“Huff... huff... huff...”

A young man laid on his back. He took heavy breaths. Sweat trickled out of his face to his back, then to the ground. The tree provided him the much-needed shelter.

More than twenty small wooden batons moved to and fro before his face. Thin threads connected the batons to the tree. Surprisingly though, the threads seemed to not hinder one another. They moved as if they represented the flow of the world’s energy, free and unrestrained.

“This is useless. How can I avoid when I can’t sense them at all,” he grumbled.

“That’s where you’re wrong, dear hu-student...” the batons lifted to the top by themselves as Meng Delan inched towards him with a happy smile.

Watching her hubby struggle was her favorite pastime. No, it was her favorite duty, which she enjoyed the most, or maybe it was cooking?

Now she was more than confused.

Watching Tian Lang devour her cook and his praise probably felt the most blissful?

Meng Delan offered Tian Lang a hand, which he took.

After returning, Tian Lang was at it for three days and nights straight.

However, he made little to no progress.

“Agh, how will I avoid it when I can’t sense them?” Tian Lang vented his frustration. It was a great hit to him, who could learn most of the things with little effort.

“Un-nn,” Meng Delan made a sound of dissent and lightly shook her head with a smile. She wiped his sweaty head with a towel as she explained, “You’re already losing here, dear. Remember, always stay calm~ Now, focus on my fingers and take a few dee~p breaths.”

Tian Lang followed.

When he calmed down, Meng Delan continued to wipe his face with gentle and slow movement.

“You shouldn’t try to sense something that can’t be perceived. Those are Susan Wood, known as the most ordinary yet extraordinary wood.

“Ordinary, as it is weak and all attempts to strengthen it failed. Even Qi can’t flow through it. Extraordinary because it is completely non-existent in the spiritual world or in simple terms, in cultivators’ sense.” Meng Delan closed the little gap between them and wrapped the towel around his neck.

“Then... how did teacher learn to avoid them?”

“I didn’t. Or did I tell you that I can avoid them?” Meng Delan blinked.

“Eh...” Tian Lang was speechless. Now that he thought it, she was right. She never admitted she could.

“Normal Instinct training would be sufficient with sense restricted, but I know you can achieve that even without exercise. My dear student is–after all–a genius. What I want you to achieve is something greater than instinct or sense.

“Close your eyes and shut your sensing abilities. I’ll give you an example.”

Tian Lang followed her guide, and a second later, he felt something near his forehead.

As if something was pointing at him.

He opened his eyes and found Meng Delan pointing one of her fingers.

“You felt it?” she asked.

“Yeah?” Tian Lang gave a vague answer. Like she said, rather than sensing anything, he felt it.

“It’s something even normal humans can detect at this proximity. Girls also notice when someone stares at them thanks to this. Warriors or trained soldiers often describe this as a feeling of being watched. This is different from the usual ‘instinct,’ which can be described as a vague feeling. And all of this has a similar trait.

“Yes, if you noticed, they only detect when it comes to themselves. Not that I’ve seen anyone, but theoretically, it can also be used otherwise. If someone could use this ability or feeling to ‘see’ the world, they would have the ability to see the world with something that’s not restricted by anything. It is especially useful when you enter the Ancient Battlegrounds or Trials where the use of your eyes or spirit is blocked. Although it is most unlikely to show you colors, your vision won’t be limited to any side.

“What’s more, it might be illusion resistance, meaning with this ‘feeling’ anything that lacks real physical materialization won’t affect you.”

As Meng Delan threw a lengthy explanation at him, she got rid of his sweaty shirt to dry him off.

Tian Lang contemplated her words deeply, not minding her actions.

A slight smile hung on Meng Delan’s lips as she worked his body. As expected, she would never get tired of watching this body.

She knew so much about the human body that one poke and discerning that limb’s weakness might not be impossible. Why would she take such a long time to check Tian Lang’s physique? Some sick fetish of hers?

Possible, but not entirely the reason.

It was to understand his body without arousing his suspicion.

No matter how similar his body looked to humans from the outside, it was nothing similar inside.

His muscle structure and organs weren’t just strengthened. Compared to humans, they were simply superior and protected very strongly. Yet, none worked at their highest capability. All of them were unbalanced to another like they belonged to something different altogether. Even so, a strange synergy maintained them. The organs worked at different percentages and worked with each other in harmony as if...

As if they were prepared and ready to advance to achieve true balance.

Meng Delan suddenly broke away from her reminiscence. Tian Lang’s body was already dry.

The towel slipped through her fingers as it fell near his leg. She trailed her fingers on his muscular abs. The smooth and tensile sensation relayed through her fingers was simply just marvelous.

Tian Lang grabbed her mischievous fingers, and their gaze transfixed together.

This much couldn’t even be counted as ‘light’ touching for all the weird things she did. Yet, for reasons unknown, Meng Delan’s heartbeat accelerated at a frightening pace.

However, she knew it wasn’t because of fear or nervousness. She knew herself too well for that.

