Chapter Eight: Young Master, You’ve Awakened!

At dawn’s first light, a golden ray of sunshine gently streamed through the window lattice, softly touching Lin Fan’s face. He slowly opened his eyes, feeling soreness all over his body, especially in his waist, as if trampled by a herd of wild bulls.

He realized he had returned to the courtyard, lying on the intricately carved wooden bed in his chamber, covered with a soft brocade quilt.

“Am I… back?” Lin Fan murmured to himself, his throat hoarse as if he had shouted until he was exhausted.

He began recalling what had happened earlier: “I helped Su Mei break through her bottleneck, but she was invaded by a demonic illusion and fell into a fantasy, mistaking me for her husband, and then… I was tormented… five times? Six? Or was it seven? In the end, I couldn’t bear it and fainted!”

As Lin Fan was lost in thought, the sound of light, brisk footsteps approached, and Bai Xiyue’s delicate, refined face appeared before him.

“Master, you’re finally awake!” Bai Xiyue’s voice brimmed with surprise and concern.

She quickly came to the bedside, her large, sparkling eyes scanning Lin Fan up and down. “You’ve been asleep for two days and one night—I was so worried.”

“Two days and one night?” Lin Fan’s eyes widened, his voice rising sharply.

He leapt from the bed, but his legs were weak, nearly causing him to fall.

He recalled that the system had given him a three-day deadline for his mission, and that one day had already passed when he helped Su Mei break through.

Now, with two days and a night gone, he only had half a day left to complete the remaining tasks.

“It’s over, it’s really over now!” despair sank deep into Lin Fan’s heart.

“Master, please slow down!” Bai Xiyue hurried forward to support him.

“Master, what’s wrong? You look unwell—is something hurting you?”

“I’m fine, I’m fine…” Lin Fan waved his hand dismissively.

“By the way, did your master leave any instructions?” Lin Fan asked.

Bai Xiyue gently waved her delicate hand, and a storage pouch at her waist flashed with a spiritual light, producing a pile of spirit stones—more than a hundred in total.

“Master asked me to give these to you,” Bai Xiyue said.

These spirit stones were exactly what he needed; now, his lifespan was only twenty-seven years.

With these hundred spirit stones, plus the six he had previously received from Bai Xiyue, after fully absorbing them, his lifespan could be extended to one hundred and thirty-three years.

But what he craved more urgently was the system’s mission.

“Is there anything else besides the spirit stones?” Lin Fan pressed anxiously.

Bai Xiyue nodded obediently. “Master also instructed me to dispatch some disciples from our clan to come and serve you properly.”

Hearing this, Lin Fan exhaled deeply, his tightly wound nerves finally relaxing.

He slowly sat back on the bed. “Xiyue, go find me a few people, preferably those whose cultivation is quite advanced—especially those who have been stuck at a bottleneck for years without breakthrough.”

He chose to have Bai Xiyue find high-level cultivators precisely because he hoped to benefit from the system’s upgrade feedback.

The higher their cultivation, the more he would gain—a shortcut to strengthening himself.

Since Su Xingyue had trapped him in a soul-locking spell, Lin Fan wanted to use these cultivators to raise his own power; once he surpassed Su Xingyue’s cultivation, the soul-locking spell would naturally dissolve.

“Master, I’ll go right away,” Bai Xiyue replied obediently, then turned and left.

After she left, Lin Fan grabbed a handful of spirit stones and began absorbing them.

Time passed slowly until noon, by which point Lin Fan had absorbed all the spirit stones.

His lifespan had increased from twenty-five years to one hundred and thirty-three years.

*Creak...*

With a soft sound, the courtyard gate was gently pushed open. Bai Xiyue entered, carrying an exquisite food box.

Behind her followed a group of graceful maidens, each unique in beauty—some slender and delicate, others full-figured, each charming in her own way.

“Master, I’ve brought the people,” Bai Xiyue said as she stepped into the room, a sweet smile lighting her face.

The ten female cultivators behind her were all dressed in colorful robes, like a bouquet of blooming flowers.

They were all strikingly beautiful—some pure and sweet, others alluring and captivating, some heroic and spirited, others gentle and graceful.

Once inside, they lined up neatly in two rows and bowed deeply to Lin Fan, their voices a harmonious blend of softness, clarity, and sweetness, speaking as one: “Greetings, Master.”

Lin Fan blinked, the scene before him feeling surreal, as if he had traveled through time and space, returning to a world of dazzling lights and intoxicating pleasures.

Back on Blue Star, he had always thought fairy maidens roamed the mortal realm.

Later, after visiting a few clubs, he realized the fairies were actually confined to private rooms.

“Not bad, not bad!” Lin Fan praised.

“My master said you can choose freely. Once chosen, they will remain in the courtyard to serve you exclusively,” Bai Xiyue said, placing the food box on the table as she spoke.

Lin Fan understood—Su Xingyue feared that if these people left, they might expose the secret that he could help others break through their cultivation bottlenecks.

The food box opened slowly, releasing an enticing aroma. Inside were several exquisite dishes, both fragrant and delicious.

Today’s meal was far more normal than before: steamed fish, golden chicken soup, and two plates of delicate stir-fried dishes, garnished with vibrant green vegetables—just looking at them whetted one’s appetite.

Bai Xiyue picked up her chopsticks, carefully removed the tiny bones from a piece of fish, and gently placed it in an empty bowl before Lin Fan.

Then, she addressed the lined-up cultivators: “Introduce yourselves. Master said those who remain to serve you will receive a monthly reward of one bottle of Qi Condensing Pills. If the master is satisfied, more spirit stones will be given!”

No sooner had she finished than a female cultivator in a pink long dress stepped forward eagerly.

Her figure was graceful, her steps light, skin fair, and her body exquisitely curved.

“Master, I am Su Yun, at the third level of Qi Refinement, a distant branch member of the Su family. I can dance,” she said.

Lin Fan took the fish Bai Xiyue had prepared, savoring its tender, melt-in-the-mouth freshness with a faint sweetness.

“Good. Show me a dance!”

Obedient to the command, Su Yun glided to the center of the room and began to dance.

As a cultivator, she carried an ethereal aura. Though her cultivation was not high, she could briefly lift off the ground, dancing gracefully as if flying.

*Clap, clap, clap...*

Lin Fan applauded. “Not bad, not bad. You can stay!”

After Su Yun passed the test, another woman in a green dress quickly stepped forward.

“Master, I am Su Fei, at the second level of Qi Refinement. I specialize in playing instruments—if I put it to my mouth, I can play it,” she said confidently.