Today marks the first day since Master left the ruined temple.

Li Xingtian slowly opened his eyes and climbed out of the makeshift wooden bed pieced together from a few planks.

Most of the hall space was already occupied by Master and Senior Sister, along with a large iron pot used for both cooking and alchemy.

There wasn't enough room left for another bed, so Li Xingtian slept in the space behind the statue.

However, Senior Sister had already planned to build a small cabin outside the ruined temple.

After all, Senior Sister was the only woman, and it was natural to have separate accommodations for men and women.

This plan had already received Master's approval, and Senior Sister had started building it a few days ago, making good progress.

This meant that soon he wouldn't have to sleep in the inner room behind the statue.

The reason he disliked that spot was because of a hole that allowed mosquitoes to invade at night, along with some unidentified bugs that would occasionally bite him.

At this moment, Li Xingtian had not yet reached Foundation Establishment and couldn't use spiritual energy to protect himself, making the mosquito attacks extremely annoying.

So he fully supported Senior Sister's cabin construction and even helped her quite a bit.

In another two or three days, the cabin would likely be finished.

Yesterday's chicken... After seeing the chicken's gruesome remains, Senior Sister didn't eat a bite.

However, she insisted that he finish it.

Li Xingtian understood this request, as Senior Sister had caught the chicken, and since he had cooked it that way, it was only right for him to eat it.

Originally, Li Xingtian thought the chicken would be incredibly unappetizing due to its tragic state.

But when he tasted it, the flavor was surprisingly acceptable.

Perhaps it was because he had experienced Master's rough healing elixirs.

Li Xingtian only found the chicken a bit gamey, bland, and dry.

The rest of the taste was quite decent, at least within the range of human edibility.

However, Senior Sister's evaluation was less favorable; she called it "dead chicken bathwater."

But since Senior Sister had already reached Foundation Establishment and could practice Breatharianism, Li Xingtian didn't have to worry about her going hungry.

After all, he had promised Master to take good care of Senior Sister, and Li Xingtian was not one to break promises.

Although... the idea of a junior taking care of a senior sister sounded a bit odd.

Outside the ruined temple, waves of intense spiritual energy surged.

Li Xingtian stepped out of the temple and looked towards Li Yingling in the distance.

At this moment, she was holding a wooden sword, continuously controlling the power of her divine ability to strike a large tree. The force was precise, and the tree decisively fell along the flow of sword energy.

One had to admit, Senior Sister's determination was impressive; even while building a house and chopping wood, she was practicing her divine abilities.

And she seemed to be making remarkable progress...

One had to admit, Senior Sister's talent was exceptional, even by Central State standards. When they first met, it was evident that she hadn't yet mastered her divine abilities.

In such a short time, she was already using them with ease.

With such talent, it was likely true that Master had come from Central State... though why was Master so poor?

Could it be that Master had run away from some sect in Central State, just like him?

However, Li Xingtian didn't dwell on it, because at this moment, this Heavenly Dao Alliance finally resembled the sect he had imagined.

Even though this sect currently consisted of only Master and two disciples.

Senior Sister, having felled the tree, seemed to sense his presence and turned to look at Li Xingtian.

Although Li Xingtian had grown distrustful of women in this lifetime.

Looking at the little senior sister Master had entrusted to him, Li Xingtian managed to muster a slightly awkward smile.

——————

The first day after Master left.

Li Yingling rose early, with today's goal being to gather and organize the materials for building the cabin.

After all, living under the same roof with two men was something Li Yingling, raised as a lady of a prominent family, found hard to accept.

Even with wooden partitions, it was acceptable for emergencies, but living like that every day was out of the question.

Master had quickly agreed to this arrangement.

To be honest... when interacting with Master, it didn't always feel like the young, handsome man before her was her master.

It felt more like they were close friends; Master rarely acted like an elder in front of her.

Occasionally, when she was upset, Master would even apologize to her.

To be honest, as someone from a scholarly family, Li Yingling found it hard to imagine an elder lowering themselves to apologize.

The masters described in the storybooks she read were always portrayed as incredibly authoritative, their words absolute, never smiling.

They had absolute control over their disciples.

They would give orders without explaining the reasons.

In contrast, her own Master sometimes seemed like an overgrown child, always encouraging her to think things through and make her own decisions.

Even with the Water Heart Sutra, she hadn't started practicing it immediately, and Master never expressed any dissatisfaction.

Additionally, Li Yingling found Master a bit lazy, as he never revealed his cultivation level to her.

But as someone who had reached Foundation Establishment, Li Yingling could go a month without sleep, relying on nighttime cultivation to restore enough energy.

Master was undoubtedly much stronger than her.

But perhaps she had followed the wrong master, as Li Yingling had picked up Master's bad habit of sleeping soundly every night.

Though "meaningless" was her own definition.

Master called sleep "Spirit Nourishment," with his own set of eccentric theories.

Although these theories didn't convince Li Yingling, she unconsciously adopted Master's routine and learned to sleep.

Perhaps it was because seeing Master sleep soundly while she was still diligently cultivating made her feel unbalanced?

Many thoughts flashed through her mind.

Li Yingling still struck down the tree in front of her with a single blow, her mastery of divine abilities becoming increasingly proficient.

Sensing a gaze from behind.

Li Yingling turned around to see her junior brother.

Although she didn't understand Master's reasons for accepting him as a disciple, Li Yingling respected Master's decision.

However, when this junior brother gave her a somewhat silly smile.

Li Yingling couldn't help but want to ask Master if he could conduct a simple intelligence test next time he accepted a disciple.

Looking at Li Xingtian's dazed smile.

Li Yingling asked, "Junior Brother... are you hungry?"

"No... not hungry," Li Xingtian replied awkwardly.

Hearing his response, Li Yingling frowned slightly. In her mundane life, she was considered a talented woman and had never interacted with people of lower intelligence.

She didn't know how to properly interact with a junior brother who seemed lacking in intelligence.

Especially since he had been cultivating for quite some time and was still hovering around Qi Refining Stage Four.

His talent was average, and he didn't seem particularly diligent in his cultivation.

As his senior sister... with Master absent, she should take it upon herself to supervise him.

"Junior Brother, how are your internal injuries? Have they healed?"

"Almost completely healed."

"Good! Since Master isn't here, today I'll make sure you focus on your cultivation," Li Yingling said, patting the fallen tree beside her. "Use your spiritual power to carefully control it and turn this tree into planks. This will greatly enhance your control over spiritual power."

Li Xingtian was speechless. Hard labor was hard labor; there was no need to disguise it as a lesson in control.

Li Xingtian recalled Master's instructions once more: "Take good care of your senior sister!"

"Yes, Senior Sister."

With Li Xingtian's response, Li Yingling didn't linger and quickly transformed into a Rainbow Radiance, disappearing into the distance.

Li Yingling had also seen the cultivation technique Li Xingtian practiced, which required a lot of demon beast blood offerings.

As a junior brother still in the Qi Refining stage, he naturally couldn't gather that many demon beast blood offerings.

So, as his senior sister, she had to help her junior brother. He was building a house for her, so she would gather some blood offerings for him.

It was a fair trade.

However...

Master, please come back soon!

The meals Junior Brother cooks are truly inedible!

He even drinks the chicken's bathwater with relish!