‘I-is this about time you push me down, hubby? I promise I would never resist in the slightest manner!’

Oh, how much she waited for this day to come?

Yes, Meng Delan couldn’t be more excited.

...

Tian Lang suddenly remembered one of the quotes Xue Wu Xia read from her books: [Eyes are the doorway to the soul].

After such a long time, Tian Lang rediscovered a subtle feeling of being connected to another person.

But it felt different.

With Xue Wu Xia, Tian Lang had a strong feeling of being closer.

For Meng Delan... he couldn’t quite explain it.

It was rather vague but intense.

He wanted to gently keep Xue Wu Xia in his embrace and never let go. But he wanted to do more when it came to Meng Delan.

Something he couldn’t quite put his hands into. Like he wanted to hug her tight. Bite her lips, neck, breasts, and mark every inch of her body with his. Make her cry out so loud that the entire world would hear.

It was bizarre. The him, who wanted to follow the rule of maintaining a low profile, would never think of that. Yet, there he was, wanting to bully and own his own teacher. Make her cry beneath his thigh...

He frowned inwardly, thinking: ...why does it sound–

“–so hot...” he muttered out.

Suddenly, Meng Delan’s lips parted a little and stretched to a beautiful arc.

Tian Lang gulped.

Was Teacher Meng’s smile so stunning?

When did her lips get this delicious-looking?

How come I never noticed she smelled this enticing?

It was as if he had entered an entirely new world.

Tian Lang knew if he ate Meng Delan’s lips, he would get to enjoy the same feeling he experienced with Wu Xia.

But he was still in the dark.

What does pressing lips to lips mean?

He had done it with his beast, Bloody Queen. They had a master and summoned beast relation. Was it even appropriate for a teacher and student to do that?

But Teacher Meng had given the green light by parting her lips. Who was he to reject her invitation?

As his lips inched closer, Tian Lang could feel their subtle connection getting ever so little stronger. At the same time, he could feel something else getting stronger.

Yes, it was none other than his GREAT ROD!

As the blood of a chaotic hormonal creature rushed into the great rod, it prepared its wake from the long-lasted slumber.

No, no, don’t.

Tian Lang advised in a hurry. However, what was this puny chaotic creature worth? The great rod continued its wake from pitifully shrank rod to mighty limp rod.

Cut off the blood flow!

Tian Lang cut off the flowing blood to this great unruly rod.

However, would it be really called GREAT if it was so easily stopped?

His vitality flowed to the rod.

The fully limp rod started to ascend to its new form, the waking rod!

Forcefully control the vitality!

What will you do now? Tian Lang smugly thought.

And so, qi from the outside world started to flow in.

What? Even I can’t absorb qi at that speed! Cried the chaotic being inwardly.

As expected of the great rod, it continued unhindered! Nothing could stop its wake and announce to the world.

Nono, any more and you will touch Teacher Meng-

So, the waking rod continued to its final form, the heaven announcing rod!

When it almost touched Meng Delan, she felt a strong gust of wind.

Perplexed, she opened her eyes, only to find him fifty meters away. Crouching on the ground, his butt faced the sky.

She sneaked behind him and strained her ears and–

“Calm down, Oe Mighty Rod.”

Meng Delan had no chance to feel disappointed. She was confused about whether to laugh her intestines out or cut his stick for leaving her standing.

‘I guess restraining himself at this point was because of the lessons that made him ‘civilized,’ hmph! So unnecessary... You could just ravage your teacher all you want!’ Meng Delan whined to herself and returned to her hut in a foul mood.

...

Three days and three nights ago, the event that took place in the Eagle’s Cry Valley edge was simply too mystical.

Neither the harmless rabbit nor the tigress swordswoman had any idea of whatever happened. However, they both pointed at Tian Lang for the possible occurrence.

Why?

Well... they said he was the first one to float in the sky, and they also felt it was related to him? Which was something Tian Lang scoffed at.

He related this event to the Valley of Eternal Ruins’s stone slab. There must’ve been something similar to that slab in there, and the Abyss Lich studied that slab.

However, because of what happened, they dared not linger around and returned as soon as possible.

Everything that happened, excluding the last part of them losing consciousness, was reported to the Emperor.

And as his rabbit said, rather than being happy, the Emperor was super mad at those two maniacs for being so hot-blooded.

Thankfully Tian Lang wasn’t there to take on the Emperor’s wrath. He only got the gist of it from Qian Qian’s letter.

Sadly, his rabbit only waved at him without giving her address, otherwise, he was prepared to send some carrot to bully her emotionally.

As for his [Water Avoiding Pearl], like they agreed, the royal palace will send an examinee next weekend. Once he passes the exam, they will hand him the treasure from the State Treasury.

Qian Qian’s words in the letter indicated that she wanted nothing for him to fail so that she could get the most legitimate ways to refuse him.

Tian Lang curled his lips. He was basically oozing to get the highest number and throw the papers at her face.

He would laugh in arrogance and smugness while she would crouch in defeat!