Seeing the files that almost filled the entire room, Ling Feng's worldview was refreshed. He thought such scenes only appeared in anime and novels.
But now this scene was right before him!
Ling Feng looked around, searching for Ganyu. He soon saw, in the center of the "mountain of documents" not far away, a desk.
Ganyu was there, buried in reviewing documents, and her approval speed was extremely fast. Even the slowest document was dealt with in half a minute.
Some were even faster, finished in seconds. The speed was entirely determined by the weight of the document.
Ganyu's speed was astonishing. Shen He just watched it all indifferently, as she didn't know how shocking this scene would be to others.
"Is this what they call mastery through practice?"
Looking at this scene, Ling Feng couldn't help but recall the saying from the Oil Seller in the Chinese book: "Nothing else! Only mastery through practice!"
And thinking about it this way, Ganyu seemed to have held the position of secretary for nearly a thousand years. Coupled with her half-immortal body, this speed was acceptable.
"Senior sister, wait for me by the door. I'll return the jade plaque to Sister Ganyu and come out immediately."
After Ling Feng finished speaking, he slowly groped his way forward, watching his steps with every movement, lest he step on a document or something, which would be troublesome.
Ling Feng was now like a beginner who had just learned to walk, treading cautiously with every step, for fear of falling.
After more than ten seconds, Ling Feng, having gone through hardships, finally reached Ganyu's desk. Before he could speak, Ganyu spoke first.
Ganyu set aside a document and looked at Ling Feng: "It's Ling Feng. Is there anything I can help you with?"
"Sister Ganyu, we are preparing to return to Mount Aocang. We've come to return your jade plaque." Ling Feng placed the jade plaque on the desk.
"You... are preparing to leave?" Ganyu was a little surprised to hear this. She didn't expect Ling Feng and the others to leave after only one day.
"Yes, I went sightseeing in Liyue Harbor with Yanfei yesterday, bought everything I needed, and completed the tasks Master Liu Yun mentioned. It's time to return to Mount Aocang."
"Mm... Be careful on your way back."
"Sister Ganyu, you too. You've clearly been busy since yesterday. You should maintain a regular schedule. Here, this is breakfast I made for you. Don't worry, it's vegetarian."
Ling Feng took out the Four-Square Peace he made this morning from his system space and placed it on Ganyu's desk. Before Ganyu could speak, he walked out the way he came, closing the door for Ganyu on his way.
With their objective accomplished, Ling Feng and Shen He quickly left the Moonlit Pavilion, as it was only a few minutes before seven o'clock, and he had to hurry to cultivate.
In the secretary's office, Ganyu looked at the Four-Square Peace on her desk and smiled sweetly.
On the lawn of Jade Chamber Terrace, Granny Ping was watering her flowers, and Shen He was curiously watching. Seeing this, Granny Ping told Shen He some flower-growing tips and let her try. More skills never hurt.
Ling Feng had already begun cultivating, with white mist swirling around him, much like Ganyu's idle state.
"This method of cultivation is quite novel. It's different from our cultivation methods and has its own unique techniques. I can feel Ling Feng's aura growing stronger bit by bit."
Granny Ping glanced at Ling Feng and thought. Their cultivation methods were more focused on body cultivation, while Ling Feng's was different, as if he could grow stronger just by absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.
But Granny Ping didn't plan to ask. Cultivation methods were private matters, and at her age, even if she learned them, they wouldn't be of much use.
At nine in the morning, Ling Feng and Shen He bid farewell to Granny Ping and returned the way they came. Since they had traveled this path before, it was much faster this time. They didn't encounter any monster disturbances along the way, as they should have all been cleared by the Millelith.
...
Two days passed in a flash. Ling Feng and Shen He returned to Mount Aocang before evening. The journey was smooth, and Ling Feng collected many Sweet Flowers. As usual, Ling Feng cooked dinner that night.
After dinner, Ling Feng washed the dishes and then went back to his room, claiming to be tired.
In his room, Ling Feng let out a long sigh and lay on his bed, tilting his head to look at everything in the room. The items he bought had all been placed in their respective positions. This was now his room.
"Let's check the current situation." Ling Feng waved his hand, and a virtual character panel appeared before him.
【Host】: Ling Feng
【Level】: Qi Refining Stage, Second Heavenly Layer (30%)
【Wish Power】: 21
【Spiritual Root】: All-Heaven Spiritual Root
【Companion】: Tu Shan Hong Hong
"Meow meow, a slime only gives 0.05 Wish Power? Is it that worthless?"
"Alas, I lack everything. Wish Power is hard to earn, there are no quests, and I can't defeat monsters. This is truly disheartening."
"Everything is done. Master said I can start cultivating tomorrow. I wonder what cultivation will be like."
Ling Feng looked at the virtual panel before him, unsure of what to do. He couldn't sleep yet and didn't know how to pass the time.
"Right! System, I remember you said the companion function can make cross-world calls, right?" Ling Feng asked in his mind. He remembered the system saying that the companion function could make cross-world calls and even video calls.
『That's right.』
"Then let's try this function. Connect me to Tu Shan Hong Hong."
『Understood! Cross-world call connected!』
"Hello? Is this Tu Shan Hong Hong?" Ling Feng still spoke in his mind, as he had already told True Lord of Cloud Retainer and Shen He that he was going to rest, and they had slept early.
