For a moment, Ling Changqing considered pressing on and raising his Talisman Dao to Rank Two as well.

But doing so would leave him with very little Lifespan. If he were to encounter a danger he couldn't handle in the future, he might not be able to escape.

Back in Dragon Soul Valley, Ling Changqing had managed to leave safely from right under the noses of numerous old masters by sacrificing a portion of his Lifespan.

He weighed his options for a moment. He still had some Demon Beast Inner Cores in his Storage Pouch, both Rank Two and Third Grade, which he could offer as sacrifices if necessary.

However, these Inner Cores were also crucial ingredients for refining certain Elixirs, so he couldn't squander them wantonly.

'Forget it. I'll leave it for now,' Ling Changqing mused. There was no rush anyway. If worse came to worst, he could dedicate some time in the future to hunting Sea Beasts and collecting a batch of Inner Cores to sacrifice.

If he had enough Lifespan, it wasn't just his Alchemy Dao and Talisman Dao he could rapidly improve this way, but also his Artifact Refining, Array Dao, and even the Path of Celestial Secret Art and Divination, which he valued the most.

'Does this mean I can do this in the future for any useful Art Skill among the Hundred Skills of Cultivation?'

'But the amount of Lifespan required would be outrageous,' Ling Changqing thought. 'Perhaps only after I become an immortal will I be able to afford it.'

"...Master, you don't need to think so much about things that are too far in the future," Gong Ling said. Right now, Ling Changqing's main goal was to reach the Golden Core Master Realm as soon as possible, with the next target being the Nascent Soul True Monarch. There was no need to consider anything beyond that for now.

"You're right. I'll leave it at that for now."

Ling Changqing focused his mind and quickly entered a deep state of Dao enlightenment.

Ling Changqing's seclusion lasted for more than half a year.

During that time, Ling Qiyue, Tang Qiu Yao, and the other women missed him greatly and came to check on him more than once. This included his female students.

As his Dao Companions, they were naturally not used to him not being there to warm their beds at night, nor being able to improve their cultivation through Dual Cultivation.

On this day, Ling Changqing awoke from his deep state of enlightenment to find his Essence, Qi, and Spirit at an unprecedented peak, and his Magical Power had grown stronger.

He was only a paper-thin barrier away from the Core Formation Realm, and once he broke through, he was certain to become a Golden Core Master.

In fact, when Ling Qiyue, Xue Qingtan, and Meng Feiyu had their breakthroughs to the Golden Core Realm, none of them had a foundation as profound as Ling Changqing's.

This was mainly because the Cultivation Method Scriptures Ling Changqing practiced were of a sufficiently high grade. Combined with his great fortune and exceptional talent, it was only natural for his achievements to be greater.

'I'll deal with the matters that have piled up outside first. Then, during my next seclusion, I can consider my Realm Breakthrough...' Ling Changqing mused as he got out of bed and deactivated the Array Restrictions one by one.

As the tightly shut doors of the Cultivation Chamber slowly opened, the four young women chatting outside—Xiao Meiniang, Yang Yunfei, Chen Zihan, and Li Hanyou—turned their heads in pleasant surprise.

Seeing a familiar figure walk out slowly, the four impeccably dressed women rushed forward in unison to embrace him, instantly filling his arms with their warm, fragrant bodies.

"...Master, you're finally out!"

"We've been waiting for you out here every day!"

"Master, you're so mean! Why didn't you take us with you for your seclusion?"

"Exactly! We could have massaged your legs and shoulders and served you tea during your seclusion..."

The four girls' fragrant bodies pressed against him as they complained with pouting expressions.

Ling Changqing smiled and placated them for a while until he had coaxed them into beaming with joy.

"...It seems none of you have slacked off over the past half-year. Your Cultivation has improved!"

Ling Changqing said with satisfaction as he inspected their internal states one by one.

While he, their master, was away, the task of teaching the female disciples had fallen to Fu Yin Xue.

This new Golden Core Master had been diligent and dedicated. Moreover, her methods of managing subordinates were even stricter than Ling Changqing's, and she had the female disciples completely in line.

The four girls' Cultivation had each basically increased by one layer. Chen Zihan and Li Hanyou, who were originally mortal girls, had reached the Qi Cultivation 3rd Layer after several years of arduous cultivation.

This was also mainly due to their own outstanding aptitude, coupled with the fact that Ling Changqing had favored them and often given them special treatment. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Xiao Meiniang was now at the Qi Cultivation 5th Layer, while Yang Yunfei was the strongest, currently at the Qi Cultivation 6th Layer.

As for the other one hundred and fifty-plus female disciples, the strongest among them had reached the level of the Qi Cultivation 7th to 8th Layers, while the weakest, the former mortal girls, were now almost all at the Qi Cultivation 2nd Layer.

In terms of resource allocation, neither the Ling Family nor Ling Changqing himself had been stingy with these female disciples, which was one of the key reasons their Cultivation progressed so smoothly.

By comparison, the monthly Cultivation Resources they received were, on average, about three times that of an Inner Sect Disciple in an ordinary Golden Core power. And Xiao Meiniang's group of four received even greater benefits.

Any ordinary Golden Core power would never have cared for them so attentively.

"Alright, let's go to the Inner Study to talk. I'll check on your progress while we're at it."

Ling Changqing glanced around. No one else seemed to have received news of him coming out of seclusion yet, so this was a perfect opportunity to spend some time with the four of them.

Otherwise, once Tang Qiu Yao, Qin Yun, and the others heard the news and rushed over, he wouldn't have a moment's peace.

"Okay, let's go together."

The four girls' beautiful eyes, shimmering like gentle waves, lit up. They agreed, their lovely faces blushing, as they clustered around him and left.

Inside the fragrant, tranquil, and luxurious Inner Study, Li Hanyou, who was walking last, locked the door behind her with a flick of her wrist.