You were put to guard a shabby mountain gate, yet all your disciples became Immortal Emperors.

Lin Zhou immediately began to silently recite and circulate the "Chaos Breathing Technique" in his mind.

The things the system gives you are so awesome, it's like having a cheat code, you don't need to put in any effort to figure them out yourself.

The moment the cultivation technique was activated, the spiritual energy within a hundred miles of Xiaoqiong Mountain seemed to have received an imperial decree, rushing madly into Lin Zhou's broken body!

A huge vortex of spiritual energy formed above the thatched hut, creating a terrifyingly large commotion.

Lin Zhou felt as if his meridians, which had been blocked for over thirty years, were being flushed out like a sewer by a high-pressure water jet, with all the grime suddenly cleared away!

A layer of dark, greasy impurities appeared on his body, then fell off like dried mud with a crackling sound.

Late stage of body tempering! Body tempering complete!

Early stage of Qi Refining! Mid-stage of Qi Refining!

……

His cultivation level skyrocketed like a rocket, finally settling steadily at the peak of Qi Refining!

"Ah~ That feels so good!"

Lin Zhou felt completely relaxed, every pore of his body radiating comfort, and he couldn't help but let out a groan of pure bliss.

Xiao Fan, who was about to descend the mountain, shuddered upon hearing the sound, and goosebumps rose all over his body.

Master, this noise... why does it sound so strange?

Could he really have some kind of secret fetish?

Xiao Fan felt a chill in a certain part of his body and subconsciously squeezed his legs together.

Lin Zhou had no time to care what his apprentice was thinking; he was engrossed in his own world.

"System, open the newbie gift pack!"

He couldn't wait to shout it in his mind.

[Ding! You have obtained 1 Spirit Finger (Golden Core Realm) Consumable Card!]

[Ding! You have obtained a Cloud-Sweeping Palm (Golden Core Realm) time-limited card x5!]

Linzhou's heart was pounding wildly.

The cultivation realms in this world are Body Tempering, Qi Refining, and Foundation Building. These are called the Lower Three Realms, and they are basically cannon fodder and trash.

Golden Core, Nascent Soul, and Deity Transformation—these are the three highest realms, making one a powerful figure wherever they go.

As for the Integration Realm and even the Tribulation Realm, they are legendary beings, and not a single one has appeared in the entire Eastern Xuan Region for thousands of years.

Golden Core Realm skill card!

Doesn't that mean he's carrying two tactical nuclear bombs right now?

Although it's a one-time use item, if you take it out at a crucial moment, it will definitely scare people to death!

If he could accumulate another ten thousand or eight thousand, he could walk sideways into the Central Divine Continent, let alone the Eastern Xuan Region!

Lin Zhou's mind grew increasingly pleased with himself, and a wide grin spread across his face, revealing an extremely radiant smile.

"Master, what's wrong?"

Seeing his master staring blankly with a silly grin, Xiao Fan couldn't help but speak up.

"Your expression... looks a bit sleazy."

"what?"

Lin Zhou snapped back to reality, quickly stopped his lewd grin, and chuckled, "Ahem, I'm just happy that you're willing to stay."

He put his hands behind his back, striking a pose of superiority.

"Don't worry, my good disciple. With your master here, I will make sure you avenge yourself and slap that woman's face until it's swollen in a year!"

Xiao Fan was instantly ignited, clenching his fists in excitement.

"Very well! This disciple will certainly cultivate diligently and personally ascend Qingyun Peak to challenge Rong Ruoyue!"

"Yes, that's the kind of spirit we need..."

Lin Zhou nodded in satisfaction, but then stopped mid-sentence.

"Um?"

He suddenly widened his eyes and stared intently at Xiao Fan.

"Where did you say you were going? Who were you going to challenge?"

Xiao Fan blinked, looking completely matter-of-fact.

"Our Lingxiao Sect's main peak, Qingyun Peak, will challenge Rong Ruoyue."

"Which Rong Ruoyue? Could it be Rong Ruoyue, the personal disciple of the Qingyun Peak Master, the top outer disciple of our sect, hailed as a once-in-a-century genius, who reached the Qi Refining Perfection stage at the age of sixteen?"

