Li Yundong, upon hearing Su Chan’s words, felt both surprised and delighted, saying with a noticeable awkwardness, “Isn’t that a bit much?” Su Chan nodded her head rapidly, like a rattle drum: “It’s fine, it’s fine.” Li Yundong studied Su Chan closely and noticed that after the massage, the young girl’s face was flushed, and a fine sheen of sweat dotted her nose and forehead; she looked thoroughly exhausted.

Li Yundong felt a mix of heartache and gratitude: “We’ll see.

Look at you, covered in sweat from exertion.” “Sweat?” Su Chan wiped her forehead with the back of her hand, looked at it, and laughed, “This is sweat forced out by the circulation of Qì within my body, not from being tired.” “Circulation of Qì within the body?” Li Yundong suddenly recalled how Su Chan had instantly subdued Er Lu.

He asked, “Su Chan, how do you know these things? Did your Master teach you?” Su Chan nodded, proclaiming with pride, “Of course! My Master is amazing!” Li Yundong inquired, “Did your Master also teach you Traditional Chinese Medicine and massage?” Su Chan paused in thought.

My Master taught me the techniques of cultivation, she thought, but medicine carries the Dao, and the Dao is manifested through medicine.

If you put it that way, it’s not entirely wrong.

So, Su Chan nodded: “That’s right.” Li Yundong praised, “Your Master must be an extraordinary person.” The little fox’s face lit up with glee when she heard Li Yundong praise her Master: “Naturally! My Master is the most beautiful!” Li Yundong asked curiously, “More beautiful than you?” Su Chan’s eyes crinkled into thin lines of amusement: “My Master is a hundred times more beautiful than me.” Li Yundong burst into laughter: “A hundred times more beautiful than you? Impossible! Where in this world could there be such a beautiful woman? I don’t believe it!” The little fox’s eyes widened: “It’s true!” Li Yundong pinched the little fox’s nose, his expression filled with indulgent affection: “In my eyes, you are the most beautiful woman in the entire world.” The little fox lowered her head in embarrassment: “No way, I’m very plain…” Li Yundong feigned anger: “Who said that?” Su Chan pouted: “My Master said so!” Li Yundong was momentarily stunned, then chuckled dryly: “No way? Your Master must be jealous of you! That’s why she called you ugly!” The little fox, Su Chan, had cultivated in the mountains since birth.

Before meeting Li Yundong, she could count on one hand the number of people she had ever seen.

How could she possibly know what true beauty and ugliness were in the world? Having never been complimented on her looks growing up, she never considered herself beautiful.

In fact, her Master had repeatedly warned her not to flaunt her beauty in the mortal world, criticizing Su Chan’s appearance more than once or twice, which was precisely why Su Chan worried constantly that Li Yundong would eventually despise her.

Upon suddenly hearing Li Yundong speak ill of her Master, Su Chan instinctively retorted: “Nonsense! My Master would never treat me like that! She is the kindest person in the world!” Li Yundong deliberately put on a stern face: “Then what about me?” Su Chan shifted shyly: “You are the second kindest person in this world to me.” Li Yundong looked disappointed: “Only second?” Su Chan stuck out her tongue.

Acting as if her Master were right beside her, she whispered conspiratorially, “Hey, I’ll tell you in secret, my Master is actually very strict with me, although I know it’s for my own good.

If you try a little harder, maybe you can surpass my Master and become the number one kindest person to me!” Seeing how amusing Su Chan was being, Li Yundong laughed heartily, grabbed Su Chan’s hand, led her to the dressing table in the bathroom, pointed at her reflection in the mirror, and said, “Look for yourself.” Su Chan washed up here every day and was naturally familiar with her own appearance.

She blinked her eyes: “I see myself, what about it?” Li Yundong leaned close to her face, smiling: “Look at you—a delicate, pointed melon-seed face, a pair of sparkling peach blossom eyes, a bright red cherry mouth, and skin as fair as snow.

So many women dream of having your looks and figure.

They couldn’t achieve your beauty even with plastic surgery; those movie stars would die of shame compared to you.” Su Chan’s heart pounded like a drum under Li Yundong’s praise, her cheeks flushing crimson.

She gazed dreamily at her own reflection, suddenly admitting to herself that perhaps she was a little bit pretty.

“Am I really that beautiful?” Su Chan murmured.

Li Yundong gazed intently into Su Chan’s eyes: “Of course.

That’s why I say it’s impossible for there to be a woman a hundred times more beautiful than you.

Your Master must be jealous of your looks.” Su Chan still refused to hear any bad words about her Master.

She pouted: “No, my Master is a true great beauty.

You’ll know when you meet her someday.” Li Yundong merely smiled, not contradicting her.

After speaking, Su Chan suddenly remembered the true meaning behind her Master’s repeated admonitions while she was cultivating in the mountains: if she ever walked the mortal world, she must never use her beauty to attract undue attention.

Since ancient times, beauty has often invited disaster and divine jealousy.

The little fox understood this principle, and suddenly grasped the depth of her Master’s concern: she feared Su Chan might encounter wicked cultivators who coveted beauty for sinister purposes.

Thinking of this, Su Chan suddenly recalled how good her Master had been to her, and her eyes welled up slightly with tears.

