38: Chapter 38 Three Years, Late Stage Grandmaster

The cultivation of the Taixu Visualization Method is different from ordinary Cultivation Techniques; it tempers the spirit and increases Protective Aura simultaneously. Every visualization is a tempering of the will and an accumulation of power.

With the assistance of Peiyuan Pills and Ninggang Powder, your cultivation speed far exceeded expectations.

Eighth month of seclusion, Grandmaster Middle Stage.

You took that Barrier-Breaking Pill, and the barrier shattered at the sound, a clean and swift Breakthrough.

Twentieth month of seclusion, Grandmaster Middle Stage Peak.

Thirty-second month—

Grandmaster Late Stage.

Three years. With the supply of sufficient resources, you went from Innate Peak to Grandmaster Late Stage in only three years.

You opened your eyes and exhaled a breath of stale air.

The air in the training room was stirred by this breath, forming a vortex visible to the naked eye, which only dissipated after three breaths.

You stood up, feeling the surging Protective Aura within your body. Compared to three years ago, both in quality and quantity, it was incomparable.

Grandmaster Late Stage.

At this Realm, in the Jianghu, you are already a hegemon-level existence.

Pushing open the door of the training room, the sunlight outside was blinding, and you squinted.

The leaves of the ginkgo tree in the courtyard turned yellow and then green, then green and then yellow; three cycles had passed before you knew it.

Xiao Wang was napping under the tree, its size having grown another circle compared to three years ago, its tiger back as broad as a bed. Hearing the commotion, it lazily lifted its head, glanced at you, flicked its tail, and lay back down.

"Senior Sister Lin! You have finished your seclusion!" A female servant Disciple ran out from the side room, her face full of surprise.

You nodded. "Is there any news from outside?"

"Ah, news?" The female Disciple thought for a moment. "There is one big piece of news that has been spreading like wildfire in the Jianghu recently—they say an Immortal has descended upon the Black Tiger Gang."

Your footsteps paused.

"An Immortal?"

"Yes, it started spreading over a year ago. They say celestial light descended upon the Black Tiger Gang's headquarters, and some people saw a woman in white descend from the sky with their own eyes. In the last few months, the Black Tiger Gang has been frantically recruiting experts from the Jianghu, acting very generously, and many Loose Cultivators have joined them." The female Disciple lowered her voice. "However, some people say the Black Tiger Gang is just playing tricks to boost their reputation."

You didn't speak and walked to the stone table to sit down.

An Immortal descended?

Does Wei Feisen have a connection with this so-called Immortal?

After the news of your seclusion ending spread, the Cangyun Sect was shaken once again.

Three years, from Innate Peak to Grandmaster Late Stage.

At this speed, let alone in the Cangyun Sect, looking across the entire Martial Forest, you are a Martial Arts Prodigy that only appears once in a century.

"Three years? Three years to Grandmaster Late Stage?"

"Entry into the Taixu Visualization Method in two months, cultivating to Grandmaster Late Stage in three years... is she even human?"

"No wonder Supreme Elder Su Chenyuan took her as a Disciple; this talent is simply a Prodigy."

The discussions came from every Peak, but you turned a deaf ear.

Supreme Elder Su Chenyuan did come to see you once. When he entered, the smile on his face could not be hidden, but he only said one sentence: "Not bad, continue."

Then he sat down, drank a cup of tea, and left.

You felt that his footsteps were even lighter than usual as he walked.

Another three months passed.

In these three months, you did not go into seclusion again, but practiced martial arts daily in your residence, studied Martial Skills, and occasionally guided some Junior Disciples who came to seek advice.

The Disciples within the School gradually unified their address for you from the initial "Senior Sister Lin" to "Big Senior Sister."

It was not because you were the first to join, but because no one felt they were qualified to be on equal footing with you, plus your age was not high either.

On this day, you were practicing sword techniques in the courtyard.

The seventh form of the Frost Moon Sword Technique, the sword light poured down like moonlight, shredding all the fallen leaves in the courtyard, not a single one hitting the ground.

Sheathing the sword, you exhaled.

"Disciple." Supreme Elder Su Chenyuan's voice came from the courtyard entrance.

You turned around and cupped your fists. "Master."

Supreme Elder Su Chenyuan walked in, sat on the stone stool, and without standing on ceremony, poured himself a cup of tea.

"The Sect Head talked to me." He got straight to the point.

You sheathed your sword, walked over, and sat down.

"He said you have been in the School for over three years, always in seclusion cultivating, and haven't touched any School affairs, which is not good." Supreme Elder Su Chenyuan took a sip of tea. "His exact words were, 'We can't let the Genius of West Peak turn into a block of wood that only knows how to Cultivate.'"

You didn't reply, waiting for him to continue.

"There is a mission he wants to give you." Supreme Elder Su Chenyuan put down his teacup. "A Blood Lotus Cult nest was discovered in Qinghe County. By the time it was found, it had already harmed many commoners. According to reports from scouts, the preacher possesses Grandmaster-level combat power, and after being discovered, they have already gone into hiding. The Sect Head's intention is for you to lead a team to exterminate it."

You thought about it for a moment.

Grandmaster-level combat power is not a threat to you now, and you do need actual combat to hone your cultivation after the Breakthrough.

"Very well."

Supreme Elder Su Chenyuan nodded, as if he had expected you to agree.

"Someone will come to find you in a few days to go with you." He stood up, took two steps, then stopped and turned back to look at you. "The mission is not difficult, but when you are out, be careful about everything. If something feels wrong, retreat; don't force it."

"Disciple understands."

Supreme Elder Su Chenyuan gave an "En" and left.

Five days later.

Early in the morning, you had just finished practicing a set of sword techniques when the servant Disciple Xiao He ran over from the front courtyard.

"Big Senior Sister, Big Senior Brother is here and is waiting for you in the front hall."

Big Senior Brother.

The cloth in your hand wiping the sword paused.

Big Senior Brother of the Cangyun Sect, Sect Leader Qin Tianxing's direct first Disciple, surnamed Gu, named Changfeng. Grandmaster Late Stage cultivation, thirty-seven years old. Before you joined the School, he was the recognized number one of the younger generation of the Cangyun Sect.

You had crossed paths with him a few times and were not familiar, but Sect Leader Qin Tianxing had more than once implied things in public like "young people should interact more" and "Changfeng hasn't started a family yet."

The meaning could not be more obvious.

You acted as if you didn't hear it every time.

Sending him to lead you on a mission this time... that old man still hasn't given up.

You sheathed your sword, straightened your robes, and walked to the front hall.

In the front hall, a man was standing by the window, back turned to you, seemingly looking at the ginkgo tree in the courtyard.

Hearing footsteps, he turned around.

He had a slender build, wearing a pale green Sword Cultivator robe, a gentle arc at the corners of his mouth.

"Junior Sister." Senior Brother Gu Changfeng smiled and cupped his hands, his voice clear and bright. "Forgive the intrusive visit; I haven't interrupted your training, have I?"

"Big Senior Brother." You returned the salute and sat down opposite him. "Xiao He, serve tea."

Xiao He responded and left.

Senior Brother Gu Changfeng was not coy, sitting down generously in the guest seat. His gaze paused on your face for a moment, then shifted away, landing on the tabletop.

"For this mission in Qinghe County, the Sect Head asked me to go with you." He got straight to the point. "Junior Sister doesn't mind, does she?"

"Big Senior Brother is too polite." You said in a flat tone. "How many people?"