Chapter 255: General Qin has a request

"It is nice to talk to a smart person; it takes no effort at all." Although this was the first time Zhu Yan had heard the concept of a Cultivator, she immediately understood why Zhou Lang was telling her these things.

"That is right, I am indeed a Cultivator, but not many people know about my identity as a Cultivator."

Zhou Lang nodded and said: "Cultivators can not only fly through the sky and burrow into the ground but can also achieve immortality. Although I have not reached the Realm of flying or immortality yet, my lifespan should be several hundred years. Over the course of several hundred years, a Cultivator generally does not just have one partner. After all, everyone's talent and opportunities are different, and it is very rare for a Cultivator's partner to be able to join the ranks of Cultivators."

"Brother Lang, you are so outstanding, you probably do not just have one partner, right?"

Zhu Yan realized that although she liked Zhou Lang, she did not understand him at all. Yet, the more she learned about him, the more she liked him.

"Hmm, that is also the reason why I deliberately distanced myself from you. You are a good girl, and I cannot waste your prime youth for no reason." Zhou Lang said: "Besides, you might not be able to accept this kind of special, or even absurd, relationship."

Zhu Yan fell silent after hearing Zhou Lang's words.

"Zhu Yan, we can only have a connection but no destiny to be together. Let's just be friends in the future." Zhou Lang thought that Zhu Yan would not fall in love with a man who had many women, so he intended to give up on her, adding: "As long as it is something I can do, just ask, and I will help you."

"Brother Lang, have you ever liked me even a little bit? Even if the thought just flashed through your mind once?"

Zhu Yan looked directly at Zhou Lang, seemingly wanting to get a truthful answer from his mouth and eyes.

Women are often like this; they are more emotional than men. To put it bluntly, many women care more about having once possessed something than men do. If Zhu Yan knew that Zhou Lang had once loved her, she would feel much better even if she had to separate from him.

If Zhou Lang said he had never had feelings for Zhu Yan, she would surely leave with a broken heart, and from then on, the two would likely become strangers. Zhou Lang might not have to struggle in his heart, but looking at Zhu Yan's crystal-clear eyes, he felt he could not lie against his conscience.

"Zhu Yan, my feelings for you are not just a tiny bit, nor are they fleeting. Ever since I realized you were not the kind of person I imagined when I first met you, I felt you were unique and developed a fondness for you. And your father's meddling in our relationship only made me develop deeper feelings for you."

Zhou Lang said: "It is just a pity that I met you too late, and it is a pity that I am a Cultivator."

Upon hearing these words from Zhou Lang, her eyes instantly moistened, and crystalline tears welled up in her beautiful eyes. Without the slightest hesitation, she hugged Zhou Lang tightly.

"Brother Lang, I have already fallen for you, and I cannot extricate myself. I do not care who you are; I want to be with you." Zhu Yan said, sobbing slightly.

Zhou Lang was shocked and very moved, but his hands did not know whether he should take further action to embrace Zhu Yan.

"But this is unfair to you. Your father would not be able to accept this, and the eyes of the secular world would not be able to accept it either." Zhou Lang sighed, letting Zhu Yan hold him, his hands…

"This matter does need consideration, but even if I have no status, I still want to be with you." Zhu Yan said firmly.

"You are not young anymore; your father will urge you to get married." Zhou Lang said. He also came from an ordinary background and had experienced the coldness of human relationships early on, maturing a bit earlier than average boys. He knew exactly what parents in the world would consider for their children.

"But I do not want to be with anyone else; that would make me miserable for a lifetime." Zhu Yan said: "I will convince my father at the appropriate time."

"Zhu Yan, I will take responsibility for you."

Zhou Lang was thoroughly moved by Zhu Yan and pulled her tightly into his arms.

Neither of them spoke again. They just stood by the river, letting the early autumn night breeze blow, feeling each other's body temperature.

The world seemed to fall into silence, quiet and speechless, but everything was understood without words.

…

Long after, the two separated from their embrace.

"Brother Lang, is there a possibility for me and my father to become Cultivators?"

After Zhou Lang wiped the tears from Zhu Yan's eyes, she asked him.

Zhou Lang naturally knew what Zhu Yan meant by this question. If both Zhu Yan and Zhu Qingshan became Cultivators, then pursuing the Heavenly Dao and eternity would be the ultimate goal of life, and Zhu Qingshan would not care that his daughter was marrying a man like Zhou Lang, who had countless confidantes.

"That depends on your talent."

Zhou Lang's heart stirred, and he said: "I will check your body now to see how your talent is."

Immediately, Zhou Lang took Zhu Yan's delicate hand, and a strand of True Qi entered from her pulse, wandering through the Meridians of her whole body to check her bones and Meridians.

After a while, Zhou Lang let go of Zhu Yan's delicate hand.

"Brother Lang, how is it?"

Zhu Yan asked nervously. Although she had chosen to be with Zhou Lang without hesitation, passing her father Zhu Qingshan's test was not an easy thing, and she did not want to make her father sad because of being with Zhou Lang.

"Your talent can only be described as ordinary. As for your father, I checked his body when I was treating him before; his talent is even worse than yours."

Zhou Lang said truthfully.

