Qing Yun patiently endured, waiting.
He waited and waited.
As he waited, he noticed that the aura around Yun Jin began to change, gradually radiating a feeling that seemed very familiar to him…
Soon.
Six hours passed.
Qing Yun stared dazedly at Yun Jin as she applied the first level of the Thousand Mechanisms Perception Art, his whole being a little stupefied.
This… she mastered entry level just like that?
Yun Jin saw that Qing Yun's reaction was exactly the same as Ji Wusi's earlier, and couldn't help scratching her head.
Just as she was about to say something, Qing Yun suddenly slapped his thigh!
He looked at Yun Jin, eyes hiding an ecstasy that was perfectly concealed.
Did you see that?
This disciple was destined to be his!
Not only did Yun Jin have astonishing talent in alchemy, but even in cultivating his unique secret art, she was just as fast!
Who could possibly steal this disciple from him?
Qing Yun's scheming mind stirred, and he advised earnestly, "Xiao Jin, your progress is barely passable for now. But you still need to continue working hard. Most importantly, remember to keep your progress hidden from Ji Wusi and Liuli, lest they try some underhanded tricks."
Yun Jin gave Qing Yun a strange look.
Why was this wording exactly the same as Ji Wusi's?
But she still obediently nodded.
Qing Yun stroked his beard, completely satisfied.
Just wait. Once the ten-day period ended, he was sure to give Ji Wusi and Liuli a shocking surprise.
Want to compete with him?
Could they possibly compare?
Qing Yun chuckled to himself.
That evening.
Yun Jin obediently followed Liuli away.
Liuli summoned her mount and also brought Yun Jin to a secluded mountain peak.
When Liuli began to set up barriers as well, Yun Jin was already completely numb.
So this was what they meant by, great figures think alike.
Seeing Yun Jin's expression, Liuli smiled gently, her voice soft and tender, "Today, when those two taught you, didn't they both speak ill of others? I'm not like them. We women, even when competing, must do so openly and aboveboard. How could we gossip behind someone's back? Men are men, always scheming."
Yun Jin looked at Liuli's gentle smile, and couldn't help nodding earnestly.
"Come, let us study together, and ignore them," Liuli said, pulling Yun Jin to sit down. "Today, I will teach you a secret art for cultivating mental power. This art is my own creation, named the Soul Control Art. You should know, for cultivators, soul power is an extremely important force. There are countless pills and heavenly treasures to improve cultivation, almost too many to count. But things that can improve soul power are exceedingly rare, nearly impossible to find. Thus, compared to cultivation, the further one goes, the more soul power becomes a limiting factor. For us Beast Tamers, soul power is especially vital."
Liuli continued steadily, "Mental power is one application of soul power. By gathering soul power into condensed mental force, it can be used in many marvelous ways. My Soul Control Art uses mental power to control living beings. Originally, I created this art to better control spirit beasts, but eventually discovered it also had tremendous effect when applied to humans. However, this path when used well, is wondrous, when used wrongly, it veers dangerously close to the demonic path."
Yun Jin repeatedly nodded as she listened.
This Soul Control Art indeed sounded somewhat sinister.
To control living beings. If such an art fell into the hands of those with malicious intent, it would definitely bring disaster.
Liuli smiled, her voice warm, "But in the end, it is only a technique. Whether righteous or evil depends entirely on how the user applies it. I rarely pass on this art to others. Passing it to you today, I hope you will use it wisely."
Yun Jin's heart tightened, "Senior, you trust me that much?"
She and Liuli had barely interacted before.
If she were someone deeply wicked, gaining the Soul Control Art would only harm others, would it not?
Liuli smiled, her eyes flashed with deep meaning, "Of course, I have my ways of judging."
Yun Jin nodded without further question.
It was said beast tamers had countless methods. Perhaps Liuli had already probed her in ways she didn't know.
Yun Jin wasn't afraid. She knew she was not purely virtuous, but neither would she bring calamity to the world.
She was confident she could master the Soul Control Art.
Seeing Yun Jin so confident, Liuli's lips curved into an even warmer smile. She softly said, "Close your eyes. I will transmit the first level to you."
As soon as Yun Jin closed her eyes, a cool sensation brushed across her forehead.
The secret method of the Soul Control Art surfaced in her mind.
The system immediately gave its detection result.
"Soul Control Art, First Level, Di level technique. On the basis of having stronger mental power than the target, one can use the method to control the opponent for one second."
The first level was only at Di, and it could only control an opponent for a single second.
It sounded short.
But in battle, even one second could determine victory or defeat.
This secret art was also extraordinary.
Yun Jin spent ten advanced simplification attempts, successfully refining the technique.
"Soul Control Art, First Level. Entry requirement: Meditation for two hours."
This entry requirement seemed far too easy for a Di level secret art.
Yun Jin guessed this was still related to her soul realm. After all, mental power was merely one application of soul power. Though she's only at Golden Core, her true soul power was vast like a god's.
Even if much of it was sealed, the portion condensed into her Soul Golden Core was already formidable.
With such strong soul power, even without the system, she could've mastered the entry level of the Soul Control Art with ease, only requiring more time.
But with time short, she preferred to use simplification attempts in exchange for cultivation time.
Four hours later.
Yun Jin opened her eyes, meeting Liuli's increasingly gentle smile.
"You… are at entry level?" Liuli asked. "Use it on me once."
Yun Jin nodded and cast the Soul Control Art on her.
Of course Liuli was unaffected, but she could sense that Yun Jin had indeed achieved entry level.
This was astonishing.
Even Shen Yanye had only ever reached the third level of this art, never mastering its true essence.
And Yun Jin?
Just four hours, and she had already achieved entry level. With her cultivation rising, passing on Liuli's legacy would naturally follow.
Seeing that Liuli seemed about to say something, Yun Jin hesitated and asked, "Senior, is it that our cultivation progress cannot be revealed to the other two?"
Liuli's smile blossomed, "Xiao Jin is indeed clever. Now, since we still have some time, continue cultivating."
Yun Jin obediently closed her eyes.
After entry, every period of meditation increased her proficiency a little.
If things went well, she might reach the second level in ten days.
And so it went. Ji Wusi, Qing Yun, and Liuli each privately trained Yun Jin.
Each of the three old foxes sighed and shook their heads whenever they met, pretending progress was difficult.
But privately, each was grinning ear to ear.
At this moment, they all shared the same thought:
This disciple is secured!