Pay-to-Win Cultivation: I Get 10,000x Returns Chapter 59

Seeing the sorrow etched on her disciple’s face, Li Fuxi sighed helplessly. "You must focus on your cultivation. At the very least, achieve some success in forming your Golden Core. Then, this Master will no longer forbid you from... dual cultivating with him. By then, it would count as a minor accomplishment in the Nine Turns Jade Condensation Sutra."

She paused briefly before adding in a hushed tone, "And even if true dual cultivation isn't immediately possible... you can still be with him..."

Her words caught in her throat. A specific memory flashed through her mind—the scene she had inadvertently witnessed with her divine sense back at the spirit spring.

Ah! How could they be so shameless?

Two patches of crimson bloomed on Li Fuxi’s jade-white cheeks.

"Be with him... doing what?" Lin Yinyin asked innocently.

Li Fuxi struggled to articulate her thoughts. After a long silence, she finally squeezed out a vague reply. "...In short... you have methods to keep him tied to you."

"Ah!" Seeing the mix of embarrassment and indignation on Li Fuxi’s face, realization dawned on Lin Yinyin. A blush instantly spread from the roots of her ears down to her neck. "Master... You saw us..."

"No! This Master saw absolutely nothing!" Li Fuxi snapped, forcing a mask of composure. "It is getting late. Go meditate for a while. Shortly, I will assist you in unblocking your meridians again so you can reach the late Foundation Establishment stage as soon as possible."

Lin Yinyin cleared her throat lightly to banish the awkwardness and produced a small white jade bottle from within her robes. "There is no need to trouble Master for that. I have a faster method."

"This is..."

"A treasure Brother Zhang Xian gave me!" Lin Yinyin declared, shaking her little head triumphantly. "Master, come with me."

Lin Yinyin darted over to the edge of the spirit spring with practiced ease. She arranged three water spirit stones and two metal spirit stones, then carefully poured a single drop of spiritual liquid from the jade bottle into the water.

In a split second, the murky spring water turned crystal clear, revealing the bottom. Simultaneously, the spiritual energy grew so dense it transformed into a mist, rolling off the water’s surface.

Li Fuxi was inwardly alarmed. Enhancing a spirit spring with five mid-grade spirit stones? Even she would hesitate to spend so extravagantly! And although she didn't recognize the liquid in the bottle, judging by the extraordinary reaction of the spring, it was undoubtedly a rare treasure.

"Master, hurry up!" Lin Yinyin had already nimbly stripped off her outer garments and slipped into the water like a little fish.

Li Fuxi walked to the water's edge but hesitated. She stepped into the shallows but felt too self-conscious to remove her robes.

"It needs to touch the skin directly to be effective!" Lin Yinyin suddenly swam over, her wet little hands grabbing her Master’s sash.

"Wait! Yinyin, don't—"

Splash!

Li Fuxi’s plain white Daoist robe drifted onto the water’s surface. The moonlight caressed the woman’s jade-like skin, water droplets sliding along her exquisite collarbones before disappearing into the deep, proud valley of her cleavage.

"Wow!" Lin Yinyin’s eyes went wide and round.

Envy!

Whoosh!

Li Fuxi submerged herself completely, leaving only a pair of large, indignant eyes above the surface. Her voice came out muffled through the water. "Y-you rebellious disciple!"

However, as the spiritual energy within the spring frantically surged into her meridians, Li Fuxi couldn't help but let out a soft, contented moan. This sensation of being gently swaddled in pure spiritual power was indeed addictive.

Yinyin had not lied. Cultivating in this manner was indeed several times faster than usual.

Such a luxurious cultivation method... Li Fuxi realized that looking across the entire Southern Region, almost no one could enjoy such extravagance.

"Zhang Xian treats you really well," she murmured subconsciously.

Lin Yinyin suddenly wilted. "But Brother treats everyone so well. That Pavilion Master Yun must have received many benefits from him; otherwise, why would she personally come to our door? And Chief Liu is constantly trying to matchmake his daughter with him; even I've heard the rumors."

Suddenly leaning closer, she blinked her big eyes mischievously. "Oh right, Master, what did Brother say to you privately that day? He wouldn't tell me!"

"N-nothing!" Li Fuxi shrank back entirely. "He merely advised this Master not to enter secluded meditation for life-or-death breakthroughs... I thought about it and... it made some sense."

"What? That's letting him off too easy! Next time I'll help Master get something from him. Brother is really rich."

"N-no, that's not appropriate... What kind of Master asks her disciple for things?" Li Fuxi’s voice lacked conviction.

"Master, you can't think like that! If we don't ask for things, they'll all just end up benefiting other little vixens!"

Lin Yinyin gnashed her teeth and slapped the water's surface. "Master, we're family! Let's team up and drain him dry!"

Li Fuxi: "..."

After watching Lin Yinyin play around for a while, Li Fuxi closed her eyes and focused her mind within the spirit spring. As her energy circulated through its cycles, feeling the flow of power within her body, Li Fuxi's inner astonishment grew even greater.

