From that day on, Xuan Lingzi started Closed Door Training, nursing his Primordial Life.
Qing Jun kept his Pill Form, staying in Luo Jianqing’s Interspatial Ring quietly. The treatment costed him too much Pill Energy. In need of a good rest, he informed Luo Jianqing of it prior to his sleep, otherwise Luo Jianqing would surely worry about him.
Suddenly, Luo Jianqing and Mo Qiu were the only two left on the whole Yu Xiao Peak.
During this time, Luo Jianqing kept practicing sword to relieve his depression. It was when Sir Hao Xingzi came to the Yu Xiao Peak to inform him to get prepared for the Competition that Luo Jianqing finally regained his normal state of mind.
One day before the Septennial Competition, Zuo Yunmo came to the Yu Xiao Peak to tell him the procedure of this year’s competition.
Hanging the Qing Yun Sword at the waist and wearing a flaxen robe as always, Zuo Yunmo was smiling blandly, “like the past ones, this time, you can decide whether you want to watch the competition among Qi Condensation Period disciples and Foundation Establishment Period disciples. This year, you are the only one – of all the Tai Hua Mountain’s disciples – who reached the Nascent Soul Period, so there is no need to compete with Gold Core Period disciples.”
Luo Jianqing nodded slightly, “brother, last time you said that you already reached a higher level and asked me to be your practicing rival. When will you have time?”
A touch of bleakness raised in Zuo Yunmo’s eyes but was belied by him immediately, “how about we wait until I reach the Nascent Soul Period? That way we could be real matching rivals.”
Luo Jianqing was surprised, “you can break through Nascent Soul Period?”
“Within one year, I believe.”
Luo Jianqing complimented Zuo Yunmo again. They chatted for a while until Zuo Yunmo said it was time for him to leave. Pretended to be careless, he asked Luo Jianqing, “that Cultivator Mo, is he the one who spent three years with you in the Liu Yan Valley and together you guys conquered all the difficulties?”
Luo Jianqing smiled, “yes.”
Zuo Yunmo nodded with a smile. Without asking more about Mo Qiu, he left quickly.
Luo Jianqing turned his head and saw Mo Qiu standing behind him. This friend of him seemed obsessed with scarlet dress. Among all the cultivators Luo Jianqing met in his life, except Little Sister, no one kept dressing in this color. However, scarlet looked good on Mo Qiu, who had a delicate glamorous visage.
Mo Qiu sneered slightly, “Seems like Tai Hua Mountain’s young generation of disciples are not that promising.”
Luo Jianqing paused a second, then he said, “A hundred years ago, our Tai Hua Mountain sent lots of brilliant disciples to the battlefield to fight with Demon Beasts and to defend humans. Little to none of the generation prior of mine was able to come back alive. Honored as the leading sect of three thousand sects, Tai Hua Mountain has the responsibility to put more efforts in it.”
Mo Qiu kept quiet. After a long silence, he said, “that Junior Brother of yours only has a high-level First Grade Spiritual Bone. It’s good enough for him to reach late-stage Gold Core Period before he’s sixty years old.”
Luo Jianqing knew the meaning behind these words. Mo Qiu was complimenting Tai Hua Mountain’s disciple. No matter for Dao Cultivator or for Fiend Cultivator, there was one thing that was not going to change – the hostility to the Demon Beast Clan. Almost a whole generation of Tai Hua Mountain’s disciples lost their lives to protect the Human Clan. It was indeed respectable.
Luo Jianqing said, “though Second Junior Brother has the worst Spiritual Bone among the seven of us, he is very hardworking. Just like you. Your Spiritual Bone is not that promising, but you’ve reached Late-stage Nascent Soul Period within sixty years of cultivation. You already surpassed Yan Su of Duan Hun Sect. Mo Qiu, do you really think Spiritual Bone is that important?”
Mo Qiu smiled, “well said, I like your idea.”
Luo Jianqing was speechless, “why do I care if you like it or not?”
Mo Qiu raised an eyebrow, “well, maybe one day I will save your life one more time?”
Expressionless, Luo Jianqing said, “can you stop cursing me facing life-threatening dangers?”
Mo Qiu bursted into laughter.
The next day, Luo Jianqing bowed in front of Xuan Lingzi’s house, telling his Master he was about to attend the Septennial Competition.
This time, again, silence was what responded to Luo Jianqing. However, suddenly a bleak voice reached Luo Jianqing’s ear, “you’ve reached Nascent Soul Period. Surely you should broaden your horizon. This time, the Four Sects and Eight Clans aren’t aiming for good. Duan Hun Sect’s Yan Su is also an Early-stage Nascent Soul Period cultivator, but his Nascent Soul is more stable than yours. Jianqing, be careful.”
Luo Jianqing wasn’t expecting hearing such a long sentence from his Master. He felt something warm and tender melted at the tip of his heart. It’s like something had changed. Luo Jianqing said, “Master… I thought you will say ‘do not dishonor Yu Xiao Peak’ again.”
It was quiet inside the house, Luo Jianqing kept asking, “you really think that’s unnecessary?”
Still only silence replied him. Pretending to feel upset, Luo Jianqing sighed, and said with naughtiness hidden in his voice, “well, Master, if this time I dishonor Yu Xiao Peak, you cannot blame me for that. After all, it was you who didn’t warn me about that, so I…”
“Luo Jianqing, do not dishonor our Yu Xiao Peak!”
The voice was combined with Spiritual Power, and it hit Luo Jianqing right at his ears. Angry indeed, but it didn’t hurt Luo Jianqing at all.
Luo Jianqing couldn’t hold back his smile. These days’ depression was finally relieved. He said, “alright, Master, I will compete on behalf of our sect, but I still want to know that if I do bring glories back, will there be any reward? For instance, how about opening the door? There is no need to open the postern for now. It’s good enough if you can open the front door and… cough, cough, cough…”
A sword light flew out from the house and knocked Luo Jianqing into the air. The disciple landed on the ground, still not hurt.
“Nonsense!”
Luo Jianqing chuckled and walked towards the bamboo house. He whispered something in front of the gate then walked away. Luo Jianqing asked Mo Qiu who was sitting at the Stone Pavilion to go downhill together with him. Mo Qiu didn’t show a pleasant expression along the road. As soon as they got out of the Yu Xiao Peak, he asked Luo Jianqing directly, “what were you guys talking about in secret?”
Luo Jianqing took a glance at him, “I have no idea you are so interested in digging others’ secrets.”
Mo Qiu sniggered, “Nonsense! Do I look like that kind of person?”
“Then why did you ask that question?”
“That was… because I care about you.”
“Well, I am the one who have the right to decide whether to tell you or not. I prefer the latter option.”
Mo Qiu, “…”
Cang Shuang Peak wasn’t far from Yu Xiao Peak. Soon, they saw the crowded cultivators who gathered together at the square of Cang Shuang Peak. The competition already got to the part among Foundation Establishment Period disciples. Two Tai Hua Mountain’s disciples immersed themselves into the rivalry. Though both of them didn’t reach a high-level cultivation, their skills and abilities still amazed the audience.
When Luo Jianqing arrived at the square, countless gazes fixed on him.
Tai Hua Mountain’s disciples’ eyes were kindling with admiration. Some of the Junior Sisters were even flushing. Many other common disciples were also fixing their eyes on Luo Jianqing with worship, as if they finally saw their idol. Suddenly, the audience were rippling with mumblings.
