Helping each other with countless me.

Chapter 582 Quitting Smoking
Consciousness slowly rose from the boundless darkness and madness, like a diver finally breaking through the waves and seeing the light of day again.

Liu Ruyan's long eyelashes trembled a few times, and she slowly opened her eyes.

The first thing that catches the eye is the rough, dark cave ceiling, as if it had been scorched by demonic fire, with a faint smell of burnt wood mixed with a strange, purifying aroma in the air.

She remembers everything.

The excruciating pain of the karmic poison tearing her soul apart the instant it erupted, the madness of countless resentful curses assaulting her consciousness, and the resolute determination she showed in sealing herself completely into the cocoon of black flames at the last moment.

More importantly, at the very core and deepest part of her consciousness, she always maintained a sliver of clarity, like a point of absolute silence in the eye of a storm.

She "saw" everything that happened afterward, how Li Zhongren protected the fallen team members, how he brought her Black Flame Cocoon to this depth underground at an incredible speed, and how he drew upon that vast and pure sword intent to gradually eliminate the karmic poison and purify her soul.

The entire process lasted a day and a night.

She also "watched" for a whole day and night.

That's how she learned that the "Starlight Man" with immense power and profound sword intent was actually the young man beside her who seemed to be only at the fourth level of Qi Refining, Li Zhongren!
How could a teenager who was just an ordinary student three months ago, and even chose to commit suicide, reach such a state in such a short time?

To be honest, deep down she didn't completely believe it was just a simple miracle of cultivation.

Based on the previous hints from the "Starlight Man" that "Li Zhongren" was dead, she had already made a deduction in her mind: the boy in front of her was probably no longer the original Li Zhongren, but had been possessed by that powerful "Starlight Man"!

Although the details of the process may have deviated, she believed the result was roughly correct. If Li Zhongren knew her thoughts, he would probably smile wryly, thinking that the process was completely wrong, but the result was completely right.

Keep it a secret for him.

The thought instantly took root in Liu Ruyan's heart. No matter who he was, he saved her and her teammates. This kindness and strength were enough for her to keep this secret.

In the blink of an eye, she began to introspect and use her internal energy cultivation technique to examine her own condition.

This discovery gave her a sudden shock.

Better than ever!

Karma is a deadly poison, but it is often accompanied by extreme pressure and opportunity.

The so-called aberration is essentially a forced "evolution" under the stimulation of extreme forces, similar to natural selection in the biological world, except that this process is extremely compressed and distorted.

Evolution occurs when one successfully adapts and takes control; destruction occurs when one fails.

She was clearly very lucky.

Under the protection of the unique sword intent and precise "surgery" of that "Starlight Man," the most filthy and violent "poison" in her karma was removed, but the enormous energy and evolutionary opportunity contained within it were preserved. This "evolution" of hers was largely completed along the lines of her own will and the foundation of her cultivation technique.

As a result, she not only survived, but her cultivation level also broke through to the fifth level of Qi Refining!
The fourth and fifth levels of Qi Refining may seem like only one level apart, but they are actually a small watershed between the middle and late stages of Qi Refining.

The biggest difference lies in the precision of the control over force, which has reached a level of "microscopic".

Previously, she had to break down the black flames and let them float in the air so that Mo Yuan could absorb them. Now, however, every drop of black flame is under her control, yet no one can detect the control. This is a resonance in quantum form. This subtle control is also a key step in laying a solid foundation for the future formation of the core.

Speaking of this, Liu Ruyan couldn't help but think of the new law and the old law.

In terms of actual combat power and energy level, the Qi Refining stage of the new method is probably in no way inferior to the Foundation Establishment stage of the old method.

Because the new method skips the "foundation building" stage directly. The so-called foundation building process is essentially a preparation for core formation, while the new method integrates this preparation process into the Qi cultivation period itself through a more efficient and precise method of Qi cultivation.

Not only that, she also clearly felt a completely new form of power within her body, a transformation.

She could feel the wild surge of power in that state, the exhilarating feeling of using the corrosive and destructive properties of psionic energy, as if her instincts were being completely released...

Just then, she suddenly felt something strange about her body.

With a slight movement, he realized that his naked body was covered by a slightly oversized Secret Service uniform jacket belonging to men.

The coat carried a faint scent that belonged to Li Zhongren.

Her original clothes had already been completely destroyed in the previous battles and incidents.

