After calming Gu Qingying down, Lu Li escorted her back to her room to catch up on sleep.
After all, Gu Qingying was only fourteen years old—right in the crucial period of growth and development.
If she didn’t get enough rest and her growth was stunted, causing her to become short in stature later on, it would be a loss that couldn’t be justified.
With Gu Qingying successfully put to sleep, Lu Li found himself idle and began to refine his physical body in the courtyard using the Secret Body-Tempering Technique passed down from Duanqing Peak.
The mainstream cultivation method in the Kongxuan Realm emphasizes the so-called Shuangxiu—dual cultivation of both spirit and body.
Here, “spirit” refers to the mind, while “body” denotes the cultivator’s physical form.
The body is the foundation of all cultivation.
Only by solidifying the base during the early stages of training can one build a towering structure afterward.
Otherwise, all future cultivation achievements would be nothing but Jinghua Shuiyue—illusions without substance, mere adobe bricks.
At this moment, the guest room courtyard was still shrouded in the lingering morning mist, the air filled with a cool, tranquil scent of grass and wood.
Lu Li removed his Outer Robe, revealing a strong upper body.
Following the Secret Body-Tempering Technique from Duanqing Peak, he began to circulate his Qi, throwing punches to hone his physical foundation.
His movements were smooth and steady, each punch and stance executed with precision.
His Qi and blood flowed gently through his body, accompanied by deep, rhythmic breathing that exhaled a faint mist from his mouth and nose.
As the cultivation continued, fine beads of sweat appeared on Lu Li’s temples and neck, trickling down along his jawline and the grooves of his muscles, disappearing into his collar and waistband.
At this moment, Lu Li had entered a state of complete immersion, relying solely on his instinct to focus his Qi circulation.
He was entirely unaware that from the flower bushes behind him, a fiercely focused, burning gaze was fixed intently on him.
The source of that gaze was none other than Gong Shangyu, who had come to discuss the missing persons case with Lu Li.
Hiding behind the flower bushes, Gong Shangyu was practically holding her breath.
Her pink eyes were magnetically drawn to Lu Li’s lean and capable upper body, as if glued to it, unwilling to look away.
Ah…
Master!
You are truly so generous!
Am I… in heaven?
Indeed, deciding to come see Master was the right choice!
At this moment, Gong Shangyu was completely captivated by Lu Li’s muscles and robust physique, forgetting entirely the true purpose of her visit.
The morning light in the courtyard gently traced the smooth, powerful lines of Lu Li’s shoulders and back, while sweat beads rolled down his taut skin.
Each drop of sweat on Lu Li’s skin seemed to carry a burning heat, making Gong Shangyu’s heart tremble deep inside as she hid in the corner.
She felt her face flush fiercely, and her heart pounded like war drums thumping against her eardrums.
Gazing at her master’s skin texture, Gong Shangyu involuntarily recalled the subtle feeling of his abdominal muscles when she touched him last night, instantly leaving her throat dry.
Recalling this, she licked her suddenly parched lips, her fingers tightening around her feather fan until her fingertips turned white.
Hiss…
Master’s figure is indeed just as good as I remembered from my past life…
That sweat… if only it could…
Gong Shangyu’s lips glistened, as some hot, damp images began flooding uncontrollably into her mind.
The images were so shameful that her legs weakened, almost causing her to lose balance.
Instinctively, she grasped the flower branch in front of her tightly to prevent her wicked thoughts from bursting forth.
Meanwhile, Lu Li had quietly completed two cycles of the body-tempering exercise.
Sweat drenched his body.
Waving his hand, he sensed his current physical condition and decided it was enough for today.
He stopped and slowly exhaled a scorching breath from his dantian.
“Hu…”
With his breath, a misty white heat radiated from his body, quickly dispersing into the cool air around him.
“As expected, it’s been too long since I last practiced—I’m a bit rusty…”
Feeling the subtle soreness spreading through his body, Lu Li let out a self-deprecating smile.
He then turned to pick up a small bucket of warm water prepared earlier in the corner and poured it over his head.
The warm, refreshing water instantly washed away the sweat and heat clinging to his body, cooling his burning skin.
As the water cascaded down Lu Li, Gong Shangyu’s breath suddenly caught!
Lu Li’s chest rose proudly, his neck stretched upward, countless crystal-clear droplets slipping through the gaps of his muscles, tracing his collarbone and the ridges of his abdominal lines, continuing their descent…
Staring at this breathtaking scene, Gong Shangyu’s mind went blank.
Then, with a buzzing sound, an intense heat surged from deep within her, shooting straight up to her head!
