Yun Ming shivered, not daring to think further.
He instinctively reached for the Qing Ming Sword behind him, but the corners of his mouth curved upwards again.
The feeling of this power was incredibly reassuring.
One of Yun Kui Mountain's inherited rules was: The wielder of the Qing Ming Sword is the sect master.
This 'wielder' doesn't mean simply holding it, but rather gaining the Qing Ming Sword's recognition and already being confirmed as the successor to the sect master.
As for special circumstances, such as the previous sect master dying unexpectedly...
Then it's handled specially... Old geezer!
With the Qing Ming Sword in my hand, I call you master, what should you call me?
Master, please call your disciple 'Sect Master'!
"Brother, brother?"
Yi Jiang looked at Yun Ming with concern, thinking he was contemplating something important, and then saw the words 'strictly adhere to master-disciple rules'.
Her heart inexplicably skipped a beat.
She had never heard of Yun Kui Mountain's master-disciple rules.
But she knew a little about the master-disciple rules widely spread in the secular world... "Sister, Brother is making that strange expression again."
"Hmm... it looks like he's thinking about something impolite."
Yi Xuan lay on the small table, deep in thought.
"Ahem... Little Yi Xuan, you're the impolite one, come here, today I'll refine you first."
With that, Yun Ming grabbed Yi Xuan and instantly... began to clear her meridians, the two directly moved to the bed.
After all, sitting is sitting everywhere.
Why not sit more comfortably? If Senior Brother were here, he'd definitely be going crazy over the bed.
"Ah, the bed a little loli slept on."
"Ah, why does it smell so good..."
Yun Ming's mouth twitched, disgusted by his own imagination, and quickly recited a Clear Mind Mantra to dispel that perverted face.
"Ma-Master... what are we doing?"
"Still calling me 'brother', call me 'master'."
"Oh, Master."
Yi Xuan was very obedient, calling him whatever he asked.
Yun Ming was quite pleased, mobilizing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to flow into the girl's body.
With his talent, he could see spiritual energy with his naked eyes, bypassing the interference of Aether to absorb it, something others could not do.
Therefore, all the cultivation methods on Yun Kui Mountain were related to the utilization of Aether.
Most people in this world have Aether adaptability; mild Aether is not only harmless to humans but can also temper the body like spiritual energy.
Compared to spiritual energy, Aether's effect is even better.
Erosion and repair proceed in parallel, which also greatly improves the cultivator's physical quality, so by common sense, even if one doesn't know cultivation methods, as long as their Aether adaptability is high enough, mortals will imperceptibly gain extraordinary power.
However, after being excessively modified by Aether, the body cannot be compatible with cultivating spiritual power, unless a powerful being forcibly modifies it again.
But Yun Ming had never seen such a powerful being.
According to his master, ancient texts recorded that such beings might have existed hundreds of years ago, but now, he was probably the only one in this world still cultivating spiritual power.
"How does it feel?"
"It's warm, and my body feels a little sore inside."
"Mm, normal reaction, the first time is always like this. It will feel a bit distended and sore when it enters, after all, these are undeveloped meridians."
"After a few more times, you'll get used to it and it will be comfortable."
Yun Ming gently traced the girl's body with his fingers; he wasn't like those in novels who could just place a palm and control the circulation of qi.
After all, separated by a body, he had only just barely stepped into the second realm, Yun Zhuan, and his control over spiritual power wasn't that strong yet.
This made Yi Xuan giggle, but then it tickled and hurt, so she was truly crying and laughing, which was quite a mess.
Yi Jiang watched, feeling a little flustered.
Would she be that embarrassing later too? "Remember the trajectory of the spiritual energy's circulation, phew... don't just laugh, it takes a lot of effort for me to clear your spiritual meridians."
Yun Ming's forehead was dripping with sweat, holding the little girl still to keep her from moving. Yi Xuan's talent was good, alright... Heh heh, she was directly absorbing his spiritual energy.
It seemed her talent was quickly catching up to his.
Like a dry sponge, Yun Ming's spiritual energy flowing in now was exactly what she wanted, and she unconsciously devoured it frantically.
After all, the spiritual energy between heaven and earth wasn't that easy to absorb.
It was obstructed by Aether and contained impurities, not pure enough.
"Mmm..."
Yi Xuan's face gradually flushed red. After the pain disappeared, the comfort brought by the spiritual energy improving her body was beyond words.
She dazedly hugged Yun Ming.
There was something delicious there.
She opened her mouth and bit down hard, like eating a char siu bao.
"You stinky brat!"
Yun Ming's thumb and forefinger narrowly escaped; he flicked Yi Xuan's forehead hard, leaving a clear red mark.
"Ow!"
Yi Xuan woke up, holding her head.
Tiny, starlike tears squeezed out of her golden-red eyes, looking at her master as if a hungry wolf had spotted a plump rabbit.
"Master hit me... Master is mean..."
...
Yun Ming showed no mercy and flicked her forehead again.
"I'm hitting you because you deserve it. No, call me Master."
"Mean Master..."
...
Yun Ming's mouth twitched. He raised that 'Great Desolate Heaven Imprisoning Finger' again and pressed it towards Yi Xuan.
"I'm sorry, Master... Master is the best."
Yi Xuan covered her head and immediately hid by Yun Ming's leg, as if saying, 'I've surrendered, so you can't hit me anymore.'
"Phew--"
"Your meridians have been cleared. Did you remember the spiritual energy circulation routes?"
...
This time it was Yi Xuan who didn't speak, quietly raising her head.
Her big eyes blinked and blinked.
Master didn't speak.
She blinked again, looking pitiful, weak, and innocent.
"It was too, too comfortable... I forgot the latter half."
"Master, no hitting me!"
She pulled up the blanket and hid inside, again only showing a pair of watery eyes looking at Yun Ming.
His fists hardened.
He had helped Yi Xuan circulate spiritual energy for almost ten cycles, and it was almost midnight.
And she still hadn't remembered?
"Don't hide, come out."
"No hitting me..."
"...No, I won't hit you, don't worry. Am I that violent of a person?"
Yun Ming clenched his fists, when suddenly a small hand squeezed his shoulder. Although there was no technique to it, the little paw was soft and warm like jade.
"Brother, you've worked hard."
"Mm... from now on, change how you address me to 'Master'."
"Okay, Brother, Yi Xuan will still need you to worry a lot."
...
Yun Ming turned to glance at the gentle Yi Jiang. He couldn't discern any change in her expression, and he suddenly understood Xuan Mingzi's feelings.
Indeed, only by becoming a master can one understand a master's hardship.
But at least Yi Jiang didn't call him 'stinky old man'.
This meant he was still a bit more successful than Xuan Mingzi, wasn't he?
Yun Ming, on his first day as a master, thought this.
He reached out and pulled out Yi Xuan, who was pretending to be a shrinking turtle, and said with a serious expression.
"Remember this well this time, and... no more absorbing my spiritual energy."
"Mm-hmm!"
Yi Xuan promised that this time she would definitely complete the task.
Half an hour later.
"Did you remember?"
"Just a little bit more, really, Master is the best... just one more time."
...
Yun Ming was silent for a moment, forcibly suppressing the urge to hit the child, and smiled gently.
"Mm, but, you really can't absorb my spiritual energy anymore. I still need to clear Yi Jiang's spiritual meridians later."
"Mm-hmm, mm-hmm?"