74: Chapter 74 Today is the day this brat dies!

The smile on Third Senior Sister Mo Hongling's face vanished inch by inch.

"Go... for a month?"

She murmured to herself, her voice filled with disappointment.

It was so hard to finally find a soulmate who could speak her language and study culinary arts together with her.

Just as things were getting started, the person was about to run off.

"Yeah, it's arranged by the Sect. I'm leaving tomorrow." Looking at her expression, Zhao Ruoan felt a bit apologetic inside.

As her mood dipped, the atmosphere in the kitchen also grew gloomy.

Third Senior Sister Mo Hongling lowered her head, poking at the rice in her bowl with her chopsticks without saying a word.

That stir-fried dragon tendon shimmering with rosy light no longer smelled appetizing to her at this moment.

Zhao Ruoan didn't know how to comfort her.

Suddenly, Third Senior Sister Mo Hongling abruptly raised her head, as if she had thought of a good idea.

"Junior Brother, wait for me!"

Dropping those words, she turned and ran outside.

"I'm going to find Revered Master! I want to go guard the Spirit Stone mine too!"

Watching her fiery and hasty figure, Zhao Ruoan opened his mouth, but ultimately swallowed his words back down.

He felt that this matter... was doubtful.

After lunch, Zhao Ruoan returned to his small courtyard.

Two maidservants followed behind him, looking like they wanted to speak but hesitated.

"If there is something to say, just say it." Zhao Ruoan sat down on a stone stool and poured himself a cup of tea.

"Young Lord."

Qiuyin mustered her courage and stepped forward.

"We... we want to go to the Spirit Stone mine with you."

Xiamo also hurriedly nodded in agreement, "When the Young Lord is out alone, someone always has to wash clothes, cook, and serve tea and water. If the two of us sisters follow, we can also take care of your daily life."

During the last Sect trial, they couldn't stay by the Young Lord's side because their cultivation was too low, and it had always weighed heavily on their hearts.

This time, no matter what, they didn't want to be left behind again.

Looking at their sincere yet slightly nervous faces, Zhao Ruoan felt a warmth in his heart.

Usually, he treated them like family and never ordered them around like servants, never expecting them to be so loyal.

"That place is not a good spot for sightseeing and enjoying nature; there might be danger."

"We aren't afraid!" the two maidservants said in unison, their tones resolute.

"Alright." Zhao Ruoan smiled, "Then we'll go together."

"Many thanks, Young Lord!"

The two maidservants were overjoyed, happy smiles blooming on their faces.

On the other side, at Qinghan Peak, in front of Revered Master Yun Qinghan's bamboo house.

Third Senior Sister Mo Hongling held a bowl of freshly stewed soup, standing respectfully outside the door.

"Revered Master, I've stewed some calming spirit soup and brought it for you."

The bamboo door opened silently.

Yun Qinghan was still dressed in white, sitting cross-legged on a prayer mat.

Third Senior Sister Mo Hongling put down the soup bowl, knelt and sat obediently to the side, and cautiously spoke up.

"Revered Master, isn't Number Three Spirit Stone mine short of personnel to guard it?"

"This Disciple... this Disciple also wants to go share the Sect's worries."

Her words sounded wonderful, but how could such a little trick deceive Yun Qinghan?

Yun Qinghan did not speak, only quietly looking at her.

Third Senior Sister Mo Hongling felt a bit guilty under that gaze, so she simply threw caution to the wind and spilled everything like beans pouring out of a bamboo tube.

"Revered Master, I just want to stay together with Junior Brother!"

"The two of us are particularly compatible in the culinary Dao. He can help me refine recipes, and I can teach him how to handle Advanced ingredients. With the two of us together, our cooking skills will definitely soar upwards!"

The more she talked, the more excited she became, as if she could already see the glorious future of herself becoming a generation's culinary god.

After hearing this, Yun Qinghan's head ached even more.

It was one thing for Zhao Ruoan to run off to study cooking, but now even this Disciple, who bore the Mo family's culinary Legacy, was completely sucked into it.

Still soar upwards?

Why didn't your cultivation see you soar upwards?

"What level has your 'Burning Heaven Heart Scripture' reached in your cultivation?" Yun Qinghan asked out of nowhere.

Third Senior Sister Mo Hongling's smile froze on her face.

"Still... still at the third layer, there's a bit of a Bottleneck..."

"Bottleneck?" Yun Qinghan's voice turned cold, "I see you've spent all your thoughts on pots and pans!"

"Starting today, you will go into secluded cultivation for me!"

"Within a month, you must Breakthrough to the fourth layer!"

"Ah?" Third Senior Sister Mo Hongling was dumbfounded.

Yun Qinghan did not give her any chance to bargain.

"If you cannot do it..."

"From now on, you won't be eating."

Fasting!

For someone like Third Senior Sister Mo Hongling who regarded food as her life, this was more painful than killing her.

"This Disciple... obeys."

