Li Yundong blinked, completely unaware he had just skirted death once more. "Was that you calling me just now?"

Su Chan laughed. "I didn't call out loud. I only called in my mind. If I had made a sound then, you definitely would have suffered a zou huo ru mo [cultivation deviation]."

Li Yundong chuckled. "I did vaguely sense someone calling me, which is why I slowly woke up. It seems we have a telepathic connection!"

Su Chan asked with a sly smile, "It looks like you've passed the final gate of the Great Freedom realm and completed the third heaven of Spirit Condensation. You can start the Foundation Building cultivation of the fourth heaven now. By the way, what deity did you visualize when you performed the Spirit Manifestation?"

Li Yundong countered, "What did you visualize?"

Su Chan stuck out her tongue. "I won't tell you! You answer mine first!" She secretly thought: I visualized the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox. How could I tell you that? It would probably scare you to death!

Li Yundong, unaware of her inner turmoil, smiled and said, "The deity I visualized was very strange—a figure with three heads and six arms."

Su Chan’s eyes immediately widened upon hearing this. "Three heads and six arms? What did it look like? Tell me in detail?"

Li Yundong paused for a moment, then described the appearance of the deity he had visualized to Su Chan.

Su Chan stared at Li Yundong in utter shock: Isn't that Acala (Fudō Myō-ō)? Acala, the foremost among the Wisdom Kings, the immovable one whose compassion and wisdom allow him to govern all things? The deity he visualized as his own spirit was the form of Acala?

For Su Chan, she wouldn't have been shocked even if Li Yundong had visualized a deity resembling the Jade Emperor. This was because one's own spiritual manifestation often represented their character and the future direction of their cultivation, not an actual celestial being.

But the incredible thing about this situation was: Li Yundong was cultivating a Daoist method, so why was the deity he visualized the Buddhist Acala?

It was like a farmer planting an apple seed in spring, and in autumn, the apple tree bore a bunch of bananas!

This was utterly absurd!

Su Chan felt completely bewildered; she had never heard of such a thing happening!

"Could this mean Yundong will have to cultivate Buddhist Dharma in the future?" Su Chan looked at Li Yundong with an odd expression, thinking to herself, Could he become a dual cultivator like Liu Huayang or Wu Shouyang?

Seeing Su Chan looking at him strangely, Li Yundong couldn't help but ask, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Su Chan had always firmly believed that with the aid of his Human Origin Golden Elixir, combined with his top-tier talent and temperament, Li Yundong was destined to become a great cultivator on the level of a Great Golden Immortal. But now, Su Chan suddenly felt completely uncertain. Not only was Li Yundong's progress accelerating daily, but the cultivation talent he displayed suddenly made her feel exposed and inadequate!

"Last time, when he visualized the lotus seat, he manifested the astonishing 'Nine-Linked Treasure Lamp' in one go. And now, Acala!" Su Chan thought, dumbfounded. "What kind of monster have I met in this young man?"

Seeing Su Chan staring blankly at him, Li Yundong smiled and waved his hand in front of the little girl. "Hey, what are you looking at?"

Su Chan snapped back to attention, looking at Li Yundong with a peculiar expression, stammering, "N-nothing!"

Li Yundong laughed. "Can I start Foundation Building now?"

Su Chan suddenly burst into laughter, giggling, "You truly are a shameless impatient rogue, only thinking about rushing the Foundation Building so you can cause trouble, aren't you?"

Li Yundong’s face stiffened, and he feigned anger. "Halt! You little sprite, how dare you question my cultivation intentions!"

As soon as she heard the word "sprite," Su Chan's smile froze, and her expression became unnatural. She managed a weak smile and said, "You can't start Foundation Building yet."

Li Yundong hadn't noticed the flicker of unease in the little girl's eyes and pressed on, puzzled. "Why not yet?"

Su Chan pointed toward the window. "Look for yourself. It’s almost dawn; don't you have school today?"

Li Yundong looked out the window and was startled. "An entire night has passed? No way! You stayed up all night next to me? Are you tired?"

The moment Li Yundong mentioned it, the little girl let out a huge yawn. "I'm exhausted! I need sleep!"

Li Yundong gently scooped Su Chan up and tapped her nose indulgently. "You sleep at home today, and I'll go to school by myself."

Hearing this, Su Chan immediately clutched Li Yundong's sleeve. "No, no! You can’t leave me behind, you promised me!"

Li Yundong smiled. "Okay, then you go sleep for a bit, and I’ll wake you later."

Su Chan still held onto Li Yundong's arm tightly. "You have to stay with me, watch me fall asleep before you go."

Li Yundong placed the little girl onto her bed and scratched her nose. "Alright, alright, I'll watch you sleep before I leave!"

The little girl beamed, snuggled close to Li Yundong's arm, and closed her eyes.

Li Yundong waited quietly for her to drift off. After a while, seeing she was still still, he gently tried to pull his hand away. Unexpectedly, Su Chan immediately opened her eyes, looking at him expectantly, pouting with displeasure. "I'm not asleep yet!"

Li Yundong looked like a thief caught in the act. He raised both hands. "Fine, you caught me. I won't leave. I'll stay here with you the whole time, okay!"

The little girl nodded happily, extended her pinky finger, and said sweetly, "Pinky swear!"

Li Yundong smiled and linked his pinky with hers. "Pinky swear for a hundred years, no take-backs."

Su Chan finally relaxed, closed her eyes with a happy smile, curled up into a ball, and soon fell into a deep, soft sleep.

