Focused on cultivation.
Lu Qing’an was extremely talented and diligent in her training. Even the ants crawling through the Primordial Pavilion knew this.
Recently, however, the disciples of the Primordial Pavilion noticed that their already hard-working Eldest Senior Sister was cultivating even harder. She disregarded sleep and food, day and night, striving to break through the Late Golden Core Stage. All the disciples were inspired by Lu Qing’an’s drive and worked hard in their own cultivation. Even Gu Chuan broke through to the Mid Golden Core Stage in these past few days.
The Sect Master, You Luan, felt great relief seeing his disciples train so earnestly.
He figured it was because the Oracle Mystic Realm was about to appear. Everyone was prepared and ready to make a name for themselves.
Gu Chuan stood before Lu Qing’an’s door, looking at it tightly shut.
Ever since returning from the Ghost Flood Dragon Abyss, Lu Qing’an had been solely focused on her cultivation. She spoke even less to others. Gu Chuan had only exchanged two sentences with her in these past days.
One was a greeting. The other was words of concern.
Lu Qing’an’s replies were even more succinct. She merely nodded slightly. No smile.
Tomorrow was the day the Oracle Mystic Realm would appear. Tonight, they had to be ready to set out. This journey was fraught with crisis and an unknown path ahead.
After the incident in the Ghost Flood Dragon Abyss, Gu Chuan knew deeply that some words, if left unspoken, might never have another chance to be expressed.
Gu Chuan had pondered this all night. He arrived at Jing’an Peak early in the morning.
He knew Lu Qing’an had been cultivating madly these past days, day and night. It seemed like she wanted to break through her realm before the Oracle Mystic Realm opened.
Unfortunately, breakthroughs in cultivation relied on fate. While personal strength could not be ignored, it came down even more to opportunity.
Lu Qing’an had just broken through to the Mid Golden Core Stage two months ago. Now, trying to reach the Late Golden Core Stage within this month was somewhat rash.
Gu Chuan knocked on the door. He said gently, “Qing’an, it’s me.”
The next second, the tightly shut door swung open in response.
Gu Chuan stepped inside. He saw the candlestick on the table had burned out. The person on the bed was still sitting cross-legged, eyes closed in meditation, her hands resting like blossoms on her knees.
Gu Chuan looked up, his tone laced with concern. “Qing’an, the most important rule in cultivation is to avoid impatience.”
Lu Qing’an opened her eyes. Her voice was indifferent. “What is it?”
Gu Chuan pressed his lips together. “We depart for the Oracle Mystic Realm tonight. There are some words in my heart I’d like to discuss with you.”
Lu Qing’an stopped meditating. She stood up and sat down before him, her expression calm. “Speak.”
The two were childhood friends who had grown up together. Gu Chuan often liked to follow Lu Qing’an around, sharing his thoughts and feelings. They would also discuss cultivation methods together. So when Gu Chuan came to talk, she didn’t suspect anything.
“Is there a problem with your cultivation?” Lu Qing’an knew Gu Chuan had broken through to the Mid Golden Core Stage these past days. Seeing his conflicted expression, she assumed he’d run into a thorny problem.
Gu Chuan shook his head. “No.”
“I want to talk about what’s between us.”
Lu Qing’an’s furrowed brows carried confusion. “Between us?”
What was there to talk about?!
Gu Chuan looked at her. A flicker of hope passed through his eyes. He asked, “The matter proposed last time by the Sect Master and my Master… have you thought about it?”
“Dual Cultivation?” Lu Qing’an’s frown deepened. She disagreed. “I believe cultivation cannot take shortcuts. One must stay grounded to have a clear conscience.”
Gu Chuan smiled wistfully. “I knew you would say that.”
Today’s Gu Chuan puzzled her. “Then why ask a question you already know the answer to?”
“I was a little hopeful,” he said, looking at her hand resting on the table.
He placed his own hand on the table and tentatively moved it forward. “Hopeful that Qing’an… might agree to dual cultivate with me.”
“Don’t bother hoping. You know my principles. I would never consider such an unconventional method.”
Gu Chuan watched the distance between their fingers. He was just short of touching her. “Qing’an, I can stop bringing up dual cultivation. But I want you to consider something beyond dual cultivation.”
“Beyond dual cultivation?” Lu Qing’an was rather tired of his roundabout words. Cheng Huan was so much better—straightforward and direct in everything she said and did. “What words can’t you just say plainly? No need to beat around the bush and waste time.”
