Chapter 4: Nine Layers of Qi Refining

Outside the Carefree Sect's gate.

Song Yan summoned a longsword, lightly leapt onto it, then slightly turned his body and naturally reached out his hand to Yuan Yao.

Yuan Yao knew that with her current eighth-layer Qi Refining cultivation, she absolutely could not fly on a sword, so she could only rely on the Eldest Senior Brother.

She placed her hand on Song Yan's wrist and used his strength to rise up.

Lu Xiangxiang's expression was cold; she immediately summoned a longsword, lightly tapped the tip of her foot, and steadily stood on the blade.

Seeing this, Yuan Yao raised her eyebrows and said, "Junior sister, you're impressive—what stage are you at now?"

Lu Xiangxiang's face remained cold: "Senior sister, you overpraise me; I am merely at the early Foundation Establishment stage, naturally I cannot compare with several senior brothers and sisters."

Song Yan's brows furrowed slightly.

Her words, both inside and out, were prickly.

Yuan Yao let out a soft sigh: "We naturally can't compare with the Eldest Senior Brother and the others, but there's no need for us to feel inferior, for inferiority breeds inner demons."

"You!" Lu Xiangxiang's expression changed slightly.

Song Yan spoke up just in time: "All right, we should be going."

"Junior Sister Lu, please keep up."

Lu Xiangxiang sensed the distance in Song Yan's words, feeling as if a heavy stone pressed on her chest, making her feel extremely stifled.

The longsword beneath Song Yan's feet shot upward like a meteor, and in an instant he was already soaring high above.

Meanwhile, Yuan Yao stood behind Song Yan, gripping his sleeve with one hand while lowering her head to watch the scenery below flash by.

Song Yan silently condensed a spiritual power shield for Yuan Yao, blocking the gale outside, and said, "You haven't left the Carefree Sect for two years."

"Yeah." Yuan Yao also felt quite emotional inside.

"Why don't you want to go out and see the outside world?"

Yuan Yao blinked, then asked, "Senior brother, why do you say that?"

Song Yan said softly: "Yao Yao, I've actually had a suspicion all along: you're not avoiding cultivation out of laziness. You must be hiding something in your heart, right?"

"What are you talking about?" Yuan Yao still laughed and denied it, but a hint of gloom appeared in her eyes.

Soon she pointed downward and exclaimed excitedly, "Senior brother, look quickly—there's a flock of ducks running down there!"

Song Yan's attention was instantly diverted.

The Eldest Senior Brother mercilessly corrected: "They're not running; they're taking a stroll."

"Oh." Yuan Yao didn't argue with him.

She lifted her gaze to the distance, and at that moment memories from before age five surged forth like a tide.

A couple squatted down before her, their faces solemn, and said, "Yao Yao, countless powerhouses and even more mysterious beings desire what is hidden inside you; your father and mother are now sealing it for you."

"Yao Yao, in your future cultivation you must absolutely not break through to the Unity Stage; once your cultivation breaks through to the Unity Stage, the seal will shatter on its own, and then it will surely trigger a great calamity..."

"Yao Yao, your parents only wish for you to live safely and happily."

"Yao Yao… live on…"

Yuan Yao's eyelashes twitched; her memories from before age five grew ever fainter, but she had always kept her parents' words in mind—not cultivating, merely surviving.

But things turned out contrary to her wishes.

If what the 250 System said is true, then in her previous life she died at fifteen.

The people she loved also died one by one in tragic ways.

... Father... Mother, I truly want to change the fate of everyone in the Carefree Sect and also protect the sect.

Because they have been truly, truly good to me.

Yuan Yao extended her other hand, passing through the spiritual power shield, and felt the free, unfettered wind.

And also that intangible force.

In fact, she had always envied how her senior brothers and sisters could strive to become stronger for themselves. She had imagined many times that if she, too, pursued power and sought the wondrous world beyond the Carefree Sect, would her life be more fulfilling?

Song Yan noticed her movement and quickly said, "Yao Yao, danger—quickly pull your hand back."

Yuan Yao not only didn't listen, but she spread her arms wide and loudly declared, "Senior brother, I want to cultivate!"

Seeing this, Song Yan anxiously wrapped spiritual power around Yuan Yao to prevent her from falling.

"All right, all right! Grab my sleeve first!" Song Yan coaxed.

Yuan Yao laughed, lifted her head, and shouted, "Eldest Senior Brother, I want to cultivate! I want to become strong!"

Seeing her genuine, exuberant smile, Song Yan also felt a momentary daze.

He hadn't seen her this lively in a long time.

A warm current welled up in his heart.

"All right, Eldest Senior Brother understands."

Yuan Yao gave him a toothy smile.

Not far away, Lu Xiangxiang, who was also flying on her sword, saw this scene and her expression grew even colder.

She hadn't expected the Carefree Sect's white‑moonlight little junior sister to be so childish, still lacking strength, as fragile as a dodder flower.

No wonder the people of the Carefree Sect protect Yuan Yao so tightly.

Yuan Yao's hands fell back to her sides; she gazed into the distance and asked, "Eldest Senior Brother, how much longer until we reach Wuduan Senlin?"

"Probably about another hour. Wuduan Senlin isn't far from the Carefree Sect." Song Yan replied patiently.

The cultivation world has three islands and nine provinces, and our Carefree Sect belongs to the Ninth Province.

The Ninth Province lies at the southernmost edge of the cultivation world, and Wuduan Senlin happens to be right near the southern border of the cultivation world.

Yuan Yao nodded, then said to Song Yan, "Eldest Senior Brother, I want to cultivate."

"What?" Song Yan thought he had misheard.

"I said, I want to cultivate."

"Here?"

"Yes."

Song Yan's expression turned subtle; he turned around and reached out to probe Yuan Yao's forehead.

Nothing's wrong with her.

How could that junior sister say something so foolish?

Yuan Yao ignored him, directly drawing in the spiritual energy from the air, then refining it and circulating it eighty-one times within her body.

"Don't..." Song Yan had originally wanted to stop her reckless cultivation method, but he never expected she would actually start refining spiritual energy while standing.

Moreover!

The spiritual energy in the air was being frantically absorbed by her body.

Even the well-informed Song Yan was dumbfounded.

Song Yan still worried she might run into trouble, so he spoke up: "Junior sister, cultivating like this makes it easy to go berserk."

Yuan Yao said, closing her eyes, "Eldest Senior Brother, don't disturb my cultivation."

Song Yan: "..."

"Junior sister, cultivation isn't something that can be rushed in a short while."

"Eldest Senior Brother, I can't waste time now." She didn't have much time left.

She now has only three days of lifespan left; if she cannot raise the target's Awakening Value above 50, she will be erased.

She had once asked the 250 System what would happen if, after three days, she didn't eat those ten broken bird eggs.

It replied in one sentence: She would be struck by five thunderbolts.

Seeing that she had truly changed, Song Yan's mood grew somewhat complicated.

Forget it; just let him stare at her.

Meanwhile, Lu Xiangxiang, lagging behind, frowned slightly at the sight—Yuan Yao really was acting recklessly.

Half an hour later.

Yuan Yao's cultivation actually broke through!

She broke through from the Qi Refining Eighth Layer to the Qi Refining Ninth Layer!

Both Song Yan and Lu Xiangxiang were startled.