I'm Ximen Qing, living in a ghost story!

Sunlight streamed through the paper windows into the spacious hall, reflecting off his eyes and making it impossible for him to sleep. Ximen Qing turned over.

She felt that the bed beneath her was extremely hard, even a little uncomfortable, and nothing about it was smooth to her!

So he simply opened his eyes, wanting to see what was going on.

Then, at first glance, he saw the middle-aged man next to him staring at him with a dark expression.

A large, round face with a bulbous nose suddenly appeared, startling him!

"I'll test you! Who are you?!"

Ximen Qing subconsciously took a few steps back and put his hands in front of his chest.

Who among us housewives understands this?!

I woke up to find a stubble-bearded middle-aged man lecherously staring at me from next to me...

Ximen Qing considered himself to be quite handsome and was determined to protect his buttocks.

"Hmph! Yun'er! Look at this brat, heartless and ungrateful, he doesn't know how to be grateful at all. I will never approve of your relationship!"

Seeing Ximen Qing's wary look, the middle-aged man was furious. He turned his head to look into the distance and shouted.

Yun'er?

Ximen Qing pondered the title, then glanced to the other side.

He was in the main hall of Lianye Temple, lying on the stone platform where the Buddha statue was originally placed.

Zhou Qingyun was helping Hua Baoyan apply medicine, as her shoulder was bruised from an arrow the fox demon had shot at her.

Hua Baoyan simply adopted a civil and military style, pulling one arm out of her sleeve.

Simonda and Nie Xiaoqian have disappeared without a trace.

Further away, Changting, with disheveled hair and red eyes, was surrounded by a bearded swordsman, whose fate was unknown, with Shi Zhipu.

"What's wrong? Did the pain make him stupid? Dad, didn't you say you were just letting him sleep for a while? You didn't let him notice anything wrong!"

Zhou Qingyun stepped forward, looked at the bewildered Ximen Qing, and spoke with some concern.

"How could that be?! I only struck his neck to lessen his pain, and I controlled my strength perfectly! Yun'er, how can you not believe your father? Back in the day, your father was known in the martial arts world as the White Crane in the Clouds, a man of noble character and integrity..."

Seeing his daughter's distrustful behavior, Zhou Chun spoke up with a displeased expression.

"Alright, Father, you should go check if that demon hunter can be saved. Leave this to me!"

Zhou Qingyun patted her father on the shoulder, looking impatient.

Ximen Qing was stunned for a moment, then a look of realization appeared on his face.

He seemed to remember something.

"Last night, that fox demon..."

"He's already been executed. Hero Yan personally killed him, how cool was that! Didn't you see? His flying sword is said to be a replica of the Xuanyuan Ancient Sword, and hundreds of sword energies follow his every move! It's much stronger than my father's Six Paths Sword Energy."

Zhou Chun, who had just turned to leave, heard his daughter chirping and a hint of resentment appeared in his eyes.

"Ahem, I remember that, but after that, I don't remember anything at all. Why did I fall asleep?"

Ximen Qing scratched his head and rubbed his neck, feeling that it was already swollen.

Zhou Qingyun then said sheepishly, "Oh, this is because my father said your soul was injured by the fox demon, and you must be in excruciating pain, so he wanted you to sleep for a while!"

"ha?"

Ximen Qing's eyes widened.

Okay, case solved. He was actually not in pain anymore, but Zhou Chun, that old bastard, still slapped him hard. It was definitely intentional!

"Oh, by the way, this is the medicine I brewed. All the spiritual herbs in Lotus Leaf Temple's stockpile were used up this time. Do you feel any problems with your body now?"

Zhou Qingyun handed him a bowl of the prepared herbal medicine and looked at him expectantly, asking him a question.

"It's nothing, but Senior Sister, your thoughtfulness makes me quite uncomfortable. Why don't you take a break and get back to normal?"

Ximen Qing took the bowl, drank it all in one gulp, and grimaced from the bitterness, unable to help but speak up.

He did enjoy the female swordswoman's "concern," but Zhou Chun's gaze from behind made him feel uneasy.

"Hahaha! Look how scared you are. My dad is so nervous. He always thinks there's something between you and me. I just wanted to scare him a little."

Zhou Qingyun's eyes darted around, and she hooked her arm around Ximen Qing's shoulder, whispering something.

"No! There's nothing I can do to help!"

Ximen Qing waved his hands repeatedly, then turned around and stepped off the stone platform. He leaped down in one smooth motion, without showing any signs of injury.

It actually became much more flexible.

Upon further introspection, it was instantly discovered that the magical power in the dantian had been fully restored, and even overflowed more than before!

"Huh? What's going on?!"

Ximen Qing couldn't help but open his system panel, and the second line that caught his eye made him unable to hold back any longer, so he checked it repeatedly.

[Player Card: Ximen Qing]

[Strength: Sixth Level of the Acquired Realm]

It's been upgraded!

Oops, I should say he broke through.

However, he remembered what Zhou Qingyun had told him before—

Is it because he absorbed the power of the Flower Slave that his soul and body are incompatible, so he is temporarily unable to cultivate in both realms to improve his strength?

Now that he has successfully broken through, it means...

"Hey! You finally figured it out?"

Zhou Qingyun smiled and looked at Ximen Qing.

"Because your soul was damaged, the previously unbalanced power actually calmed down. However, during my examination of your body, I discovered your secret, heh heh!"

Zhou Qingyun had a wicked smile on her lips.

"What secret? Wait, when did you examine my body?"

Ximen Qing felt that he must have been really stunned by the beating, and he kept missing the point.

"Your meridians are blocked, so you shouldn't be able to cultivate, but the magical power in your body is balanced and of excellent quality. You must have had some kind of extraordinary encounter! Or perhaps you obtained some ancient inheritance or something! I knew it; the friends I, Zhou Qingyun, know are definitely not simple! Don't worry, I'll keep your secret. I didn't even let my father touch you!"

Zhou Qingyun raised an eyebrow, looking like he was keeping the brotherhood in mind.

"Is this the physical examination?"

A hint of disappointment appeared on Ximen Qing's face, and he finally nodded weakly.

Zhou Qingyun was speechless: What are you talking about, you teapot?! Did I mean that? You bastard whose head is full of nothing but dirty thoughts!

However, Ximen Qing's disappointment was feigned, but his inner elation was genuine.

It wasn't easy! After holding it in for so long, I, Ximen Da Guanren, have finally recovered to my full form!

From today onwards, I, Ximen Qing, will dedicate my energy to spiritual cultivation every day.

If he can't improve his skills, Ximen Qing will never leave the house again!

"Apu! Quick! Judge Yan, Apu is awake!"

Just as Ximen Qing and Zhou Qingyun were bickering, a girl from Changting exclaimed in surprise from afar, attracting everyone's attention.

Yan Chixia was having an unseen conversation with Zhou Chun when he heard this. He quickly rushed over, bent down, and spoke to Shi Zhipu, who was lying on the ground:

"Young man from the Shi family, don't panic, do you remember me?"

Shi Zhipu struggled to open his eyes, staring intently at Yan Chixia for a long time before finally blurting out, "Judge Yan, the Shi family has lived up to our expectations!"

Then his head lolled to the side and he fainted.

This caused a commotion at the pavilion.

"He took a direct hit from the fox demon Bai Heng, and his dantian was shattered."