Chapter 30: Damn! This person... is about to ascend right on the spot?!

Yun Qing’s reaction left everyone present completely bewildered.

Li Muchen stepped forward, staring intently at Yun Qing’s face, and asked anxiously, "How is it? There isn't any problem, is there??"

*Damn it—the scumbag system better not be setting me up!*

With Yun Qing and Li Muchen acting this way, Empress Dowager Dou and the Eldest Princess Pingyang were thrown into a panic. They feared that the Immortal Bone Pill might have caused some unforeseen issues with their bodies. Both mother and daughter kept their eyes locked on the changing expressions on Yun Qing’s face, terrified that he might say something horrifying in the next second.

But what Yun Qing said next caused everyone present to nearly drop their jaws in shock.

"This Immortal Bone Pill truly lives up to the 'Immortal' in its name."

"To think it could allow mere mortal flesh to be reborn into such a state?"

"The spiritual roots within Empress Dowager Dou and the Eldest Princess Pingyang are so powerful that they already surpass those of the ninth-tier members of our Seek-Immortal Sect."

Yun Qing remained immersed in his shock, unable to calm his racing thoughts for a long time...

Suddenly, he turned to face Li Muchen beside him. He grabbed Li Muchen’s arms in a fit of excitement and flashed the most brilliant, ecstatic smile he had ever shown in his life: "My good disciple..."

"You still have one Immortal Bone Pill left, right?"

"Why don't you give that last one to your master?"

"Consider it your apprenticeship offering."

When these words left Yun Qing’s lips, a flicker of shock passed through Li Muchen’s eyes. He cursed inwardly, *Holy crap—is this thing really that powerful? Even a cultivation genius from the sect is begging me for it? Then why did I feel absolutely nothing when I ate it? You useless, stinking scumbag system!! You always disappear on me at critical moments like this.*

Li Muchen’s resentment and the surging violent impulses within him literally forced the system to manifest.

[Host’s resentment levels detected as extremely high...]
[Warning: Please remain calm, Host. Do not resort to violence against the system.]

"Cut the crap!! Tell me the truth: why is the Immortal Bone Pill useless to me?"

[Ahem, this system has already checked the network. It is because the strength of your spiritual roots is far greater than that of an ordinary person. Naturally, it requires more time than it does for others.]

"I’ll ask you again! How much longer do I have to wait before I can unlock my spiritual roots?"

[Uh... about that!]

[This system doesn't know either.]

"You stinking scumbag—you’re lying to me again!!"

[No, I am truly not lying to you this time. By the way, there is one more surprise I would like to share with you.]

"Don't you dare try to change the subject, you scumbag!"

[It is good news. Are you sure you don't want to hear it?]

Li Muchen hesitated, worried about missing something major, and decided to let the system off the hook for now. "Fine, speak. What’s the good news?"

[The last Immortal Bone Pill can be gifted to Yun Qing. Once he consumes it, his cultivation base will increase a hundredfold.]

Li Muchen rolled his eyes. "Ha! What does Yun Qing’s massive increase in cultivation have to do with me?"

[Of course it matters. Yun Qing has been stuck at this bottleneck for ten years. If you gift him the pill and help him become a powerhouse of the sect, you will max out his favorability and loyalty towards you. Soon, he will become the Sect Master of the Seek-Immortal Sect. Are you sure you don't want to latch onto such a powerful backer? You have to realize, you are currently in the budding stage of your development. Having an expert to protect you will double your chances of success.]

By now, the cunning grin on Li Muchen’s face was impossible to hide. If he helped Yun Qing become a sect powerhouse, wouldn't the entire Seek-Immortal Sect essentially be his backer? With this "daddy" figure in his corner, would he still have to worry about his four divine beasts not having the opportunity to advance? Would he still have to worry about the cultivators of the Beiji Kingdom coming for revenge?

Nonsense!! Of course he wouldn't be afraid of anything anymore.

Li Muchen looked up, met Yun Qing’s eyes, and with a wide, mischievous grin, shouted, "Daddy, here is the Immortal Bone Pill."

"What?!" Yun Qing looked blankly at him. "Daddy? What does that mean?"

Li Muchen continued to beam as he explained, "Daddy just means 'Master'."

With that said, Li Muchen dropped to his knees. "Master, please accept your disciple's respects. This porcelain bottle holds the final Immortal Bone Pill. I offer it today as a token of my apprenticeship."

Before Yun Qing could react, Li Muchen knocked his head against the floor three times—*thump, thump, thump*.

After finishing his kowtows, Li Muchen stood up, opened the porcelain bottle, and tipped the last pill out. Then, taking advantage of Yun Qing’s stunned state, he shoved the pill directly into his mouth.

The moment the pill entered his throat, it instantly melted into liquid and slid into Yun Qing’s stomach.

Now that Yun Qing had consumed his "apprenticeship gift," it was too late to back out. Even though he had requested it himself, the way Li Muchen handled the situation made Yun Qing wonder... was there a trick involved? Could there be something wrong with the pill he had just swallowed?

A few seconds later, the pill began to react within Yun Qing’s body. He suddenly felt his Dantian, which had been blocked for ten years, churning and surging with energy.

Yun Qing’s pupils dilated; his face was a mask of utter disbelief! For ten years, he had grown accustomed to being stuck at a bottleneck, unable to improve his cultivation. Even when the sect had provided him with countless precious elixirs, each time had resulted in deep disappointment.

Ten years!! Even his master, and indeed he himself, had believed that he had reached his peak in this lifetime. His master had even tried to comfort him and encourage him to let it go. As a young genius, he had reached a level of cultivation in the medical arts branch of the Seek-Immortal Sect second only to the Medical Immortal by the age of ten. Since then, there had been no sign of progress. He had assumed he would never surpass his master’s level of cultivation.

But that familiar surge in his Dantian... Yun Qing understood clearly: he had finally reached the turning point for his breakthrough.

He immediately sat cross-legged and began to regulate his rapid breathing.

At this moment, the system’s voice rang out again.

[Host, Yun Qing is about to advance.]

Li Muchen’s eyes widened, his mouth hanging open wide enough to swallow an egg. "Wait, he just ate the pill? It’s only been a few seconds, and he’s already about to advance??"

[Host, now is not the time to be shocked. In the world of cultivators, the higher the cultivation, the more terrifying the heavenly tribulation one must endure during an advancement. You should be thinking about how to protect Yun Qing and ensure he ascends successfully. Otherwise, if other cultivators sense this... Yun Qing might be in danger!!]

"Fine—I understand."

Li Muchen knew the situation had become critical!!