Qing`er

Qing`er...

After Qin Wentian, Ouyang Kuangsheng, and the other four companions braved the tempest, chaos erupted among the remaining cultivators, all vying for the Stellar Fruits held by Wang Xiao. In the aftermath of the battle, Wang Xiao's clan members, along with twenty other cultivators, lay dead.

Even Yao Sheng from the Skydemon Sect and Shiki from the Beast King Hall were gravely wounded.

Nevertheless, the other cultivators couldn't prevent Wang Xiao from entering the tempest. As he stepped into the storm, he cast a chilling glance back at them, a look that sent shivers down their spines.

Wang Xiao's followers were all dead, and his fury must have been beyond measure. If glares could kill, they would have all perished on the spot.

Wang Xiao, too, arrived at the celestial lake, taking his place in the final celestial pool. Dejectedly, the other cultivators made their way back. All seven spots had been claimed, and their trials in the Refinement Grounds had concluded.

Unbeknownst to Qin Wentian, events in the outside world unfolded without his knowledge. He was wholly immersed in his cultivation.

On the sixth day inside the celestial pool, the nine arterial pathways within his body finally reached their limits. They whirled like a spiraling vortex, flooding every fiber of his being with boundless Astral Energy. At the intersection of these pathways, a fearsome vortex formed, resounding with thunderous rumbles.

Within the heart of this vortex, the Astral Energy in his body transformed into droplets of Yuan energy. Each droplet flowed into the whirlpool, making it grow stronger.

As the whirlpool reached completion, a container appeared, and the Yuan energy droplets continuously dripped into it, forming a Yuan Ocean. This marked the basic formation of a Yuanfu, the birth of a Yuanfu.

The evolving Yuanfu gradually took shape as the whirlpool continued to spin at an ever-increasing speed. Simultaneously, a powerful surge of Astral Energy rushed towards the third Astral Gate in Qin Wentian's sea of consciousness, striving to unlock it. Qin Wentian was dividing his focus, working on two tasks at once. He needed to establish his Yuanfu and unlock his third Astral Gate because he aimed to condense his third Astral Soul.

Qin Wentian saw this as the perfect moment to condense his third Astral Soul as he stepped into the Yuanfu Realm. Doing so would enable him to divide his Yuanfu into three foundations, following the guidance of the Art of Nine Astrarium. He couldn't afford to miss this opportunity.

Undoubtedly, this place was the most suitable for Qin Wentian's goal of unlocking his Astral Gate due to the abundance of Astral Energy. The success rate was far higher compared to using Yuan Meteor Stones. In a matter of moments, as he directed his consciousness towards the third Astral Gate, it successfully unlocked.

Thanks to the presence of the beast spirits, Qin Wentian swiftly sensed the constellations corresponding to the Heavenly Layers of the demonic beasts.

Qin Wentian had already made up his mind about which third Astral Soul to condense. He chose the top-ranked Astral Soul in the Warbeast Index—the Demon Sovereign Constellation! This decision made him abandon any attempt to reach the 6th Heavenly Layer.

The Demon Sovereign Astral Soul held the highest rank in the Warbeast Index, attesting to its incredible power. Its potential benefits for Qin Wentian's cultivation of the Fiend Transformation Art were immeasurable. Thus, Qin Wentian was absolutely certain that condensing an Astral Soul from the Demon Sovereign Constellation was the wisest choice.

His consciousness quickly arrived in front of the Demon Sovereign Constellation. Waves of savage and violent Astral Energy surged, imbued with a profound demonic Qi. Simultaneously, an overbearing and imposing aura radiated from the Demon Sovereign Constellation.

Without hesitation, Qin Wentian established a profound connection with the constellation. Columns of Astral Light cascaded down, illuminating his body. In a matter of seconds, an ethereal manifestation of his third Astral Soul, radiant and shimmering, appeared above his head. Then, he unleashed all three of his Astral Souls, directing three beams of Astral Light into his developing Yuanfu.

The whirlpool created by his nine arterial pathways fervently refined these three beams of Astral Energy, converting them into tri-colored liquid forms that flowed into the Yuan Ocean. Three distinct colors of Yuan droplets condensed into a tri-colored mixture. Three unique energies flowed into three separate locations, forming three Yuan Oceans in his Yuanfus.

This transformation continued ceaselessly. Qin Wentian couldn't help but reflect on how miraculous the celestial lake was. Without it, finding another suitable place with the necessary conditions to cultivate the Art of Nine Astrarium would be an exceedingly daunting task.

An indeterminate amount of time passed before Qin Wentian finally opened his eyes. Even though he remained submerged in the celestial pool, he felt profoundly exhausted, both mentally and physically.

"Success!" A triumphant smile broke across Qin Wentian's face. Clutching the map of Dicang, he drew in a deep breath, closing his eyes to perceive the changes within his body. Inside him lay three Yuanfus, each brimming with tri-colored Yuan droplets that surged within him like an inexhaustible source of power. With a mere thought, he floated effortlessly into the air. Finally, he possessed the power to soar through the skies solely with his cultivation base.

"What an incredible sensation," Qin Wentian exclaimed with delight. His journey to the Demon Continent had proven to be highly rewarding. Now, all he needed was to spend more time acquainting himself with this realm and consolidating his newfound power.

Initially, Qin Wentian had planned to continue his cultivation, but the celestial pool's starlight dimmed, and its Astral Energy waned. Tilting his head, he noticed that Ouyang Kuangsheng and Mo Qingcheng had already emerged from their celestial pools and were gazing in his direction.

Moreover, a figure had materialized atop one of the astral stone pillars. It was the ethereal beauty who had stood beside the Palace Mistress earlier.

