If You Don’t Fail Me, I Won’t Fail You

Breaking through the ninth layer of Qi Refining came naturally.

Cao Xueyan didn’t even have time to allocate her points—after refining the Yin essence that Xiao Menglan had passed to her, the bottleneck instantly became as fragile as thin paper, shattering with a single push.

Seeing this, Cao Xueyan couldn’t help but sigh in admiration.

As expected of the Yin essence of a Golden Core cultivator—its effects were truly remarkable!

But, giving it to someone like her, still at mere Qi Refining stage, was honestly a bit of a waste.

So much of it was squandered—it was such a pity.

It was worth mentioning that after just one night, Cao Xueyan felt she had gained an entirely new understanding of the Lingxi Finger spell.

Perhaps after a few more times, she would be able to reach complete mastery.

This was no joke.

After her breakthrough, once she regained her clarity, Xiao Menglan had softly guided her on what to do, occasionally demonstrating herself, which benefited her greatly.

By this time, the sky outside was faintly bright.

A trace of purple qi came from the east.

For cultivators practicing certain techniques, this was the best time for cultivation—absorbing a breath of this sun-born purple qi and refining it yielded results equal to a full day of bitter training!

However, Cao Xueyan’s cultivation method was more suited to absorbing moonlight.

Her current level was already Qi Refining Nine.

Nine was the extreme.

In other words, this could be called Qi Refining Perfection, or the peak of Qi Refining.

Next came the forging of her Dao Foundation.

Absorbing and refining the essence of heaven, earth, sun, and moon was indispensable—this process was critical, a key step in preparing for Foundation Establishment!

“Qi Refining Nine, and you really broke through.”

Xiao Menglan’s expression was complicated.

She had never seen a cultivator like Cao Xueyan.

As far as she knew, only demonic cultivators possessed such a cultivation speed in this world.

The reason they were called “demonic” was because, in order to cultivate and climb the Great Dao, they used every possible extreme method without restraint.

At the Qi Refining stage, demonic cultivators couldn’t stir much trouble, appearing no different from normal cultivators, save for dabbling in unorthodox arts.

But once they reached Foundation Establishment, the methods they could use suddenly multiplied.

The most infamous secret techniques in the demonic path involved forging one’s Dao Foundation not with heavenly treasures, but with living people!

Bone Foundations, Blood Foundations, Soul-Corpse Foundations…

All were notorious among demonic cultivators.

Each one required hundreds or thousands of living humans to complete!

These foundations weren’t necessarily superior to those forged with natural spiritual treasures—but they had one great advantage: they were cheap.

In the eyes of demonic cultivators, the lives of low-level cultivators, even mortals, were worth nothing.

To them, having their victims become part of their cultivation was considered a “blessing.”

Moreover, once such a foundation was established, they could continue killing and sacrificing to improve their cultivation without ever needing to bitterly train again.

Why wouldn’t they?

Xiao Menglan had once slain countless such demonic cultivators with her sword.

For those heartless monsters, she felt nothing but disgust.

But Cao Xueyan was not a demonic cultivator.

This child’s cultivation, she had witnessed step by step.

There was no way she had used such sinister secret arts.

If that was the case, then why was her cultivation advancing so quickly?

Could it really be true, as she once joked, that Cao Xueyan had an extraordinary talent in the matter of dual cultivation?

For an ordinary Qi Refining cultivator, the Yin essence of a Golden Core cultivator would be wasted.

But after Cao Xueyan refined it, she seemed able to use it perfectly.

Just looking at the calm and profound mana in her dantian, no one would think it came from daily bitter cultivation.

After her breakthrough, Cao Xueyan felt refreshed and invigorated.

But upon noticing Xiao Menglan’s complicated gaze, her pride dimmed.

Should she explain?

Should she make up some kind of special constitution?

“You…” Xiao Menglan hesitated slightly, then asked, “Do you feel any discomfort in your body?”

Hearing her master’s first words were concern, Cao Xueyan’s heart warmed.

She replied, “This disciple feels perfectly fine now, with no issues.”

“Truly? You must not lie to me.”

“How would I dare lie to Master? This disciple speaks the truth—it is indeed so!”

Receiving this reassurance, Xiao Menglan finally sighed in relief.

Quietly putting on her robe, she said, “Seeing your cultivation advance so swiftly makes me very happy.

But if this matter spreads, it would be too shocking.

If you ever travel alone, you must never boast about it.”

“This disciple will remember your teaching.”

“I don’t mean to restrain you.

Ah… it’s just, this is my first time teaching a disciple, and who would have thought I’d encounter one like you?”

Xiao Menglan sighed with mixed feelings.

A genius who grew strong—that was true genius.

When she first revealed her own talent, she had attracted much jealousy.

But now she had reached Golden Core, while those others had turned to bones.

When she first took Cao Xueyan as a disciple, she had never imagined teaching a prodigy of such innate brilliance.

With a disciple like this… she didn’t even know how to teach.

They say a master must teach according to talent—but how was she supposed to guide someone like Cao Xueyan?

Was she meant to engage in that absurd act every day and night?

It wasn’t impossible, but if so… how were they any different from the demonic cultivators of the Hehuan Sect?

She, born of an upright sect, now faced with such thoughts—how could she not feel ashamed?

Ashamed of her late master, ashamed of the ancestors of Qingyun Sword Sect.

But just as she was drowning in guilt, she suddenly felt warmth in her arms.

Soft lips pressed against the corner of her mouth.

With just a slight movement, she could indulge in the taste fully—and the one in her embrace clearly would not resist.

“Is Master troubled?”

Cao Xueyan deliberately softened her voice, feigning weakness, her tone sweet and tender, enough to melt bones.

“If Master feels troubled, then this disciple will change cultivation methods and never again do… such shameful things with Master.

Would that be better?”

“How could that be?!”

Xiao Menglan instinctively refused.

Realizing something was off, she quickly added, “It’s just not urgent right now.

Your physique is special, and using this method to cultivate is not unreasonable.

If you switch to another method, would you really be willing to bury such a gift?”

Cao Xueyan answered without hesitation, “Without Master, I would still be wasting away somewhere in the peak, no different from those ten years I spent in the outer sect.

Master has given me new life—what is this in comparison?”

Xiao Menglan’s voice trembled.

“You truly feel this way?”

Cao Xueyan’s reply was gentle.

“Never a lie.”

In that instant, Xiao Menglan felt a roaring in her mind.

A bottleneck that had bound her for years shattered.

Her mind cleared in sudden enlightenment.

At the same time, on her Golden Core, which had only six lines of markings, a faint seventh line began to appear!

How many years had it been?

She had been stuck at this step with no progress, tormented by inner demons—only recently easing.

Overcome with emotion, Xiao Menglan’s eyes reddened.

Crystal tears slipped from her eyes.

Seeing this, Cao Xueyan straightened slightly, opened her mouth, and caught each teardrop one by one, swallowing them like precious treasures.

No one knew how long passed before Xiao Menglan’s firm voice emerged:

“If you do not betray me, I will never betray you.”

If you are true to me, I will be true to you.