Chapter 113: The Challenge of the Ice Extreme Sect

“You kid, why suddenly interested in this empty spirit root?”

Yu Ning looked at He Pingsheng with confusion.

He Pingsheng slipped away quickly, saying: “Master, I must hurry to cultivate… I feel my time is running out!”

Joking!

If I keep dawdling while others are this powerful, I’m practically dead already.

No way!

Cultivate!

Hurry up and cultivate.

After returning to his own courtyard, He Pingsheng hung out another sign reading 【In Seclusion】.

Zhao Linger, Tian Xiaoqing, and Xu Kunlun all wanted to gossip about him and Qiao Huiyu, but all were turned away.

He Pingsheng refused to see anyone.

At this moment, He Pingsheng sat cross-legged in his cultivation ground and began to cultivate.

Now, all his dantians were at Level Eight.

Moreover, both his Soul Refining and Body Refining techniques had also reached Level Eight.

Originally, He Pingsheng had planned to skip cultivation during this period, instead studying array knowledge slowly, learning how to set up arrays, and gradually raising his cultivation base to avoid making his striking Five Element spirit root’s advancement look too abrupt.

But now, he couldn’t care less.

He had to raise his cultivation as quickly as possible.

He swallowed a supreme-grade Qi Gathering Pill and frantically activated the 【Li Huo Zhen Fa】 to begin cultivating.

After several days, He Pingsheng consumed one supreme-grade pill.

“Younger brother, younger brother… open the door, something’s wrong!”

“Younger brother, open up!”

“Number Nine!”

Several days later, anxious voices came from outside—Zhao Linger, Xu Kunlun, and others.

He Pingsheng didn’t know what had happened, but he guessed it must be serious, otherwise his senior sister wouldn’t be so frantic; so he opened the door and stepped out of the courtyard.

“Something’s wrong!” Seeing He Pingsheng, Zhao Linger grabbed his cultivation robe: “Someone has come to challenge you!”

“Challenge?”

He Pingsheng’s heart sank, and he asked: “Are they from the Ice Extreme Immortal Sect?”

“How did you know?” Zhao Linger was startled, then added: “Yes, it’s the Ice Extreme Immortal Sect—this guy’s name is Xiao Xuan, and he’s at Qi Refining Level Ten!”

“He’s right now in Master’s palace!”

“Younger brother, when did you offend him?”

He Pingsheng’s face twisted in bitterness: “I’ve never even met the bastard!”

“Come on, let’s go see!”

With Zhao Linger and Xu Kunlun, He Pingsheng arrived at Yu Ning Palace.

“Perfect!” Yu Ning said: “Number Nine, come over here!”

He Pingsheng entered the palace.

His gaze swept across and saw two people.

One was a thin, elderly man, shriveled like an ancient corpse.

Though he looked ready to collapse, the terrifying aura he unconsciously emitted proved he was far from ordinary.

Beside the old man stood a tall, handsome male cultivator.

When He Pingsheng looked at him, his gaze turned toward He Pingsheng, studying him.

Then the man smiled and said: “This is He Pingsheng?”

“Yes,” He Pingsheng nodded.

The man said: “I am Xiao Xuan.”

He Pingsheng wasn’t surprised.

Xiao Xuan continued: “I’ve heard He Pingsheng is mediocre in cultivation and appearance, but seeing you now, I realize the rumors are true!”

“Qiao Sister, Qiao Sister… such a prodigy, how could she possibly choose you?”

From the moment Xiao Xuan spoke, he belittled He Pingsheng’s cultivation and looks.

But He Pingsheng merely smiled, his mind untouched, and said calmly: “That’s my marital affair—no need for you to concern yourself.”

“You—” Hearing this, Xiao Xuan immediately snapped, his face turning pale and dark as thunder.

Yu Ning, seated on the main seat, exhaled in relief.

Regardless of other things, just from this composure, his disciple had already gained the upper hand.

“I won’t waste words!” Xiao Xuan said: “He Pingsheng, I represent the Ice Extreme Immortal Sect in challenging you—do you dare accept?”

“Xiao Xuan… step back!”

The shriveled old man beside Xiao Xuan finally spoke: “Let me handle this.”

“Yes,” Xiao Xuan took a deep breath, shot He Pingsheng a furious glare, and stepped back.

The shriveled old man didn’t look at He Pingsheng, but turned to Yu Ning and said: “Yu Ning, the girl from the Qiao family was originally betrothed to my Xiao family—she was to be our daughter-in-law!”

“Now she suddenly betroths herself to your Grand Void Gate—of course the young ones are upset.”

“My point is, in the cultivation world, the strong rule.”

“Let the two youths fight—winner takes the Qiao girl’s hand in marriage. What do you say?”

Yu Ning coldly laughed: “Xiao Bing, your words are wrong.”

“My Grand Void Gate disciple is already betrothed to the Qiao family—can we just revoke it?”

“If we accept such a challenge, won’t the entire cultivation world laugh at us?”

“Besides, my disciple is only at Qi Refining Level Eight, while your Xiao Xuan is already Level Ten.”

“Is it fair to pit Level Ten against Level Eight?”

Yu Ning’s voice was quiet, but her tone was firm.

“Hehehe…” Xiao Bing chuckled coldly: “Cultivators value reputation above all—if you won’t even accept a challenge, you’re a coward. Would the Qiao family really want such a son-in-law?”

“Here’s my proposal!” Xiao Bing thought for a moment: “My Xiao Xuan will wait for you at Qi Refining Level Ten—for three years.”

“Surely within three years, you can reach Qi Refining Level Ten?”

“Then you two can fight fairly. What do you say?”

Yu Ning’s face turned black.

Three years!

Accept?

If his disciple still can’t reach Level Ten, he’ll just get beaten anyway.

If he refuses, they’ll mock him as worthless, unable to break two levels in three years.

This was indeed a hard choice.

“Number Nine!” Yu Ning looked at He Pingsheng: “What do you think?”

He Pingsheng smiled and said: “I’m sorry, but I can’t fulfill your wishes.”

“In three years, I won’t reach Qi Refining Level Ten!”

At these words, Xiao Xuan and the old man both laughed.

Xiao Xuan said: “He Pingsheng, are you really this worthless? You can’t reach Level Ten in three years?”

“Let me tell you straight—I started cultivation at twenty, and went from Level One to Ten in just two years and nine months!”

“Compared to me, you’re pathetic!”

He had intended to humiliate He Pingsheng with his impressive cultivation speed.

But He Pingsheng remained expressionless and said: “No, no… Brother Xiao, you’ve misunderstood.”

“I’m not like you, who only has cultivation to worry about!” He Pingsheng said: “I have other things to do.”

Xiao Xuan asked: “What things?”

He Pingsheng said: “Dates… I go to Tianfu Mountain every ten or fifteen days to meet my Qiao Sister, talk, chat—how could I possibly spare time for cultivation?”

Puh…

Hearing He Pingsheng’s words, Xiao Xuan nearly spat out a mouthful of blood.