She remained as aloof and pristine as before, her presence otherworldly.

"Time's up," her voice was as cool as ice. She lowered her head, casting a gaze in Qin Wentian's direction.

"So soon?" A disappointed smile tugged at Qin Wentian's lips. He had hoped to further solidify his cultivation here and leverage the excess Astral Energy to unlock more memories from the tiny astral being in his sea of consciousness. The brevity of the time felt disappointing. Cultivating for a day in the celestial pool surpassed cultivating for ten days in the outside world, making it understandable why he felt disheartened.

Yet, by observing the expression on the ephemeral beauty's face, Qin Wentian knew it was impossible. As he emerged from his celestial pool, he looked at Mo Qingcheng and asked with a smile, "How did it go? Did your cultivation improve?"

"Yes, I've broken through to the second level of Yuanfu," Mo Qingcheng replied with a sweet smile, nodding.

"Haha, it appears that everyone benefited this time," Ouyang Kuangsheng laughed. He had also broken through to Yuanfu and was elated. Even the members of the Mystic Moon Hall wore smiles of contentment.

"However, that fellow Wang Xiao has also made it to Yuanfu. He left not too long ago, but you should still be cautious of him in the future. The power of the Wang Clan from the War Continent shouldn't be underestimated. In a few years, once he matures, Wang Xiao will undoubtedly become a prominent figure within his clan," Ouyang Kuangsheng cautioned.

The transcendent powers of the nine continents wielded immense influence, whether they were sects or clans. Especially for the elite younger generation, if their talent shone brightly enough, they would be recognized and nurtured, eventually becoming pillars of their clans. By then, they would hold real authority. But, of course, to reach that point, they had to outshine their peers, capturing the attention of the upper echelons.

Otherwise, the only outcome was death. For those at the top, the deaths of younger generation members were insignificant. Either you excelled or perished in the ruthless competition for supremacy. This was the harsh reality and environment in which the younger generations of the transcendent powers had to grow.

"Understood," Qin Wentian replied.

"Let's go," the enigmatic beauty stated coolly as she leaped down, leading the way out of the Refinement Grounds. Their journey here had been fraught with challenges, but the return was smooth, devoid of obstacles, allowing them to proceed without hindrance. After a while, they reached the hall situated outside the celestial lake's entrance.

"Ouyang," Jiang Ting and the others were already waiting there. Upon seeing his safe return, a warm smile graced her face.

"This is Jiang Ting, my fiancée," Ouyang Kuangsheng said with a smile to Qin Wentian.

"Jiang Ting, meet my friend, Qin Wentian."

Qin Wentian looked at Jiang Ting, nodding with a friendly smile. From Ouyang's earlier remarks, he knew that Jiang Ting was from the Jiang Clan, another influential transcendent power in the Wind Continent.

Jiang Ting silently observed Qin Wentian. Considering what she knew of Ouyang Kuangsheng's character, his decision to befriend Qin Wentian already spoke volumes about the latter's exceptional qualities.

She responded with a polite smile and a nod, embodying the grace befitting a noble lady of a great clan.

"Hey, thanks for the hospitality of the Celestial Lake Palace. Farewell," Ouyang Kuangsheng turned and addressed the enigmatic young woman. However, she remained aloof and unresponsive. Feeling somewhat helpless, Ouyang Kuangsheng and his group left, leading their demonic beasts away from the area.

Outside the Celestial Lake Palace, the remaining survivors bid farewell to one another. Qin Wentian politely waved goodbye to those from the Mystic Moon Hall. He and Mo Qingcheng then mounted her white crane, taking to the skies.

The veiled lady of the Mystic Moon Hall watched the departing silhouette of the white crane, a trace of reluctance passing through her eyes.

"Let's go," she instructed. After a while, they mounted their demonic beasts and departed from the Demon Continent in a similar manner.

In another hall, Fairy Qingmei sat while the Palace Mistress stood beside her. At that moment, the enigmatic beauty approached.

"How was it? Do you find him likable?" Fairy Qingmei whispered, her voice barely audible, as she observed the stoic young lady's expression.

"I can't say for sure," the young lady replied, her head shaking slightly. A hint of submission was evident in her demeanor. It was only in the presence of Fairy Qingmei that she revealed such deference.

"It doesn't matter if you like him or not, but I need you to stay by his side and protect him from harm. Qinger, remember this: you must ensure his safety at all costs," Fairy Qingmei said with a gentle smile, sparking a tinge of jealousy in the heart of the Palace Mistress standing nearby. Their teacher only showed such tender expressions in front of Qinger.

She understood that Fairy Qingmei held a special fondness for her junior sister. And now that she had instructed Qinger to safeguard the youth, it was clear just how highly she esteemed Qin Wentian.

Fairy Qingmei's devotion to the Azure Emperor ran deep indeed.

"Alright," Qinger replied, her responses always succinct even in conversations with her esteemed teacher. But the warmth in Fairy Qingmei's gaze remained unchanged; she knew Qinger's personality well and wouldn't fault her for it.

"Don't assist him in every little thing, and if he tries to charm you with sweet words, ignore him. You should only intervene when he's in dire danger, and remember to keep your identity concealed," Fairy Qingmei gently instructed with a smile.

"Understood," Qinger replied. This was her first venture outside, so she absorbed Fairy Qingmei's guidance attentively. However, she couldn't help but wonder if all men were adept at using sweet words.

"Off you go," Fairy Qingmei smiled. With that, a pair of beautiful wings unfurled on Qinger's back, and she hovered in the air. Her figure flickered, disappearing from sight in an instant. No one knew how fast she had become!