Improving Mental Skills

Li Tao, in a hurry, arrived at Lin Huaian’s cave abode via sword flight.

Above the first peak, the sea of clouds undulated, and spiritual energy surged and receded.

She lightly stepped off her sword, landing on the ground.

As her long boots met the stone slab, her flying sword quietly dissipated.

Unlike other cultivators, Li Tao’s flying sword was a low-grade Saint Artifact bought for her by Ji Xin at the Sacred Word Auction House two years ago.

Flying swords, as spiritual artifacts on the Eastern Xuan Continent, are categorized into three major grades: Gold Artifacts, Renowned Artifacts, and Saint Artifacts.

Gold Artifacts are further divided into nine ranks from high to low, while Renowned Artifacts and Saint Artifacts are split into high, medium, and low grades.

The forging methods for Saint-grade artifacts have almost vanished in the current era.

Even if the methods exist, it’s rare to find artisans capable of forging them.

Thus, ninety percent of Saint Artifacts are ancient celestial objects left behind by immortals.

Li Tao’s immortal sword is named Zhenluo, a personal magical treasure of the Rakshasa Ghost Immortal from the ancient immortal era.

If not for ten millennia of dulling, causing Zhenluo to lose almost ninety percent of its spiritual energy, its original quality would undoubtedly have surpassed the Saint Artifact grade, reaching the Immortal Artifact level.

The same principle applies to other cultivation techniques and mental cultivation methods.

Cultivators of this generation rarely create new Dao techniques.

Instead, they practice the Dao arts of their predecessors.

Let alone creating new ones, few can even complete and perfect a damaged Deification Realm Dao technique.

The surrounding spiritual energy flowed unceasingly.

Li Tao felt the ancient Dao technique belonging to Lin Huaian in the air, along with his aura, and couldn’t help but take a deep breath.

She bent down and directly sat cross-legged on the peak.

This area was already saturated with Lin Huaian’s ancient aura, making it an excellent cultivation spot.

Li Tao closed her eyes, thinking Lin Huaian should be back soon.

She just needed to wait here, and in the meantime, she could refine her cultivation methods and solidify her Nascent Soul realm.

She had only recently advanced to the Nascent Soul stage and needed a large amount of pure spiritual energy.

As she inhaled and exhaled, a transparent golden figure emerged behind Li Tao.

This was Li Tao’s Nascent Soul.

The young girl closed her eyes, thinking she owed Lin Huaian another favor.

An hour passed.

Li Tao thought this was normal; after all, they went to choose a mental cultivation method, which would surely take a lot of time.

Another hour passed.

Li Tao became slightly restless.

Her previously tightly closed eyes opened.

She exhaled a breath of turbid air.

Unconsciously, she had advanced another small realm, reaching the second layer of the Nascent Soul stage.

But why hadn’t Lin Huaian returned yet?

What were they doing?

Were they doing something bad?

‘No, I must trust Senior Brother’s character. I’ll wait a little longer…’

The third hour passed.

It was getting late.

The hazy yellow clouds swirled and dissipated.

In the distance, the sun wheeled, about to sink below the horizon.

Li Tao finally stood up.

Spiritual energy circulated through her meridians along with her Dao technique.

She summoned Zhenluo, gritted her teeth, and directly flew towards the Scripture Pavilion.

She was anxious.

She suspected Lin Huaian might really be doing something bad with that servant disciple.

**

Meanwhile, the two people walking along the peak path with fruits and pastries noticed the figure in the sky.

Su Yuan, munching on a tea-flavored mochi, looked up and pointed at the figure, asking curiously,

“Senior Brother, who is that person?
It looks like they’re looking for you?”

“Ignore her.

Just treat her like a lunatic,” Lin Huaian gritted his teeth when Su Yuan brought up Li Tao.

“That’s your Second Senior Sister, Li Tao.

I treated her with the sincerity of a sister, yet she secretly coveted my cave abode.

During the two days I was away from the sect, she even secretly occupied my bed!”

Su Yuan’s eyes widened, and she nodded repeatedly, “That’s so mean!”

