飘零影音

Chapter 89 - Arc 7: Dragon Ascension Gate | Chapter 89: 10th Stage of Qi Refinement

Translator: Lynn

Sponsored chapter (7/10)

The members of the Loose Cultivator Alliance were relieved, as Zhuo Hanyan’s complexion had noticeably improved from the previous day, indicating that her internal injuries were gradually healing. Furthermore, it was clear that Xu Ziqing was the victim in this situation, and his cultivation level was far below that of Elder Fang. How could he have killed him? Among all the members of the Loose Cultivator Alliance present, no one possessed the ability to kill Elder Fang! The cultivators believed in their innocence.

However, someone shouted, “Can we just let this matter slide? My Elder Fang from Wuliang Sect cannot die in vain!” Upon seeing Hu Guangyuan’s displeased expression, the cultivators couldn’t help but burst into laughter. How could he continue to act this way, treating everyone else as fools? If he couldn’t accomplish his goals and only invited trouble upon himself, he clearly didn’t understand what was in his best interest. Nevertheless, the cultivators were still concerned about the secret sword cultivator and looked to Tang Wenfei, curious about how he would handle the situation.

Tang Wenfei’s expression turned serious, but he wasn’t overly worried. He spoke, “I know you all want to know the truth behind this matter. I don’t believe there is anyone with such cultivation who can release such a sword. It must be someone who used Sword Aura and embedded it in a magic weapon before bringing it here. Regardless of who killed Elder Fang, since he was the aggressor, I won’t delve further. However, this incident must never be repeated. If anyone dares to commit such an act again, don’t blame me for being merciless.” His tone was calm, but it sent shivers down everyone’s spines.

Considering that sword energy could be embedded in a magic weapon, the same could be true for Sword Aura. As long as there were no hidden sword cultivators among them, there was no need to be overly fearful.

Although everyone speculated that the individual who unleashed Sword Aura earlier was likely a member of the Loose Cultivator Alliance, it was not confirmed. If it wasn’t the Loose Cultivator Alliance and they targeted the wrong person, and that person still possessed Sword Aura, it would only be playing into their hands. Additionally, with Tang Wenfei’s warning, any lingering doubts were put aside.

Seeing that everyone had received a lesson, Tang Wenfei’s gaze softened slightly. “In that case, please collect Elder Fang’s body. The rest of you who haven’t finished your matches, follow me to the main hall to continue today’s events.”

All the cultivators suppressed their emotions, respectfully cupping their hands and saying, “We will follow Senior Tang’s instructions!”

Tang Wenfei then led dozens of cultivators, turning around and leaving in a grand manner. The remaining cultivators also dispersed, going their separate ways. Wuliang Sect took Elder Fang’s body with them, showing a cold indifference toward the members of the Loose Cultivator Alliance left behind, but ultimately taking no action against them. The members of the Loose Cultivator Alliance acted as if they hadn’t even noticed Wuliang Sect’s presence, waiting to speak until after they had left.

Su Xin wiped off his cold sweat first and exclaimed, “Wuliang Sect is truly shameless!” He looked at Xu Ziqing and sighed, “Brother Ziqing, you’ve really encountered a disaster. But who was the master behind the Sword Aura?”

Xu Ziqing smiled wryly. “I’m also puzzled.”

Su Xin recalled the various dangers Xu Ziqing had faced in the past, realizing that Xu Ziqing had never employed similar tactics. He raised an eyebrow and suggested, “I can’t say for sure if Elder Fang initially intended to attack you, but he unexpectedly provoked someone who struck first and killed him.”

Xu Ziqing felt a sense of relief. “In that case, I was fortunate. Thank you for your assistance.”

The rest of the members of the Loose Cultivation League were also filled with excitement. “This is called ‘retribution is just around the corner.’ Wuliang Secthas suffered a significant loss this time, and it’s time for us to defeat them!”

Su Xin and Xu Ziqing exchanged glances and laughed together.

After experiencing the events of the early morning, the members of the Loose Cultivation League lost interest in watching the martial arts competition and dispersed. Xu Ziqing declined Su Xin’s invitation and simply stated that he would retreat to strengthen his spiritual power. Su Xin didn’t object, considering that Xu Ziqing had already gone through a lot and nearly faced danger. As long as he was more careful, he could handle things on his own.

Once Xu Ziqing returned to his cave, he raised his hand and placed several restraints, sealing the entrance tightly. Then, he couldn’t help but call out, “Brother Yun, Brother Yun!”

As soon as the words left his lips, the man in white appeared in the cave.

“What is it?” Yun Lie flicked his sleeves and sat on the ground.

Xu Ziqing noticed Yun Lie’s composed demeanor and all the tension and worries from before seemed to dissipate. He smiled and said, “Thank you, Brother Yun, for what happened last night.”

Yun Lie nodded slightly. “You were able to detect the remnants of the sword energy. That’s very good.”

Xu Ziqing felt a tinge of embarrassment at the praise. He recalled that the sword energy on Elder Fang’s body had significantly dissipated after a night, and it was evident at first glance. Now he realized that although his wood energy was sharp, it was largely due to his familiarity with Brother Yun’s aura. That’s how he detected it. It felt like cheating, and he didn’t deserve such praise. Clearing his throat lightly, Xu Ziqing asked, “Brother Yun, were you guarding me all night?” As soon as he spoke, he felt a sense of abruptness, and his ears reddened.

He wished he could retract the words and pretend he hadn’t said anything. It would be better to live. He had initially wanted to conceal his embarrassment, but now he felt even more embarrassed. It was better not to say too much and avoid making mistakes.

Yun Lie replied, “That’s right.”

