What does my ancestor's pregnancy have to do with me, a mere servant?

Lin Feilu didn't want to believe it, but what if... Lin Yuan was telling the truth?

What if?

She is a cultivator, and she knows best what "what if" means.

What if we fail? What if we perish? What if our spiritual heart collapses?

A monk's life is about sifting through countless "what ifs" to find the one and only way to survive.

Hope, like a seed, once planted in extreme despair, will take root and sprout wildly.

"As long as you cooperate with me obediently." Lin Yuan walked back to her, looking down at this once unapproachable ice queen.

"Come here on time every night and do your best to assist me in my cultivation. Three months later, during the trip to the Crimson Forbidden Land, help Wen Yuci obtain the Frost Marrow Lotus to stabilize her."

"After obtaining the Cold Marrow Lotus, Wen Yuci will definitely refine pills to try to form a core, and the pills will be the medium for me to make my move, as well as the best time for me to take action."

Lin Yuan stared into her eyes, enunciating each word clearly: "Before this, you have to come here every night. This is the bargaining chip. If you agree, we'll begin our cooperation. If you don't agree..."

He paused, then a slight smile appeared on his lips.

"I'll activate the main seal right now, and you can roll around in this cave all night."

Lin Feilu's chest heaved violently.

She looked at the man before her, who had a handsome face, low cultivation, yet was cunning and calculating.

She is a smart person and knows how to assess the situation.

Lin Yuan's every thought would make her wish she were dead.

If Wen fails to obtain the Cold Marrow Lotus within three months, she will become a wronged soul within the Thousand Soul Banner.

There are wolves in front and tigers behind.

As long as this restriction can be lifted, as long as we can survive, what does temporary forbearance and compliance matter?

The path to immortality is long and arduous. She understands the value of enduring temporary humiliation to gain a chance to catch her breath.

Lin Feilu lowered her eyelids slightly, her long eyelashes casting a shadow beneath her eyes, concealing all her turbulent emotions.

When she looked up, there was no smile or anger on her stunningly beautiful face.

"Junior Brother Lin wants to cultivate, I will... fully cooperate."

Her voice was very calm.

But Lin Yuan noticed that her fingers, which were resting on her knees, were slightly clenched.

Lin Yuan nodded in satisfaction.

As night deepened, the stone bed inside the cave emitted a faint sound.

The moonstone's cold light cast overlapping shadows on the stone wall, like two intertwined vines.

……

I don't know how much time passed.

The moonstone's soft glow shone on the stone wall, like a thin layer of frost.

Outside the cave, the night wind blew through the cracks in the broken stone door, bringing with it a faint, bitter scent of grass and trees and the smell of soil from the spiritual field.

Lin Yuan adjusted his breathing, leaned his back against the cool stone wall, concentrated his mind, and golden characters appeared in his eyes.

Name: Lin Yuan

[Cultivation Level: Qi Refining Level 5]

[Seventh-grade alchemist: 0/10000; Eighth-grade spiritual plant master: 0/1000]

Remaining attribute points: 198

With persistent effort and gradual accumulation, it takes about three months to gather enough attribute points to become a sixth-grade alchemist.

However, becoming a sixth-grade alchemist requires 10,000 points, which is clearly less cost-effective than improving other aspects.

Moreover, putting all your eggs in one basket is foolish.

Among the myriad arts of cultivation, if Lin Yuan wants to protect himself and increase his margin for error, he could learn some other life-saving techniques.

Such as formations, talismans, and weapon crafting.

No need to specialize; rank eight or seven is enough for you.

Cast a wide net, accumulate knowledge and experience, and eventually unleash your potential.

Lin Yuan pondered this in his heart for a moment, and then thought of another key issue.

Improving one's cultivation level too quickly is not a good thing.

The wood is beautiful in the forest, and the wind will destroy it.

Without great opportunities or family background, it would be impossible for outer disciples to advance so rapidly.

A good-for-nothing who had been stuck at the second level of Qi Refining for ten years suddenly broke through three realms overnight and jumped to the fifth level of Qi Refining.

