Nangong Yu

The next day. 

Lu Qingyun was displaying a swordplay that he had learnt from his old master to Lie Xingyuan in the practice courtyard of his abode.

"This stroke is the Little Leaves Hovering and this stroke is the triple slash."

He was merely using a wooden sword as he would shatter an ordinary sword; this seemed like a terrible curse to him since he was young and he had focused all his energies into alchemy instead. 

Strangely enough, the wooden sword won't break but he also could not muster his strength through it. 

Now that he had attained to the 3rd realm cultivation, he had gained sufficient profound strength to muster it into a profound force into the wooden. However, he had restricted from doing so as he was afraid that he may shatter his wooden sword. 

Lie Xingyuan was startled as she watched the display. Although his swordplay was ordinary, the way he had displayed it was extremely swift and smooth. In fact, it had already reached to the standard of a third realm swordplay by the speed alone.

She was actually thinking: Senior brother is actually so good with the sword? I am really surprised. He can easily defeat any of the ordinary protégés with his sword. Why is he so highly accomplished? But he is only a lowly cultivator.

Then she corrected herself: Not anymore. He is now an initial third realm expert. The same as me now.

Lie Xingyuan wondered if the apperance of the Heavenly Divine Lightning got anything to do with Lu Qingyun?

She was astonished that Lu Qingyun had advanced from the first to the third cultivation realm in just a single night; this was impossible because every small step boundary requires a long time to advance and to stablize its foundation.

Cultivators have a soul core or cultivation core within their dantian which is also called their inner spiritual sea. This inner spiritual sea needs to expand its spiritual boundary for a cultivator to increase their cultivation realm. And every time it increases, the cultivators have to stablize this spiritual boundary foundation first lest it collapses back to its former boundary. 

Now, every cultivator knows that it is dangerous if they did not stablize their foundation and this may affect their future cultivation advancement, leading to more time and even becoming a trash cultivator. 

But Lu Qingyun had quickly advanced from the first to the initial 3rd realm in just a single night. 

She panicky warned Lu Qingyun and Yan'Er to stop cultivating immediately and to immediately consolidate his cultivation foundation first. 

She broke into a cold sweat as she thought: Where is acting sect leader? Isn't she his master? And why didn't she watch over him after she had given him the Triple Essence Divine Pill?

 Qin Keqin had forgotten because she had never taught a protege before. Also, her speed of cultivation was also abnormally fast and she was a bad master. She was already a saintess when she was merely 18 and her immortal masters had ensured that she received the best cultivation care daily. 

Her basic cultivation for the low level cultivation realm was basically zero since she was also a born 3rd realm Enlighten Celestial. 

To her, Lu Qingyun was just too low level and there was no need for her to pay particular attention while she carried her playful schemes elsewhere. 

Lie Xingyuan was thinking about another thing as well as she watched Lu Qingyun. 

By right when she had advanced to the third realm, she ought to report it to the elders. It was because third realm experts are all considered to be valuable clan resources and are highly regarded. In fact, most of the third realm experts are all inner protégés and had a chance to be core proteges, masters or elders of the Heavens Ridge Villa. 

However she decided not to report her new cultivation level to the elders. It was because she still want to be his personal attendant for just a short little while before she leaves.

A core protege's personal attendant is usually picked from a 1st or a 2nd realm protege. Once they advanced to the 3rd realm cultivation, they will be replaced by another attendant with a lower realm cultivation. This is the sect's rule of the Heavens Ridge Villa. 

Also, Lie Xingyuan was only 16 and she had already reached the 3rd cultivation realm. This would shock and alarmed the grand elders and many proteges in the Heavens Ridge Villa. 

Although her stipends would double and she would be able to pay off her debts quickly, she had decided to wait a little longer. 

At the same time, she was very confused about her feelings for Lu Qingyun and she was shocked that her real master was actually a cultivation expert. 

She was puzzled why her real master does not teach her any profound arts except her some breathing techniques and stealth? 

 Lu Qingyun displayed another move and asked Lie Xingyuan with a chuckle, "What do you think of this move? This is the encircle slash. I am a little out of practice but I am quite proud of it. I took months of practice just to get it right."

 This encircle slash combined both a slashing arc and a movement step as the practitioner turned his body quickly around. Indeed it was not an easy sword maneuver to execute. The practitioner had to be fast to turn around quickly and to steady the footing at the same time while minimizing the exposure to opening weakness as quickly as possible.

