The night was silent and deep.
Chen Ye sat cross-legged in the Quiet Chamber, meditating and slowly refining the proficiency of the Withering Glory Technique bit by bit.
As for the Evergreen Technique, ever since reaching the Transcendent Realm, it had naturally achieved a state of Unity of Heaven and Man, requiring no active cultivation on his part.
"After Foundation Establishment, each layer is a bottleneck, taking ten to decades of years to break through one layer..."
Chen Ye pondered with furrowed brows.
The Foundation Establishment Stage was merely a beginning.
Becoming a Foundation Establishment True Man would earn one a place in the Cultivation Realm of the Yan Kingdom, allowing one to thrive seamlessly in any sect.
But that was just about it.
Chen Ye diverted his attention and glanced at the key skills on the panel.
[Seven Luminaries Soul Nourishing Technique Perfection: 25/400]
This Divine Soul cultivation technique had unknowingly reached Perfection.
Yet the road to Limit Break was still quite long.
Not to mention, the cultivation speed of the Seven Luminaries Soul Nourishing Technique could be described as crawling, comparable to the Withering Glory Technique.
"Fortunately, the Hundred Herbs Pill Scripture recorded three Second Tier pill formulas, including the Concentration Pill. From Li Guangzong and cultivators of Medicine King Valley, I once obtained three Concentrating Spirit Grass..."
In the past, Chen Ye couldn’t bear to use the precious Concentrating Spirit Grass for practice.
But with the times changed, Chen Ye planned to convert all twenty thousand Spirit Stones he had into cultivation resources in the coming days!
With the aid of a vast number of Spirit Stones, coupled with the proficiency panel, his cultivation would surely progress rapidly!
"Knock, knock——"
Just as Chen Ye was cultivating in the middle of the night, someone gently knocked on the door.
Chen Ye frowned, as though he was not in seclusion cultivation, being disturbed was still displeasing.
"My disciple rarely interrupts my cultivation. Could it be Lin Qiongyu? Got some benefits during the day and now wants to offer herself at night..."
Chen Ye muttered inwardly, stood up, and his face had already turned cold.
If one thought he, Chen Ye, was after lust, they would be gravely mistaken!
He opened the door, seeing the twinkling stars, the night wind brushing against the pear tree, and... a small, dark head.
"This is..."
Chen Ye’s gaze lowered, and sure enough, he saw a little girl with black hair standing obediently in the corridor, with her head hanging down, her small hands clutching the corners of her clothes.
The moonlight outlined her slender figure; she looked somewhat forlorn and didn’t greet like a little sapling.
Chen Ye’s voice softened instantly, patting the tender shoulder of his disciple: "Zhiwei, still not asleep in the middle of the night? Is there something you want to tell your master?"
Zhiwei slowly lifted her little face. Her obsidian-like eyes seemed to be swirling with many emotions, looking as if she had been wronged: "No, I just wanted to see Master."
It wasn’t just as simple as seeing him.
Chen Ye knew this eldest disciple too well.
If it were Qing Jun in such a state, she would surely want to throw herself into his arms and cry about great grievances; whereas Zhiwei felt utterly down yet didn’t want to trouble her master, only seeking a safe place to be near him for a bit of security.
At this moment, Chen Ye would rather his disciple playfully caused trouble out of jealousy than to see her in such a sorrowful state.
He sighed inwardly, stepped aside, and gently said, "Come in."
Zhiwei obediently entered the Quiet Chamber, taking a cushion out of her Storage Bag and placing it next to Chen Ye’s cushion.
Then she brushed away the dust, skillfully wrapping her arms around her knees as she sat down, curling her small body into a ball with her chin resting on her knees.
In the end, she even patted the spot beside her: "Master, Zhiwei won’t disturb you, go ahead and continue your cultivation..."
"?"
Chen Ye hadn’t even reacted, and the disciple was already sitting steadily, seemingly planning to sleep there.
Eldest disciple, you’re too adept at this...
But thinking about it, if she didn’t sit, would she just stand there? So Chen Ye did not ponder too much about any strangeness.
Moreover, speaking of it, it had been half a year since he shared such quiet serenity with his disciple while cultivating.
As for Grotto Heaven, the peril was omnipresent without this kind of ambiance.
He responded with a sound, collected his thoughts, and sat back on his cushion to resume operating his cultivation technique.
However, seeing his disciple like this, how could Chen Ye remain calm?
His mind couldn’t help but drift onto his disciple... his disciple smelled nice; it seemed she’d taken a bath before coming over.
For a while, listening to his disciple’s gentle breathing, Chen Ye couldn’t help but open his eyes, looking sideways.
The moonlight spilled on the girl’s raven feather-like black hair, outlining her white profile and tightly pursed lips.
Her long lashes were drooping, trembling slightly; her arms wrapped around her knees appeared slightly stiff, clearly brooding something, feeling suffocated.
Chen Ye sighed, reached out to place his hand on the girl’s cool head, and gently rubbed her silky black hair:
"It’s late, get a little closer."
Zhiwei hesitated for a moment, then slowly leaned over.
First, her shoulder touched her master’s arm, then half of her small body leaned over.
Chen Ye naturally adjusted his posture, slipped his arm around her back, and with a slight effort, pulled her cool body entirely into his embrace.
"!"
Zhiwei stiffened for a moment, then completely relaxed, softly nestling against her master’s sturdy chest.
The pear-flower-scented black hair brushed against Chen Ye’s chin.
She tentatively reached out her little hand, grabbed Chen Ye’s collar, and slowly tightened her grip, wanting to hold her master tightly in her hands.
With his disciple in his arms, Chen Ye was satisfied.
He nodded secretly; no wonder Zhiwei had picked quite a few pear flowers during the day, as it seemed she took a bath using the pear flowers in the evening.
Hmm?
Why did he suspect that Zhiwei had planned this all along...
Chen Ye sneaked a glance at his disciple, only to see her rubbing against his embrace, her tense childish face finally relaxing.