Liu Ruyan's body stiffened instantly, and her cheeks felt slightly flushed.

She was, after all, a mature woman in her twenties, while Li Zhongren, who was beside her, even if he might be some kind of old monster inside, was still just a handsome seventeen-year-old boy on the outside.

This awkward situation left her somewhat at a loss.

Fortunately, her mental fortitude honed over many years remained intact. She quickly suppressed the ripples in her mind, took a deep breath, and tried her best to appear calm and natural.

She tilted her head slightly and looked into the distance.

Li Zhongren was sitting cross-legged on a rock a few meters away, his eyes slightly closed, and spiritual energy flowing slowly around him. He was obviously meditating to recover. His face seemed a little paler than before, and his breathing was slightly fluctuating. Clearly, the purification he had undergone over the past day and night had taken a heavy toll on him.

A complex mix of gratitude and guilt welled up in Liu Ruyan's heart.

Just then, Li Zhongren seemed to sense her awakening and slowly opened his eyes.

Their eyes met, and the atmosphere inside the cave instantly became somewhat subtle.

"you're awake."

Li Zhongren's voice sounded somewhat tired, but calm.

"How do you feel? The karmic poison should have been completely cleared away."

Liu Ruyan looked away, pulled her coat tighter to make sure she was fully covered, and then whispered.

"Yes, thank you for saving my life. I feel great, and I've even turned misfortune into blessing by breaking through."

Congratulations, this increases your chances of winning over Mo Yuan.

He is no longer a match for me.

Liu Ruyan said confidently.

"He paid the price of an arm and years of accumulated karmic poison. He seemed to have escaped successfully, but my black flames have completely locked onto him. Now he is nothing but a skeleton in a tomb."

As she spoke, Liu Ruyan looked at Li Zhongren again, her eyes serious.

"In any case, we owe you a great debt this time. Otherwise, my teammates and I would probably not have escaped this calamity. I will remember this kindness and repay it in the future. As for your identity, I will keep it a secret for you."

Upon hearing this, Li Zhongren's eyes flickered slightly.

He understood Liu Ruyan's implication; she had clearly misunderstood and mistook him for the old monster who had possessed the original owner of the body.

But then he thought about it again and realized that this misunderstanding wasn't so bad. It was much simpler than explaining to the outside world why a mere "Qi Refining Level 4" could have such abilities, and it would also better conceal the secrets of the system. So, he neither admitted nor denied it, but simply gave a faint "hmm," which was considered an admission of this beautiful misunderstanding.

"It's not advisable to stay here for long. We should leave."

Li Zhongren stood up.

Liu Ruyan also tried to get up. Although she was still a little weak, her foundation at the fifth level of Qi Refining allowed her to stand up quickly.

She was barefoot, her body wrapped tightly in the Secret Service's oversized coat, as she stepped onto the cold, rough, and slightly prickly rocky ground.

The two, one in front of the other, prepared to leave the devastated heart of the cave.

However, just as Liu Ruyan took a few steps, her smooth feet suddenly stepped on a small patch of karmic residue that had not been thoroughly purified and was dark in color, almost blending into the rock!
Normally, with her current Qi Refining Level 5 cultivation, her spiritual power would automatically protect her, and this bit of residual poison wouldn't be able to get close to her at all.

But at this moment, having just acquired that mutated ability, she was far from having achieved complete control over it. This foreign karmic remnant was like a spark, instantly igniting the already active mutated power within her!

"Om-!"

A dark red and dirty green light suddenly flashed across her body!

A curved horn grows on its forehead, its eyes become vertical pupils, and its fiery tail sways!

Almost instantly, she once again entered that sinister and powerful demonic state!
But unlike the last time when she was dominated by madness, this time, her soul was strong and her consciousness was perfectly clear!
She could clearly feel the surge of power in this state, and the primal desires amplified to the extreme that followed: conquest, destruction, and... the most instinctive physical cravings.

The desire was intense and fierce, assaulting her reason.

She knew perfectly well that she should control herself and restrain herself.

But a strange, indulgent thought arose from absolute self-confidence and a feeling of being full of power.

"I can control myself, so... what's wrong with indulging myself once in a while and experiencing all that this power brings?"

She didn't want to control it.

Liu Ruyan slowly turned around, her vertical pupils burning with black flames precisely locking onto Li Zhongren, who was stunned by the sudden turn of events.

