“I don’t believe it! That place is simply not somewhere a normal person can endure! Even with Fasting Pills, it’s impossible to stay for hundreds of years!” Baili Wen Yue shook his head vehemently.
Every time he thought about his days in the Ten Directions Realm, tears welled up.
He had lasted a little over twenty years inside before he simply couldn’t take it anymore. When he came out, he looked no different from a beggar.
Ning Shi Yue’s eyes sparkled with clarity and intelligence. She was the only one who truly believed Feng Qingran could do it.
Curious, she asked, “Senior Brother, are you saying that our little junior sister will reach the Soul Transformation stage very soon?”
“That’s right. However, her rushing to advance like this must be related to the Selection Trials,” Liu Cang Lan said gently.
Previously, the Liu Family had sent him a letter, asking him to return and represent them in the trials. After he refused, he agreed to the clan head’s condition to purchase the hidden weapons.
Upon hearing that Feng Qingran would soon reach the Soul Transformation stage, both Mu Qian Jue and Baili Wen Yue looked utterly defeated!
How was it that their younger junior brothers and sisters were each more monstrous than the last?
They could accept Senior Brother being at Soul Transformation. But now, Seventh Junior Brother was already at the late-stage Soul Transformation. And Eighth Junior Brother, who never showed himself, was actually at the early-stage Soul Transformation…
This was utterly unbelievable!
Mu Qian Jue and Baili Wen Yue exchanged glances, then patted each other on the shoulder.
Mu Qian Jue took a deep breath. “Sixth Junior Brother, it’s a good thing you’re here, otherwise I fear I’d be worked to death by this pressure!”
Baili Wen Yue shook his head helplessly. “Fourth Senior Brother, you absolutely must hold on. Let’s encourage each other and resist this… grind culture!”
Mu Qian Jue’s peach-blossom eyes grew profound as he said, insincerely, “Right! Sixth Junior Brother, we must stick to our own cultivation pace and reject that day-and-night, relentless cultivation method!”
“Fourth Senior Brother, you speak great sense!” Baili Wen Yue, however, took it to heart. He decided he wouldn’t be in such a hurry to advance.
After all, at his current cultivation level, he was already leagues ahead of his peers. There was no need to rush at all.
Ning Shi Yue glanced at the two of them and shot Baili Wen Yue a look of sympathy. Fourth Senior Brother was tricking Sixth Junior Brother again…
Thinking about the Selection Trials, Ning Shi Yue said to Liu Cang Lan, “Senior Brother, for this Selection Trial, I can only compete in the Talismans category. I can’t guarantee a top fifty finish in the Spirit Cultivation or Sword Cultivation paths.”
“Don’t worry, Shi Yue. I’ve already gathered information on all the participants in the Talismans category. Here are their profiles.” Liu Cang Lan’s voice was as warm and smooth as jade as he handed Ning Shi Yue a booklet.
Ning Shi Yue’s aptitude wasn’t poor. If she hadn’t needed to recuperate her divine sense, she could have reached the Nascent Soul stage before the trials as well.
Liu Cang Lan’s mind flashed back to the scene when their Master picked up Qin Han Yan and Ning Shi Yue all those years ago.
Both girls were sallow, skinny, and bone-thin, as if they had just survived a famine.
When they first met, Qin Han Yan was tightly shielding a timid Ning Shi Yue.
According to their Master, when he found Qin Han Yan, she was fighting a group of beggars over a steamed bun and was nearly beaten to death.
The steamed bun she fought for, she didn’t take a single bite for herself, giving it all to Ning Shi Yue.
So, Ye Wen Tian picked them both up and brought them back.
After arriving at the sect, Ning Shi Yue, lacking a sense of security, constantly clung to Qin Han Yan, making it impossible for Qin Han Yan to focus on cultivation.
It wasn’t until they had been at the Lingyun Sect for over a decade that Ning Shi Yue’s personality underwent a tremendous change. She was no longer the timid little girl but someone who could hold her own.
Only then did Qin Han Yan feel completely at ease and begin years-long closed-door cultivation sessions.
“Thank you, Senior Brother. Don’t worry, I have confidence in my talisman drawing.” Ning Shi Yue took the booklet with both hands. Her eyes were bright as stars, clear and without a trace of impurity.
Just then—
Over the peak of Cloudsoar Mountain.
Dark clouds gathered, and a mighty pressure descended.
“Senior Brother, Little Junior Sister is about to face her tribulation. I’ll go and stick some talismans on her.” Ning Shi Yue took out three talismans and summoned her sword.
Mo Jing Hong spoke up to stop her. “No need to go. She can withstand it on her own.”
Ning Shi Yue paused in her motion to mount her sword. When had Seventh Junior Brother arrived?
How strange. Someone as stunningly brilliant as Seventh Junior Brother should be impossible to miss at a glance!
Yet the reality was, as long as he didn’t reveal his aura, it was very hard for them to notice him…
Even Liu Cang Lan felt a slight surprise; he also didn’t know when Mo Jing Hong had appeared.
“Seventh Junior Brother, last time Little Junior Sister faced her tribulation…” Ning Shi Yue clutched the talismans in her hand, worry evident in her eyes.
“She specifically asked me to tell you not to use the Lightning Evasion Talismans on her. Using them too frequently causes irreversible backlash on you.” Mo Jing Hong’s ink-black eyes were unfathomably deep, his aura cool and noble.
Mu Qian Jue had faced his Nascent Soul tribulation six months ago. Back then, Ning Shi Yue had also drawn three Lightning Evasion Talismans.
Such heaven-defying talismans not only damage divine sense but might even shorten one’s lifespan.
Ning Shi Yue tightened her grip on the talismans. Of course, she knew what Mo Jing Hong said was true. But compared to that, she was more worried about Feng Qingran getting injured.
After all, the scene of Feng Qingran’s last tribulation had been truly heart-stopping.
“Shi Yue, put them away. Since Jing Hong says so, Little Junior Sister will surely be fine.” Liu Cang Lan’s expression was grave. “Don’t draw Lightning Evasion Talismans again until you reach the Soul Transformation stage.”
They didn’t want a single Lightning Evasion Talisman to ruin Ning Shi Yue’s path to advancement.
“Alright, I understand, Senior Brother. Don’t worry. With my current cultivation level, I can draw many kinds of talismans to ensure my own safety without any problem.” Ning Shi Yue’s brilliant, spring-blossom eyes filled with warmth.
“Sixth Senior Sister, I don’t need Lightning Evasion Talismans when I face my tribulation either,” Baili Wen Yue chimed in, leaning closer. He had seen the state Ning Shi Yue was in after the backlash and didn’t want to see it a second time.
“Ow!”—
Ning Shi Yue covered her forehead, crying out in pain.
It was Mu Qian Jue, who had tapped her forehead with his folding fan.
