Immortal Refiner

”You are... This is a vital area of my Hundred Serpents Hall! Unauthorized entry is forbidden!”

Bang!

A deafening explosion erupted at the main entrance of the Blood Lotus Sect’s Hundred Serpents Hall.

A Blood Lotus Sect disciple from the Hundred Serpents Hall was sent flying like a kite with a severed string, crashing through the shattered gate and hurtling straight into the dimly lit main hall.

Immediately afterward, a figure strode in with thunderous steps, his posture as unyielding as if he could hold up the collapsing sky.

Yet beneath his gaze lay an icy, bone-chilling killing intent.

”Dare to harm my disciple...”

”Truly... you have guts!”

Li Qing’s voice seemed to rise from the depths of the Nine Nether Hell. His entire being radiated a palpable, overwhelming killing aura, as if the very air had solidified into murderous intent.

Inside the Hundred Serpents Hall, Elder Zhu, who had been enjoying himself just moments before, now wore a look of utter shock, still struggling to grasp the situation.

He recognized this malevolent star, of course, but his mind hadn’t yet processed the meaning behind Li Qing’s words.

Hence his next utterance, a statement of utter foolishness:

”What are you doing here?”

The response was a blade of true essence. In an instant, Li Qing condensed his own formidable true essence into a razor-sharp blade, slicing through the White Serpents coiled around Lin Jing with the swiftness of a knife cutting through tangled hemp.

Whoosh!

The White Serpent snapped in response, and Elder Zhu staggered as if struck by lightning, his entire body jolting violently.

Li Qing extended a single finger, leaving a unique spiritual energy beacon on Elder Zhu’s body.

Having completed this, he strode forward and gently lifted Lin Jing, who lay collapsed on the ground.

Her skin was ice-cold—the chilling sensation of severe blood loss. It was hard to imagine a Martial Artist who cultivated the vital energy martial dao could be so cold.

His heart bleeding with anguish, Li Qing rapidly tapped his finger, sealing acupoints across Lin Jing’s body to forcibly maintain her last breath.

He then reached for his storage pouch to retrieve healing spirit herbs, but his heart sank further.

Fearing the effects of the End of Dao Era, Li Qing had left most of his spirit stones, spirit herbs, and pills in his cave abode, bringing only a few with him.

Suppressing his chaotic emotions, Li Qing began channeling his true essence into Lin Jing’s body, guiding her vital energy.

Vital energy, blood qi.

Blood and qi were mutually reinforcing in the human body. Excessive blood loss drained one’s vitality, leaving them pale and weak.

When that last breath faded, death would soon follow.

With the core formation realm true essence flowing through her, Lin Jing’s dire condition finally showed signs of improvement, though she remained far from being out of danger.

Having lost too much blood, she desperately needed spirit herbs or pills brimming with life essence to pull her back from the brink.

But Li Qing had none of these on hand!

He had left them all in his cave abode in the Great Wilderness Domain. To retrieve them, he would need time to prepare for a dimensional transit, during which he would have to interrupt the flow of true essence sustaining Lin Jing’s life.

If he did that, Lin Jing might not survive long enough to receive the healing medicine.

Li Qing’s hands trembled as he continued to sustain his disciple’s life while gently stroking the cat ears on Lin Jing’s head.

He recalled how, when he had first taken in this little disciple, his favorite thing to do was to rub her fluffy cat ears.

Yet it seemed like only a blink of an eye had passed before that little girl who barely reached his knee had blossomed into a graceful young woman, a Martial Artist capable of standing on her own.

Meanwhile, the critically injured Elder Zhu struggled to his feet. He cast a terrified glance at Li Qing before fleeing frantically from the hall, his escape route haphazard and desperate.

Li Qing paid him no mind. His sole focus remained on prolonging his disciple’s life.

After all, Li Qing had already planted a special spiritual energy beacon on Elder Zhu, ensuring he could track him down no matter where he fled.