"Yes! It's her!" Xiao Fan's tone still carried a hint of hatred.

Lin Zhou's face immediately fell, looking like a wilted eggplant.

"Well... my disciple, why don't you go down the mountain instead..."

"No matter how powerful your master is, he can't make you defeat a top genius who has reached the peak of Qi Refining in less than a year, even if you're at the mid-stage of Body Tempering!"

This is hellish difficulty at the start!

The opponent is Rong Ruoyue!

The apple of the Rongruo family's eye, the darling of the entire Lingxiao Sect!

She's a chosen one, with top-tier resources and top-notch skills. How can my disciple possibly fight her?

"Huh? Master, what did you say?"

Xiao Fan picked at his ears, thinking he had misheard.

[Host, please think carefully. This system is ready to perform the necessary modification surgery for you at any time.]

In his mind, the system's cold voice echoed softly.

Lin Zhou shuddered, immediately changed his words, and took a deep breath.

"It's nothing! What I'm saying is that Rong Ruoyue is nothing to be afraid of! You can put your things back now."

"Okay!"

The boy instantly regained his fighting spirit and excitedly carried all the bags back to the thatched hut.

As soon as he left, Linzhou immediately looked miserable.

Oh no, they've really blown their own horn!

If this can't be resolved, my family heirloom might really be lost!

"Oh, right! There's one more chance to win a prize!"

Lin Zhou, as if grasping at a lifeline, his eyes lit up, and he quickly asked in his mind,

"System, what good stuff is in the prize pool?"

[The host has a chance to draw rare treasures such as cultivation techniques that can be passed on to disciples, ninth-grade celestial pills, dragon pearls, phoenix blood, qilin blood, divine weapons and immortal artifacts, and supreme bones.]

Hearing this string of impressive names, Linzhou's heart came alive again.

If we just send anyone, wouldn't this matter be settled?

"Draw! Draw it now! Give me the Supreme Bone!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a colorful, illusory roulette wheel appeared before his eyes and began to spin rapidly.

Lin Zhou's heart was in his throat as he watched helplessly as the pointer swept across one top-tier treasure after another, gleaming with golden light, and finally...

It slowly came to a stop on what appeared to be the most inconspicuous green orb of light.

[Congratulations, host, for gaining experience as a Rank 3 Alchemist. You are also awarded ten Body Tempering Pills and one Rank 3 Marrow Cleansing Pill recipe.]

Linzhou's lips twitched violently.

"System, I'm cursing your grandpa! Is your dad's surname Ma?"

[Please use polite language, host. The surgical scalpel is ready. Would you like to try it out?]

"..."

Fine, you're ruthless!

Lin Zhou chose to follow his heart, and at that moment, a massive flow of information flooded into his mind, all of it knowledge and experience about alchemy.

Before he could even finish digesting it, Xiao Fan came running over excitedly, his eyes sparkling.

"Master, Master! How should we cultivate from here on out?"

Lin Zhou composed himself and, seeing his apprentice's expectant look, could only grit his teeth and continue pretending.

He walked to the edge of the cliff with his hands behind his back, looked up at the sky at a 45-degree angle, and struck a lonely pose like a hermit.

"My disciple, do you know what it means to split mountains and sever rivers?"

Xiao Fan's eyes instantly filled with longing and fervor.

"Such a powerful expert must at least be a Golden Core stage cultivator, right?"

"Heh," Lin Zhou chuckled lightly, his tone full of arrogance.

"I'm about to teach you a move. Watch closely. Remember, this move will look really cool!"

"what?"

Xiao Fan's mouth dropped open, his face full of doubt.

It wasn't that he didn't believe it; it was just that his master had been too lazy in the past.

What kind of moves could someone who is only one level higher than him in the late stage of Body Tempering (he didn't know that Lin Zhou had already broken through) possibly have?

It must be at least a Heaven-rank cultivation technique, right?

You don't believe me?

Lin Zhou turned his head and looked at him with a half-smile.

Xiao Fan didn't speak, but his expression clearly said "I don't believe it."

Lin Zhou didn't waste any words, directly extending a finger and touching Xiao Fan's brow, while silently chanting in his mind,

"System, use the Skill Inheritance Card, Spirit Finger!"

