Chapter 100: Chapter 83: Scorched by Passion’s Fire, Please Help Me Cultivate, Junior Sister

With the matter of Xiao Tongquan thoroughly discussed, neither Jiang Yi nor Li Ruohan spoke again. They sat in silence for a good while, a shared sense of sorrow and unease hanging between them—the rabbit mourning the fox’s death.

’Illuminating the Dark, True Gu, and even Qing Chi from before that… these Branch Sect Dharma Lineages devour people whole, not even spitting out the bones.’

Jiang Yi’s thoughts drifted. Under the rule of the Demon Dao, it didn’t matter if you were a commoner as insignificant as a weed or a precious Direct Lineage member from a Qi Cultivation Clan. In the eyes of an Upper Cultivator, there was little difference.

The former could be manipulated at will, and the latter could only endure it obediently, unable to even utter a word of protest.

Sometimes, they might not even realize they were being twisted and kneaded, just like puppets on a stage, with no control over their movements or destination.

Li Ruohan took a small sip of her tea, collecting herself and gently suppressing those useless sentiments.

“Senior Brother Jiang, now that you’ve steadily broken through to the Qi Cultivation Fifth Layer, your spot in the Inner Peak’s supplemental intake should be a sure thing.”

Jiang Yi nodded. “It’s all thanks to Marshal Yang, who ran around on my behalf and got me an in with Elder Sui.”

Pulling strings was something you had to keep secret before it succeeded, but once it was done, there was no need to hide it.

Besides, Xu Yan had already made a friendly overture at the Qi Gong Institute, so it couldn’t be hidden anyway. He might as well be open about it.

“Though Elder Sui has been in seclusion for many years, his words still carry significant weight. Not to mention, Senior Brother Xu Yan alone is a famously talented prodigy in the sect, often mentioned alongside Zhou Fu of the Sect Leader’s lineage as one of the twin prodigies.”

Li Ruohan nodded. ’Looks like I didn’t misjudge him. Senior Brother Jiang really is an outstanding individual with a bright future ahead of him.’

“With Elder Sui backing you, Senior Brother Jiang, you’ll be able to stand firm in the Inner Peak. You’ll probably even get your pick of the sect’s Resource Lands.”

Jiang Yi just smiled and didn’t respond, changing the subject to matters of Cultivation.

“I’ve also had some insights recently,” she said. “My seated Breathing and channeling for Cultivation have both become much more proficient than before. I plan to try breaking through to the Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer in another ten days.”

Hearing Li Ruohan’s words, Jiang Yi raised an eyebrow. He suddenly realized what a great benefit it was to “I beg the Celestial Book” and see his Cultivation progress.

Most Qi Cultivation Cultivators couldn’t pinpoint how much Merit they had accumulated; they could only sense a rough estimate.

As for when to attempt a breakthrough, without the guidance and assistance of a senior, most would be fumbling in the dark and stumbling into pitfalls.

Jiang Yi said softly, “Junior Sister, if you run into any more difficulties, feel free to ask me.”

Li Ruohan smiled sweetly. “Then I thank you in advance, Senior Brother.”

She had taken a liking to Jiang Yi early on, precisely because of his extraordinary talent for Cultivation.

After receiving his one-on-one guidance in the Quiet Chamber a few times, she had truly experienced the depth of Senior Brother Jiang’s abilities.

Whenever he explained her difficulties and obstacles in Cultivation with just a few words, it was like a master’s hand parting the clouds. The problems would be solved instantly, often causing a burst of Spiritual Light and a feeling of exhilaration to wash over her.

At this thought, Li Ruohan subconsciously smoothed the hem of her skirt, pressed her legs gently together, and a soft, shimmering light appeared in her eyes.

“Are you free today, Senior Brother Jiang? There’s still a Quiet Chamber available on the third level of Heshui Cave.”

’She even has a Quiet Chamber ready?’

’Is she coming on to me?’

Jiang Yi was momentarily stunned. He had been the one to invite Li Ruohan, firstly to pay back the money he owed, and secondly to trade for some Spiritual Materials and fine elixirs, creating a suitable pretext for his breakthrough to the Qi Cultivation Sixth Layer.

He hadn’t expected this Junior Sister Li to be so forward.

Jiang Yi subconsciously activated the Embrace Thought Nourishing Spirit Seven Emotions Curse he had recently learned. Wisps of candlelight coiled around his heart, coalescing into a single lantern.

He focused his Divine Thought and looked at her, only to see a faint pink aura ripple around her body.

Ding Fire was yin in nature, perfect for illuminating hidden thoughts and seeing into a person’s heart.

Because his Fire Manipulation Technique had been elevated to the Seventh Grade and was then subsumed by the Mixed Refining Origin, it had evolved into the Embrace Thought Nourishing Spirit Seven Emotions Curse.

This Spell was not meant for Magical Combat, but was a method of control over subordinates—a means of Soul Capturing and Spirit Stealing, of manipulating their thoughts.

