102: Chapter 102 The Four Immortal Islands

[ One year later. ]

[ Deep within Feiyan Valley, in a secluded canyon. ]

[ "Boom, boom, boom!" ]

[ Deafening explosions suddenly rang out one after another within the quiet valley. ]

[ Amidst the churning dust, faint white lightning flashes could be seen. ]

[ "Boom!" ]

[ After a while, as the final peal of thunder faded, the ground had long been ravaged beyond recognition, and wisps of white smoke even curled upwards from the charred earth. ]

[ You stood upon a giant boulder, tiny specks of white light still lingering at your fingertips. ]

[ Although your expression carried a hint of exhaustion, your eyes were full of vigor and appeared exceptionally bright. ]

[ "So this is lightning magic!" ]

[ Even for the most basic introductory lightning spell, its power far exceeded a mastery-level Fireball Technique. In terms of destructive power alone, it could even compare to a mastery-level true spell of the Foundation Establishment Stage. ]

[ It was just that the difficulty of cultivation was indeed very high. ]

[ Relying on your profound spiritual power foundation in the Foundation Establishment Stage, coupled with the assistance of the Lightning Tribulation Dew obtained from Feng Qiange. ]

[ After a whole year of bitter cultivation, you had only barely managed to master the basics. This was also thanks to your powerful physical body being able to withstand the backlash of failure; otherwise, there would have been no possibility of cultivating it at all. ]

[ No wonder Su Yu once said that it was difficult to cultivate without a Heavenly Spiritual Root. ]

[ Indeed, you could not afford to pour too much mental energy into this lightning magic as you were doing now. ]

[ After all, not only did you need to collect emotional mist, but you also had to cultivate the Taiyin Xuanshu Body-Refining Scripture. ]

[ After breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Stage, the time required to break through again with this cultivation method multiplied manifold. You had calculated that if you wanted to step into the second-layer intermediate stage, it would take at least around fifty years. ]

[ Fortunately, breaking through minor realms with this cultivation method did not require consuming resources; otherwise, under the dual consumption of Qi refinement and body refinement, you truly wouldn't have been able to endure it. ]

[ Moreover, your spirit stone reserves were currently still plentiful enough to squander, but since the time limit of this simulation was unclear, you dared not swallow pills to cultivate as recklessly as you did during the Qi refinement stage. ]

[ Otherwise, if medicinal toxins accumulated prematurely and backlashed against your meridians, it would only waste a lot of cultivation time in vain. ]

[ Most importantly, pills that boosted cultivation in the Foundation Establishment Stage were not as easy to find as those for Qi refinement; even Han Xuan hadn't been able to find many. ]

[ "Lianhuan." ]

[ A stream of cyan light flew into the valley and landed directly in front of you. As the light dissipated, a handsome and elegant young man walked out. ]

[ You looked him up and down, nodding in satisfaction. ]

[ Tsk ~ This kid Han Xuan was becoming more and more charming. ]

[ The next moment, a beam of cyan light lunged straight towards your face.. ]

[ "Again?" ]

[ You unhurriedly avoided his attack and chuckled, saying: ]

[ "Brother Han Xuan ~ Do you have nothing else to do besides challenging me?" ]

[ "Then make me your true companion." ]

[ Han Xuan blocked your words entirely with a single sentence. ]

[ You shrank your neck with a guilty conscience. After all, having flirted with him for so many years while always starting fires without putting them out, it seemed a bit wicked. ]

[ But in a flash, you stiffened your neck again, speaking with righteous confidence: ]

[ "So what? Is this your attitude? Putting aside the facts..." ]

[ "Hehe!" ]

[ Han Xuan sneered, and several magical instruments flew out. ]

[ "..." ]

[ Although you still handled it with ease, inwardly you sighed secretly. This kid's combat talent was very strong; every time you fought him, you could feel his visible progress. ]

[ A long time later, the battle ended. ]

[ Han Xuan, bruised and battered, wrapped his arms around your waist. This was your new agreement: if he could persist in fighting you for the time it takes to burn an incense stick, you would give him a little benefit. ]

[ Although you didn't quite like such a dependent posture, looking at the emotional mist drifting in the air, you had no choice but to accommodate him. ]

[ After all, over the past year, this kid had fought many battles for you and lacked a sense of security. ]

[ Given your appearance in the Hehuan Sect, no matter how low-profile you acted, you would still be discovered by those with intentions and subsequently spread around. ]