Li Yundong gazed intently at Su Chan’s exquisite and beautiful face. His heart felt warm and full, as if something was swelling to fill his chest, bringing immense satisfaction and happiness.

After sleeping for about two hours, Li Yundong patted the little girl’s arm. "Hey, hey, time to wake up! I have to go to school!"

Su Chan mumbled sleepily, rolling over. "So sleepy!"

Li Yundong said softly, "Then you sleep at home, and I'll go to school alone!"

The little girl instantly sat up when she heard this, though her eyes were still heavy with sleep. But she tightly wrapped her arms around Li Yundong, mumbling through eyelids that could barely stay open, "No, you promised you’d take me."

Li Yundong was amused despite himself. "Look at you, how can you go like this!"

Su Chan rubbed her eyes and said, "You carry me!"

Li Yundong sighed, carried the little girl to the bathroom, washed her face, and helped her rinse her mouth, almost breaking a sweat from the effort.

However, what he found truly magical was that despite his efforts, the little girl kept nodding her head, drifting in and out of sleep.

Li Yundong laughed softly, hung his backpack around the little girl's neck, and then carried her out the door on his back.

The sight of the two, moving like conjoined twins, drew many curious stares along the way. Especially when they arrived at school, Li Yundong carrying the little fox caused quite a stir among the female students, who pointed at the boys beside them: "See that? Look at how that boyfriend treats his girlfriend!"

Upon reaching the classroom, Li Yundong gently placed the little fox on her seat. As soon as her bottom touched the chair, she naturally curled up into a ball again and fell fast asleep.

Li Yundong shook his head and smiled, stroking her hair, gazing with deep affection at that face he could never tire of seeing.

"Oh? Showing off your affection so early in the morning? Sleeping like that in class, what did you two get up to last night?" A sour voice cut in from the side.

Li Yundong turned to see Feng Na and Cheng Cheng standing before him.

Feng Na wore an expression that was half-smile, half-sneer, while Cheng Cheng stood behind Li Yundong, waving hello with a smile.

"Did you two decide this morning to abandon the darkness and join the light, officially repeating the grade in our class?" Li Yundong teased.

Feng Na spat out a soft curse. "Pah, don't be a jinx! I came to talk to you about something."

Feng Na unconsciously spoke a little too loudly, and the little fox whimpered vaguely in her sleep, turning over in protest.

Li Yundong gestured for her to be quiet. "Shh, keep your voice down."

Feng Na glanced at Su Chan with envy, sighing softly in her heart. She spoke in a hushed tone, "I need to discuss something with you."

Li Yundong’s voice was even softer than Feng Na's, as if afraid of waking Su Chan. "What is it?"

Seeing how quiet Li Yundong was, Feng Na instinctively lowered her voice further. "I came to talk about you taking over as president of the school's Taekwondo Club."

Li Yundong immediately shook his head like a rattle drum. "No, no, absolutely not."

Though soft, Feng Na’s expression was clearly perplexed and anxious. "Why not? Zhao Yujian is gone, and you earned the recognition of the entire school faculty and students at the exchange meet. Why can't you be the Taekwondo Club president?"

Li Yundong’s expression was firm as he raised one finger. "First, it's because Zhao Yujian was hospitalized after I injured him. Afterwards, he caused that campus tragedy, so this whole situation is indirectly related to me. If I take his position after his death, how will others view me, what will they say?"

"Second..." Li Yundong raised his second finger. "I don't know anything about Taekwondo. I’ve never studied it, I don't even have a belt. How can I be the president of the Taekwondo Club?"

Feng Na cut him off. "You can test for a belt if you don't have one!"

Li Yundong dismissed this and raised his third finger. "Third, and most importantly, I have absolutely no love for this Taekwondo Club. I have zero interest in being its president!"

Feng Na huffed angrily. "If you have no interest, why did you sign up for the Taekwondo Club in the first place?"

Li Yundong suddenly sounded quite contemplative. He sighed and said with a serious face, "Circumstances change! I am now a cultivator. The Taekwondo Club seems like child’s play in my eyes."

Although Li Yundong was speaking the truth, in this world, the truer the statement, the less likely it is to be believed.

Feng Na's face flushed with anger, assuming Li Yundong was brushing her off. Just as she was about to flare up, Cheng Cheng, fearing an argument, quickly interjected with a playful diversion. "Venerable Li, which school of the Dao are you cultivating?"

Li Yundong froze. He suddenly realized that Su Chan, who had been guiding his cultivation, had never mentioned her sect either. He himself didn't even know what kind of Dao he was cultivating!

But Li Yundong reacted quickly. He formed a palm with one hand, bowed respectfully, and said, "Amitabha. I am merely a carefree immortal from the Living Dead Tomb beneath Mount Zhongnan. Nothing worth mentioning, truly nothing worth mentioning!"

Even though Feng Na was annoyed, she couldn't help but chuckle, retorting playfully, "I think you're a carefree lecherous immortal. You're living with such a beautiful young lady before even graduating; you must have overdone the dual cultivation last night and exhausted her, haven't you?"

Damn it!

Li Yundong stared wide-eyed at Feng Na, shocked by her bold language.

Feng Na’s face turned slightly red under his gaze, but she met his stare without backing down. "Am I wrong?"

Li Yundong nodded heavily. "Of course, you're wrong. Su Chan and I have a purely platonic relationship!"

"If it's a relationship between a man and a woman, how is it still 'pure'!" Feng Na and Cheng Cheng both burst into giggles.