Translator: Fate Translation Checker: Silavin When all was said and done, to Gu Changge, Ah Man was nothing more than a suitable pawn. If something needed to be fixed, he would fix it. If it could not be fixed, he would replace it. It was harsh, but it was the truth, nonetheless. The following two weeks would serve as a test. If Ah Man could pass this test, her future would be a lot brighter. Even though Ah Man did not know about these things, she understood that Gu Changge was not kidding. [Get my revenge within two weeks?] Ah Man was not going to let Gu Changge wipe her memories, for if he did, the tragic future was bound to happen exactly as she had seen in those scenes. “I understand. I won’t let you down, Senior.” Ah Man nodded solemnly. Her cultivation had been wiped. Even though an immense power coursed through her veins, she could not wield it in any way. She needed time to get used to the changes. Alas, she only had half a month. That was too little time. Her Master was an expert who possessed sixth-level cultivation and was a prominent figure even among the many experts within the Primeval Deity Sect. Furthermore, if she failed to handle the situation properly, the future she had seen would occur. Her settlement would be annihilated by the Primeval Deity Sect because of her. Therefore, with every step she took now, she had to proceed with extreme caution. Meanwhile, Gu Changge’s silhouette vanished the moment he finished saying what he had to say. Not a single trace of him remained. Ah Man was completely caught off-guard. “Senior…” She tried calling out to him but she received no response. All was still and silent. If it had not been for how real everything felt earlier, she would have thought it had all been a figment of her imagination. Even Gu Changge’s visage was beginning to fade from her memory. It felt as if the memory was shrouded in fog. “If I follow the Nameless Technique that Senior gave me, I’m able to slowly channel the power within me. I can even sense the Spiritual Energy in the atmosphere…” “I would never have thought this possible. Those of us from the Primitives can’t absorb from the atmosphere the way Humans can. Most of it would just leak back out of us. But now, I can feel the essence of the universe rushing towards me. It’s like my body has turned into a massive black hole.” As soon as Ah Man returned to her courtyard, the first thing she did was sit down and calmly dived into the profound insights of the Nameless Technique. However, she was instantly thunderstruck. She had never experienced such a terrifying speed of advancement before. She could see the swirling wind around her that was whipped up by the frenzy of Spiritual Energy. If someone beyond the mountain peak looked into the place, they would see that a massive amount of Spiritual Energy had gathered like a mist that hung in the air. Thankfully, Ah Man’s courtyard was in a secluded location. Cultivators rarely came by this place. Once Ah Man got over her initial shock, she swiftly composed herself. She knew that this was her opportunity, so she made the most of it by absorbing as much as she could. Her entire body was glowing as golden whirlpools emerged. They acted like vessels that could contain and absorb Spiritual Energy from the atmosphere. “I’ve reached the first level of cultivation and I’m already approaching the second… All in one afternoon…” Soon, the afternoon passed. Dusk had fallen when Ah Man opened her clear and gorgeous eyes that were filled with astonishment and joy. She never thought cultivation could be garnered at such a rapid pace. Her cultivation had soared like clouds floating across the sky. It was an intoxicating sensation that could not be described with words. During her time within her settlement, it had taken her over a decade to reach the second level of the Primeval Deity Technique, which was akin to the Humans’ second-level cultivation. That was already enough for her to be considered the most talented prodigy that the Primitives had seen in several millennia. “Just where did that Senior come from? He could create this technique on a whim. How terrifying. How unfathomable. He’s most likely not from this world. Maybe he’s truly an Immortal, like the ones spoken of in legends?” Ah Man was thunderstruck. She walked out of the courtyard to see if Gu Changge was there. Alas, she was only greeted with the stillness of the night. Moonlight cascaded down in silvery streaks. All was quiet. Even the chirping of the birds sounded like music to her ears. “Perhaps two weeks is enough time.” Ah Man was a little disappointed to not see any sign of Gu Changge. She thought that she might have gotten a word of praise from him for reaching the first level of cultivation and approaching the second in just the span of an afternoon. But, she quickly shook her head and snapped out of it. She was being too childish. [Since Senior has said that this is merely a deal between us, it is silly and inappropriate of me to get emotional about it.] Over the next few days, Ah Man diligently focused on her cultivation. She was able to make rapid progress in the first few days, but the pace soon decreased. By then, she had already reached the fourth-level. She was even more powerful than when she was cultivating with the Primeval Deity Technique. The only way to describe such speed was to call it unbelievable, but Ah Man had the fortitude to not be addicted to it. Throughout her diligent process of cultivation, she tried other ways to solidify her foundation. It was common sense that a firm foundation was the most important building block, and she fully comprehended that too. Many of the young prodigies in the Primeval Deity Sect would remain at the same level of