Master, you have changed your perfume..... and what's that dripping down your thigh?

Don't forget to vote for the book using power stones. It will help promote the book, thank you!

====

Xie Qing practiced with various weapons such as a spear, axe, mace, and the like. Unfortunately, he didn't have the necessary techniques to aid his learning. Moreover, he had no mentor.

Two friends focused on sword techniques and spiritual energy. However, their techniques were more of a combination of basic skills and offered no benefit to him. As a result, he had to repeatedly use basic techniques to strengthen himself and improve his understanding.

Soon, his mind clarified, mastering all the techniques to create a foundation that would later help form the Sword Aura.

Sword Aura is a special force different from Qi, not limited by the cultivation stage. It could be used to strengthen the body and enhance sword techniques. With proper training, Sword Aura could break through thick defenses and inflict serious injuries, both external and internal.

That's why swordsmen were feared. Even if you heal the wound, getting rid of Sword Aura penetrating the body is extremely difficult.

Since there was no more sense in practicing, Xie Qing bid farewell to the two disciples and left the room.

"Sigh..."

The two disciples sighed mournfully. Suddenly, their motivation seemed to vanish.

***

Xie Qing returned to the pavilion and headed to the backyard, adorned with various spiritual plants and beautiful flowers. Everything here was precious, and alchemists would drool over them. However, for Xie Qing, it was just decoration. Even if he knew the value of these herbs, he couldn't use them – he simply lacked the knowledge. Besides...

"If Master finds out I stole her spiritual plants, I'll have to personally replace the trees," Xie Qing thought with a distorted expression.

Each plant in the garden cost a fortune. Elder Xu was renowned for her strength... the strength of money!

"Even my Xie family couldn't gather so many herbs in one place, even if they collected for a hundred years," Xie Qing thought and sighed.

He envied a bit. Such vast resources were something distant for him, but he didn't despair. If Xie Qing became a strong cultivator, he could gain funding and, most importantly, influence!

Sitting in the garden, he assumed the lotus position and breathed in the pure air. Thanks to the spiritual plants, the air was filled with Qi, and as he breathed it in, his body improved on its own.

"What bliss. Before, I couldn't appreciate the beauty of this place because my sensitivity to Qi was severely limited."

"Every creature had spiritual roots responsible for the natural Qi attribute and how sensitive a cultivator would be to Qi—determining cultivation speed and partially linked to talent.

Although Xie Qing didn't feel significant changes with the change in physique, his body was transforming, albeit slowly. Gradually, his spiritual veins improved and took on a golden hue.

But, of course, he was unaware of this.

In the Sect of Starry Stream...

Zhang Mei stood in the center of a destroyed room—only the floor remained. The walls and ceiling were shattered.

"Xu Mei..." she growled the name of her acquaintance, and suddenly her Qi burst out, causing all sect disciples to fall to the ground. "Bitch!"

As soon as Zhang Mei averted her gaze, this crazy girl swiftly attacked her, destroying everything around her and forcing Zhang Mei to exert all her strength to withstand Xu Mei's powerful Qi.

Realizing she had been set up, and the technique was stolen, Zhang Mei clenched her teeth in anger—accompanied by the sound of grinding. She roared, "Xu Mei! I'll drag you out from underground!"

Soon, the elders rushed to the explosion site, shocked by what had become of the sect leader's residence. They intended to inquire about their leader, but seeing her enraged expression, which differed significantly from her usual indifference, the sect elders decided to remain silent and focus on restoration.

***

Xie Qing stood, holding a jade scroll containing cultivation techniques. He looked at Xu Mei, who stood before him, grinning from ear to ear.

"Master, correct me if I'm wrong, but... as far as I know, this technique is called 'Nine Golden Dragons,' right? If I'm not mistaken, this technique was inherited by the Sect of Starry Stream, which even fought in a battle against the Huanglun Dynasty to prove its right... am I wrong?" Xie Qing asked with a voice trembling with shock, holding the technique in his hand.

"Hehehe... you're right, no mistakes! Good intuition, foolish disciple!"

Xie Qing bitterly smiled, but his eyes gleamed brightly. A system panel appeared before him, displaying information about this technique.

[Nine Golden Dragons Technique] | [Rank: Supreme] | [Description: In ancient times, seeing a dragon was as easy as hiring a prostitute for an hour at attractive prices now. They possessed power capable of overturning the heavens, feared even by Immortals. But someone thought challenging the Heavenly Emperor would be a good idea, and the entire race was wiped out in exchange for a hundred billion lives of cultivators. Sigh...]

Xie Qing chose to selectively ignore the peculiar description of the cultivation technique. He was shocked when he saw the rank of this technique.

"Supreme! This is the peak level of assessment for techniques, items, and the like in the system!" Xie Qing thought, astounded.

Ordinary, Unique, Elite, Legendary, Mythical, Ancient, Supreme—these were all the levels he knew. Information about ranks appeared in his mind when he learned his first technique.

It was simply incredible! Xie Qing couldn't even imagine receiving such a cultivation technique, and on top of that... his bloodline* responded to this jade scroll!

"This... is amazing! Thank you, Master!" Xie Qing exclaimed loudly and suddenly hugged Xu Mei.

"Eh?!"

Xu Mei blushed deeply when she felt the strong body of Xie Qing pressing against her. Moreover, she couldn't help but blush when she realized that her nose as if gaining consciousness, began to sniff her disciple!

"S-Stop, let go! Release your master, foolish disciple!" exclaimed Xu Mei with embarrassment, pushing away Xie Qing, who barely maintained balance to avoid falling.

Catching her breath, Xu Mei looked at Xie Qing with a strange expression that the young man couldn't decipher. Her face was as red as a tomato, and her breath was slightly heavy.

And for some reason, Xie Qing sensed a strange floral scent. He sniffed, then looked puzzled at Xu Mei, asking, "Master, you have changed your perfume?"

"!!!"

At first, Xu Mei didn't understand and tilted her head (which looked very cute), then her eyes widened in shock as she looked down, feeling a suspicious liquid flowing down her thighs.

Before Xie Qing could react, a whirlwind of Qi suddenly appeared, and Xu Mei disappeared. Perplexed, Xie Qing scratched his head.

...Someone, call Casanova here.

===

Bloodline or build is the same term in the setting of my book. I realize this can be misleading, but it is nonetheless true.