“Junior Sister Li seems a little… restless.”

Jiang Yi beat around the bush in his reply, stringing Li Ruohan along.

At the same time, he unconsciously infused the faint glow of the lantern formed by the Ding Fire’s candlelight into his eyes.

Then, he called out softly:

“Junior Sister Li…”

Li Ruohan looked up, her bright eyes blinking, and her gaze met Jiang Yi’s.

The surroundings seemed to fall silent in an instant. It was like the dead of night, with only this single, bright lantern burning, its flickering flame drawing in her entire consciousness.

“May I ask, Junior Sister…”

Jiang Yi asked in a low voice:

“Are you willing to help me with my Cultivation?”

Li Ruohan’s voice was airy, as if she were floating on a cloud, her feet not touching the ground. Or perhaps like she was drifting in a gentle breeze and a warm current. She said dazedly,

“I will do whatever Senior Brother asks of me. As long as I can help you in the slightest, I am more than willing…”

HISS! ’So this is the power of the Seven Emotions Curse!’

Jiang Yi was startled. He had only used it slightly, stoking the fires of affection at the bottom of Li Ruohan’s heart, yet he had managed to gain such complete control over her.

’The hidden thoughts of the human heart are endlessly varied. But as long as there is a single flaw for my Ding Fire to illuminate, I can exploit it and enter!’

As Jiang Yi pondered this, he suddenly felt he was starting to fit into the Demon Dao Dharma Lineage.

Isn’t this exactly how Upper Cultivators manipulate Lower Cultivators?

’How could I be the same as those Upper Cultivators! They’re all beasts, one worse than the next, completely inhuman! But I, Jiang, walk the straight and narrow!’

Jiang Yi cut off his stray thoughts and said aloud,

“I hope that you, Junior Sister, will be diligent in your Cultivation and break through to the Fourth Layer soon.”

Li Ruohan’s dazed expression faltered, and the pink halo that had risen around her body instantly retracted.

“Uh… Thank you for the encouragement, Senior Brother. I will definitely redouble my efforts to catch up to you soon.”

Jiang Yi deactivated the Seven Emotions Curse and withdrew the Ding Fire Attribute. Ultimately, it was because Li Ruohan’s Cultivation was too low—a full two layers below his—that her hidden thoughts were so easily stirred.

If it had been Xiao Tongquan, it probably would have been much more difficult.

“Junior Sister, do you know of any other Spiritual Objects on the Inner Peak that are beneficial for Cultivation?”

Jiang Yi got to the point. “I can trade a Yuan Containing Pill for them.”

Li Ruohan’s mind was in a terrible daze. She only remembered a moment where her delicate body had tensed up completely, then gone limp, followed by a wave of emptiness washing over her. She hadn’t even clearly heard what Jiang Yi had said.

“Senior Brother… you’ve already broken through to the Qi Cultivation Fifth Layer. Ordinary elixirs are probably of little use, serving only to nourish the body.”

Li Ruohan took a deep breath to steady herself, pulled her legs a little tighter together beneath her skirt, and said softly,

“If you want to trade for Spiritual Energy, Senior Brother, you can only seek out the various elders of the Inner Peak. They have been in the sect for a long time and must have accumulated quite a bit.

A single Yuan Containing Pill is exceptionally valuable, enough to trade for a portion of high-quality Spiritual Mechanism Qi.”

Jiang Yi nodded. He had originally planned to consume the Yuan Containing Pill himself, but after he begged the Celestial Book for guidance, he learned that it was refined from blood and qi, which would affect his Foundation Establishment Cultivation after the Qi Cultivation Twelfth Layer.

This once again made him curse inwardly, denouncing the Upper Cultivators of these Branch Sect Dharma Lineages as inhuman scum.

But then he had another thought. Across the entire Three Thousand Miles of Beimang Ridge, probably very few people were aware of the secret that Daoist Can would interfere with the Life Essence Integration required for Foundation Establishment Cultivation.

Never mind Zhizhen Garden; perhaps even the person in the Zhao You Sect who personally refined the Yuan Containing Pill was kept in the dark.

’There are pitfalls at every step.’

Jiang Yi suppressed this sentiment and looked at Li Ruohan, who seemed to be waking from a dream, still dazed.

“Since we’re already here, and I have nothing important to do today, would you like to discuss Cultivation with me, Junior Sister Li?”

Li Ruohan let out a small “ah,” seemingly pleasantly surprised. Being personally guided by Senior Brother Jiang was a wonderful thing.

But then her cheeks suddenly flushed, and she stammered softly,

“Could you wait for a moment, Senior Brother? Allow me to… bathe and change my clothes.”

Jiang Yi frowned. He had never noticed Junior Sister Li being so concerned with her appearance. They had only been drinking tea for a short while, hardly enough to break a sweat, yet she wanted to change her clothes before cultivating.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep