Chapter 41
**Chapter 41: Continuing the Reckoning**
The supreme quality of the elixir not only enhanced her spiritual energy's purity and reserves but also elevated her comprehension!
Thinking of this, Li Qingran felt a warmth in her eyes.
One could only imagine how precious that elixir was.
Yet, the senior had given it to her solely to help restore her dantian...
Perhaps that divine elixir was something the senior could have used for himself, but he chose to use it on her instead.
“Senior, I won’t let you down!”
“Li Qingran, don’t get carried away!” Zhang Hanxiao dodged awkwardly, his anger reaching a boiling point.
He no longer suppressed his cultivation, forming hand seals as his realm returned to the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment.
And Li Qingran’s sword was ready!
The sword light flickered like a shadow, scattering golden sparks across the sky.
With a scream, Zhang Hanxiao’s body was sent flying, crashing to the ground, covered in dust, his chest and limbs riddled with dense sword wounds, blood gushing from them.
Three steps away, Li Qingran sheathed her sword, standing tall and proud.
---
“Fourth Senior Brother, no... Zhang Hanxiao, you’ve lost.”
Li Qingran looked at the fallen Zhang Hanxiao, and the knot in her heart instantly unraveled, leaving her feeling much lighter.
The entire sect square fell silent, everyone staring in shock at the scene before them.
Li Qingran’s aura clearly indicated she had reached the peak of Qi Refinement, yet Zhang Hanxiao, in the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, was no match for her? Even though he had only just released his cultivation suppression and his flying sword was broken... it shouldn’t have ended like this.
Sect Master Wu Duantian was equally astonished. He turned his stiff neck and asked the nearby Qingxuan Daoist, “Elder Qingxuan, is it true that Li Qingran had her spiritual roots severed and her dantian destroyed?”
Initially, he thought those punishments were a bit excessive, but since the rules of Qingyun Sect dictated that each peak managed its own affairs, the sect master merely coordinated. Moreover, with Qingxuan Daoist being the strongest and having some connection to the Qingyun Ancestor, he turned a blind eye.
Now, however, he felt a bit lost.
His prized disciple, Zhao Lingtian, had also had his dantian destroyed, causing his cultivated spiritual energy to gradually dissipate, leaving him with no combat power. How could Li Qingran, whose dantian was also destroyed, defeat Zhang Hanxiao like this? It was simply too incredible!
Qingxuan Daoist stared intently at Li Qingran, speechless.
His shock stemmed not only from Li Qingran’s explosive combat power but also from her mastery of the Xiaowuxiang Sword.
He vaguely remembered Li Qingran asking him for guidance many times, but her comprehension of sword techniques was limited. After a few explanations, she still couldn’t grasp it, and he gradually grew impatient, suggesting she think independently or consult Lu Changtian.
When Li Qingran left Chixiao Peak, her Xiaowuxiang Sword was only at a minor achievement. Now, she could execute “Tree Shadows Dancing,” indicating she had reached a major achievement. Although the Xiaowuxiang Sword was not an exceptionally advanced technique, being of the Xuan rank, it was not something one could master from minor to major achievement in just a few months.
“Junior Brother Zhang!”
“Fourth Senior Brother!”
Seeing Zhang Hanxiao knocked to the ground, Lu Changtian and the others rushed over.
Yun Zimo helped lift Zhang Hanxiao’s upper body, while Xiao Yifeng took out healing elixirs and stuffed them into Zhang Hanxiao’s mouth to assist him in regulating his energy.
Mu Baishuang, with tears in her eyes, buried her face in Zhang Hanxiao’s chest, sobbing, “Senior Brother, it’s all my fault. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have taken your sword. If you had that sword, you wouldn’t be hurt like this…”
Yet, in her heart, she thought, thank goodness Zhang Hanxiao had given her that sword; otherwise, wouldn’t it have been a waste? The sword in Li Qingran’s hand was clearly a fine weapon, and even if she had exchanged it for another, it would likely have met the same fate.
She felt even more confused, mixed with a hint of panic.
What on earth had happened to Li Qingran?
Who was that great cultivator standing behind her?
Would he see through her disguise?
No, her identity absolutely could not be exposed!
With the young master’s lifespan nearing its end, she had to do everything in her power to help him seize a glimmer of hope. Once the young master broke through his bottleneck, they could contact the reclusive ancestor, and they would still have a chance to rise again!