Gu Chuan steeled his resolve and grabbed Lu Qing’an’s hand. His voice trembled with nervousness. “Qing’an, I have feelings for you. I want… to be with you. Is that alright?”
Lu Qing’an did not answer immediately. She instead looked down at their clasped hands.
At this moment, her heart felt no surge or excitement, no burning reluctance. What she felt more was a silent emptiness and a decisive urge to pull away.
Lu Qing’an withdrew her hand. With a serious expression, she said, “Matters of romantic love hinder cultivation. Gu Chuan, you shouldn’t waste your thoughts on such trivial things.”
Her tone carried a hint of disappointment and regret.
Gu Chuan’s disappointed gaze lowered. He said hoarsely, “The path of cultivation is long and blocked. Love is not a hindrance. We could support each other and progress together. What’s wrong with that?”
“I believe it’s wrong,” Lu Qing’an sighed. “Gu Chuan, the mind cannot be divided.”
“In the end, you only care about the Great Dao and achieving immortality.” Gu Chuan took a deep breath. “As for me, who grew up with you… the Sect Master, and the fellow disciples we’ve faced life and death with… we might all become obstacles on your path of cultivation, won’t we?”
Lu Qing’an didn’t quite understand where Gu Chuan’s complaints and dissatisfaction were coming from.
She said flatly, “What’s wrong with focusing on cultivation?”
“Gu Chuan, could it be that something went wrong during your training, causing your mind to be disturbed?”
He was actually spouting nonsense.
Gu Chuan hung his head and closed his eyes in dejection.
After a moment of silence, he slowly stood up. As if weak, his body swayed. His voice was full of dejection. “Forget it. Just consider me crazy today. Everything I said was madness. Don’t take it seriously, Qing’an.”
Lu Qing’an replied, “Alright.”
Seeing her agree so decisively, Gu Chuan laughed. The smile looked utterly sad and ironic.
He said nothing more and turned to leave Jing’an Peak.
Lu Qing’an looked in the direction Gu Chuan had left, the confusion in her eyes growing deeper. She muttered to herself, “It seems Gu Chuan really did have problems during his cultivation…”
Perched in the apricot tree above, Cheng Huan watched the dejected Gu Chuan leave. She shook her head sympathetically. “Poor kid. Facing a Female Lead whose heart holds only cultivation and no love. All his passion is a futile joy.”
Little Hedgehog: [Aren’t the Children of Destiny chosen by the Heavenly Dao supposed to end up together?]
Cheng Huan knew the Little Hedgehog was a “newbie” system, unclear on many of the rules of the Three Thousand Worlds.
She kindly explained, “What you said is right, but for the Male and Female Leads to be together, they need to overcome countless obstacles. They might break up because of the hardships. And that’s when Taskers like me or assistant systems like you are needed to push the world’s plot development, promote the union of the leads, stabilize the world, and steer it toward a harmonious, perfect ending.”
The Little Hedgehog asked, bewildered: [So the Male and Female Leads don’t necessarily end up together?]
“Let’s just say the chance of them being together is very high, but not absolute.” Cheng Huan clicked her tongue. “You clearly haven’t studied the laws of the Three Thousand Worlds thoroughly, have you?”
The Little Hedgehog gave an awkward laugh: [It’s too thick. I’ve only read the first few pages.]
Cheng Huan said helplessly, “You’re like a college student taking the English exam, forever stuck on the word ‘abandon’.”
Little Hedgehog: [ … ]
It didn’t quite understand, but it felt she was not complimenting it.
“This is best. The Female Lead is solely focused on cultivation. Achieving her goal is right around the corner.”
Cheng Huan was glad she hadn’t chosen the Male Lead. That kid was clearly a hopeless romantic lovebrain.
—
The Oracle Mystic Realm was located on an island in the distant South Sea.
The South Sea was boundless and vast, its waves mighty and imposing. Countless ferocious spirit beasts lurked in its depths, alongside merchant ships sunk to the seabed.
Rumor had it the sunken merchant ships held many treasures. But with too many sea spirit beasts, no one dared to salvage them, fearing that instead of treasure, they’d become appetizers for the ocean’s spirit beasts.
Islands were rare in the South Sea. A month ago, a tremendous roar echoed from the south across the Profound Nether Continent.
Fishermen living by the South Sea discovered a nameless island had appeared on its surface when they went fishing.
The fishermen explored the island but found they could only roam its edges; they could not enter its interior.
Later, cultivators arrived, flying on swords. Investigating the island, they discovered it was protected by a barrier, making its center inaccessible.
