18: Chapter 18 Green Peak Valley

[ If favorability could be displayed, you figured that Lin Bufan's must be maxed out by now. ]

[ After all, a dao companion like you who could max out all compatibility aspects was truly a rare treasure in this world. ]

[ "Well said!" ]

[ "Wang Li, you hypocrite, what kind of direct disciple are you? Do you dare come down and fight me?" ]

[ "Junior Sister, don't be afraid. Senior Brother has your back." ]

Your words resonated with the sword cultivators present, and combined with your striking appearance, you gained numerous supporters in an instant.

As your opponent, Wang Li naturally became the target of everyone's verbal abuse and criticism.

[ "Damn it!" ]

Wang Li cursed inwardly. His original intention was to use his momentum to pressure you so you couldn't refuse, making Lin Bufan lose all face today and turning you into a joke.

By then, wouldn't you be at his mercy to knead however he pleased?

But Ling Shuanghua's intervention thwarted his plans, and you even uttered such heart-wrenching words, destroying the persona he had cultivated for years in a single blow.

[ "Hmph!" ]

He let out a cold snort, and his late Foundation Establishment pressure swept across the entire venue, making quite a few people shut their mouths.

Yet sword cultivators were stubborn by nature, and there were still quite a few people continuing to mutter softly.

Knowing that he could only let the matter rest for today, he gave you a deep look, turned around, and strode away, making his intent to threaten glaringly obvious.

You sneered inwardly. If I catch him outside the sect, I will definitely make him regret it for the rest of his life.

[ "Junior Sister, why don't you come with Senior Sister? That brat can't protect you." ]

As if she had spotted some rare and precious treasure, Ling Shuanghua's eyes flashed with starlight.

Lin Bufan, who was trotting happily up to the viewing platform, instantly bristled with fury upon hearing those words.

[ "Old woman! Let go of Qingyu!" ]

[ ... ]

[ The competition resumed after a bout of chaos and commotion. ]

[ Although things got a bit derailed, as a Son of Fortune, Lin Bufan still smoothly cleared all obstacles without incident, taking first place in the middle Qi Refinement Stage group. ]

[ The prize was an auxiliary-type pill—the Qiming Pill. ]

[ This pill could help someone achieve sudden enlightenment in a short time, making it a top-tier pill for breaking through bottlenecks in cultivation techniques and spells. Even within the Tianxuan Sword Sect, a single pill was hard to come by. ]

[ As the deputy captain of the Enforcement Team, Ling Shuanghua naturally wielded considerable authority in her hands. The secret realm she spoke of was called Qingfeng Valley, a unique secret realm exclusive to Doujian Peak containing numerous rare natural treasures. ]

[ More importantly, this secret realm could assist cultivators in comprehending Sword Intent. ]

[ Three years later, the secret realm would open, and the minimum requirement for entry was Qi Refining cultivation. ]

[ Lin Bufan begged for two spots. ]

[ And the main reason Ling Shuanghua followed Lin Bufan that day was because she wanted to see what kind of person you were and whether you were worthy of this spot. ]

[ Now that everything was ready, your cultivation became the most crucial link. ]

[ With inferior three spiritual roots, breaking into the Qi Refinement Stage in four years was almost an impossible feat. ]

[ To this, Lin Bufan merely smiled with a crooked mouth. ]

[ "Rest assured, Qingyu, I have everything handled!" ]

Rest assured, Qingyu, Teacher has everything handled!

[ ... ]

[ Three years flashed by in the blink of an eye. ]

[ Today, Doujian Peak was exceptionally lively, and the open-air plaza was crowded with sword-wielding cultivators dressed in uniform cyan martial attire. ]

[ As sleeves fluttered, sword tassels swayed gently, and spiritual pressures intertwined, a towering fighting spirit permeated the stern, killing atmosphere. ]

As expected of the cultivators from Doujian Peak, renowned for the fiercest slaughter!

