The pleasant sensation from earlier was unforgettable for Lin Li, and his longing for Xiao Jing had faded quite a bit.
Honestly, Xiao Jing's massage skills were just so-so.
"As expected, no one dies from holding in their pee. There's always a way out when the car reaches the mountain!"
Feeling relieved, Lin Li took the Spirit Stone out of his mouth and wiped it clean with a tissue.
Then, holding it in his hand, he resumed practicing the Eight-Section Brocade – Spiritual Energy Chapter.
A wave of soothing pleasure surged through his body once again. The Spirit Stone in his hand emitted a faint glow, its crystalline core circulating rapidly. Since he was home alone, he didn't hold back and let out a satisfied groan.
Switching hands, he tested it again.
A moment later, he realized—holding it in his mouth wasn't necessary. As long as the Spirit Stone made direct contact with his skin, he could absorb Spiritual Energy just fine.
Its appearance hadn't changed much from when he first got it. However, if Lin Li examined it closely with his Karslan big eyes, he'd notice that the once-pristine interior now had a tiny bubble. Well, calling it a "bubble" wasn't quite right—it was more like two incompatible gases mixing together.
It was easy to guess: that bubble represented the consumed Spiritual Energy. Once the entire crystalline core turned into a pure white "air," the Spirit Stone would be completely depleted.
Though it was small, Lin Li couldn't help but frown.
This tiny bit? Not cute at all.
He had only used it for a few seconds of pleasure, and already a bubble had formed? That was definitely not good news. It meant that in less than an hour, all the Spiritual Energy inside would be gone.
But after thinking about it, Lin Li felt at ease again.
This was just a Spirit Stone—and a low-grade one at that. In the Cultivation World, it was one of the most basic resources, even used as currency.
In the novels he had read, cultivators casually tossed around Spirit Stones in the thousands or even millions. Having only five made him look downright poor.
Still, to Lin Li, this was a huge milestone.
He had officially stepped into the world of cultivation!
Of all the rewards he had received so far, this was the one he felt the most deeply.
That said, he didn't plan to keep practicing the Eight-Section Brocade tonight. An hour of focused training per day was enough. Inefficient practice would only lead to inefficient absorption of Spiritual Energy, which would be a waste.
Besides, it was already late. He could continue tomorrow.
───
The Next Morning – Around 5 AM
"People really CAN die from holding in their pee, fuck!"
Lin Li immediately took back his words from last night.
Moreover, he now realized that the most impactful reward he had received wasn't the five Spirit Stones at all.
Forget about those for now.
The real game-changer… was the 50% increase in Yang energy concentration inside his body!
When he completed the mission yesterday, he hadn't felt anything out of the ordinary. But this time, his judgment was completely off.
Retribution had arrived.
Standing in the bathroom, Lin Li bent over in distress, practically on the verge of tears.
Any FPS gamers out there? Help. Urgent.
Fuck!
"Who the hell designed this feedback system?! Couldn't it have boosted my masculinity instead?! Made me into a real alpha?! Why this?!"
Lin Li was frustrated beyond belief—he just wanted to pee!
His eyes drifted to the Mr. Muscle cleaner sitting behind the toilet, and his irritation grew even stronger.
At seventeen, he should be at his peak, strong enough to bend steel plates. And right now, he was indeed… slightly stronger than that.
Normally, after washing up, everything would return to normal. But today? Even after finishing his morning routine, he was still carrying an overwhelming surge of Yang energy, standing tall and refusing to yield.
If he were thirty-seven, he might have been overjoyed—reborn, even.
But right now?
Bro, I have too much Yang energy! I don't need it right now!
Couldn't you have given it to me later? Or sent a seductive demoness to help me out?!
Xiao Jing! I'm sorry!
I shouldn't have joked about you last night!
…Wait. Would doing a handstand solve this?
───
It didn't.
Not that he actually tried it—Lin Li was well aware that his current physical strength couldn't support it.
And if he accidentally aimed wrong? Disaster.
That said, even without Spiritual Energy, his morning training over the past few days had significantly improved his overall fitness. At least now, he no longer felt like a walking corpse.
Once he got stronger in the future, he could try some crazy experiments.
As for how he eventually solved the problem…
Shoutout to political correctness.
Who said black wasn't great? Black was amazing. Way better than yellow or white.
If Lin Li hadn't forced himself to stare at the live-action Little Mermaid actress for ten whole seconds—Or, to be more precise, the Black-Human Catfish Hybrid Actress, with those big, wide-set eyes that cost $10 just to travel from one to the other—Even steel would have melted.
Instant relief.
If it had been a normal actress, looking at her might have had the opposite effect.
So once again, shoutout to political correctness for giving the world so much garbage—so much that anyone can take a bite whenever they need to.
───
As Lin Li reached the entrance, he suddenly encountered a new dilemma.
How was he supposed to hold a Spirit Stone while training?
The Spirit Stone wasn't as big as an egg, but it was still noticeable. Holding it in his mouth wasn't just uncomfortable—it was way too obvious. Holding it in his hand was also impractical; his fingers wouldn't be able to move freely, making some training movements impossible. Plus, it would be way too conspicuous.
Staying home to train?
Nope.
He had always practiced in the community park, and he worried that if he suddenly changed locations, the Ascension System might not recognize his progress.
After all, when the mission first triggered, it specifically mentioned the rising morning sun. While it wasn't listed as a strict requirement, Lin Li didn't want to take any chances.
The mission demanded seven consecutive days of training. If he skipped even once, all his previous progress would be wasted.
Should he just stick to the first chapter of training?
But after experiencing the pleasure of Spiritual Energy absorption last night and with real cultivation right in front of him who could resist?!
And so, Lin Li began brainstorming.
Everyone knew one thing about Lin Li—he was a genius.
A rare hint of embarrassment appeared on his usually shameless face.
You know…
Now that he thought about it, there was one perfect spot to place the Spirit Stone.
No need for tape or any external support. The location naturally provided a snug fit, wrapped securely in fabric.
And to be honest… going from two to three wasn't noticeable to outsiders anyway.
Just do it!
Lin Li changed into a pair of loose basketball shorts.
He looked down, nodded in satisfaction.
Mission accomplished.
Just like no one could tell whether the calm ocean hid a monstrous creature…
No one would know if, within the depths of his egg-laying beast, a third "child" had been secretly conceived.
Basketball shorts were baggy, but Lin Li still changed into a brand-new pair of underwear.
After all, he slept on his side, with one leg straight and the other bent—his movements were huge. His underwear would get loose after just seven or eight wears, and after another seven or eight, well… best not to describe it.
If it sagged too much, the Spirit Stone might just slip out.
And Lin Li absolutely would not allow that to happen.
The scene would be too horrifying to even imagine.
And if someone nearby happened to be holding a remote control…
His once-bright future would be completely ruined.