Chapter 355: Gains

Rewinding back to a few hours ago.

The monster infiltrators had successfully broken through Zhen Ling Sect's security and sneaked onto Zhen Ling Island. However, at the foot of the mountain, three Zhen Ling Sect Enlightened Masters were already there waiting for them.

Li Xuan-Yin, the Shadow Sage;

Liang Xuan-Feng, the Wind Sage;

Guo Xuan-Shan, the Earth Sage.

All three of them were in the Ninth Layer Core Forging Realm, and even more, one was already half a step away from the Avatar Realm. Naturally, the monster infiltrators' plan to ruin the Avatar Forum and demoralize the human race failed terribly—all five Core Forging Realm monsters were slayed.

In turn, the three Sages' prowess surprised the North Ocean, impressing on them Zhen Ling Sect's development and supremacy.

And while the monster invasion attracted everyone's attention, Qu Xuan-Cheng the Fire Sage, was lured into a special trap designed to kill him. However, a young Enlightened Master's unexpected interference saved Qu Xuan-Cheng from the trap, and also slayed two Core Forging Realm monsters in the process.

Then, when the Fire Sage and the young man were on the run from Enlightened Master Mo Wei's pursuit, the Shadow Sage arrived in time to turn the tides. The two Sages severely wounded Enlightened Master Mo Wei and killed two of the ten monster Enlightened Masters in close pursuit.

Afterward, another three were assassinated by Li Xuan-Yin as they fled, and the rest only survived because the monster race had dispatched a group of Late Core Forging Realm Enlightened Masters to stop the Shadow Sage.

During the battle, Qu Xuan-Cheng the Fire Sage displayed his prowess as a Peak Core Forging Realm Enlightened Master, a term for those who have successfully forged their Golden Core and are ready to test their breakthrough to the Avatar Realm!

This time, the North Ocean human sects and monster tribes were left in awe. Unknown as to when, right under their noses, the Zhen Ling Sect had secretly become so powerful!

Because of the junior martial uncles' exceptional prowess and merits, Lu Ping's own accomplishments in the monster invasion didn't gain much attention. In addition, there seemed to be a mysterious force that was deliberately concealing his name from the public eye, so any notice given to him was almost insignificant.

For instance, the battle where he held back two Core Forging Realm monsters while simultaneously fighting and killing a Fifth Layer Core Forging Realm monster was not publicized. Even so, defeating Ouyang Wei-Jian in swordplay and saving Qu Xuan-Cheng still increased his fame and raised him to Rank 29 of the North Ocean Prodigies.

He was now the only one to enter the top thirty ranks while being an Early Core Forging Realm Enlightened Master.

In the midst of tumultuous news and rumors, Lu Ping returned to his Wave Listening Palace on Tian Ling Mountain to recover and cultivate. In the following month, Lu Ping recovered most of his injuries, which he would usually consider himself healed.

However, Lu Ping didn't dare to take Qu Xuan-Cheng's words of caution so easily. During the past few years, he had experienced many things, the good and the bad, both misery and fortune. Thanks to these encounters, his cultivation had progressed at an unimaginable speed and attained a prowess much stronger than his peers.

For a long time, he didn't think there was anything wrong with his cultivation, as he'd taken precautions to consolidate his foundation every time. But having been severely injured and depleted of true energy this time, it opened Lu Ping's eyes to his flaws and weaknesses.

Certainly, his true energy was more abundant than average, but it was now less pure and domineering than it used to be. Perhaps, his cultivation had progressed too quickly, and he'd dedicated less time to study and refine his cultivation.

Especially for his true energy, which directly affected his cultivation potential. His cultivation method was the [North Ocean Wave Listening Scripture], which prioritized the purity of true energy above all.

With this in mind, Lu Ping decided to go into closed-door cultivation to sort out his gains over the years, to study and deepen his cultivation insights, consolidate his foundation further, and optimize his cultivation.

None of this would contribute to his cultivation progress, thus it was inevitable that he would have to slow down his cultivation. But Lu Ping believed that this decision was worth the time taken, and altogether benefit his cultivation in the long run.

So, just like that, three years passed in the blink of an eye.

....

Boom—

Hit by an explosion, Lu Ping cast his aegis energy up to protect himself from the blast. Several feet away from him, a young child somewhere around the age of twelve, glared unhappily after seeing Lu Ping's aegis energy take her attack like it was nothing.

"Not bad, Qin'er. I didn't expect you'd learn to cultivate the Fire Luan's mini fire divine ability, the [Three Magical True Fire], within a year after your advancement."

Lu Ping noticed the young girl's unhappy expression and quickly praised her. But the young lady only replied indignantly, "So what! I still can't break your mini aegis divine ability!"

Normally, mini divine abilities cancel each other out. However, this didn't seem to be the case for Lu Ping's mini aegis divine ability which was much more durable. The five colors glowing on his aegis energy was proof that he'd already fused it with five peculiar waters.

Luan Yu popped out of nowhere with a grin. "Qin'er, don't compare yourself with this freak. Your [Three Magical True Fire] is already very powerful, even I wouldn't touch that so easily. At this stage, no Early Core Forging Realm Enlightened Masters can stand its power. Don't forget that you haven't fused it with a peculiar fire yet. Once it's upgraded, even your big brother wouldn't dare to face it head-on."