Li Yundong panicked seeing this: “Hey, hey, why are you crying all of a sudden?” Su Chan looked up at Li Yundong with teary eyes: “I miss Master.” Li Yundong stiffened.

He looked at Su Chan, remaining silent for a long moment, his expression filled with pain and internal struggle.

Finally, he sighed through gritted teeth: “Then… go back and see her…” Su Chan was alarmed and grabbed Li Yundong’s arm: “You don’t want me anymore?” Li Yundong was taken aback: “Didn’t you just say you missed your Master?” Su Chan wiped away her tears and playfully scolded him: “Who said I wanted to leave!” I still haven’t harvested the Yang essence yet! she thought to herself.

Li Yundong turned from worry to joy and laughed: “Didn’t you say you missed your Master?” Su Chan made a funny face: “I was just saying.” Li Yundong looked at the little fox’s changeable expression, feeling an overwhelming surge of love.

Suddenly realizing something, he sighed and said, “Now, do you finally know that you are a great beauty?” Su Chan’s temperament, like the weather in April, instantly shifted from overcast to sunny, and she giggled: “If you say so, then I am!” Li Yundong gazed at Su Chan with adoration, sighing: “A girl as beautiful as you will surely have countless men pursuing her in the future.

If—and I mean if—one day you grow tired of me, you must tell me in advance!” Su Chan looked at Li Yundong quizzically: “Why would I ever tire of you?” Li Yundong forced a bitter smile: “I’m not handsome, I’m not rich, and I don’t have a wealthy father or mother.” Su Chan seemed even more puzzled: “What does that have to do with me tiring of you?” Li Yundong’s smile grew more bitter: “Aren’t all girls like that nowadays?” Su Chan stated decisively: “Then they are blind! In my eyes, you are the best person in the world!” Hearing this, Li Yundong was suddenly so moved he felt the urge to cry.

His heart ached with emotion, surging wildly.

He managed a strained smile: “How did I become the best again? Did I surpass your Master that quickly?” Su Chan stuck out her tongue: “The food you cook tastes much better than what my Master makes.” Li Yundong laughed out loud, but a flicker of worry remained, compelling him to ask, “You really won’t get tired of me?” Li Yundong stared fixedly into the girl’s eyes, trying to discern her true intentions.

Su Chan stared back just as intently, her face blooming into a smile: “I’m actually afraid you’ll tire of me.

You’re the one who’s worrying.” Li Yundong asked: “Why would I tire of you?” Su Chan sighed and looked at Li Yundong shyly: “I’ve caused you so much trouble.

I’m afraid you’ll think I’m just a troublemaker and cast me aside.” Li Yundong laughed and patted Su Chan’s head with a sigh: “For a girl like you, even if you poked a hole in the sky, no one would have the heart to blame you.” Hearing this, Su Chan smiled: “So you’re saying you won’t blame me?” “I won’t blame you!” Li Yundong chuckled.

Su Chan looped her arms around Li Yundong’s, swaying happily: “I knew you were the best!” Li Yundong felt a warmth spread through his heart.

He looked at Su Chan as if she were a peerless treasure in the world, thinking to himself: Girls like this are practically extinct in this world now.

Li Yundong, Li Yundong, you absolutely must cherish her, or may lightning strike you down! To love a girl meant striving for her! Li Yundong suddenly felt he could no longer drift along aimlessly.

He should strive to earn money and make something of himself, for Su Chan, and for himself.

“Su Chan, I promise I will not disappoint you!” Li Yundong declared with iron resolve in his heart.

“I will truly make something of myself and prove that your choice was not wrong!” Although Li Yundong did not know Su Chan’s true reason for wanting to stay by his side, this beautiful misunderstanding spurred him to determination, steeling his ambition.

Once a person possesses ambition, their entire spirit changes.

Su Chan felt a dazzling aura of heroism briefly emanate from Li Yundong.

His eyes shone brightly, deep and distant.

Su Chan had only witnessed such bearing in her Master’s junior brother—it was the spirit of unyielding confidence to conquer heaven and earth! Cultivators, acutely aware of how terrifying and immense the power of heaven and earth is, tend to treat it with profound reverence, yet this is often detrimental to cultivation.

The path of Dao cultivation emphasizes “changing fate and overturning heaven.” Ge Hong of the Pill Cauldron Sect believed that “Man can triumph over Heaven”; a person must possess the grand spirit to overcome heaven and all things to achieve the optimal state for cultivation! And Li Yundong was precisely in that state now.

Ambition—once a person sets a clear goal, the vital energy within the body is naturally mobilized, radiating a distinctive presence outwards! Su Chan stared blankly at Li Yundong, and a thought suddenly struck her: If Li Yundong could truly cultivate, with his current state and the aid of the Human Essence Golden Elixir, wouldn’t he become an unparalleled grand master in the cultivation world in the future? The moment this idea surfaced, Su Chan froze, rapidly chanting internally: No, no, then wouldn’t my Human Essence Golden Elixir be wasted? But… if the Human Essence Golden Elixir were given to Li Yundong, perhaps she wouldn’t feel as uncomfortable as she did before… Su Chan keenly sensed the shift in her own heart and suddenly became deeply conflicted.

Thanks to Xi Shu Zhi Lan for the VIP gift, many thanks~!