Demons and monsters wreak havoc: gain one new confidante every day.

Once you reach the "beloved one" level, you can go even further and increase your base stats.

However, since the other party is his master's wife, it's not easy to handle the situation right now.

After much thought, it seems the only solution is to find more opportunities to send small gifts and show some courtesy. This will solidify the relationship with my teacher's wife, but as for anything more, I'll have to forget about it.

"Master's wife, I've joined the 'Demon Hunting Team' in the courtyard, so I have the opportunity to go out and about on weekdays. If you have anything you like, I can bring it back to you as a gift," Shen You suggested.

Jingxin smiled upon hearing this: "What a good child. But there's no need to go to such trouble. Your thoughtfulness is already a great comfort to your teacher."

Shen You nodded and did not insist further.

However, she was thinking that she should bring some cosmetics or snacks with her. Surely her master's wife wouldn't dislike such versatile items.

It doesn't have to be a romance quest, but as long as it can increase the affinity value by a little, that's enough.

Keeping this thought to herself for the time being, Shen You followed Jingxin to Huang Yaoshi's residence.

"My lord, one of your disciples has come looking for you. I have brought him with me."

Jingxin stood outside the door, but did not knock; he simply called out.

Boom!

The next moment, the door was flung open. Huang Yaoshi's gloomy figure appeared inside, first glancing at Jingxin in surprise, then glaring fiercely at Shen You.

"Why are you here?"

He spoke without any politeness.

"I am your disciple, why can't I come?"

Shen You smiled, but her tone was sharp.

Jingxin was clearly taken aback by the attitude of her master and disciple upon their meeting, and was momentarily stunned.

Shen You turned to Jingxin and said, "Thank you for bringing me here, Master's wife. I have something to say to Master, so I won't trouble you any further."

Huang Yaoshi frowned, looked at Jingxin, and said in an unusually gentle tone, "Madam, you are not feeling well, you should go and rest first."

"Alright, then I'll take my leave." Jingxin was very polite and didn't ask any more questions. She nodded and quietly withdrew.

Shen You looked at her pale figure and felt that something was wrong, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"Kid, you've finished practicing your 'Golden Snake Skill'? What brings you here to see me now?"

Huang Yaoshi then spoke without any politeness.

Shen You said with a half-smile, "Master, I call you Master, but have you ever seriously taught me? From beginning to end, all you've done is throw a manual at me and nothing else. Don't you have the nerve to come and ask me if I've mastered the technique?"

Huang Yaoshi's face darkened. "What did you say?!"

Shen You sneered, "My demands aren't high. If I can satisfy you this time, you have to treat me like a disciple! Whatever those white-robed senior brothers eat and use, I want the same. Otherwise, how can you expect the horse to run without feeding it? I buy all the pills I use for cultivation with my own money. Aren't you ashamed to tell me that, your master?"

Huang Yaoshi's face was as black as charcoal, and he said in an icy voice, "If you truly have talent, I will naturally treat you as a disciple!"

"Alright, take this!"

Without wasting words, Shen You directly unleashed a "Golden Snake Hand" strike towards Huang Yaoshi's chest.

This time, his arms turned completely golden, and just as he was about to touch Huang Yaoshi, a fully solidified golden snake phantom appeared on his arms.

"Golden Snake Force?"

Huang Yaoshi's eyes lit up, and he grabbed Shen You's arm.

Shen You subconsciously tried to twist her arm to avoid Huang Yaoshi's fingers, but found that she couldn't dodge them.

That sinister, snake-like "Golden Serpent Force" was also dissolved into nothingness.

Shen You was secretly shocked. Just what level was this old ghost Huang at? He was truly monstrous.

Huang Yaoshi then grabbed Shen You's arms, repeatedly touching and examining him, muttering in admiration:

"Not bad, not bad, this is indeed the perfected state of the 'Golden Serpent Skill'. You are truly exceptional, having cultivated the 'Golden Serpent Skill' to perfection in less than seven days."

Shen You felt uneasy as he touched her and quickly cried out, "Let's talk this out! Don't get physical!"

Huang Yaoshi released Shen You's arm, but said impatiently, "There's no time to lose, I'll teach you the 'Gecko Skill' right now."

"Wait!" Shen You hurriedly stopped him.

"What?" Huang Yaoshi frowned and looked at him.

"I haven't received any benefits yet!" Shen You spread out his palms towards Huang Yaoshi.

"When I went to the front hall to buy medicine, even Elder Hong sold me a few extra bottles of 'Qi Gathering Pills.' As your master, you can't just leave without giving me anything in return, can you?"

"'Qi Gathering Pill'? What's so great about that? I'll give you as many as you want!" Huang Yaoshi said nonchalantly.

After all, it's a first-grade elixir, so it doesn't actually look that precious.

Shen You said, "However, I don't need the 'Qi Gathering Pill' right now. I've already reached the first-grade 'Primordial Essence Breakthrough' stage. Master, you're so powerful, could you help me break through to the 'Primordial Essence Breakthrough' stage, and also give me a few bottles of second-grade pills?"

"Okimoto?"

Huang Yaoshi looked surprised and sized up Shen You.

"You've got amazing talent, kid..."

Huang Yaoshi seemed somewhat helpless for a moment. He thought for a moment and said, "Come inside and sit down. Cultivate your vital energy here, and I will protect you!"

"Once you advance to the second rank, I'll give you a few more bottles of 'Qi Condensation Pills,' so don't say I'm mistreating you!"

"That's wonderful, thank you so much, Master!" Shen You was overjoyed.

Despite my resentment, I can still call you Master when you truly benefit me.

Shen You immediately went to Huang Yaoshi's secret room, found a futon to sit on, assumed the "Golden Snake Skill" stance, and prepared to begin "purifying his vital energy".

He broke through to become a martial artist by using the "White Ape Stance," but this time, with a better technique, he naturally switched to the "Golden Snake Technique."

Shen You suddenly thought of something and asked, "Master Huang, now that I've mastered the 'Golden Snake Force,' can I also learn the 'White Ape Force'? Will there be any conflict if I practice both forces at the same time?"

Huang Yaoshi pondered for a moment and said, "Since you asked me, I won't hide it from you. The choice of internal strength is related to the entire cultivation path of the third rank. The third rank mainly cultivates 'Great Strength,' which is further divided into two types: 'Integrated Strength' and 'Fusion Strength.'"

"Great strength, whole strength, fusion strength?" Shen You looked completely bewildered when he heard these words.

"In essence, all these terms refer to unifying the body's internal energy into one, directing it towards a single goal," Huang Yaoshi explained. "'Whole-body energy' refers to cultivating energy that originates from the same source, naturally merging it into one. 'Merging energy' refers to cultivating energy that has a mutual origin, merging it into one according to a certain characteristic."

"To give an example, if someone practices 'Black Tiger Strength,' 'Fierce Tiger Strength,' and 'Soaring Tiger Strength' at the second rank, they can naturally merge them into 'Tiger Strength' when they reach the third rank. This 'Tiger Strength' is a kind of 'whole-body strength.'"

"Those who cultivate the 'White Ape Stance' and develop the 'White Ape Strength' will generally continue to cultivate the 'Black Tiger Strength,' 'Green Deer Strength,' 'Wild Bear Strength,' and 'Cloud Crane Strength' at the second rank. When they reach the third rank, they can merge into the 'Five Animal Strengths,' which is called 'Merging Strength.'"

"Both 'whole force' and 'fusion force' are 'great forces' with boundless power and endless variations. If one can master them, one will have the foundation to advance to the fourth rank."