Lin Fan chuckled softly, a faint trace of amusement dancing in his eyes as he gazed into the vast expanse of the night sky. "Is he really serious about me learning the basic cooking technique? What would someone that powerful possibly want with such a skill?"
He tilted his head slightly, still deep in thought. "To think the young master is secretly one of the most powerful figures in this royal capital. Just how low profile can one man be?"
Lin Fan could no longer suppress his disbelief. Possessing such immense strength, why would Xu Qingxian deliberately choose to hide it? If he were in Xu Qingxian's place… He clenched his fist tightly at the thought, his knuckles whitening.
"Bai Roxue," he muttered inwardly, his expression darkening. "Perhaps it is time to let her go. Maybe we truly are not destined to be together." With that thought, he drew out a rolled map from his spatial ring and unfolded it, studying its contents intently.
"I hope this will guide me," he whispered.
Without wasting time, he hurried back home. The chill of the night air nipped at his skin as he moved swiftly through the empty streets. Upon reaching his small hut, he began dressing with quiet determination, preparing what little he owned. As he worked, he scribbled down the outline of his plan in a small notebook, the ink smudging slightly from his hasty writing.
His first objective was clear: embark on the path of cultivation and gain at least some level of strength. With the technique he had obtained from Xu Qingxian, he would eventually head straight to the Inheritance Ground.
When he arrived at his modest home, Lin Fan glanced at his mother standing quietly beside the thatched wall of their hut. A sigh slipped from his lips. "Mother," he called out gently.
The woman turned at the sound of his voice. Her aged face, etched with deep wrinkles and wisdom, lit up softly. "Son, is something the matter?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.
He hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward. "I plan to go on an errand for the young master. I might be gone for a while…"
Her eyes flickered briefly, and after a long pause, she nodded slowly. "You will take care of yourself, won't you?"
Lin Fan nodded and reassured her repeatedly, trying to ease her worry. He then packed his belongings, including a few servings of food she had prepared for him, wrapped carefully in cloth.
Once he departed, something changed. The old woman's expression grew still, and an unfamiliar pressure radiated from her. A strange aura, one that bent the very air around her, surged out.
In an instant, her appearance transformed. The frailty of age vanished, and her body shimmered with vitality. The wrinkles faded, replaced by the flawless countenance of an ethereal beauty. Her brows furrowed as she looked in the direction her son had gone.
"Ensure his safety," she said softly, her voice filled with quiet authority, directed at the space beside her.
As her voice faded, the space near her shimmered subtly. A ripple in the air appeared, and a deep voice replied from the void, "Yes, Mistress."
She remained still for a moment, her gaze distant, her thoughts sharp. "Xu Qingxian, is it? I suppose it is time I pay him a visit. So, he dares allow my son to step onto the immortal path, after I've worked so hard to keep him away from cultivation…"
Since Lin Fan had become Xu Qingxian's servant, she had been quietly monitoring every one of his movements. Through her divine sense, she tracked her son perfectly and knew all that had happened up to this point.
…
Time crept by, and soon, midnight arrived without a sound. That day, no one had brought Xu Qingxian his lunch or dinner. He had not minded; he knew once Lin Fan returned, his meals and daily routines would change completely.
"Then I'll be able to eat as many Foundation Establishment beasts as I want, right?" Xu Qingxian muttered with a small smile, his eyes closed in meditation.
He had expected the night to pass peacefully after hours of cultivation. But he was wrong. Something unexpected was coming.
While Xu Qingxian sat cross-legged, the light in the room flickered. It dimmed briefly, fluttered again, then flared once more before going out completely.
Xu Qingxian's eyes flew open. His senses extended immediately as his body tensed. He scanned the darkness with sharp focus, his expression turning serious.
"Evil spirits?" he whispered. Because he had been immersed in cultivation, his divine sense had not been activated. He had no idea when the intruder had slipped in.
Realizing its presence had been detected, the evil spirit began to materialize. It floated above the ground and stared at Xu Qingxian in disbelief.
"You… how were you able to sense me?" the spirit asked, its voice laced with shock.
This spirit was unlike the ones Xu Qingxian had encountered when he first arrived in this world. This one looked almost humanoid, although it remained largely transparent. It took the form of a middle-aged man with a curious expression that slowly shifted into dread.
"I came to find out why the others hadn't returned," the spirit said. "Now I understand. So, you're actually an expert? To think someone as terrifying as the Saintess exists in this forsaken palace."
Xu Qingxian stroked the hilt of the profound sword resting on his lap. His voice remained calm. "Since you know the truth, then you also understand that leaving here is no longer possible for you."
The spirit's expression shifted instantly. Its body tensed and it stepped back, panic flashing in its eyes. "Wait! Don't kill me! I was just following orders!"
Despite his plea, a dark aura exploded from the spirit's body. Without another word, it charged toward Xu Qingxian with full force.
Xu Qingxian narrowed his eyes. A cold glint flickered within them. "I wonder how many attribute points I'll gain for killing a Nascent Soul realm evil spirit."
That's right. The true strength of the intruder was at the Nascent Soul realm. Xu Qingxian understood that there was no way this spirit would reveal who had sent him.
Though disappointed, Xu Qingxian's hand moved without pause. His sword flashed, moving like a bolt of lightning through the dark chamber. A brilliant arc of sword light split into four and slashed cleanly through the spirit's limbs.
Before the spirit could react, its arms and legs were severed, its body collapsing onto the floor. Its dazed eyes flickered weakly as the last of its energy faded into the night.
Please read: Everyone, i have two plots to continue the book, should i explore lin fan's journey or should i just continue with xu qingxian and just continue when lin fan comes back...