Mu Baishuang silently vowed to act discreetly, quickly getting up from Zhang Hanxiao and pretending to cry as she hid behind Lu Changtian.
“Li Qingran, you’ve gone too far.” Lu Changtian pointed at Li Qingran, his expression stern. “No matter what, Zhang Hanxiao was once your senior brother. How could you strike so ruthlessly?”
“Ruthlessly?” Li Qingran shrugged, shaking her head. “I’m merely at the peak of Qi Refinement, not at the peak of Foundation Establishment. The fact that I could injure him is already my limit. Do you think I could have knocked him out cold?”
Lu Changtian opened his mouth, speechless.
He turned to look at the ‘unconscious’ Zhang Hanxiao.
Zhang Hanxiao’s face was as red as a brick; he clearly knew this junior brother was just pretending to be unconscious. His external injuries were indeed severe, but he was far from being truly unconscious; he simply couldn’t accept the fact that he had been defeated by Li Qingran.
“Li Qingran, has your dantian been restored?”
After a long silence, Qingxuan Daoist suddenly spoke.
The disciples of Chixiao Peak were taken aback, staring at Li Qingran, while Mu Baishuang peeked out from behind Lu Changtian.
“Thanks to the senior’s kindness, I was able to restore my dantian,” Li Qingran said, brushing her hair behind her ear, one hand resting on the sword sheath, her gaze fixed on her toes. A faint blush crept up to her ears, completely contrasting her earlier calm demeanor.
However, everyone’s attention was on her words, not noticing her girlish demeanor, except for Mu Baishuang, who narrowed her eyes.
Women understand women best.
She didn’t know what had happened to Li Qingran during this time.
But she could tell that Li Qingran had developed some special feelings for that mysterious cultivator.
What she didn’t know was how that cultivator felt about Li Qingran...
This could be troublesome.
If that cultivator’s target was also Li Qingran’s Taiyin Dao body, how could she compete with such an old monster with her current strength?
Mu Baishuang bit her lip, her mind racing as she devised a plan.
“Senior Sister Qingran,” she stepped out from behind Lu Changtian, speaking timidly, “I heard from my master that restoring a dantian requires an extremely precious elixir called the Hunyuan Butian Dan. This elixir has been lost to time, and only it can restore a dantian...
What I want to say is, Senior Sister, is your dantian really restored? You must be careful of those with ulterior motives; they might create a false impression while actually coveting something else from you…”
“Shut up!”
Before Mu Baishuang could finish, a fierce killing intent surged forth, silencing her words.
Li Qingran gripped her Su Xian sword tightly, her knuckles turning white, her body trembling slightly. “The senior’s kindness to me is as heavy as a mountain. How dare you slander him?”
Mu Baishuang’s face turned pale with fright, and she quickly waved her hands. “Ah, I’m sorry, Senior Sister, I was just worried about you…”
Swish—!
The response to Mu Baishuang was the sound of a sword’s hum.
Li Qingran lowered her head, a strand of hair lifting, and the Su Xian sword was already drawn.
A beam of sword light shot toward Mu Baishuang.
There was no mercy; it was aimed straight for her throat.
Mu Baishuang stood frozen.
She simply closed her eyes, looking pitiful.
She knew someone would act before her, ensuring her true nature remained hidden.
Clang—!
The sword was indeed intercepted.
Mu Baishuang opened her eyes to see Yun Zimo, the third direct disciple of Chixiao Peak, standing in front of her.
Li Qingran and Yun Zimo locked eyes.
The brother who had once protected her now glared at her with hatred and disgust.
How ironic...
But it didn’t matter anymore.
She no longer needed to care about any of this.
She no longer had to live for anyone else.
She was herself—Li Qingran.
No longer anyone’s little junior sister, no longer the former direct disciple of Chixiao Peak, and not anyone’s ‘you’ or ‘he.’ If she were to bloom for anyone in this life, it would only be for the senior.
Li Qingran touched the tassel of the Su Xian sword, the indifference and coldness in her eyes rising with a surge of memories, a slight smile playing at the corners of her mouth:
“Yun Zimo, since you’ve stepped forward now...
Let’s start with you.
Continuing the reckoning!”
---
**Chapter 42: A Thousand Swords Piercing the Heart (Adding a Chapter for the Boss)**
Table of Contents
