Watching the Mountain

Chapter 285: Chapter 176: Stronger Than Me

When Xu Ran arrived at Shen Wuchen’s Cave Mansion, Shen Wuchen wasn’t there. Ye Qingyue was the one who came out to greet him.

”Master, what brings you here?”

Ye Qingyue asked, pleasantly surprised to see Xu Ran.

Xu Ran smiled at Ye Qingyue as she emerged from Shen Wuchen’s Cave Mansion and teased, ”What’s this? Afraid I’ll disturb you two lovebirds?”

Upon hearing this, Ye Qingyue’s expression remained calm. She gave him a gentle smile and said,

”Master, you should know your disciple better than that. Jokes like that might work on others, but not on me. From the moment I chose him in my heart, I was already his. I’m not afraid of what you have to say.”

Xu Ran found the poised and composed Ye Qingyue quite amusing. ”Oh, is that so? In that case, why are you blushing?”

Ye Qingyue lowered her head slightly, a look of resignation on her flushed face. She rolled her eyes subtly and sighed.

”Master, are you determined to see me embarrassed today before you’ll stop?”

”Hahaha! Weren’t you the one who said you didn’t mind?”

Xu Ran laughed heartily. ’She’s clearly so shy on the inside, yet she forces herself to act composed and say all that. And then she blushes anyway.’

’She must really like Shen Wuchen to put on such a display, staking her claim on him for all to see.’

Xu Ran sighed to himself and shook his head slightly.

This kind of innocent love was so sweet it could be felt by anyone who witnessed it.

Following Ye Qingyue into Shen Wuchen’s Cave Mansion, Xu Ran looked around. He could tell without a second thought that the exquisite decorations had nothing to do with Shen Wuchen.

’A one-track-minded guy like Shen Wuchen would never be capable of such detailed arrangements. Only a woman like Ye Qingyue would have such a deft touch.’

He remarked with a hint of admiration, ”This must be your ideal home. It’s decorated quite nicely.”

Ye Qingyue’s cheeks flushed slightly, but she maintained a composed expression as she nodded. ”That’s right. Everything here is how I’ve always imagined a home should be. He didn’t have much to say about decorating, so I just did it as I saw fit.”

Xu Ran nodded slightly and said with a smile, ”It’s lovely.”

Once they were seated inside, Ye Qingyue poured a cup of Spirit Tea for Xu Ran and said softly, ”I’ve already notified Wuchen. If you’ll just wait a moment, Master, he’ll be back shortly.”

Xu Ran nodded. The two made small talk while they waited, with Xu Ran asking about Ye Qingyue’s Cultivation and her daily life, all of which she answered with a beaming smile.

When Shen Wuchen returned, Xu Ran handed a Jade Scroll to the couple.

Shen Wuchen and Ye Qingyue glanced curiously at the Jade Scroll in their hands before placing it against their foreheads to inspect its contents.

When they finished reading, they both looked at Xu Ran in shock.

Meeting their gazes, Xu Ran smiled slightly and explained, ”This is a Cultivation Technique of my own creation.”

”This Cultivation Technique’s greatest feature is its lack of any initial attribute. At the appropriate Realm and opportune moment, a Cultivator can infuse it with whatever attribute best suits them.”

”And because it has no attribute, your Cultivation will progress much faster than with ordinary techniques.”

”The Flying Immortal Stream is all about pursuing the ultimate speed in Cultivation. If you pair it with this technique, your speed of advancing through the Realms will be even faster.”

After listening to Xu Ran’s explanation, the two of them stared at him in utter amazement.

’Creating your own Cultivation Technique is no simple feat. Even some Great Powers with profound Cultivation aren’t necessarily capable of it, let alone a technique as unique as this one.’

’Its underlying principles were different from all existing theories in the Cultivation Realm, placing it in a class of its own.’

Shen Wuchen and Ye Qingyue were both well aware of Xu Ran’s Cultivation Realm. For someone at the Purple Mansion Stage to create such a technique... ’As expected of our master.’

Shen Wuchen, in particular, was overcome with emotion. ’Master Xu bestowed upon me the path of the Flying Immortal Stream, and now he has created a companion Cultivation Technique specifically for it.’ He was moved beyond words.

He marveled once again at how incredibly fortunate he was to have met Master Xu.

After a long moment, the two of them composed themselves.

Then, Shen Wuchen asked with a puzzled look, ”Master Xu, why does this Cultivation Technique only go up to the Core Formation Stage? What about the Realms after that?”

He was genuinely confused. ’I’m already at the Nascent Soul Stage, so I can’t even use this. Did Master Xu forget?’

Xu Ran shook his head and replied calmly, ”That’s it. I’ve only created it up to the Core Formation Stage.”

Shen Wuchen froze for a moment, then asked reflexively, ”Then how am I supposed to cultivate with it?”

Xu Ran shot him a glance and said flatly, ”It wasn’t meant for you in the first place.”

”What?” Shen Wuchen looked utterly baffled. A moment ago, his heart had been swelling with gratitude, thinking Master Xu had created a companion technique just for him.

’So, was I just getting ahead of myself?’

Xu Ran looked at him, exasperated. ”What? You’re already at the Nascent Soul Stage. Do you really need me, a mere Purple Mansion Stage cultivator, to prepare a Cultivation Technique for you?”

”You’re the youngest Nascent Soul True Monarch the Cultivation Realm has seen in a hundred thousand years. Can’t you learn to stand on your own two feet?”

”To put it bluntly, would a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator like you even dare to practice a technique created by someone at my Purple Mansion Stage?”

Shen Wuchen replied without the slightest hesitation, ”Why wouldn’t I dare? My entire path of Cultivation was bestowed upon me by you, Master Xu. Cultivating a technique you created—what could be more natural?”

Hearing this, Xu Ran gently slapped his forehead. ’Right, I almost forgot. This guy Shen Wuchen has a one-track mind. I just wasted my breath.’