Chapter 231 : Suppressing Cultivation
In this world, there are many clever people, but also many fools who blindly follow what others say.
Although Su Hao and the others found the rumors absurd, since they concerned the reputation of a sect peak master, they naturally investigated thoroughly. Unfortunately, rumors are the hardest things to trace in this world. Now, with large and small sects gathered together, finding the source of these rumors was exceptionally difficult. In truth, everyone understood that these rumors were likely frame-ups by the demonic sects, but without evidence, it was hard to convince others.
While the Xuanqing Sect members were troubled by these rumors, Yun Qingyue, who had been in seclusion for many days, finally achieved a breakthrough.
Perhaps due to her exceptional talent, or perhaps with the aid of the Square Seal, in less than a month, she had managed to refine the Ice Soul Condensation Pearl within her body. Once the Ice Soul Condensation Pearl was refined and under her control, transforming the Strange Fire became much easier.
Today, after many days in seclusion, Yun Qingyue suddenly felt her mind clear. The meridians and dantian that had been blocked for days seemed to become unobstructed all at once. Large amounts of ice spiritual energy surged from the Ice Soul Condensation Pearl, leaving her dantian and rushing through her damaged meridians. However, this time, the repair to her meridians wasn't just the weak natural effect of spiritual energy, but her intentional regulation and healing.
The ice spiritual energy circulated through her body round after round. Wherever the spiritual energy passed, the damaged meridians were like drought-stricken land suddenly moistened by spring rain. At first, the effect was minimal, but as the spiritual energy continuously washed through, the dried and cracked "soil" eventually absorbed enough "moisture," gradually repairing the fissures.
The initial recovery wasn't fast, but with enough patience, her injuries would eventually be fully restored!
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Seclusion couldn't be easily disturbed, so Yun Qingyue remained in her room on the Spirit Boat, and no one came to bother her during these days. Only the Little White Tiger kept watch over her, but after nearly a month of guard duty, the bored White Tiger was almost growing moldy.
When Senior Sister first entered seclusion, the White Tiger waited eagerly, and with the system to chat with, she didn't feel lonely. But as this continued for one day, two days, three days, with Senior Sister still not waking up, both the White Tiger and the system ran out of things to say, and the days became monotonous. Fortunately, she still had a divine beast's innate ability—sleeping, whether for a day or two, or even eight to ten years, never seemed too long.
The White Tiger curled herself into a ball, lay down beside Senior Sister, and directly entered dreamland.
The system, seeing this, also wanted to shut down and sleep, but couldn't. Before the host had fallen asleep, she had given it two tasks. First, to keep watch and wake her immediately if danger approached, so she could protect Senior Sister. Second, to watch Senior Sister, and if she finished her seclusion, to wake the host immediately, so that Senior Sister would see her the moment she opened her eyes!
Truthfully, these tasks weren't friendly to the system at all. But unable to refuse the host, the system finally agreed. And so it waited for half a month, occasionally scanning outside for entertainment, but never forgetting the host's instruction to keep an eye on the present situation.
Finally, today it got results—the spiritual energy fluctuations from Senior Sister were obvious even without scanning.
The system immediately became excited and made a commotion in the host's consciousness: "Host, host, wake up quickly! Senior Sister seems about to break through. If you don't wake up now, Senior Sister won't see you when she opens her eyes..."
Unlike Divine Lord Zhiming who was accustomed to sleeping for centuries, the White Tiger slept lightly. She jerked awake as soon as the system started shouting. She immediately flipped over and jumped up, her mind still foggy, not fully comprehending the system's words. Somewhat confused, she looked around nervously: "What's wrong? What's wrong? Is there an enemy attack?!"
Seeing the host so startled that her fur stood on end, the system felt a sense of mischievous joy—serves you right for enslaving the system, making it keep watch while you sleep! Is that how you treat people?!
But pranks aside, the system didn't dare let the host know it was deliberate. It immediately adopted a calm demeanor and said: "No, host, you misunderstood. Senior Sister is about to finish her seclusion, that's why the system woke you."
By now the White Tiger had also realized that her surroundings were safe. Upon hearing this, she didn't think much of it and immediately turned her gaze toward Senior Sister.
She had slept for half a month, while Senior Sister had been in seclusion for almost a month, yet after all this time, Senior Sister's posture remained the same as before. She sat cross-legged, upright and proper, her expression peaceful, showing no visible change. But just as the system said, as soon as the White Tiger looked over, she immediately sensed the active spiritual energy fluctuations around her, very different from the previous stillness.
The White Tiger perked up at once, circling around Yun Qingyue several times, carefully examining the spiritual energy emanating from her body, but not daring to touch her, fearing she might disturb Senior Sister's cultivation.
