As someone in sequence 001, I also want to give up today.

In the following days, Li Xian's life became much clearer.

Before Lingdang officially steps into the "melting pot" of school (as he sees it), the little guy's basic mental strength needs to be raised to the next level.

3 PM was, in his view, a good threshold.

This means that the mental power after the fission can steadily enter the E-level range.

At least among their peers at school, they weren't "too low," which gave them some basic means of self-protection.

As for how to improve? For Li Xian, who possesses the power of all things and a top-quality food inventory, the most direct way is—to eat.

Thus, Lingdang's "pre-school intensive training" began with a daily feast of different kinds of delicious food, along with the accompanying "digestion training" that she found extremely difficult.

Breakfast is no longer just milk and bread; it might be tender bird meat porridge made with the breast meat of a Grade C "Wind Feather Bird," paired with juice from "Green Spirit Fruit" which contains the essence of herbs and plants.

Lunch might consist of the tenderest tenderloin from the pan-fried Grade B "Iron Rhino," accompanied by supernatural vegetables that have their sweetness instantly locked in using the [Flame Heart Control] ability.

Dinner was even more lavish; the Moonlight Deer Ribs were just an appetizer, and steamed "Cold Pool Silver Fish" appeared in the following days.

A Class B beast, its flesh is cool and chewy, and has a remarkable effect on stabilizing mental energy.

Slow-cooked "Earthfire Melting Turtle" Soup

The B-grade beast's shell and some of its flesh were used by Li Xian for other purposes, leaving only the most essential parts, the skirt and the gelatinous substance, to make a soup the color of molten gold, which is warming to the stomach and invigorating to the spirit.

On one occasion, Li Xian even managed to obtain a small section of the essence of the "Emerald Serpent" from somewhere.

Grade A, known for its extreme toxicity and tenacious vitality.

After processing, it was made into a delicious snake soup. After eating it, Lingdang felt warm all over and her spirit was so lively that it seemed to be overflowing.

Of course, this almost "wasteful" way of supplementing one's diet would be a disaster if seen by organizations or families that are meticulous and know how to use energy-guiding arrays to maximize the absorption of energy from exotic beast ingredients.

They would probably be heartbroken and would definitely curse Li Xian for wasting such a precious resource.

If consumed directly, more than 80% or 90% of the energy is lost!

Even if Li Xian used his vast spiritual power to perform preliminary purification of the ingredients, removing impurities and straightening the energy channels, he could only retain one or two tenths at most.

But he had an abundant supply of goods, and the quality was extremely high.

Quantitative change leads to qualitative change. Bell's growth talent, like a bottomless pit, continues to greedily and steadily absorb every bit of nourishment.

The price was that every day after meals, the bell would be like a balloon filled with too much hydrogen.

I was so energetic that I almost felt like I was floating; I had to release all the excess energy I couldn't control.

"Old Deng! I feel like I could punch right through a wall!"

This was the first night. After finishing gnawing on the bell from the rhinoceros tenderloin, her little face flushed, she jumped around in the living room.

"Oh? Then try using your mental power to steadily bring this cup of water to me without spilling a single drop."

Li Xian slumped on the sofa and pointed to the water glass on the coffee table.

The result, of course, was a splash of water.

Lingdang was flustered and even had her dessert portion deducted from her breakfast for the next day because Li Xian accused her of "damaging furniture (splattering the carpet)".

"Old Deng! My spiritual power is singing! It says it wants to fly!"

The next day, after drinking the python soup, Lingdang tried to lift herself up with her mind.

In the end, he just thrashed around like a clumsy frog, almost bumping into the corner of the coffee table.

"Fly? First, learn to use your mental power to control three pens simultaneously and write the characters 'Li,' 'Xiao,' and 'Ling' respectively."

Li Xian leisurely assigned tasks.

The living room was suddenly filled with the mournful wailing of bells and the crooked, worm-like strokes of "calligraphy".

"Aaaaaah! Old Deng! I can't control myself anymore!"

On the third day, the bell, brimming with energy within her body, was unexpectedly overcome with emotion.

A sliver of the spiritual energy released after the fission caused the living room chandelier to snap off.

"Can't control it?"

Li Xian sighed in the darkness, instantly restored power using electromagnetic control, and then took the mournful-looking bell to the balcony.

"Tonight's task is to use your mental energy to sense the position of each star, and then construct a star map in your mind. You're not allowed to come inside until you've completed it. Fat Orange, supervise her."

Fat Orange: "Meow. (Translation: Trouble.)"

But he still jumped onto the balcony railing, squinting at the bell that was trying to slack off.

Every day, the bell swings back and forth between a paradise of delicious food and a hell of "torture".

She hated Old Deng's endless, bizarre training methods (and his constant thieves for snacks!), yet she couldn't resist the soul-stirring deliciousness.

In this cycle of pain and pleasure, her fundamental mental strength, like a carefully nurtured sapling, quietly and steadily grew upwards.

2:10...2:30...2:60...

Finally, on the last night of the "pre-enrollment intensive training".