[ At this moment, you and Lin Bufan stood side by side in a corner of the plaza, yet you frequently drew the gazes of the surrounding cultivators. ]

[ Today, you were still clad in a cyan robe. Compared to three years ago, your waist was increasingly slender and upright, and your brows and eyes carried less childishness, replaced by a bit of maturity and alluring charm. ]

[ Coupled with the piercing, icy temperament tempered by practicing the sword day and night, this unique charm—as cold as ice yet as fiery as blaze—could captivate souls with every flick of your brow and smile. ]

[ Over the past three years, your remarks from that day had not faded with the passage of time; instead, they intensified among the disciples. ]

[ A group of straight men worshiped you as their goddess. ]

[ Yet rumors claimed you already had a dao companion, which instead earned you even more supporters. ]

[ You were even placed on the Tianxuan Sword Sect's Top Ten Fairies list by busybodies, though due to your overly low cultivation, you barely scraped into tenth place. ]

[ Title: Green Lotus Fairy. ]

[ You didn't care much about this, but Lin Bufan often argued with sect disciples, exceptionally dissatisfied that you were only ranked tenth. ]

[ Seemingly noticing the prying gazes all around, the man beside you suddenly took your jade-like hand and squeezed it tightly as if to declare ownership. ]

What should you do when the gold-medal laborer lacks a sense of security?

[ You pressed your lips into a smile, naturally taking a few steps closer to him. Amidst the heartbroken gazes of a group of cultivators, you naturally hooked your hands around his arm, your fingertips slightly contracting as your body gently leaned against him—an affectionate yet un-flirtatious gesture. ]

[ This move thoroughly satisfied Lin Bufan's vanity. ]

[ You were always a person who clearly distinguished between gratitude and grudges. Over the past three years, Xiao Fanzi had truly broken his heart worrying over you. ]

[ Not only did he procure numerous cultivation resources for you and spar with you, but he also covertly had his teacher step in to guide your cultivation. ]

[ By now, your true cultivation had steadily stepped into the fourth layer of the Qi Refinement Stage. ]

[ Of course, the primary credit went to that blood spirit fruit, which directly pushed your cultivation to the peak of the third layer of the Qi Refinement Stage. ]

[ At the same time, the pills tossed out by the Ring Old Man were all unprecedented ancient wonder pills that could actually help speed up cultivation progress in the Spirit-Guiding Realm. ]

[ Though actually useless to you, they unexpectedly scoured and widened your meridians time and time again. ]

[ Now, the meridians inside your body were unobstructed like connecting rivers, your spiritual power flowed without the slightest stagnation, and your dantian's spiritual qi reserves far exceeded those of cultivators at the same level. ]

[ Breaking through to the fourth layer of the Qi Refinement Stage had no difficulty whatsoever; it was simply a natural course of events. ]

[ Over these past three years, your primary focus remained on spells and swordsmanship. ]

[ Both the Fireball Technique and Water Mirror Technique had entered the Xiaocheng stage and could be cast at will. ]

[ Under the guidance of the Ring Old Man, your progress with Mirror Image Water Moon was extremely fast and was already approaching the Xiaocheng stage. ]

[ Cast now, ordinary middle Qi Refinement Stage cultivators could not pose any threat to you. ]

[ As for your swordsmanship, under the ruthless devastation of the talented sword cultivator Ling Shuanghua, it had also reached the verge of a breakthrough. ]

[ In her words, your swordsmanship had reached the mortal pinnacle, and you were just a step away from entering the true transcendent realm—which was the first realm of the Sword Dao: the Rudiment of Sword Intent. ]

[ Only by mastering Sword Intent could one be considered a true sword cultivator, and that was the fundamental reason for a sword cultivator's formidable combat power. ]

[ "Rumble~" ]

[ Above the high platform, an elder dressed in moonlight-white robes stood up. He slightly raised his right hand, and a miniature boat appeared, which then expanded against the wind. ]

[ Within a few breaths, it transformed into a colossal behemoth that blocked out the sky, hovering above the plaza. ]

[ "Those participating in the secret realm trial, board the ship." ]

[ The requirement for Qingfeng Valley was that Qi Refinement Stage cultivators could enter, but this elder clearly played a trick. ]

[ Early Qi Refinement Stage cultivators were completely unable to fly on swords, instantly eliminating quite a few cultivators who wanted to fish in troubled waters, though their spots would be reserved for the next time. ]

[ However, there were exceptions. ]

[ Just like you, who seemingly possessed only the second layer of the Qi Refinement Stage at the moment, blinking at the human tool beside you with a clear conscience. ]

[ Lin Bufan showed nothing on the surface, but inwardly gave the elder a heavy thumbs-up. ]

[ Then, amidst the envious and jealous gazes of numerous cultivators, he wrapped an arm around your waist, stepped onto a flying sword, and soared into the sky. ]

...