The Transmigrator’s Cultivation

Arc 21: Breaking Through The Nascent Soul Stage | Chapter 386: Seclusion

Xu Ziqing and Yun Lie were unaware of how the slighted individual was plotting his revenge. Even if they had known, they wouldn’t have regarded him with much concern.

Those who create trouble out of nothing and possess narrow-mindedness, like such unsavory characters, are unlikely to reach the Nascent Soul stage unless they were born in the Qianyuan Great World with abundant resources and decent talent. Given that, what else was there to pay attention to?

The two rode the fifth-tier flying beast, slowly circling around the eight Sky Pillars.

Having spent quite some time in the Wuling Mountain region, they had seldom seen the techniques of their shixiongs due to their own duties in guarding the pillars. Now, it was a good opportunity to observe them once again.

At the eight Sky Pillars, the Venerable Xing and seven other disciples from Wuling Immortal Secr were engaged in fierce battles.

Not to mention the Venerable Xing’s every move emanating great power, even those shixiongs were wrapped in a fierce aura, resembling several terrifying gods. Each technique they employed was extremely ruthless, aiming directly at their opponents’ vital points; a single hit would force a quick concession.

Xu Ziqing watched in amazement; just a few months apart had resulted in his shixiongs becoming even stronger, their experiences richer!

This was not surprising. In battles among people from other mountain regions, they often fought in groups or against individuals, always enjoying an advantage. The hardships faced by the Wuling disciples, while challenging, could greatly enhance their strength, making them multiple times more capable than disciples of the same level. The benefits they gained were beyond verbal description. Over the course of three months, it was no wonder they had gone through countless battles and made such significant progress.

Even he and his shixiong had also rapidly advanced since their last betting match.

As Xu Ziqing observed, he was simultaneously running scenarios in his mind.

If he were to face the opponents of his shixiongs, how should he respond? His cultivation level was only at the Golden Core stage, and he had limited techniques. He possessed only one divine ability, which was somewhat stronger than Rongjin’s but was too steeped in a heavy atmosphere to use frequently, lest it foster inner demons.

He practiced the “Ten Thousand Woods Great Heart Planting Technique,” and while he had yet to fully master its derived chapters, if he could effectively utilize the wooden elements and flexibly match them, he could force back powerful foes. However, mastering this would require countless drills to comprehend it in practical combat.

Xu Ziqing’s eyes remained unblinking as he observed his shixiongs’ actions and their opponents’ techniques. Countless images flashed through his mind, and he diligently committed those he couldn’t grasp immediately to memory, planning to absorb them slowly after returning to his cave.

After an hour had passed, he felt a slight ache in his head, realizing he had reached his limit. He took a deep breath and stopped his contemplation, but everything was still firmly recorded in his mind.

Gradually, the Wuling disciples defeated each opponent. Despite sustaining numerous injuries from the back-to-back battles, their momentum grew increasingly fierce, overpowering their challengers and leading them to successive defeats. In the end, the Venerable Xing was the first to defeat the last opponent, followed by the other shixiongs who finished their battles, with only two suffering unfortunate losses while the other five claimed victory. Thus, the Wuling Mountain region successfully defended the Sky Pillar once more.

After the battle, the challengers left in a huff, and the Wuling disciples lifted their heads to see a gigantic beast spread its wings, hovering outside the Sky Pillar. Their faces lit up with joy as they exclaimed, “Xu Shidi, Yun Shidi, you’ve finally returned safely!”

Xu Ziqing smiled and greeted his shixiongs and elders, saying, “Thank you all for your concern. Yun Shixiong and I had no issues on our journey.”

The Wuling disciples laughed heartily, their previous fierce demeanor fading as they chatted with their fellow disciples.

Everyone gathered around the two, urging them to return to the mountain quickly.

Given the countless dangers in the Qianyuan Greater World, both the immortal and demonic paths were rife with individuals who had dark hearts and cruel hands, motivated by selfishness. Murders and treasure thefts were common, and although the two junior brothers were highly talented, their training time was relatively short, making them unable to move freely in the outside world.

Thus, after Xu Ziqing and Yun Lie departed, the shixiongs were quite worried about the two of them.

It was hard to come by outstanding disciples like them; if something unfortunate were to happen and they perished outside… Especially since the Wuling Immortal Sect had no replacements. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have let these two out of the sect before their cultivation was fully established. Now that they had returned safely, it was a relief.

The group went to pay their respects to the Lord Domain Hang, engaging in lighthearted conversation.

The Lord Domain Hang was very concerned for the two and inquired about their experiences during their journey.

Xu Ziqing thought for a moment before recounting the events on the Frozen Snow Plains. He didn’t mention the private matters concerning Zhuang Wei and Le Zheng Hezhi; he only said that the favored subordinate of the Second Young Master of the Palace was an old friend he hadn’t seen for many years, and their unexpected reunion was merely a coincidence. Regarding Zhuang Wei’s limited lifespan and Le Zheng Hezhi’s efforts on his behalf, and even his own gift of the Rou Baigu, he remained tight-lipped—this was not out of distrust of his fellow disciples, but rather due to the sensitive nature of Zhuang Wei and his associates’ circumstances, which could not be fully disclosed.

After hearing this, everyone felt a deep sense of emotion. They thought that this new pair of shidi had incredibly good fortune; although they faced some obstacles in their nearly three months away, the actual dangers they encountered were far fewer. This journey had been relatively smooth. Regardless, their safe return brought them immense joy.

