Chapter 55 – Master, Please Accept Your Disciple’s Bow

No wonder the people from Chixiao Peak said that Li Qingran cultivated too slowly.

A water spiritual root cultivating a fire-attribute technique—how could that possibly be fast?

They probably only cared about getting her into Chixiao Peak, without even considering whether there was a technique suitable for her cultivation.

Coincidentally, the Battle Order’s Qi Refinement Peak reward had included a Tideborn Technique—an absolute match for a water spiritual root.

It was perfect as a foundational technique for Li Qingran.

While Chen Huai’an was lost in thought, Li Qingran had already completed dispersing her cultivation.

She stood there timidly, like a stubborn little flower, gazing at him with a bright, hopeful smile.

For any cultivator, dispersing one’s cultivation meant losing all previous progress.

And Li Qingran had no idea that the Tideborn Technique was waiting for her.

She was simply determined to help Chen Huai’an—not just with words, but with immediate action.

All things in life are guided by fate.

Chen Huai’an pulled out a jade slip, its surface marked with wave-like patterns.

"This is the Tideborn Technique, a water-attribute cultivation method. Since you no longer have an internal technique, you’ll cultivate this from now on. Once you reach perfection, I’ll give you something even better."

But Li Qingran didn’t take it.

Instead, she tilted her head slightly, her gaze filled with hopeful anticipation.

"Senior… does this mean you’re taking me as your disciple?"

"Huh?"

Chen Huai’an was momentarily stunned.

Him? A fake Nascent Soul cultivator? Taking Li Qingran as his disciple?

Of course, he didn’t lack confidence.

After all, he was a pay-to-win player. Eventually, he’d rise to power.

He had always planned to officially take her as his disciple once he became truly strong.

That way, he could stand tall and not risk being exposed.

"Senior hesitated."

Li Qingran lowered her gaze, letting out a soft, lonely chuckle.

"Of course… Senior already has over a hundred starving female disciples. There’s no way you’d have time for another one, huh…"

Chen Huai’an slowly typed out a question mark in his mind.

A hundred… what?

Female disciples?

Starving??

Since when?!

"This lord… has no disciples."

Thud!

Li Qingran dropped to her knees, performing a deep bow that she refused to rise from.

"Master, please accept your disciple’s bow!"

"..."

She… she just changed the title on the spot?!

But he hadn’t even agreed yet!

What if he got exposed in the future?!

Still, at this point, rejecting her wasn’t an option.

With a favorability score of 80, turning her down would cause a massive drop.

Chen Huai’an straightened his expression, putting on a serious front.

He stroked his nonexistent beard and said in a deep voice:

"From this day forward, you are my final disciple—a true, personal successor!

I will teach you with all my heart. You must also cultivate diligently, increase your realm, extend your lifespan, and live long and prosperous. Do not disappoint me!"

"Yes, Master! Qingran will never forget!"

The two exchanged smiles.

In a simple mortal restaurant,

A bond spanning two worlds was formed.

"All things in this world are intertwined by fate. And it is through fate that we are drawn to each other."

As Chen Huai’an removed his VR helmet, these words naturally surfaced in his mind.

He couldn’t help but nod to himself, feeling satisfied.

The apprenticeship wasn’t a grand affair.

Li Qingran simply made use of the restaurant’s resources, brewing a cup of spiritual tea as an offering to her new master.

When asked how she planned to join a sect now that she had a master,

Li Qingran simply replied—

"A Master is a Master, and a Sect is a Sect."

In the Cangyun Realm, many sects weren’t too strict about this.

Most disciples in a sect didn’t even have personal mentors—they simply learned from the sect’s library or listened to elders preaching in the training halls.

Of course, disciples who already had masters weren’t usually given access to the sect’s most secret techniques.

Entering a sect didn’t necessarily mean taking a master.

Before logging out, Chen Huai’an gave all his Thunderfire Talismans to Li Qingran for self-defense.

Her goal was Lingxi Valley.

Looking at the map—

In Tianquan City, every cultivator from Lingxi Valley glowed green, indicating absolute friendliness.

It was a safe choice.

Unlike Yuling Sect, Zen Sect, and Solar Pavilion.

Their cultivators were a mix of yellow and green, a clear warning sign.

Aside from Lingxi Valley, the only other sect with fully green light indicators was Sword Pavilion.

But Sword Pavilion’s recruitment was a single disciple—which looked a little too pitiful.

"Qingran is going to the sect. And I…"

"I need to go make money."

Chen Huai’an glanced at the time—

It was getting late.

After changing clothes, he cooked a bowl of rice for Ba Ji, then opened the door—

Only to feel that something was outside.

He looked down.

