Senior Brother's Rebuke Was Right

Watching the disciples rise and bow to him, Zhou Qing felt a distinct difference.

In the past, when he came to the Instruction Platform, disciples who had benefited from him would warmly greet him, but never with such solemnity as today.

In the hearts of these disciples, he clearly already possessed the authority of half a teacher.

Zhou Qing waved to everyone, signaling that they need not stand on ceremony. Only then did they sit back down on their meditation cushions.

"So impressive!"

Feng Yuan looked at Zhou Qing in the distance with envy.

Beside him, Wei Kuang wore a sour expression and did not say a word.

To Wei Kuang's right, another Azure Cloud Sect disciple, Zhang Shan, said disdainfully, "What use is being impressive now? This is only the beginner stage. Once everyone successfully completes a Heavenly Cycle, he has only one spiritual root. He'll soon be left behind by everyone else."

"On the path of cultivation, it is not about who starts early, but who walks far. There is still a long road ahead."

"That's right!"

"Exactly!"

"If you have the ability, compare again in a year."

The Azure Cloud Sect Native Faction disciples around Wei Kuang were deeply indignant that Zhou Qing, a disciple of mortal birth, had stolen such great glory. Hearing this, they immediately echoed him.

Feng Yuan smiled. "That may be true, but if we can get an earlier start, it would be greatly beneficial to us as well."

"We are all from the Azure Cloud Sect. Why must we be so at daggers drawn? Zhou Qing is truly unparalleled at guiding others in circulating qi. Why don't we put aside this battle of pride and go ask him to help us grasp the proper timing?"

"If we can complete a Heavenly Cycle sooner, we can all get on the right track sooner."

Hearing him speak so weakly toward the "enemy," Wei Kuang immediately flew into a rage. "Without his guidance, can't we successfully break through the Twelvefold Gates?"

"Never say such things again!"

Seeing Wei Kuang's anger, Feng Yuan could only shut his mouth awkwardly.

Yet when he saw the bustling scene around Zhou Qing, his heart could not help but stir.

Wei Kuang had given him a Heart Strengthening Pill, so his progress was faster than others', but he had only broken through the third gate so far. If he could befriend Zhou Qing and receive his guidance, his progress could take another great leap forward.

Cultivators did not have as much time as mortals imagined. Entering the path a day earlier might mean one more measure of opportunity.

Although Wei Kuang had rejected Feng Yuan's suggestion, he also agreed with what Feng Yuan had said.

Entering the path sooner was truly an important matter for cultivators.

He had always wanted to break through the Twelvefold Gates as quickly as possible and establish a Heavenly Cycle within his body. Yet his qi circulation had become stuck at the ninth gate, Flying Pavilion Pass, and no matter what he did, he could not pass through.

Chen Qingxuan and Elder Jin Mang had each taught him many techniques for breaking through the pass, but he always felt that something was still missing.

Having worn himself down at one pass for so long, he had long since become unbearably restless.

That night, after returning to his residence, he thought of Zhou Qing's feat of breaking through all Twelvefold Gates alone, without anyone's guidance. Even as a rival, Wei Kuang could not help feeling both envy and admiration.

Then he thought of how he had already squandered more than half a month at the ninth gate, and he could bear it no longer.

So he called Feng Yuan over and had him stand guard for him as he circulated his qi.

When Feng Yuan heard that he wanted to circulate his qi in private, he immediately panicked and cried, "This is too dangerous! If Uncle Chen finds out, you'll surely be reprimanded!"

Wei Kuang snapped, "What are you afraid of? So long as I succeed, Uncle Chen will be too happy to reprimand me."

"Zhou Qing could break through the Twelvefold Gates in a single night. I only need to break through Flying Pavilion Pass. Could I possibly fail to do even that?"

With that, ignoring Feng Yuan's bitter attempts to dissuade him, he began operating his cultivation technique.

Bamboo Grove Courtyard.

Having finished three hours of cultivation, Zhou Qing was about to sleep when he suddenly heard a burst of urgent knocking.

