Chapter 25: The Desperate Steward Liang

At this moment, everyone had dispersed, leaving only Cang Luo and Xiang Yunjiao.

Cang Luo felt awkward, trying to organize his words to explain the “Soul-Binding Mirror” to Yunjiao.

Yunjiao watched him shyly from beside him; seeing he remained silent, she whispered, “Brother Luo...”

Cang Luo froze. Brother Luo?

Damn, is she calling me? Why so familiar?

Cang Luo sighed. What a beautiful misunderstanding—better clear it up quickly; cultivation comes first.

“Sister Yunjiao...”

“Hm?” Yunjiao noticed Cang Luo suddenly looking at her with serious intent; she blushed and lowered her head.

Cang Luo ignored her embarrassment and continued: “Sister Yun, there’s something you’ve misunderstood.”

Yunjiao slowly lifted her head and whispered, “What’s that?”

Cang Luo hesitated, struggling to speak: “You don’t think... that after the Soul-Binding Mirror absorbs your soul, it can also... take off your clothes, do you?”

At once, Yunjiao dropped her head again, her ears turning red, the flush spreading to her neck.

Seeing this, Cang Luo understood—this naive girl had indeed misunderstood.

She truly believed photos taken by a phone could strip away clothing...

After a long silence, Yunjiao boldly raised her head, blushing deeply: “Isn’t that so? Brother, you’ve seen my body—so I’m yours now.”

“Brother Luo, you must treat me well, and I won’t betray you...”

Her voice grew softer with each word, until it was barely a whisper; had Cang Luo not become a martial cultivator with heightened senses, he would have missed it entirely.

Cang Luo stared, dumbfounded. Are women on the Yuanwu Continent this loyal?

Just seeing a woman’s body means she must marry you? On Earth, she’d kill you.

In that instant, freshly dumped by his ex-girlfriend, Cang Luo briefly entertained the idea of letting the misunderstanding continue—having a girl who loved him wasn’t bad.

But then he remembered the scene in the cafeteria: Yunjiao rushing to save him from Chen Da Hu’s attack.

Instantly, a heavy sense of guilt washed over him.

She saved him—and he was thinking of deceiving her?

Worse than an animal!

Cang Luo pinched his thigh hard and quickly explained: “Sister Yun, you’re mistaken—the Soul-Binding Mirror isn’t what you think.”

“It’s not a treasure; it’s just an unusual mirror. It can’t take off your clothes or see through them...”

As he spoke, he pulled out his phone and took several photos of her, even leaning close for a selfie.

Yunjiao frowned slightly, lips parted in silence, watching Cang Luo fiddle with the “Soul-Binding Mirror.”

Though puzzled and curious about the mirror, she quickly realized her mistake as he explained.

This “phone,” this Soul-Binding Mirror, wasn’t a treasure—she felt no Yuan force within it.

I thought...

Once Yunjiao understood, her face flushed—not with shy embarrassment, but with angry redness.

She was furious at herself for thinking Cang Luo had seen her naked body...

Ah! How humiliating!

Did I just say I was Brother Cang’s? Will he laugh at me?

Oh heavens! If my sister finds out, she’ll mock me—and scold me too.

Yunjiao’s neck burned red, her head bowed so low it nearly touched her chest; she wished she could dig a hole and crawl into it.

She couldn’t bring herself to look at Cang Luo again.

Seeing Yunjiao silent and bowed, Cang Luo assumed she was angry, so he quietly left.

He’d explained everything; he hadn’t harmed her. Better to avoid her from now on.

At least, until he fully dealt with Chen Da Hu and uncovered the mastermind behind it all, he wanted no contact with Yunjiao.

Because he feared he’d drag her into danger.

If, after a year, the teleportation array was complete—could he take her back to Earth?

Yunjiao watched Cang Luo’s retreating back, reached out a hand as if to call him—then stayed silent...

Cang Luo caught up with Zang Feng and Liu Li, ignoring the envious, resentful glares from Liu Xuande and Li Zhan, and asked: “How can I rapidly increase my strength?”

Li Zhan immediately answered: “Absorb Yuan stones to cultivate! I used only half a month to fully absorb one low-grade Yuan stone—my cultivation rose from Warrior Level One to Level Two.”

Cang Luo stared blankly. If I had Yuan stones, would I be asking you?

But still—this guy took half a month to absorb one low-grade Yuan stone? Is that normal?

Ha! What would he think if he knew I absorbed four low-grade Yuan stones in just one hour?

Would he die of envy?

Liu Xuande slapped Li Zhan’s head and sighed: “Absorbing Yuan stones for cultivation is stable, but painfully slow.”

“By the time you finish one stone, Chen Da Hu will have recovered and come knocking—let alone his brother Chen Da Long.”

