pot of spiritual tea.

She carefully poured a glass, presented it with both hands, and placed it respectfully in front of her father.

"Father, please have some tea."

Liu Yuanming picked up his teacup and took a big gulp of tea.

He slammed the teacup down on the table, the bottom hitting the surface with a dull thud, like a long-suppressed rumble of thunder.

Liu Yiyi's body trembled slightly.

She lowered her head, not daring to look her father in the eye.

Her fingers were twisted together inside her sleeve, her fingertips were icy cold, and her palms were sweaty.

Liu Yuanming took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled.

When did you become your dao companion?

Liu Yiyi's breath hitched.

She knew she couldn't hide it anymore.

A cultivator in the Foundation Establishment Late Stage possesses a powerful Divine Sense sufficient to see through all her secrets.

Her expression changed slightly.

"I—" her voice was very soft, as soft as a mosquito's hum, "a year ago—"

Liu Yuanming's hands clenched tightly on the armrests of the chair.

One year ago.

They became dao companion a year ago.

His daughter had been seeing a man for a year, and he, as her father, had been kept in the dark for a whole year.

A vein throbbed slightly on his temple.

"Why didn't you tell me?" His voice remained calm.

Liu Yiyi's eyes reddened.

Her lips trembled, her voice trembling with a sob: "I—I'm afraid you won't agree—"

Liu Yuanming was furious.

Are you afraid I won't agree?

Are you afraid I won't approve, so you're secretly getting together?

Knowing full well that I disagree, they still secretly became dao companion?

That damn daughter of mine, what's going on in her head?

His chest heaved violently, he clenched his teeth, his jaw muscles bulging a hard ridge on the side of his cheek, and the veins on his temples throbbed.

He closed his eyes briefly.

When she opened her eyes again, the gentleness from before was gone from those small eyes.

Instead, it was replaced by a cold, unquestionable authority.

He looked at Liu Yiyi and said, word by word, "Make that bastard dao companion of yours hiding in the bedroom come out and see me."

Liu Yiyi's body stiffened abruptly.

Her face turned as white as paper in an instant, and all the color drained from her lips.

Knowing her father had discovered Wang Mengde, she simply sent him a Wang Mengde message: "Come out—my father wants to see you."

Upon hearing this, Wang Mengde sighed softly.

He had originally planned to become dao companion with Liu Yiyi a year ago.

As a result, Liu Yiyi said that her father absolutely disagreed, and they simply waited a few more years.

He never expected that Liu Yiyi's father, a powerful Foundation Establishment expert, would personally come to Rosy Cloud Island.

Wang Mengde took a deep breath and circulated his spiritual power to dispel the Invisibility Talisman effect on his body.

His figure reappeared.