ALL NOVEL Chapter 6 - Hard Work and Renewed Confidence
Night had fallen.
Xu Yang stepped out of the main hall, his whole body feeling refreshed, a smile of satisfaction on his face.
“The Undying Immortal Scripture truly is powerful. Just a glimpse of its mysteries, and I’ve already advanced my cultivation considerably.”
He was now at the seventh level of Foundation Establishment. Although still far from his previous Nascent Soul level, Xu Yang believed that with his talent and hard work, Nascent Soul would only be a matter of time.
He glanced at the sky.
It was night now, a perfect time to put in some diligent effort.
Becoming more familiar with his surroundings each time, Xu Yang felt that, even with his eyes closed, he could find his way back to Qing’er’s pavilion.
In the Wild Mountains
Or rather, what was left of them.
The entire mountainous area seemed to have been flattened, leaving a barren, desolate scene. The remaining traces of sword energy in the area were so terrifying that even the creatures lurking underground had relocated.
This place had become a wasteland.
After an unknown amount of time…
In the depths of a crater…
A battered figure crawled out. Under the moonlight, it was clear he was covered in scraps of cloth and drenched in blood, with bones exposed in places. He looked utterly pitiful.
“Cough, cough.”
The figure coughed violently, spitting out fragments—pieces of his internal organs.
“I… I actually survived!”
Xiao Ye lay weakly on the ground, tears streaming down his face, filled with relief at having escaped death.
After a short rest, he regained some strength and immediately remembered his spirit beast. Clutching his chest, he called out in a panic, “Little Mink, where are you?!”
Little Mink was a creature he had found in an abandoned cave when he was young. After years together, they had become like family, sharing in each other’s honor and disgrace. If Little Mink had died to that woman’s sword, it would break his heart.
“Whimper…”
A faint cry came from the crater.
Xiao Ye’s face lit up with joy. Ignoring his own injuries, he jumped back into the crater and found the injured Little Mink, gathering the small purple creature into his arms with a pained expression.
“Little Mink, you’re alive! I’m so happy!”
The little beast was also touched, surprised that its master had thought of it in such a dire time. Man and beast embraced each other, crying their hearts out.
After a long while, they both finally calmed down.
Xiao Ye stroked Little Mink’s head, muttering to himself, “The priority now is to find a safe place to recover and gather some materials to restore Master’s spirit.”
In his mind, he imagined his master, Elder Li Huo, having exhausted his soul power to protect him, likely now in a deep slumber.
Unexpectedly, a weak voice sounded from the jade pendant, “Cough, cough, my disciple, I’m glad to know you still remember your master.”
“Master! You’re not asleep!” Xiao Ye was overjoyed.
Without Elder Li Huo, he would have been nothing more than an ordinary person, and certainly wouldn’t have survived his enemies’ pursuit.
“Almost didn’t make it. That girl has impressive talent in the way of the sword. Even in the Central Province, filled with geniuses, she would have a place among the best. If not for this ring deflecting part of the sword energy, I might indeed have been forced into slumber,” Elder Li Huo replied with a shiver in his voice.
Xiao Ye’s mind flashed back to that striking image of her, a strange thought surfacing within him.
Despite the fact that the woman had attacked him without a second thought, he found himself unable to hold any grudge. Instead, he thought that a fierce, untamed woman like her was worth the challenge of conquering…
“Master, didn’t you say she was my destined partner? Why did she suddenly draw her sword against me? Could she have seen through our plan?” Xiao Ye asked, struggling to suppress his confusion.
‘You’re asking me? Who should I ask?’ Elder Li Huo thought to himself, equally puzzled. He had calculated everything, and the signs all pointed to this course. How could there have been an unexpected twist? Surely the heavens wouldn’t deceive him… Baffled, he had no choice but to give an explanation.
“Perhaps… the young lady was simply in a bad mood?”
“Perhaps?” Xiao Ye’s voice grew tense.
“Cough, cough, don’t worry about the details, disciple,” Elder Li Huo replied, his face flushing slightly. Given his reputation for reading the heavenly secrets, using words like “perhaps” was a bit embarrassing. To regain Xiao Ye’s confidence, he quickly added, “My soul power has recovered enough to give you another reading!”
“Master!” Xiao Ye was deeply moved.
Though he had once resented his master for secretly drawing on his cultivation power, over time, he had come to appreciate Elder Li Huo’s sincere treatment and the wisdom he freely shared.
Despite this recent setback, Xiao Ye’s faith in his master remained strong.
After a short wait, Elder Li Huo’s voice emerged again from the pendant, “Disciple, your opportunity lies in Heavenly Origin City!”
His voice sounded even weaker, as though drained of all energy.
“Where is Heavenly Origin City?”
Xiao Ye’s spirit lifted, determined to reclaim his lost ground.
“Near the Qingming Sect,” Elder Li Huo replied.
Xiao Ye froze, awkwardly rubbing his nose. “Master… isn’t that the Qingming Sect again?”
“Did I say the Qingming Sect? I said near the Qingming Sect,” Elder Li Huo corrected.
“But Heavenly Origin City sounds like it’s under Qingming Sect’s jurisdiction,” Xiao Ye replied, feeling a pang of nervousness after his last encounter.
“Disciple, are you afraid?” Elder Li Huo challenged.
“I’m not afraid, Master…” Xiao Ye protested, though his tone was a bit stiff.
“Disciple, as a cultivator, you’ll face countless life-and-death trials throughout your life! Indeed, there is great fear between life and death, but there are also tremendous opportunities. Just like this time—you were gravely injured, but haven’t you noticed that your meridians have expanded and your ability to absorb spiritual energy has improved?”
Elder Li Huo’s voice boomed like a great bell in Xiao Ye’s mind.
Xiao Ye checked his body, discovering that his meridians had indeed widened, and once he healed, his combat power would increase significantly.
It seemed that the beautiful woman truly was his fated partner, and his master’s calculations were indeed accurate!
“Thank you for your guidance, Master,” Xiao Ye said, recovering his confidence and taking Elder Li Huo’s words to heart.
Seeing Xiao Ye’s mindset shift, Elder Li Huo let out a sigh of relief, then continued in a solemn tone, “Remember, disciple, only those who have tempered themselves in the crucible of life and death can become true masters. Otherwise, they’re just sheltered flowers, withering with a single gust of wind!”
He knew his disciple’s cautious nature well; only by occasionally giving him rewards could he keep Xiao Ye focused on cultivating.
As for his so-called widened meridians, it was simply the result of the sword energy injuring him!
“Master, I understand! I’ll set out for Heavenly Origin City immediately,” Xiao Ye declared, his spirit ignited, clenching his fists with determination.
“Disciple, there’s no need to—”
But before Elder Li Huo could finish, Xiao Ye interrupted, “Master, no need to say more! As cultivators, we fight against fate itself. How could I waste precious time?”
With that, he looked down at Little Mink, his intent clear.
Little Mink: “…”
Sensing the little beast’s reluctance, Elder Li Huo felt a twinge of embarrassment. Perhaps he had overdone his motivational speech.