Chapter 296: The Local Xuan Cultivators Are Still Reliable

Sunlight streamed through the window and woke Feng Xue; he instinctively reached out to push himself up, but felt a sharp ache in his lower back. Remembering what had happened last night, Feng Xue couldn't help scratching his head and muttering to himself:

"Ouch… no wonder you made so many tonic dishes—this waist of a water snake really needs extra nourishment. Lucky I've got the Life-Lock protecting me, or I'd have been completely drained!"

"Wake up and eat!" As if perfectly attuned to Feng Xue's biological clock, just as he cast a Purify Dust spell on himself, Liu Yunxi's voice drifted into the bedroom along with the aroma of breakfast.

"Coming." Feng Xue pulled on his clothes and stepped out of the bedroom to find Liu Yunxi had added several new dishes to the leftovers from last night. Eating such a lavish meal so early felt odd, but Feng Xue rubbed his lower back and decided to indulge anyway.

"Xiao Lingdang, initiate project: Improvement Plan for the Xuanwu Co-Cultivation Pact. Emphasize yang energy output on the Wu Xiu side. Reference materials: first, bodily changes during use of the Vermilion Palace Thunder and Water Organ Thunder; second, fluctuations in primordial energy when consuming yang-boosting foods. Also pay attention to yang excess—too much is as bad as too little. Ideally, achieve dynamic balance with the soul's 'yin'."

Hearing Feng Xue's request, his wristwatch lit up immediately, followed by Xiao Lingdang's reply: "Understood. Added to the update plan. Is there anything else you need, Master?"

"Not for now." Feng Xue shook his head lightly, walked to the dining table, and pulled out a chair. Only then did he stare intently at Liu Yunxi. Sensing his gaze, she felt uneasy, hesitated, then finally asked:

"Why are you staring at me?"

"Do… damn it, that's not it! I didn't get to ask yesterday because I was swept up in the moment—what exactly are you thinking?" Feng Xue knew his words sounded callous, but the atmosphere last night had been such that asking questions then would've been rude, wouldn't it?

Though asking now was still slightly rude, Feng Xue felt that if he didn't ask, he'd wake up in a dream just to shout, "Why?"

But to Feng Xue's surprise, Liu Yunxi remained utterly calm. She set down the bowl she was holding and said plainly:

"Do you think I could have escaped anyway?"

"No… if you felt you couldn't escape, you'd have decided long ago—why yesterday?" Feng Xue's lips curled, then he realized he'd asked a stupid question. Even if it had been another day, wouldn't he still have asked, "Why today?"

But Liu Yunxi was refreshingly straightforward in this regard. She thought like a true yao, with no pretense, no flowery lines about falling in love or deepening affection—she simply stated plainly:

"You've already produced the Emperor's Dew. If you don't convert debt to equity now, you'll never get another chance. After all, with that, you can summon any number of yao, can't you?"

"So it's because of a sense of crisis?" Though slightly disappointed, Feng Xue finally felt at ease. He was the type with low security; this logical, grounded answer made him feel grounded.

But…

"Is 'debt-to-equity' really the right term? Where did you learn that?"

"From the He Zujie internet. I thought it fit perfectly." Liu Yunxi picked up a slice of stir-fried pork, popped it in her mouth, and chewed while vibrating her yao power to respond.

"Alright. By the way, can you still use that Emperor's Dew?" Feng Xue glanced at the jade carving of Su'e Huiye—the single drop of Emperor's Dew still cradled in her palm.

"I could use it—it can substitute for highly refined moonlight—but using it that way would be a waste. This is a sacred artifact capable of awakening yao! Even if you don't want to raise yao yourself, you can trade it with other yao, or even with Outriding Immortals. It's hard currency."

Liu Yunxi's tone was subtly layered. Feng Xue felt she now saw him as a wastrel master. But such energy-producing items meant little to him; what he was truly curious about was—

"What happens if a human uses it?"

What would happen if a human used Emperor's Dew? Feng Xue had pondered this long ago, when his lifespan issue was still unresolved—he'd considered testing whether humans could extend life with it.

But now, with the Jade Rabbit as his solution, testing it on himself would be irresponsible.

Yet he wasn't a demonic cultivator—he couldn't just randomly pick someone to experiment on. After some thought, he decided to ask someone.

One's conduct changes once one gains power. Six months ago, he'd have sought out the usual transmigrant-favorite thugs and hooligans as test subjects—and cleaned them up afterward.

Now, he dared to ask others. The main reason? His current strength matched that of an ordinary Initiated cultivator. Combined with the high-tech equipment from the Sea World's ancient civilization, he could even challenge a Grandmaster.

"But who should I ask?" Feng Xue pondered. He wasn't worried no one would know—Emperor's Dew erupted every sixty years; some inevitably fell on humans. Even if none did, he was certain there were always cultivators bold enough to try.

But this question didn't disrupt his cultivation routine. After finishing the lavish breakfast, he activated the Ingestion Method to refine the food, then went to the door to begin his morning practice.

…

"Hey! Morning practice?" As Feng Xue practiced his Xuanwu Stance v6.72b, a crisp voice rang out from nearby. He looked up and saw the girl he'd met yesterday standing at the alley's entrance. He kept moving, his breath steady, and used spiritual power to vibrate the air:

"What brings the Elder here?"

"Nothing urgent—just came to get familiar with your place, and to give you some information." The girl, who had lived for thousands of years, smiled warmly but spoke seriously:

"You were the one who interrupted those Japanese brats' plot yesterday, right?"

"Yes." Feng Xue nodded, owning it outright—he never intended to hide. The girl didn't waste words:

"Do you know who those Japanese brats are?"

"No idea. Are they backed by someone powerful?" Feng Xue raised an eyebrow, already considering whether to summon King Ghidorah to attack Tokyo Bay and see if he could spawn another Godzilla.

The girl waved her hand dismissively:

"In their own little patch of land, they might be powerful. But here? Even dragons must coil! I'm here to tell you: I've already taken over this grudge on your behalf. Still, some lowlifes might come bothering you privately—just stay alert."

"Oh." Feng Xue felt a flicker of disappointment—no fight coming. But seeing her clearly non-human lifespan, he couldn't help asking:

"Elder, I have a question I'd like to ask you…"

(End of Chapter)