Chapter Twenty-Four: Foundation Establishment—I've Been Found Out!

Three days passed as swiftly as a white pony galloping past a crack in the wall.

Early in the morning, Bai Xiyue, carrying her exquisite carved rosewood food box, walked toward Lin Fan’s courtyard with her usual light, graceful steps. The morning sun filtered through the gaps in the foliage, dappling her in light. She wore a pale cyan dress today, embroidered with a few blooming orchids at the hem; as she moved, a subtle fragrance seemed to drift in her wake. She was in high spirits, having prepared Lin Fan’s favorite osmanthus cakes along with a bowl of steaming, stomach-soothing porridge.

As she crossed the courtyard, however, an expression of surprise crossed her face. She felt a series of intense spiritual energy fluctuations emanating from Lin Fan’s room. Unlike the calm of previous days, this energy rippled through the air, tinged with a restless agitation. Her heart tightened. "Nothing could have happened to him, could it?" she wondered, hurrying toward the main hall in quickened strides.

Usually, Lin Fan was one to linger in bed, never rising until the sun was high. It was almost always she who brought him breakfast and called him to wake up.

Gently pushing open the bedroom door, she saw Lin Fan sitting cross-legged on the bed, his eyes tightly shut. He was enveloped in a faint layer of spiritual energy—misty, soft, and dense—which swirled and gathered around him, slowly pouring into his body. His breathing was steady and deep; with every inhalation and exhalation, the surrounding energy resonated in perfect rhythm with his own internal flow.

"This is..." Bai Xiyue instinctively covered her small mouth, her beautiful eyes wide with shock and confusion. Though her own cultivation was not high, as a disciple of Su Xingyue, she was well-informed. The scene before her was clearly a sign of breaking through to a new realm.

"Young Master... is he breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage?" A massive wave of disbelief crashed over her. "But... wasn't he only at the first level of Qi Refining? How could he suddenly step into Foundation Establishment?" Her mind was a tangled mess; she could not fathom how he had achieved this.

A moment later, her eyes widened further. "Could it be that he has been hiding his true cultivation all along?" A cold realization struck her: "Oh no, Master placed the 'Soul-Locking Spell' on him. Once his cultivation surpasses hers, his soul strength will exceed hers as well, and the spell will automatically shatter. This means the Soul-Locking Spell on him has already failed!"

Her heart hammered against her ribs. She tapped her waist, a flash of light appeared, and an exquisite paper crane materialized in her hand—a transmission talisman used to communicate with Su Xingyue.

"Master told me to monitor him and report any suspicious activity immediately!" But then, she hesitated. "These past three months, he has treated me so kindly... He never once overstepped, often told me interesting stories to make me laugh, and even helped me improve my cultivation with pills... If I tell Master, what will happen to him?"

She dared not imagine the consequences. Two voices warred within her: one urging loyalty to her master, the other desperate to protect Lin Fan. She was torn, utterly at a loss.

Just then, Lin Fan slowly opened his eyes. He exhaled a long, turbid breath, his gaze sharp and shimmering, as if stars were swirling within his pupils.

"Foundation Establishment—finally, it is done!" Lin Fan felt a surge of excitement. Last night, he had sensed the accumulated feedback of his cultivation was enough to attempt a breakthrough, and everything had gone smoothly.

Suddenly, he turned his head, sensing something, and locked eyes with Bai Xiyue. Lin Fan’s heart skipped a beat. *Damn it. I thought it would only take a moment, but I never expected it to take the entire night!* He realized she must have seen everything. He was in trouble.

"Xiyue, you... did you see it all?" Lin Fan asked tentatively, his voice calm.

Bai Xiyue snapped back to reality and nodded gently, looking like an obedient little kitten.

"Little Yue'er, what... what do you intend to do?" Lin Fan asked, his voice low.

Bai Xiyue bit her lip. "Young Master, I don't want anything bad to happen to you, but Master told me..."

"Your master told you to watch me and report every move I make, didn't she?" Lin Fan climbed off the bed, his movements remarkably composed, as if everything were under his control. In reality, he was flustered, but he knew he had to find a way to steady her.

Bai Xiyue nodded silently, looking at him with complex emotions. Lin Fan walked into the hall and sat at the old dining table, tapping his fingers against the wood with a rhythmic *tock, tock*.

"Eat breakfast first," he said, his voice devoid of any ripples.

Bai Xiyue was taken aback by his composure. She hesitated, then set out the breakfast as instructed.

Lin Fan took a spoonful of porridge and tasted it thoughtfully. "With my current strength, your master is no match for me. Even if her mother, Su Mei, were to come, she could not stop me." He swallowed and continued, "Furthermore, you know of my ability to help others break through. That alone ensures your master cannot simply do as she pleases with me. Therefore, if you go and report this, the end result will be a battle, and I will simply leave the Su family."

He looked up at her with earnest eyes. "But if you pretend you saw nothing, then when I eventually leave the Su family, I might consider taking you with me."

Hearing this, a flicker of hesitation and struggle crossed her clear, autumn-water eyes. "Young Master, are you truly willing to take me away?"

Lin Fan nodded. It was true that Bai Xiyue was Su Xingyue’s disciple in name, but her aptitude was poor. Her only standout feature was her beauty; it didn't take a genius to know why such a disciple was taken in. She, too, must be longing to escape this identity.

"Once I take you away, if you wish to stay by my side, you may. If you wish to leave, I will not hold you back."

"Young Master... one last thing. I know it was wrong of Master to place the Soul-Locking Spell on you, but... can you promise me that you won't hurt her?"