Chapter 76: Ten Draws in a Row, Waves of White Light Stirring Unease

Li Yao was merely expressing her thoughts; after decades of cultivation on the mountain, she still held onto a certain reserve. Although her junior brother had already become intimately familiar with her body during their sparring, she staunchly guarded her lips as a sacred boundary. At times, when their sparring ignited uncontrollable passion, she too longed to kiss him, but a young woman’s modesty prevented her from making the first move.

Sometimes, Cao Xuan could not understand why Li Yao, who had been so affectionate the previous night, would wake up the next morning inexplicably upset. Li Yao herself wondered if, after so many years of cultivation together, her junior brother might share the same feelings she did. She fantasized about the moment when, unable to restrain himself, he would kiss her; she vowed to herself that, then, she would not refuse. Unfortunately, her junior brother was like a block of wood, wholly devoted to the path of cultivation, oblivious to matters of the heart.

So, Li Yao could only vent her emotions through their sparring. This often left Cao Xuan baffled—why was she so proactive last night, only to be moody come dawn? In the end, he could only attribute it to the inscrutable nature of a woman’s heart, as unpredictable as a needle at the bottom of the sea. Women, he thought, could change their minds as easily as changing their clothes.

Afterwards, Li Yao would secretly regret her actions. “A junior brother who is single-minded in his pursuit of the Dao, whose resolve is so steadfast—you, a mere woman, what could you possibly understand?” Whenever she thought of her serious, diligent junior brother, her cheeks would flush, and her affection for Cao Xuan would only deepen. This, truly, was the longing of a young girl in love.

...

The sky was growing lighter, and there were still two hours before they needed to head to Qingyun Ferry. Cao Xuan looked at Li Yao, who clung to him like an octopus, and instead of pushing her away, he tightened his embrace with his left arm. With his right hand, he tapped the air, summoning his system panel.

[Number of draws: 15]

“We’re about to head for Central Continent, and who knows what awaits us on the road? I might as well try a tenfold draw and see what I get!” Cao Xuan’s heart was uneasy; to be honest, he’d never traveled far since beginning his cultivation. In fact, his only real duel had been the one-sided match against Fang Baiyu.

In the novels of his previous life, the world of cultivation was perilous—life and death could be decided in an instant, and he couldn’t afford to be careless. As his strength grew, Cao Xuan could sense subtle changes in his mindset. To be fair, in this past year, beyond maintaining relationships with his three senior and junior sisters, he had devoted himself to training in various techniques.

As a direct disciple at the Foundation Establishment stage, most of the techniques in the Scripture Pavilion were available to him, aside from certain special inheritances from the different peaks and sect leader. Yet he understood the folly of biting off more than he could chew. Besides learning some practical spells, he focused primarily on three core techniques: “Heavenly Firmament Movement,” “Azure Dao Sword,” and “Golden Body Barrier” as his defensive arts.

At most, he used some talismanic methods paired with the “Secret Codex of Heavenly Talismans” and “Runic Cloud Art.” Even though Cao Xuan felt his abilities weren’t particularly overwhelming, when he faced cultivators below Foundation Establishment, or even those at the late Foundation Establishment stage, he couldn’t help but feel they were weak—much like how an adult would never fear a toddler.

Such was the sensation of being an immortal on the mountain. From Li Yao, Cao Xuan had learned something: those who began cultivating at fifteen or sixteen, like he had, at least received basic Confucian education and some restraints of ritual propriety. But children who grew up within immortal sects lacked such boundaries. Wielding great power could easily foster murderous intent—disagreements could truly lead to exterminating an entire family.

Cao Xuan didn’t see himself as a saint; his upbringing in his previous life provided him with some basic sense of propriety. Yet, when traveling away from home—especially to Central Continent, the reputed heart of Xuanhua—where cultivators were as numerous as cattle and there were no restrictions, he had no desire to become just another ant crushed by passersby.

