Volume 1, Chapter 32 – The Peerless Fairy Causes Trouble (Part 1)

This time, it seemed Huang Qi had taken too much medicine, falling into one dream after another, so the passage of time in his dreams felt incredibly long. Some dreams dragged on slowly, while others flashed by like a revolving lantern.

Under Huang Qi’s watchful gaze, his little loli body gradually grew up. Thanks to the Tongming Comb, by the age of three and a half, her intelligence was already on par with a six- or seven-year-old child. Thus, she was officially taken under Xu Mei’s wing as her twenty-second disciple—and the only personal disciple at that.

“To reach the Spirit Gathering Realm, you must first circulate the Guihai Art to draw spiritual energy from within your body, then unblock your meridians, and finally open the Guanyuan acupoint. These are the three steps, and each must be performed with utmost care. The slightest mistake will undo all your efforts.”

Xu Mei personally came to instruct Huang Qi’s body.

“However, the water spiritual energy within you is unusually abundant. You are naturally suited for water-attribute immortal techniques. With your aptitude, as long as nothing goes wrong, reaching the first layer of the Spirit Gathering Realm shouldn’t take more than three months.”

Xu Mei made this prediction confidently.

‘Three months? That’s monstrous!’

Huang Qi couldn’t help but feel a mix of envy and resentment upon hearing this. Back in his day, he had spent nearly twenty years and still failed to achieve it. Truly, comparisons between people could be infuriating.

“Master, how long did it take my senior sisters to reach the Spirit Gathering Realm?”

Huang Qi’s body asked curiously, her voice still soft and childish due to her young age.

“Most took about three years—one year to gather spirit energy, one year to unblock their meridians, and one year to open the Guanyuan acupoint. Of course, that’s assuming everything went smoothly.”

Xu Mei explained patiently.

‘Three years? So I really was worse than even these ordinary female disciples?’

Huang Qi laughed at himself mockingly.

“Oh! So that means I’ll be ten times faster than them?”

Huang Qi’s body murmured thoughtfully.

“Don’t get too proud. In the cultivation world, there are geniuses from major sects who break through to the Spirit Gathering Realm in just a month.”

Fearing her disciple might grow arrogant, Xu Mei poured cold water on her enthusiasm.

‘A month?’

Huang Qi was at a loss for words. People like that couldn’t even be considered human in his eyes.

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“Really?”

Huang Qi’s body still wore a “clueless” expression.

Xu Mei sighed inwardly. There was no point in explaining further to someone who didn’t understand. A child who had never cultivated before naturally wouldn’t feel any awe toward those peerless geniuses.

And then…

Half a month later, Huang Qi’s body broke through to the Spirit Gathering Realm.

“It seems I still underestimated you.”

Xu Mei was so excited she couldn’t sleep for days.

From then on, Xu Mei secretly funneled all available resources toward little Cheng Hongling. Of course, everything was given discreetly—if the other disciples found out, it would inevitably breed jealousy.

Huang Qi’s body also lived up to expectations, reaching the fourth layer of the Spirit Gathering Realm in just a year. The speed of her progress far surpassed all other disciples in the Honghua Sect.

When Sect Leader Qin learned of this, he was so thrilled he could hardly contain himself. Gritting his teeth, he made the bold decision to secretly divert the entire sect’s resources toward Cheng Hongling.

And so, little Cheng Hongling grew stronger and stronger, leaving all her senior sisters far behind. But unexpectedly, trouble soon followed.

Though the Honghua Sect was hailed as the largest immortal sect in Huangtian Prefecture, its disciples’ innate talents were too lacking, making it much weaker than other sects of the same tier. In their pursuit of strength, they had recruited many disciples from outside the region—Xu Mei’s faction was no exception.

These out-of-town girls had always carried an air of superiority upon arriving at the Honghua Sect. Now, seeing that they couldn’t measure up to a little girl from a “rat’s nest”, they resorted to a different method of winning—using height to belittle Cheng Hongling.

It was true. Though Cheng Hongling came from a decent background, due to genetics, she only looked about the same height as the local girls her age—far shorter than those outsiders.

Fortunately, the outsiders’ taunts about height instantly provoked all the local girls, inadvertently creating many “allies” for Cheng Hongling.

That night, the eldest sister, Ruan Lingyu, gathered all the local junior sisters to discuss countermeasures. After all, young girls were not only competitive but also couldn’t tolerate the slightest insult.

“Those outsiders—when they couldn’t beat Little Junior Sister in talent, they started attacking us over height! How shameless!”

