Yan Fang nodded slowly, walking up to Yan Hua and critically examining him from head to toe. She mused inwardly: Though Yan Hua’s aptitude isn't comparable to geniuses like Li Yundong or Zhou Qin, he is still gifted, and moreover, he possesses the Seven Treasures Body and the virgin physique. With my [omitted word], I suppose in some time, he too can reach a certain level of cultivation… Hmph, if Li Yundong could cultivate Zhou Qin so excellently, do you think I can't produce a master?

Yan Hua excitedly asked a rapid-fire volley of questions: "Aunt, I knew you weren't ordinary. That Li Yundong, he isn't ordinary either, is he? He practiced this kind of skill you have, right? Are you, are you truly a Sword Immortal?"

Yan Fang offered no reply whatsoever, instead focusing intently on scrutinizing Yan Hua’s bone structure and features, occasionally reaching out to pinch his limb joints and major acupoints.

Seeing that Yan Fang did not answer, Yan Hua was not disappointed; on the contrary, he grew more excited and asked, "Aunt, is my talent good? Are my bones unique?"

Yan Fang gave a slight nod: "Not bad…"

In Yan Hua's memory, his aunt was an intensely serious person who almost never smiled, let alone praised anyone voluntarily. Seeing Yan Fang actually compliment him, he was instantly overjoyed and blurted out, "Then Aunt, can I beat Li Yundong?"

Yan Fang paused for a moment, but quickly sneered, "You? Compared to Li Yundong, you are still far, far too lacking!"

Yan Hua was somewhat disappointed, but he quickly rallied his spirits, saying, "It’s fine, he started cultivating earlier than me, so it's normal for him to be stronger. But, Aunt, you definitely will teach me a more powerful technique, one that will make me stronger than him, right?"

Yan Fang’s nature was overly direct, never knowing how to mince words. She couldn't help but scoff, "Although your talent is decent, chasing after Li Yundong is nothing short of a fool's errand!"

Recalling Li Yundong’s speed of cultivation, Yan Fang felt both fear and jealousy. She gritted her teeth internally: If this fellow keeps cultivating like this, sooner or later he will reach the Golden Body Realm before even my Senior Brother. If I teach Yan Hua cultivation now, I fear… I won't catch up in this lifetime!

Yan Hua was greatly crestfallen. "Aunt? Then, how long will it take me to catch up to him?"

Yan Fang’s face turned ashen, and she said nothing.

Yan Hua tentatively offered, "Three months?"

Yan Fang instantly erupted in fury: "Three months? Do you think you are one of the Three Pure Ones or Old Ancestor Hongjun? Do you know what realm Li Yundong is in? Do you know how strong he is? Even I, who has cultivated since childhood and mastered decades of orthodox Xuanmen techniques to the peak Yang Spirit level, was reduced to this state by him. You, a clueless brat who knows nothing, think you can surpass him in three months?"

Yan Hua faltered at this outburst, feeling a spike of anger, but he suppressed it and tentatively inquired, "Then… half a year?"

Seeing Yan Fang's expression still radiating fury, he quickly changed his proposal, "Then a year? Two years? Don't tell me… three years?"

By the time he reached the end, Yan Hua’s face shifted in dismay: "Surely I won't be suppressed by him for all four years of my university education, will I?"

Yan Fang sneered, "Unless you stumble upon a great opportunity, surpassing Li Yundong will be impossible for your entire life!"

Yan Hua immediately pressed, "Then, what is a great opportunity?"

Yan Fang thought for a moment and replied, "Li Yundong possesses the Golden Core Re-creation Physique and is a cultivation prodigy seen only once in a century… Unless you obtain the Earth Element Spirit Elixir, you absolutely cannot surpass him!"

Yan Hua was disappointed but still clung to a sliver of defiance, asking, "Then… what is this Earth Element Spirit Elixir, and where can I get one?"

Yan Fang let out a cold laugh. She opened her mouth as if to speak, but swallowed the words back. She turned her head, examining Yan Hua with icy eyes, and said, "You don't need to concern yourself with these things. Since it’s an opportunity, it cannot be forced; otherwise, it wouldn't be called an opportunity. I only ask you one thing… Since you hate Li Yundong so much, can you swallow this resentment?"

Yan Hua asked confusedly, "How do I swallow this resentment?"

Yan Fang stated, "It means you must not expect to surpass him in the short term. You must disguise yourself as his friend, remain by his side, enduring and laying in wait, until your skill surpasses his and you have a hundred percent certainty of defeating him! Otherwise, you must not show even a hint of hostility toward him. Not only that, but you must flatter him effusively! Can you do that?"

Yan Hua’s expression immediately changed, and he roared in anger, "How is that possible? I am a man of honor; making me do such subservient things! That is absolutely impossible!"

Yan Fang’s face flushed, and she snapped back sharply, "What did you say? How is that subservient?"

Yan Hua argued heatedly, "Aunt, you know perfectly well that Li Yundong and I have grievances. How can you ask me to bow down to him? What else would you call this if not subservience?"

