Chapter 51
And it could also enhance one's charm.
But now...
Chen Huai'an narrowed his eyes.
Just as Qingyun Laozu was about to go berserk, he directly recharged 294¥.
Select all!!!
In an instant, Qingyun Laozu's gaze, which had been fixed on Chen Huai'an, suddenly faltered.
She felt a strange familiarity with that face shrouded in divine light.
"Zihao... is that you, Zihao?"
"No, Zihao is dead. He can't possibly be Zihao, but... his aura really does resemble..."
The momentum that Qingyun Laozu had been building up gradually deflated like a punctured balloon. Lü Zihao, her former Dao partner, had been one of the top ten handsome men in the Cangyun Realm, but his talent was so poor that even with all the rare treasures she had sought, she couldn't help him break through to the Transformation stage to extend his life.
Qingyun Laozu had not always looked like this old crone.
Cultivators have their ways to maintain their youth; if she wished, no one could guess her age. Even if she were a thousand or ten thousand years old, she could still appear as fresh and vibrant as a young girl in her twenties.
She had simply lost the will to live.
But now, her heart, which had long been ashen, flickered with a spark of life.
However, the next moment, that spark was snuffed out by a single remark from across the way.
"Old hag, is being in the Fusion stage really that impressive?"
Chen Huai'an smiled lightly, and with that, he finally let his aura surge forth, shooting upward.
Late Fusion stage!
The entire Qingyun Sect plaza felt as if it were being crushed under a massive mountain, shrouded in shadow.
The pressure from two Fusion stage cultivators left even the elders in the Transformation stage unable to rise, their knees sinking into the stone tiles beneath them.
Behind Chen Huai'an, a black dragon avatar, larger than the Qingshi monster, spiraled into existence, its roar deafening, exuding an aura of authority like that of a prison. Those golden vertical pupils resembled two blazing suns, overshadowing even the light of the sun itself.
‘Should I compose a poem at this moment?’
Chen Huai'an furrowed his brow, suddenly struck by this strange impulse.
Unfortunately, his mind was blank; he couldn't just blurt out, "Wow, that's awesome!"
So he chose to remain silent and maintain his aloof demeanor.
Little did he know, beside him, Li Qingran's eyes were already sparkling with admiration.
"You... you’re also in the Fusion stage?" Qingyun Laozu's mind was in turmoil.
This person's demeanor and aura were so reminiscent of her deceased Dao partner, and his strength was on par with hers. What was she to do in this situation?
If she sought him out, could they still maintain a good relationship in the future?
If she didn’t seek him out, what would happen to the face of the Qingyun Sect?
As Qingyun Laozu wrestled with her thoughts, Chen Huai'an was counting down the seconds.
With thirty seconds nearly up, he took the initiative to throw her a lifeline:
"Today, I came to the Qingyun Sect to witness the grandeur of a major sect. Grudges have their roots, and debts have their owners. I have no intention of punishing anyone further. Now that the cause and effect are clear, I shall take my leave. Farewell!"
Five seconds left.
Chen Huai'an took out a Thousand Li Divine Travel Talisman, intending to grasp Li Qingran's hand, but he missed and passed right through her.
Fortunately, the talisman enveloped both of them.
"May I have your name?" Qingyun Laozu's gaze followed that imposing figure, her eyes shimmering.
"Jianmen, Chen Huai'an!"
Whoosh—!
In an instant, Chen Huai'an and Li Qingran vanished.
"Jianmen? Could it be a hidden sect?" Qingyun Laozu's heart was a mix of emotions, but she did not pursue them.
That cultivator's strength was likely above her own.
Since the other party had already shown her courtesy, it would be impolite to chase after them.
She turned and walked over to Qingxuan Daoren.
The dragon-headed staff tapped on Qingxuan Daoren's shoulder, enveloping him in a blue glow, gradually healing his injuries.
After a while, Qingxuan Daoren, having caught his breath, struggled to lift his head and looked at the old crone:
"Mother..."
"Shut up and go reflect on the wall at the Thinking Cliff!"
The old crone snorted coldly and brushed past him.
After taking a few steps, she turned back with a stern face and said, "Within half an hour, bring me two furnaces of beauty-enhancing pills!"
Qingxuan Daoren: "?"
"Oh, and I need a milk bath and some Luo Shen flowers."
Qingxuan Daoren: "???"
...
...
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Chapter 53: The Caretaker
No joke.
