Chapter 58: Didn't Expect You to Be a Schemer Too
Senior Brother Cao's cultivation method is a bit too extreme...
Back mountain of the Miscellaneous Dao Institute.
Qin Qin watched as hundreds of strands of sword qi rained down on Cao Youqian at every moment, and couldn't help but sigh in her heart.
Cao Youqian's face was deathly pale, and sweat was pouring down his forehead.
His master's sword qi was far too powerful. If he hadn't already completed four of the five elemental tempering stages, he wouldn't be able to withstand even one strike.
Chu Feng, meanwhile, was leisurely drinking tea while manipulating the longsword in his hand with his divine sense to emit sword qi.
Since the metal element belonged to the sword, Chu Feng used sword qi as a substitute for the final stage of Metal Tempering.
He had already reached the great perfection of sword intent, so helping his disciple temper his body with sword qi was no problem.
Clang. Clang. Clang.
Each strand of sword qi struck Cao Youqian's body with a crisp metallic sound.
Cao Youqian's current body was harder than refined iron, and these sword qi attacks couldn't cause him fatal harm.
Chu Feng glanced over at Qin Qin and saw that the little girl's mouth had formed an O-shape in astonishment.
"Qin'er, don't envy your second senior brother. Once you've mastered your own path, you'll be no weaker than he is."
Qin Qin, who had never been fed such flattery before, instinctively nodded.
"Master, I'll do my best."
"Effort alone isn't enough in cultivation. You also need comprehension and determination. Don't be fooled by how strong your Senior Brother Cao is now—he used to be even weaker than you."
Chu Feng took a sip of tea and continued, "But because his will is unyielding, he's achieved what he has today."
Not far away, Cao Youqian listened to Chu Feng's words, then closed his eyes and entered a state of clarity, wholeheartedly savoring the bitter thrill of sword qi tempering.
Nine full hours passed in a flash.
Qin Qin spent several hours cultivating but spent most of the time watching her senior brother train. She was both shocked and inspired, secretly making a firm resolve: No matter what, I will persevere.
Huff...
Chu Feng withdrew his longsword and let out a deep breath.
"Tempering your body is really no easy task. Thinking about how we still have eighty more days of this instantly depresses me."
???
Cao Youqian was covered in question marks. "Then, Master, how about I find a few people to help?"
Chu Feng replied, "No need. I was just complaining casually. Your eldest senior brother isn't here, and the others' sword qi isn't strong enough to temper your body. I'll just work a little harder."
Over the next eighty days,
Chu Feng's life settled into a regular pattern.
He rested for three hours a day and spent the rest of the time guiding Cao Youqian's cultivation.
Just as Cao Youqian was about to complete his Five Elements Tempering, a major event occurred at the Outer Court of the Sword Dao Institute.
"A Sacred Body! Junior Brother Lin Ping'an has awakened a Sacred Body, and it's no weaker than Senior Brother Lin Qingyu's!"
"I heard the head is going to take Lin Ping'an as a personal disciple!"
"I'm so jealous of Junior Brother Ping'an. But it's strange—he's also surnamed Lin. I wonder what his relationship is to Senior Brother Lin Qingyu?"
"I heard they're distant relatives."
"…"
Within the Sword Dao Institute, Sword Martial King looked at the young man in front of him with a satisfied smile.
"Ping'an, you're quite impressive. From this day forward, you shall be my disciple. Are you willing?"
Lin Ping'an respectfully said, "This disciple is willing to join the head's tutelage."
Though he had his own secrets, he understood the value of having a strong backer.
With Sword Martial King as his master, his status at Wendao Academy would rise dramatically.
"Very well. Tomorrow, I will hold your official initiation ceremony and invite all the esteemed colleagues of Wendao Academy to attend."
Over the past year, Sword Martial King had been living in a state of frustration, as his disciples had left the Sword Dao Institute one after another.
Now that he finally had a new disciple who had awakened a Sacred Body, he naturally wanted to show off to everyone.
He summoned his trusted aide to his side. "You go notify the heads of the other institutes."
"Understood."
The aide accepted the order and then asked, "Should we also invite the head of the Miscellaneous Dao Institute?"
"Of course."
Sword Martial King hadn't forgotten how that brat had made him look bad in the past.
"I'll take care of it right away."
The aide turned and left.
Within the Sword Dao Institute.
When Lin Qingyu heard that someone had awakened a Sacred Body, he was momentarily stunned and began searching his memory for the name Lin Ping'an.
Soon, an image of a handsome young man appeared in his mind.
"So that kid also awakened a Sacred Body."
A follower beside him asked, "Senior Brother, will Lin Ping'an being favored by the head affect your status?"
Lin Qingyu smiled. "It doesn't matter. He was always beneath me in the Lin family, and it's the same here in the Sword Dao Institute.
In the entire Wendao Academy, who besides Xiao Chen could possibly threaten my position?"
Upon hearing this, the others all shouted in unison, "Senior Brother is magnanimous!"
In the Miscellaneous Dao Institute.
Cao Youqian had completed his sword qi tempering. His next step was to break through to the True Fate Realm.
At the moment, he was having a meal with Chu Feng in the head's residence when he suddenly noticed someone flying over in the sky.
Chu Feng immediately put down his chopsticks and looked up. The newcomer was wearing the robes of a Sword Dao Institute elder.
"Head Chu."
The man gave a slight bow to Chu Feng.
"So it's an elder from the Sword Dao Institute. What brings you to the Miscellaneous Dao Institute?"
Chu Feng asked calmly.
The elder replied, "Lin Ping'an of our Sword Dao Institute awakened a Sacred Body during his breakthrough to the True Fate Realm. The head has decided to take him as a disciple and invites Head Chu to attend the ceremony tomorrow."
"I understand. Go back and tell Sword Martial King that I will definitely be there tomorrow."
With those words, Chu Feng began pondering—who exactly was this Lin Ping'an, and why did the name sound so familiar?
"Farewell."
The Sword Dao Institute elder turned and left.
Cao Youqian watched the figure vanish into the distance, then muttered, "Didn't expect that Lin Ping'an really had something up his sleeve. Looks like I'll be able to enjoy this fight."
Qin Qin, hearing this, instinctively asked, "Senior Brother, do you have a grudge with Lin Ping'an?"
"Hmph."
Cao Youqian snorted. "If I hadn't been humiliated by him that day, I wouldn't have been driven to work so hard. In a way, I should thank him."
Hearing this, Chu Feng finally remembered who Lin Ping'an was.
"Master, I want to go down the mountain to break through to the True Fate Realm. Please protect me during the process."
Cao Youqian stood up and gave Chu Feng a deep bow.
Having lived two lives, Chu Feng instantly guessed his intention—he didn't want others to know about his breakthrough.
He chuckled. "Didn't expect you to be a schemer too. Alright, I'll go with you tomorrow night to protect you while you break through."
"Thank you, Master."
Only after saying this did Cao Youqian sit back down. Lin Ping'an, this time I'll give you a huge surprise.
Qin Qin said, "Master, can I come with you and Senior Brother? I've never seen someone break through to the True Fate Realm before."
Chu Feng agreed without hesitation. "Of course. Leaving you here alone wouldn't be right either."
That night, the three master and disciples silently left Wendao Academy.
Several days later, they arrived at a mountain a hundred li outside Wendao City.
After a bit of searching, the three of them found a cave once inhabited by a wild beast.
After driving the beast away, Cao Youqian sat cross-legged and began his breakthrough to the True Fate Realm...
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