One more catty, one more attribute point

"Greetings, Daoist Ling Weizi," Su Heng said, slightly nodding his head as he brought his hands together and bowed.

"Thank you for taking care of Shunying," Daoist Ling Weizi pursed her lips and smiled, "Just call me Ling Weizi, please."

"Brother Su has come this time to cultivate the Fiery Sun Sect's Bright Sun Divine Skill," Qin Shunying lowered her head slightly towards Ling Weizi and said seriously, "I have already agreed to this matter with Brother Su, and I hope my master will not take offense."

"It seems Shunying is quite fond of you," Ling Weizi said with a sly smile, her gaze towards Su Heng laced with a bit of teasing.

"Master!" Qin Shunying raised her hand to her forehead, her expression somewhat helpless.

"All right, I'm just joking," Ling Weizi said with a smile, "However, Shunying is usually warm on the outside and cold on the inside. If she's willing to personally bring you here, you must have some exceptional qualities."

"But, um..."

The divine light flickered in Ling Weizi's clear pupils as if she saw something extraordinary in Su Heng.

Your next chapter awaits on empire

"To have such cultivation at this age is truly remarkable."

"You flatter me too much," Su Heng replied, nodding his head.

"Since Qin Shunying has decided on this matter, I trust her judgment of character," Ling Weizi said with a gentle smile on her face, her small dimples showing when she smiled. She nodded slightly at Su Heng, "Then, Young Master, please follow me."

Ling Weizi turned around and took a step forward.

Both Su Heng and Qin Shunying followed closely behind, and in the blink of an eye, they arrived inside a cave.

This place was grand in scope, reaching a hundred meters in height, big enough to encapsulate an entire Demon Suppression Tower. The surrounding rock walls were covered in clusters of red crystals that swayed slightly like plants. Directly in front of Su Heng was a golden-red lake of magma, bubbling with viscous blisters.

The air was filled with the scent of sulfur and raging fire.

A thick mist lingered.

The sight deep within the cave was obscured by the distorted air and fiery smoke, making it unclear.

Another notable point was the extreme heat here, which was astonishingly intense. Su Heng's physique was as strong as a dragon's, yet even he felt a bit uncomfortable here. Looking around, only a few scattered people were sitting cross-legged in meditation, seemingly utilizing something within the cave for their cultivation, their expressions pained.

Next to Su Heng, within the heat-distorted air,

Qin Shunying's face was calm, but she still had a trace of sweat on her smooth forehead, and a few strands of hair stuck to her cheeks—clearly affected by the harsh environment, even though her cultivation of the Bright Sun Divine Skill seemingly did not grant her complete immunity.

On the other hand, Ling Weizi—whose exact level of cultivation was unknown—stood unaffected in what could be considered a furnace of purgatory, even appearing a bit cooler than the environment outside.

"This cave was not formed naturally but was created when a meteor fell from the sky countless years ago, altering the landscape and merging with the earth's fire. In addition to being located in a mystic realm with a unique environment, it was transformed into a place of cultivation by a senior of the Fiery Sun Sect using the power of the earth's veins," Ling Weizi looked up and explained simply.

"The essence of the Bright Sun Divine Skill is inscribed on the meteorite deep within the cave," Ling Weizi added, raising her head.

"The environment here is indeed formidable," said Su Heng, his eyes glinting slightly as he nodded, "So, as long as one goes deep into the cave, they can learn the Bright Sun Divine Skill."

"Correct," Ling Weizi replied with a smile.

"Then, thank you for your guidance," Su Heng said, his gaze shifting towards the depths of the cave.

Ling Weizi's smile was unchanged, and she was about to speak when suddenly a disturbance came from deep within the cave. First, the ground started to tremble slightly, and then the large magma lake began to surge with waves. Thick smoke mixed with the smell of sulfur rolled in, blocking the view.

"Cough cough!" Ling Weizi covered her mouth with her hand.

She waved her arms, summoning a gust of wind that scattered the engulfing fog throughout the cave.

"This is a normal occurrence caused by the disturbance of the earth's veins; there's no need for panic," Ling Weizi explained while taking out an ancient golden ring from her bosom, "To reach the depths, one needs a ring forged from Ice Crystal Meteorite Iron to dispel the fierce earthly fire..."

"Ah!?"

As she was speaking, Ling Weizi's voice gradually faded.

Her eyes widened as she looked around, but Su Heng was nowhere to be seen.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Standing on tiptoes and straining to look ahead, she could just make out a fading black shadow through the mist, quickly disappearing around the corner.

Outside the cave on an open ground.

Ling Weizi lifted her head, exchanging a bewildered look with Qin Shunying beside her.

"Master, can't you finish your sentence all at once?" Qin Shunying spread her hands, a helpless expression on her face.

"Why are you taking his side!" Ling Weizi's eyes reddened just slightly, "What's with young people nowadays being so impulsive, this could be troublesome."

"Could it be that I'm too nagging and have become an old woman?"

Ling Weizi suddenly widened her eyes, her face froze in shock, and she turned to Qin Shunying with a look of horror.

"Not at all..." Qin Shunying's shoulders slumped, and with another sigh, she repeated mechanically, "Master, you are as beautiful as a flower, forever eighteen."

