Chapter 2: Chapter 2 Hurry up and get married, you two
Editor: Henyee Translations
The peak of the Kunlun Heavenly Pillar, Jade Void Palace.
“Ah Jing,” Qiu Changtian called out in his mind, “can you locate the position of the Heaven-Mending Stone fragment?”
“Unable to locate,” the Kunlun Mirror responded, “it seems to be concealed by magic.”
“I suggest proceeding with caution.”
“How do you suggest I proceed?” Qiu Changtian said speechlessly, “I’m currently in the lowest rank of the Qi Refinement Realm. Anyone in this Jade Void Palace could surpass my realm by far, couldn’t they?”
“I suggest you continue to maintain your character setting and improve your cultivation realm.”
“That’s easy to say; I have no problem acting. But do you have any rapid success techniques that could let me form my core in a day and reach Nascent Soul Formation by the second?”
“No.”
“Don’t be so cold,” Qiu Changtian continued with a smile, “If my realm is raised sooner, I can help you gather the Heaven-Mending Stones sooner, right?”
Kunlun Mirror: ………
Seeing that the mirror didn’t respond, Qiu Changtian didn’t tease it any further and simply began to ponder to himself.
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The path of cultivating immortality in this world has a very straightforward division of ranks.
Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, and Nascent Soul are the divisions of the three major realms.
Each major realm is further divided into three smaller realms.
For example, Foundation Establishment can be divided from low to high into Qi Refinement, Marrow Cleansing, and Refining Mansion.
Currently, he was still in the lowest rank of the Qi Refinement Realm. How could he even think to risk exposing himself by actively investigating the news about Heaven-Mending Stone?
Better to lay low and be patient for now.
As Qiu Changtian pondered to himself, he saw his junior sister Xu Yinglian walk past him without so much as a greeting, heading straight toward the Scripture Lecture Hall of the Ziwei Master.
This girl was still sulking with him!
Inside the Scripture Lecture Hall, the Ziwei Master sat on the nine-colored lotus platform, his eyes closed and silent.
Below him were set fourteen meditation cushions, neatly arranged into two columns of seven rows each.
The disciples entered one after the other, taking their places in sequence.
To his left were the Golden Core True Persons, and to his right were the Foundation Establishment cultivators, lined up from front to back according to their strength or potential.
It was the rule of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect that every half a jiazi (30 years) they would only take in a group of disciples.
Because Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian had been admitted ahead of schedule without examination before the mountain was opened, their status was still that of recorded disciples, and thus they did not have cushions of their own in the Scripture Lecture Hall and had to stand at the very back.
The two found a place to stand, but before Qiu Changtian could start a conversation, Xu Yinglian turned her head away, denying him even a glimpse of her profile.
Heh, this tsundere junior sister.
Qiu Changtian stood quietly, holding his breath and listening to the Ziwei Master’s teaching.
To advance one’s cultivation realm, a cultivator must breathe and refine Qi.
From this comes a variety of Qi Refining Techniques.
Among the Orthodox Three Sects, the Kunlun Taiqing Sect is known for its Qi Refining Techniques. Therefore, whether it’s high-rank cultivators in the Golden Core or Nascent Soul Realms, or in the diversity and quantity of Qi Refining Techniques, they are far ahead of the other two sects.
The strongest Qi Refining Technique in the world is the so-called “secret technique of the Immortal Sect,” the “Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra,” which can only be taught by the current Head of the Kunlun Sect to his Direct Disciples and is not to be imparted to outsiders.
Whether it’s a secret of the Immortal Sect or not, the fact that it is extremely abstruse and difficult to understand is true, so everyone listened with extreme attentiveness, fearing they might miss any details spoken by the Sect Leader.
After the lecture ended, everyone still seemed to want more, but the Ziwei Master had already made a motion with his horsetail whisk, and the disciples had to rise and leave one by one.
“Qiu Changtian, Xu Yinglian, stay behind,” the Ziwei Master said indifferently.
As his voice fell, the senior brothers and sisters who were on their way out couldn’t help but glance at the two of them.
After all the senior brothers and sisters had left, the Ziwei Master pointed the handle of his horsetail whisk forward and said:
“Sit.”
Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian then chose cushions to sit on, one on the left and one on the right.
“The Xu Family of Southern Heaven sent over a Geng Invitation this morning,” the Ziwei Master said with closed eyes, “they hope that as your Master, I will make a decision for the two of you to become Daoist companions.”
Xu Yinglian: ………
Qiu Changtian: ………
Both were shocked into silence.
After a long while, Xu Yinglian finally spoke:
“Master, I do not wish…”
“Reporting to Master,” Qiu Changtian interjected, “I am wholeheartedly focused on the Way and have no interest in the matters of romantic affection for the time being. I believe Ying Lian junior sister feels the same.”