In today's world, the martial path has already declined, not to mention Cultivation. Besides talent, Cultivation also requires the support of various rare treasures and abundant Spiritual Qi.

But nowadays, the Spiritual Qi has become very thin, so in the modern era, Cultivators are becoming fewer and fewer. In the city, it is basically difficult to see Cultivators, and it is estimated that only in some ancient Schools can a certain number of Cultivators be found.

"Brother Lang, it seems I have no way to accompany you through the long years." Zhu Yan said with some sadness. She did not want to live for hundreds of years, but wanted to be by Zhou Lang's side forever.

"Ordinary talent can still be compensated for. Once my Cultivation enters the Golden Core Stage, I can fully clear the Meridians of you and your father. I estimate that in three to five years, I will have this ability."

Zhou Lang said, trying to comfort her.

With Xiao Xi's Cultivation level, it is easy to create a Master-level expert, but to make someone directly leap over the Martial Artist level and enter the Qi Refining Stage, it would take a lot of effort.

His own talent was astonishing, and coupled with the fact that various Spirit Medicines were added to his bathwater, he completed the transformation from a commoner to a Cultivator overnight. But people with his talent are rare in the world. If his talent had not been good, even with the ancestral Fragrant Cultivation Manual and Xiao Xi's help, he would not have become a Cultivator so quickly.

Zhu Yan felt slightly relieved after hearing this. Waiting for three or five years, she could still withstand the pressure from her father.

…

The two stayed by the river blowing the wind until after two in the morning before Zhou Lang sent Zhu Yan back.

After Zhou Lang returned to his Villa, he entered the ancestral copper coin, Qiankun Palace. He felt that if he really wanted to be with Zhu Yan, he must improve his Cultivation as soon as possible, preferably to the Golden Core Stage, so that he could directly make Zhu Yan and Zhu Qingshan Cultivators.

With a movement of his Divine Thought, Xiao Xi also entered the Qiankun Palace.

"Brother Lang."

Xiao Xi bowed slightly to Zhou Lang, knowing that Zhou Lang must have something to do for calling her.

Since entering the secular world to Cultivate, she had rarely returned to Qiankun Palace to Cultivate. She had already absorbed Spiritual Qi in Qiankun Palace for many years, but her Realm had been stuck at the Foundation Establishment Stage, unable to break through. She felt that the key to her Breakthrough was her state of mind, so practicing her state of mind more in the secular world was the key.

"My Cultivation has long reached the Peak of the Qi Refining Stage, why is it still stuck and unable to break through?" Zhou Lang said. On the path of Cultivation, he could only ask Xiao Xi if he had any problems.

"Brother Lang, do you have any abnormal feelings when you Cultivate?" Xiao Xi asked.

Actually, she was also a bit confused about why Zhou Lang had not broken through yet. You know, after Fragrant Cultivating with her, Yamamoto Yuki, Ivanova, and Muto Yukiko, the True Qi in his body was already very vast, but there was no sign of liquefaction of the True Qi in his Dantian.

The liquefaction of True Qi is the sign of crossing from the Qi Refining Stage to the Foundation Establishment Stage, which also means that the True Qi becomes more refined and the Dantian can accommodate more True Qi.

"Not only is True Qi stored in my Dantian, but a lot of True Qi is also stored in some acupoints. I estimate that I still need to supplement several times the current amount of True Qi in my body before the True Qi can be compressed and liquefied."

Zhou Lang said.

"Brother Lang, your acupoints can also accommodate True Qi?" Xiao Xi seemed to be a little excited.

"Yes, what is wrong? Is there something wrong with the practice?" Seeing Xiao Xi's excitement, Zhou Lang could not help but become nervous.

"Brother Lang, I once heard your Old Ancestor, that is, the old Master, say that his Master could absorb and store True Qi in all the acupoints of his body. He was a peerless Genius, and later, the old Master's Master passed the Heavenly Tribulation and left through the void."

Xiao Xi said: "You also have this sign, so your future achievements will be limitless."

"So that is how it is. However, it will be quite difficult for me to advance." Zhou Lang thought for a while and said.

"Brother Lang, let us Fragrant Cultivate then." A blush appeared on Xiao Xi's face.

Zhou Lang nodded. He had not Fragrant Cultivated with Xiao Xi for a long time, and he was very excited.

…

An hour later, the clouds dispersed and the rain stopped. The True Qi in Zhou Lang and Xiao Xi's bodies became more refined and vast.

"Brother Lang, I will go out first then."

After Xiao Xi put on her clothes and said this, she flashed away and left the Qiankun Palace after Zhou Lang nodded.

Just after Xiao Xi left, Zhou Lang felt the phone on his bedside table vibrating.

With a movement of his mind, he also left the Qiankun Palace and returned to his bedroom.

"It is actually a call from General Qin. What is this for?" Zhou Lang picked up the phone, and after seeing the caller ID, he was surprised.

Immediately, he answered the phone.

"Is this Brother Lang? Your elder brother has an urgent matter to ask of you this time." General Qin's voice came from the phone.

"Elder brother, if you have something to say, please just tell me. Why are you being so polite between us?" Zhou Lang said quickly. General Qin was the pillar of the country, and he still respected this old general very much.