"That's a relief, that's a relief," Ling Weizi tilted her head, her face blooming with a blissful smile.

"Now is not the time to discuss these things, right?"

Qin Shunying frowned and said, "Brother Su just went in like that, what should we do, should we try to pull him back?"

"The space inside is so vast, and there's fog obscuring perception." Ling Weizi spoke gently, "Even you would find it difficult to locate him, right?"

"That's true." Qin Shunying nodded, "Then is there a good method?"

"We might as well wait for him here." Ling Weizi seemed to possess some extremely rare space-related artifact, firstly taking out two solid wood stools from her bosom, followed by a chessboard-engraved tea table, complete with a full set of tea appliances and more.

"..." Qin Shunying looked at her master, who had already settled herself comfortably and started to enjoy life, her facial expression somewhat stiff.

"Is it really okay for us to do this?" Qin Shunying felt it was somewhat inappropriate.

"Don't worry." Ling Weizi, squinting her eyes, placed the jade teapot against her fair cheek, smiling as she spoke, "After a while, that child won't be able to stand it and will run out on his own."

"Alright." Qin Shunying was finally persuaded.

Sitting down in front of Ling Weizi, she first poured a full cup of tea for her master, then poured one for herself.

Through the curling aroma of the tea, Ling Weizi's smiling face gradually became serene. Her eyes, gentle as water, looked at her disciple, and after a moment of silence, Ling Weizi's calm, slightly helpless voice came through, "Have you made up your mind about the Golden Crow Secret Store?"

The expression on Qin Shunying's face suddenly stiffened, then she nodded.

"This is the last chance." She looked at her master with a determined gaze, "With the royal blood of the Farhope clan flowing through my veins, having inherited such talent, I should carry this responsibility. Even if the Golden Crow Secret Store can't end up in my hands, it must not fall into the hands of those demons, even if it means destroying it."

"But..."

Ling Weizi wanted to say more, but upon seeing the inexplicably firm expression on Qin Shunying's face.

Knowing her disciple's nature all too well, she understood that further persuasion would be fruitless, eventually letting out a sigh.

"I'm sorry, I'm of no use as a master; I can't help you much with this." Ling Weizi's eyes betrayed a trace of helplessness as she took out a wooden box from her bosom, "Inside here is a feather I once left behind, which, as long as you still draw breath, no matter how grievous the injury..."

"Just crush it, and you will instantly recover to your peak."

"Master, this!?" Qin Shunying's face was moved, her pupils trembling slightly.

Anyone who heard such a description would understand the value of the feather in the box—immeasurable. It could turn the tides in dire situations, much like having an extra life. But such a treasure must also be exceedingly important to her master, and her current condition was...

"Take it, or I will be angry." Ling Weizi stood with hands on her hips, her face rarely showing a hint of seriousness.

"Alright..." Qin Shunying carefully accepted the box, holding it against her chest.

"That's more like it, you're a good child." A smile returned to Ling Weizi's face.

Qin Shunying bowed her head, while Ling Weizi's gaze, through the curling white steam above the teacup, fell on Qin Shunying. She remembered when she had just adopted her, how the small girl, yet so austere as if she were an adult, always concealed things, unwilling to talk much about anything.

She had not expected that in the blink of an eye, she would have grown so much.

Ling Weizi shook her head, then her complexion suddenly turned pale, a sense of weakness emanating from her heart.

"Master!?" Qin Shunying's expression changed slightly, a look of concern on her face.

Ling Weizi forced a smile, "It's nothing, just an old ailment."

The two fell silent for a while, seemingly aware that the atmosphere had become a bit heavy. Ling Weizi turned her body to look deeper into the cave. The fog was hazy, and a look of surprise crossed her gently arching brows, saying, "Strange..."

"It's been so long; why hasn't that child you've brought here come out yet." Ling Weizi spoke with a peculiar expression.

"This," Qin Shunying was indeed distracted, now also feeling that something was amiss, "he might have encountered some problem inside."

"It could also be that he doesn't want to admit defeat in front of you." Ling Weizi, with a knowing smile, raised her chin slightly and squinted her eyes, teasing in a tone of someone who had been through it all, "Boys are like that, they refuse to easily concede defeat unless absolutely necessary."

"Brother Su isn't someone like that, but there is indeed something fishy about this." Qin Shunying's eyebrows knit together slightly, pondered for a moment, and then quickly made a decision, "Let's continue to wait, and if it really doesn't work out, I'll take the stone ring and go inside to check."

"After all, Brother Su is a guest of our Fiery Sun Sect; we need to ensure his safety."

"That sounds good." Ling Weizi nodded.

...

...

...

Meanwhile.

In the depths of the Molten Lava Cave, the mist dispersed.

Su Heng had already activated the Dragon Blood, entering the complete Dragon Transformation State.

He spread his fingers and scooped up a large handful of magma from the fiery red, blazing lake, dousing his body with it. Smoke hissed up from his shoulders, completely enveloping Su Heng's formidable and fierce form.

He squinted his eyes and let out a pleasurable groan.

He couldn't help but remark, "The Fiery Sun Sect truly lives up to its reputation as a top sect in the Jiang E region, able to bathe while cultivating. This is quite the good life indeed."