He forgot that he was currently in the guise of a woman, which meant he had just been casually conversing with Senior Brother Li without any hesitation.
Thinking of this, an indescribable shame surged from the soles of his feet upwards.
Previously, when he encountered Luo Fei, Mo Qian, and others, they hadn't seen through his disguise, so the situation was slightly better.
But now, being recognized by Li Jianxing, although Xin Ci believed Senior Brother Li wouldn't reveal his secret.
Still, this ultimately left him with the image of a cross-dresser in Li Jianxing's mind.
Xin Ci covered his forehead and shook his head helplessly, muttering to himself, "Alas, if I weren't being hunted by the Xin family, I wouldn't want to appear as a woman."
However, the mention of the Xin family caused Xin Ci's expression to turn serious again.
Not only had that old scoundrel Xin Li brainwashed Xin Huanyan, but he had also used the Xin family to unite with numerous forces from the Cha Sheng True Realm to hunt him down.
With new and old grievances, Xin Ci would never let him off!
But his current strength was insufficient. Although Mu Qingqing had also become a One-Star Great Emperor.
The Xin family had more than one Great Emperor expert. If he rashly went to the Xin family, he would merely be throwing his life away.
For now, he could only continue to travel in the Cha Sheng True Realm under the identity of Mu Ci.
However, his immediate priority was to absorb the energy of the Immortal Spirit Pool to improve his cultivation.
Only by increasing his strength would he have the confidence to confront the Xin family.
Entering the Immortal Spirit Pool, the vibrant green liquid submerged him up to his waist.
This crystal-clear green liquid was the Immortal Spirit Fluid. Xin Ci could feel the astonishing life force contained within it, carrying the essence of tens of thousands of years of heaven and earth spiritual energy.
Xin Ci did not waste this precious essence. He immediately activated the two divine-tier cultivation techniques, the Eternal Dao Scripture and the Myriad Manifestation Star Wheel Scripture, and frantically began to absorb the Immortal Spirit Fluid.
Upon absorption, Xin Ci could feel the energy of the Immortal Spirit Fluid flowing like an endless tide through the meridians in his body. The powerful life force made him feel as though his entire body, from his limbs to his bones, was undergoing a thorough cleansing.
Even the hidden injuries that Xin Ci had never noticed before were repaired by the pure energy of the Immortal Spirit Fluid, making his flesh and blood stronger.
The Golden Scale Art, which had been stagnant at the Minor Accomplishment realm, also began to circulate involuntarily under the stimulation of this energy, and its progress started to improve.
Mu Qingqing, watching Xin Ci in the consciousness space, murmured, "This Immortal Spirit Pool is enough for Xin Ci to achieve a significant improvement. However, the Golden Scale Art is the supreme true meaning of the Dragon race. The Immortal Spirit Fluid can at most help him reach the Greater Accomplishment realm."
"It is unlikely that he can cultivate the Golden Scale Art to the perfected dragon transformation level."
Mu Qingqing understood very well that although the Golden Scale Art was powerful, it was the supreme true meaning of the Immortal Golden Dragon race. Xin Ci was only a human, and unlike the Immortal Golden Dragons, he did not have an inner core.
Therefore, it was likely that Xin Ci reaching the Greater Accomplishment realm of the Golden Scale Art was already his limit.
Since Xin Ci, Chang Yanggu Shuo, Li Jianxing, Du Gu Yunmeng, and Lin Ye Xing had to stay in the Immortal Spirit Pool for ten days.
The sacred land entourage that accompanied them was temporarily stationed at Xuan Kong Mountain under the arrangement of Xuan Qingming, the Master of Xuan Kong Mountain Sacred Land.
The entourage from the Killing Heart Sacred Court had already stayed for nine days in the Qing Xuan Courtyard, arranged by the disciples of Xuan Kong Mountain.
Li Fulan, bored, was throwing small pebbles into the lake from a pavilion in the Qing Xuan Courtyard. She glanced back at Li Fulong, who was playing chess with Palace Master Gu in the center of the pavilion, and couldn't help but complain, "Brother, Palace Master Gu, when can we leave Xuan Kong Mountain?"
Li Fulong looked at the young girl leaning against the railing of the pavilion in an ungraceful posture, pouting and looking listless. He shook his head helplessly.
"You little girl, you really have no patience. Who was it a few days ago that said you had never been to Xuan Kong Mountain and wanted to stay here for ten days to half a month?"
Li Fulan threw another small pebble into the lake, looking pitifully at Li Fulong and saying, "How was I supposed to know that the Master of Xuan Kong Mountain Sacred Land is so stingy? He doesn't let us touch this, and he doesn't let us touch that. Moreover, all the disciples of Xuan Kong Mountain are like closed books. If I wanted to spar with them, they wouldn't even pay attention, leaving me to only play with the little fish in the lake within the Qing Xuan Courtyard... Ah, so cold!"
Suddenly, a cold droplet of water, controlled by True Essence, rose from the lake and dripped onto Li Fulan's fair forehead, interrupting her words.
Gu Linyue elegantly made a move and said in a faint tone, "Do not be disrespectful to Holy Master Xuan."
"Yes... Palace Master Gu."
Li Fulan wiped the water from her forehead and replied with her head down, like a child who had made a mistake.
Her elder brother, Li Fulong, chuckled beside her.
'This little girl, you're usually so unruly, and now someone can finally discipline you. Hehe.'
As the beloved little princess of the Cang Lan Dynasty, Li Fulan had been fearless since childhood.
But she was only afraid of women who were as majestic and formidable as her own mother.
Gu Linyue of the Asura Hall before her was like her mother – a woman of few words but fierce action. Moreover, Gu Linyue was a One-Star Great Emperor expert.
Li Fulan naturally dared not act recklessly in front of her.
Feeling resentful inwardly, she saw her brother laughing at her predicament and glared at him angrily.
Her large, watery eyes seemed to say, 'How could you, Li Fulong, be my brother?
You don't speak up for your wronged sister and instead mock me. This infuriates me!'
However, Li Fulong, who had been mocking his sister just a moment ago, was the next to suffer.
Gu Linyue extended her slender, fair finger and flicked Li Fulong's forehead with a little force.
"Ouch, that hurts!"
Li Fulong rubbed his forehead and quickly averted his gaze, looking at Gu Linyue opposite him.
"Concentrate. If you're not serious this game, you'll lose," Gu Linyue said indifferently.
The hapless Li Fulong had no choice but to follow Gu Linyue's advice and continue playing Go.
At this moment, he was filled with regret: 'Why did I have to be so foolish as to suggest playing Go with this formidable senior?'
Li Fulong and his sister had coincidentally met Gu Linyue in this pavilion.
Knowing that this senior was the Palace Master of the Asura Hall, Li Fulong wanted to build a good relationship with her and proposed playing Go together.
But who knew that Palace Master Gu was so competitive.
Li Fulong's Go skills were considered top three in the Cang Lan Dynasty, and he was confident in his abilities.
After the first game, as he had expected, Gu Linyue lost to him.
But each time Gu Linyue lost, she would say, 'Let's play again,' as if she wouldn't stop until she won a game.
Li Fulong, who had been playing chess all day, was completely exhausted, but Gu Linyue showed no signs of fatigue.
Even when he deliberately let her win a game, Gu Linyue could sense Li Fulong's intention and directly said, "This game doesn't count, let's play again," effectively ending his attempts.
'Sister, I'll call you sister, okay? Please, spare me. I'll never play chess with you again,' Li Fulong cried inwardly.