Chapter 13: The Gap

“How delicious!” Iron Pipi stroked her little belly, collapsing into the sofa with a look of utter contentment. In the past, after meals, she would even lick her fingers clean. But now, following Luo Xingchen, she had grown so indulgent that she no longer needed to lick her fingers at all. There was never any worry about food or drink, and every meal was a feast. Iron Pipi felt she was the happiest soul under the heavens. If life was always like this, how was it any different from being an immortal? Why bother cultivating at all?

No! She still had to pursue cultivation! Without it, her lifespan would be short, and she could only savor brief moments of happiness. Only by cultivating could she secure more joyful days. So not only must she cultivate—she must become as powerful as the great predecessors! Iron Pipi’s fighting spirit surged. But then, having eaten too much, drowsiness overtook her and she couldn’t help but yawn. Cultivation could wait until she was brimming with energy and enthusiasm. For now, sleep was the best way to restore her strength!

After bidding Luo Xingchen goodnight, Iron Pipi scooped up her little cat and headed upstairs to bed.

Midnight arrived in the blink of an eye. As usual, the daily “Make Up for Lost Time” gift pack arrived right on schedule. Luo Xingchen ignored everything else and went straight to the lottery draw.

“Congratulations, Host! You’ve acquired the craftsmanship for making premium underwear!”

Underwear making?

Luo Xingchen was momentarily at a loss. What use was this skill? Was she supposed to start a factory to produce underwear? Wait—start a factory? Make underwear? This path… perhaps, just maybe, it wasn’t impossible after all! If one set aside the elements of fantasy and cultivation, the world’s living conditions were little different from those of ancient times. Men and women alike wore cumbersome undergarments that were neither convenient nor comfortable. If modern underwear were to be introduced, it would undoubtedly become a sensation.

Yes, when time allowed, she would give it a try.

Moreover, she would have to be the chief designer herself, personally crafting the most suitable underwear for female cultivators. Profit was secondary; the true motive was to benefit all of humanity. A seed of grand ambition quietly took root in Luo Xingchen’s heart.

Cultivation knows no sense of time. Days of eating, drinking, playing, and leisure blurred the passage of time. In a flash, a month slipped by.

During this month, Iron Pipi’s daily routine with Luo Xingchen was simple—wake, eat, play, and sleep, a life of pure happiness. Twice, Iron Pipi experienced episodes of intense hunger, occurring with clockwork regularity every half month. Each time, after eating her fill, she broke through on the spot—advancing from the fourth to the fifth stage of Qi Refinement, then soon to the sixth.

News came from Luo Twelve about Wang Zhengyu as well. She truly was a prodigy of extraordinary aptitude, leaping five levels in a single month—from the first stage of Qi Refinement all the way to the sixth—catching up with Iron Pipi. On the surface, her talent seemed even greater than Pipi’s. But Luo Xingchen was well aware this was merely the early stage; as time went on, Wang Zhengyu’s progress would slow, but Iron Pipi would continue to break through steadily, especially in the later stages. Where others might struggle for years, decades, even centuries to cross a single boundary, Pipi would achieve a breakthrough every half month without fail. By then, the difference would be frightening. No matter how gifted Wang Zhengyu was, she couldn’t compare in this respect.

And so it proved. Another month passed. Iron Pipi advanced steadily by two more levels, reaching the eighth stage of Qi Refinement. Meanwhile, Wang Zhengyu, who had leapt five stages the first month, managed only three more, reaching the ninth stage—just one step from crossing into the Gathering Spirit Realm.

“In just two months, you’ve risen from the first to the ninth stage of Qi Refinement. Such talent is truly rare—even I must admit I fall short,” Luo Twelve said, gazing at the young girl before her, unable to contain her admiration. Wang Zhengyu’s rapid progress was not just due to her innate talent but also her tireless effort. In her, Luo Twelve could see a reflection of her younger self—someone whose natural gifts were lacking but who sought to make up for it with diligence.

Aside from eating and sleeping, she devoted herself entirely to cultivation. Yet, sometimes effort alone is not enough in cultivation; innate talent matters most. Otherwise, throughout history, with so many cultivators, why have so few ascended to immortality? Not one among ten thousand, perhaps not even one among hundreds of millions. For someone like Wang Zhengyu, who combined both talent and hard work, Luo Twelve was certain her future achievements would far surpass her own. When she herself was gone, and the girl followed the Grandmaster, ascension would no longer be a distant dream. The only regret was that Wang Zhengyu had taken a narrower path at first—not choosing to follow the Grandmaster but instead herself, losing precious time. Otherwise, the girl would have reached the Gathering Spirit Realm already.

Luo Twelve sighed inwardly.

Wang Zhengyu, recalling her transformation over the past two months, was filled with excitement and a sense of having made the right choice. Following her sect leader had brought her to the verge of the Gathering Spirit Realm in just two months; had she followed Senior Brother Luo instead, she could never have advanced so quickly. She’d heard that Junior Sister Pipi was only at the eighth stage of Qi Refinement, having advanced just four levels in two months. That was the difference! Though she was reluctant to admit it, the gap between them would only widen in the future.

Suppressing her pride, Wang Zhengyu told Luo Twelve, “Master, I’m ready to make a final push and break through to the Gathering Spirit Realm.”

She intended, once she reached the Gathering Spirit Realm, to visit Luo Xingchen and Iron Pipi, to nonchalantly reveal her new cultivation and watch their jaws drop in astonishment. The thought alone made her a little giddy.

But Luo Twelve said, “No rush. You haven’t left the mountain in two months; isolation isn’t good for you. In the next few days, I’ll arrange for you to go down the mountain and gain some worldly experience. You can prepare yourself and visit your family at the same time.”

“Well… alright.” Wang Zhengyu agreed, albeit with some reluctance.

After a few more words, Luo Twelve left Endless Peak and went to Supreme Peak to find Luo Xingchen.

“Grandmaster, there’s news from the capital of the Azure Cloud Empire. Over the past two months, strange cases have occasionally occurred there. The authorities suspect demons are involved. Two days ago, two of our disciples also lost their lives there…”

“Coincidentally, since both Zhengyu and Pipi haven’t left the mountain in two months, I thought this could be a good opportunity for you to take them with you. It would serve as valuable training for both.”

“Very well, we’ll set out tomorrow,” Luo Xingchen agreed readily. The main reason was that, ever since she’d obtained the premium underwear crafting skill, she hadn’t drawn anything else of value in two months. She might as well use this trip down the mountain to find an opportunity to benefit the female cultivators.