Lu Qian juggled the Jade Scroll in his hand while Master Xuan Ji's eyes followed the Jade Scroll up and down, unable to resist cursing, "You brat, what do you mean by this?"
"Senior, if there's nothing urgent, why not join me on a trip to Ningzhou?" Lu Qian said earnestly. "I'll share a Spiritual Artifact with you, you can choose first, and I'll also make a copy of the Jade Scroll for you, is that okay?"
Master Xuan Ji was silent for a moment, then frowned and said, "Kid, since you don't want to take me as your master, why do you want me to follow you?"
"It's not that I don't want to, it's that I can't." Lu Qian sighed and spoke honestly, "Alright, I plan to slowly win you over along the way, not in title, but in essence as master and disciple, learning the Array Dao from you."
These words left Master Xuan Ji stunned for a moment before he huffed and glared, "You brat, dreaming! If you don't take me as a master, I teach you nothing!"
But Lu Qian said seriously, "You will definitely teach me, and I will certainly be able to inherit your legacy and carry it forward. Li Zhenru, before dying, left the Jade Scroll like gambling on luck to prevent his life's work from being lost. And you, senior, when your lifespan runs out in more than a decade, will you resort to the same?"
Looking at Master Xuan Ji's changing expression, Lu Qian simply handed over the Jade Scroll: "I really have unavoidable concerns for not taking a master. Here's the Jade Scroll; I ask you to consider it again, senior. Or are you afraid? Afraid that after following me three to five thousand miles, you'll change your mind and pass on all your knowledge?"
Master Xuan Ji snatched the Jade Scroll and shouted, "Afraid of what? You thick-skinned brat! Fine, fine, I'll accompany you on this journey, so what?"
Lu Qian chuckled lightly, and the two gathered their things and prepared to leave.
At this moment, they suddenly heard a soft crackling sound from midair!
Lu Qian sensed a violent tremor of Spiritual Qi within the cave and, looking up, saw the mist of the Spirit Vein rapidly converge into a small point of light.
"This Spirit Vein is going to disappear completely!" said Master Xuan Ji in a daze, "I've only seen such records in ancient books; I never thought I'd witness it with my own eyes today."
Lu Qian had high hopes for this Spirit Vein before, but it's about to vanish now.
Lu Qian gazed at the light point, feeling quite complex inside.
He then heard a crisp sound, like a porcelain cup shattering in two, as the light point shuddered and exhaled a wisp of smoke-like, fog-like, neither blue nor white gas, which then dissipated into the world.
Lu Qian felt a massive surge of Vitality emanate from the gas, while Master Xuan Ji, staring at the thin mist, exclaimed, "Innate Spiritual Qi! It's Innate Spiritual Qi! The books were right!"
Before Lu Qian could react, Master Xuan Ji pushed him heavily and shouted, "My lifespan is near its end, and my meridians are degenerating, unable to absorb Innate Spiritual Qi; I'll do a good deed and let you take it. Quickly, brat, swallow it!"
Moved, Lu Qian saw the Spiritual Qi about to disperse and did not decline further. His Divine Sense rolled out, opening his seven orifices, and inhaled forcefully.
The Innate Spiritual Qi instantly surged into his body!
"Hold your breath and calm your mind, regulate your breath into Meditation! Quick! Quick! Quick!" Master Xuan Ji urged anxiously.
Lu Qian nodded gratefully, sat cross-legged on the ground, with his five minds facing the heavens. The "Hidden Cloud Scripture" operated at full capacity, stretching the Gold-Water Spiritual Root wide to bear the wisp of Innate Spiritual Qi upon it.
The Innate Spiritual Qi had not yet transformed into the Five Elements, and upon contact with the Gold-Water Spiritual Root, it decomposed into vast Gold-Water Spiritual Qi, filling every corner of Lu Qian's body.
Master Xuan Ji could even see numerous Spiritual Qi emanating from Lu Qian's acupoints, as if Lu Qian himself had become a Spirit Vein.
