Chapter 109: Longing

“Can it be true that on his very first day after entering the sect, he was already made the inheritor of Celestial Origin Peak?”

After a long silence, the young man slowly opened his eyes. His tone was light, yet there was an unprecedented sharpness in his gaze. To him, it was utterly inconceivable that a newly admitted disciple could become an inheritor so quickly.

Then, on second thought, if that person possessed peerless talent, it would make some sense.

But how could such extraordinary talent be so common?

With that thought, the young man slowly shook his head.

“Tonight, send one of the outer-peak disciples to probe his depth.”

After a brief pause, he did not delay any further. As his faint voice drifted out, a deep and unfathomable light gleamed in his eyes. Having given the order, he no longer hesitated.

The young man kneeling outside the cave abode bowed respectfully, then rose and left at once.

Meanwhile, far away in the mountain forests, within a secluded cave abode, Lu Daolin sat cross-legged and continued his cultivation.

The method for refining blood essence recorded in the Blood Tempering Scripture was precisely what he was attempting now.

By repeatedly vibrating the blood essence throughout the body, one could slowly temper and condense it.

The first three realms were the foundation: Blood Tempering, Bone Forging, and Blood Bearing.

In the qi refinement stage, the foundation corresponded exactly to the early, middle, and late layers of the same realm.

Strangely enough, when Lu Daolin cultivated this art, it felt as though there were no obstacles at all. So long as he kept cultivating, his blood essence would rapidly gather and condense almost imperceptibly.

At this rate, he would sooner or later break through the Blood Tempering realm.

Most likely, he would complete the breakthrough before tonight and fully stabilize it.

Not long after, as time slowly passed, a flash of brilliance erupted deep within Lu Daolin’s eyes. Instantly, a mighty surge of blood essence roared up from around his body!

In the blink of an eye, that powerful blood aura spread far and wide.

Blood Tempering Realm, achieved.

“So it really is an ancient peerless constitution!”

“Even if he cannot cultivate all the way to immortality, with this body, he can surely become a human immortal, one in ten thousand!”

At the same time, on a nearby mountain peak, Li Tianyuan stood quietly, gazing fixedly at the place where Lu Daolin was cultivating. Feeling the power radiating from that surge of blood essence, a meaningful smile appeared in his eyes.

He nodded lightly, then looked once more toward the distant horizon and spoke softly:

“As one has promised, one must see it through. Now that the Spirit Origin Pill is in hand, it should be delivered to that Lu family youth…”

With that, Li Tianyuan no longer tarried. A smile still flowing in the depths of his eyes, he flew straight toward the distant sky and vanished in an instant.

Meanwhile, after stabilizing his aura, Lu Daolin was reading through the Qi Refinement Scroll.

The scroll recorded that the nine layers of qi refinement were the path to the immortal realm, and also an important stage in which a mortal transformed into a cultivator.

If the qi refinement realm were cultivated steadily and firmly, then once one truly became a cultivator, they would possess an exceptionally solid foundation.

For a person’s entire life, that would be of immeasurable benefit.

With that in mind, Lu Daolin showed an unprecedented seriousness in his eyes. His expression was solemn beyond words as he studied the methods described in the scroll without pause.

Time slowly flowed on, and in the blink of an eye, night had fallen.

As darkness gradually enveloped the land, Lu Daolin had already cultivated for several hours. For someone like him, who had merely sat cross-legged the entire time, those hours of stillness were undeniably dull.

After a brief pause, Lu Daolin rose and walked toward the doorway.

Just as he stepped out of the pavilion, he saw a young man in black robes approaching from the front. The youth was thin and frail, almost skin and bones. The gloom on his face, together with the deep shadow lurking in his eyes, gave people the unsettling feeling of encountering some woodland demon.

“Senior Brother, you…”

Looking at the newcomer, Lu Daolin did not dare to be careless at all. As a grave expression spread deep in his eyes and he kept thinking frantically, he spoke in a light tone, though inwardly he was already panicking.

Earlier, when he heard what Ji Yao had said, that some cultivators who went astray became extremely strange, he had already been startled. Now, seeing this person, he was thoroughly spooked.

Still, thinking of his identity as an inheritor disciple, Lu Daolin felt a bit more assured. He forced himself to calm the turmoil in his heart, a hint of confusion flashing in the depths of his eyes, and said calmly:

“Senior Brother, what brings you here?”

