Chapter 285: Frenemy

Because of the old Grandma's status, she couldn't be Zhao Yanzi's master. However, Xie Yujia could.

It wasn't appropriate for a human cultivator on the Soul Formation Realm to have a close relationship with dragon cultivators. Yet, Xie Yujia didn't have that concern.

Zhao Hongyu understood the meaning of the old Grandma's words and had been thinking about it for a few days. It was on her mind up until she met Xie Yujia yesterday and invited her over today.

"Mom! I don't want to cultivate!" Zhao Yanzi started complaining.

Zhao Hongyu ignored Zhao Yanzi's complaint and looked at Xie Yujia sincerely. "What... what do you think?"

Xie Yujia hesitated for a few seconds and said, "If that is what master wants, then... I will try my best to teach Zi."

Zhao Hongyu smiled gratifyingly. "Alright. That's settled; Hao Ren will guide Zi with her schoolwork and Yujia will guide Zi with her cultivation."

"Mom!!!" Zhao Yanzi put down her bowl as she was fuming with rage.

"Zi," Zhao Hongyu finally turned her head to Zhao Yanzi. "From now on, Ren will have many things to do. Do you wish to stay at home, or go with him? Such as the Nine Dragon Palace, do you wish to follow Ren there but do nothing? Or do you wish to be able to help him?"

Zhao Yanzi remained silent. Deep down, she understood that she had become a mortal after she lost her dragon core. All those places she used to be able to go were now prohibited, and she couldn't even touch the dharma treasures she used to be able to use.

"From now on, you will go through many things with Ren. If you want Ren to cultivate by himself to solve your crisis, that's fine. But, are you really not going to work hard for yourself?" Zhao Hongyu asked Zhao Yanzi.

Zhao Yanzi pouted as she wasn't able to refute.

If she still had the power of Zhen-level, she could at least team up with Hao Ren, go to the border of the Demon Sea, and get a few demon beasts as pets.

Or she could go to famous mountains and collect herbs that couldn't be found inside the dragon palace.

Of course, once she practiced human cultivation techniques, she could pretend to be a human cultivator, sneak into Fifth Heaven, and steal some good stuff from there. She just hadn't thought about that yet.

When Zhao Hongyu saw Zhao Yanzi's silence, she knew Zi implicitly agreed. Zhao Hongyu smiled at Xie Yujia and said, "Thank you so much for helping with this."

"No problem," Xie Yujia replied with a gentle smile.

"Also, about the elixir making matter you asked me yesterday, it isn't a problem. You can do that at the dragon palace tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. I will ask Premier Xia to assign you a specific room," Zhao Hongyu said.

"Thanks, Auntie!" Xie Yujia nodded happily.

"Ren, starting from this weekend, you should come to my studio and start learning things about architecture," Zhao Hongyu said to Hao Ren.

"Okay, Auntie." Hao Ren nodded immediately.

Zhao Hongyu finally showed a satisfied smile as she had everything arranged properly.

Zhao Yanzi did not have any chance to express her thoughts. Even though Zhao Hongyu seemed like a gentle mother, her decision was not to be questioned and shaken.

After dinner, Zhao Hongyu cleaned up by herself so that Xie Yujia and Hao Ren could start giving Zhao Yanzi her first basic cultivation lesson.

Even though Zhao Yanzi didn't want to, she couldn't argue with Zhao Hongyu. So, all she could do was pout as she stomped up the stairs.

Xie Yujia smiled gently at Hao Ren and followed Zhao Yanzi to the second floor. Hao Ren looked at Zhao Hongyu and saw her waving at him. Therefore, he went upstairs as well.

Zhao Yanzi's room was warmly decorated. Compared to Xie Yujia's room, this room was 100 times more beautiful.

The chandelier was shaped like a flower, and the light spread to all directions through the petals and was reflected by the walls of the room, filling the entire room with warmth.

"May I call you Zi?" Xie Yujia walked into the room carefully and asked Zhao Yanzi.

"Huh!" Zhao Yanzi sat at the edge of the bed and remained quiet.

Xie Yujia looked at Hao Ren helplessly and said to Zi, "I will first teach you this basic cultivation technique called the 'Qi Refinement Technique.'"

Zhao Yanzi tried to keep a straight face, but her ears were listening to everything.

Xie Yujia kept quiet for a few seconds, preparing. Then she said softly, "Heaven and earth, the beginning of all things..."

Hao Ren heard the first few sentences and thought it felt familiar. He tried to recall it from his memories and thought, "Isn't this the scripture that was on the stone monument inside the Heavenly Oneness Temple at the mountaintop when we toured the GreenStone Mountain?"

When he was having a hard time getting to Kan-level, he got help from someone in the sky, and the technique that rushed through his mind was precisely the same technique Xie Yujia was teaching Zhao Yanzi.

"This... so, this is the basic cultivation technique of human cultivators - Qi Refinement Technique."

"Yujia, should I leave?" Hao Ren asked as he realized that Zhao Yanzi had started to listen seriously.

Eavesdropping on other people's cultivation technique, even if it was the basic cultivation technique, was considered a taboo.

"It's okay, you can stay," Xie Yujia said. She thought that if Hao Ren were to leave, Zi would definitely start opposing her. Therefore, she might as well let Hao Ren stay to make sure everything was in place.

"Okay." Hao Ren sat down on a chair nearby.

After she recited the technique that was more than 1,000 words, Xie Yujia started to explain it carefully to Zhao Yanzi. Although Zhao Yanzi was in a rebellious mood, she didn't want to give up cultivating and let Xie Yujia surpass her. So, she listened carefully to every word.

On the other hand, Hao Ren was quietly practicing his own Light Splitting Sword Shadow Scroll and ignored Xie Yujia's explanations. Both 'Spirit Concentration Scroll' and 'Qi Refinement Technique' had the same effects. However, they focused on different types of bodies and had different ways of cultivating.

As two hours passed, Zhao Yanzi memorized and understood the entire 'Qi Refinement Technique.' This surprised Xie Yujia as she did not expect Zhao Yanzi to be so talented.

"Hao Ren, do you still want to help her with her schoolwork?" After a long exhale, Xie Yujia asked Hao Ren.

"Not today, we won't have enough time." Hao Ren summoned Little White from the necklace. "We should leave now."

Little White looked around and started rolling on the ground excitedly as it saw the three people inside the room.

Hao Ren threw an Essence Replenishment Pill to it and slapped its butt.

Bang! Little White turned into the snow lion form.

After opening the door to the balcony, Hao Ren sat on Little White's back and pulled Xie Yujia onto its back as well.

Zhao Yanzi's cheeks were bulging as she felt wronged.

"Don't worry, I will not fight with you on certain things," Xie Yujia smiled awkwardly and said to Zhao Yanzi.

"Hey, this is for you!" Zhao Yanzi suddenly opened her backpack and took out a disc before she threw it to Hao Ren.

Hao Ren reached out his arm and caught it. "This is..."

"You will know when you see it!" Zhao Yanzi closed the door to the balcony.

With a loud banging noise, Little White carried Hao Ren and Xie Yujia to the sky.

Zhao Yanzi stood behind the balcony door and started thinking.

She walked back to her bed and tried to cultivate the technique Xie Yujia taught her.

Shoo...

A shallow white nature essence suddenly gathered around Zhao Yanzi's body.