Defying Heaven for Life

The Sky-Stepping Gait could already let one stand in midair as soon as one got started.

If it were cultivated to perfection, wouldn't it really let me fly?

Flying was something only an Apex Grandmaster could do.

"Well, isn't that something?" You let out a sinister chuckle.

But then you suddenly remembered that Wan Qingluan had been carried through the air by Yan Zhixue.

Wan Qingluan definitely could not fly.

And Wan Qingluan had most likely already cultivated the Sky-Stepping Gait to perfection.

In other words, the Sky-Stepping Gait could not truly make you fly.

You guessed that the higher the proficiency, the longer one could remain in the air.

Thinking about it, that made sense. If cultivating martial arts let people fly about at will, then how could it highlight the grandeur of an Apex Grandmaster?

You threw yourself back into cultivation.

Over ten days, you also cultivated the Heavenly Desire Formless Skill to the peak of the Marrow Washing Realm.

Your next target was the Divine Organs Realm.

Just as you wanted to take an Inner Divinity Pill to perk yourself up,

a sect disciple came to tell you that Xie Huide wanted you to make a trip over.

Only then did you learn that Xie Huide had returned.

You arrived at Xie Huide's quarters.

Deng Rusong, the Danxia Sect's sect master, was there as well.

Xie Huide was delighted to see you. "Tiezhu, I heard you're already a fourth-grade alchemist?"

"Yes, Martial Uncle. I just got lucky."

"Good, good! As expected of my disciple!"

Deng Rusong deliberately said, "As expected of a disciple of my Danxia Sect."

Xie Huide snapped irritably, "Senior Brother, do you only feel comfortable after arguing with me?"

Deng Rusong smiled. "What is wrong with praising a disciple of my sect?"

Xie Huide gave a soft snort. "I'm not talking to you."

Xie Huide and Deng Rusong both appeared to be in very good moods.

You asked, "Martial Uncle, you didn't call me here just to say this, did you?"

Xie Huide hesitated. "Hu Zhongxuan told you about my junior sister, didn't he?"

"He told me everything."

Xie Huide nodded. "Come with me."

Xie Huide and Deng Rusong led you to an underground chamber guarded by multiple checkpoints.

The chamber was spacious and brightly lit, without the slightest gloomy feeling one would expect from an underground room.

It was clear that it had been carefully arranged and maintained.

At the center of the chamber stood a Jade Ice Bed. Lying atop it was an incomparably beautiful woman in a white dress, her features gentle and graceful.

Her eyes were tightly shut, and she did not move a muscle.

Only the steady rise and fall of her abdomen showed that she was alive.

You had already guessed who she was.

As expected, Xie Huide told you that she was his and Hu Zhongxuan's junior sister, Wanshu.

Xie Huide also told you that the Danxia Sect's full-scale deployment to support the front lines had been a transaction.

It was in exchange for an Earth Source from Emperor Xuanwu, Li Anlong.

Yet for the sake of that Earth Source, the Danxia Sect's greatest effort had not been alchemy and healing at the front lines.

Rather, all of the Danxia Sect's upper echelon had spent two months working together to successfully refine an extremely important pill for Li Anlong.

The Danxia Sect had more than a dozen high-ranking members, the weakest of whom were sixth-grade alchemists. Deng Rusong was even a genuine eighth-grade alchemist.

You were very curious what kind of miraculous Spirit Pill such a lineup of alchemists had refined.

But Xie Huide did not tell you. Li Anlong had likely demanded secrecy.

You knew this Earth Source was meant to be used on Wanshu.

They were actually using the precious Earth Source, obtained only after exhausting the strength of the entire sect, to save Wanshu.

One had to know that an Earth Source was a necessary condition for becoming an Apex Grandmaster.

An Apex Grandmaster represented supreme combat power and a long lifespan of two hundred years.

Before such an enormous temptation, no one could withstand it without unwavering conviction.

It was clear just how lofty a place Wanshu held in Xie Huide's heart.

You believed that Xie Huide must have paid an enormous price to persuade the sect's high-grade alchemists to act this time.

Especially Deng Rusong, this eighth-grade sect master.

You did not believe that Deng Rusong would help for free merely because of the private friendship between a sect master and an elder.

