Chapter 55: Master, Please Accept This Disciple’s Bow

No wonder the people of Chixiao Peak said Li Qingran's cultivation progress was slow. 

It would be strange if a water spirit root cultivating a fire-aligned technique progressed quickly. 

They probably only thought about getting Li Qingran to join Chixiao Peak but didn't consider whether there was a suitable cultivation method for her. Fortunately, the Battle Pass reward for reaching Qi Refining peak was a copy of the *Tidesurge Art*, which was a perfect match for the water spirit root. It could definitely serve as Li Qingran's foundational cultivation method. 

While Chen Huaian was pondering this, Li Qingran had already completed the process of dispelling her cultivation. 

She stood there timidly, like a stubborn little flower, smiling brightly at Chen Huaian. 

For any cultivator, dispelling one's cultivation meant abandoning all previous progress. 

No one would casually discard the cultivation they had worked so hard to achieve. 

Li Qingran didn't know there was a *Tidesurge Art* waiting for her. 

She simply wanted to help Chen Huaian, not just with words but with immediate action. 

Every action has its consequences, and fate will decide. 

Chen Huaian took out a jade slip with wave-like patterns: "This is the *Tidesurge Art*, a water-aligned cultivation method. Since you've lost your inner cultivation technique, you'll cultivate this from now on. Once you reach the peak, this venerable one will give you something even better." 

Li Qingran didn't take the *Tidesurge Art*. Instead, she tilted her head, her eyes filled with anticipation: "Senior, are you going to take me as your disciple?" 

"Huh?" Chen Huaian was stunned. 

He was just a fake Unity Realm cultivator. How could he be Li Qingran's master? 

Of course, he wasn't belittling himself. After all, he was a paying player, and he would rise eventually. He had planned to take Li Qingran as his disciple once he achieved something significant. That way, he could stand tall and confident, without fear of being exposed. 

"Senior is hesitating." Li Qingran lowered her head and smiled sadly. "That's right. Senior already has over a hundred female disciples waiting to be nurtured. You don't have the energy to take on another little disciple…" 

Chen Huaian slowly typed out a question mark. 

Over a hundred? Female disciples? And, waiting to be nurtured? 

Since when?! 

"This venerable one… has no disciples." 

Li Qingran knelt down with a thud and bowed deeply: "Master, please accept this disciple's bow!" 

Chen Huaian: "…" 

Just… just like that? He hadn't even agreed yet! What if he got exposed later?! 

But since things had come to this, it would be awkward to refuse. Her favorability was already at 80, and rejecting her would definitely cause it to drop. 

"Hmm." Chen Huaian straightened his face, pretending to stroke a nonexistent beard, and said in a deep voice, "From today onward, you are this venerable one's closed-door disciple! A true direct disciple. This venerable one will teach you diligently, and you must cultivate well, improve your realm and lifespan, live for ten thousand years, and not disappoint this venerable one's expectations." 

"Yes, Master! Qingran will remember!" 

The two smiled at each other. 

In an ordinary mortal tavern, they formed a bond that spanned two worlds. 

… 

"Everything in the world is connected by cause and effect. It is precisely because of cause and effect that we are constantly drawn closer." Chen Huaian took off the VR helmet, and this sentence unconsciously surfaced in his mind, making him shake his head. 

The disciple ceremony wasn't particularly grand. Li Qingran improvised, borrowing tea from the tavern to offer as a gesture of respect. 

When asked how she could join another sect after already having a master, 

Li Qingran simply said, "A master is a master, and a teacher is a teacher." 

Many sects in the Cangyun Realm didn't have particularly strict rules. 

Of course, for disciples who already had a master, sects generally wouldn't teach them the most core techniques. Joining a sect didn't necessarily mean becoming a disciple. Most disciples didn't have—and weren't qualified to have—a master. Their knowledge mainly came from the sect's scripture pavilion and the elders who took turns lecturing on the training grounds. 

Chen Huaian handed all the Thunderfire Talismans to Li Qingran for self-defense, then logged out of the game. 

Li Qingran's goal was Lingxi Valley. 

From the map, all the cultivators from Lingxi Valley in Tianquan City were marked as green dots, indicating absolute friendliness. 

Such a sect could be trusted completely. 

Sects like the Spirit Taming Sect, the Zen Sect, and the Sun Crown Pavilion weren't as reliable. 

Their cultivators were a mix of yellow and green dots, clearly not easy to deal with. Besides Lingxi Valley, the Sword Pavilion also had green, friendly dots, but the Sword Pavilion only recruited one new cultivator, which seemed rather pitiful. 

