Chapter 299: Sleight of Hand, Easy Pickings

Chapter 299 -296: Sleight of Hand, Easy Pickings

Under Liu Qingmeng’s watchful gaze, Jiang Ning’an’s cultivation was skyrocketing.

A massive amount of Heart Image was continuously converting into Spiritual Qi. Her Spiritual Power, once a gently flowing stream, now overflowed from her body, creating a phenomenon of Wind and Cloud.

As the Spiritual Qi surged, the candlelight throughout the Scripture Pavilion flickered erratically, swaying back and forth.

The young woman’s long, ink-black hair floated up as if of its own accord, and the fierce flapping of her robes sent the ancient books rustling loudly.

A visible vortex of Spiritual Qi coalesced around Xiaojiang. In the candlelight, faint wisps of a cyan halo appeared on Jiang Ning’an’s face.

Witnessing her disciple’s cultivation phenomenon, Liu Qingmeng had mixed feelings.

To be honest, when she had given Jiang Ning’an the *Lush Greenery* Cultivation Technique, it was just a casual move, a piece placed idly on the board.

She had thought it would, at most, increase her disciple’s cultivation speed by a few times.

But she had never imagined that her disciple would turn out to have a natural Victim Sacred Body, or that Fang Can possessed a beauty that could topple nations.

The two of them together were truly a match made in heaven.

Her Realm, which had stagnated for years after she reached the Third Turn, improving only drop by drop, was now showing signs of breaking through to the Fourth Turn.

Under Liu Qingmeng’s watch, Xiaojiang’s Realm shot up as if on a “green” accelerator, quickly reaching the peak of the Third Turn and stabilizing.

After stabilizing, Xiaojiang’s cultivation didn’t stop; instead, she began charging toward the Fourth Turn.

Between the Third and Fourth Turn lies a massive barrier that ordinary cultivators might not break through in their entire lifetime.

But now, backed by the power of nine million instances of “victimhood,” Xiaojiang’s cultivation surged with unstoppable force.

Relying on her [Endless Victim] status, she charged toward the Fourth Turn Realm, showing faint signs of breaking through.

‘Is Jiejian Mountain going to gain another Fourth Turn cultivator today?’

Liu Qingmeng thought to herself as she watched her disciple cultivate. At this rate, she would probably reach the legendary Fourth Turn Realm in less than two hours.

Unfortunately, a few minutes later, Jiang Ning’an’s soaring cultivation speed suddenly stalled, and the massive amount of Spiritual Qi vanished completely.

“I was so close,” Jiang Ning’an said helplessly as she opened her eyes. “This is a really good Cultivation Technique, but it’s just too unstable.”

If it had lasted for another ten-plus minutes, she might have truly ascended straight to the Fourth Turn Realm.

She hoped it would last longer next time, that the efficiency of the surge would be greater. It would be best if it never stopped at all.

Sensing the presence behind her, the young woman turned and quickly bowed. “Master, when did you arrive?”

‘I came over after I noticed you were being cuckolded like crazy,’ Liu Qingmeng grumbled inwardly. But she felt as if a hat was being subtly placed on her own head as well.

Her fingertips brushed through the lingering Spiritual Qi as she asked, a hint of frustration in her voice, “How were the results of your cultivation?”

The young woman turned back, reporting cheerfully, “Master, I’ve officially broken through to the peak of the Third Turn! Can I try to break through to the Fourth Turn now?”

Liu Qingmeng looked at the clueless young woman with a complicated expression, still wondering what on earth Fang Can was up to in the Great Derivation to cause such a huge commotion!

Then, the young woman said enthusiastically, “Master, the Cultivation Technique you gave me is amazing! The effects are so powerful. Are you practicing it too, Master?”

Suppressing the speechless feeling rising within her, Liu Qingmeng shook her head slowly, her blue hair stirring slightly. “It’s because of your special constitution that this Cultivation Technique has such a great effect.”