Xu Ziqing was momentarily taken aback.

But Yun Lie continued, “You were exhausted yesterday and lost your vigilance. In the future, do what you can, and don’t be so negligent.”

Xu Ziqing felt a tinge of shame. “I apologize for my carelessness.” Silence enveloped the cave, and the two individuals remained silent.

Xu Ziqing shifted away from his previous emotions, his expression turning serious. “Elder Fang… truly came for me.”

Yun Lie confirmed, “Yes.”

Although Xu Ziqing knew that Yun Lie was unharmed, he couldn’t help but ask, “Did he break into the cave? Did Brother Yun get injured?”

Yun Lie glanced at him indifferently. “He never broke into the cave, and I was never injured.”

Xu Ziqing felt a wave of relief. “That’s good.” Now that he was more composed, he wanted to inquire about the details. He smiled and asked, “Since he didn’t break in, how did Brother Yun find him?”

Yun Lie’s voice turned cold. “Anyone with murderous intent is an obstruction in my path, and I can sense it.”

Xu Ziqing nodded. “I believe he had the intention to kill me, and that’s how Brother Yun noticed him and killed him with a sword, causing him to fall down the mountain, leaving only his body. Is that correct?” Yun Lie nodded. “Yes.”

With no more doubts, Xu Ziqing’s mood lightened. “I will be more cautious in the future and won’t let Brother Yun work so hard for me.”

Yun Lie remained silent.

Having grown accustomed to his reticence, Xu Ziqing joyfully sat down cross-legged, focusing on his cultivation, trying to replenish what he had consumed the previous night. However, after only a few cycles of running his energy, he sensed something peculiar.

The spiritual energy of heaven and earth poured in vigorously, descending along his spiritual root and directly into his dantian. The spiritual power in his meridians surged like a torrent, beyond his control. The remaining acupoints were in a half-opened, half-closed state, constantly being washed by the overwhelming spiritual power. Some would burst open and then reform, growing increasingly fierce.

“Crack! Crack! Crack!”

Xu Ziqing could even hear the continuous sound of acupoints opening, and the spiritual power in his meridians seemed to strain the channels, relentlessly surging forward.

No, he had to regain control!

Taking a deep breath, Xu Ziqing’s heartstrings tightened like taut threads. He couldn’t afford the slightest negligence as he swiftly practiced the “Wan Mu Zhong Xin Da Fa,” trying his best to control the unruly spiritual power, directing it along the proper path. However, Xu Ziqing discovered that while the spiritual power was indeed forceful, it didn’t deviate too far from the intended course.

If it had been scattered before, it was simply due to an excess of spiritual power and slight overflow. But why was this happening?

Xu Ziqing didn’t have time to dwell on it; he focused solely on preserving the clarity of his spiritual platform and manipulating the spiritual power to prevent it from inflicting excessive damage on his internal organs.

As for the acupoints being struck… he had no choice but to let them be. The discomfort was manageable, and it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

More popping sounds followed.

Three acupoints, two acupoints, and one acupoint left!

All the acupoints were open!

Suddenly, all the meridians connected, and the spiritual power flowed unimpeded. The meridians throughout his body transformed into rivers, lakes, and seas, converging in his dantian. It was as if a thin membrane stood before him, but now it had become transparent, revealing the magnificent and splendid scenery on the other side. With a little effort, he could penetrate this membrane and enter.

The spiritual power circulated continuously within the meridians, traversing the three major celestial circles and the eighteen minor celestial circles in endless rotation. The meridians and spiritual power intertwined, forming a network that seemed to merge as one, communicating with the inner world and flowing freely. Suddenly, the pulses resounded throughout, vibrating like a symphony, and Xu Ziqing experienced a moment of enlightenment—he had broken through the tenth stage of Qi Refinement!

It turned out that there was nothing wrong with the cultivation technique within his body. The acupoints had naturally opened once his cultivation reached this level, fully revealing his inner world and marking his first step toward cultivating immortality. Only by breaking through the tenth stage of Qi Refinement could he hope to transform spiritual power into true essence, lay the foundation, and truly enter the realm of immortality.

This was a positive development, but Xu Ziqing almost mistook it as a negative one. In fact, he had forgotten that he had reached a critical juncture.

Ever since he arrived at Tenglong Peak, his third-grade spiritual meridian had already opened numerous acupoints. Yesterday, he had gained substantial insights from observing the battles of many geniuses, improving his mood. And last night, as he healed Zhuo Hanyan’s wounds, he repeatedly exhausted his dantian and promptly replenished it. He continuously pushed his limits, stabilizing his cultivation.

Now, with Yun Lie observing him at night, his joyous mood and subsequent meditation caused all the meridians in his body to resonate. The third-grade spiritual vein continued to infuse spiritual energy, leading him to his current state. If he had controlled the spiritual power within him promptly, without getting confused at the start, his breakthrough to the tenth stage of Qi Refinement would have occurred naturally, sparing him from such unnecessary panic.

Opening his eyes slowly, Xu Ziqing’s two clusters of green light exuded gentleness, peace, and vitality, as if he had transformed into a towering tree deeply rooted in the soil, impervious to wind and rain, and brimming with vitality. He exhaled slowly, then closed and reopened his eyes.

At this moment, the radiance dissipated, and Xu Ziqing couldn’t help but smile with joy.

The man in white still sat opposite him.

Unable to contain his excitement, Xu Ziqing said, “Brother Yun, I’ve broken through to the tenth stage of Qi Refinement!”

Yun Lie’s eyes flickered. “Very well, I congratulate you.”

Xu Ziqing smiled gently. “I will do my best to establish my foundation as soon as possible.”

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