After circling around a few times, the White Tiger finally sat down across from Senior Sister, her tail swishing and tapping "pat-pat" against the floor. After a few taps, fearing the noise might disturb Senior Sister, the White Tiger stopped, grabbed her own tail and held it in her arms, her tiger eyes bright and shining as she asked: "System, do you think Senior Sister is about to advance?"
Looking at Yun Qingyue's experience bar slowly but steadily rising, the system gave an affirmative response.
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First healing injuries, then breaking through bottlenecks.
For ordinary people, this process would take at least a year or two, or even three to five years or longer.
After all, when Bai Xu had examined Yun Qingyue's injuries earlier, he had said that to repair her meridians, she would need at least half a year to a year. As for breaking through to the Void Crossing realm, that was even more distant—the higher one's cultivation, the more time each realm advancement required. Minor realms could be achieved through accumulation of time, but major realms depended on talent and opportunity.
Without exaggeration, even the most talented young disciples of Xuanqing Sect like Su Hao wouldn't dare guarantee they could advance to Void Crossing within thirty years. Yet Yun Qingyue had formed her Nascent Soul just over two years ago and was already at the threshold of Void Crossing. Truly, both talent and opportunity were indispensable.
From the time the White Tiger was awakened by the system until Yun Qingyue opened her eyes, another three days passed.
This time, the White Tiger was patient. Watching the spiritual energy fluctuations around Senior Sister grow stronger, she didn't feel bored or lonely at all. As soon as Yun Qingyue opened her eyes, she immediately noticed, leaping in front of Yun Qingyue and excitedly asking: "Senior Sister, you're awake? How are you? Are your injuries healed? Do you feel like you're about to break through?"
She fired off a string of questions like a machine gun, and Yun Qingyue took a moment to respond—though she had been in seclusion, she wasn't completely unaware of the outside world and naturally knew that the White Tiger had been watching over her the whole time.
Warmth filled her glass-like eyes as Yun Qingyue replied candidly: "My injuries have healed, and my cultivation has broken through to Perfect Nascent Soul."
The White Tiger paused upon hearing this, instinctively saying: "Huh? Only Perfect Nascent Soul? With the rich spiritual energy of the Ice Soul Condensation Pearl, shouldn't Senior Sister have advanced directly to Void Crossing?"
In fact, the benefits of the Ice Soul Condensation Pearl went far beyond this. Even in Peak Master Qingyu's hands, it would have provided tremendous advantages. However, Yun Qingyue's current cultivation was still shallow, and she couldn't fully utilize these benefits, which was actually better in the long run. And after refining the Ice Soul Condensation Pearl, breaking through a realm wasn't difficult for her—the accumulated spiritual energy alone was sufficient.
But Yun Qingyue wasn't one to pursue quick success. She had suppressed her cultivation. Hearing the White Tiger's question, she explained: "Jianbing may not know that breakthrough for cultivators isn't as easy as it is for you. Accumulation of spiritual energy is one aspect, but more important is the advancement of one's mental state."
This was the White Tiger's first time practicing cultivation, and as a divine beast, she didn't have mental state issues. Even knowing the importance of mental state, she remained confused.
Yun Qingyue clearly saw this and rubbed the White Tiger's fluffy head, choosing a more straightforward reason: "Jianbing doesn't need to face lightning tribulation when advancing, but cultivators cannot avoid it. And above the Nascent Soul stage, each lightning tribulation may include a heart questioning tribulation. If one's mental state isn't sufficiently well-rounded, they might perish under the heart questioning tribulation."
Upon hearing this, the White Tiger's fur stood on end, and she grabbed Senior Sister's arm, saying: "Then Senior Sister, don't rush. Take it slowly."
A smile appeared in Yun Qingyue's eyes as she nodded slightly: "I naturally value my life."
The White Tiger was satisfied, though she felt the response was somewhat like pacifying a child. But she could indeed see Yun Qingyue's sincerity—leaving aside the matter of valuing one's life, on the long road to immortality, reaching the end was no easy feat. Perhaps an inadvertent misstep in the past could become an insurmountable chasm on the future path. Since Yun Qingyue aspired to achieve the great Dao, she was naturally cautious.
After chatting for a while, the White Tiger finally shook her fur and stood up: "Senior Sister, you've been in seclusion for a month and don't know what's happening outside. Let's go out and take a look?"
Hearing this, Yun Qingyue naturally had no objections. In fact, she had chosen to enter seclusion at that time precisely because she had been powerless during the previous chaotic battle. Now she had not only recovered from her injuries but also subdued the Ice Flame and advanced her cultivation—it was time to show her capabilities.
As Yun Qingyue stood up, the small White Tiger immediately jumped onto her shoulder, pointing forward with her paw: "Senior Sister, let's go, let's go!"
Yun Qingyue couldn't help but smile. She stepped forward and pushed open the door, soon encountering her own master.