Treasure! Beyond Rank Nine!

The cool night breeze swept across the earth, with dark clouds obscuring the moon, signaling a change in the weather.

Lin Zixuan's villa was brightly lit inside. Tang Yuxin, aware that Horn hadn't eaten enough earlier, took it upon herself to prepare five dishes with the remaining ingredients from the refrigerator after getting Lin Zixuan's consent.

Lin Zixuan herself wasn't much of a cook. With her level of cultivation, she could go months without eating or drinking. When hungry, she usually just ordered takeout. Wang Menglu, who was focused on her alchemy studies, wasn't skilled in the kitchen either, so she usually relied on a hired cook.

The four of them gathered around a round table. Horn ate with enthusiasm. Although his cultivation level meant he could go without food or drink for tens of thousands of years without his body changing, he relished Tang Yuxin's cooking, a taste he hadn't experienced in over two thousand years.

"Horn, no one's competing with you for food. Why are you eating like a starving ghost?" Wang Menglu teased.

Horn didn't respond. No one could understand what this meal meant to him—it wasn't just food, but a reminder of the youth he once had. When he transmigrated from Earth to the Immortal World, he was only nineteen. Two thousand years may seem like a blink of an eye to an Apex Level cultivator, but to most, it was an unimaginably long time.

In contrast to Horn's enthusiasm, Lin Zixuan's movements were elegant as she picked up her food. Tang Yuxin, worried about Horn choking, said gently, "Horn, eat slowly. If you like it, I'll cook for you every day."

Horn smiled and patted Tang Yuxin's head, "Yuxin, you're so considerate."

Tang Yuxin blushed and lowered her head, while Lin Zixuan and Wang Menglu shot Horn disapproving looks. Were his words a subtle jab at their lack of domestic skills?

"Menglu, Yuxin, after dinner, come to my room. I'll help you with any cultivation problems you're facing," Lin Zixuan said as she set her chopsticks down.

Wang Menglu's face lit up at this rare opportunity for personal guidance from the dean. "Thank you, Dean Lin," she said eagerly.

Tang Yuxin looked equally excited. She wanted to keep pace with Horn and knew that Dean Lin's guidance could help her do just that. "Dean Lin, thank you. We're causing you so much trouble tonight."

Lin Zixuan dismissed her concerns, but her eyes drifted to Horn, silently offering him the same guidance if he would only ask. But Horn remained calm. He didn't need Lin Zixuan's guidance; in fact, he could probably offer her a few pointers instead.

"Wang Menglu, stop kicking me under the table. What's wrong with you?" Horn said irritably. He knew exactly what she wanted, but he didn't need her subtle hints.

"Dean Lin, why are you staring at me? Do you think I'm handsome?" he teased.

Lin Zixuan bit her lip in frustration. "Menglu, Yuxin, follow me to the room. Horn can wash the dishes."

Horn remained unfazed. "Yuxin, stay. I want to teach you a skill."

Lin Zixuan frowned, concerned. "Horn, the technique that suits you may not suit Yuxin. If a cultivator practices a technique that doesn't suit them, it could lead to dangerous consequences."

Wang Menglu agreed, warning Horn not to be reckless. "Horn, you can't just practice any technique. It took me a lot of effort to find a Rank Three technique that suits Yuxin."

Horn remained calm, turning to Tang Yuxin. "Yuxin, do you want to learn the skill I prepared for you?"

Tang Yuxin didn't hesitate. "I do."

"Dean Lin, please help Menglu first. I want to practice the skill Horn prepared for me," Tang Yuxin said respectfully.

Seeing her resolve, Lin Zixuan could only sigh and lead Wang Menglu upstairs. She decided she'd check on Tang Yuxin afterward to ensure she was safe. "Menglu, follow me upstairs!" Lin Zixuan said, thinking to herself how much she felt indebted to Horn.

Once Lin Zixuan and Wang Menglu were upstairs, Horn and Tang Yuxin moved to the front yard. He instructed her to sit down before saying, "Yuxin, the technique I prepared for you is called the Immortal Spirit Art. I'll guide you through it by injecting spiritual energy into your meridians. Just follow my lead."

Tang Yuxin didn't question the skill level. She trusted Horn completely. Horn gently placed his finger on her forehead, and a warm flow of spiritual energy entered her body.

The Immortal Spirit Art was challenging to learn, but with Horn's guidance, it felt easy for Tang Yuxin, as if he were pre-digesting it for her.

Two hours later, Horn withdrew his hand, sensing that Tang Yuxin could now operate the Immortal Spirit Art on her own. "Yuxin, focus and enter a cultivation state. Feel the power of the Immortal Spirit Art," he instructed.

Upstairs, Lin Zixuan and Wang Menglu watched anxiously from the window, ready to intervene if necessary. But then, something extraordinary happened. The spiritual energy from the surroundings began to gather toward Tang Yuxin, forming tornadoes of energy that condensed into giant spiritual phoenixes before being absorbed into her body.

Lin Zixuan and Wang Menglu were stunned. This level of energy absorption was beyond anything they'd seen, far surpassing even Rank Nine techniques. What had Horn just taught her?