That's too good for him

This was the power of influence.

Gu Chengyin even had a feeling.

As long as he absorbed this wave of influence, he could break straight into the Great Circle of the Foundation Establishment realm.

Going from the late stage of Foundation Establishment to the Great Circle would normally require years of bitter cultivation.

But he had a system; he only needed to expand his influence.

Therefore, the only thing Gu Chengyin had to do was use the Azure Cloud Incantation to refine the true qi converted from his influence.

As long as the quality of his true qi became higher, it would infinitely approach the spiritual power quality of the Golden Core realm.

He might actually be able to clash with an early-stage Golden Core cultivator while only being at the Great Circle of Foundation Establishment.

Of course, not an early-stage Golden Core cultivator like Lin Qingyan.

With her lightning-fast strikes and her impossible-to-defend Nine Heavens Lightning Attraction Incantation.

Let alone his current late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation, even if he really reached the Great Circle, he would still only end up being shocked unconscious.

Thinking of this, the corners of Gu Chengyin's mouth couldn't help but twitch.

Even now, he was unable to resist Lin Qingyan's electric shocks.

He could only be humiliatingly shocked unconscious time and time again.

In the carriage, in the Meditation Tower.

Forget it, he wouldn't think about it anymore.

The more he thought about it, the angrier he got.

Gu Chengyin rubbed his temples.

Cultivation really was important.

If nothing else, he should at least be able to withstand Lin Qingyan's shocks, right?

He couldn't just obediently lie flat every time she wanted to shock him.

He couldn't just passively endure whatever she wanted to do every single time.

Normally, lying flat meant you couldn't resist, so you might as well enjoy it.

When he lay flat, he also couldn't resist, but he didn't enjoy it one bit.

He was unconscious the entire time.

He didn't know what happened.

He didn't know what she did.

This feeling was very unpleasant.

Extremely unpleasant.

The more Gu Chengyin thought about it, the more he felt he had suffered a huge loss.

Cultivate.

He had to cultivate.

At the very least, he had to cultivate to the point where he could withstand Lin Qingyan's shocks.

And then he could pretend to be shocked unconscious.

.....

Time flew by.

Inside the Meditation Tower, the eternal lamp burned quietly.

Lin Qingyan slowly opened her eyes.

Her vision was filled with a hazy halo of light, the firelight illuminating the top of the tower with a warm and gentle glow.

Her gaze swept across the interior of the tower, over the familiar furnishings.

Then, Lin Qingyan's gaze paused.

He wasn't there.

That man who could always disturb her heart was not here.

A faint trace of disappointment suddenly welled up in Lin Qingyan's heart.

This trace of disappointment was very light, as light as a feather falling on the surface of water, almost imperceptible.

But it truly existed, spreading in the softest corner of her heart.

Lin Qingyan lowered her eyelashes and sighed softly.

She knew why Gu Chengyin wasn't there.

He was afraid of disturbing her peaceful recuperation.

This man was always like this.

He never backed down when he needed to appear, and never intruded when he shouldn't.

He understood boundaries, knew when to advance and when to retreat, and arranged everything perfectly.

Including not being here.

Lin Qingyan shook her head, suppressing her disappointment.

She closed her eyes and began to look inward at her own condition.

Her spiritual power had returned to its original state.

After these few days of quiet recuperation, she had finally completely recovered.

Within her dantian, her spiritual power was as abundant as the sea, flowing slowly and emitting a faint halo.

Her inner demon...

Lin Qingyan's brows twitched slightly.

She looked toward the location of the inner demon in her sea of consciousness.

This shadow that had once made her restless day and night had now become very, very small.

It was like a wisp of fog huddled in a corner, weak and quiet, no longer possessing the imposing manner it once had when it stood against her as an equal.

But it was still there.

It hadn't disappeared.

However, it could no longer threaten her.

The corners of Lin Qingyan's mouth slightly turned up, forming a faint smile.

She could go and comprehend Gu Chengyin's complete immortal dao.

With the inner demon's current size, even if it strengthened, it wouldn't be as terrifying as before.

And as long as Gu Chengyin was around, she could weaken it at any time.

Yes.

As long as Gu Chengyin was there.

She no longer had to worry about her inner demon.

Although she still didn't know how to completely eliminate it, in Lin Qingyan's eyes, this was only a matter of time.

Once her cultivation advanced further, once her comprehension of the Great Dao deepened another layer.

The inner demon would eventually vanish into thin air.

The sealed memories would also inevitably be unlocked once more.

Lin Qingyan opened her eyes and stood up from the futon.

She walked to the tower door and reached out to push it open.

The night scenery outside the door rushed to greet her.

It was late at night.

Stars scattered across the firmament like broken silver, and the moonlight condensed like white frost, shrouding the entire Celestial Master Mansion in a cold, silvery glow.

The distant pavilions and palaces stood quietly under the moonlight, like a splash-ink landscape painting.

Lin Qingyan stood before the tower door and took a deep breath of the night wind.

The cool night breeze flowed into her lungs, carrying the faint, fresh scent of vegetation.

Lin Qingyan closed her eyes, letting the night wind blow against her hair, flutter her robes, and brush against her newly awakened heart.

She didn't know how many days had passed.

But she knew.

Gu Chengyin was definitely waiting for her.

Lin Qingyan opened her eyes and casually waved her hand.

Behind her, the Meditation Tower began to slowly shrink.

That towering blue-brick pagoda, as if compressed by an invisible force, shrank inch by inch, transforming inch by inch.

From several zhang tall, it shrank to one zhang, then to three feet, until finally, it fell into the palm of her hand.

A tiny tower lay quietly in Lin Qingyan's hand.

The tower's body still had distinct blue bricks, and its spire was still exquisitely delicate, like a plaything carved by the most skillful craftsman.

Lin Qingyan casually flipped her hand, storing the Meditation Tower away.

Then she walked toward the direction of the cultivation chamber.

Her steps were neither hurried nor slow, her robes fluttering gently in the night wind.

The moonlight fell upon her, casting her shadow on the ground like a cold and aloof silhouette.

Just a moment ago, the instant she stepped out of the Meditation Tower, she had already swept her divine sense across the entire Celestial Master Mansion.

Those sleeping disciples, those cultivators on night watch, those experts patrolling in the shadows.

All were enveloped by her divine sense, with nowhere to hide.

Then, Lin Qingyan found him in the cultivation chamber.

Gu Chengyin.

He sat cross-legged on a futon, his eyes slightly closed, surrounded by faint spiritual power fluctuations.

Those fluctuations were a bit stronger than before, a bit more solid, more...

More closely approaching the Golden Core realm.

A trace of gratification flashed through Lin Qingyan's eyes.

During these few days of her recuperation, Gu Chengyin hadn't gone to Luodu to eat, drink, and make merry.

He hadn't gone strolling through those bustling markets, nor had he used the excuse of an official business trip to relax.

He just stayed within the Celestial Master Mansion.

Wholeheartedly cultivating.

This self-discipline, this focus, this patience.

He was truly worthy of being the one she had set her sights on...

Lin Qingyan suddenly paused.

Set her sights on?

Set her sights on what?

Lin Qingyan's face flushed bright red.

She hastily interrupted her own train of thought and shook her head vigorously, as if doing so could shake out those messy notions.

Setting her sights on him and all that.

That was letting him off too easily!

She was the Celestial Master Mansion's Jingzhe, a Golden Core fairy.

How could she act like a love-struck fool and casually give herself away for nothing?

No way.

Absolutely not.

She had to remain aloof.

She had to be reserved.

She had to let Gu Chengyin know that she wasn't so easily obtained.

Only then would he cherish her.