After the bell destroyed the last piece of a certain strange beast's rib.

And successfully, as Li Xian requested, she used her mental power to control ten green beans to dance the entire children's dance that she had just watched on the tablet (although the green beans danced unsteadily, like a collective stroke).

She shuddered, a feeling of expansion, clearer and warmer than ever before, spreading deep within her mind.

We've broken through! 15 points!

Almost simultaneously, she sensed that her [fission] ability had also subtly changed.

The power after being squared became more solid, and it seemed to become slightly easier to control...?

Of course, it's just a tiny bit; it's still a long way from "exquisite control."

"Old Deng! I think I... made it!"

Lingdang looked at Li Xian with surprise, her golden eyes shining brightly.

Li Xian was using spatial folding to "send" the plates directly into the kitchen sink when he heard this and sensed it.

He smiled slightly and nodded.

"Well, so-so, I guess I've reached the threshold for E-level. Once I get to school, I should be able to keep up with most of the basic courses."

"Hmph! Not just keep up! I'm definitely the best!"

Bell raised its head, its tail swishing proudly.

Suddenly remembering something, she moved closer to Li Xian and tugged at his sleeve.

"Old Deng, I'm so good, shouldn't I get a reward? Like... double pudding for breakfast tomorrow? Or..."

Before she could finish speaking, a rapid, loud, and even somewhat irritating doorbell rang out!

"Ding-dong! Ding-dong ding-dong ding-dong—!"

The way the doorbell was rung sounded like someone with ill intentions.

Li Xian frowned slightly; his senses had already reached the door panel.

A young woman stood outside the door, her long hair slightly disheveled, wearing black-rimmed glasses, and holding a tablet computer in her arms.

More importantly—two clear flames, called "anger at the pressure to finish the manuscript," burned in his eyes.

It was Su Qianqian, the editor he had ignored for so long, who didn't reply to his messages and blocked his phone (he later managed to remove her from the blacklist but set her to do not disturb).

"Tsk, trouble has come knocking."

Li Xian rubbed his temples.

These past few days I've been so busy feeding the animals and training the bells that I've completely forgotten about submitting the manuscript.

It seems Su Qianqian has reached her breaking point and has come to confront them directly.

Bell also heard the doorbell ring and asked curiously, "Who is it? Coming so late? Smells... kind of fierce?"

Her animal instincts (or rather, the intuition brought about by her high sequence) allowed her to sense the low-pressure atmosphere outside the door.

"A...very troublesome aunt."

Li Xian spoke concisely, gesturing for Lingdang to sit on the sofa.

"Stay put and don't say anything, pretend to do your homework."

He dawdled to the door and slowly opened it.

The moment the door opened, Su Qianqian, standing outside, unleashed her pent-up anger, which nearly materialized: "Li! Xian! You…"

Her roar came to an abrupt halt.

Because she saw behind Li Xian, in the warm light of the living room.

A cute little girl, dressed in adorable loungewear, with delicate features and an incredibly well-behaved appearance, is holding a picture book, staring at her with her big, round, clear eyes, both curious and slightly timid.

Su Qianqian froze instantly, her mind filled with words like "urging for a draft," "discontinuing updates," and "killer," all of which were scattered by the overwhelmingly powerful "warm family" scene before her.

Her prepared roar got stuck in her throat, neither coming out nor coming out, and her face turned even redder.

"Good evening, Editor Su."

Li Xian stood in the doorway, his tone as calm as ever, even carrying a hint of languor from having just finished eating.

"What's up?"

"I...she..."

Su Qianqian pointed at the bell, then at Li Xian, her mind a little confused.

"Who is this child...?"

"My daughter, Bell."

Li Xian remained expressionless and stepped aside slightly.

"Lingdang, call her Aunt Su."

Lingdang immediately switched to "Li Xiaoling" mode, put down the picture book, stood up, and bowed respectfully.

She greeted everyone with a soft, clear, and sweet voice: "Hello, Aunt Su!"

Su Qianqian: "!!!"

daughter?!

Li Xian, that lazy bum, actually has such a big daughter?!

And so cute?!

When did this happen?!

How come she didn't know?!

The sheer volume of information overwhelmed Su Qianqian, causing her to temporarily forget her original purpose.

She forced a distorted smile.

"Ah, hello, you're Bell, right? So sweet..."

She subconsciously looked at Li Xian, her eyes filled with a questioning look that seemed to say, "You'd better explain yourself clearly."

"It's the child of a distant relative. His parents have passed away, and I'm sponsoring him. All the paperwork is in order."

Li Xian shut him down with a single sentence, then quickly changed the subject.

"Editor Su, is there a problem with the manuscript that you're calling me so late?"

Mentioning the manuscript instantly reignited Su Qianqian's anger.

But with the bell present, she could only lower her voice and grit her teeth.

"Manuscript? You even know what a manuscript is?! What happened to that 8,000 words you submitted last time?! What about the outline?! What about the follow-up?! No replies to messages! No answers to calls! Are you trying to drag this out forever?! Let me tell you, Li Xian, if you don't give me a straight answer today, I'm going to..."

