Li Qiming and Shen Changsheng returned to the Martial Hall.
"Junior Brother, congratulations. With your current strength, you can be promoted straight to Elite Disciple. And if you're confident, you could even challenge for the position of True Disciple."
Shen Changsheng said.
On the way back, he had heard Jiang Lianyue talk about the changes in Li Qiming.
At a critical moment, Li Qiming had awakened the hidden secrets of his body. His monstrous strength could kill Bone Refining fighters and turn the tide.
With strength like that, he was more than qualified to be an Elite Disciple. He could even try for True Disciple!
"Thank you for your advice, Senior Brother. But I still feel I have a long way to go. Becoming a True Disciple... I haven't considered it for now."
Li Qiming thanked him.
Becoming a True Disciple was no easy matter. As the saying went, the greater the ability, the greater the responsibility.
The higher one's position, the heavier the pressure.
"Very well. Get some rest."
Shen Changsheng nodded and turned to leave.
His injuries were severe, and he still needed to meditate and recover.
Besides, he had insights into Sword Momentum to work through...
He felt he would soon break through and grow stronger, perhaps even entering Organ Refining!
The moment Li Qiming stepped into the small courtyard where he lived,
he spotted three figures standing there. When he looked up, he saw that they were all familiar faces.
Qin Yu, Wang Liang, and even Mo Su.
"Brother Qiming, you're back."
When Wang Liang saw Li Qiming return, he grinned, showing two rows of white teeth.
Seeing Li Qiming, Qin Yu and Mo Su both breathed a sigh of relief.
Ever since they had returned, they had been unable to put their worries to rest. They had been beside themselves with anxiety.
Qin Yu had even notified the Pavilion Master and the elders. But the Pavilion Master, the elders, and several True Disciples all seemed to be tied up with another major matter and unable to get away. Otherwise, they would have set off long ago to rescue Senior Brother Shen Changsheng.
"Junior Brother, if you'd taken any longer, we were about to go looking for you."
Before Li Qiming could say a word, Qin Yu spoke again.
"Get some rest. Take the day off first; we'll talk about everything else tomorrow."
The others then tactfully took their leave.
After all, Li Qiming looked exhausted.
And he truly was.
He had gone two days and two nights without sleep.
On top of that, he had been traveling nonstop. Even with his strengthened body, the ordeal had taken its toll.
His head throbbed with exhaustion.
He didn't even have time to take off his clothes. He entered his room, collapsed onto the bed, and fell asleep.
When Li Qiming opened his eyes again, it was already the following afternoon.
Still under the covers, he stretched out with gusto. It had been a long time since he'd slept so soundly.
He got out of bed and pushed open the door, only to see the sunset glowing along the horizon.
And four figures sitting around the stone table in the courtyard.
"Senior Brother? Senior Brother Qin, Wang Liang... Mo Su?"
"What are you all doing here?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, Li Qiming guessed why. Fine wine and good food covered the stone table.
"Junior Brother Li, we were waiting for you. Come eat."
Shen Changsheng smiled.
Li Qiming froze.
Waiting for him to eat? It had been a long time since anyone had said those words to him.
The last time had been in his previous life.
Li Qiming took a seat, and everyone began to eat.
"Come, let's have a drink. We've been through life and death together, after all!"
Shen Changsheng suddenly raised his cup and said with a sigh.
The others paused. Thinking it over, they realized he was right.
This mission had brought them closer. There was a feeling between them that was hard to describe.
Like... comrades!
After a few rounds, they chatted about everything under the sun, each of them a little tipsy.
A faint flush appeared on Li Qiming's face, too.
"Brother Qiming, do you remember Yang Mang?"
Wang Liang asked.
Li Qiming furrowed his brows. The name sounded familiar.
"The genius with Superior Root Bone who came first in the first round of the examination and was the only one exempted from it? Yang Mang?"
"That's right, him. Just yesterday, he became a Bone Refining martial artist."
Wang Liang said with envy.
Li Qiming was stunned. If he remembered correctly, Yang Mang had been at the early stage of Blood Refining during the disciple examination. Only a few days had passed, and he had already entered Bone Refining... That fast?
Tsk. No wonder he had Superior Root Bone.
"Junior Brother, I've decided to join the Demon Catchers."
Shen Changsheng suddenly looked at Li Qiming and said solemnly.
On the way back, he had thought long and hard, but he still couldn't accept how things had gone. He truly wanted to see Han Tianjun's sword for himself.
Li Qiming opened his mouth. He had a lot he wanted to say, but in the end, he simply raised his cup and clinked it against Senior Brother's.
He said nothing more.
If Shen Changsheng had made this choice, he must have thought it through carefully. There was no need for Li Qiming to spell out the pros and cons.
Before long, it was late at night. Everyone rose to leave, reeking of wine.
Li Qiming returned to his room as well.
He circulated his Blood Qi, and the flush of drunkenness vanished in an instant.
His Blood Qi completely metabolized the alcohol.
"Training!"
Li Qiming gritted his teeth.
He had rested enough. He couldn't slack off for even a moment. He had to keep working to grow stronger!
Especially after this mission, he understood even more clearly just how dangerous and terrifying this world was.
He drew a curved saber and began practicing the Nine Saber Forms.
The young man moved through the saber techniques in the cramped room. Before long, sweat drenched his body.
Boom!
Suddenly, his breathing hitched—Thunder Breathing Method!
With the boost from One Blade Style, he and his saber moved so fast they blurred.
The Blood Qi in Li Qiming's body drained rapidly.
But as he trained, he gradually began to adapt to his body's Strength of an Elephant and the great increase in his Blood Qi.
Just as Li Qiming was absorbed in his training,
"So you're Li Qiming."
A voice suddenly rang out in the room without warning.
Li Qiming froze. He didn't have time to turn around. The voice was so familiar—it could only belong to that Demoness, A-Lian.
His scalp prickled, and every hair on his body stood on end.
He never would have imagined that A-Lian had appeared in his room.
When?!
There was no time to think.
Without the slightest hesitation, he dashed toward the window at top speed!
"Heh." A-Lian smiled faintly.
The next instant,
a cold blade was already laid against Li Qiming's throat.
"Let's talk this out."
Li Qiming stopped at once, his body rigid.
At the brink of life and death, he was unexpectedly calm.
He glanced sideways at A-Lian, who stood close enough to touch.
He couldn't help but freeze.
A-Lian wasn't wearing that strange Prajna Evil Scripture Mask.
"You look quite pretty without the mask."
The words slipped out of Li Qiming's mouth before he could stop them.
Without the demonic aura, her face did have an air of innocent naivety.
"If I were wearing the mask, you'd already be dead."
A-Lian said.
She looked the young man up and down, curiosity in her eyes.
"How exactly did you kill Chen Ajiu?"
"With a saber."
Li Qiming answered honestly.
"I know it was a saber. But I can't understand how you killed Chen Ajiu when you haven't even comprehended Blade Momentum. How did you do it?"
A-Lian asked.
"That's hard to explain. I could... demonstrate?"
Li Qiming said.
"Fine." A-Lian nodded, slowly withdrawing the blade from his throat. She gestured. "Go ahead..."
Before she could finish,
Boom!
A faint rumble of thunder, and Li Qiming's body vanished.
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