After expressing their sentiments, Ke Hong asked, “Shidi, have you really issued the mission?”

Xu Ziqing nodded and replied, “Indeed.”

Ke Hong immediately patted his chest and declared loudly, “If anyone takes the mission and needs the Divine Water to exchange for something you lack, feel free to come find me. If I don’t have it, there are many others here; don’t hesitate to ask!”

The other shixiongs exchanged smiles and added, “Exactly! If you can break through the bottleneck and achieve the Nascent Soul stage soon, it would be a great boon for our Wuling Mountain!”

The Venerable Xing also agreed enthusiastically, “I feel the same!”

Seeing this, Xu Ziqing quickly bowed to his shixiongs and said, “Thank you all so much! Thank you, Venerable Xing!”

The Lord Domain Hang, sitting nearby, looked on with satisfaction at the camaraderie among the disciples.

Afterward, they didn’t linger long; since cultivation was the priority, they wrapped up the discussion and each returned to their own peaks, with Yun Lie and Xu Ziqing also heading back into their cave abode.

As soon as they entered, Xu Ziqing was struck by a wave of nostalgia upon seeing the familiar surroundings. He smiled to himself; although he hadn’t lived there long, this was the home his shixiong had personally crafted for him after their marriage, and it was natural for him to have such feelings.

Thinking of this, Xu Ziqing turned to look at Yun Lie, who sensed it and returned the glance.

The two locked eyes, and Xu Ziqing smiled slightly, feeling a warm emotion within him.

However, despite the warmth, this was not the time for sentimental reflections.

Xu Ziqing and Yun Lie each entered adjacent stone chambers and sat cross-legged to meditate.

In the past, since they were dual-cultivation partners, their auras could merge during their training without concern for negative effects. However, now things were different.

Yun Lie had fought multiple times against Le Zheng Hezhi, who was exceptionally skilled in the Divine Transformation stage. As soon as he made a breakthrough, he would achieve the Spirit Severing stage. Even if such capable individuals suppressed their cultivation to the Nascent Soul stage to battle with Yun Lie, he would still feel considerable pressure from them. It was time for him to break through.

Xu Ziqing sensed the energy fluctuations from Yun Lie, and without needing to discuss, they tacitly went their separate ways.

Once inside the stone chamber, Xu Ziqing raised his hand to set up a restriction. His shixiong was on the verge of a breakthrough, and he himself had also made some progress.

While his shixiong fought Le Zheng Hezhi, Xu Ziqing absorbed the experiences shared by his fellow Wuling disciples and the Venerable Xing during their battles. With these thoughts in mind, Xu Ziqing slowly closed his eyes and sat upright.

In his consciousness, images of the battles between Yun Lie and Le Zheng Hezheng suddenly emerged.

A month passed in the blink of an eye.

Xu Ziqing opened his eyes, and his gaze was filled with a rich green light that seemed almost tangible.

The two green lights burst forth in an instant, converging at his forehead and coalescing there.

The radiance flickered erratically as if he exerted immense effort to penetrate it.

After a long time, the light gradually faded, ultimately losing its momentum.

Xu Ziqing let out a light sigh and smiled wryly to himself.

He was still far from his goal.

At present, Xu Ziqing’s cultivation has reached the peak of the late Golden Core stage. To not fall behind his shixiong from years past, he was focused on opening the prototype of his Zifu Small Universe and then seeking an opportunity to form his Nascent Soul.

Although he had long decided to borrow the power of the Sumeru Mustard Seed to directly evolve, that seed still needed a type of Divine Water to invigorate it, so he had to first nurture it with Wood Qi.

At the same time, Xu Ziqing gathered the Wood Qi within him, combining it with the Qingyun Needle divine ability, continuously refining the entrance of the Zifu at his forehead.

—In the past, his shixiong had directly split it open with sword intent, while he could only take a gradual approach.

However, this gradual approach was indeed very slow.

After several dozen days passed, he had not achieved much.

Fortunately, he had absorbed all the experiences from those previous battles and felt that he had gained many insights into combat techniques. This retreat had not been a waste. But now, he was about to exit the retreat.

Although the battle against the Heavenly Alliance could only happen once a month, in the Wuling Mountain Domain, there were nearly always monthly encounters.

Indeed, in a weak mountain domain, many sought to take advantage of it.

With Xu Ziqing and his shixiong returning, the Venerable Xing could no longer act as a substitute guardian, and they had to prepare themselves.

After dispelling the restrictions, Xu Ziqing stepped outside and saw that the door of the adjacent stone chamber was open, with a white figure slowly emerging.

Without a doubt, Yun Lie shared a tacit understanding with him and was also exiting his retreat at the same time.

However, as Yun Lie stepped out, Xu Ziqing suddenly felt a sharp aura rushing towards him, as if countless steel needles were piercing him, enveloping him in a chilling sensation. In an instant, the pain was intense, and he quickly took a few steps back, raising his eyes to look over.

Yun Lie stood still, his expression unchanged, seemingly unaffected. Yet, there was a subtle difference in his aura.

Xu Ziqing’s breath caught; although their energies were connected, preventing harm from one another, the sensation from a moment ago was somewhat intolerable… that unbearable feeling seemed to stem from his primordial spirit. But in the next moment, he understood this was a manifestation of his shixiong’s significant increase in power.

This change appeared to be related to his shixiong’s sword intent…

Translator: Lynn

Translations are not 100% correct. Please let me know if there are typos/mistakes in the chapter.

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