Shui Lianyue wasn't lying. The truth was precisely as she said; in this lifetime, her cleverness was terrifying.
"Senior Sister, the fish is burning."
Glancing at the slightly charred fish, Shui Lianyue's expression didn't change in the slightest as she handed it to Ye Xiangli.
"It doesn't matter. It's delicious."
Taking the grilled fish, Ye Xiangli took a small bite, and her eyes instantly lit up. With its crispy skin and tender meat, her taste buds were completely awakened.
Yet, looking at Shui Lianyue, Ye Xiangli said, "Senior Sister, you should have some too."
She brought the fish right to Shui Lianyue's lips, gazing at her with slightly moist eyes.
"Mn."
Shui Lianyue didn't refuse Ye Xiangli. If she turned down this fragile child, the girl would surely overthink it.
So, right next to the spot where Ye Xiangli had just bitten, Shui Lianyue took a bite of her own—not far at all, even brushing against the exact same spot.
Shui Lianyue's expression remained completely unchanged, while Ye Xiangli's cheeks flushed slightly. Still, she said nothing more; as long as her Senior Sister didn't mind her, it was fine.
"Junior Sister, you eat. I just wanted a taste," she said, reaching out to gently stroke Ye Xiangli's head.
Enjoying the touch, Ye Xiangli narrowed her eyes. "Thank you, Senior Sister."
"Stop talking and eat."
"Oh, right."
And so, by the time Ye Xiangli finished off the grilled fish in her hands, Luochen returned to Huanxian Peak.
Seeing the peaceful and harmonious atmosphere between the two, Luochen smiled. Ordinarily kind-hearted, Luochen now looked even more like a harmless little old man.
"Master!"
It was Ye Xiangli's surprised and delighted cry, which made Luochen's smile grow even brighter.
"Master."
The second voice was much more understated. Nevertheless, Luochen's smile didn't wane as he walked over cheerfully.
"Good, good, good. As long as you get along well. Now, it's time to repair Xiangli's dantian. The process will be very painful, you know."
At these words, Ye Xiangli shook her head, her tone resolute. "I'm not afraid. The path of immortality is naturally difficult. If I were to shrink back at the mere prospect of pain, I might as well never have set foot on this path at all."
Listening to Ye Xiangli, Shui Lianyue felt a surge of eagerness in her heart. Once Ye Xiangli had cultivation, she would be able to act even more as she pleased.
"Mm-hm, wonderful. Then your master shall begin."
With that, Luochen produced a medicinal pill. The moment it appeared, a faint, rich medicinal fragrance drifted out. The pill was entirely golden in color, marked with six medicinal rings—a tier-six pill.
A tier-six pill: the Spirit-Replenishing Pill, capable of perfectly repairing a dantian, an item of priceless value.
Yet as precious as it was, to Luochen, it was probably less significant than a single hair on Daniu.
Under Luochen's guidance, Ye Xiangli sat cross-legged. The Spirit-Replenishing Pill slipped into her mouth, and its gentle medicinal properties coursed through her entire body, finally converging at her dantian.
Shui Lianyue stood to the side since there was nothing for her to do. She simply watched quietly; after all, Luochen had to show he was useful for something as a master.
Next came introducing the Thunder-Attracting Bead into the body. It wasn't literally swallowed whole; instead, Luochen guided the bead to submerge into Ye Xiangli's body, flashing like a bolt of lightning.
At the same time, dark clouds gathered across the sky, turning the clear blue into an inky expanse. Faint rumblings of thunder echoed through the clouds like long dragons winding their way through the mist.
Seeing this, Shui Lianyue produced a paper umbrella and stood holding it aloft, sheltering Ye Xiangli underneath.
As for Luochen, even if the heavenly tribulation struck him for a full year, the most it would do was change his hair color.
While the medicinal effects were repairing Ye Xiangli's dantian, the Origin of Heavenly Thunder grew restless, rampaging wildly inside her body.
"Focus your mind, feel the source of that turbulence in your dantian, and try your best to control it."