The young girl rolled her eyes at Luan Yu and griped, "Why do you care so much!"

After that, she quickly skipped away and hid behind Lu Ping.

Lu Ping grinned at Luan Yu who not only failed to please Lu Qin, but was even treated coldly in return. He appeared both confused and embarrassed right then.

He pulled out a pair of jade rings from his sleeves and handed it to Lu Qin, "Qin'er, this is a gift from Big Brother to congratulate your advancement. They're a remarkable find, but they lack potential and are useless to me. Little Qin'er, use them as you will for now, Big Brother will find you better ones in the future."

He poked Lu Qin's forehead, using his divine revelation to pass her the method to use the Fire-Ice Dual Rings.

The Fire-Ice Dual Rings had strict requirements on the Mystical Inscriptions they used, which Lu Ping didn't have and wouldn't spend time to collect. Since the jade rings were useless to him, he gave them to Lu Qin to play with.

Even though the jade rings lacked potential, they were fused with two peculiar items, one of which was the Black Prison Poison Fire, which could enhance Lu Qin's [Three Magical True Fire]'s power.

The young girl happily played around with the jade rings while giggling happily. After a while, she put them away, glanced at Luan Yu with a sneer, then turned into a little pretty bird and flew to the spirit peach tree.

On the tree, she had a nest of her own, as huge as a house, where she sang happily by herself.

Luan Yu smiled bitterly at Lu Ping. "Ever since her advancement, Qin'er has changed and doesn't treat me the same as before."

Lu Ping smiled back. "Qin'er has grown up, you have to stop treating her like a child first."

Luan Yu paused for a second, then nodded softly. "You've had minimal progress in your cultivation these past three years, but your prowess... it's as if you're hidden by a cloak of mystery. It's getting harder and harder to see your true level."

Lu Ping sighed. "I'm still the same. I haven't broken through, and I've reached a bottleneck to the Mid Core Forging Realm. I just can't seem to get past it. I have the spirit water I need to fuse, but it's so difficult to accomplish. I've asked my teacher and martial sisters before, but they say it cannot be taught, and I must learn the way on my own."

Luan Yu pointed at Lu Ping and chuckled, teasing, "Many have spent decades at this stage, some even die without ever getting past it. But you, you've only endured it for three years—who are you to say how difficult it is?"

Lu Ping bantered back, "Who knows, aren't we both the same? Didn't Brother Luan advance to the Second Layer too? You've spent an excessive amount of time in alchemy, while I haven't touched the cauldron once these past three years. Every time I see you, I feel beaten down in alchemy, just as you see me in cultivation."

Luan Yu smiled. "I'm just being honest. The spirit, heart, mind, and aura, everything about you now seems different, like an immortal on the streets. I might have mistaken you as a bigshot if I didn't know you."

Lu Ping tapped his forehead helplessly. "Brother Luan, you're flattering me to the point of embarrassment, I don't think I can stand it. I think I have an urgent need for some fresh air now. And good job, by the way, on taking care of the spirit herb gardens."

Lu Ping walked out of the Golden House and returned to the cultivation world in his room. Immediately, his divine revelation picked up Hu Lili's presence in the cave-dwelling, drinking tea in the living hall.

Lu Ping walked to her, happiness radiating across his face. "You've also come out, how's your cultivation? Have you consolidated it? Every step in the Core Forging Realm is important, I'd prefer that you take more time to consolidate your foundation than to rush your progress."

Hu Lili smiled sweetly, her eyes like crescents. "It's been more than a year since my breakthrough, and I've already consolidated my cultivation as you reminded me before. Here, I brought you these."

After that, Hu Lili took out a spirit pet pouch, a jade bottle, and a golden flying sword.

Lu Ping's eyes lit up at seeing them, while Hu Lili said, "The Amethyst Bees have been to every spirit herb garden on Tian Ling Mountain, and the martial siblings are willing to grant us access thanks to your status as a Master Alchemist and the rarity of Amethyst Bees.

"The queen is now in the Mid Blood Condensation Realm; the swarm has expanded to more than seven hundred bees, half of which are in the Blood Condensation Realm too. The royal jelly production is small, just one bottle. There's plenty of honey, but most are given back to thank the garden owners as you requested."

Lu Ping was overjoyed and excited. "Good, good. Even one bottle of royal jelly is more than I expected. This is a huge surprise! And the swarm is now strong enough to fight an Early Core Forging Realm Enlightened Master."

Hu Lili allowed Lu Ping to be excited for a moment, then she gently reminded him like a wife, "All of Tian Ling Mountain now knows that you own the Amethyst Bees, you should be wary of those who will come for them."

Lu Ping sneered. "No matter, I'm a Master Alchemist. Even the Great Ancestors have to pay heavily to get their hands on these bees."

Hu Lili immediately knew Lu Ping was prepared and she refrained from saying more. Instead, she chuckled and enjoyed the moment together with Lu Ping.

Weekly Chapters (1/5)