This was the Innate Spiritual Qi exhaled as the Spirit Vein shattered! Extremely rare, only appearing in recorded texts!
Not only did it decompose to produce a vast amount of Spiritual Qi, but it also continuously repaired and transformed Lu Qian's meridians, making them tougher and preventing damage from the immense Spiritual Qi.
Lu Qian's Divine Sense expanded to its maximum, driving the massive Spiritual Qi in Circulation, transforming into pure Spiritual Power, firmly anchored in the Dantian by the Spiritual Root.
One cycle, two cycles—the decomposition of Innate Spiritual Qi propelled the rapid circulation of Spiritual Qi, faster by countless times than self-propelled Transporting Circulation.
In a flash, thirty-three cycles had passed. Lu Qian felt an immediate lightness throughout his body, with opened acupoints, and his Cultivation at Qi Cultivation Level Five, which was already near completion, instantly broke through, advancing to Qi Cultivation Level Six!
Only a fifth of this wisp of Innate Spiritual Qi had been consumed!
His Divine Sense revolved, driving the Spiritual Qi to change pathways, beginning Transporting Circulation along the route of Qi Cultivation Level Six according to the "Hidden Cloud Scripture."
Spiritual Qi steamed, coiling around Lu Qian, like drifting clouds and mist. The tidal surge of Qi rushed swiftly through Lu Qian's body, bound by Divine Sense, captured by the Gold-Water Spiritual Root, and obediently transformed into pure Spiritual Power.
After ninety-nine circulations, Lu Qian's acupoints resonated loudly, and with a vibration, he had already broken into Qi Cultivation Level Seven!
Lu Qian altered the "Hidden Cloud Scripture" once more to guide the Spiritual Qi according to the Level Seven route.
In just under an hour, after seventy circulations, all Innate Spiritual Qi was exhausted. Lu Qian's Cultivation had taken a significant step from Level Seven towards Level Eight, nearing the Late-Stage Qi Cultivation realm!
Master Xuan Ji stood by, watching it all unfold, with a complex expression—regret for himself, yet relief for Lu Qian.
He touched his goatee, murmuring, "Good! Truly good!"
By then, half an hour had passed since Jiang Qingfeng entered the thick fog.
The insights and experiences of the sect elders witnessed along the way were vividly remembered.
In places where vision is obstructed, make sure to conceal your figure. Even if you can't see the enemy, the enemy might see you.
Thus, upon entering the fog, Jiang Qingfeng descended cautiously, making her way up the mountain.
Besides the faint sound of gravel underfoot, there was no sound in the thick fog at all.
How is my junior doing? He definitely will be fine, he must be.
Jiang Qingfeng was anxious. She wanted to run at full speed, yet feared attracting unknown enemies. She had never encountered a Snake Demon and knew nothing of its abilities. In such situations, patience and caution were crucial.
But her junior might be in urgent need of rescue, and Taotao was waiting for them at the foot of the mountain. I'm running out of time...
Jiang Qingfeng clenched her teeth, checked her defensive Jade Pendant once more, the Talismans and Elixirs in her bosom, and gripped her Cold Frost Sword, quickening her pace.
After a while, she noticed that the thick fog engulfing half the mountain was gradually thinning. A cup of tea's time later, the mist dispersed entirely, leaving nothing behind as the moonlight and starlight illuminated the chaotic, rocky mountain peak.
What's going on?
Jiang Qingfeng was startled, realizing she had reached halfway up the mountain. Everything before her came into focus, and upon observing closely, her heart tightened instantly.
In the stone-filled crater, there was a heap of rotten flesh, with eroded marks on the surrounding rocks. Not far from the mess lay a twisted, chopped-in-half corpse, blood long drained.
Jiang Qingfeng grasped the Jade Pendant, examining the two corpses carefully—thankfully, they weren't her junior's attire.
Only then did she slowly relax, exhaling a deep breath.
At that moment, she suddenly heard loud shouting and fierce battle sounds coming from afar.