“Are you Lu Daolin?”

No sooner had Lu Daolin spoken than the gaunt young man fixed him with a deadly stare. As that hoarse, gloomy voice came out, an indescribably frigid air seemed to spread around his body.

A trace of eerie light flickered deep in his eyes. The youth’s expression did not change as he shifted tone and said calmly:

“Since you are the sect’s inheritor disciple, your techniques must be first-rate. You must also have received the careful guidance of Elder Zhang and studied quite thoroughly.”

“Today, let us exchange a few pointers. How about it?”

As his voice drifted out, the chill around him seemed to grow even denser. Before Lu Daolin could say anything, he slowly stepped forward and advanced toward him.

“Senior Brother, I’m only a newly entered disciple. Aren’t you making things difficult for me?”

Sensing the cold intent in the depths of the youth’s gaze, Lu Daolin already understood that the visitor meant him no good. Panic flashed in his eyes as he hurriedly shouted and backed away step by step.

But how could the young man give him any chance? A flash of cold light passed through his eyes, and a sneer spread at the corner of his mouth as he moved even faster toward Lu Daolin.

“Master, save me!”

Seeing this, Lu Daolin no longer dared delay. He hurriedly turned and fled toward the distant mountains, letting out a piercing cry as he ran. His scream sent the birds and beasts of Celestial Origin Peak scattering in all directions.

“You won’t get away!”

Seeing this, the young man merely let a cold smile flicker in the depths of his eyes. After a brief pause, his speed suddenly increased as he quickly gave chase.

Thus the two of them, one in front and one behind, pursued and fled across the open grounds of Celestial Origin Peak.

Lu Daolin felt rather all right, but the more the youth chased, the more alarmed he became. Unprecedented astonishment flashed in his eyes, and a storm of shock rose in his heart.

For him, this was the first time he had ever seen a newly admitted disciple run this fast.

One must know that he himself was a qi refinement cultivator of the third layer, while Lu Daolin was merely a mortal who had not yet cultivated at all.

And yet he could not even catch a mortal.

If word of this got out, it would surely make others laugh their heads off.

With that thought, the youth continued the pursuit, murderous intent rising in his eyes. At this point, he absolutely could not let him live.

As soon as that thought surfaced, a murderous gleam flashed in the youth’s eyes. He abruptly patted the pouch at his waist and drew out a long sword radiating endless cold light. With killing intent surging in his gaze, he closed in and fiercely slashed at Lu Daolin!

“You… you, you, you—!”

Sensing the terrifying killing intent in the youth’s eyes, Lu Daolin was also startled. Tremendous fear flashed in his eyes as he sped up once more, like a frightened rabbit fleeing in panic toward the distance.

He did not forget to scream for his master’s help and similar pleas as he ran.

But the young man would no longer give Lu Daolin any chance. Endless cold light flashed in the depths of his eyes, and the long sword in his hand suddenly struck toward Lu Daolin!

All of this sounded slow, yet it happened in the span of a lightning flash. From the youth’s icy glare to the murderous intent erupting around him, and then to the sword raised and sent toward Lu Daolin, only a few breaths had passed.

Within those few breaths, the long sword in the youth’s hand struck with pinpoint accuracy toward Lu Daolin’s shoulder.

But then, all at once—

Clang!

The sound of metal striking metal rang out, and the long sword in the youth’s hand was instantly sent flying away.

Seeing this, the young man’s pupils shrank violently, and shock surged in his heart like a tidal wave.

No matter how hard he tried, he had never imagined that Lu Daolin’s body would be so formidable.

“So he’s a body cultivator!”

With that thought, a hint of hesitation rose in the youth’s heart. As a deep and unfathomable light flickered in his eyes, the pace of his chase visibly slowed.

A body cultivator might not be someone he could truly defeat…

However, just as the youth hesitated, a sharp cry suddenly rang out from the nearby mountain forest:

“How dare you come to Celestial Origin Peak to kill someone? What audacity!”

As the voice rang out, it instantly resounded through the entire forest. While it echoed across the mountains, a small figure instantly appeared and brought a fierce palm strike down upon the youth’s head.