The violent surging of the Origin of Heavenly Thunder constantly shattered and repaired Ye Xiangli's dantian, causing her face to turn deathly pale from the agony. In a sense, it was as if two opposing forces were fighting a war inside her.
Seeing this, Luochen looked toward Shui Lianyue under the umbrella. "Lianyue, the Purple Spirit-Restoring Pill."
Without hesitation, Shui Lianyue pressed a pill into Ye Xiangli's mouth. The moment it touched her lips, it dissolved into a warm current that flooded into Ye Xiangli's body.
Simultaneously, pure water spiritual energy rose up, moistening the surrounding air to protect Ye Xiangli's rapidly fracturing body. Driven out from her dantian, the Origin of Heavenly Thunder grew exceptionally violent, tearing into her physical form.
At that moment, Ye Xiangli looked like a shattered doll, blood seeping out continuously until she was instantly transformed into a bloody figure.
"Master!"
Hearing Shui Lianyue's voice, Luochen raised an eyebrow. Her tone was a fraction louder than usual, which drew a light chuckle from him. "Heh, to make Lianyue raise her voice a bit—it seems you really do like Xiangli. That way, Master can go into secluded cultivation with complete peace of mind."
Hearing this, Shui Lianyue lowered her gaze slightly. The Golden Core within her flared with light, wrapping Ye Xiangli in gentle water spiritual energy that continuously healed her battered body.
"Master, you're rambling."
"Hahaha, it's fine! Trust in little Xiangli. As long as she can successfully refine the Origin of Heavenly Thunder, and with the Purple Spirit-Restoring Pill protecting her meridians, plus having you right here—she will win."
Hearing those three words—"she will win"—the corner of Shui Lianyue's mouth twitched involuntarily.
Master, could you please not say those three words?
Luochen, however, possessed extraordinary confidence in Ye Xiangli.
Shui Lianyue knew that Ye Xiangli would undoubtedly succeed.
Yet, she still couldn't help feeling a tiny trace of worry.
It was probably just the fear that if something happened to Ye Xiangli, she would no longer have anyone interesting around.
While Shui Lianyue and Luochen were conversing, a startling crack of thunder tore through the ink-black sky. The deafening roar shook the heavens, and the gloomy landscape suddenly flashed with blinding light.
Winding heavenly lightning struck down like a twisting serpent, its distant roar echoing across the horizon, catching the attention of countless disciples at Yinxian Gate.
Down at the foot of the immortal mountain, it likewise drew countless gazes—mostly from those yearning to join Yinxian Gate.
Beneath the paper umbrella, Shui Lianyue's gaze remained calm; the heaven-shaking lightning could not rattle her in the slightest.
How much time passed, no one knew. The ground all around was scorched black, but Shui Lianyue and Ye Xiangli under the paper umbrella were completely unscathed.
Shui Lianyue could tell that Ye Xiangli had already succeeded, and it hadn't even taken all that long. It was just that Ye Xiangli's current appearance was a bit terrifying, drenched from head to toe in blood so that her original features were unrecognizable.
"Well, looks like she pulled it off. Oh, and she even awakened a Heavenly Lightning Root! How rare."
Luochen walked over, peering with curious interest at the prone figure on the ground. Shui Lianyue carefully cleaned away the blood and filth from Ye Xiangli before lifting her up into her arms.
"I'm taking Junior Sister to rest. Master, you can go off to your seclusion now."
Hearing Shui Lianyue's words, Luochen widened his eyes in astonishment. "Are you ruthlessly casting your master aside the moment he's no longer useful?"
"Master is quite self-aware, I see."
Shui Lianyue gave Luochen a flat look, her expression and tone completely different from the way she was with Ye Xiangli.
"How heartless!"
Just as Luochen finished speaking, Shui Lianyue's figure had already vanished from before his eyes, leaving behind only a patch of blackened earth.
"Sigh, honestly. People have less and less respect for their elders these days. Remember to feed Daniu on time!"
Luochen let out a sigh, then suddenly remembering something, shouted loudly toward the nearby wooden cabin. Immediately afterward, he felt a drop of water land right on the tip of his nose.
"That rebellious disciple!"