Myriad Dragon Divine Sovereign

Upon hearing this, Qin Wuya’s expression suddenly grew serious. ”Life Peak? Are you sure? Life Peak is mostly filled with disciples the other six peaks didn’t want. The environment there is extremely harsh. With your talent, if you went to Chaotian Peak, it’s very likely you’d become a True Disciple within a few years.”

”I’ve already made up my mind,” Wen Qingye said, nodding firmly.

He knew full well that the conditions on Life Peak were poor. But if spies from the Taiyi Pavilion were hidden among the other six peaks and he happened to join one of them, it would be far too easy for them to kill him. To outsiders, Life Peak seemed dangerous, but it was actually the safest place for him.

Besides, with his meridians currently shattered, it was uncertain whether any of the other peaks would even be willing to accept him.

Hearing Wen Qingye’s resolve, Qin Wuya could only nod. ”I had hoped you would join Forget-Life Peak, Cloud Conceal Peak, or Chaotian Peak. But since you’re so insistent, I won’t object. Just be careful.”

Just then, Steward Bai walked over, holding a small bottle and some Silkworm Chrysalis. He handed them directly to Wen Qingye and said with a smile, ”There wasn’t much Sanxi Water to begin with. With these ten drops I’ve given you, I imagine the Celestial Profound Sect’s treasury is now short by half.”

Wen Qingye accepted the bottle and the Silkworm Chrysalis, a sense of relief washing over him. With these ten drops of Sanxi Water, he was confident his Five Elements Body Refining Technique could break through to the Fifth Layer.

Qin Wuya said, ”If you ask me, there’s no time like the present. How about you challenge a Core Disciple at the Three Pristine Platform in five days? Jin Ming and Duan Hui have already defeated their opponents and joined Chaotian Peak and Forget-Life Peak, respectively.”

During this period, many Registered Disciples had challenged Core Disciples at the Three Pristine Platform, but few had succeeded.

”What about Yu?” Wen Qingye asked, puzzled.

Qin Wuya frowned. ”Yu... for some reason, it’s as if he’s vanished. Ever since he left for the Taiyi Ancient Country, we’ve had no word at all. *Sigh.* I just hope he hasn’t met with some misfortune.”

At his words, both Qin Wuya and Steward Bai fell silent.

Wen Qingye nodded and said nothing more.

Afterward, the two spoke with Wen Qingye for a while longer before he finally took his leave and returned to the Celestial Profound Villa.

.....

News of Wen Qingye’s return spread through the outer Celestial Profound Mountain Domain in a flash. The supreme genius who had defeated Yu, taken the top spot on the Registered Disciple rankings, and placed eleventh on the Cyan Cloud List—who didn’t know his name? Who hadn’t heard of his deeds?

The next day, Yann Xiangyang arrived.

The moment Yann Xiangyang saw Wen Qingye, she couldn’t help but rush forward and look him up and down, asking nervously, ”Are you all right?”

”What could possibly happen to me?” Wen Qingye couldn’t help but smile at the sight of a familiar face. ”Why are you staring? Is there something on my face?”

Yann Xiangyang blushed and shook her head. ”I was just worried about you. I’m glad you’re all right.”

As if remembering something, Wen Qingye asked, ”Oh, right. How’s your sister?”

Hearing his question, Yann Xiangyang immediately broke into a smile. ”You were spot on. Lan Feng really did have ill intentions. Thankfully, you gave my sister that Swallowing Spirit Secret Technique. Just half a month ago, when Lan Feng tried to kill her, she used it to devour his Primordial Spirit. Now my sister is in closed-door cultivation.”

”So how was the matter of Lan Feng’s death handled?” Wen Qingye asked.

’Lan Feng was an Elder, after all. How could the Celestial Profound Sect simply ignore his mysterious death?’

Yann Xiangyang lowered her voice. ”Chu Bufan personally suppressed the matter of Lan Feng’s death. The official story is that he died from a cultivation deviation. As for the real reason, I’m not too sure myself.”

Wen Qingye nodded, a flicker of doubt in his mind. ’Could it be that Chu Bufan knows the real cause of Lan Feng’s death?’

Gazing at Wen Qingye’s face, Yann Xiangyang found herself lost in thought. She couldn’t identify the emotion she was feeling; it was just... complicated. So very complicated. An inexplicable sensation.

Tempered by time, Yann Xiangyang’s core personality was perhaps the same as before—still willful and a little impulsive—but she had now learned to think things through carefully, to analyze situations with a cool head.

She had learned a great deal here.

Wen Qingye smiled, glancing at Yann Xiangyang from the corner of his eye. ’Solitude and hardship make a person grow,’ he thought. ’Wasn’t it the same for me all those years ago? My own path to maturity was never short on either. It’s like a mountain, constantly pressing down on me.’

His smiles always concealed a great deal, but Wen Qingye was accustomed to keeping those things locked away in his heart. ’What’s the point of letting it all show, anyway?’

That’s just how he was. He didn’t like to freely express his feelings to others. He would just smile, giving everyone the impression that all was well. And in the private world of his own heart, he told himself the same thing.

But no one could see the invisible mountain he carried on his back.

Suddenly, Yann Xiangyang smiled too, looking at Wen Qingye. He found it a little puzzling and was just about to ask why when footsteps sounded from the doorway.

”Brother Wen, you’re incredible! I’m truly impressed!”

The voice arrived before the person, clear and hearty as it rang into the room.

Wen Qingye couldn’t help but smile at the sound. Two figures appeared in the doorway—it was Qiuu Ming and Zhou Yue.

Qiuu Ming sized up Wen Qingye and realized he could no longer discern the depth of his cultivation, which had once been lower than his own. He sighed in amazement. ”I can’t believe it’s only been a few months. Brother Wen, your strength has advanced by leaps and bounds. It’s astonishing, and frankly, a little humbling.”

Zhou Yue, being more observant, glanced quizzically at Yann Xiangyang’s flushed face, then back at Wen Qingye. ’Did we come at a bad time?’ she wondered.

Wen Qingye smiled and said, ”Not at all, your timing is perfect. I finished refining some Rebirth Ointment just after I got back yesterday. I believe the fire poison in your body will be cured very soon.”

Yesterday, after his usual cultivation, Wen Qingye had refined two portions of Rebirth Ointment. One was for Qiuu Ming, and the other was for himself, in preparation for a future exploration of the Qilin Fire.

’Qilin Fire! A treasure ranked so highly among the Supreme Origin Fire Seeds... how could I not be tempted? A treasure like that is practically nonexistent even in the Immortal Realm.’ A flicker of curiosity sparked in his heart. He wondered if the Qilin Fire truly existed, or if it was merely his own mistaken speculation.

”Really? You actually managed to create the Rebirth Ointment?”

Zhou Yue was so excited to hear Wen Qingye’s words that her voice trembled.

Wen Qingye nodded, then took out a small bundle wrapped in black cloth and handed it to Zhou Yue.

Zhou Yue quickly accepted it and unwrapped it. A black paste lay before her. Though she didn’t recognize it as Rebirth Ointment, she could sense the dense Primordial Qi emanating from it.

Zhou Yue looked at Wen Qingye, her voice trembling. ”Thank you. Thank you so much. The two of us will definitely repay this kindness. We will never forget it as long as we live.”

Wen Qingye simply waved his hand, saying nothing.