Chapter 222: Xu Ning Crossing the Tribulation
“That, I didn’t know.”
Zhang Ping shook his head as he spoke. He suddenly felt a faint return of sensation in his legs, which filled him with joy, and at the same time, his admiration for Li Qingqiu deepened.
Worthy of being the Sect Master!
“I’ll have someone investigate Murong Manor. I can sense that your sinews and bones have already undergone transformation. Next, stay within the sect and cultivate properly. Don’t go down the mountain again.”
Li Qingqiu instructed him. He greatly looked forward to the Vermilion Bird Blood within Zhang Ping’s body; it should be far more than a simple improvement of aptitude.
Zhang Ping nodded. After hesitating for a moment, he could not help but ask, “Sect Master, why did you know I was in trouble? Why were you willing to help me?”
If he did not clarify this matter, it would be difficult for his heart to settle.
Li Qingqiu looked at him and smiled. “Because the first time I saw you, I felt that we were fated. Later, you performed diligently in the Free Spirit Hall, which made me even more satisfied. Previously, when Shen Yue went to Tianxuan Mountain, you reminded him that Tianxuan Mountain was dangerous. That was indeed the case. Tianxuan Mountain hid a demonic cultivator who had surpassed the ninth layer of the Nourishing Vital Energy Realm. He had even attempted to seize Zhao Zhen’s body before, but was fortunately stopped by Elder Jiang Zhaoxia.”
These words caused Zhang Ping’s eyes to widen as cold sweat poured down.
After the Tianxuan Mountain incident ended, he had also hesitated, afraid that he had passed on incorrect information, which had made him uneasy for a long time, unable to eat or sleep, fearing that he might delay sect affairs. However, no one ever came looking for him, and he gradually let the matter go.
Now that Li Qingqiu mentioned it, fear surged in his heart.
A demonic cultivator beyond the ninth layer of the Nourishing Vital Energy Realm—how terrifying was that?
This world was indeed dangerous!
Li Qingqiu continued, “This alone proves your potential, so I paid even more attention to you. When I learned that you had gone down the mountain for two months, I always felt something would happen, so I sent people down the mountain to look for you. You have your intuition, and I have my premonition.”
He blinked at Zhang Ping. He could sense Zhang Ping’s tension, so he deliberately tried to ease his emotions.
Zhang Ping came back to his senses. Setting aside the matter of the demonic cultivator, it turned out that the Sect Master had been paying attention to him from the very beginning.
Thinking carefully, it had been too easy for him to enter the Free Spirit Hall. Hall Master Zhang Yuchun had also taken excessive care of him, always thinking of him whenever there were benefits.
Being able to reach the fourth layer of the Nourishing Vital Energy Realm was enough to prove that he had received no small amount of resources.
Then thinking of how Lord Jing had recruited him into the Immortal Protection Guard—what kind of person was Lord Jing? How could he be so foolish? Lord Jing coming to find him was clearly the Sect Master looking for him.
All past confusion was resolved. The unease that had lasted nearly ten years completely vanished at this moment.
He had never believed that others would be good to him without reason, yet the Sect Master had silently looked after him for so many years. He was deeply moved.
“Sect Master, I…”
Zhang Ping was so emotional that he wanted to get up, but Li Qingqiu pressed him down.
“I know you are cautious by nature, so I didn’t dare to go too far. I could only cultivate you in secret. I was afraid you’d think I had ill intentions toward you. You can rest assured— you have no prominent background and no unparalleled talent. There was no need for me to scheme against you. In my eyes, you are merely a disciple with potential. I hope disciples like you can receive better development within the sect.”
Li Qingqiu looked at Zhang Ping and spoke earnestly.
Zhang Ping’s eyes reddened. He hurriedly said, “Sect Master, I believe you. I’ve always believed you. Before, I just couldn’t get close to you, so I overthought things. Actually, being able to survive and join the Clear Sky Sect was also because of you. Back then, our whole family was about to starve to death. It was the relief from the Clear Sky Sect that allowed us to survive…”
He spoke of past bitterness, emotions flowing freely.
Li Qingqiu did not expect Zhang Ping to have such a past.