Yan Fang was incandescent with rage, "Do you know what enmity I have with this Li Yundong? He ruined my entire grand plan, yet when I must wear a smile, I wear a smile, and when I must pretend to be a grandson, I pretend to be a grandson! He is only a year older than my nephew! So what? A gentleman’s revenge is never too late, even after ten years! I could endure like this for nine years; do you, as a man, lack that much tolerance?"

Yan Hua roared back, "That’s you! How would you, a woman, understand a man's dignity! I am a seven-foot man; I would rather be beaten to death by him than do something so shameful and humiliating!"

Yan Fang trembled with fury, rushing forward to grab Yan Hua’s collar and roar at him. But as she reached out, her hand passed straight through his body, as her Yin Spirit form phased through Yan Hua.

Yan Fang froze in astonishment, while Yan Hua, whose body was infused with her Profound Yin Qi, instantly felt a coldness like plunging into an ice cavern. He let out a sharp cry, trembling violently from the pain.

A sharp realization struck Yan Fang. Her eyes flickered as she looked at her nephew, thinking: I saw this nephew had decent aptitude and shared a grudge with Li Yundong, so I hoped he could inherit my legacy. But I never expected him to be such hopeless, rotten wood! However, Yan Hua has such vigorous Yang energy, and his aptitude isn't bad… If I add my current cultivation level…

A sudden, fierce glint flashed in Yan Fang’s eyes at this thought. But the look vanished instantly. She slowly withdrew her hand, her gaze shifting as she stared at Yan Hua, her tone softening slightly: "Do you truly wish to surpass Li Yundong?"

After Yan Fang's Yin Qi left his body, Yan Hua regained a fraction of his strength. He shivered, glancing fearfully at Yan Fang, yet his face still betrayed a fierce yearning for power, and he nodded hard.

Yan Fang narrowed her eyes and asked in a low voice, "Other than humbling yourself, are you willing to pay any price?"

Yan Hua thought for a moment, his teeth clenched, and declared, "Yes!"

Yan Fang narrowed her eyes further, as if trying to hide the fierce light in them from her nephew. Her voice turned cold, like the icy wind blowing from a hellish cavern: "You won't regret this?"

Yan Hua shouted loudly, "No regrets!"

"Very well!!!"

Yan Fang’s eyes snapped open, emitting a dazzling, sharp cold light. Her face suddenly became impossibly contorted and savage, and she let out a piercing, mournful roar. Her form dissolved into a streak of blue light and lunged into Yan Hua’s body in the blink of an eye.

Yan Hua, caught completely off guard, let out a huge yell, curling into a ball of pain and collapsing onto the ground, struggling and writhing uncontrollably.

But Yan Fang was prepared, and Yan Hua was caught unaware. Furthermore, she was a highly skilled cultivator, and her previous strike with Yin Qi had wounded Yan Hua’s spirit, leaving him momentarily panicked and unable to concentrate his power to resist the invading Yan Fang in his Sea of Consciousness.

Compounding this, Yan Hua could not believe his own aunt intended to seize his body. In his shock and panic, his consciousness was slowly devoured by Yan Fang, until his very three souls and seven spirits were occupied and consumed by her.

Time ticked by second by second. The body writhing on the floor slowly calmed down, finally lying still without any reaction.

After a while, a knock sounded suddenly at the door of Yan Hua's bedroom. It was his mother, shouting loudly, "Xiao Hua? Are you alright?"

At this moment, the Yan Hua lying on the floor abruptly opened his eyes. He sat up stiffly, like a corpse, staring blankly at his hands, while loudly stating, "I'm fine!"

Yan Hua's mother called from the doorway, "I heard you talking to someone in your room? Who is it?"

Yan Hua shouted back, "I'm talking to someone on the phone!"

His mother, suspecting nothing, muttered a few words by the door, and her footsteps gradually faded away.

Only then did Yan Hua slowly stand up. His movements were slightly uncoordinated, stiff and unfamiliar, as he walked to a full-length mirror. He stared wide-eyed, examining himself from top to bottom.

Suddenly, Yan Hua—no, it should be Yan Fang—erupted into a burst of laughter. As she laughed, tears streamed down her face. After laughing for a while, she suddenly covered her face and began to weep, letting out a sound like a ghost's wail, chilling those who heard her mournful cries.

But after crying for a time, she started to giggle eerily again. Looking at the utterly unfamiliar person reflected in the mirror, she couldn't help but give a cold, cynical laugh: "In my past cultivation, I hated being born with the body of a 'Five Leaks Woman.' But now it’s perfect; I am a Male Seven Treasures Body, and it won't be long before I recover all my power, and become even stronger than before!"

Yan Fang sneered repeatedly, "Li Yundong, we shall see! I won't let you succeed!"

Yan Fang turned her head, casting an icy glare out the window. Her figure, cast by the moonlight, threw a shadow onto the floor—twisted and uncanny.

Beside her, outside the window, a silver crescent moon hung high in the sky, like the cold and ancient eye of Heaven, calmly observing this vast land, coldly watching the grudges and affections of the human world...

I feel very unwell... Only one chapter tonight; I will make up the missing chapter tomorrow morning... Apologies, apologies... M