Chapter 42: The Birth of Light from Within the Shadows
At that moment, Ling Ru spoke softly.
"Master… Ru just… doesn't want to lose you."
Her face flushed with embarrassment, and I saw her slender fingers intertwining nervously, whispering faint words I couldn't quite catch…
But I didn't need to understand — her expression said everything.
I looked at her delicate side profile and couldn't help but smile inwardly.
What a sight — the future Nine Yin Empress, who would one day rule the world, now stood before me with a bashful face and eyes filled with shyness and pleading.
I took a step closer and said in a calm, low voice,I've examined your body's constitution."
Her eyes widened instantly. Her hands froze mid-motion, as though her heart had stopped beating for a moment.
Leaning closer to her ear, I whispered,It's not a useless body like everyone believes… quite the opposite. I have a way to start your cultivation."
The instant those words left my lips, it was as if I had struck lightning into her ears.
She looked at me in shock — then hope began to bloom in her eyes,shimmering as though she had grasped a lifeline from drowning.
Ling Ru's voice trembled, filled with desperate joy.
"Really?"
In her eyes, I saw every ounce of pain she had endured, every trace of fear from being left behind by the world…
And now, within her gaze, I saw the flicker of a tiny spark — one that could one day ignite the heavens.
Then Ling Ru asked in a voice heavy with fragile hope,Will the strange mark on my cheek… be removed?"
I nodded.
Ling Ru's voice wavered.
"Then… does the young master have a method?"
I smiled with confidence.
"Yes. I'll make my Ru even more beautiful."
After hearing my answer, Ling Ru hesitated for a moment before whispering softly,Do you… really?"
I smiled again.
"Yes. I promise."
She bowed gracefully, her voice trembling with gratitude.
"Thank you, my lord."
In the original tale, Ling Ru had escaped during the fall of the Li family and wandered into a desolate mountain — a forgotten part of the clan's territory.
There, by sheer coincidence, she discovered a hidden cave… and within it, obtained the inheritance of an ancient saint containing a Yin cultivation technique.
Through that technique, the shackles of her body were shattered, and her path of cultivation began.
I looked at her and spoke in a deep, steady tone,All right, my dear. Go wait for me in my room.
I'll go now and bring you the technique you'll need to begin your cultivation.
However, the cultivation environment within the cave of the secret realm, along with the Yin Fruit left behind by the ancient saint, was indeed suitable for Ling Ru to begin her cultivation.
Yet, the ancestral grounds of the Li family offered an environment thousands of times better than that cave.
That's where I'll have her begin her cultivation — within the Li family's ancestral land.
In any case, there's no need to rush.
This body isn't my original one, and training in it brings little benefit.
First, let this future empress begin her path of cultivation.
She will become a great asset to me in the future… especially when the time comes to face Yi Feng.
As soon as that thought settled in my mind, enormous metallic wings unfurled behind me — each more than ten meters long, radiating a faint, sacred glow.
It looked as though a gentle rain was falling from the heavens, scattering countless shimmering particles of light into the air.
My figure vanished from where I stood.
"Whoosh!"
The scenery around me blurred at incredible speed — even the horizon itself seemed to collapse and fold in an instant.
Five minutes and thirty-six seconds…
Yes, it truly deserves to be called a king-level treasure.
Even with my cultivation at the Spirit Palace Realm, I would never have possessed such speed.
In just five minutes, I had traveled over a hundred kilometers and reached a desolate, uninhabited mountain.
Even in my original body, I could not have flown this fast.
The location of the secret realm's cave was tightly hidden, leaving not a single trace of aura to be sensed.
But after only a few minutes of searching, I found it — exactly as described in the plot.
Had I not known its location beforehand through the storyline, I would never have discovered it.
My figure flashed once more, slicing through the air lightly until I entered the depths of the secret realm cave.
"Magnificent!"
I couldn't help but let out a sigh.
Inside the barren, desolate mountain lay a strange space, filled with a silent aura of ancient grandeur.
Dark-blue crystals emitted a faint light that danced across the rocky walls, bathing the cave in a cold glow — like the breath of winter itself.
Nothing remained of the body but bones, fused almost completely with the stone, making it impossible to separate them.
At the center of the cave stood a skeletal figure clad in a faintly shimmering blue armor — a quiet testament to its glorious past.
Beside it rose a fruit tree about three meters tall, standing proudly as though guarding its master's eternal rest.
It was the Yin Tree — the one that bore ten Yin Fruits every ten years.
This was the place where the saint had met his end.
In the end, he was an old man who had reached the Saint Realm, and even in death… he still commanded respect.
After all, he was one of the ancestors of the Li family.
The environment here, along with the rare treasures he left behind, could help Ling Ru break the shackles that bound her cultivation.
I stepped forward, approaching the saint's skeleton, and bowed slightly as I touched the gem-studded ring on his right finger.
"Boom!"
A wave of information surged into my mind.
A storm of techniques and skills burst within my consciousness like an explosion of light, while the ancient aura enveloped the entire cave.
After obtaining the ring and the techniques, I placed the Yin Tree inside the system's storage space, then turned and left the cave,heading straight back to the Li family estate.
As soon as I arrived, I went directly to my room — where Ling Ru was already waiting for me.
I looked at her carefully and asked,Are you ready to begin your cultivation journey?"
Her eyes shimmered with curiosity and awe, yet she managed to keep her composure.
It was clear she carried a heavier burden than I had imagined, but she had chosen not to show it.
Ling Ru's gaze sharpened, her eyes glinting with unwavering resolve.
"Yes, I'm ready, young master."
A sense of calm settled within me.
This moment marked the beginning of something far greater than mere cultivation…
It was the start of a new bond — one filled with trials and rewards.
Deep down, I knew this step would change Ling Ru's fate forever.
She whispered softly,Everything is fine."
I passed on to her the cultivation technique and several martial skills,then said,This technique suits you. It will allow you to cultivate properly. It's the ultimate body refinement art — incredibly powerful — and it will grant you immense physical strength.
However… if you wish to master it, you'll need to temper your body with lightning."
Then, I transferred the Crystal Body Technique to her.
Afterward, I continued in a calm tone,All right, don't overthink it. If you truly wish to train, I'll take you to the Lightning Zone — the place where lightning-element cultivators temper their bodies. There, you can train as you should."
I didn't give her a chance to respond.
I pulled her into my arms, then soared toward the ancestral lands of the Li family.
Within seconds, we arrived at the deepest point of the Li family's sacred grounds.
I looked at her and spoke,All right, you can train here. Someone will supervise your cultivation.
And if you wish to begin the Crystal Body Technique, let me know.
For now, focus solely on starting your cultivation."
Ling Ru answered with a voice filled with determination,Yes, young master. I promise I won't disappoint you. I'll grow stronger as fast as I can."
I smiled and said,Good. I believe in you. After all… you serve me.
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