He discovered that many geniuses had similar experiences. The Clear Sky Sect, which had long practiced good deeds, was continuously reaping rewards.
It seemed that doing more good deeds truly led to good outcomes.
Zhang Ping’s broken legs were indeed severe, but Li Qingqiu discovered that the Vermilion Bird Blood within him had been quietly repairing them all along. Even without Li Qingqiu’s intervention, Zhang Ping would have healed on his own given enough time.
The two talked for half an hour. Li Qingqiu then had Yuan Qi escort him back to his courtyard.
“Becoming an excellent aptitude with just the first fate-changing—if it happens twice more, what then?”
Li Qingqiu sat on the chair, silently thinking.
He suddenly felt that Zhang Ping’s future was immeasurable. As long as fate-changing opportunities remained, Zhang Ping’s future heights would be difficult to define. Perhaps Zhang Ping could even become the strongest disciple of the Clear Sky Sect.
Li Qingqiu decided to begin focusing on nurturing Zhang Ping.
At the very least, Zhang Ping’s excellent aptitude was enough to warrant further resource investment.
……
Year’s end passed, and a new year arrived.
After the festive period, Li Qingqiu convened a Profound Heart Hall meeting to summarize the gains of the past year.
Setting aside the hardships of Zhao Zhen and Zhang Ping, the Clear Sky Sect had developed smoothly over the past year. All halls had achieved notable results, and the sect’s various resources were steadily improving.
Winter snow melted, and spring arrived.
Not long after spring began, Clear Sky Daoist sent someone with a letter. In it, he stated that the Spirit Copper Mountain Range had been completely brought under the control of the Clear Sky Sect, with the power structure fully established. He wished to return.
After deliberation, Li Qingqiu dispatched Yang Xuan of the Spirit Finance Hall to take charge of the overall situation.
Yang Xuan, who possessed the “Mortal Dao Ancestor” fate trait, had reached the fifth layer of the Nourishing Vital Energy Realm thanks to his dual excellent aptitudes, enough to handle matters independently.
Yang Xuan’s master, Li Dongyue, had no objections. She did not particularly value the cultivation strength of the Spirit Finance Hall, and in her view, this was also beneficial for Yang Xuan, helping him accumulate merit and experience.
Thus, Yang Xuan headed to the Spirit Copper Mountain Range with Li Qingqiu’s appointment.
Less than a month later, Clear Sky Daoist returned.
It had to be said that once the old man returned, Li Qingqiu felt the Clear Sky Sect become much livelier. Clear Sky Daoist wandered around the various halls, occasionally taking Li Shouzheng and Li Shoumin with him. Wherever he went—be it a hall or courtyard—it became noisy and lively. After all, his voice was loud.
On this day, Jiang Zhaoxia came to Li Qingqiu, saying he wanted to pass on a divine art to him. Li Qingqiu was also quite interested, so the senior and junior brothers went together to an uninhabited mountainous area far from Clear Sky Mountain.
The divine art Jiang Zhaoxia inherited was called the Immortal Severing Three Swords, divided into three swords in total, which he demonstrated to Li Qingqiu one by one.
The Immortal Severing Three Swords were even more powerful than Li Qingqiu had anticipated.
The first sword could create sword clones, carrying the profundity of formations.
The second sword contained the mysteries of movement and spatial traversal, extremely sharp.
The third sword was a domineering offensive, vast in momentum.
Relying on this divine art, Li Qingqiu concluded that Jiang Zhaoxia was already the undisputed second strongest within the sect.
Divine arts were not easy to learn. Shen Yue and Xu Ning had also memorized the cultivation method of the Immortal Severing Three Swords, yet they had never succeeded in practicing it.
Jiang Zhaoxia’s inheritance process was very similar to Li Qingqiu’s own divine art inheritance—it was directly branded into the soul, allowing instant mastery without any cultivation process.
“You’re this strong—why don’t you go find Ning’er or Shen Yue to spar?”
Li Qingqiu looked at the high-spirited Jiang Zhaoxia and asked with a smile.
Jiang Zhaoxia replied calmly, “This inheritance came too easily. Using it to compete with them wouldn’t be fair. Besides, I’m the Deputy Sect Master. I need a broader outlook.”