“Thank you for teaching me this Cultivation Technique, Master.” Gratitude welled up in Jiang Ning’an’s heart. Then, she asked expectantly, “This Disciple has now reached the peak of the Third Turn, and Fang Can is in no danger. May this Disciple have permission to descend the mountain?”

As she spoke, the tips of Jiang Ning’an’s ears flushed with a faint, excited red.

She was remembering what her Master had said: once she reached the peak of the Third Turn, she could break through to the Fourth Turn by engaging in Dual Cultivation with Fang Can.

Of course, whether they actually did any Dual Cultivation didn’t matter. Her main goal was to reach the Fourth Turn Realm.

How could the young woman’s intentions escape Liu Qingmeng? Inside her mind, her inner delusion was already shouting:

‘No! Absolutely not! I haven’t even had a taste of Fang Can yet! Doesn’t Xiaojiang understand the meaning of respecting her master? She should obediently get in line behind me. I’ll go cultivate for you first.’

Listening to the words of the delusion in her mind, Liu Qingmeng, who usually found it annoying, suddenly felt it might have a point or two.

Liu Qingmeng’s expression turned stern. “Permission denied. You are now only a step away from the Fourth Turn. This is the time to focus your mind and prepare for the breakthrough. You are not to leave the mountain until you reach the Fourth Turn.”

Her request to go down the mountain for Dual Cultivation denied, Jiang Ning’an’s excited expression fell.

“Now is the time for you to strive forward. It will be easier once you reach the Fourth Turn,” Liu Qingmeng said. “And when Fang Can comes up the mountain in a while, you are not to indulge yourself either.”

“What?” Jiang Ning’an’s eyes shone like stars. “Fang Can is coming up the mountain?”

The inner delusion sneered: ‘What is this Disciple thinking? Even if he comes up the mountain, it won’t be your turn. I’m going to have him all to myself!’

Liu Qingmeng nodded slightly. “That’s right. The Sixth Turn secret realm will be opening soon. To prevent being caught unprepared, I will invite Fang Can up the mountain for a discussion and to stay for a few days.”

“Besides, he now holds sway over the court of Great Derivation, and the experts of the other four sects have dwindled. We do indeed need to discuss the distribution of benefits.”

The delusion: ‘Quite the collection of excuses. You just want a ma—’

Silencing the delusion in her mind, Liu Qingmeng looked at her eager disciple and refused, “I will go convey the message myself. You just focus on your cultivation here on the mountain.”

…

Leaving the master and disciple to their conversation, Fang Can enjoyed a few rare days of peace.

There were no women to harass him and no external enemies to restrain him. After the battle of the Fourth Turn, he was completely at leisure.

Following the abbot’s earlier advice, Fang Can spent the next few days focusing more on his spiritual and mental cultivation, trying his best not to let impure thoughts arise in his mind.

The effect was obvious. Fang Can could now look upon beauty without having lustful thoughts.

During the day, he would attend court to advise the empress on state affairs, after which he would return alone to the Fang Mansion to cultivate.

Of course, he also learned from Feng Qiaoyan about the strange things that had happened to the female players.

The scarlet, upright characters that appeared on those players, including Feng Qiaoyan, made Fang Can feel a bit guilty. He had no idea how simply changing a class could lead to such a situation.

According to Feng Qiaoyan, at least a million couples in the Interstellar Federation had broken up after that day and were now searching everywhere for the source of that pleasure.

An exorbitant price was even offered on the black market: anyone who could provide the source of the “divine revelation” would be rewarded with tens of thousands of resource-rich planets.

“So, Senior Fang Can,” Feng Qiaoyan said with an infatuated smile, looking at the young man who was meditating with his eyes closed, “it’s only natural that I was captured by you, isn’t it?”

‘I’ve observed you. You won’t wake up for at least four hours when you’re cultivating.’

Feng Qiaoyan nervously grabbed Fang Can’s pale wrist. ‘Just let Qiaoyan borrow it once. Afterward, I’ll wash your hand clean for you.’