Everyone doubted you, yet you were the one who proved them wrong

Fortunately, after the Marrow Cleansing Body Purifying Pill, Xia Wantang's Ice Spirit Root had its impurities stripped away and underwent a qualitative leap.

Originally she could not sense the spiritual energy in the surrounding environment at all.

Yet now, without her actively driving it, a continuous stream of spiritual energy poured into her body on its own, transforming into the purest ice-attribute spiritual energy.

Items produced by the system are bound to be fine works.

Host, your natural talent right now is definitely no less than that of that Xiao Rui, and surpassing the sons of destiny in strength is just around the corner!

Heh heh, you wouldn't give the host the time of day yesterday, but tomorrow the host will be out of your league!

Xia Wantang: Heh heh heh, I'm happy again.

However, the present moment was not a time to relax.

She had to get through tomorrow's trouble first for her situation to be considered temporarily safe.

Taking out her cultivation manual and pills, following the original owner's prior memories, Xia Wantang began a whole night of cultivation.

The next day.

"Sleeping at five and waking at seven, even Lord Yama would praise me for a healthy body."

Even though people on the path of cultivation had no need for sleep or food, Xia Wantang was new here and still needed a few days to adjust.

"Who says cramming at the last minute is useless? What a truly exhilarating session of cultivation!"

Last night she cultivated the entire night, consumed all her inventory of pills, and quickly mastered the Ice Heart Art, sending her strength soaring directly to the middle stage of the Mystic Martial Realm.

Only, compared to her outwardly proclaimed late stage of the Mystic Martial Realm, there was still a one-stage gap.

However, this tiny gap could be made up for with the Jianjia Sword, and muddled through without much difficulty.

As expected, this system did not misjudge its person.

Host, your cultivation last night equaled ten years of progress for ordinary people.

Xia Wantang: Tee-hee.

"Alas, tears are all that come to mind when I talk too much. Please call me the grindstone king."

By the way, Host, don't forget that the Saintess has to go to Azure Cloud Peak every morning to chant scriptures.

Xia Wantang: No tee-hee.

Damn it, she almost forgot that the Azure Cloud Palace Saintess also had performance reviews to worry about.

Don't let the glamorous appearance of the Azure Cloud Palace Saintess fool you; at her core, she was just a fragile working stiff.

Ordinary Azure Cloud Palace disciples only needed to focus hard on cultivation and ensure their cultivation progressed steadily.

As for the Saintess, she was not only the public face and image of Azure Cloud Palace who had to occasionally attend external events, but she also had to go to Azure Cloud Peak daily to pray for the sect and chant scriptures.

As for the Holy Son, he had other arrangements, which we can talk about if the opportunity arises later.

"Oh well, my ox-and-horse destiny across two lifetimes is truly something else."

With that, Xia Wantang immediately took out the Jianjia Sword and flew on it toward Azure Cloud Peak.

Just as she finished chanting the scriptures and was preparing to slip away, Azure Cloud Palace Lord Fu Hanqiu suddenly spoke up:

"Saintess, you have been in the sect for half a year now. Is there anything you find unaccustomed to?"

Hearing this, her heart skipped a beat:

Did the Palace Lord ask this so suddenly because there is something amiss with my words and actions today?

Scared out of her wits inside, Xia Wantang feigned calm and said:

"Replying to the Palace Lord, Quiet Heart Peak is very nice, and I am accustomed to everything."

Fu Hanqiu nodded and suddenly stood up:

"The Saintess has been practicing the Ice Heart Art for half a year as well. How is your practice coming along?"

Good grief, he was here to check her homework!

Xia Wantang rejoiced inwardly:

Heh heh, you wouldn't expect this, but I did practice!

Good thing I cultivated the Ice Heart Art first last night and crammed for a whole night.

As for the Purple Firmament Swordplay she had extracted, she had only learned the first form; biting off more than she could chew, she simply didn't have time to learn the rest.