Quite the poser—did he learn that from Shen Yue?
Li Qingqiu could not tell whether he was speaking the truth or not, but it was good that the three of them could stop competing.
In fact, Li Qingqiu did not want the three of them to decide who was superior. That way, the sect would have three second-strongest figures, which would inspire a different kind of confidence in the disciples.
“Then you’d better hurry and strive to become the second person to reach the Spirit Perception Realm. The tribulation platform has already been built. It depends on who arrives first.”
Li Qingqiu raised his brows and smiled. The tribulation platform had just been constructed using Spirit Copper to prevent it from being shattered, and restrictive formations had also been laid upon it to guide heaven and earth spiritual energy into the platform.
Hearing this, Jiang Zhaoxia frowned. He wanted to ask about Xu Ning’s progress, but felt that asking would betray a lack of confidence.
His intuition told him that Xu Ning would cross the tribulation before him.
The facts proved him right.
In mid-March, Xu Ning came to Li Qingqiu, saying she felt signs of a breakthrough. Li Qingqiu immediately brought her to the tribulation platform.
The tribulation platform was located atop Lixue Peak to the west, standing over a thousand zhang tall. The mountain peak was straight like a sword; walking to the summit on foot was nearly impossible.
After Xu Ning entered the tribulation platform, Li Qingqiu ordered the disciples to seal off Lixue Peak. No disciple was allowed to approach it, nor were they allowed to fly over it.
He himself stood on a neighboring peak, watching Xu Ning from afar.
Xu Ning sat cross-legged on the platform, focusing on circulating her cultivation. The lightning tribulation did not arrive immediately.
News of Xu Ning’s impending tribulation quickly spread.
Jiang Zhaoxia and Shen Yue could not sit still.
They did not go to watch Xu Ning cross the tribulation, but they had disciples closely monitor the situation.
Seven days later, thunderclouds gathered above Lixue Peak. Thunder roared through heaven and earth, drawing the attention of many disciples.
With her Heavenly Thunder Spiritual Root, Xu Ning crossed the tribulation with ease.
However, Li Qingqiu noticed that Xu Ning only endured twenty-seven heavenly lightning strikes. Compared to his ninety-nine strikes, the difference was vast.
His mood became slightly gloomy.
Was the heavens targeting him?
Or was it related to one’s own foundation?
Li Qingqiu’s foundation was certainly far stronger than Xu Ning’s. He possessed five powerful fate traits: Innate Sword Maniac, Heavenly Thunder Spiritual Root, Hundred-Refinement Demonic Body, Human Ghost-God, and Tempered Through a Thousand Trials. If heavenly tribulations were determined by one’s strength, then this could be understood.
After Xu Ning successfully broke through, she spent another five days consolidating her cultivation, while Li Qingqiu remained on the neighboring peak guarding her the entire time.
After finishing consolidation, she came before Li Qingqiu and said, “Master, this lightning tribulation felt rather easy for me, and the thunder attribute within my vital energy has grown stronger. Is everyone like this, or am I special?”
Li Qingqiu smiled. “Of course it’s because you’re exceptionally gifted. Just wait—when your Third Martial Uncle, Shen Yue, and Zhao Zhen cross their tribulations, they’ll be half-dead.”
Hearing this, Xu Ning’s lips curled upward. Her temperament was cold, but the competitive spirit in her bones did not allow her to lose to anyone except her master. Hearing her master’s praise made her happiest, as it made her feel that her efforts had been rewarded.
She hooked her arm around her master’s arm, just like when she was young.
“Master, you endured more heavenly lightning than I did. That means you’re stronger than me. From now on, I’ll take you as my goal.”
Xu Ning laughed playfully. If other disciples saw her like this, they would surely think she had been possessed.
Li Qingqiu said irritably, “Don’t think I don’t know you. You’ve long taken me as your goal. Your growth speed has put quite a bit of pressure on me as your master.”
“Is that so? Then why do I feel the gap between us is getting bigger and bigger?”
“That’s just your master pretending to be calm and detached. Maybe in a few more years, you’ll be even stronger than your master.”