"Qingran is going to join the sect. I should go earn some money too." 

Chen Huaian glanced at the time; it was getting late. 

He changed his clothes and prepared a bowl of white rice for Ba Ji. As soon as he opened the door, he noticed something outside. 

Looking down, he saw two packages. 

Thunderfire Talismans, Qingran's Spirit Tea—these were the words written on the packages. 

Chen Huaian fell silent, slowly typing out a question mark. 

So, the Thunderfire Talismans from the main quest were for him? 

But what use were they to him?! 

If he stuck them on the door, people would think he was crazy! 

Chen Huaian opened the package. Inside were indeed ten Thunderfire Talismans, exquisitely crafted, with the faint smell of cinnabar. 

"No sincerity, just ordinary items." Chen Huaian was speechless. 

These things were only good for decoration. 

He stuck one on the window and one on the door. Paired with the black-scaled sword on the wall, the decor of the budget hotel's standard room suddenly took on a somewhat eerie vibe. 

"Not bad, it's got that atmosphere." 

Though he wasn't satisfied with his words, he actually thought it was quite good. 

Chen Huaian then opened the package containing the spirit tea. 

He thought it would be tea leaves, but inside was actually a cup of tea. The lid and cup were sealed with a vacuum film. After tearing off the film and opening the lid, the tea inside was still warm. 

"Holy crap! Are these people staying near me?!" 

In ancient times, there was Guan Yu warming wine before slaying Hua Xiong. Today, there's the game developers warming tea to deliver items. 

They've gone all out to provide the best 1v1 experience for paying players. 

Now that's sincerity! 

Chen Huaian didn't doubt it. He lifted the cup and took a sip. 

As he brought the cup closer to his nose, he caught the same faint fragrance that was on the amulet and bracelet. 

Chen Huaian had a look of complete enchantment on his face. 

Exquisite, truly exquisite. 

This gaming experience, even if it's just drinking ordinary tea, makes me feel physically relaxed and mentally sharper. 

Little did he know, the game was frantically popping up notifications. 

Your remaining lifespan: 45 days 

Your remaining lifespan: 84 days 

Your remaining lifespan: 79 days 

The notifications kept popping up, and his lifespan fluctuated like an ECG. 

Finally, it settled on Your remaining lifespan: 78 days. 

After finishing the tea, Chen Huaian placed the teacup under his pillow. He took two steps, then suddenly froze, looking down at his legs. 

"My legs… I can walk?" 

He moved around a bit, then removed the cast, confirming that he could indeed walk. 

As the saying goes, it takes a hundred days to heal from a bone injury. 

For someone like him with osteosarcoma, it wouldn't be a matter of a hundred days—it would likely result in permanent disability. But now, the fractured area had healed, and he even felt more comfortable moving than before. 

"Hiss—! Something's not right…" 

Chen Huaian stroked his chin, deep in thought. 

What was the reason for this? 

Was it the Revitalizing Needle? The Meridian-Opening Needle? Or had the cancer cells activated some latent genetic potential? 

Had the cancer cells turned him into a vampire with superhuman healing abilities? 

Chen Huaian immediately grabbed a blade and made a small cut on his finger. 

Blood oozed out, but the wound quickly clotted and scabbed over. 

Chen Huaian was shocked, then overjoyed, placing his hands on his hips. 

"Holy crap, am I turning into a superhero?!" 

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! This venerable one is a SUPERHERO!" 

… 

The shoebox opened a crack. 

Ba Ji peeked out with his cat-like eyes, staring at Chen Huaian. 

Hiss—! Something's off. What's this big shot so happy about? Isn't it just the spiritual energy circulating in his body, speeding up the healing of internal and external injuries? He has immortal artifacts and a magic sword—doesn't he know these basic things? 

No, this beast has to leave. There's opportunity here, but it's also full of weirdness… 

This king has just revived; I can't die here… 

As a newly born Taotie cub that had taken over a black cat's body, 

Ba Ji only needed to eat to grow stronger. 

He had thought following this big shot would mean good food, but all he got here was plain white rice every day. Plus, this big shot seemed to be showing signs of qi deviation. 

Danger, extreme danger! 

I have to leave! 

If I don't leave, I'm done for! 

His gaze locked onto the door. 

As long as he waited for this person to leave, the world was vast—there was nowhere he couldn't go. 

All he needed to do was keep eating, and one day, he would grow into an unparalleled existence. 

Hehehe! 

As if he had already envisioned that day, 

Ba Ji's lips curled into a sinister smile. 

… 

…