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Qiao Ranran smiled. "Master must feel more at ease handling it yourself, right? I'd feel it was a waste to entrust this Acupuncture Technique to anyone but you!"

Xi Lingge looked down at his hands and fell into thought. He had been stuck at the Deity Transformation Stage for a long time. Some time ago, prompted by Qiao Ranran, he had even spent a while in Seclusion, but no matter how he tried, he could not quiet his mind.

Ji Qingming understood why. Ever since his injury had left him trapped, Xi Lingge had been unable to do anything about his wounds. He had reached a dead end, and both his state of mind and cultivation had suffered so badly that he had failed to advance for years. Not long ago, the Nine Cauldron Pill had finally seemed to offer a solution, and Xi Lingge's cultivation had begun to stir. But once he learned the pill could not solve the problem, he had fallen back into that same torment.

Ji Qingming knew that if he died and his path came to an end, he would undoubtedly become Xi Lingge's Heart Demon.

"Little Junior Brother, look at you. You neglected your cultivation, and now even your own disciple looks down on you!"

Xi Lingge: "..." Was that the point?

In any case, Qiao Ranran had laid the choice before Xi Lingge. She even handed him a Jade Slip on which she had recorded the Acupuncture Technique long ago. She had planned to give it to him all along; she simply had not found the chance.

What Xi Lingge needed to do now was advance to Void Refinement as soon as possible and thoroughly master the technique.

"There's no need to rush your advancement, Master. Sect Leader Uncle said he had ten