Lu Ziqian pressed his frozen-red cheeks with both hands, then pinched the soft flesh around his waist.
"Hiss… this really isn't a dream!"
He stared blankly at Yao Ranran, who looked like a celestial descended to earth. Snow danced wildly behind her, yet her skin shone more brilliantly than the falling flakes.
"Of course it isn't a dream. Dreams don't hurt," Yao Ranran said with a soft smile.
This little scholar was actually a bit cute.
"Ma… Master above, p-please accept your disciple's bow!"
He had imagined this moment countless times, in daydreams and in sleep, but now that the Fairy stood before him in the flesh, his words tumbled out in a nervous stammer.
Lu Ziqian foolishly slammed his forehead to the floor.
Bang!
A crisp thud rang out, making Yao Ranran's eye twitch.
"That's enough, that's enough, hurry and get up!"
Why did it look like his head was about to split open like a cracked melon…
"Y-yes…" Lu Ziqian staggered to his feet. Standing so close, he could even see the faint fine hairs on her cheek.
Even the tiny hairs are beautiful…
Startled by his own thought, he flushed crimson and dropped his head, too embarrassed to meet her eyes.
Yao Ranran didn't notice his expression. From within her storage pouch, the Dark Underworld Marrow began to tremble violently. As if dissatisfied with being ignored, it suddenly leapt out into the open.
"Chaos reigns in the Eastern Wilderness. This Sovereign has allied with the four great sects. For now, I cannot assist you. Since you've returned to Wuxiang Sect, focus on cultivation, and soon you will become Shen Yuefu's Dao companion."
Yao Ranran's gaze lingered on the floating words behind Lu Ziqian. Her thoughts moved, and she raised a hand to write in the air.
"Are there Demon Sovereign's forces in the Eastern Wilderness?"
The words vanished into the Dark Underworld Marrow. Soon, an answer returned.
"Not many. This Sovereign's purpose in coming here is to expand influence and recruit more demon cultivators into my Demon Clan!"
Western Sea Demon Hall.
Li Luoqi's lips curved into a wicked smile. His eyes were cold yet tinged with charm.
"Expanding influence… not bad. That's one of my intentions.
To ally with the four great sects is but a façade. My true plan is this: once they finish devouring the other two major powers, I will secretly place my own forces, gather strong human demon cultivators, and swallow them all in turn!
The Eastern Wilderness… this Sovereign must have it!"
With a snap, Li Luoqi crushed two glossy black beads in his palm. Dark powder drifted up, scattering in the air.
…
Yao Ranran froze. Li Luoqi wanted to expand the Demon Clan in the Eastern Wilderness?
Wasn't there a perfectly suitable candidate standing right before her?
Lu Ziqian was still blushing when Yao Ranran suddenly shut the wooden door behind her and pushed him into the room.
The tiny hut, meant for one, was hardly spacious.
Caught off guard, Lu Ziqian stumbled as she tugged him, and ended up pinned against the edge of the bed.
He braced himself with one hand on the frame, straining to sit upright, but Yao Ranran's bright, intent gaze bore down on him. He leaned back instinctively, nearly collapsing onto the mattress.
"I am very satisfied with you!"
It was like finding the perfect pillow just when one felt drowsy. With the Eastern Wilderness in such chaos, this was the perfect chance to slip Lu Ziqian into the Demon Clan!
If things followed the course of the original plot, she might have to enter the Demon Abyss where her predecessor had perished.
But if Lu Ziqian infiltrated the Demon Clan ahead of time, wouldn't that mean she could seize control of the very abyss that had once spelled her predecessor's death?
Lu Ziqian swallowed hard. Why was the Fairy standing so close…
His heart thundered in his chest, so loud it seemed it might leap from his ribcage.
"Lu Ziqian, you must have noticed by now. The cultivation technique I gave you is a little unusual. The spiritual energy it produces is darker in color than that of other cultivators.
At first, I thought you'd never succeed with it. But you surprised me—not only did you succeed, you achieved a perfect Foundation Establishment!"
Here, Yao Ranran's tone grew solemn. "Which means, with your current cultivation, you are ready to take on the task I've been waiting to entrust to you!"
"W-what task?" Lu Ziqian's pupils quivered as he stared in disbelief.
"So Master… never once thought of abandoning me?"
"This matter is grave. You must steel your heart!"
Yao Ranran's brows drew tight, her clear eyes glimmering with mystery as she locked her gaze on him.
Lu Ziqian's throat bobbed. Beneath his thin robe, his long fingers clenched into fists. "Master… please speak. No matter how difficult the task, your disciple will give his all!"
"Good! That courage and persistence is what I admire most about you."
Yao Ranran patted his shoulder with mock solemnity.
Lu Ziqian's heart surged as he stared at her slender fingers resting lightly on his shoulder.
What virtue did he possess to deserve such recognition from the Fairy herself? Even if it cost him his life, he would complete her mission!
Yao Ranran finally declared, "I want you to join the Demon Clan, get close to the Demon Sovereign Li Luoqi, and become one of their men. Will you… accept this?"
Lu Ziqian's arm gave out, and he collapsed backward onto the bed, dizzy.
Yao Ranran gasped. "Lu Ziqian! Lu Ziqian, are you alright?"
"D-disciple… disciple is fine…" His eyes fluttered open, only to meet her porcelain face inches away. His heart lurched wildly, then he promptly fainted again.
"Lu Ziqian! Lu Ziqian, wake up!"
She paled. Could he have been scared to death?!
"What should I do?"
Panic seized her. She upended her storage pouch, spilling its contents onto the floor, desperate to find something to rouse him. In the scramble, the pills gifted by Elder Shang and the ones she had snatched from the alchemy room rolled together into one pile.
Yao Ranran picked up one, inspecting it closely. "These are the pills Grandpa Yang refined with human flesh as material… Only that last furnace produced incomplete round pills, which used fewer living ingredients…"
She carefully singled out a cracked, black pellet, her gaze returning to Lu Ziqian's pale face.
"To give, one must first sacrifice. As your Master, I ought to give you a gift too."
Investment was the key to gain—Yao Ranran knew that better than anyone.
Besides, she had no idea what this odd pill even did, and with its flawed appearance, it was hardly sellable. Why not give it to her disciple?
With gentle care, she pried open his lips and guided the pill into his mouth with a thread of spiritual energy.
"Elder Shang lost centuries of cultivation for this round pill. Could it really help him break through to Golden Core immediately?"
She stared at Lu Ziqian's face without blinking, holding up a small mirror like some shaman working a ritual, waving it over his body again and again.
Foundation Establishment early stage… mid stage… late stage!
Yao Ranran's eyes widened as the information in the Ancient Appraisal Mirror leapt upward. Finally, his cultivation steadied at…
False Core!
…
No… he advanced crooked!
Unwilling, Yao Ranran circled his bed with the mirror in hand, muttering incantations as if repetition could change the result.
"It can't be a False Core! How could the fruit of a great upper-realm expert's centuries of cultivation result in a mere False Core?!"