Before she could finish speaking, Lingdang suddenly ran to Li Xian's side and tugged at his sleeve.

She tilted her little face up and asked in an innocent tone, "Daddy, is this fierce auntie the one you said... the bad editor who always forces you to write stories and won't let you play with me?"

Li Xian: "..."

This kid is quite good at embellishing things.

Su Qianqian: "..."

Bad, wicked editor?! She felt as if she had been shot in the chest again.

The bell continued to play its part, turning to Su Qianqian, blinking its big eyes, and trying its best to make a sincere expression.

"Aunt Su, please don't be angry with Dad, okay? Dad has been very busy lately, cooking delicious food for me and teaching me... Look, I'm going to a new school soon, and Dad is helping me prepare."

As she spoke, she pointed to the picture books for early childhood education on the coffee table.

Su Qianqian looked at Lingdang's innocent (pretended) little face and listened to her soft pleading.

Then, thinking back to how aggressively I had acted just now...

For some reason, she felt a pang of guilt.

It feels like I'm really bullying a single father (?) and his adorable daughter?

"I...I'm not..."

Su Qianqian's momentum visibly weakened.

Li Xian seized the opportunity to speak, his tone carrying just the right amount of "exhaustion" and "helplessness".

"Editor Su, I've been really busy with things at home lately. I just picked up my child and she needs to adjust and start school... I'll keep the manuscript in mind. How about this, can you give me a few more days? Once Lingdang's situation at school is settled, I promise I'll give you a satisfactory opening and detailed outline."

Su Qianqian watched the scene of "deep father-daughter affection" (Li Xian looked sluggish, while Lingdang tried her best to be cute).

Then, thinking back to his "fierce" image just now, he felt that if he continued to urge him, he would become an irredeemable villain.

She opened her mouth, but finally could only say dejectedly, "...Well, it's a deal! Just a few days! We can't delay any longer! Also, keep communication open!"

"Definitely, definitely."

Li Xian nodded, then casually took a box of unopened, beautifully packaged candies from the entryway cabinet (which he had just retrieved using his spatial storage) and handed it to Su Qianqian.

"Editor Su, you've gone to a lot of trouble to make this trip. Please share this with your colleagues as an apology on my behalf."

Su Qianqian took the candy in a daze, then glanced at Lingdang, who was standing obediently next to Li Xian and giving her a sweet smile.

My anger inexplicably subsided by more than half, and I felt a little dizzy instead.

"Well... I'll be going now. Goodbye, bell."

"Goodbye, Aunt Su! Take care on your way home!"

Bell waved, her smile radiant.

The door closed. The sound of Su Qianqian's somewhat disordered footsteps faded into the distance in the corridor.

The living room was quiet for a few seconds.

"Old Deng,"

Lingdang's expression immediately changed. She moved closer to Li Xian and said, as if seeking praise.

"How was my acting? Wasn't it amazing? That fierce auntie suddenly wasn't fierce anymore!"

Li Xian looked down at the smug little cat girl in front of him, her eyes sparkling, and reached out to ruffle her head (making her hair messy).

"Hmm, your acting has improved, and the added lines are quite good. You deserve a reward..."

Bell's eyes shone even brighter.

"...Tomorrow's breakfast, the pudding amount will be the same as before."

Lingdang's little face instantly fell.

"Huh? That's it? I helped you get rid of that fierce, deadline-chasing monster!"

"Otherwise what? If you hadn't misused your mental power to knock things over and break the lucky cat, would I be being pressured by the editor so much? (Actually, there's no necessary connection.)"

Li Xian spoke with righteous indignation.

"Besides, your mental strength has just broken through, and you need to consolidate it. You should eat sweets in moderation. Go, take a shower and go to bed. Maybe your admission notice will come tomorrow."

"You wicked old man! You cheapskate! Ha—!"

The bell puffed out angrily.

But compared to before, this time it seemed more like a habitual, coquettish protest.

She knew that protests were usually ineffective under Old Deng's culinary influence and "repression."

She turned and ran towards the bathroom, but halfway there she turned back and made a face.

"When I get to school and become the strongest, the first thing I'll do is come back and make you make pudding for me for the rest of your life! I'll eat you out of house and home! Ha!"

After saying that, he slipped into the bathroom and closed the door.

Li Xian chuckled and shook his head.

He walked to the window and looked at the quiet night outside.

Lingdang's mental strength has successfully broken through, and she is about to enroll in school.

The editor temporarily used the "father and daughter" excuse to cover up the crisis.

The newly acquired spatial and causal abilities are becoming increasingly convenient to use...

Life seemed to have returned to the "peaceful" track he liked, which was a little troublesome but generally under control.

Li Xian yawned; life was getting better and better.

Now, it's time to try using space to create a hands-free, automatic massage water feature in your bathroom.

While you're at it, try using causal displacement to fine-tune the water temperature to ensure it's perfect.

Salted fish improves its quality of life little by little through its own efforts (and by the ability to find fish along the way).