She stuck out her tongue and seductively licked her increasingly full and rosy lips, a wild and possessive smile curving her lips.

“Li…Zhong…Ren…”

(Nothing happened that night.)
When Liu Ruyan woke up again, the first thing she felt was the warmth from their bodies pressed tightly together, and... a subtle, lingering, yet incredibly sore and aching sensation all over her body.

She found herself huddled with Li Zhongren in a corner of the cave, with his wrinkled uniform jacket as a cushion beneath her.

At seventeen, she was at the age of peak energy and tireless vitality, a fact she experienced firsthand.

She stirred slightly, looked up at the boy beside her who seemed to still be asleep, or rather, the being beneath the boy's skin. A complex and inscrutable emotion flashed across her face, but it ultimately turned into a lazy and satisfied smile.

"Giving myself to this man wouldn't be a disgrace to myself."

Furthermore, during their deeper conversation, she could sense that Li Zhongren's body did not exhibit any signs of soul fusion.

This wasn't just a random feeling she had; it was based on the Empire's secret techniques. As a cultivation civilization, how could they not be wary of possession?
In fact, according to the Empire's research, any form of possession will leave such traces in a person's body; this is a mutation that occurs when souls merge.

Even when the original owner was on the verge of death and unconscious, this was still the case.

The absence of any signs of fusion can only be explained by the fact that the original owner's long-cherished wish has been fulfilled.

There is only one explanation for this situation: the original owner was acting voluntarily and without any coercion or blackmail.

Therefore, she felt that her speculation was correct: the original Li Zhongren was on the verge of death when he was possessed by the Starlight Man. The Starlight Man fulfilled his last wish, the original owner's obsession dissipated, and the fusion was completed.
This relieved Liu Ruyan. She didn't care whether he was an evil cultivator or not, but she didn't want her man's hands to be stained with the blood of innocent people. That was her bottom line.

"You're awake."

Liu Ruyan looked at Li Zhongren with a smile.

Li Zhongren looked at Liu Ruyan and rolled his eyes helplessly.

He was forced into it. Facing Liu Ruyan, who was at the fifth level of Qi Refining, he was already exhausted and had no room to resist.

"Tsk tsk tsk, I'll take responsibility."

Liu Ruyan gently pinched Li Zhongren's cheek.

"Come on, give me a smile."

"."

"Giggle giggle."

Inside the cave, Liu Ruyan's laughter, as melodious as a dove's, rang out.

"Your transformation is controllable, but your desires are too strong."

Li Zhongren sat up, sighed, and said.

"You must control your desires."

"I could, but I just don't want to."

"It's like a smoker who says they can quit, but have you ever actually quit?"

"You do not believe?"

Liu Ruyan stared wide-eyed, sat up, and with a thought, transformed again.

then
"Ahem, okay, you win."

Liu Ruyan pulled out a cigarette from her tattered coat and leaned against the smooth cave wall, smoking quietly. Not far away, Li Zhongren lay on the ground, his face gaunt.

"You're right. I just assumed I could control it, but actually it's very difficult. By the way, is your sword intent effective against me?"

"It's no use."

Li Zhongren yawned.

"My Karma-Slaying Sword Technique only targets karma itself. It is useless against the consequences of karma. From now on, unless I am by your side, try not to transform."

"Hehe, so you're already being possessive of your food? Don't worry, I'm not that kind of woman."

"Get lost. What I mean is, after your transformation, you seem to have reached the pinnacle of control over spiritual energy, but your weaknesses have also been magnified to the extreme. If you encounter a targeted cultivator, such as someone like Mo Yuan, you will suffer a great loss unless you can hone your mind to the Buddhist state of nothingness."

"Relax, relax, let's go back."

"stop!"

Li Zhongren stood up, wrapped Liu Ruyan in his coat, and picked her up horizontally.

"You dare to deliberately step on that karma again."

"What? What will happen if I step on it?"

"not so good."

In his anger, Li Zhongren had no choice but to remain angry.
"Let's go, I'll take you back to the station first."

"No!"

Liu Ruyan, who was being held in Li Zhongren's arms, shook her head.

“There are informants for that guy in the bureau. If I don’t go back, he won’t know where I am. Besides, that guy is really seriously injured now. I think the two of us can go straight to his hiding place. I can sense the specific direction.”

"Yes, but first, you need to find some clothes to wear."

"Cough cough."

(End of this chapter)