[ Currently, you had won the top spot on the Qixia Courtyard's beauty ranking and were crowned with the title of "First Female Qi Refinement Cultivator of the Hehuan Sect". You were completely famous at the bottom tier, and even some Foundation Establishment cultivators had taken an interest in you. ]

[ Detecting your little movements, Han Xuan slightly curved the corners of his mouth in a pleasant mood. ]

[ "The Immortal Island Promotion Convention is about to start, you..." ]

[ Han Xuan originally wanted to ask how prepared you were, but looking at the terrain ravaged beyond recognition inside the valley, what came out of his mouth instead was: ]

[ "You should restrain yourself a bit when the time comes, and don't let people figure it out." ]

[ "Hehe ~ Then did Brother Han Xuan figure anything out?" ]

[ Feeling the warm and soft delicate body in his arms, Han Xuan's Adam's apple moved, and he ungratefully swallowed a mouthful of saliva, prompting him to blurt out. ]

[ "I figured out that your figure is getting better and better." ]

[ "..." ]

[ When a person is speechless, they are truly speechless. ]

[ You rolled your eyes heavily at him. ]

[ "Why aren't you hurrying to take this seat to the competition? Dawdling any longer..." ]

[ You deliberately paused, the corners of your lips hooking up. ]

[ "I might as well just stay in Qixia Courtyard. Who knows, if cultivation gets lonely by then, I might find someone else instead..." ]

[ Before your words fell, the sound of wind suddenly roared by your ears. ]

[ In mid-air, only Han Xuan's gritted-teeth whisper remained: ]

[ "You dare!" ]

[ Tsk ~ So fierce... ]

[ ... ]

[ The layout and hierarchy of the Hehuan Sect were extremely distinct: the high-and-mighty Blood Lotus, the immortal islands guarding around the Blood Lotus, and the lowest-tier Miscellaneous Chores Peak. ]

[ At this moment, the Spirit-Ascending Platform at the peak of the Miscellaneous Chores Peak was packed with people; almost all the cultivators of Qixia Courtyard had come. ]

[ Because wanting to ascend the Four Immortal Islands did not require engaging in life-or-death combat. ]

[ A long spiritual power stairway would descend from the immortal islands. Those who could step up the stairs to the summit could join the respective immortal island. If they fell halfway, they would have to serve the sect for another ten years before being qualified to try again. ]

[ When you and Han Xuan arrived, the spiritual stairway trial was already past the halfway mark, and many cultivators had long crossed the middle section, their figures looming vaguely amidst the rosy clouds. ]

[ You glared at him exasperatedly. He was timid and submissive when you looked for him for dual cultivation on ordinary days, but this time, calculating that she needed to participate in this selection and lacked time, he was actually getting bold. ]

[ "Brother Han Xuan, once this concubine passes the assessment, I will definitely accompany you for a good practice." ]

[ You suddenly smiled gently, whispering softly right beside his ear. ]

[ !!! ]

[ Han Xuan! Danger! ]

[ Having said that, regardless of what expression he wore, your figure plummeted from mid-air and landed directly beneath the spiritual stairway. ]

[ The four spiritual stairways corresponded to the Four Immortal Islands, which were: Liuguang Island, Jiangyue Island, Guizhen Island, and Qingheng Island. They respectively focused on four different directions for cultivators: desire, emotion, dao, and heart. ]

[ "Lianhuan, choose Qingheng Island! You were the one who made me choose it back then!" ]

[ Just as you feigned hesitation, Han Xuan in mid-air instantly grew anxious, fearing that you would really leave him behind to go enjoy yourself alone. ]

[ A flash of banter crossed the depths of your eyes as you raised your head to look at him pitifully. ]

[ "Brother Han Xuan, this person doesn't want to go anymore ~" ]

[ "Shen! Lian! Huan!" ]

[ Han Xuan gritted his teeth once more. ]

[ "Hehe, I'm here, brother ~" ]

[ Seeing your expression unchanged, he hurriedly added: ]

[ "I just bought a few bottles of Foundation Establishment Stage pills a few days ago, fifty-fifty split." ]

[ "Whoosh ~" ]

[ The next moment, a stream of light shot straight up onto the spiritual stairway of Qingheng Island, its speed leaving Han Xuan dumbfounded. ]

[ He felt like he had been teased again... ]