"My disciple, today I will teach you this move. This move... is all about looking cool!"

boom!

A sudden gust of wind arose, causing the robes of the two men to flutter wildly.

Xiao Fan felt a heat between his brows, and the scene before him changed drastically in an instant.

He saw a towering figure who looked exactly like his master, standing above the clouds, casually raising his hand and pointing forward.

In an instant, the world lost its color, and the wind and clouds reversed!

A terrifying finger strike, beyond description, swept across three thousand miles, tearing a huge crack in the sea of ​​clouds ahead. The mountains below were as fragile as tofu in the face of this finger strike!

That single finger strike seemed to have pierced a hole in the sky!

Xiao Fan was completely stunned, forgetting to breathe, his mind filled only with that devastating finger strike.

So... so there really are such terrifying skills in the world!

So it turns out... my master was actually such a hidden master!

When the illusion disappeared, Xiao Fan stood there blankly, unable to come back to his senses for a long time.

He looked at Linzhou again and saw that his master was already standing on the edge of the cliff with his hands behind his back, gazing at the sea of ​​clouds. His back was lofty and his temperament was otherworldly.

Little did he know that Lin Zhou's face was deathly pale, his lips were trembling, and he was cursing inwardly.

"Holy crap! This inheritance card drains my mana way too fast! The spiritual energy I just gained from reaching the Qi Refining Perfection stage was completely depleted in an instant!"

"No, I can't fail! This is the most crucial moment for showing off; if I fail, all my efforts will be wasted!"

"thump!"

Xiao Fan had no more doubts. His knees buckled, and he knelt heavily on the ground, kowtowing three times to Lin Zhou's back.

"This disciple is deeply grateful to Master for transmitting the Dharma!"

[Ding! Disciple Xiao Fan's worship points +300, current worship level: Level 3!]

[Ding! Special reward received: 3 Youth-Preserving Pills (can reverse youth and restore appearance to peak condition)!]

Lin Zhou's lips twitched.

What are you going to do with this? Make me a gigolo?

System, do you think it's a pity that I'm so handsome and getting old?

Just then, a clear, cold voice came from behind, carrying a hint of barely perceptible surprise.

"Such a powerful fluctuation of spiritual energy... When did Little Qiong Mountain produce someone like you?"

Lin Zhou's heart skipped a beat. He forced himself to stay upright despite his weak legs and slowly turned around.

Not far away, a woman dressed in a moon-white law enforcement uniform stood quietly.

Her skin was as white as snow, her eyebrows and eyes were like paintings, and her temperament was as aloof as an iceberg that never melts.

Her long, jet-black hair was tied up high, making her neck appear even longer and fairer.

The tight-fitting outfit perfectly accentuated her shapely figure, especially the amazing curves created by the corset, which were simply captivating.

It's her! Shen Han, the head of the Enforcement Hall of the Lingxiao Sect!

That legendary, unapproachable ice queen!

Why is she here?

Lin Zhou's mind raced; it must have been the commotion from his breakthrough that had attracted her attention.

Shen Han was also scrutinizing Lin Zhou, her icy eyes filled with inquiry.

Although the fluctuation of spiritual energy just now was brief, its purity was so astonishing that even she was shocked.

But the man in front of him looked ordinary, and his cultivation level was unclear. He seemed like an ordinary person, yet also like an unfathomable master.

Especially when he turned around just now, that nonchalant, as if he had the world at his fingertips...

Shen Han felt that his heartbeat was becoming increasingly difficult to control, despite his years of cultivating the "Ice Heart Severing Dust Technique".

"Bang, bang, bang..."

A blush crept across her fair cheeks, and surprisingly...

A wisp of faint white steam rose up.

Linzhou: "???"

Holy crap? It's actually steaming?!

This unexpected cuteness is just too amazing!

He cleared his throat, maintaining his air of superiority, and spoke calmly.

"Fellow Daoist, what brings you to my desolate little Qiongshan?"

Shen Han felt even more uncomfortable under his gaze, her blush deepened, and the steam on her head thickened.

She forced herself to remain calm, her face cold: "I am Shen Han, the head of the Enforcement Hall. I sensed something amiss with the spiritual energy here and came to investigate."