“It’s good that you understand,” Lin Huaian nodded approvingly, “It seems I haven’t raised you in vain, Junior Sister.”

Su Yuan heard this and lowered her head, feeling a little embarrassed.

Originally, after leaving the Scripture Pavilion, the two were supposed to return.

But Su Yuan saw the rice cakes in the hands of several female disciples on the road in the distance.

She recalled that the only sweet she had ever eaten from birth until now was that string of candied hawthorn.

She couldn’t help but swallow her saliva for a moment.

She thought Lin Huaian wouldn’t notice this, but the next moment, he, without a word, grabbed her and walked into the inner sect’s snack street, buying a whole bunch of things before returning.

After finally arriving at the peak cave abode, Lin Huaian led Su Yuan into the living room, placed the items on the coffee table and in the cabinets, then stretched.

Su Yuan put down her things and noticed Lin Huaian’s collar was a bit messy, so she instinctively walked over.

Her slender, nimble fingers wrapped around his collar.

She brushed along both sides of his collar, slowly smoothing it down, then carefully fastened the first button of the patterned inner shirt below Lin Huaian’s Adam’s apple.

Lin Huaian wasn’t quite sure what was happening, but since Su Yuan was so proactive, there was no reason for him to avoid her.

He watched Su Yuan intently lower her head, thinking, ‘This is only the first day of their acquaintance.’

After tidying Lin Huaian’s collar, Su Yuan let out a short sigh.

She looked up at Lin Huaian and smiled softly, “Senior Brother, up close, you are truly very handsome.”

Lin Huaian was suddenly hit with such a direct compliment.

His instinctive reaction was to take a step back, but there was a sofa behind him.

He didn’t notice, stumbled, and fell backward.

Meanwhile, Su Yuan was still holding his collar and hadn’t had time to let go.

After a moment of disarray, Lin Huaian opened his eyes to see Su Yuan sprawled on his chest.

Her pretty face suddenly flushed, and she quickly struggled to sit up.

But at that moment, the young girl’s collar came loose, revealing her fair, soft chest.

Lin Huaian hastily turned his head away.

Su Yuan also frantically straightened her clothes, her face completely red, unable to utter a single word.

“I-I’ll go back to the guest room now!” she said, blushing, and ran off without looking back.

Lin Huaian sat up, still a bit dazed.

He recalled the flash of snow-white he had just seen, thinking, ‘Does she even need to develop any further?’

After Su Yuan fled, he sat alone in the living room, feeling he finally had some time for his own planning.

The day after tomorrow, he has to attend the Dao Discussion Conference, so he needs to prepare his arguments tomorrow.

The sect competition in a week, he can just skip that.

In two weeks is the Holy Land Assembly.

These matters weren’t particularly urgent.

Right now, what Lin Huaian needed most was to find a mental cultivation method suitable for Su Yuan.

The two of them had just searched the entire Scripture Pavilion but still couldn’t find a suitable mental cultivation method for Su Yuan.

Except for that Saint-Demon Dual Cultivation one, but unfortunately, there was no one to practice it with.

Since this was the situation, they probably only had one option left.

Lin Huaian sighed, slowly stood up, and walked to the bedroom.

He picked up a brush and paper, ground some ink, hesitated for a moment, and finally began to write the first line on the white paper—

“Great Annihilation Heavenly Tribulation Mental Method.”

In the original story, this was the cultivation method that the Great Demon Lord Su Yuan, with her supreme talent, had tailor-made for herself.

And now, there was only one thing Lin Huaian had to do.

That was to take this supreme demonic cultivation method and, starting from its roots, gradually modify it into a version that even a righteous cultivator could practice.

The sky grew dim.

Everyone in the Scripture Pavilion dared not move.

Because Second Senior Sister had been silent ever since she arrived, just sitting in the central area with a cold expression.

Although she had a certain charm like this, the disciples truly couldn’t bear the pressure.

They prayed silently in their hearts for Senior Brother to come and take Second Senior Sister away soon.

Because other than Senior Brother Lin, in the entire Tianming Sect, no one really dared to voice an opinion in front of Second Senior Sister…