"Junior has already practiced the Ice Heart Art to great success."

This really wasn't her boasting.

The Ice Heart Art was a mental cultivation method, and it usually took an ordinary person two or three years to master it.

Yet yesterday she merely followed along through it once and thoroughly grasped it.

Ah, what can be done? Who told her Ice Spirit Root to act like it had taken speed when cultivating after undergoing marrow cleansing?

Besides, that Marrow Cleansing Body Purifying Pill didn't just make her aptitude and body purer; it also brought a tremendous boost to her mental power.

Ahem, Host, the Marrow Cleansing Body Purifying Pill is naturally miraculous, but it's also because your realm has improved.

As their realm increases, cultivators grow sharper of eye and ear, and clearer in spirit.

Xia Wantang nodded secretly: I see.

"Oh? The Saintess has advanced so rapidly?"

"Then circulate the Ice Heart Art for this seat to see."

Fu Hanqiu raised an eyebrow slightly, sensing that things weren't so simple.

As the Palace Lord of Azure Cloud Palace, people naturally came to him with malicious whispers, claiming the Saintess's cultivation was suspected of being fake.

First and foremost among them was First Elder Lu Shenxing of Martial God Peak.

Lu Shenxing's granddaughter Lu Jinyan was also one of the Saintess candidates, but Fu Hanqiu felt they didn't share any affinity, which was why she wasn't chosen.

Regarding this, Lu Shenxing had always held lingering grievances.

Lu Jinyan's cultivation was also at the late stage of the Mystic Martial Realm; although she was two years older than Xia Wantang, her talent could still be considered top-tier.

Besides, she was connected by ties of relation anyway, yet the Palace Lord actually favored an outsider.

Lu Shenxing and his granddaughter had always been looking for an opportunity to find fault with Xia Wantang.

As it happened, over the past half year, Xia Wantang had never displayed her strength as Saintess, which gave rise to the recent gossip.

Fu Hanqiu's words were meant to issue a warning and keep her in line.

The original owner was naturally guilty of a guilty conscience, yet Fu Hanqiu hadn't made things difficult for her to her face, assuming she was just reserved and poor with words—only to be utterly slapped in the face by reality this afternoon.

Ah, being a face-con really ruins things.

Hearing this, Xia Wantang immediately calmed her mind and began circulating the Ice Heart Art.

Seeing this, Fu Hanqiu nodded slightly:

Hm... Not bad, not bad. Her vital breath flows steadily, fast without disorder; it seems she truly has put in quite a bit of hard work during ordinary days.

She truly lives up to being the daughter-in-law... ah no, the Saintess he took a fancy to.

"That being said, starting tomorrow, you will only need to chant scriptures on the first day of each month, and spend the remaining time properly cultivating."

"The Inner Sect Grand Competition is two months from now, perform well."

Xia Wantang lowered her head and said:

"This disciple will certainly not fail this mission."

Awesome! Finally no need to wake up early every day.

As she turned to leave, Fu Hanqiu seemed to recall something and added:

"You have been in Azure Cloud Palace for half a year now. If you miss home, you may descend the mountain to visit the Xia family in a few days."

Hearing this, Xia Wantang's tone paused:

"Yes!"

Heh-heh-dah, it's about time to go back and discipline those old bastards.

Mighty host! This is a plot point that never existed in the original novel.

It seems the Azure Cloud Palace Lord is very satisfied with you. Everyone doubted you, yet you were the one who proved them wrong.

Xia Wantang: ...Is that even how this phrase is used??

As soon as she returned to Quiet Heart Peak, Xia Wantang sensed something was amiss.

Over ten young men and women wearing inner sect disciple attire were blockading the main hall's gates.

Hm? They come with ill intent, there is a murderous aura.

Maintaining a calm tone and expression, Xia Wantang handled the situation with poise:

"I was unaware that Quiet Heart Peak could be so lively today."

"I wonder what advice these uninvited guests might have?"