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Gu Xiaoxi brought back the gourmet food Quan Shaoqing had provided and enjoyed a hearty meal in her dorm.

Song Jingyi’s mouth was dripping with grease as she ate, "Xiao Xi, your ’keeper’ is really good to you. Have you ever considered whether he will still treat you well after he gets a wife one day?"

The motion of Gu Xiaoxi gnawing at a crab leg paused and a glint flashed through her eyes, but after a while, she seemed a little deflated, "I don’t know. Anyway, he doesn’t like me."

"That’s true. He’s so high above, he’ll surely marry someone of equal social standing. The gap is a bit wide, but if he continues to look after you, you could still marry a good husband," Song Jingyi said as she munched on sugar-fried chestnuts, not forgetting to tease a bit.

"Marrying someone, you’re thinking way too far ahead," Gu Xiaoxi lifted her leg and kicked the chair, "Save it! The military clearly stipulates that we can date, but absolutely cannot get married during service, nor delay training because of love. Boyfriends and girlfriends can’t meet in secret."

"Hey, who are you talking about? Xiao Xi, who’s your ’he’? Tell us," Li Chun was completely baffled and immediately leaned in with a gossipy expression on her face.

Gu Xiaoxi patted her forehead, "Stop making trouble. She’s being silly with spring fever."

"Gu Xiaoxi, you’re the one with spring fever. I joined the army with beautiful dreams of becoming a super Special Forces soldier," Song Jingyi proudly declared, patting her chest.

Qin Chu was puzzled after listening for a while and curiously stared at Gu Xiaoxi, "Isn’t your boyfriend Yi Chentian? What, are you back together?"

Gu Xiaoxi rolled her eyes and glared at everyone, "Don’t gossip about me when there’s nothing to discuss. Eat up. Next time my ’keeper’ brings food, you’re not allowed to fight with me for it. Because of you, I only got to eat one leg before it was all gone."

"Then get your ’keeper’ to bring more. The key is the food is made with so much love and so delicious I couldn’t help but eat one and a half on my own," Li Chun said with a crab pincer in her left hand and crab roe in her right, smacking her lips contentedly.

Song Jingyi naturally wouldn’t be outdone, downing two crabs by herself, while Qin Chu and Gu Xiaoxi, like the latter, ended up with only one leg each, with the rest taken over by the two foodies.

"I’ll be back late tonight, remember to sign in for me," Gu Xiaoxi glanced at the sky; the sunset was a prime time to cultivate Spiritual Power.

There was no training in the evening, and she was eager to diligently practice the "Martial arts technique to clear the mind" she held.

In fact, she had only learned the name of this Cultivation Method today.

The phase she was practicing was merely the first. When she reached the major completion of this first phase, she would be able to perform Qinggong, leaping down from twenty meters high like a feather landing without making a sound, which was a sublime training state that also required repeatedly tempering the body and gathering Spiritual Energy.

Initially, she thought it was just Inner Strength, never imagining it was actually a thin Spiritual Power.

Previously, Liu Yishou had told her that the Spiritual Energy on Earth had become so sparse it was virtually nonexistent, but still, many trees bearing Spiritual Power grew deep in the mountains.

With diligent practice and her unique physique, she could absorb their essence, temper herself, and gain strength.

Becoming an immortal was impossible. The highest cultivation state humanity could currently achieve was longevity and becoming a powerful individual who stood out among billions.

She used to think Liu Yishou was only telling her stories, never taking his words seriously, but now they seemed to be coming true.

Now, Liu Yishou had disappeared.

Could it be, by striving to become stronger, she might still have a chance to see her master again?

As Gu Xiaoxi pondered, she walked out of the training ground.

However, just as she reached the large tree she often practiced near, she heard footsteps from not too far away.

Because her hearing was more sensitive than before, she could detect the rustling of dried leaves under footsteps even two hundred meters away.

She stood waiting, and after a while, a tall figure appeared from the other side.

"Why are you following me?" When she saw who it was, Gu Xiaoxi’s frowned.

"I called you, but you didn’t hear," Shao Changfeng approached and looked up at the large tree. It was tall, thirty to forty meters, with a trunk so wide it would take four or five people to wrap their arms around it.

"Do you need something?" Gu Xiaoxi asked.

"Your skills are very good. Can you teach me the Inner Strength you practice?" Shao Changfeng asked somewhat sheepishly. Everyone has the desire to become stronger.

He was no exception.

Gu Xiaoxi scanned Shao Changfeng from head to toe, a cunning smile playing on her face, "I can teach you, but then you’ll have to call me master. And as a disciple, you must obey your master without question."

Shao Changfeng’s face darkened, "Can you not take advantage of a crisis?"

"No, my master demanded the same conditions from me," Gu Xiaoxi began to make up stories. Back then, Liu Yishou practically begged on his knees, coaxing her to train. "If you can’t meet these conditions, then forget it."

Shao Changfeng’s face twisted through various shades as he considered this, but then had a thought—if a skill could be taught to others without demanding anything in return, it couldn’t be that valuable.

But to call Gu Xiaoxi master! The thought gave him chills.

"Gu Xiaoxi, how about you come up with another demand? I’ll agree to anything," Shao Changfeng walked up to her, hoping she wouldn’t make it tough for him.

"No!" Using Qinggong, Gu Xiaoxi swiftly leaped up the tree trunk and, using the rebound, ascended to a branch twenty meters high with fluid motion.

Shao Changfeng was left in awe.

"If you’re not going to call me master, then go away. Don’t disturb me," Gu Xiaoxi sat on the treetop and immediately entered a state of cultivation.

Seeing Gu Xiaoxi’s uncompromising stance, Shao Changfeng gritted his teeth and then climbed the tree with the speed of a running hare, scrambling up the trunk towards her.

His ascent was far from the light and fluid grace of Gu Xiaoxi.

After a great struggle, he finally reached the branch where Gu Xiaoxi was, out of breath, while she was already sitting at the treetop, forming hand seals, her breathing steady.

His heart clenched with yearning, making him even more eager to learn.