How did this old servant have so much stamina? Again?!

"Come now, Captain Wuqing. Please don't make fun of this old man."

"But did you need something from me, Captain Wuqing?" Lin Mo chuckled to himself and asked.

Shangguan Wuqing did not reply. She merely motioned toward their surroundings with her eyes.

Following her gaze, Lin Mo felt a chill run down his spine.

He discovered that no fewer than five inner sect disciples were lurking nearby, watching him like tigers eyeing their prey!

And he had not noticed a thing!

"Are they... trying to steal my spirit stones?" Lin Mo asked, still shaken.

"Hehe, you're not entirely stupid."

Shangguan Wuqing said, "Of course they pick the softest persimmon to squeeze. Besides, you're just a servant. What does it matter if they steal your spirit stones? As long as the Enforcement Hall doesn't catch them in the act, nobody will hold them accountable afterward."

"An all-profit deal with no investment? I'd do it too."

"If I hadn't arrived in time, I doubt you would have come to a good end. You ought to thank me."

If she had not still wanted to use Lin Mo to improve her cultivation, Shangguan Wuqing would not have bothered meddling.

After all, robbery was hardly anything new within the sect.

The Enforcement Hall had only so many people. They simply could not handle everything.

"Thank you, Captain Wuqing. I owe you a favor." Lin Mo cupped his hands and spoke with genuine sincerity.

Just thinking about it filled Lin Mo with lingering dread.

Had Shangguan Wuqing not come, even if he had noticed them earlier, he probably could not have guarded against every threat.

His strength was simply no match for those inner sect disciples.

When the time came, not only would his spirit stones have been stolen, he might well have died on the spot!

In the eyes of these inner sect disciples, a servant's life was worth nothing.

As long as nobody caught them in the act, the death of a servant disciple was just that. The Enforcement Hall would not investigate too closely afterward.

"Verbal thanks mean nothing. Come to the usual place in ten days and repay the favor. I'll be waiting." The corners of Shangguan Wuqing's lips lifted, and a hungry look appeared in her eyes.

"All right... I'll remember." Lin Mo agreed somewhat reluctantly.

Inside, however, his heart had already burst into bloom.

Earlier, he had been fretting over how to get Shangguan Wuqing to seek him out.

Now, a pillow had arrived just as he was getting sleepy.

Perhaps he really could break through from the fourth Qi Refining level to the eighth level of Qi Refining in just half a month!

"You're getting all the benefits, and you're still unwilling?"

"Do you know how many fellow disciples in the sect want to pursue me but can't even catch a whiff of my farts? An old servant like you should count himself lucky that I've taken a fancy to him."

Shangguan Wuqing teased him with complete confidence.

From the sound of it, she seemed quite confident in her looks and figure.

To be fair, Shangguan Wuqing's looks and figure really did rank among the best of the tens of thousands of female disciples in the First Saint Sect.

Coupled with her position as captain of the Enforcement Hall's Vermilion Bird Squad, she had at least a four-digit number of suitors.

"You're absolutely right, Captain Wuqing." Lin Mo offered some insincere flattery. "To have any connection with you at all must be a blessing I earned through three lifetimes."

If he had not already enjoyed a deep and friendly exchange with Liu Ziyan, Lin Mo really would have considered himself quite fortunate.

Not to mention, he possessed the pure yang sacred body.

Once he reached the Foundation Establishment Realm and his body enjoyed a second spring, why would he ever lack women?

"All right, go about your business. With me watching, nobody will be eyeing those spirit stones of yours for the time being." Shangguan Wuqing smiled, narrowing her eyes.

Lin Mo's flattery seemed to have struck just the right chord.

Returning to the Drunken Immortal Pavilion, Lin Mo spent six hundred spirit stones and booked two Qi Refining Period female cultivators in succession.

Things went much as he had expected.

This time, he had to drain both Qi Refining Period female cultivators of their yin energy before he barely managed to break through to the sixth level of Qi Refining.

"The yin energy of Qi Refining Period female cultivators is starting to fall short of my needs. This can't go on..."

After breaking through to the sixth level of Qi Refining, Lin Mo could clearly sense it.

The spiritual power and yin energy he needed to reach the seventh level of Qi Refining were several times greater than what he had needed to reach the sixth level!

The nine levels of the Qi Refining Period could, in fact, be broadly divided into four stages.

The first through third levels constituted the early Qi Refining stage, the fourth through sixth the middle Qi Refining stage, and the seventh through ninth the late Qi Refining stage.

After reaching the ninth level of Qi Refining, the next step was Qi Refining Period perfection.

Only upon reaching Qi Refining Period perfection could one prepare to break through to Foundation Establishment.

And the accumulated spiritual power required to break through each stage of the Qi Refining Period multiplied!

The reason he had smoothly advanced from the third level of the early Qi Refining stage to the fourth level of the middle Qi Refining stage last time...

Was probably that Shangguan Wuqing's yin energy had been abundant enough.

Thus, if Lin Mo wanted to book two Qi Refining Period female cultivators and break through to the seventh level of Qi Refining as he had before, it would probably be a little difficult.

"Then... I'll try booking one at the Foundation Establishment early stage!"

Lin Mo checked his funds. He had just over a thousand spirit stones left, enough to book one Foundation Establishment Early Stage female cultivator.

Thus, Lin Mo rested in his room for two days.

He adjusted his condition and circulated the Yin-Yang Evil Demon Art to consolidate his cultivation.

Afterward, he summoned the female disciple working at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion and booked a Foundation Establishment Early Stage female cultivator.

Outside the door.

Listening to the waves of blush-inducing sounds coming from the room, the female disciple silently marveled. "How strange. Where did this old servant get so many spirit stones?"

"And he looks like he's practically ready for the grave, yet he still has so much stamina!"

Even those young, hot-blooded inner sect disciples did not visit as frequently as Lin Mo.

"Who cares? This old fellow has earned me plenty of commission anyway. Hehe."

"If I save a little more, I'll be able to buy that magical artifact!"

"..."

Nearly twenty hours later, the battle between Lin Mo and the Foundation Establishment Realm female cultivator finally ended.

A Foundation Establishment Realm female cultivator really was different.

Under Lin Mo's fierce assault, her condition had only declined slightly.

Unlike the Qi Refining Period female cultivators from before, who had looked utterly drained afterward.

"Tsk... I'm still a little short."

Lin Mo scratched his head, somewhat puzzled.

He had not broken through to the seventh level of Qi Refining as smoothly as he had expected. Instead, he had gotten stuck.

Then he glanced at the Foundation Establishment Realm female cultivator resting on the bed.

She still looks to be in decent shape. I should be able to squeeze a little more out of her.

If I don't break through to the seventh level of Qi Refining, won't my thousand spirit stones have gone straight down the drain?

"Again?!"

The Foundation Establishment Realm female cultivator, who had thought it was over, was startled. Was this really an old man with one foot in the grave?