cultivation for many years just so they could make their foundation as solid as possible. Although she ascended through the levels of cultivation at a rapid pace, her foundation was not as stable as it should be, so she started controlling the pace. Naturally, during this time, Song Qing’er did not attempt to come and cause trouble for Ah Man. Gu Changge did not appear again either. Apart from focusing on her cultivation, Ah Man also studied all manner of ancient texts and headed to the other peaks in the Primeval Deity Sect to glean more information. She was putting in a lot of effort to formulate her plan to deal with her Master. If she only relied on ordinary means, she would certainly be unable to do anything to him. Therefore, Ah Man began to consider poisoning him. Aside from that, she also needed to know how her Master managed to inform the Primeval Deity Sect about what she had done. Clang One day, Ah Man, who was in the midst of cultivating, heard a loud noise that came from the courtyard outside. Startled and wary, she rushed out to see what was happening. All at once, she froze in shock. She saw a bronze, four-legged, and square-shaped cauldron that was half a person’s height sitting in the courtyard. Its aged surface was covered in carvings of patterns. Some featured the ancient Humans’ ritual sacrifices while others were the terrifying slaughter of various fearsome animals. There were also carvings of mountains, rivers, and other living creatures. The four-legged and square-shaped cauldron was filled with all kinds of what seemed like strange and ferocious beasts to Ah Man. Even though they were dead, they were still giving off a terrifying aura that would make an ordinary person cower in fear. “That’s the horn of an Angled Horn Dragon…” Ah Man recognised the black, ancient-looking horn that seemed to be made of some kind of metal. Her jaw dropped slightly from the shock. She only knew about this creature from the recordings found in ancient texts. It was a terrifying beast that was as powerful as a Human eighth-level expert and its horn possessed the power to rip the sky apart. It was a legendary creature that no one had ever seen before. And yet, she was looking at it now. The horn was still stained with blood which showed that it had been ripped off the beast not too long ago. She did not recognise the rest of the things inside the cauldron, which included strange and precious divine herbs, Spiritual Stones, and parts from other creatures. Nevertheless, the fact that they were gathered with the horn from the Angled Horn Dragon signified that they were just as priceless in value. “Senior… These are…” Ah Man saw the tall and slender figure standing before the cauldron and she could not help but speak up in shock and disbelief. Gu Changge had disappeared for days now. Could it be that he had gone to hunt down these fearsome beasts and gather these precious materials? She thought he had left completely. “Over the last few days, I scoured this world but all I could find were these things. Nevertheless, they’ll suffice to make a cauldron of Superior Blood Essence that will help you as you build up your foundation.” Gu Changge glanced at Ah Man before explaining casually. Ah Man was born of this world. Therefore, she was marked by its World Principles and aura. There could be adverse effects if things from other worlds were used to help her form her foundation. Thus, after giving it some thought, he decided to personally gather the ingredients from this world for her. There was no knowing how much time would be wasted if he left her to her own devices entirely, whereby she would have to create her foundation through her own arduous efforts. “To make Superior Blood Essence? Did you gather these things specifically for me, Senior?” Ah Man was thunderstruck by these words. She knew that the disciples from major Sects would have an abundance of resources at their disposal. When they cultivated, their Family or backing would concoct the extremely valuable Superior Blood Essence to help them form their foundation. She had a similar experience when she was with her settlement, but it had only been the blood of regular creatures and some spiritual herbs that were several millennia old, so it could not have been considered a Superior Blood Essence. “These things are too precious. Any single one of them would stir up huge waves among the people. Even the Primeval Deity Sect might not have any of these things at their disposal.” Ah Man could not calm down. She never thought this would happen to her. Her sparkling eyes were fixed on Gu Changge. She did not know how to thank him. “Primeval Deity Sect did have one of these things at their disposal. I took that Divine Frost Herb from their treasury…” Gu Changge commented casually. He did not think much of it. It took him no effort at all to gather these things. However, he did not expect Ah Man to feel this grateful towards him. He did not want Ah Man to be affected by her emotions no matter who was involved, including him. “Primeval Deity Sect’s Divine Frost Herb? Did you enter the Sect’s treasury, Senior?” Ah Man blinked. She located the Divine Frost Herb among the pile of ingredients. It was blue and exuded a chilly energy. It was beautiful and looked like it had been carved out of jade. Amid her shock, she was also envious. She would be able to enter the Sect’s treasury whenever she wanted to if she were just as powerful as Gu Changge. That way, she would have access to all the resources she could possibly need. “You don’t need to feel grateful towards me. I’m just investing in you.” Gu Changge glanced at her and said simply, “If you fail to meet my requirements, you’ll have to pay everything back many times over.”