All of this sounded slow, yet it happened in the flash between sparks and flint. From the moment Ji Yao’s voice rose to her appearance and that single palm slamming the youth to death, it took only an instant.

And after doing all this, Ji Yao looked as calm as if nothing had happened. She cast a faint glance at the somewhat disheveled Lu Daolin and said lightly:

“The cultivation world has always been cruel. If you want to survive, you must possess overwhelming strength and unrestrained courage.”

“You cultivate the Blood Tempering Scripture. His flying sword could hardly hurt you, yet you still did not dare fight him. If you were to encounter a strong enemy in the future, would you simply wait to die?”

As her voice drifted out, a deep and unprecedented light shone in her eyes. After a brief pause, she added:

“Today this man died on Celestial Origin Peak. His companions will surely come seeking vengeance. If you still do not resist then, you will be surrounded and killed by them.”

“Do not blame your senior sister for not warning you. The weak are prey to the strong.”

With that, Ji Yao no longer delayed and slowly walked away into the distance.

Only Lu Daolin remained standing there, stunned. He stared fixedly at the place where the youth had died, and a flash of resolve appeared deep in his eyes. After picking up the storage pouch, he turned and walked straight back to his pavilion.

If the dead man’s companions truly came looking, then he would need to prepare properly.

With that thought, Lu Daolin’s gaze filled with an unprecedented depth. After a brief moment of reflection, he no longer tarried and turned toward the nearby mountain forest.

Not long after, after passing through the winding woodland streams and paths, Lu Daolin returned to his pavilion. After searching for a while, he found several pills in the dead youth’s storage pouch. A ruthless look flashed in his eyes, and he swallowed them at once.

He did not know what those pills were for, but as the saying goes, fortune favors the bold.

If he did not spare every effort to become stronger now, then when the youth’s companions arrived, he would have no way to survive.

With that thought, Lu Daolin delayed no further. Deep light flowing in his eyes, he swallowed all the pills one after another. An unprecedented brilliance churned in the depths of his gaze as he cultivated rapidly according to the method marked in the Qi Refinement Scroll.

As time slowly passed, the circulation of spiritual energy within Lu Daolin’s body became faster and faster. The tearing pain he had felt earlier gradually faded, and not long after, a thunderous explosion suddenly boomed within his body!

That explosion seemed to exist only in Lu Daolin’s soul. As the crashing sound like rolling thunder echoed by his ears, he felt an unprecedented power surge through him, and his cultivation broke through in an instant!

All of this sounded slow, but it happened in just a few breaths. From the moment Lu Daolin began cultivating to the moment he broke through, only a short time had passed.

If an ordinary person had attempted to break through with such an overbearing method, they would most likely have burst apart and died from the excess spiritual energy within their body at the very next moment.

But Lu Daolin relied on the strength of his own constitution to swallow all those bottles of pills. In doing so, he directly ignored the limits of his aptitude and forcefully broke through.

Such a method had never been used, not even in the ancient texts preserved by Azure Cloud Sect.

However, Lu Daolin was not satisfied after breaking through. He instead took out another bottle of pills from the youth’s storage pouch and continued cultivating.

For Lu Daolin, the crisis from the youth had only been temporarily delayed. His master was probably already outside delivering the pills to Village Grandfather, and his senior sister also needed to cultivate, so she could not help him at every moment.

And right now, his only path to survival was the pills in the youth’s storage pouch. Only by swallowing them all could he increase his cultivation. Only then could he catch them off guard.

But if all this truly unfolded as he expected, then in the future he would never have another moment of peace within Azure Cloud Sect.

His senior sister had also said it: the weak are prey to the strong. Since he did not want to be devoured, then he could only become the devourer.

Truth be told, Lu Daolin still felt some regret—why had he stepped into the world of cultivation at all and begun walking this path? But regret was clearly useless now. No longer wavering, he let the ruthless intent in the depths of his eyes spread out slowly, closed his eyes, and cultivated earnestly.

Not long after, with wave after wave of thunderous booms sounding within his body, Lu Daolin’s cultivation broke through once more.

Soon after, yet another thunderous explosion rang out, and Lu Daolin could already feel the existence of a very stubborn barrier within his body, as though the pills at this moment were absolutely insufficient to support another breakthrough.

With that thought, Lu Daolin gradually calmed and stopped cultivating.