News of the mysterious island’s appearance in the South Sea quickly spread across the Profound Nether Continent. The Abbot of Wujian Temple learned that this island was not a true “island” at all. It was a place where an Immortal, a thousand years ago, during a great battle with the Demon Race, used all his spiritual power and cultivation to suppress 100,000 Demon Cultists. The island itself was formed from the flesh and blood of the Demon Cultists. At its center lay the Immortal’s Inheritance and the foundation stone suppressing the 100,000 Demon Cultists.
The Immortal had sealed the island beneath the South Sea to suppress and control them.
Now, a thousand years later, the island had reappeared. It was likely those 100,000 Demon Cultists were trying to break the seal and see the light of day.
In this moment of crisis, after much discussion, all the sects and independent cultivators of the Profound Nether Continent decided to journey together to the Nameless Island in the South Sea. They aimed to strangle the Demon Race’s conspiracy in its cradle and prevent the mortal world from suffering another devastating calamity.
Moreover, one of the sects participating in this Oracle Mystic Realm expedition was the mysterious and unfathomable Penglai.
Wujian Temple had a relatively close relationship with Penglai. The fact that the Immortal on the island was a “Divine Oracle who Benefited the World” was personally revealed by the current Penglai Island Master.
Penglai Immortal Island was also situated in the South Sea. However, this island was too mysterious, appearing and disappearing. Apart from the Island Master, no one else lived there.
Penglai Immortal Island was a supreme holy land for cultivation. Legend claimed the entire island was formed from the physical body and meridians left behind by an ancient deity.
Thus, the island itself was a surging, turbulent spirit vein. This allowed each generation of Penglai Island Master to cultivate at an incredible speed. Every hundred years, a Penglai Island Master would ascend to immortality.
Before ascending, the Island Master would seek a successor to protect Penglai Immortal Island. The successor could also practice the Penglai Spirit Law, enhancing their spiritual power and cultivation, thus achieving ascension even faster.
Many yearned to cultivate on Penglai Immortal Island or be chosen by the Island Master to become the next Penglai Island Master.
In the eyes of the world, becoming the Penglai Island Master meant being just one step away from attaining the Dao and ascending to immortality.
—
For this expedition to the Oracle Mystic Realm, the Primordial Pavilion sent only Sect Master You Luan, Guest Elder Guan Zhengping, and twenty selected elite disciples. Among them were Gu Chuan, Lu Qing’an, and Jing Chen.
The group traveled via a transport array to the coast of the South Sea. Members of other sects and independent cultivators were already waiting on the shore.
No one exchanged pleasantries. They were all waiting for midnight, waiting for someone to guide their path.
At exactly midnight, a group of enormous Spirit Whales swam over from the center of the South Sea.
Someone recognized them and shouted, “Those are the Spirit Whales of Penglai Immortal Island!”
“These Spirit Whales are all at the Saint-Rank or above! The rumor that Penglai Immortal Island is a cultivation holy land is truly well-deserved.”
…
“The guides have arrived! Everyone, quickly board and set off for the Oracle Mystic Realm as fast as possible!” The speaker was the Abbot of Wujian Temple.
The barrier of the Oracle Mystic Realm was growing weaker. They had to completely eliminate the 100,000 Demon Cultists before the barrier vanished entirely.
The crowd immediately flew up. The skin of the Spirit Whales was smooth and difficult to stand on. One careless move and they’d slide into the sea. They had to sprawl on top, using all four limbs to grip tightly to stabilize themselves on the swimming whale.
Everyone looked incredibly awkward and disheveled. But since the Spirit Whales were the overlords of the South Sea, other sea beasts dared not fight them, riding the Spirit Whales was the safest way to reach the Oracle Mystic Realm. For the Penglai Island Master to provide them was already a generous act.
“Huh? Look! Those people from the Primordial Pavilion can actually sit steadily on the whales’ backs! They’re not sliding off!”
“How is that possible? Do the Spirit Whales just prefer the Primordial Pavilion members, so they won’t let them slide?”
…
The Primordial Pavilion group was also puzzled. They were indeed stable on the Spirit Whales’ backs and could feel the whales’ goodwill toward them.
Lu Qing’an could even more keenly sense the goodwill from the other Spirit Whales. The way they looked at her seemed to hold a hint of obvious joy and excitement.
She thought she was mistaken, until a nearby Spirit Whale wanted to get closer to her and wiggled a pectoral fin. As a result, the cultivators who had just secured themselves on its back were all accidentally flipped into the sea.
Lu Qing’an: “…”
