A Terrifying Growth

"Heh, I had always thought that having a few outstanding geniuses among the Orthodox Dao was already Heaven's favor.

I never expected someone like you to exist as well!"

Ghost King chuckled. The righteous and demonic factions followed his gaze and saw the young man in a fur coat seated in a wheelchair halfway up the mountain, watching the battle below with an indifferent expression.

"Martial Nephew Xiao?"

"Junior Brother Xiao?"

"It's him!"

"Eighth Brother?"

They saw Xiao Xuan's figure flicker before he strangely appeared among the Orthodox Dao faction.

"Master, Martial Uncles, Martial Brothers, and Martial Sisters!"

"Eighth Junior Brother, you're all right! That's wonderful. We thought you..."

On the Demonic Dao side, Bi Yao, You Ji, and a woman in red cried out in surprise. The others could not help asking curiously, "Holy Envoys, do you know that young man in white?"

You Ji shook her head. "We met once in Heyang City two years ago.

But back then, that boy was only comparable to someone at the fourth level of Qingyun's Yuqing realm.

Who would have thought that in merely two years, he would grow to this extent!"

The woman in red, Jin Ping'er, said, "I saw him in the Extreme Northern Ice Plains.

All these years, he has been there, tempering himself through Life and Death.

I simply cannot imagine how he managed to survive."

Xiao Xuan looked at Ghost King in the sky. "Senior Ghost King's cultivation is truly earth-shaking."

"Oh... Little brother, your cultivation is quite strange.

You seem to have only entered Qingyun's Shangqing realm, yet you also seem to have touched upon Taiqing.

I am truly curious. What kind of heaven-defying opportunity could allow you to ascend to the heavens in a single step?"

"What... Junior Brother Xiao is in Shangqing?"

"Martial Nephew Xiao..."

"Eighth Brother..."

Xiao Xuan still wore a smile. "Nothing more than hundreds, perhaps thousands, of temperings between Life and Death.

During that training, I naturally encountered a few opportunities here and there.

As for my cultivation, I suppose I simply got lucky. Perhaps it is as I have always believed: when Heaven closes one door, it opens another.

Ever since I was young, my soul power has been fairly decent. Reading ten lines at a glance and never forgetting what I saw came easily to me.

And Taiji Xuanqing Dao, after Object Manipulation, primarily depended on one's own comprehension.

That was why I progressed a little faster. Especially later in my cultivation, when it unexpectedly involved the Primordial Spirit.

Primordial Spirit and soul are merely different names for the same thing.

So I gained a slight advantage. Senior Ghost King must find this amusing."

At those words, both the Orthodox Dao and Demonic Dao fell silent across the battlefield.

That was possible? There was truly no justice in the world.

"Those who persevere will not be forsaken by Heaven."

Only Qingyun's core disciples and peak leaders knew how difficult Xiao Xuan's rise had been.

Had it been them, they might have given up long ago.

They knew they could not compare to the effort Xiao Xuan had put in.

They envied his current achievements, but they did not resent him.

Leaving aside anything else, merely reading through all of Qingyun's vast collection of books within a few years was something they could never have accomplished.

That was talent. There was no helping it.

Xiao Xuan continued, "Senior Ghost King went to such great lengths to capture the Kui Ox. You must have some plan in mind.

In any case, congratulations, Senior, on successfully capturing the Kui Ox."

"Oh...? That surprises me. Shouldn't you be trying to stop me?"

"If you had failed to capture it, then perhaps I could have stopped you. But you have already succeeded, so what would be the point of stopping you now?

Besides, whatever plans you may have, Qingyun has stood in Shenzhou for thousands of years. That is no empty reputation.

And if it is some uncontrollable monstrous fiend, then since it cannot be controlled, the first to suffer will be you, Ghost King, followed by the entire Ghost King Sect.

Your beloved daughter will suffer, as will your loyal subordinates.

If you do not care, why should I trouble myself over it?"

Ghost King fell silent at that. Could his plan have been exposed?

Impossible. Only Ghost Mister and he knew about it.

He had not even told Qinglong, Zhuque, or the other trusted aides at his side.

"Haha, in the past century, you are quite a different sort of junior among the Orthodox Dao.

You are far superior to those sanctimonious hypocrites.

All members of the Holy Sect, withdraw!"

"Martial Nephew Xiao..."

"Eighth Brother, you..."

"Martial Uncles, Master, Ghost King has already succeeded. Continuing this fight will only cause needless deaths.

Besides, there may be a thousand days of thievery, but there can never be a thousand days of guarding against thieves.

Blocking is worse than guiding. Since our mighty Orthodox Dao has suppressed the Demonic Cult for ages, we can suppress it for all eternity."

"Hmph... Fine-sounding words. Perhaps you have some collusion with the Demonic Cult."

At that moment, a bald monk, clearly displeased, snapped back at him.

"You... Junior Brother Xiao is not that kind of person."

Xiao Xuan raised a hand, stopping Du Bishu, Tian Ling'er, and the others. Still smiling, he said, "Martial Brother.

Those who have left the secular world speak of compassion and saving all living beings. They also speak of the four elements being empty, of no self, no person, and no living being. Martial Brother, you are clinging to appearances.

Even if Ghost King has some scheme, can we watch him every day?

Since that is the case, why not let him proceed? At the final moment, we can deliver a fatal blow and make all his efforts come to nothing.

That way, he will have fewer troubles during the process, while we will suffer fewer needless sacrifices. It benefits both sides. Why not?"

After thinking over his final words, everyone present found that they indeed made sense.

Song Daren said, "Little Junior Brother, where have you been all these years?

There was no news from you at all. We thought you..."

"Thank you for your concern, Master, Mistress, Martial Brothers, and Martial Sisters. Aren't I perfectly fine?

These past few years, I took a trip around the Extreme Northern Ice Plains.

Effort brings rewards. Haven't I made great progress in my cultivation?"

"Haha, it is good that you are back. Good that you are back. Return to the mountain!"

"Junior Brother, I'll push you..."

As Zhang Xiaofan spoke, he moved to push the wheelchair.

"Thank you, Seventh Senior Brother, but I can control it myself.

You may not even be faster than I am. Let's go."

After Tian Buyi and the others left, he drove his wheelchair forward, transforming into a streak of light and flying directly toward Qingyun.

"That's unbelievably cool!

To turn a wheelchair into a bonded magical artifact—Junior Brother Xiao really is extraordinary."

Zeng Shushu was as flippant as ever. He voiced his envy, then rode his divine sword Xuanyuan and followed close behind.

"What kind of monster is Junior Brother Xiao? He is actually faster than I am?"

Among the Qingyun disciples, Zeng Shushu grumbled endlessly.

Lu Xueqi did not respond, but her resolve only grew firmer.

She swore that after returning, she would train even harder and enter the Shangqing realm as soon as possible.

Tian Ling'er said, "Of course. Who do you think his senior sister is?"

Several days later, the group returned to Qingyun's Tongtian Peak and reported the matter to Sect Leader Daoxuan.

When he heard of Xiao Xuan's cultivation in particular, even Daoxuan was astonished.

The little fellow none of them had thought highly of in the past had surpassed Qingyun's younger generation in such a short time. Even many elders had been left far behind by him in cultivation.

"Martial Nephew Xiao, remarkable. It seems we old fellows misjudged you.

By the way, your suggestion is not without merit.

Do you have any guesses regarding Ghost King's plan?"