Xu Yinglian was cut off by his interjection, leaving her momentarily speechless.
Yet his brother’s words had truly resonated with her, and she could only nod slightly in agreement, saying nothing more.
When both disciples simultaneously refused, the Ziwei Master opened one eye, his gaze faintly sweeping over their faces before closing his eyes again to speak:
“Xu Yinglian.”
“Your Daoist Heart is unstable.”
“The crux of the issue lies with your elder brother.”
“As the saying goes, ‘The bell ringer must untie the bell.’ To pass this Heart Tribulation, you must start with your elder brother.”
Upon hearing this, Qiu Changtian immediately fell silent.
What they call a Heart Tribulation is a flaw in the Daoist Heart, and it is a major foe for those pursuing the path of cultivation.
One misstep could lead to a complete loss of consciousness and deviation.
At best, one’s entire cultivation would be destroyed in an instant, at worst one could become possessed by an otherworldly demon, with all essence, Qi, and spirit wildly spilling out, swept away by the demon, leaving behind nothing but an empty husk.
As a cultivator with the Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart constitution, the younger sister inherently possessed a strong resistance to invasions by otherworldly demons.
For someone with such aptitude to still have an unstable Daoist Heart, the obsessiveness leading her into madness must be terrifyingly profound…
Wait, obsessiveness?
He turned in surprise, only to catch Xu Yinglian’s expressionless gaze.
Uh.
Could it be… me?
“Reporting to Master,” Xu Yinglian averted her gaze, bowing her head as she spoke, “I merely wish to surpass my elder brother, how can that be considered an unstable Daoist Heart?”
“Desiring victory,” the Ziwei Master said placidly, “is an obsession.”
“If you seek and do not obtain, what will you do?”
“Master,” Xu Yinglian’s voice trembled, “do you also think that I will never surpass my elder brother?”
But the Ziwei Master ignored her, instead asking Qiu Changtian:
“Changtian, your talent, ‘Daoist Heart Clarity’, is one of the rarest for cultivating the Dao.”
“If one day, I were to accept another disciple whose talent surpasses yours, what would you do then?”
“Disciple responds to Master,” Qiu Changtian replied respectfully, “no matter how excellent his aptitude, what does it have to do with me?”
Inwardly, he scorned: Moreover, what cultivating talent could surpass my ‘Daoist Heart Clarity’?
Daoist Heart Clarity accelerates cultivation speed, significantly increases the chances of sensing the Way, and grants permanent immunity to illusions, mental barriers, deviation, and other negative states, making it the world’s top cultivation talent.
The only downside is that his ‘Daoist Heart Clarity’ talent was not innate, but acquired through the ‘Mirror Flower Water Moon’ effect of the Kunlun Mirror.
To maintain the state of ‘Mirror Flower Water Moon’, he must constantly play the role of an invincible genius, maintaining a high Synchronization Value with ‘Daoist Heart Clarity’ to fully utilize its effects…
“Correct.” The Ziwei Master nodded approvingly, turning to Xu Yinglian, “‘On the road, pay no heed to the words of others; just concentrate on your own steps.’ What does your elder brother’s Cultivation Realm have to do with you?”
“What can you do if you surpass him? What can you do if you cannot?”
“When you can let go of all these concerns, only then will your Daoist Heart be completely stable.”
“Master,” Xu Yinglian said with a miserable smile, “my brother can afford to be unconcerned because there is no talent for cultivation superior to Daoist Heart Clarity.”
“With no one to compete against, of course, he does not strive. If there is no one ahead, whom can he chase?”
“I…” she choked out, “born into the Xu Family of Southern Heaven, have been the focus of great expectations since childhood, with the rare Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart constitution, thinking myself unparalleled in the world, only to realize I had been naively shortsighted.”
“My brother has always treated me well, yet… ever since my initiation, I have always lived in his shadow.”
“It took me seven days to open my Qi Sea; my brother took merely half a day. I could not grasp the essence of the scriptures, while he would understand the truth in a few words. Even with the Kunlun Sword Technique, I painstakingly cultivated alone for half a month, thinking I had achieved something, only to be unable to withstand even a move and a half from my brother…”
Once again, she fell to her knees, tears streaming down her face, teeth clenched as she said:
“Defeating my elder brother is my obsession. It can neither be extinguished nor abandoned…”
“I’m really… sorry, Master…”
Listening on the side, Qiu Changtian felt a heavy sense of guilt, only to hear the Kunlun Mirror chime in:
[Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.]
The Ziwei Master opened his eyes, his expression indifferent and silent.
After a long moment, he shifted his gaze and lifted his eyelids at Qiu Changtian as if to say:
Look at what you’ve done!
Aren’t you going to take your foolish sister away now?