...
In the world of Fox Spirit, in Tu Shan City, a month had passed since Ling Feng left. During this month, a diligent young human had appeared in Tu Shan City, and he was highly appreciated by all the foxes due to his competence.
On the city walls at the border of Tu Shan, Tu Shan Hong Hong stared blankly into the distance, occasionally glancing towards the city gate of Tu Shan.
"Sister, are you missing Brother Ling Feng?" A little fox with green hair asked from the side.
"No. How was Mo Xiaofan during my seclusion?" Tu Shan Hong Hong shook her head and changed the subject.
"Brother Xiaofan? Umm, everyone has a good impression of him. Except for some initial resistance, they have all accepted his life in Tu Shan now." Tu Shan Rong Rong thought and replied truthfully.
"That's good." Tu Shan Hong Hong nodded with satisfaction. She had promised Ling Feng to take good care of Mo Xiaofan, and moreover, Mo Xiaofan was Ling Feng's disciple.
"Sister, are you already at the Demon Emperor level now?"
Tu Shan Rong Rong asked casually, but she had her own thoughts. The power of a fox spirit originates from deep emotions. When emotions are strong, power is born.
Since Tu Shan Hong Hong returned, she had announced that she would be in seclusion for cultivation. Now, Tu Shan Rong Rong could feel the aura of a Demon Emperor radiating from Tu Shan Hong Hong.
In one month, to break through from a minor demon king to a Demon Emperor, it was likely that no other demon race could achieve this except for the Tu Shan fox spirits.
After coming out of seclusion, Tu Shan Hong Hong was no longer the appearance of a little girl. She was one meter seventy-five tall, a proper mature woman.
Originally, Tu Shan Rong Rong could look her sister in the eye by slightly tilting her head up. Now, Tu Shan Rong Rong had to stand a distance away from Tu Shan Hong Hong to make eye contact, otherwise, she could only look up.
"Yes, during this seclusion, I broke through to Demon Emperor in one go." Tu Shan Hong Hong nodded slightly, looking at her palm with a complex expression.
"Then congratulations, Sister. Tu Shan finally has a Demon Emperor to guard it again." Tu Shan Rong Rong closed her eyes, a smile of joy on her face, and she understood in her heart why Tu Shan Hong Hong's strength had increased so dramatically.
"Mm, those humans, if they come again, I can protect Tu Shan and your safety."
Tu Shan was a gathering place for fox spirits. Fox spirits were generally beautiful and were often captured, which put Tu Shan in a very passive position.
With Demon Emperor level strength, and Tu Shan Hong Hong being the master of Tu Shan, she could wield the power of this world. She was already considered top-tier in the fox spirit world. Among humans, unless it was the patriarch of the Wang Quan family or the Dong Fang family, there were few who could contend with Tu Shan Hong Hong. (Note: She had not yet comprehended the Banishing Blade.)
The same applied to the demon race.
"Rong Rong, inform the people below that Tu Shan has a new rule today: 'Swallows are plucked of their feathers, beasts are stripped of their skin.' Anyone passing through Tu Shan territory must pay protection fees." Tu Shan Hong Hong's gaze sharpened as she spoke dominantly.
"Sister, do you intend to..."
Tu Shan Rong Rong's pupils contracted upon hearing this. She was already intelligent, and immediately understood what Tu Shan Hong Hong meant. Tu Shan was actually very poor. Although it was a major demon race power, it had declined due to not being as strong as in the past.
"Yes, Rong Rong, you understand. Go down and formulate a clear charging rule for me to review."
"Yes, Sister." Tu Shan Rong Rong responded and left the city wall, while Tu Shan Hong Hong remained there, patrolling.
Just then, a voice extremely familiar to her echoed in her ear: "Hello, is this Tu Shan Hong Hong?"
"Ling Feng?"
Tu Shan Hong Hong heard this and her face lit up with joy. She immediately looked around, wanting to find the person she missed day and night, but found nothing.
Besides her, who else was there, human or demon?
"Was that a hallucination? Does it mean, as Rong Rong said, that I like..."
Tu Shan Hong Hong, unable to find Ling Feng, felt a little lost. She remembered Tu Shan Rong Rong saying that if one liked someone, their mind would be filled with them. She began to wonder if she truly liked Ling Feng.
"Hey, you're not hallucinating, it's really me." Ling Feng spoke again. When he heard Tu Shan Hong Hong say she was hallucinating, he knew the connection had been successful.
"Mm, Ling Feng, where are you? Why can't I see you?"
Tu Shan Hong Hong was a bit bewildered. The first time might have been a hallucination, but the second time couldn't possibly be. However, she scanned the surroundings, even extending her spiritual sense, and couldn't sense anyone or any demon within ten meters, which made Tu Shan Hong Hong very confused.
"Hahaha, of course, you can't see me. I'm not in your world. I'm talking to you across worlds right now. You just need to speak in your mind, and I can hear you. I'm still in my own world."
Ling Feng chuckled, imagining the scene of Tu Shan Hong Hong searching for him everywhere.
"Cross-world communication?"
"Cross-world communication is..." Ling Feng spent a bit of effort explaining to Tu Shan Hong Hong what cross-world calls were.