Qingxuan Daoren felt a strong premonition that his mother was about to lose it.
But he dared not defy Qingyun Laozu's orders.
Even though his injuries had not fully healed, he had no choice but to comply.
"I never expected that person to be a great cultivator in the Fusion stage," Qingxuan Daoren sighed, shaking his head. The fact that a Fusion stage cultivator spared his life was a sign of mercy, considering the face of the Qingyun Sect.
He felt a sense of relief.
So what if a suppressed Fusion stage cultivator killed him in one strike?
His defeat was a badge of honor!
Any ordinary Transformation stage cultivator would have likely been crushed to dust under that earth-shattering blow.
"Master, my dantian..." Lu Changtian stumbled over to Qingxuan Daoren, his face pale.
"I can't do anything about your dantian," Qingxuan Daoren replied, his expression filled with impatience and annoyance.
"Everything in this world has its cause and effect. If you had known this would happen, why did you bully that girl Qingran? You even told me she intended to harm Mu Baishuang, asking me to strip her of her spiritual roots! Now you're regretting it? Coming to me for help?"
Lu Changtian hung his head, speechless.
Qingxuan Daoren couldn't bear to see his favorite disciple end up like this, so he shook his head and said, "You have two paths before you.
One is to switch to body cultivation, training your body to break through all methods. With your talent, you could achieve something, but the Qingyun Sect has few body cultivation techniques, and the entire Cangyun Realm has even fewer. This path is narrow and difficult, requiring much self-exploration.
The second path is to prepare for the Zhongzhou Secret Realm. This time, there will be both a large and a small secret realm."
"Master, I want to enter the large secret realm!"
Lu Changtian immediately bowed, his expression resolute.
Qingxuan Daoren struck the top of Lu Changtian's head with the hilt of his sword, angrily saying, "Fool! That's a place for Nascent Soul cultivators! You'd be dead in no time!
I mentioned the secret realm to tell you that the major sacred lands will be selecting talents this time. If you perform well in the small secret realm, you might catch the eye of a sacred land, and then you could gain an opportunity that might even heal your dantian."
Upon hearing this, Lu Changtian's eyes lit up.
The three major sacred lands of the Cangyun Realm: Yaochi, Guixu, and Fanjing.
Among them, the strong are like clouds, and many have made a name for themselves in the history of the Cangyun Realm. These people possess extraordinary means; perhaps one of them has the Hunyuan Puti Pill? Or a complete body cultivation system?
If so, his dantian problem could be easily resolved.
Qingxuan Daoren watched the joy on Lu Changtian's face, his heart sinking.
The sacred lands have standards for selecting outstanding disciples.
How exceptional would Lu Changtian need to be, with a damaged dantian, to be noticed?
Difficult, difficult, difficult!
...
Not far away, Mu Baishuang, meditating to heal her injuries, perked up her ears to listen.
She certainly knew about the Zhongzhou Secret Realm; it was an annual grand event where many ancient techniques, artifacts, and pills would appear.
It’s no exaggeration to say that if one could obtain good things from within, even an ordinary person could become a genius cultivator sought after by various sects.
"Li Qingran will probably go to the Zhongzhou Secret Realm too, right?" Mu Baishuang pondered.
The Taiyin Dao Body and the Wujin Cold Jade on Zhang Hanxiao were extremely important to the Young Master.
Getting the Wujin Cold Jade wouldn’t be difficult for her.
Zhang Hanxiao was currently injured, so she could take this opportunity to get closer to him, and that piece of jade would be practically in her hands.
As for the Taiyin Dao Body...
Previously, she had hesitated to act against Li Qingran within the sect. Her original plan was to let Li Qingran die outside, then use the Tianmo Zhibone Secret Technique to strip the Taiyin Dao Body for herself. However, Li Qingran encountered that powerful figure, and not only did she survive, but her dantian was also repaired, dispelling the heart demon Mu Baishuang had planted.
But everything has its duality.
Once they leave the Qingyun Sect, if they meet in the secret realm, how easy would it be to deal with a mere Li Qingran?
That great cultivator in the Fusion stage, no matter how idle he was, couldn't possibly keep an eye on Li Qingran all the time.
After all, cultivators like that love to retreat and meditate.
She dared to stay in the Qingyun Sect precisely because Qingyun Laozu wouldn’t emerge from her retreat for ten years or more. As long as she didn’t wander around in front of the old crone, hiding her identity wouldn’t be a problem.
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