Lie Xingyuan was astonished as this encircle slash was not easy to master even for many golden celestials. 

She knows about this because her master had already taught her this and forced her to master it within a month. 

The reaosn why many and even golden celestials didn't master this was because as their profound strength increases, they see no point in fanciful attacks anymore. Bypassing their opponent's profound force aura becomes their top priority as they seek to strengthen their profound strength instead or to use powerful profound arts with great profound power instead. 

 Lie Xingyuan smiled, "It seems that senior brother already knows more about swordplay than me. I am indeed incomparable to you. This sword stroke is properly executed. I can really find no flaws in it-"

A cold voice had suddenly interrupted her, "What is the point of learning such a low level swordplay?" 

Lie Xingyuan was startled when she saw that it was Nangong Yu! 

She began to stammer, "Senior Brother Nangong Yu..."

Nangong Yu was the most senior core protege of Celestial Shi Guanyin and he was also the most powerful protege that was not an elder. 

In fact, he was more powerful than most junior elders and it was because he was at the initial 4th realm cultivation. 

One must know that even Grand Elder Yun Xing was only at the middle 4th realm cultivation. 

Therefore Nangong Yu can even be qualified to become a grand elder and even replace Grand Elder Shi Guanyin as the grand elder of the Red Sword Heavens Sword in the future.

Lu Qingyun was also startled to see Nangong Yu as he quickly halted his swordplay to greet him, "Senior Brother Nangong Yu!"

Nangong Yu hummed coldly as he looked at Lu Qingyun, "You got it wrong. You are now the Shengzi and I am the one that ought to address you as my Senior Brother." 

But he did not greet Lu Qingyun as such.

Instead, he continued. "That day, you are quite good when you've defeated that Lin Pingzhi. But he is just a lowly 3rd realm cultivator and has just become a true cultivator. His profound strength is still raw and weak. This doesn't really show how strong you really are."

Once a cultivator reaches the 3rd realm cultivation, they are considered to be a true cultivator and not a commoner. 

Lie Xingyuan quickly said, "Senior Brother Lu Qingyun had sounded the True Origin Golden Bell 9 times to become a Shengzi. It isn't because he is stronger than Lin Pingzhi." 

Nangong Yu raised his hand to strike Lie Xingyuan, "Young lass! You are merely a lowly ordinary protege and you don't have the right to speak!" 

But his hand was caught by Lu Qingyun and this startled Nangong Yu a little; it was because just a moment ago, Lu Qingyun was still standing away from him.

Lu Qingyun let go of Nangong Yu's hand and said, "She is only a young maiden and is still very young. You don't have to hit her." 

Nangong Yu hummed coldly, "What right do you have to stop me from discipling an ordinary protege?"

Lu Qingyun said firmly, "Just becase I am the Shengzi of the Heavens Ridge Villa. What if this is my order?"

Nangong Yu laughed aloud, "You are merely a first realm lowly expert and not even a true cultivator yet. You dare to talk to a 4th realm expert like me in this manner?" 

He didn't use his divine sense to examine Lu Qingyun's cultivation core and did not know that he has become a 3rd realm cultivator now. 

There was simply no need as he had already examined Lu Qingyun's cultivation core when he was sounding the True Origin Golden Bell just a few days ago. 

It was unthinkable to him that Lu Qingyun would advance so quickly. 

Nangong Yu smirked coldly, "Why don't we have a friendly duel with each other? If I win, then you can't stop me discipling this young lass and she has to accompany me for a night. But if you win then I will respect you as the Shengzi and let her off."

Then he stared coldly at Lu Qingyun; the real reason why he was here was to teach this Lu Qingyun a lesson and also, because of what Tang Bufan had said to him previously about Lu Qingyun replacing him as the Blessed Son of the Heavens in the Heavens Ridge Villa. 

Lu Qingyun was startled as he gasped, "Protege Brother Nangong Yu is a 4th realm expert cultivator..."

All of a sudden, Nangong Yu had displayed his earth-step precious sword as a shimmering sword energies began to envelop over his sword.

Nangong Yu had suddenly swung his sword against him as he said coldly, "Why don't you use your divine sword against me and your divine sword shall be the gambit to the winner!" 

He did not even give Lu Qingyun a chance to reject his duel and had attacked him! 

Lu Qingyun gasped with shock as he quickly stepped back, "Sword energies..." 

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Author Note

1. You may also want to check The Romantic Cultivator, a romantic cultivation story with more than 1200 Chapters.