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"Little sister, now that you have a lover, you've forgotten your elder brother!"
A middle-aged scholar walked over and teased.
"Brother," Chen Qiaoqian shyly stepped away from her lover's embrace and whispered.
Qi Yuan looked at the man and greeted him respectfully, "Big Brother."
The eldest brother of the Chen family nodded with satisfaction and said, "Junior Brother Qi, I'll be waiting for you to visit the Chen family and propose marriage, haha..."
Chen Qiaoqian blushed and protested softly, "Brother, I haven't decided to get married yet. Why are you in such a hurry?"
"After I complete foundation building, I will visit the Chen family," Qi Yuan responded solemnly. Given their relationship, he felt it was necessary to meet Chen Qiaoqian's parents.
"Alright, alright..." The eldest brother of the Chen family chuckled before bowing and taking his leave.
"Junior Sister Chen, let's go back," Qi Yuan said, turning to the beauty beside him.
Chen Qiaoqian's eyes were filled with tenderness as she gazed at her lover. She listened to his words and nodded slightly.
Without hesitation, Qi Yuan embraced the fiery beauty and flew toward Hongfu's cave. He suddenly realized that he had no personal residence for the time being and would have to stay at Hongfu Cave for a few days.
Watching the two fly away, Dong Xuan'er was momentarily stunned. Then, realization dawned, and she clenched her fists, her eyes burning with frustration.
He left without even saying a word. Damn Qi Yuan!
...
The moment they entered the wing room, Chen Qiaoqian took the initiative and kissed Qi Yuan.
She had likely been longing for him over the past few days.
How could Qi Yuan let such an opportunity slip away?
Meanwhile, he casually tossed the foundation-building pills he had taken from Senior Brother Lu into the storage, accumulating over a dozen for his upcoming breakthrough.
Chen Qiaoqian, missing him as if it had been years instead of days, passionately expressed her emotions. Only when she became breathless did she release him, whispering in a delicate voice, "Brother Qi, I missed you."
Qi Yuan caught the hidden meaning in her words and teased, "Calling me Senior Brother feels too formal, dear Qian'er..."
Chen Qiaoqian's clear eyes became misty. Remembering their past sweet moments, she murmured softly, "Husband, Qian'er's heart feels cold. I need your warmth."
Though she had never trained in seduction techniques, her experiences had given her the charm of a mature woman. She no longer had the innocent temperament of a young girl.
If Nangong Wan was like a mature older sister, then Chen Qiaoqian had the aura of a charming young woman, while Han Yunzhi had become more obedient and trusting of Qi Yuan. Dong Xuan'er, on the other hand, still needed some taming before she could be fully controlled.
Qi Yuan inhaled the beauty's fragrance, his desire rising. Her alluring voice only fueled his fire. Without hesitation, he lifted Chen Qiaoqian's delicate figure and carried her toward the bath.
Washing one bed's worth of bedding was fine. Two was still manageable. Three, he could tolerate. But if it were over a dozen...
His solution? Forget the bed altogether!
Half a month passed like this.
Now, Qi Yuan had nearly twenty blue foundation-building pills in his storage bag. At the same time, he and Chen Qiaoqian had agreed to enter seclusion together to break through to the foundation-building stage.
Her cultivation had also reached the stage of preparation for foundation building.
Qi Yuan thought it would be efficient for them to use pills and practice dual cultivation together, significantly shortening the time needed.
After all, he possessed a top-tier dual cultivation technique given to him by Hongfu, and its effects were remarkable.
Before that, however, he needed to rent a secluded cultivation room with spiritual veins to ensure he reached his peak before attempting the breakthrough.
It so happened that Hongfu had recently returned to the cave, and he needed to pay his respects before making any arrangements.
"You want to rent a secluded cultivation room for foundation building?" Hongfu set down her spiritual tea and asked.
Qi Yuan replied earnestly, "Disciple's cultivation has nearly reached the peak of the Qi training stage. It is time to make preparations."
As he spoke, his gaze briefly landed on the beautiful woman seated before him. Her snow-white skin had no makeup, yet she remained stunning.
Her neatly tied hair was adorned with simple wooden hairpins, without any dazzling ornaments.
Her aura was like the cool, clear water of a mountain stream—refreshing and serene.
She wore a loose gray robe, which concealed her exquisite figure while seated. Only when she stood and moved did her graceful curves become apparent.
Years of pure cultivation had left their mark on her, likely stemming from the heartbreak she once endured.
"I'm planning to leave soon to oversee the refining of the pills I requested and to collect some rare herbs. I'll be gone for at least four or five years," Hongfu said, raising her eyes slightly.
Seeing the boy's gaze, she noted that it held no improper intent and let it pass.
"My secluded cultivation room will be empty anyway, so you can use it for your foundation building," she added.
Qi Yuan's expression brightened with gratitude. The cultivation room used by Hongfu was undoubtedly the best in Huangfeng Valley. He never expected to be allowed to use it.
She must have been going to oversee the refining of the thousand-year elixir. If the alchemist attempted to steal the medicine, it would be a significant loss.
Hongfu chuckled. "You brought honor to me in the Blood Forbidden Land and gifted me a thousand-year elixir. Letting you use a secluded room is nothing in comparison."
Qi Yuan didn't dare stare at her. Her sudden smile, like an ice flower blooming, was mesmerizing. But he knew better than to praise her now—it would be seen as frivolous.
He responded respectfully, "Disciple thanks Grandmaster for her kindness."
Hongfu subtly restrained her emotions, gathering a hint of her usual cold demeanor. She secretly glanced at the young man, and seeing that he remained composed, she sighed in relief.
Why did I smile just now?
After making her arrangements, Hongfu left as quickly as she had arrived.
Qi Yuan took the restriction token for the cultivation room and immediately began preparing for his foundation building.
Before long, he and Chen Qiaoqian entered the retreat, ignoring the resentful gaze of Dong Xuan'er.
Their days became a monotonous cycle of cultivation.
Fortunately, Hongfu's retreat room, though simple and elegant, was well-equipped with books and bathing facilities. Whenever he grew weary of cultivation, he would read or take a bath to relax.
One year later, both he and Chen Qiaoqian successfully broke through to the foundation-building stage. However, her elder brother failed to advance once again.
Upon hearing the news, Chen Qiaoqian was heartbroken.
To comfort her, Qi Yuan had to use all his skills to bring her into a state of complete pleasure, easing her sorrow.
During his seclusion, Qi Yuan occasionally felt that someone had tampered with the restrictions outside the cultivation room. However, whenever he checked, he found no trace of anyone.
This left him puzzled.
Had Hongfu returned?
It didn't seem likely.
She was not the type to act in secret, especially in her own retreat room. If she had returned, she would have entered openly.
Not having his own protective formations left him feeling uneasy.
Xin Ruyin, it's about time I went to find you.
Winter turned to spring.
Five years passed.
Qi Yuan remained in the retreat, cultivating diligently and advancing rapidly.
With a combination of dual cultivation, elixirs, and a top-tier retreat room, his progress was astonishing.
He was just a step away from reaching the mid-foundation stage, but the prolonged seclusion had begun to take a toll on his emotions, making him restless.
Flipping through the books in the retreat room, he found his answer.
It wasn't a mental demon—it was simply the effect of being cooped up for too long.
He just needed a break.
Before stepping out, he and Chen Qiaoqian had a sparring match to test each other's progress.
The result? She was still no match for him.
(End of Chapter)