Chapter 9: If you’re a genius, face me in battle

Due to his sealed cultivation base, Li Ran didn’t even manage to sleep well the past half a month.

Finally, having returned to normal, his tense nerves could relax again.

He managed to sleep sweetly tonight.

“Sheng Zi, wake up.”

A soft voice rang in his ears. Li Ran opened his eyes slightly, seeing a beautiful girl standing by the bed, his clothes in hand.

“Sheng Zi, it’s time to eat breakfast,” the beautiful sister whispered.

Her name was Aqin. Originally a noble daughter of the Shen family, she angered the Li family, which ended in her whole family being annexed. She herself ended up becoming Li Ran’s maid later on.

But this was not the end of her tragic fate.

After she came to Youluo Temple, Li Ran took her in to serve him in his daily needs. It’s not because of how much he liked her. On the contrary, Aqin suffered quite a torment under his hands. Scoldings and beatings were just part of her general treatment. If not for the sect’s rules prohibiting relations between men and women, she would have already ended up as his Human Cauldron.

As for why Li Ran decided to take her in, it was mostly because she was as obedient as a dog.

“Aqin is wrong. Please punish me, Sheng Zi!”

When Li Ran’s gaze fell on her body, Aqin fell into a panic, immediately dropping down on her knees.

Seeing her still bruised body, Li Ran couldn’t help but shake his head. Such a beautiful girl, how could the previous owner of my body do something like that to her?

“You didn’t do anything wrong. You don’t have to apologize to me,” Li Ran said.

Aqin became even more panicked when she heard this. She suddenly banged her head on the ground.

“Aqin is wrong, please punish me!” she prostrated herself on the ground, her body trembling uncontrollably. Evidently, her fear was at its worst.

Li Ran sighed. A psychological trauma like this, acquired over many years, couldn’t just be healed overnight. With just a sudden change in temperament, she would eventually still hold doubts. The best way would be to keep the current status quo and slowly change it over time for the better.

“Get up and help me dress,” he said lightly.

“Yes.” Aqin stood up and served Li Ran skillfully and gently.

He was dressed in a pure white brocade robe with silver openwork trimming on its inside.

Sporting a piece of transparent jade hanging on his pristine white belt on his waist, he looked as handsome and noble as a charming and elegant lord.

Aqin looked at him without blinking.

“Do I look good?” Li Ran asked.

Aqin nodded earnestly, “Sheng Zi is the best!”

Li Ran couldn’t help but pinch her small face. “You have good eyes, girl.”

After speaking to her, he got up and left. With him gone the room turned quiet.

Aqin covered her cheek, opening her small mouth slightly, her eyes filled with disbelief.

She stood frozen in place, like a statue, for a long time.

—

After breakfast, Li Ran wandered around with his hands behind his back.

Due to his Heaven Seizing Cultivation Method, he was able to cultivate at all times no matter what he was doing, so there was no reason for him to focus on meditation anymore.

Which in terms just meant he had nothing to do.

“Hello, Sheng Zi.”

“Hail Sheng Zi!”

All the disciples he met along the way greeted him respectfully. Though Li Ran kept    a cold and indifferent expression throughout all of this.

“Sheng Zi!” At this time, a soft cry sounded out behind him.

Li Ran turned his head and saw a pretty girl standing behind him. Her eyes narrowed to crescents as she smiled at him.

“Junior Sister?” Li Ran raised his brows.

If someone had to be blamed for the misunderstanding between him and the sect master the day before it should be her.

Lu Xinran smiled happily. “Good morning, Sheng Zi. I haven’t seen you for just one day and it seems you have become even more handsome.”

Do I need your reminder?

Li Ran said coldly, “Good morning, why are you standing here instead of going to cultivate?”

Evidently, Lu Xinran was already accustomed to his attitude. She smiled, “Sheng Zi, I have made rapid progress in my cultivation. I am now in the late stage of Qi Refining and even Elder Sun called me a little genius!”

Her tone was rather coquettish, similar to a child waiting to be praised.

“What does it matter to me?”

Before Li Ran could speak these words, the system’s voice sounded out in his head.

【New mission available. 】

【Please give guidance to the junior sister’s cultivation problems to help her make progress.】

【The quality of the reward depends on the degree of the completion of the task!】

Li Ran’s heart started beating faster. He had tasted the sweetness of yesterday’s rewards. There was just no way he would let this one go.

“It’s easy to give guidance, but to actually have someone achieve progress in their cultivation with just that is a different matter. This one doesn’t seem like something I can achieve with just a few words.”

“Moreover, helping others is not exactly in line with my personality.”

“It looks like I have to think of some other means…”

After a few moments, he thought of an idea.

—

“Sheng Zi?” Lu Xinran was still waiting for his praise.

“Genius? Oh, are you now?” Li Ran sneered.

Lu Xinran pouted and was not satisfied with his words. “Elder Sun said it personally. He said that I am very talented and our sects cultivation method is a good fit for me. He said my future achievements will be very great!”

“Talent…hehe” Li Ran shook his head and said, “You are sixteen years old this year, right? When I was your age, I had already entered into the Golden Core state. Meanwhile, you are still only at Qi Refining. You couldn’t even reach Foundation Establishment so far.”

“With such low talent, you dare to call yourself a genius in front of me?”

“That’s ridiculous!”

Li Ran’s indifferent voice was as cold as winter itself.

The disciples on the side couldn’t help but shudder. This really was our Sheng Zi’s style. He was just unrelenting!

Lu Xinran’s small mouth slumped into a frown. Her round eyes suddenly filled with tears.

Li Ran said with a poker face, “Do you not believe me?”

Lu Xinran bit her lip, lowered her head, and said nothing.

“Nevermind, then I’ll give you a chance to prove yourself.”

“How do I prove myself?” Lu Xinran raised her head.

“Fight with me.” Li Ran said casually.

“What?!” Lu Xinran froze in place.

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