The young woman’s skirt fluttered as she moved, her graceful figure flashing through the cave like a phantom. Her steps were swift and elusive, leaving behind afterimages. However, due to prolonged combat and severe injuries from a previous battle with a more formidable spirit beast, her energy was nearly depleted. A single misstep led to her being struck by one of the giant lizards, sending her crashing into the cave wall with a thud, blood spurting from her mouth.

In her prime condition, these giant lizards wouldn’t have been able to harm her at all, but her earlier injuries had left her vulnerable. Seeing the beautiful and delicate woman being injured, Renault couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy—not out of infatuation, but because her fragile appearance and grievous wounds would stir compassion in anyone.

With a furious roar, Renault leaped into the air, his **Sword Spirit Cross Slash** flying out toward one of the giant lizards. The lizard howled in pain from the strike and immediately turned its attention toward Renault. Without hesitation, Renault unleashed a **Lingjian Break**, sending another sword qi attack toward a second lizard, hoping to lure them away to protect the woman.

However, the lizards had become wary. With a powerful swipe of its claws, one of the lizards tore through the sword qi from Renault's **Lingjian Break**, but it hadn’t anticipated that the energy within the sword qi would explode upon being torn apart. Although the explosion didn’t inflict much damage, it managed to knock the lizard back.

At this point, there were five giant lizards in total. Renault had successfully drawn away two, but three still remained, and the woman was too weak to defend herself against even one of them. One of the lizards raised its massive claws, preparing to deliver a deadly blow. The woman, already at death’s door, wouldn’t survive this strike.

Without hesitation, Renault planted his **Qingfeng Sword** into the stone wall, using it to spring forward. Throwing himself in front of the woman, he took the full force of the lizard’s blow to his chest. Blood splattered everywhere as the lizard’s claws tore through Renault’s flesh, leaving deep, bloody gashes.

Although he wasn’t torn apart completely, the injury was severe. Blood sprayed across the woman's face as she watched in disbelief, seeing the young man shielding her from a fatal attack. Why would this boy sacrifice himself for her? As she lay there, barely alive, she could hardly comprehend his motives, especially since he seemed unlikely to survive.

Fortunately, Renault had preemptively kept a healing pill in his mouth. As soon as he was injured, he crushed the pill and began regenerating blood. However, if the lizard attacked again, he wouldn’t have enough time to recover.

But Renault didn’t wait for death. In the blink of an eye, all five giant lizards were slain, their bodies torn apart as blood and flesh splattered the tunnel. A thick mist of blood filled the cave entrance, and through this mist, **Yuzhenzi** emerged, his face full of anger. He was furious at how close he had come to losing such a valuable disciple.

Originally, Yuzhenzi had only intended to test Renault’s courage. But this boy had actually dared to enter the **Chiyan Cave** and had managed to outmaneuver three giant lizards. Yuzhenzi was impressed but also frustrated that his brief lapse in attention had nearly cost him a disciple of immense potential.

“Feng’er, you did well on this mission,” Yuzhenzi said as he began using his spiritual energy to heal Renault’s wounds.

In the midst of his pain and just as he felt his life slipping away, Renault heard the system notifications that filled him with joy.

“**Player Renault** has completed the third spiritual cultivation mission: ‘Investigate the Chiyan Cave.’”

“**Player Renault** has successfully advanced to the **Kai Ling Breakthrough** stage.”

Since Renault had already accumulated 100% of his experience, his advancement to the **Kai Ling Breakthrough** stage also pushed his level to 11. 

“**Player Renault** has leveled up to level 11.”

“**Player Renault** has completed the fourth spiritual cultivation mission: ‘Rescue the Sect Disciples.’”

“**Player Renault** has successfully advanced to the **Lingju Early Stage** of spiritual cultivation.”

A series of system notifications rang out, and Renault momentarily forgot the pain of his injuries, overwhelmed with excitement.

Meanwhile, Yuzhenzi, who was still healing Renault, was stunned. How could this be? His disciple had sustained such grave injuries, yet not only did he survive, he used the healing process to break through two stages, advancing to the **Lingju Early Stage** of cultivation. The speed of his progress left Yuzhenzi speechless. Was this even possible? Was this real?

Shocked as he was, Yuzhenzi couldn’t afford to linger on his thoughts for long. His junior sister, the wounded woman, also needed his healing.

In the **Tianji Sect**, inner sect disciples were required to apprentice under an elite disciple, and though the elite disciples’ strength might not compare to the sect leader’s, their status was equivalent in terms of seniority.