Chapter 246: The Three Wonders of Zhou Country (Part Two)

The crowd exploded like ignited gunpowder.

In this moment, overwhelming joy and excitement rendered everyone too stunned to wonder how Elder Jiang and Master Liu had achieved it.

Cheers, screams, and stomping feet merged into a deafening roar, nearly overturning the entire East Peak.

Liu Qingyu stood beside Jiang Ye, watching the disciples scream and leap in wild excitement; her starlike eyes shimmered with bright luster, and a stunning smile graced her face.

At this moment, the dark cloud that had hung over everyone in Tianqing Sect finally cracked open, revealing long-absent sunlight.

Lu Guizhou watched the young disciples shouting and jumping, utterly lost in their fervor, and found no noise in it.

Having lived so long, he had seen too many sects fade away in defeat on Tianyun Peak, and too many disciples sink into despair; this vibrant scene before him filled him with quiet satisfaction.

He stroked his silver beard, smiling warmly: “Very good, young Jiang—your Tianqing Sect is full of vitality.”

Jiang Ye smiled faintly and bowed: “Elder Lu, if you’re not in a hurry to return, would you grace us with a cup of clear tea? I have a few questions about primordial qi I’d like to ask your advice on.”

Primordial qi was now in hand; with his talent, he would soon achieve great mastery of Gangqi, and then prepare to break through to the primordial realm.

Lu Guizhou had walked this path—he could offer a few words of guidance far better than blind Mosuo .

Tianqing Sect had little recorded knowledge of the primordial realm.

Sect Master Pei Yunchuan and Luo Song had both attempted to break through to primordial—and both had failed.

All they left behind were lessons of failure.

Lu Guizhou glanced at the unconscious Cheng Yuan in his hand.

The old man still lay with eyes tightly shut, his charred chest rising and falling faintly; as a primordial martial artist, his vitality was strong—this injury wouldn’t kill him.

Taking him back to the Enforcement Hall later would do no harm.

He chuckled softly: “You say that as if I’m thirsty.”

He genuinely admired Jiang Ye now, and was willing to grant this favor by revealing the secrets of the primordial realm.

“Master Liu, you join us too.”

Jiang Ye turned to Liu Qingyu.

Concerning the primordial realm, Liu Qingyu naturally agreed without hesitation.

Jiang Ye led the two to sit in the courtyard.

As for Cheng Yuan, Lu Guizhou simply tossed him at the courtyard gate.

Jiang Ye calmly brewed a pot of clear tea.

Amidst the rising fragrance of tea, Liu Qingyu spoke first, voicing her most pressing question: “Elder Lu, what is a safe method to enter the primordial realm?”

“Safe method?”

Lu Guizhou’s hand paused mid-sip; he regarded Liu Qingyu with a knowing look: “For a Gangqi martial artist to enter the primordial realm, there is no such thing as safe.”

Liu Qingyu blinked in surprise. “Elder Lu, how do you mean...”

Lu Guizhou took a slow sip of tea, moistened his throat, then spoke:

“From my observation, your Water True Gang has reached perfect completion—your foundation is far deeper than ordinary martial artists of your realm.”

“If you absorb only a single thread of primordial qi to break through, your success rate should be high.”

“At most, two or three attempts will see you enter the primordial realm.”

Hearing this, Liu Qingyu quietly exhaled in relief.

Her own assessment matched this.

After years of accumulation in the Gangqi realm, her Water True Gang had been polished to perfect fluidity; with primordial qi in hand, entering the primordial realm posed little difficulty.

But Lu Guizhou shifted tone, his voice growing suddenly grave:

“Yet I must warn you—the primordial realm values foundation above all. The number of primordial qi threads absorbed at breakthrough determines your future ceiling.”

“In the Dan Formation and Gangqi realms, the core within is a qi core!”

“But in the primordial realm, you must refine that qi core into a true core—the deeper your foundation, the farther you can go.”

“For example, myself...”

He pointed to himself and smiled faintly:

“I entered the primordial realm with two threads of primordial qi—my foundation is far stronger than that fool outside.”

He glanced at the charred, unconscious body lying at the courtyard gate, his tone dripping with undisguised disdain.

Liu Qingyu’s expression changed slightly, blurting out: “Elder Lu, if absorbing two threads is required, doesn’t that multiply the difficulty?”

She immediately thought of Luo Song.

The master of Tianyang Peak had nearly died trying to absorb two threads of primordial qi, and still bore his injuries after years.

Lu Guizhou nodded slightly, his tone growing more solemn:

“Naturally. That’s precisely why I say there is no safe path for Gangqi martial artists entering the primordial realm—it all depends on your choice.”

“Different choices carry different risks—and different ceilings.”

“Even I, when I absorbed two threads of primordial qi, faced immense hardship—and barely succeeded by luck.”

He set down his teacup, his gaze sweeping over Liu Qingyu and Jiang Ye: “So before you enter the primordial realm, you must decide clearly: what exactly do you seek?”

Liu Qingyu fell silent.

She stared at the fine ripples in her teacup; for once, a look of inner struggle appeared on her exquisite face.

At that moment, Jiang Ye—who had listened quietly—suddenly spoke: “Elder Lu, is absorbing two threads of primordial qi the absolute limit?”

Lu Guizhou’s hand paused again; he lifted the teacup, drank deeply, then set it down with a knowing smile on his lips:

“Of course not.”

“Those with extraordinary talent can enter the primordial realm with three threads of primordial qi.”

“For instance, the top three prodigies on our Upper Sect’s True Disciple List—all broke through with three threads.”

Hearing this, Liu Qingyu’s starlike eyes flashed with unmistakable shock.

Luo Song had nearly died absorbing two threads.

What kind of peril would absorbing three threads entail?

Lu Guizhou observed their expressions, then added slowly, his voice tinged with genuine reverence:

“But if we speak of the greatest prodigy, it must be our Sect Master.”

“She entered the primordial realm with four threads of primordial qi.”

“Her foundation is so profound, it’s beyond estimation.”

“In all my years, I’ve seen many brilliant talents—but none compare to our Sect Master.”

At these words, not only Liu Qingyu, but even Jiang Ye’s eyes flickered with surprise:

“Breaking through with four threads of primordial qi...”

Seeing his expression, Lu Guizhou burst into hearty laughter, his voice brimming with pride:

“Our Sect Master is one of the Three Wonders of Zhou Country—destined to create legend. You cannot judge her by ordinary standards.”

“Three Wonders?!”

Jiang Ye was stunned again, pressing quickly: “So there are two other women like our Sect Master in Zhou Country?”

Lu Guizhou nodded slightly, stroking his silver beard, his tone growing more solemn:

“The other two—you may have heard of them.”

“One is the heir of the thousand-year clan, Shangguan Linghua.”

“The other...”

He paused, a complex glint in his eyes, his voice lowering:

“Is our own Ninth Princess of Zhou Country.”