Before she could react, she suddenly felt a warm, rusty-tasting liquid uncontrollably burst from her nose!
“Ugh!”
Gong Shangyu immediately clapped a hand over her nose, panicking as she stumbled backward, shaking the branches behind her.
“Hm? Who’s there? Who’s there?!”
Lu Li’s senses were incredibly sharp.
The stifled groan and the sudden rustling of leaves behind the bushes instantly triggered his alertness.
He dropped the towel in his hand, hastily threw on his Outer Robe, and headed straight toward the source of the sound.
“Who’s sneaking around? Come out at once!”
Startled by Lu Li’s sudden approach, Gong Shangyu, hiding in the bushes, was terrified, her heart nearly pounding out of her throat.
Ah…
I’m done for!
Master found out!
Run!
I absolutely cannot be discovered!
At least… I can’t be seen like this!
Freeze time!
Freeze time!
Hurry, freeze time!
Her mind screamed frantically, her mouth opening to utter the system command.
But the overwhelming panic and the odd feeling of blood flooding her mouth caused her to lose control.
She accidentally bit her tongue while speaking the command, turning her once-clear words into a garbled whimper.
“Shh… aow! Xi Tong, Qi Dong…”
The sharp pain brought tears streaming from her eyes, but the system’s time-freeze ability showed no sign of activating!
It’s over!
My fate is sealed!
In that split second, Lu Li, standing at the peak of Foundation Establishment Stage, on the verge of Nascent Soul Stage, pushed aside the thick branches and saw Gong Shangyu hiding behind them.
“Hm? Young Master Shang? Why is it you?”
Lu Li stopped in surprise before the bushes, looking at the disheveled state of the Dan Ding Pavilion’s young master.
Gong Shangyu was tightly covering her nose and mouth, blood visibly seeping through her fingers.
Tears glistened in the corners of her eyes from the tongue-biting pain, her hair slightly messy and tangled with a few leaves from the flower bushes.
Her current state was a stark contrast to the dashing and refined demeanor she usually displayed.
“Young Master Shang… are you hurt?”
Seeing the blood between her fingers, Lu Li instinctively wanted to step forward and check.
But the scorching heat radiating from Lu Li’s body, coupled with the muscles revealed through his hastily donned robe, only caused Gong Shangyu’s nosebleed to worsen.
“Don’t! Don’t come closer!”
Gong Shangyu clutched her nose and shrank back like a frightened rabbit, nearly falling into Lu Li’s arms.
Just as she was about to collapse against Lu Li, staining his chest bright red, she hurriedly pushed him away with her free hand, then steadied herself and said,
“Uh… I’m fine! Really, I’m fine! Senior Lu, you don’t have to worry about me!”
Her gaze flickered nervously; she dared not meet Lu Li’s eyes, her cheeks flushed red enough to almost drip blood.
Oh no…
She already is dripping blood!
Just nosebleed though…
“I just wasn’t paying attention and bumped into a tree while walking.”
“Mm! Yes! Bumped into a tree! Hit my nose…”
“Heh… It’s nothing, Senior Lu. Just a minor injury that’ll heal quickly!”
Gong Shangyu spoke rapidly, trying to cover up her embarrassment, but her flickering pink eyes couldn’t help but steal glances at Lu Li’s abs.
“Oh? Is that so…”
Lu Li relaxed his furrowed brows slightly and accepted her explanation for the time being.
“Young Master Shang… since you’ve come all the way here, is there some urgent matter to discuss?”
Upon hearing this, Gong Shangyu immediately seized the opportunity, clutching her nose and replying quickly.
“Senior Lu, last night there was another case of a Child with Four-Yin Fate going missing in the city! My father sent me to find Brother Gu and you to discuss the matter in the front hall!”
At the mention of another child disappearance case, Lu Li’s eyes brightened instantly.
“Oh? Another missing child case? Young Master Shang, come, tell me all about it!”
Embarrassed, Gong Shangyu chuckled awkwardly and pointed at her current disheveled state.
“Sorry, Senior Lu. Please allow me to handle this unsightly appearance first. I’ll change into something appropriate and then come back to speak with you properly.”
“Don’t want to… dirty your eyes, Senior.”
With that, she covered her nose and dashed off like the wind.
Watching Gong Shangyu’s departing figure, Lu Li couldn’t help but click his tongue.
“Tch, these rich heirs from big families sure like to be particular!”
He then glanced down at his still damp Dao Robe and shook his head helplessly.
“Well then, since he’s gone to change, I might as well change out of these wet clothes too~”