“So-called righteous and demonic paths in Central Continent are balanced only by mutual checks. There’s no need to go there to guess this; the answer is simply ‘balance.’” In Yunzhou, with Qingyun Sect as the dominant power, it was akin to a government in his previous life, with the demonic path merely stirring up trouble. In Central Continent, however, it was more like the United Nations, with six great holy lands keeping one another in check, and even their subordinate powers restraining each other. But on the individual level, if a cultivator was unlucky—like the one who fell victim to the Blood Drop Patriarch’s spell—the sect might not even dare to seek justice for him.

With this in mind, Cao Xuan felt the dangers of the journey increasing. “No, I must do a tenfold draw first!”

He immediately summoned the lottery panel. Just as he was about to click to start, his hand hesitated.

“Sometimes, it’s better to believe than to doubt—there’s definitely something mysterious about this lottery,” he thought. He quickly adjusted Li Yao, who was draped over him, into a suitable position and prepared for the draw.

After their sparring, Li Yao and Cao Xuan would usually fall into a deep sleep. This was due to the nourishment of essence, energy, and spirit required at the Foundation Establishment stage. Their dual cultivation harmonized essence and energy, and the resulting deep sleep was vital for nurturing their souls. Both had made remarkable progress in the past year for this very reason. However, because Cao Xuan practiced the “Runic Cloud Art,” his recovery was faster, so he often woke first.

In her sleep, Li Yao felt someone moving her but didn’t mind. The familiar presence could only be her junior brother. She had already given herself to him, and even if he stole a kiss while she was asleep, she would not object.

“Peaks above, legs in figure-eight… wide open, wide open!”

“Buddha bless me, Bodhisattva bless me, Three Pure Ones above, Dao Ancestor above, please grant me a lucky draw!”

The virtual wheel spun rapidly in the air.

[Ding~ Draw successful, obtained Supreme Spirit Gathering Pill (Foundation Establishment) x100]
[Ding~ Draw successful, obtained Supreme Qi Gathering Pill (Foundation Establishment) x100]
...
[Ding~ Draw successful, obtained Supreme Essence Gathering Pill (Foundation Establishment) x100]

By the seventh draw, Cao Xuan’s face had turned grim; the repeated white flashes made him uneasy. It wasn’t that the items were bad—the system’s products were always top-tier. These pills were undoubtedly the finest for Foundation Establishment cultivators. Yet, for someone who was already at the late peak of Foundation Establishment, they were rather redundant.

If he had to compare, it was like an adult not fearing a toddler. The mountain’s immortals must feel the same. From Li Yao, Cao Xuan had understood that those who joined the mountain at fifteen or sixteen had at least received basic education and ritual constraints. But the children born and raised within immortal sects were a different story; wielding power could easily lead to murderous intent.

Suddenly, a green light flashed. Cao Xuan’s eyes brightened—finally, something worthwhile!

[Ding~ Draw successful, obtained Foundation Establishment Cultivation Pill x1]

This pill should help him reach the same peak Foundation Establishment level as Master Yu Wan.

“There are still two draws left. System, give me something top-tier, or this tenfold draw is a joke!” Cao Xuan muttered, though he understood that single draws would probably yield nothing but white flashes.

“So, single draws didn’t have these light effects, but the tenfold draws give you white and green flashes—makes it obvious, but also nerve-wracking.”

Without the light effects, it was easier to deceive oneself about the outcome. But when a white flash appeared, there was no room for self-delusion.

Suddenly, a blue light burst forth!

[Ding~ Draw successful, obtained Talent: Plant Affinity. Since you already possess a similar talent, effect is enhanced!]
[Effect: Pill absorption efficiency increased from 50% to 100%]

Cao Xuan gazed at this new talent. It wasn’t bad, but it seemed this entire tenfold draw was related to cultivation growth.

With that realization, he gave up hope.

“Last one—let’s see what I get!”

Before he even finished that thought, a golden light exploded before his eyes, leaving him gaping in astonishment.