Two packages.

One labeled 【Thunderfire Talismans】.

The other labeled 【Qingran’s Spiritual Tea】.

Chen Huai’an fell into silence.

Slowly, he typed out a question mark.

So…

The main quest reward Thunderfire Talismans…

Were meant for him?

But what the hell was he supposed to do with them?!

If he stuck them on his door, wouldn’t people think he was crazy?!

He unwrapped the package.

Inside, there were indeed ten Thunderfire Talismans, exquisitely crafted, with the scent of cinnabar still lingering.

"No sincerity. They’re all common-grade."

Chen Huai’an sighed.

These were useless.

More like decorations than actual combat tools.

Still, he stuck one on his door and another on his window.

With the Blackscale Sword hanging on the wall, the cheap hotel room instantly took on a mysterious and eerie vibe.

"Not bad. Has a bit of that aesthetic."

Even though he complained, he still liked the setup.

Next, he opened the spiritual tea package.

He had expected it to be loose tea leaves.

But inside—

It was an actual cup of brewed tea.

The lid and cup were vacuum-sealed.

When he peeled off the seal and lifted the lid,

The tea inside was still warm.

"Holy sh*t!"

"Are the devs literally living next door?!"

In the past, Guan Yu once warmed his wine before beheading Hua Xiong.

And now—

The game devs were literally serving warm tea with his quest rewards.

For the perfect 1v1 VIP player experience,

They had gone all out.

Chen Huai’an shrugged and took a sip.

"Mmm~"

The fragrance was the same as the protective charms and bracelets he had received before.

His eyes fluttered shut in satisfaction.

"So detailed. Just incredible."

Even if this was just ordinary tea, it made him feel lighter and sharper.

What he didn’t realize—

Inside the game, a system notification was going crazy.

【Remaining Lifespan: 45 Days】

【Remaining Lifespan: 84 Days】

【Remaining Lifespan: 79 Days】

His lifespan value was bouncing up and down like a heart monitor.

Until finally—

【Remaining Lifespan: 78 Days】.

After finishing the spiritual tea, Chen Huai’an casually placed the cup under his pillow.

He took two steps forward—

Then suddenly froze, his expression shifting dramatically.

He looked down at his legs.

"Wait… I can walk?!"

He moved his legs, took a few more steps, then hesitated.

Ripping off his plaster cast, he saw—

His legs were completely fine.

There’s a saying—it takes a hundred days to heal from tendon or bone injuries.

For a bone cancer patient like him, it wouldn’t just be a hundred days—it’d be a lifelong disability.

Yet now—

The bones that had been fractured were not only fully healed,

They even felt better than before.

"Hiss—! Something’s off…"

Chen Huai’an stroked his chin, lost in thought.

What’s causing this?

Some kind of Spring Rejuvenation Needle technique?

Or maybe a Meridian-Opening Acupuncture method?

Could it be that his cancer cells activated some kind of hidden genetic potential?

…

Did cancer just turn him into a super-healing vampire?!

To test his theory, he grabbed a razor blade and made a small cut on his finger.

A drop of blood welled up—

But within seconds, the wound had already scabbed over and begun to heal.

Chen Huai’an first froze in shock—

Then immediately broke into laughter, standing tall with hands on his hips.

"Holy sh*t, am I turning into a superhuman?!"

"Hahahahahaha! This lord… is SUPERMAN!"

Meanwhile…

A shoebox lid cracked open just a little.

Inside, a pair of sharp feline eyes glowed ominously.

The black cat, Baji, silently observed Chen Huai’an.

【Hiss—! Something’s off!】

【Why is this bigshot so happy? Isn’t this just basic Spiritual Qi circulation speeding up internal healing?】

【He has an Immortal Artifact! He has a magic sword! How does he not know this kind of basic knowledge?!】

【No. This beast must leave.】

【There may be opportunities here, but there’s also something deeply unsettling…】

【This king has just been reborn. I refuse to die here!】

Yes—Baji was no ordinary cat.

It was actually a young Taotie—a primordial beast that had taken over the body of a newborn black cat.

As a Taotie, it only needed to consume to grow stronger.

Originally, it had thought that following this powerful human would lead to great food.

But in the end—

All it got was plain white rice every single day.

And now, to make things worse—this bigshot seemed to be going insane.

Danger. Extreme danger.

If it didn’t leave now, it would end up dead!

Its gaze locked onto the door.

As long as this crazy human stepped out—

The world was vast, and it could go anywhere.

All it needed was to keep eating—

One day, it would become an unstoppable, world-dominating existence!

Hehehe…

Just imagining it made Baji’s mouth curl into a sinister grin.

…

…

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