Chapter 222: Chapter 172: Leveled Up Again?

’This cavern system is so huge; it would be a great place to hide during the Apocalypse. Unfortunately, with so many Demon Beasts, I doubt humanity could have survived here in my past life. Clearing them out ahead of time is a truly meritorious deed.’

He decided to completely clear out this large cavern system. When the Apocalypse arrived, it would be a sanctuary. The residents living near the nature preserve could take shelter inside, which would, in a way, save many lives.

Li Xiang continued to explore. He estimated that the cavern system could accommodate at least thirty thousand people. Moreover, it had its own water source.

If it were expanded and excavated further, this cavern system alone could hold one hundred thousand people.

’If only there was a cavern this large near my home.’

But this place was a nature reserve, and apparently a very rare biological gene pool, home to numerous protected plants and animals. In an era of peace, developing it would certainly be forbidden.

Around four in the morning, Li Xiang called it a night. Transforming into a black shadow, he covered a hundred meters in a single flash and began his journey home.

Tonight’s haul was incredible. His Achievement Points had surpassed ten thousand, and his stock of Spiritual Medicine had grown to over five thousand. He was in a fantastic mood; the trip had been well worth it.

When he reached an area with cell service, Li Xiang checked his phone and saw a message from Luo Feifei. ’She’s probably asleep, though,’ he thought. ’I shouldn’t disturb her.’ So, he didn’t reply.

But to his surprise, when he arrived home, he found Luo Feifei in the living room, engaged in her Cultivation.

"You’re back? Where did you run off to in the middle of the night? Were you out causing trouble?" Luo Feifei greeted him with a playful whisper.

"If I said I went to find Spiritual Medicine, would you believe me?" Li Xiang replied.

Luo Feifei’s face lit up. "Of course! Just... can you take me with you next time?"

Li Xiang said, "You have to work during the day. You need to get proper rest at night."

Luo Feifei looked like she wanted to say something but hesitated.

"What is it?" Li Xiang asked.

"I... I didn’t listen to you. You told me to solidify my foundation more before breaking through again, but... when I was doing my Cultivation tonight, I couldn’t hold it back and accidentally leveled up again," Luo Feifei said, looking extremely sheepish.

Li Xiang was speechless. ’I feel like I just took ten thousand points of Critical Strike damage. What does she mean she *accidentally* leveled up again? At this rate, I won’t be able to keep up with you anymore.’

"Let me take a look and check for any hidden issues," Li Xiang said, taking her hand.

Luo Feifei let out a soft gasp. She didn’t resist in the slightest, cooperating fully as she allowed Li Xiang’s Spiritual Power to flow unimpeded into her body.

"It’s actually fine." Li Xiang couldn’t help but click his tongue in amazement; her foundation was remarkably solid. ’A cultivation genius is really on another level,’ Li Xiang thought. ’I need to step up my game, too. I can’t just let Feifei surpass me, can I?’ 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

Luo Feifei’s heart leaped with joy at Li Xiang’s praise and affirmation, but his tone immediately shifted. "Still, you need to consolidate your gains. The more solid your foundation, the greater your future accomplishments will be. Try to suppress your level-ups for a while."

This was his sincere advice; he wasn’t just saying it because he was afraid of being surpassed.

If he truly wanted to hold Luo Feifei back, he could have just stopped giving her Spiritual Medicine. Without it, and with the current lack of Extraordinary Particles on Earth, she wouldn’t be able to advance, no matter how talented she was.

After all, he was the one in control of the resources.

"Do you have any of the Spiritual Medicine I gave you left?" Li Xiang asked.

"Nope, I ate them all." Luo Feifei shrugged and stuck out her tongue, looking rather embarrassed.

"Here, I have more." With a flip of his hand, Li Xiang produced several more, pressing them into Luo Feifei’s hand and whispering, "Hide these in your bag. This batch of Spiritual Medicine is a higher Tier. Don’t let your mother find them. Since she’s an ordinary person, they’d do her more harm than good."

"Mhm, I know." Luo Feifei accepted them. Feeling the warm, smooth Spiritual Medicine in her palm, her heart was inexplicably touched. ’Li Xiang is so good to me,’ she thought. ’Besides my mom, he’s the kindest person to me in the whole world.’

She had lacked a father’s love growing up, and Li Xiang was about ten years older than her. At that moment, a wave of tender affection washed over her. Unable to hold back any longer, she threw her arms around Li Xiang, burying her head in his chest. After a long moment, she finally looked up at him. "I want to be your..."

Before she could finish, her mother’s voice called out from the bedroom, "Feifei, it’s not even morning yet. Who are you talking to?"

Luo Feifei was speechless.

So was Li Xiang.

Li Xiang gestured for her to hurry back to bed. Luo Feifei had no choice but to let him go. With a small wave, she returned to her room.

"Mom, I wasn’t talking to anyone! I just went to the bathroom."

Her mother simply assumed she hadn’t been fully awake and had either misheard or been dreaming.

Luo Feifei lay in bed, her thoughts racing. It suddenly occurred to her that her unfinished sentence could have been ambiguous, so she quickly pulled out her phone and secretly sent Li Xiang a message: "I meant I want to be your girlfriend."

’She felt a pang of regret. Why hadn’t she taken the chance to kiss him?’

Li Xiang’s reply came through, and it was like a bucket of cold water, instantly chilling her excited heart.

"You’re still young. It might just be gratitude. I taught you the Breathing Technique, gave you Spiritual Medicine, and brought you into the world of Extraordinary Beings. You’re probably confusing gratitude with genuine affection."

"No, that’s not it!" Luo Feifei quickly typed back. "I really mean it. I truly like you."

Li Xiang thought for a moment before replying, "Your mother would never approve. Besides, you might regret this impulsive decision one day."

"I’ll never regret it," Luo Feifei replied instantly. ’Besides Li Xiang,’ she thought, ’is there anyone else in this world who’s even worthy of me?’

She had been exceptionally beautiful since she was young, becoming a top starlet at an early age, so her standards were already high. After meeting Li Xiang and now becoming an Extraordinary Being herself, she looked down on ordinary men even more.