By the time Chen Xuan returned to his peak, Huo Ling’er had already woken up from her coma.

He found her standing outside his courtyard, peeking inside as if waiting for something.

His figure hovered above the building, slowly descending toward the courtyard, but Huo Ling’er failed to notice him.

It was only when his feet touched the ground, landing with a soft tap against the stone, that she finally discovered his existence.

Raising her head, she looked at Chen Xuan, her expression shifting between surprise, embarrassment, and yearning...

Chen Xuan had not informed anyone about his departure.

In Huo Ling’er’s mind, her Master must have entered closed-door seclusion.

That was why she had been standing there, waiting for him to come out.

Realizing that she had spent hours waiting outside an empty courtyard, her face flushed with shame.

At the same time, her eyes brightened as they followed him.

She yearned not only for Chen Xuan’s power but also for his ability to soar in the sky and traverse the heavens.

Only cultivators at the Foundation Establishment realm and above could achieve this on their own, while those at Qi Refining required the help of magic weapons.

’I wonder how it feels to wander among the clouds.’ Huo Ling’er thought. She clenched her fists, determined to one day become a mighty cultivator like her Master.

Chen Xuan did not know what was going through his disciple’s mind.

Standing before her, he sized her up and nodded.

"It seems that you’ve fully recovered," he stated, gesturing for her to follow him as he entered the courtyard.

"Come on in. Let’s talk."

--

The master and disciple soon sat across from each other. Chen Xuan occupied a slightly raised podium, while Huo Ling’er knelt below.

Staring at Huo Ling’er from above and seeing her embarrassment, Chen Xuan couldn’t help but find this scene familiar.

Only a few days had passed since he dealt with Elder Long.

Yet, his disciple had already managed to stir up fresh trouble.

This time, however, he was not the one to break the silence.

The moment they sat down, Huo Ling’er immediately lowered her head.

"I’m sorry, Master. I shouldn’t have made you worry. It’s all my fault," she apologized profusely.

Her voice grew quieter towards the end, and it appeared that their previous meeting was about to repeat itself.

Yet, unexpectedly, Chen Xuan did not accept her apology. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

"Do you truly realize what you did wrong?" he questioned, remaining seated on his futon.

Huo Ling’er averted her eyes. But remembering the many times she had replayed this scene in her mind, she clenched her fists and forced herself to meet his gaze.

"I understand, Master!"

"I shouldn’t have acted so recklessly, nor should I have been so desperate to force a breakthrough."

"I promise that I’ll cultivate properly from now on. I won’t cause Master any more trouble—"

Before she could continue, Chen Xuan raised a hand, cutting her off.

A flash of disappointment crossed his eyes, followed by a flicker of regret.

"It seems you understand nothing," he sighed and rose to his feet.

"Have I ever told you to remain on Yin Yang Peak, or requested that you don’t bring me trouble?"

He shook his head as he approached her, leaning down until their eyes were at eye level.

Seeing Huo Ling’er’s increasingly puzzled and dumbfounded expression, Chen Xuan began to wonder if there was something wrong with this girl’s head.

’Do I really have to spell it out for you?’ he cursed inwardly, though his outward demeanor remained cold.

He reached out and lightly tapped her forehead with his fingers.

Ignoring her startled expression, he continued.

"Your mistake wasn’t getting injured, nor for choosing to fight."

"Such is the nature of the Vulcan Immortal Scripture. Seeking danger and unleashing your hidden potential is exactly what you should be doing."

His gaze grew harsh.

"Your mistake was keeping me in the dark."

"Have you ever considered what would have happened if you failed in your breakthrough?"

"Even with your success, you would be on the verge of death had I not arrived in time!"

"Is it that you don’t trust me? Or do you think I would harm you?"

Huo Ling’er’s face grew pale under his scolding.

Her parents had always sheltered her. She had never been lectured like this.

She wished to lower her head and escape Chen Xuan’s harsh gaze, but his fingers resting against her forehead forced her to keep facing him.

Fortunately, Chen Xuan did not berate her for long.

Seeing his disciple’s frightened expression, he stepped back and returned to his futon.

By the time he sat down, the stern expression had completely vanished.

A warm smile replaced it, much to Huo Ling’er’s bewilderment.

"That’s enough for now," he said, his tone easing, "Though you were wrong to hide it, your successful breakthrough and speedy recovery are joyous events!"

"Here," he said, tossing her the magic weapon he had just commissioned.

"This is a gift for your breakthrough. I believe that you will grow to love it."

Huo Ling’er barely had time to react to the sudden shift in tone when a piece of metal flew toward her.

She instinctively reached out and caught it.

Holding it tightly, as if afraid it might slip away, she lowered her gaze and inspected it.

She discovered it was a small piece of metal, half-black and half-white.

The two colors blended seamlessly, forming a faint, rotating Yin-Yang symbol.

Its appearance alone was extraordinary.

Yet, as Huo Ling’er probed it with her mind, she came to a shocking realization: this piece of metal was not an ornament, but a powerful magic weapon.

Though she could not gauge its exact grade, it was clearly far more precious than any treasure her father or the entire Huo family possessed.

Her initial surge of excitement was quickly replaced by hesitation. She shook her head.

"Master, this is too precious. Please take it back," she pleaded.

"Don’t worry. I have no use for such a thing." Chen Xuan cut her off.

"Let alone a Magic Weapon, even a Spirit Weapon would not catch my eye. Moreover, this artifact is perfect for you."

"I believe only you can bring out its full potential."

As Huo Ling’er opened her mouth to argue, he waved his hand and shooed her away.

"Go! Try to refine it and see if it suits you," he instructed, pointing at a nearby room.

Huo Ling’er was stunned.

Why did she need another room just to refine it?

Wasn’t it just a simple matter of leaving a mark with her Spiritual Energy?

However, the earlier scolding was fresh on her mind. She didn’t dare to question him.

"Yes, Master." She nodded quickly and headed toward the room.