In Li Qing’s embrace, the true essence seemed to take effect. Lin Jing’s neatly groomed eyelashes fluttered gently, and her beautiful eyes slowly opened.

She gazed at Li Qing’s face, her eyes gradually misting over.

”Master... am I hallucinating? Or have you died too?”

”No wonder I couldn’t find you no matter where I searched. So I had to die to see you again, Master?”

”It seems death isn’t so terrifying after all.”

Hearing these words, Li Qing felt his heart clench.

”Silly disciple, why would you curse your own master’s death the moment we meet?” Li Qing smiled warmly, continuing to channel his true essence without reservation.

Lin Jing blinked in surprise, then refused to blink again, letting tears stream down her cheeks, afraid of missing even a moment of seeing her master.

”Master, Xiao Jing missed you so much.”

Her voice trembled with grievance. She wanted to reach out and touch Li Qing’s face, to confirm this wasn’t a dream. But on the brink of death, she lacked the strength to even lift her hand.

”Master... am I going to die?” Lin Jing asked, her eyes filled with reluctance as she gazed at Li Qing with heartbreaking vulnerability.

Having just reunited with the master she had yearned for day and night, it felt as though they were about to part again.

”Silly disciple, stop talking about death so easily. I won’t let you die so easily.”

”I haven’t been a good master.”

As he spoke, Li Qing glanced at the severed White Serpent on the ground and the pool of blood.

How could a good master allow their disciple to suffer such hardships?

Suddenly, as if remembering something, Li Qing abruptly looked down at his wrist.

”Master... I haven’t seen the sun you told me about yet. There are still so many things I want to do.”

”Master, did you know? Senior Brother Xi Shan and Alliance Leader Miao have forged a new path for the vital energy martial dao. The realm beyond the qi blood nine revolutions is called the innate realm.”

”Master... Senior Brothers Xiao Man and Xiao Feng are dead. They were eaten by a giant willow tree, sob.”

Hearing her repeated calls of ”Master,” Li Qing took a deep breath and said, ”Enough. You can tell me all about it later. Right now, the most important thing is to heal your injuries.”

As his words faded, Li Qing retrieved a razor-sharp dagger from his storage pouch and, without hesitation, sliced open his wrist.

A crimson stream of blood welled forth. With a thought, he guided the overflowing blood into his disciple’s mouth.

This wasn’t a blood transfusion; he was using his own blood to heal her injuries.

Having already reached the Quasi-Third Tier in body cultivation, Li Qing’s blood was brimming with potent life essence. A single drop could grant a mortal a lifetime free from illness and calamity.

Once his body arts advanced further, a single drop of his blood might even rival the effects of essence blood from powerful Demon beasts.

Such a substance was more than sufficient to heal Lin Jing’s injuries.

Seeing his disciple about to speak, Li Qing stopped her. ”Don’t talk. It’s just a little blood, nothing to worry about. Focus on refining it to heal yourself.”

Soon, the precious blood began to work its magic. Lin Jing’s deathly pale complexion gradually regained a hint of color, and her condition rapidly improved.

Seeing this, Li Qing finally breathed a sigh of relief, thinking to himself, All those years of body refinement weren’t for nothing!

”How are you feeling? Any better?” Li Qing asked with concern.

Lin Jing, her lips stained with droplets of blood, nodded repeatedly in Li Qing’s embrace like a chick pecking at grain.

”I feel much better, Master. It’s incredible! Your blood is so powerful,” Lin Jing said, gazing at Li Qing with adoration.

”Good to hear you’re feeling better.”

With that, Li Qing prepared to stand up, but Lin Jing clung tightly to his arm, refusing to let go.

”Master... please don’t leave me. Don’t abandon me again.”

Hearing these words, Li Qing felt a pang of guilt. Whether as the new martial arts protector daoist or as a master, I haven’t been very good at either role.

”Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere. I just have some scores to settle.”

”Come, let’s go kill some people.”

Li Qing forced a bright smile, helped Lin Jing to her feet, and slowly led her out of the Hundred Serpents Hall.

(End of the Chapter)

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