The efficacy of this spiritual liquid far exceeded her expectations. Not only did it increase the speed of spiritual energy circulation several times over, but even more remarkably, it contained a trace of Heavenly Dao charm, allowing her understanding of her cultivation technique to deepen by several degrees.

After completing one full cycle of energy circulation, Li Fuxi slowly opened her eyes. Through the clear spring water, she saw Lin Yinyin resting her chin in her hands, blinking her big eyes as she stared straight at her.

Master was always so fierce before... Why does she look kind of cute when she's quiet?

Li Fuxi felt somewhat self-conscious under her disciple's direct gaze and turned her face slightly away. "Yinyin, why are you staring at this Master?"

Lin Yinyin giggled and moved closer. "Master is really beautiful."

Li Fuxi was taken aback for a moment before letting out a light hmph. "Nonsense."

Lin Yinyin's eyes rolled thoughtfully before she suddenly sighed with regret. "It's a pity this bottle of Dragon Saliva Jade Liquid has to be returned to Brother Zhang Xian in a few days."

Li Fuxi was slightly startled; her gaze unconsciously fell on the jade bottle in Lin Yinyin's hand.

She sighed inwardly. With the aid of this spiritual liquid, both hers and Lin Yinyin's cultivation speed could increase at least threefold.

Especially since she was currently at a critical stage—shattering and reforming her core. If she could continue using this liquid consistently, she was confident she could return to peak condition within a year... perhaps even advance further.

What a pity...

Such divine objects were bound to be exceptionally precious. The fact that Zhang Xian could lend it to Yinyin was already an enormous favor; how could one dare hope for more?

Lin Yinyin secretly observed her Master's expression; seeing a flicker of regret flash in Li Fuxi's eyes made Lin Yinyin secretly delighted.

She deliberately sighed with feigned melancholy. "Sigh... I'll go beg Brother Zhang Xian later and ask him to lend it for a few more days."

Li Fuxi gently tapped her forehead. "Greedy girl! Being able to borrow such a treasure is already rare enough; don't push your luck."

"But..." Lin Yinyin blinked with an aggrieved expression. "...doesn't Master need it too?"

Li Fuxi was momentarily speechless before stiffening her expression. "That is none of your concern."

Lin Yinyin nodded obediently and said no more, focusing on cultivating peacefully within the spirit spring. Perhaps stimulated by the events of the day, she cultivated with exceptional seriousness throughout the night.

Just before dawn.

The spiritual energy around Lin Yinyin began to fluctuate violently; the spiritual mist in the spring water converged frantically toward her. Her body trembled slightly in the water, and an azure-blue spiritual pattern appeared between her eyebrows.

With a soft pop, the shackles within her body shattered, and an aura belonging to the Foundation Establishment Seventh Layer instantly spread out.

"Master! I succeeded!" The young girl excitedly threw herself into Li Fuxi's embrace.

Li Fuxi showed a rare, approving smile. "Not bad, but what comes next is key."

She gathered a point of spiritual light at her fingertip and lightly tapped Lin Yinyin between the eyebrows. "Next, you need to cultivate your Nine Turns Jade Condensation Sutra until you achieve minor success. You possess a top-grade Water Spirit Root; now you can begin preparing to condense your Golden Core."

"The grade of a Golden Core, much like magical treasures, is divided into five ranks: Heaven, Earth, Mysterious, Yellow, and White."

"The first rank: White Grade Golden Core. The core body is dull and lacks luster; no phenomena occur during its formation. Spiritual power reserves are almost identical to peak Foundation Establishment, and the improvement in combat power is limited."

"The second rank: Yellow Grade Golden Core. The surface possesses a faint spiritual light; this belongs to the average standard."

"The third rank: Mysterious Grade Golden Core. The core appears a mixed blue-purple. Not many cultivators achieve this grade; those who do are already considered outstanding talents within the cultivation world."

"The fourth rank: Earth Grade Golden Core. The core interweaves crimson and gold. This is typically formed by direct disciples of top-tier sects or those born with Dao bodies. I possess dual spirit roots; by chance, I formed an Earth Grade Golden Core. But my expectations for you go beyond this."

Li Fuxi's expression turned solemn. "What I want to talk about is the fifth rank: The Heaven Grade Golden Core! The entire core resembles colored glaze. Legends say when such cores form, auspicious clouds descend from the heavens, and purple qi rolls in from the east, spanning thousands of miles. It is said only the Yunmiao Sect’s founding patriarch ever condensed such a Golden Core."

"Starting from the Earth Grade Golden Core and upward, tribulation lightning inevitably consists of six layers. This is also why this Master insists you cultivate the Nine Turns Jade Condensation Sutra—even achieving only minor success can ensure your fleshly body becomes like jade, impervious to myriad techniques. During your tribulation crossing, you will have greater assurance."

Listening attentively to Li Fuxi’s earnest teachings, Lin Yinyin’s beautiful eyes sparkled continuously.

Just a few years ago, she was merely a little girl at the Qi Refining stage... In just these few short years, she had already touched the threshold leading toward Golden Core formation.