She agreed dejectedly, her overflowing enthusiasm chilled to the bone by a basin of ice water.

In the afternoon, Zhao Ruoan came to Tianhuo Peak all by himself.

This was a place specially provided by the Sect for Disciples to conduct Artifact Refining, with underground veins connecting to a massive earthly fire vein.

He directly reserved an Artifact Refining Room of the highest Rank.

Azure-Radiance Gold, Star-Dust Sand, extraterrestrial meteoric iron... One rare material after another was taken out by him from his Storage Ring.

Boom!

The earthly fire was triggered, burning fiercely.

Zhao Ruoan's expression was focused, his hands moving like butterflies weaving through flowers as one incantation after another was cast into the melting furnace.

His Artifact Refining techniques fused the supreme and simplest methods deduced from the Great Dao Scripture, making them incomparably profound.

In less than two hours.

Hum—

A clear sword cry resounded through the entire Artifact Refining Room.

A pitch-black longsword with its blade flowing with faint starlight hovered in mid-air.

A Top-Grade Spiritual Artifact!

Immediately after, he threw the remaining Materials into the furnace and began forging a magic robe.

Another hour passed.

A black magic robe that similarly flickered with starlight and possessed astonishing defensive power was freshly forged.

It was also a Top-Grade Spiritual Artifact.

Changing out of the High Grade Spiritual Artifact set he was wearing, Zhao Ruoan felt the surging power brought by the new equipment and nodded with satisfaction.

This time, his sense of security increased by a few more points.

Evening.

Third Senior Sister Mo Hongling returned to Zhao Ruoan's small courtyard, looking utterly dejected.

"Junior Brother, I can't go."

She recounted how Revered Master ordered her into secluded cultivation and even threatened her with fasting, her tone full of grievances.

"Revered Master is too cruel; she actually won't let me eat."

Hearing this, Zhao Ruoan didn't know whether to laugh or cry and could only gently comfort her.

"Senior Sister, Revered Master is also doing this for your own good. Just Cultivate with peace of mind; when I return, we can research new dishes together again."

"I'll leave you a copy of my recipe insights that I wrote. You can read it when you're bored during your secluded cultivation."

He took out a small booklet and handed it over.

Third Senior Sister Mo Hongling took the booklet, opened it, and glanced through it for a few moments, after which her mood improved a bit.

"Then it's a deal, you are not allowed to trick me."

"Definitely."

After the two made their agreement, Third Senior Sister Mo Hongling left, turning back every three steps.

After she left.

Taking Qiuyin and Xiamo with him, Zhao Ruoan reported to the Sect, rented a massive crane, and left Qingxuan Sect.

Number Three Spirit Stone mine was located on the western side of Qingxuan Sect's territory. The journey was long, and even riding a crane would take two days and one night.

The crane soared into the sky, and the fierce gale was kept outside by a spiritual power protective shield.

It was Qiuyin and Xiamo's first time riding a flying mount, and also their first time leaving the Sect so far away, so they found everything novel and fascinating.

"Young Lord, look at that mountain, it's so tall!"

"Wow, there's a river below, sparkling in the sunlight."

Seeing their excited appearances, Zhao Ruoan smiled and said, "No need to rush on our way. There's a town up ahead; let's head down to look around and buy some things before continuing."

"Really? That's wonderful, Young Lord!"

The two maidservants cheered.

Leaning against the crane's soft feathers, Zhao Ruoan felt quite relaxed as well.

Going out this time, he might just trigger some new Opportunity and unlock a few System missions.

Just as he was thinking this.

In his mind, a cold mechanical voice rang out without any warning.

[Ding!]

[Host is detected to be facing a fatal crisis, now issuing an emergency mission!]

[Mission Name: Desperate Counter-Kill!]

[Mission Content: Slay all Nether Cult members who have come to ambush.]

[Mission Reward: Depending on completion rate.]

The ease and comfort on Zhao Ruoan's face instantly vanished without a trace.

Nether Cult?

What School is this? He had never heard of it.

Ambush me?

His brain spun rapidly, reviewing the people and forces he had offended, yet he couldn't figure out any rhyme or reason.

A chill rose from the bottom of his heart.

At the same time.

On a steep mountain a hundred miles ahead of them.

Several figures dressed in black robes with cold auras were gazing into the distance at the small black dot on the horizon.

"They're here." The leading black-robed person's voice was hoarse.

"Two Protectors, that kid is Zhao Ruoan, Immortal Emperor Yun Qinghan's Personal Disciple." Another person beside him replied respectfully.

"Making a move from the Spirit Pill Realm to ambush and kill a brat is truly taking him seriously." Another black-robed person called Protector sneered, "However, this child's talent is a Prodigy, he must be nipped in the bud."

"Let's strike, quick and decisive! The chess piece we planted in Qingxuan Sect sent news that Yun Qinghan is in secluded cultivation and won't notice."

"All intersections have been sealed off; he won't be able to fly away even with wings."

"Today is this brat's death day!"