Li Zhan protested: “Then take elixirs! Take pills that speed up Yuan absorption and Yuan Wheel formation!”

Liu Xuande glared at him in exasperation and scolded: “You idiot, where do you get elixirs? Where do you get Yuan stones? Do you have any? Do I?”

Li Zhan replied seriously: “The Treasure Pavilion sells them!”

Liu Xuande didn’t even bother speaking. Cang Luo ignored Li Zhan entirely—the fool never considered whether he had money.

Buy Yuan stones? Buy elixirs?

I don’t have a single red bill on me—and even if I did, Xuantian Sect wouldn’t accept Earth money!

At that moment, Zang Feng, who had remained silent, spoke: “Absorbing Yuan stones only raises your cultivation base—not your actual strength. Cultivation and strength are two different things.”

“For example, your cultivation is Warrior Level Three, yet you defeated Chen Da Hu, who was Level Five—that’s strength.”

“Besides, having vast amounts of Yuan force is useless if you don’t know how to use it.”

“Then what do you suggest, Brother Zang?” Cang Luo deeply agreed.

Like a basic phone with a 5000mAh battery but no apps installed—what good is it beyond longer standby time?

For a martial cultivator, it’s like possessing immense Yuan force but never learning martial techniques.

You’d only be stronger and tougher—yet utterly powerless in battle, because without techniques, you can’t convert Yuan force into effective attacks.

Zang Feng fixed his gaze on Cang Luo and spoke with firm, resonant tone: “Fight desperate battles! Go to the outer edges of the Beast Forest and find lone first-tier beasts—fight to the death!”

“This will rapidly improve your combat skills, help you master techniques, and accelerate Yuan absorption.”

“Second, you can hunt beasts for Yuan stones and elixirs—and fulfill your monthly outer sect mission at the same time.”

“Disciples lacking resources but eager to grow strong all take this path...”

“How strong are first-tier beasts?” Cang Luo’s eyes lit up—he was intrigued.

Liu Xuande answered: “First-tier beasts range from Warrior Level One to Nine. Which one you meet depends on luck.”

“But don’t worry—the outer edges hold weak beasts, and we’ll go with you.”

“Same dorm, shared hardship!”

Zang Feng added: “Reward and risk go hand in hand.”

Cang Luo looked at the three with gratitude—he understood the truth.

But he was only twenty-two. What if he died?

Cang Luo hesitated, thinking of Chen Da Hu and Chen Da Long approaching—and their unseen master.

And of his family and enemies back on Earth... his ex-girlfriend—and Yunjiao too...

Thinking of them, Cang Luo decided to follow Zang Feng’s advice and enter the Beast Forest.

No sacrifice, no reward.

As they spoke, they reached a corner of the training ground.

Several outer sect disciples were practicing martial techniques under their respective stewards; one steward spotted Zang Feng and waved.

Cang Luo knew—this steward must be the one assigned to his dorm, Xin 176.

He remembered Zang Feng saying his surname was Liang.

Master Liang looked frail; his blue-green outer sect robe hung loosely on his thin frame. He was chatting with stewards from other dorms.

From afar, Cang Luo heard them talking about the year-end assessment and steward evaluations—something important, judging by their worried expressions.

Zang Feng, Liu, and Li led Cang Luo aside to wait. Soon, Master Liang ended his chat with a bitter smile and walked over.

Master Liang glanced at Cang Luo, frowning slightly—he’d assumed Cang Luo was a new disciple from his dorm.

But now, up close, he saw Cang Luo was older—likely twenty or more. Twenty-year-olds shouldn’t be outer sect disciples.

He turned to Zang Feng, puzzled: “Who is he?”

Zang Feng bowed respectfully: “Master Liang, this is Brother Cang Luo, the tenth member of our dorm.”

As Zang Feng finished, Cang Luo bowed deeply to Master Liang, presented his identity jade tablet, and watched the steward nervously while recalling:

Xuan Qingqing said outer sect stewards were all Wu Shi cultivators. How strong was Wu Shi?

Chen Da Hu, at Warrior Level Five, could punch with eight hundred to seven hundred catties of force. Above Warrior was Wu Jiang, then Wu Shi.

Could a Wu Shi take down a tank?

Master Liang had no idea what Cang Luo was thinking. He took the jade tablet, glanced at it—and his already troubled face darkened into utter despair.

Impossible! Twenty-two years old and only Warrior Level Three—and he wasn’t expelled?

A connection?

“Sigh!”

Master Liang let out a heavy sigh, wondering why the Steward Hall had assigned such an old disciple to him.

Did I offend someone? Why did they assign me a disciple with such worthless talent?

Can he pass the year-end assessment?

If he fails the year-end assessment, how will I handle my evaluation this year?

Will my year-end bonus be ruined?