After Liu Ningshuang left, Lu Ning finally welcomed her long-awaited freedom.
She looked out at the vast, boundless Ancient Mountain Range, her heart filled with an unprecedented sense of relief.
She felt as if the entire world had become fresh again.
Although Liu Ningshuang had set a ridiculous goal of “leaving only after breaking through to the Tribulation Transcendence Stage” before she departed, Lu Ning wasn’t worried.
She had plenty of ways to leave this place early.
However, she still needed to make some preparations before departing.
First, she spent several days completely stabilizing her cultivation at the mid-stage Great Ascension Stage.
Then, she began to carefully study the rainbow jade slip Liu Ningshuang had left for her.
Recorded within the jade slip were all of Liu Ningshuang’s insights and realizations from the beginning of her cultivation until she surpassed the Tribulation Transcendence Stage.
It even included her unique understanding of the supreme secret method, the Nine Revolutions Heavenly Demon Manual, as well as some of the incredibly powerful divine techniques she had created herself.
To the current Lu Ning, these things were simply priceless treasures.
She hungrily absorbed the knowledge within the slip, feeling her understanding of the “Dao” constantly being refreshed.
….
However, several days later, Lu Ning gave up on continuing her meditation.
She discovered that the speed of training alone was simply too slow.
Without the “irrigation” of Liu Ningshuang’s pure essence, her own cultivation progress was exceptionally sluggish.
After all, this manual was originally designed for two people to practice together.
The feeling of going from luxury to frugality made her feel a bout of irritability.
‘Sigh…’
Lu Ning let out a helpless sigh.
She knew she had already been ruined by Liu Ningshuang’s rapid cultivation methods.
It seemed that relying on herself to break through to the Tribulation Transcendence Stage in a short time was nothing more than a pipe dream.
Since that was the case, it would be better to leave this godforsaken place early and look for other opportunities outside.
Thinking of this, Lu Ning came to a decision.
She prepared to set off to find the black stone door that led out of the forbidden area.
However, at the very moment she was about to move, a supreme pressure suddenly soared into the sky from the depths of the forbidden area!
The moment Lu Ning felt this pressure, her expression changed drastically.
She could sense that the source of this pressure was none other than A-Lin, whom Liu Ningshuang had sent into secluded meditation as punishment!
At this moment, Lu Ning’s pupils constricted suddenly.
“This… this is…”
“The Tribulation Transcendence Stage!”
A-Lin… she actually broke through to the Tribulation Transcendence Stage in such a short time?
How was that possible!
Before Lu Ning could recover from the massive shock, a petite and cute figure slowly appeared in front of her.
It was indeed A-Lin.
….
However, the current A-Lin looked completely different from the innocent, cute, and clingy girl from before.
A visible purple-black demonic flame swirled around her body.
Those large, watery black eyes were now tinged with a hint of red, and the corners of her mouth slowly curled into a sickly arc.
“Sister Lu Ning.”
“A-Lin… has come to find you.”
Looking at the A-Lin before her, whose temperament had changed drastically and whose eyes were filled with madness and possessiveness, Lu Ning felt a cold shiver run down her spine.
‘The current situation is slightly beyond my control.’
“A-Lin, you…” Lu Ning’s voice carried a hint of uncertainty.
“How could you…”
“Sister Lu Ning, A-Lin has become stronger,” A-Lin interrupted her.
She walked toward Lu Ning step by step, a sickly smile hanging on her once-cute little face.
“A-Lin is now a powerhouse at the Tribulation Transcendence Stage.”
“From now on, no one will ever be able to bully you again.”
“Whether it’s that bad woman or those annoying flies outside…”
“A-Lin will help you get rid of them all.”
Lu Ning was forced back by her aura, retreating several times until her back eventually pressed against a piece of warm jade.
There was nowhere left to run.
“A-Lin, calm down,” Lu Ning’s voice was slightly anxious.
“Did something go wrong with your cultivation?”
“Go wrong?”
A look of confusion appeared on A-Lin’s face.
“No.”
“A-Lin feels better than ever before.”
“A-Lin finally has the strength to protect you, Sister Lu Ning.”
As she spoke, she stood on her tiptoes and reached out with a fair little hand, gently caressing Lu Ning’s cheek.
Her movements were extremely careful.
“Sister Lu Ning, you’re so beautiful.”
A-Lin’s voice carried a hint of obsession.
“A-Lin likes you so much.”
“So, Sister Lu Ning, you’ll only belong to me from now on, okay?”
Hearing this, Lu Ning was slightly stunned.
It was over.
This silly girl had succumbed to her inner demons!
Was this caused by her breakthrough to the Tribulation Transcendence Stage?
Lu Ning took a deep breath and slowly said, “A-Lin, your current state is very wrong.”
“You must be under the influence of some kind of power to have become like this.”
“Hurry and relax your mind. Let me check on you.”
However, after hearing Lu Ning’s words, A-Lin slowly shook her head.
“Sister Lu Ning, you don’t need to lie to A-Lin anymore.”
“A-Lin knows she’s perfectly normal right now.”
“A-Lin just… just figured some things out.”
She paused, a flash of grievance appearing in her eyes.
“Sister Lu Ning, do you dislike A-Lin now?”
“Do you think A-Lin is annoying?”
“Do you want to lock A-Lin up, just like that bad woman did?”
Lu Ning: “…”
Lu Ning was completely speechless.
What on earth was this silly girl overthinking?
“A-Lin, I don’t.”
Lu Ning’s voice was full of helplessness.
“How could I dislike you?”
“Really?”
A flash of surprise appeared in A-Lin’s eyes.
“Yes, really.”
Lu Ning nodded heavily.
“That’s great!”
A bright smile instantly bloomed on A-Lin’s face.
She threw herself into Lu Ning’s arms again, rubbing her little head — the one with the small horns — against Lu Ning’s chest.
“Sister Lu Ning, I knew you wouldn’t abandon me!”
“We promised to be together forever!”
Seeing her return to her innocent and romantic self, Lu Ning breathed a sigh of relief in her heart.
It seemed that although this silly girl had succumbed to her inner demons, her nature hadn’t been completely eroded.
As long as she guided her properly, there might still be a chance to save her.
However, Lu Ning was still too naive.
Just as she was mentally calculating her next move, A-Lin suddenly raised her head, a cunning light flashing in her eyes.
“Sister Lu Ning, since we promised to be together forever…”
“Then…”
She slowly leaned into Lu Ning’s ear and said in a voice full of temptation, “Let’s do something even more intimate, okay?”
Lu Ning: “???”
Hearing this, Lu Ning was completely dumbfounded.
‘Something even more intimate?’
Where did this silly girl learn such scandalous words?
“A-Lin, you…”
“Sister Lu Ning, are you unwilling?”
A look of grievance appeared on A-Lin’s face once more.
“Are you… are you trying to lie to A-Lin again?”
As she spoke, she began to unfasten the black robe Lu Ning was wearing.
“Stop… stop messing around, A-Lin.”
Lu Ning quickly pressed down on the restless little hand.
“Sister Lu Ning, A-Lin isn’t messing around.”
A light of obsession and paranoia flickered in A-Lin’s eyes.
“A-Lin just wants to get closer to you, Sister Lu Ning.”
“Just like…”
She paused, a smile spreading across her face.
“Just like what that bad woman did to you before…”