Surprised, he put on a robe, rose from bed, and opened the courtyard gate. To his astonishment, the person outside was Feng Yuan, Wei Kuang's follower.

Zhou Qing asked, "Feng Yuan, what are you doing here?"

Feng Yuan's face was full of terror as he cried, "Senior... Senior Brother, Wei Kuang has suffered qi deviation and is about to die. Please, go save him!"

Zhou Qing's expression changed. "He actually dared to circulate his qi in private."

With a mournful face, Feng Yuan said, "I tried to persuade him many times, but he would not listen. Azure Cloud Mountain is dozens of li from here. If we go seek help from the seniors, it may already be too late. Now only you can save him. Please, Senior Brother, for the sake of our fellow discipleship, save him."

Zhou Qing said, "Lead the way."

Since Feng Yuan had come begging to him, Zhou Qing naturally had no other choice.

Everyone knew that he could guide others in circulating qi. If he turned a blind eye at this moment, then in the eyes of all the Azure Cloud Sect elders, he would have no standing left at all.

Even if Uncle Chen usually valued him, if he learned that Zhou Qing had watched Wei Kuang die without lifting a hand, a rift would surely form between them.

Moreover, Zhou Qing bore Wei Kuang no ill will.

Though they were rivals to some extent, Wei Kuang was proud but not despicable. Even without any other considerations, Zhou Qing would likely still have helped him.

Zhou Qing and Feng Yuan arrived at Wei Kuang's residence.

Wei Kuang's small courtyard lay within a peach grove, not far from Zhou Qing's bamboo garden. They arrived in less than a quarter of an hour.

Wei Kuang's condition was quite horrifying. He was enduring extreme agony, his entire body convulsing, his face twisted like a ghost's.

Zhou Qing's magnetic field perception allowed him to see the situation even more clearly.

He sensed that the spiritual energy within Wei Kuang's body had become a pot of porridge, rampaging everywhere inside him. Wei Kuang no longer had any strength to restrain it.

Zhou Qing hurried forward, extending the power of his magnetic field into Wei Kuang's body to restrain the rampaging spiritual energy. At the same time, he continuously adjusted Wei Kuang's posture according to his condition, using this to stimulate the recovery of his mind and spirit.

A full half hour passed like this. Even with Zhou Qing's greatly enhanced stamina, sweat already covered his forehead.

Wei Kuang's condition finally began to improve.

The spiritual energy within his body gradually calmed and retreated into his meridians, while his mind and spirit slowly recovered as well.

At last, he took in a sharp breath and awoke from his unconsciousness, immediately seeing Zhou Qing.

"Why are you here?!"

Wei Kuang's whole body jolted as he demanded sharply.

Zhou Qing teased, "What do you think?"

Wei Kuang looked at Feng Yuan, who was trying his best to hide behind the door, then recalled his state before losing consciousness. He immediately understood.

He must have suffered qi deviation, leaving Feng Yuan no choice but to seek Zhou Qing's help.

He had circulated his qi in private that night precisely to compete with Zhou Qing, yet after suffering qi deviation, he had instead needed the other man to save him. He immediately felt so ashamed that he wished he could vanish into the ground.

Suppressing the burning sensation on his face, Wei Kuang cupped his hands and said, "Brother Zhou, I will never forget your life-saving grace for all eternity."

Zhou Qing gave him an approving glance and smiled. "Brother Wei, you overstate it."

"The Dao is founded upon one's heart and nature. Brother Wei was too impatient and allowed his heart and nature to waver. You must be more careful in the future."

Hearing Zhou Qing's lofty, instructive tone, Wei Kuang felt somewhat stifled. Yet he understood that everything Zhou Qing had said was correct, and for a long while, he could not speak.

Wei Kuang's expression shifted several times. Suddenly, he let out a long sigh, a faint bitter smile appearing at the corner of his mouth. He cupped his hands once more. "Senior Brother's rebuke was right."