Ruan Lingyu fumed. At thirteen or fourteen, she had already blossomed into a beautiful young girl, her willow-like eyebrows furrowed and her small mouth pouting in anger.

“But Eldest Sister, we really aren’t as tall as them. Should we just stuff ourselves with food and drink?”

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Miao Xiang asked timidly.

“Eating and drinking won’t make you taller—it’ll just make you fatter. Our shortness isn’t because we’re underfed, it’s genetics.”

Yun Fei immediately shot down the idea.

Huang Qi privately agreed. The people of Huangtian Prefecture weren’t short just because of hunger—though that had been the initial cause, over generations, it had become a mix of genetics and malnutrition. Even if they ate well now, their ancestors’ stunted growth had left its mark.

“If only there was a way to make people grow taller…”

Second Sister Yun Fei stroked her smooth chin in thought.

“There is a way, but…”

Ruan Lingyu hesitated.

“Eldest Sister, what is it? Tell us!”

Yun Fei pressed eagerly, and the other sisters looked at her with anticipation.

“My grandfather has a seed of the Golden Life Flower. It’s said that eating it can greatly accelerate physical development, allowing someone to grow very tall—regardless of their parents’ genetics.”

Ruan Lingyu lowered her voice.

‘Golden Life Flower?’

Huang Qi was momentarily stunned. He had heard of it before—from Miao Xiang’s own mouth. The scent on his body came from this very flower. Could there be a connection?

‘So the Golden Life Flower has such an incredible effect? It must be extremely rare.’

Huang Qi mused silently. For the people of Huangtian Prefecture, something that could override genetic limitations and make them tall was nothing short of a dream come true.

“If it’s so amazing, why hasn’t he given it to you?”

Yun Fei asked curiously.

“Yeah! If even one of us becomes taller than them, those stuck-up outsiders will have to shut up!”

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The fiery-tempered Shen Yuan cursed.

“I don’t know. But even if I wanted to eat it now, it’s too late. Grandfather said it only works if taken before the age of six.”

Ruan Lingyu replied.

The sisters exchanged glances, then turned in unison—their eyes landing on Cheng Hongling.

“You… you want me to eat it?”

Huang Qi’s body asked uncertainly, her voice still adorably childish.

“Yes. You’re the only one among us under six.”

Ruan Lingyu stated bluntly.

“Exactly! Once you eat it, you’ll grow taller than them in no time. Then let’s see if they still dare to act so high and mighty!”

Even the usually aloof Su Qingying urged.

“Okay!”

Huang Qi’s body obediently agreed. Clever as she was, she was still just a four-year-old child—far too easily swayed by her older sisters’ coaxing.

A few days later, Ruan Lingyu handed the Golden Life Flower seed to Huang Qi’s body.

Without a second thought, Huang Qi’s body bit through the shell and ate it. The crisp “crunch” sounded like chewing on a walnut.

“Is it tasty?”

Ruan Lingyu asked curiously.

“Mhm! It tastes like walnuts.”

Cheng Hongling licked her lips and replied, then asked eagerly, “Eldest Sister, do you have more? I want another!”

“You little glutton! Do you have any idea how precious this is? My grandfather treats it like a treasure!”

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Ruan Lingyu rolled her eyes playfully and pinched her junior sister’s cheek.

Huang Qi’s body reluctantly gave up. But little did she know—this single bite would bring about a catastrophe!

Then, the scene shifted abruptly—another dream!

When Huang Qi regained his vision, he found himself standing in a grand hall. His parents stood protectively behind him, his master Xu Mei was present, and all the upper echelons of the Honghua Sect had gathered.

‘Something big must have happened.’

Huang Qi guessed.

“Sect Leader Qin, I’ve failed you! This old man is useless!”

Just then, an elderly man with white hair and beard stepped forward, tears streaming as he bowed in apology to Sect Leader Qin.

Huang Qi followed the voice and saw a young girl standing behind the old man—Ruan Lingyu.

At this moment, Ruan Lingyu hung her head low, nervously fiddling with the hem of her skirt, guilt written all over her face.

“Elder Ruan, calm down. Speak slowly.”

Sect Leader Qin quickly tried to soothe him.

“Sect Leader Qin… the Golden Life Flower seed… it’s been eaten.”

Elder Ruan choked out between sobs.

“What?! By whom?!”

Sect Leader Qin’s face paled in shock.

‘Sect Leader Qin’s reaction is so intense… that Golden Life Flower seed must be incredibly valuable.’

Huang Qi’s heart grew heavy with worry for his dream-body and his “adoptive parents”.