One day passed, then two, then three. Xie Ren wandered idly around the sect, feeling restless.
His two disciples were still in seclusion, leaving him alone and bored.
Of course, he wasn't entirely without company, the little fairy was still around. But ever since the first day, she had been hiding away in her hidden space, refusing to show herself. She would respond to his questions, but never once did she appear before him.
At this pace, if they didn't leave their seclusion, he might die from boredom.
"System, this Divine vajra Physique you gave me is practically useless!" Xie Ren groaned. "I feel nothing, what's its use anyway."
[The Divine Vajra Physique is not meant for cultivation. Its purpose is to block the secrets of the heavens and prevent interference from the Dao.]
"Blocking secrets from heavens, I see." He muttered.
Just as his thoughts drifted, an angry shout cut through the air.
"Scoundrel master, prepare to die!"
Xie Ren snapped out of his thoughts as a massive sword swung toward him.
"Sigh," Xie Ren muttered. "Some people really don't learn, few days without a beating, and here they are, trying to kill their Master again!"
As the sword neared, Xie Ren raised his hand, using two fingers to trap the blade in mid-air, just like the last time. In one swift motion, he pulled Chen Yinyin under his arm, effectively subduing her.
Without hesitation, Xie Ren spanked her.
This time, however, something was different. Instead of crying out, Chen Yinyin gritted her teeth, her eyes filled with anger and frustration as tears silently streamed down her cheeks.
For a long moment, she stayed like that, her body trembling from suppressed emotions. Then, after a while, she glared at Xie Ren, her voice filled with a fierce bitterness.
"I've broken through to the early stage of Foundation Establishment, so why am I still no match for you?"
Xie Ren smirked, his eyes glinting with a mix of amusement and superiority. "Because I'm stronger than you."
Chen Yinyin's jaw tightened. Was that really the answer she was looking for?
"Scoundrel master, one day I'll chop off both your hands!"
Defeated again, Chen Yinyin stormed off, her frustration boiling over. She marched back to her hut, determined to continue cultivating. If she could not defeat Xie Ren in the Foundation Establishment stage, she would surpass him in the Golden Core stage. If not that, then the Nascent Soul stage.
There was no way someone in the Qi Refining stage could possibly defeat her, the former Demon Sovereign!
But as she reached the door of her hut, a voice called out from behind her.
"Stop right there, come here. I have a technique to teach you," Xie Ren called lazily.
Despite Chen Yinyin's rebellious attitude, Xie Ren did not hold back in his teachings. After all, the girl harbored a deep-seated grudge and could not afford to stagnate in her cultivation.
"What level of technique are you giving me?" Chen Yinyin asked, her tone filled with arrogance. "Let me tell you, I usually cultivate Sovereign-grade techniques. If it's anything lower than Heaven-grade, don't waste my time!"
Xie Ren chuckled, his eyes glinting with mischief. "You talk too much. Is your backside not sore anymore?"
Chen Yinyin bit her lip, holding back a sharp retort. Reluctantly, she walked up to Xie Ren, still fuming.
Few minutes later, the technique had been passed to her. She stared at it in stunned silence, unable to believe what she was holding in her hands.
"Scoundrel master," she began, her voice full of disbelief. "What level is this divine-grade technique?"
Xie Ren amused. Even Chen Yinyin, a former Demon Sovereign, didn't know what a Divine-grade technique was. This was a rewards from system for his disciple.
"Look at you. So unrefined. You're a reincarnated Sovereign, and yet you don't even know what a Divine-grade technique is? How embarrassing."
Chen Yinyin's eyes narrowed, her gaze sharp. "You know I'm a reincarnated Sovereign?"
Xie Ren grinned, the amusement never leaving his face. "What do you think? Before I took you in as a disciple, didn't I already tell you that a Sovereign is just the beginning of real strength?"
Chen Yinyin pouted, but to his surprise, she didn't argue. There was something about Xie Ren, he was a mystery wrapped in layers, and it irked her.
Could he also be a reincarnate like her? She speculated, but seeing his weak cultivation, she shook that thought off.
He knew her identity as a reincarnated Demon Sovereign, he knew she will to get her revenge against him, yet he still handed her such a powerful technique. What was his game? She wondered.
She opened her mouth, about to call him a "Scoundrel" again, but something in Xie Ren's expression made her stop.
"Master," she said instead, "Even though you've taught me a Divine-grade technique, I will still kill you. You slapped my backside, after all."
Xie Ren's grin only widened, his confidence unwavering. "If you want to kill me, you'll first need the strength to do so."
"Just wait! Once my cultivation is complete, I'll make sure to kill you!" Chen Yinyin shouted as she stormed off to resume her cultivation..
Xie Ren watched her go, his expression weary.
"Sigh... what a mess. I picked up a disciple, and she's a reincarnated Demon Sovereign. Being a Demon Sovereign is not the issue, it's this rebellious disciple who keeps trying to kill me!"
Frustrated, Xie Ren decided a stroll down the mountain might help clear his head.
As he stepped out of the Celestial Currents Formation, a plump wild pigeon fluttered overhead, cooing lazily as it drifted through the sky.
Suddenly, with impeccable timing, it released a large pile of droppings, right above Xie Ren's handsome face.
With a deep sigh, he muttered, "Soaring high doesn't make one noble… clearly, it just gives a better angle to strike the unfortunate below."
He didn't consider himself a saint, and with a swift movement, he dodged the droppings, barely avoiding the mess.
Without wasting another second, Xie Ren grabbed a rock the size of his fist from the ground and hurled it with pinpoint accuracy.
There was a sharp "ku!" as the rock struck the crane, and the bird plummeted from the sky with a startled cry.
"That'll teach you to drop poop on me!" Xie Ren said, his grin widening as he marched over to the fallen bird. He grabbed the plump pigeon and began heading back up the mountain.
Though he had not found the comforting company he'd hoped for, catching the pigeon wasn't the worst outcome.
Before long, Xie Ren had the pigeon roasted, its savory aroma filling the air. The delicious scent drifted on the wind, reaching the noses of Lan Yue and Chen Yinyin, who were deep in their cultivation.