Chapter 431: I Accepted It for You

"So beautiful…"

Xiaohe stood on her flying sword, flying side by side with Qiao Xiaoqiao through the void, gazing at the landscape slowly unfolding like a scroll, unable to suppress her awe.

"I've never entered an immortal sect before—I never imagined it would be this wonderful!"

"The spiritual energy here is so dense!"

Qiao Xiaoqiao was surprised. "Really?"

"Yes…" Xiaohe said. "I was once just a wild girl on the mountain. One day, I met my Master and Mistress—they healed my legs and cured my deafness and muteness!"

"Then my Master discovered I had a spiritual root and left me a cultivation scripture!"

"After that, I lived with my grandfather, drifting from place to place."

"Heaven took pity on us—we later met my Master again in Hongshi City, and then joined his sect!"

"Amazing!" Qiao Xiaoqiao gave a thumbs-up. "Xiaohe, honestly, your fortune and opportunities are utterly extraordinary!"

"No one else could reach your level!"

"By the way… how about I talk to your Master later and get you to cultivate in our Free and Easy Immortal Sect? What do you think?"

Xiaohe shook her head. "No… how could that be?"

Qiao Xiaoqiao said, "Why not? I think you're fun. When you join our sect, we can cultivate together!"

"No!" Xiaohe said. "I still have to watch the shop for my Master… you don't know, there's so much to do—I have to be there, not a single moment away!"

Qiao Xiaoqiao rubbed her forehead: Watch the shop… alright.

As they spoke, they flew over another sea of clouds.

Far out at sea, another immortal peak appeared and vanished, vast and ethereal.

"So beautiful!" Xiaohe said, gazing at the elusive peak. "Where is this?"

Qiao Xiaoqiao said, "Yushu Peak!"

"Look… the sea of clouds atop Yushu Peak is legendary. Come—I'll take you to see it!"

Qiao Xiaoqiao turned her body and flew her sword to a cliff edge before Yushu Peak.

The two stood side by side on the cliff, gazing at the endless sea of clouds, mist swirling and flowing, white vapor occasionally revealing fleeting glimpses of immortal peaks.

Truly, it was breathtakingly beautiful.

"Pretty, isn't it?" Qiao Xiaoqiao asked Xiaohe.

Xiaohe nodded. "So beautiful…"

At that moment, a cultivator clad in white Daoist robes, with snow-white hair and a face full of wrinkles, arrived at the cliff's edge.

Qiao Xiaoqiao turned and, seeing him, was startled and bowed. "Wu… Wuqiong Senior Brother?"

Indeed, this man was Wuqiong Daoist.

In the past, he had repeatedly troubled He Pingsheng and harbored delusional desires for Qiao Huizhu.

Later, in Hongshi City, He Pingsheng smashed his false Golden Core with a single punch.

Afterward, when he crossed the Tribulation, his lustful heart remained, and He Pingsheng frightened him into surrendering.

Since then, his Dao heart had cracked, preventing any further progress in cultivation. Now, after so many years, his cultivation base still remained at Golden Core Level Two.

Recently, he had heard of He Pingsheng's performance in the Nine Kingdoms Competition, deepening his Dao heart's fracture even further.

He couldn't compete!

He simply couldn't compete!

"Little Sister Qiao!" Wuqiong bowed, then glanced at Xiaohe beside her. "This junior sister looks unfamiliar…"

As he spoke, Wuqiong's spiritual sense swept over Xiaohe, trying to gauge her cultivation base.

But he detected nothing at all.

His heart leapt again in shock.

Qiao Xiaoqiao said, "Wuqiong Senior Brother… this is my brother-in-law's disciple, Xiaohe… she's already at Golden Core Level Ten!"

Wuqiong frowned. "Who? Brother-in-law? He Pingsheng?"

Qiao Xiaoqiao nodded.

Then she took Xiaohe's hand. "Let's go…"

The two flew away, instantly vanishing into the boundless sea of clouds.

Wuqiong Daoist watched their retreating figures, thought again of all his past grievances with He Pingsheng, then exhaled deeply and murmured to himself: "It seems I truly am inferior to He Pingsheng!"

"Even his disciple has reached Golden Core Level Ten!"

"Sigh…"

"Life is but a dream!"

"Life is but a dream!"

"Chasing greed, following anger, forcing what cannot be obtained—isn't that one dream after another?"

With that, Wuqiong seemed to shed the heavy burden in his heart, exhaling a thick, murky breath.

And at that moment, his cultivation base surged instantly.

Golden Core Level Three, Four, Five…

In one breath, he reached Golden Core Level Eight.

"Great good! Great good! Hahaha!" Guanglong True Person, stirred by the spiritual energy here, stepped forward, eyes brimming with joyful tears. "Wuqiong, have you unblocked your heart? Have you let go?"

Wuqiong nodded. "Master, I haven't just let go—I've truly released it… hehe… come to think of it, I should thank that little girl just now!"

"Her name was Xiaohe, wasn't it?"

…

"Heh… sigh…"

He Pingsheng, drenched in sweat, felt utterly drained—he collapsed heavily onto the pink meditation cushion with a thud.

A sigh escaped him.

Qiao Huizhu pouted, leaned over, and asked, "What's wrong, husband? Still troubled?"

He Pingsheng said, "How do I break through this bottleneck?"

"I thought practicing the 【Hehuan Jiji Jing】 with you would help me break through—but it turned out to be just a dream!"

No breakthrough!

It seems the cultivation world's rule of fleeting encounters truly is everywhere.

"Don't worry!" Qiao Huizhu rested her head on He Pingsheng's chest. "Husband… there are other ways to break through a bottleneck besides devouring the 【Tan Chen Fruit】. I believe you'll one day shatter your self-imposed chains!"

"Mm!" He Pingsheng nodded. "The Dao will not cut off my Immortal Path!"

"By the way!" Qiao Huizhu lifted her head, her gaze fixed on He Pingsheng. "I heard you've taken on another concubine recently?"

He Pingsheng jolted, startled, and sat up abruptly.

"That… Sister, let me explain—it's not what they say!"

"It's all untrue!"

"You must listen to my explanation!"

Qiao Huizhu extended her slender hand and gently pressed He Pingsheng back onto the cushion, her expression tender. "Husband, don't be agitated—I already know the whole story."

"I know you never agreed to their proposal."

He Pingsheng exhaled deeply. "Phew… you understand. Sister, rest assured, I certainly…"

Before he finished speaking, Qiao Huizhu's jade hand covered his mouth.

"Don't speak yet, husband…"

"I've read the Liang Imperial Family's 【Liangdi Tian Gang】 technique!"

"It's indeed formidable—if you learn it, your strength will greatly increase!"

"I've already accepted it on your behalf!"

"Absolutely not!" He Pingsheng said. "Sister… this… it's too unfair to you!"

"Too late!" Qiao Huizhu said. "I've already taken the technique. Now, even if you wanted to send your concubine back, it's impossible!"

As she spoke, Qiao Huizhu pulled a golden jade slip from the emerald-green ring on her finger. "Here… the Liangdi Tian Gang is already here."