You could not help wondering what kind of charm Wanshu possessed.

You turned your head and looked at the quiet woman lying on the Jade Ice Bed.

You noticed that Wanshu's face was exceptionally young, making her appear only seventeen or eighteen.

Even considering how slowly martial artists aged, it was still rather strange.

Xie Huide told you that this was because Wanshu had spent the past several decades lying on the Jade Ice Bed, which could slow the aging of her body.

Moreover, she could not move, so her natural consumption was extremely low.

Together, these two reasons had caused Wanshu's appearance to remain almost frozen at the moment she met with misfortune.

You looked over and asked Xie Huide, "Um... Martial Uncle, should I call her Shimu or Martial Aunt?"

Xie Huide pursed his lips awkwardly, unsure how to answer.

Because, strictly speaking, neither he nor Hu Zhongxuan had confirmed a relationship with Wanshu.

Seeing Xie Huide's embarrassed expression, you understood that he was not in a good position to answer.

So you thoughtfully rescued him from the predicament. "Forget it, Martial Uncle. It isn't important. The important thing is for the three of you to live well together."

Xie Huide gave a soft sigh, his expression complicated.

He slowly walked to the Jade Ice Bed and gently stroked Wanshu's tender cheek.

Xie Huide's movements were cautious and barely there, as though he feared disturbing the sleeping Wanshu.

You found the scene deeply beautiful.

If Deng Rusong had not also started touching her with such enthusiasm, it would have been even fucking more beautiful.

You watched Deng Rusong shamelessly walk over and gently stroke Wanshu's forehead as well.

You froze on the spot.

"People say youngsters play wild, but you old folks are no slouches either!" Your heart shook.

So this was not a matter of three people, but four.

You were very curious. Was Wanshu some kind of super succubus?

How could she produce three guardian spirits in one go?

Could it be because triangles were inherently stable?

You could not figure it out.

To prevent the situation from escalating into an illegal gathering of more than three people,

you gave two dry coughs and said, "Um... Sect Master, stop touching her. How about singing a song instead?"

Deng Rusong turned around in surprise.

Confusion filled his eyes. After thinking for a moment, he immediately broke into an understanding smile.

Deng Rusong realized that you had misunderstood him.

Deng Rusong asked with a smile, "Tiezhu, do you know Wanshu's surname?"

You answered, "This disciple does not."

"Wanshu is also surnamed Deng. Her full name is Deng Wanshu, and I am her elder brother," Deng Rusong explained.

Only then did you suddenly understand.

At the same time, you secretly sighed in relief. Good thing the plot isn't too explosive, or who knows whether it could even pass review.

You understood everything at once.

No wonder the entire Danxia Sect had united so wholeheartedly to obtain the Earth Source.

And then used the Earth Source to save Deng Wanshu.

No wonder Xie Huide had been able to invite the great Buddha that was Deng Rusong.

So it had been Deng Rusong, the sect master, exerting his strength from the very beginning.

You asked, "How can the Earth Source wake Shimu?"

You decided that from now on, you would call Deng Wanshu Shimu before Xie Huide, and Martial Aunt before Hu Zhongxuan.

You would keep a bowl of water level, offending neither side.

When Xie Huide heard what you called Deng Wanshu, the corner of his mouth secretly curled upward.

He was clearly very satisfied.

Xie Huide slowly walked over from the Jade Ice Bed.

He said, "The sect master and I plan to work together to refine Returning Yang Paste. The Earth Source is its key main ingredient."

Deng Rusong nodded as well.

Returning Yang Paste was an eighth-grade sacred healing medicine.

No matter how grave the injury or how strange the illness, as long as a person still had a breath left,

one Returning Yang Paste would bring them back to full health on the spot.

Even someone with one foot already inside the King of Hell's palace could be forcibly dragged back.

It truly was defying Heaven for life.

But there was one thing you did not understand.

Xie Huide was seventh-grade, while Deng Rusong was eighth-grade. Deng Rusong alone should be able to refine this Returning Yang Paste.

Why did they say it required the two of them to refine it together?

Was Xie Huide joining in just serving as decoration?

You could not figure it out, so you asked directly, "Martial Uncle, why do you need to work together to refine the Returning Yang Paste?"