"S-Senior, w-what is this?"
Li Qingran froze upon hearing that the senior would help her restore her dantian. Then something landed on the table, and the entire room was bathed in a blinding green light. The dense medicinal fragrance filled the air—just inhaling it seemed to accelerate the flow of spiritual energy in her body.
"This is a pill that can restore your dantian."
Chen Huaian didn't mention the name of the pill. After all, just looking at it, you could tell it was incredibly expensive.
In his eyes, Li Qingran was a highly intelligent AI character. Achieving this level of realism wasn't hard for modern AI—just a matter of feeding it enough training data. Since the game developer was obviously a genius hacker, building an advanced AI model was no big deal.
Although high-level AIs weren't real people, they could simulate human emotions convincingly under the right data input.
So if he told her outright that this was the legendary Hun Yuan Bu Tian Pill, she definitely wouldn't accept it.
"A pill to restore the dantian?"
Li Qingran had never heard of such a thing. She only knew that once the dantian was shattered, it was nearly impossible to repair. And even if it were possible, it definitely wasn't something a mere Qi Condensation-stage cultivator like her could access.
Just taking the pill had caused such an enormous reaction—it had to be a priceless treasure.
"Senior, this pill is far too valuable. I cannot accept it."
Her tone was resolute. Of course, she wanted her dantian restored. But she had already received too many favors from this senior. With nothing equivalent to repay him, the imbalance filled her with guilt.
"I said take it, so take it!" As expected, this AI's personality simulation was on point. In any other game, even a dating sim, the character probably would've just accepted it. He continued:
"This pill was made just for you. It's useless to me. Take it now, or others will come to steal it!"
He rambled on for quite a bit.
What Li Qingran heard instead was the solemn voice of a cultivator atop the Great Dao:
"This is useless to me. The commotion has already drawn attention. I can't conceal it for long. If you don't take it now, you'll be causing trouble for me."
"I…"
Li Qingran looked up at the ceiling, then back at the Hun Yuan Bu Tian Pill. She bit her lip, struggling.
To take the pill meant guilt—she could never repay this debt.
But not taking it would bring trouble to her benefactor…
"Hurry up!"
A stern shout boomed overhead.
"Eep!(⋟﹏⋞)"
Li Qingran trembled. Faced with the choice between betraying herself or disobeying the senior, she chose to abandon her pride.
She didn't want to anger him.
Chen Huaian watched the girl carefully pick up the pill and smiled with a twisted sort of pride.
"Heh. In the end, you still obediently took it from your lord."
He found himself growing into this "senior" role. Being called "Senior" all the time made him start to enjoy the title.
From now on, he'd call himself Ben Zun (this sovereign). Just for the flavor.
"If you don't take this, wouldn't my 90,000 yuan be wasted?"
He hadn't even had time to look through what he got from the last 500 pulls of the Luck Pool.
Li Qingran, still holding the pill in both hands, knew she had already crossed the line. She needed to make it right.
She raised her hand with three fingers pointed skyward—heaven, earth, and man—and made a solemn vow:
"Today, I, Qingran, received aid from Senior and the divine medicine to restore my dantian. I am deeply ashamed, unable to repay the favor. Should Senior ever require anything of me, even if it means braving mountains of blades or hellfire, I will face it without hesitation!"
This was not only a vow to the heavens—it was also a vow to her Dao heart.
It resonated with the Heavenly Dao. Spiritual energy surged around her, lifting her long hair, revealing the determined gleam in her eyes.
As the vow ended, she no longer hesitated and swallowed the pill.
She had given herself to the senior. That was all she had to offer.
The Immortal-grade Hun Yuan Bu Tian Pill dissolved instantly, transforming into a stream of golden energy that flowed toward her shattered dantian. From Chen Huaian's point of view, a golden thread snaked its way to her abdomen. Meanwhile, everything in the room started to swirl around her as if pulled into a vortex centered on her body, expanding outward into a sky-piercing tornado.
"I guess this is a 'spiritual energy vortex' or something?" Chen Huaian mused.
Since the game's setting was a cultivation world, it made sense this was the pill activating by drawing in vast amounts of spiritual energy.
"But wow, this spectacle is a bit too flashy. Shouldn't I cover it up or something?"
The vortex tore a hole in the sky's cloud layer.
On the map, a swarm of red dots began converging toward the location, like ants to sugar.
[Your companion 'Li Qingran' has consumed an Immortal-grade Hun Yuan Bu Tian Pill, causing massive celestial disturbance. Would you like to pay ¥28 to conceal the heavenly signs?]
"What the—!"
Chen Huaian nearly laughed in disbelief.
This game is milking me like a cow. Can't they just be upfront about it?!
Though furious at the pay-to-win model, he still obediently paid the 28 yuan.
---
In Mount Wanqing—
"There, it's over there!"
"Such terrifying spiritual energy—there is a divine pill here!"
"Hahaha, I'm going to become immortal!"
Suddenly, the tornado collapsed as if snuffed out by a giant hand.
The crowd of treasure hunters stared, confused once again.
"What the heck? Gone again?"
"Are they trolling us?"
"Whatever. Search the area! Don't leave even a turd unexamined!"
---
Meanwhile, Chen Huaian was admiring the meditating Li Qingran.
She sat calmly, two strands of black hair falling over her shoulders, swaying with the spiritual breeze. Her clothes were simple, but matched her serene elegance. Normally, she carried a hint of heroic spirit in her gaze. But now, with closed eyes, lightly furrowed brows, and tightly pressed lips, her pale face took on a fragile charm that tugged at the heart.
Chen Huaian was a science student. He didn't know flowery language.
But he still offered the highest praise his vocabulary could manage:
"Damn… she's really hot."
He forced himself to look away.
Any more of this, and he wouldn't even be able to focus on studying anymore.
He had drawn 1,000 times from the Luck Pool but hadn't checked the last 500 pulls yet.
He opened his inventory—12 slots, all full. From left to right:
Low-grade spirit stones
Mid-grade spirit stones
Sound-transmission talismans
Thunderfire Talisman: Basic
Thunderfire Talisman: Intermediate
Thunderfire Talisman: Advanced
Thunderfire Talisman: Supreme
Thunderfire Talisman: Immortal
Black Armor Array
Intermediate Gathering Array
Su Xian Sword
One golden jade scroll
"Seriously? Why can't all these Thunderfire Talismans stack into one slot?!"
Chen Huaian was fuming. He couldn't give them all to Li Qingran either—what if she got incapacitated? He needed backup!
Worst part: unlocking one extra bag slot cost ¥188.
"Forget it. I'll give her the stuff I don't use later."
His gaze settled on the final item.
A golden jade scroll.