Hearing his junior sister's refusal, Li Sheng's eyes widened in shock, and he stammered, "What the heck?!"

"Huh?" Bai Ye looked at him, puzzled.

"Misunderstanding!"

"Junior sister... I really didn't mean it that way... I only admire you, uh... I only have a pure appreciation for beautiful things, absolutely no romantic feelings whatsoever!"

"I swear!" Li Sheng anxiously explained, even swearing to enhance his credibility.

"Then why are you giving me the best martial arts and pills without any cost?" Bai Ye pressed her lips together, a hint of stubbornness showing on her face.

"Uh... that..." Li Sheng's mind raced. Was it to help you improve quickly so the sect could advance and earn sect points? His naturally lazy and trouble-averse character was feeling overwhelmed.

He quickly decided to cut through the confusion: "In short, I have no ulterior motives. You've been loyal to the sect during tough times, so the sect will naturally reward you."

"And this pill isn't as important as you think. I have another one; I can produce this kind of pill every day, so don't feel pressured."

"Pills and martial arts are gifts from the sect. From today on, you are the Grand Elder of Qingling Sect, and you'll receive one pill each month. How does that sound?"

"Grand Elder..." Bai Ye bit her lip, deep in thought.

Seeing that she was still hesitating, Li Sheng hurriedly pressed the jade bottle into her hands and swiftly made his escape. He decided it was best to keep a distance for a while to avoid any awkwardness.

As Bai Ye held the jade bottle, watching her senior brother flee, a smile crept onto her lips. It seemed she had indeed misunderstood him.

Li Sheng ran all the way back to his courtyard. After calming down, he swallowed a supreme Body-Tempering Pill. It felt cool going down, but then a warm sensation spread through him, filling him with boundless energy.

With a slight squat and arms wide open, he adopted the Turtle Stance, feeling a faint current of energy circulate within him, refining his body.

After about fifteen minutes, he completed the first stance, and the medicinal energy in his body showed no signs of diminishing.

Seeing this, Li Sheng proceeded to practice the second stance. Time slowly passed, and before he knew it, the sky had darkened.

At that moment, he completed the last movement of the Turtle Stance. The faint energy within him had grown as thick as a chopstick, sending tingling sensations through his body.

Just as he prepared to withdraw from the stance, a strange white mist enveloped him, and a turtle the size of a small hill appeared before him. Its every movement radiated an inexplicable spiritual rhythm that felt oddly familiar.

"Is this the Turtle Stance Nine Movements?"

Li Sheng's heart leapt with joy as he instinctively assumed the Turtle Stance, mimicking the giant turtle's actions.

He lost track of time, and eventually, everything went dark as he exited that mystical space.

"So this is what Bai Ye meant by enlightenment?" Feeling the vast medicinal energy within him still at about seventy percent, Li Sheng couldn't help but exclaim, "No wonder it's a supreme pill! Its potency is hundreds of times stronger than a low-grade pill. In just half a day, I've mastered the Turtle Stance Nine Movements and comprehended the essence of the turtle."

Approaching a nearby stone pedestal, he effortlessly lifted it.

"A thousand-pound stone pedestal lifted with hardly any effort?" Li Sheng was taken aback.

He then moved to the next pedestal, which weighed two thousand pounds—only those at the peak of Body-Tempering could lift it.

Gripping the indentation, Li Sheng summoned all his strength and lifted the pedestal above his head.

"I still have energy to spare!"

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After dropping the pedestal, a surge of long-lost passion and ambition surged within him. He was no longer the talentless, ordinary waste he once was. Given time, the dream of dominating the world with martial prowess seemed increasingly achievable.

He pulled up his status panel:

Cultivation Level: Ninth-Grade Body-Tempering

Martial Arts: Turtle-Snake Body-Tempering Technique (Minor Accomplishment)

Talent: Medium (One in Ten Thousand)

Comprehension: Medium (One in Ten Thousand)

Skills: None

"Just mastering one spiritual form has raised my talent from mediocre to medium, while my comprehension seems to have only increased by one tier?"

"With the sect's support, my talent has indeed reached one in ten thousand, but I wonder how it compares to Bai Ye's?" A competitive spirit ignited within Li Sheng.

After some time, he took a quick shower and changed into clean clothes before stepping out.

The night had deepened, and after practicing for half a day, he felt no hunger. He returned to his room and fell into a deep sleep.

As dawn broke, Bai Ye arrived at the courtyard, her soft call echoing through the house.

"Senior Brother."

At the sound, Li Sheng opened his eyes and saw daylight streaming through the window.

He was used to sleeping in his clothes, so he quickly put on his boots and walked out of the bedroom.

In the study, he scratched his head awkwardly. "What's the rush, junior sister?"

Seeing this, Bai Ye felt an inexplicable pang in her heart but quickly suppressed her emotions. "Senior Brother, I have fully mastered the Turtle-Snake Body-Tempering Technique. I'm here to return the books."

Looking at the books on the table, Li Sheng could only chuckle bitterly. Just last night, he thought his talent was comparable to hers, but here she was, surprising him first thing in the morning.

"You've been practicing since yesterday?" Li Sheng asked in disbelief.

"Yes, Senior Brother gave me such a great opportunity, so I naturally had to work hard to repay you," Bai Ye replied earnestly.

Li Sheng inwardly complained, Is it a matter of hard work? I want to practice too, but the lingering soreness in my body tells me I've reached my limit.

He shook his head. "It's the sect that gave you the opportunity. You should be repaying the sect. Plus, you're now the Grand Elder; you need to think more about the sect's future."

"You're right," Bai Ye said, nodding thoughtfully.

"While everything is progressing positively, the sect's combat power is too weak. These seemingly good things are like castles in the air and could collapse at any moment. Do you understand?"

"I will work hard, Senior Brother."

"Now that I've mastered the Turtle-Snake Essence, my combat power is among the top in the seventh grade. If I can break through to the seventh grade, I believe I won't be weaker than an average sixth-grade martial artist."

Li Sheng nodded in satisfaction, revealing his true intent: "The sect is currently in dire need of combat power. So, I'll refine a supreme Internal Energy Pill for you to help you break through to the seventh grade. That way, I can rest easy. You won't refuse, will you?"

"Senior... Senior Brother, Bai Ye obeys." Bai Ye's cheeks flushed as she lowered her head in response.

Seeing this, Li Sheng clapped his hands in satisfaction. "Hurry and break through. Once you have the strength to rival sixth-grade martial artists, we can make a trip to the city."

"Are we going to procure supplies?" Bai Ye's eyes lit up at the mention.

Li Sheng chuckled softly, realizing that this girl was indeed a born shopper.

"Not just for supplies. In half a month, there will be the triennial disciple recruitment event. Our Qingling Sect cannot miss such an occasion. We'll select some good candidates to strengthen the sect."