In the world of cultivation, such an anomaly often signifies a great secret.

However, in a place like the Xuan Yin Sect where the strong prey on the weak, such a huge secret could easily lead to death.

Which of those inner sect elders, deacons, and even various factions within the sect isn't a cunning old fox with a keen sense of smell?

Therefore, he needs a cultivation technique to conceal his true level of cultivation.

On the other side of the stone bed, Lin Feilu had already quietly put on her clothes.

"If there's nothing else, I'll be going now."

Lin Yuan sat cross-legged on the stone bed, pulled the clothes that had been tossed aside, and put them on.

"etc."

Lin Feilu's movement of turning around suddenly froze.

A sense of vigilance instantly welled up in the depths of those phoenix eyes.

Clearly, she thought Lin Yuan was going to use the main seal of the Soul Devouring Technique to make some humiliating demands.

Or... we'll have to do it again.

"Don't be nervous." Lin Yuan noticed her reaction and waved his hand.

"Let's talk about serious matters."

Lin Yuan looked into Lin Feilu's eyes, his gaze frank: "Senior Sister is incredibly intelligent; you must have already noticed the changes in me, right?"

"Five levels of Qi Refining."

She accurately reported Lin Yuan's current cultivation level.

With her early Foundation Establishment cultivation and perception, she had already detected the spiritual energy fluctuations within Lin Yuan's body that were several times more solid and robust than the day before, as soon as she stepped into the cave.

His Qi Sea was full, his meridians were unobstructed, and his spiritual energy flowed with the faint signs of breaking through to a higher realm.

"Junior Brother's cultivation has improved so rapidly, I've naturally noticed. You broke through three minor realms in a single day. Even among the inner disciples, you might not be able to achieve such speed."

"I thought you were just a good-for-nothing who lazed around in the outer sect, but it seems I underestimated you."

She took a step forward, her tone suddenly becoming meaningful.

"I suppose you've been secretly practicing some kind of aphrodisiac technique?"

Lin Feilu stared into Lin Yuan's eyes, seemingly trying to find any trace of panic in them:

"Last night, you used the pink miasma of the Illusionary Heart Mortal Dust Array to entangle yourself with Wen Yuci within the array. Afterwards, you used the main seal of the Soul Devouring Technique to force me to be with you..."

At this point, her voice paused slightly, as if something was stuck in her throat.

But she quickly regained her cold expression and continued:

"You absorbed the yin and essence of two Foundation Establishment cultivators, no wonder you were able to advance to the fifth level of Qi Refining in one night."

Lin Yuan listened quietly.

(Inner monologue: Good grief, this is a logical loop. I was just wondering how to cover up taking too many Qi Gathering Pills, and you've already come up with an excuse for me.)

In a demonic sect like the Xuan Yin Sect, it is entirely in line with normal human logic that a low-level disciple might accidentally obtain a flawed and evil secret technique, and use it to sexually exploit high-level female cultivators to achieve immortality.

As expected of a candidate for sainthood, she's quite intelligent.

In a demonic sect like the Xuan Yin Sect, it's perfectly logical for a low-level disciple to accidentally obtain a flawed and evil secret technique, using it to sexually exploit high-level female cultivators and rise to power.

After all, such a thing has indeed happened in the history of the Xuan Yin Sect.

And more than once.

So it's perfectly normal for Lin Feilu to think that way.

"Senior sister has keen insight." Lin Yuan neither explained nor denied, but instead went along with her words, his tone even carrying a hint of frank acknowledgment.

Seeing Lin Yuan "admit" it, Lin Feilu's contempt deepened.

Lin Yuan paid no attention to those gazes.

So what if I'm looked down upon? In this dog-eat-dog world, survival is more important than anything else. Face? Can face withstand a palm strike from a half-step Golden Core cultivator?

"Senior sister, I am just an outer disciple who cultivates spirit fields. I have no background, no resources, and no powerful backers. If my cultivation suddenly increases by three minor realms, it will surely bring me to my death if someone with ulterior motives notices it."

"So I'd like to ask my senior sister for help to get through this."

Lin Feilu let out a soft snort, as if she had heard the biggest joke in the world.

Why should I help you?

"You drained my cultivation, enslaved my body, and humiliated my dignity. And now you still have the nerve to ask me for help?"

"Lin Yuan, do you think I owe you anything?"

Lin Yuan sighed.

His expression was helpless, with a hint of disappointment that said, "Why can't you understand?"

"Senior sister, think about it—"

He held up one finger, his tone as patient as if he were coaxing a child:

"If someone notices my abnormality, captures me, and interrogates me about how I increased my cultivation level, and I'm severely tortured until I can't hold back and confess, then guess what they'll find out?"

Lin Feilu's pupils contracted slightly.

"They will find out that Lin Feilu, a candidate for the Holy Maiden of the Xuan Yin Sect, had her cultivation drained by a useless outer sect cultivator in the Qi Refining stage."

"They will also know that the dignified Ice Fairy has been cursed with a Soul-Devouring Technique, and every night she obediently runs to the dilapidated cave dwelling of an outer disciple, where she is at the mercy of others."

"The persona that Senior Sister has painstakingly cultivated in the inner sect for many years—bang."

He made a gesture as if something was breaking.

"Collapsed instantly."

"you……"

Lin Feilu's face instantly turned extremely ugly.

The arrogant and mocking attitude from before vanished, replaced by the frustration and anger of having one's vulnerabilities exposed.

They're now in the same boat. If Lin Yuan is exposed, she'll suffer the consequences. She absolutely cannot let this shameless scoundrel attract the attention of the inner sect.

"What do you want?" Lin Feilu asked coldly, gritting her teeth.

"Conceal anything unusual and keep a low profile."

"I need a cultivation technique to conceal my cultivation level. Senior Sister is a candidate for Saintess, and is very knowledgeable. The inner sect's library is like taking candy from a baby for you. There are so many good things, you must have something I need."

Lin Feilu stared intently at Lin Yuan for a long time, her chest heaving violently.

In the end, reason prevailed over anger.

With a flick of her fair wrist, an ancient, bluish-gray jade slip appeared out of thin air in her palm.

"This method is called the 'Formless Transformation of Mortals' technique."

"This is a top-tier concealment technique collected by the Xuan Yin Sect. Within the entire sect, only core inner disciples are qualified to access it."

She glanced at Lin Yuan, seemingly trying to confirm whether he understood what this meant:

"It's not comparable to those crude concealment techniques in the market that rely on runes and closed loops of spiritual energy to create illusions. Those things can only fool fools of the same level; a true expert can see through them at a glance."

"But the method of transforming into an ordinary person without form is different."

Lin Feilu held the jade slip, her tone tinged with arrogance: "This is a top-tier concealment technique collected by the Xuan Yin Sect. Only core inner disciples are qualified to cultivate it."

"It's not comparable to those crude concealment techniques in the market that rely on runes and closed loops of spiritual energy to create illusions."

"Once you master the cultivation technique and circulate your spiritual energy according to the method, as long as the opponent's realm does not exceed one major realm of yours, they will absolutely not be able to see through your true cultivation level."

"If someone cultivates to the perfect state, and their cultivation level does not exceed two major realms above yours, then no one can see through your cultivation level."

"You are currently at the fifth level of Qi Refining. Once you reach perfection, unless you are a Nascent Soul cultivator, even a Golden Core cultivator will not be able to discern your exact cultivation level without special methods. Not only that..."

She paused, her eyes narrowing slightly: "The most profound aspect of this technique lies in the word 'formless.' It can not only conceal one's aura, but also alter the arrangement of your bones, the contours of your face, and even the fluctuations of your qi within a certain range, but only if you can cultivate the technique to perfection."

Upon hearing this, Lin Yuan's eyes lit up.

He can conceal his cultivation level across two major realms! He can also change his appearance and aura! As long as he doesn't actively expose himself, no one can figure out his true nature.