Volume 8, Chapter 523 – Tell Me, Who Is the Real Monster (Part 4)

“Of course, it’s from our cultivation over the past day. It couldn’t have appeared out of thin air, right?”

Qi Huang crossed her arms, looking somewhat smug. Since her injuries had improved slightly, she no longer coughed up blood at every turn.

“She means you cultivated one-sixth of the Qi required for the third layer of the Incarnation Realm in just one day?”

Shi Yuqi turned to Cheng Hongling for confirmation.

“Mhm.”

Cheng Hongling gave an almost imperceptible nod, as she truly didn’t want to steal her doppelgänger’s credit.

“How is this possible? Forget nine points of bloodline, even the legendary perfect ten points bloodline has never shown such absurd cultivation speed!”

Shi Yuqi’s first reaction wasn’t astonishment but skepticism. This outright defied common sense.

“No! There must be something wrong here! This goes against all logic! Cultivation is supposed to be difficult!”

Shi Yuqi began pacing back and forth, scratching her head in frustration.

Qi Huang and Cheng Hongling exchanged glances, both wearing resigned expressions. It seemed that being too extraordinary wasn’t necessarily a good thing, they had practically driven their master into an existential crisis.

“Ah!”

Suddenly, Shi Yuqi’s eyes lit up. “I’ve got it!”

“What?”

Qi Huang and Cheng Hongling quickly leaned in.

“You must have water retention in your Qi Sea due to your injuries.”

Shi Yuqi declared this with an air of certainty.

Cheng Hongling’s lips twitched slightly, clearly suppressing her irritation.

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“Pfft—!”

Qi Huang outright burst out laughing before reflexively retorting, “I think it’s your cerebral cortex that’s waterlogged!”

“Hm? A mere disciple dares insult her master?”

Shi Yuqi narrowed her beautiful eyes, radiating a dangerous aura.

“Well, you were the one who sounded way too happy saying something like that. As if we’re sworn enemies or something.”

Qi Huang immediately turned the tables.

“Ahem, nonsense! Was I happy? I was clearly worried about you! Look, I even shed tears!”

Shi Yuqi’s expression turned slightly unnatural as she theatrically rubbed the corner of her eye, and actually managed to squeeze out a tear.

“Oh? Then I must’ve misunderstood. My apologies! What I meant was, I’ve only heard of hydrocephalus ¹ Hydrocephalus is a condition in which cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) builds up within the brain, aka water on the brain. , never water retention in the Qi Sea. If that really happened, would we still be standing here chatting with you?”

Qi Huang replied nonchalantly, thinking to herself, ‘You did shed a tear, but it wasn’t from sadness, more like envy and bitterness.’

“But this still defies all reason! After reaching the Incarnation Realm, even the slightest progress becomes excruciatingly difficult. If you cultivated one-sixth of the Qi for the third layer in one night, doesn’t that mean you could break through to the fourth layer in just six days?”

Shi Yuqi still couldn’t accept what she was seeing.

“Exactly. That’s why I said I’d replace Hua Yu. Did you think I was joking? The reason I didn’t agree to leave immediately yesterday was because you didn’t believe me, so I wanted to prove it.”

Qi Huang laid out her reasoning.

“But… but how? Your bloodline is only eight parts!”

After a moment of silence, Shi Yuqi asked again, unwilling to let it go.

“Sorry, Master. This involves my ancestral cultivation technique, so I can’t tell you.”

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Qi Huang, ever the smooth liar, answered without hesitation.

Shi Yuqi tactfully didn’t press further and fell into silence. After a moment, she grabbed Cheng Hongling’s hand and dragged her toward the room, saying, “Fine, if you want me to believe you, cultivate right now in front of me. With such an outrageous growth rate, your absorption speed of water-based spiritual energy should be equally insane.”

“Sure, but you can’t use your Divine Sense to probe. Our technique is a closely guarded secret.”

Qi Huang warned. Since she was using her Heavenly Tribulation Realm Divine Sense to manipulate Qi circulation, any probing from Shi Yuqi would immediately expose her true strength.

“Deal! Now hurry up!”

Shi Yuqi urged impatiently.

“Leave it to me. The Anemia Paste hasn’t completely worn off yet anyway.”

Qi Huang communicated telepathically with her main body.

Cheng Hongling acknowledged, then retreated into the Sea of Consciousness with her doppelgänger and activated the Character-Shifting Art.

Qi Huang then took control of the main body and began cultivating. The surrounding water-based spiritual energy was drawn toward her, rushing into her Qi Sea so fiercely that a vortex of spiritual energy formed around her.

At the same time, the temperature in the room began to drop. Water droplets condensed densely on the floor and furniture before rapidly freezing into ice.

Shi Yuqi’s eyes widened to the point where they nearly popped out of her skull, and her mouth hung open wide enough to fit a duck egg.

To play it safe, Qi Huang put on a brief performance before switching back with her main body and exiting the Sea of Consciousness.

“Well? Master! Did I lie? With this kind of absorption speed, isn’t it possible to cultivate that much Qi in one night?”

Qi Huang smirked triumphantly.

“Good heavens! With this kind of cultivation speed, are you trying to make me die of envy so you can inherit Biyu Peak? Who was it that said the path of cultivation was long and arduous?”

Shi Yuqi muttered dazedly.

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“Master, compared to that Hua Yu, how does this cultivation speed stack up? Can I replace her?”

Qi Huang asked smugly.

“Replace her? You could make her your foot-washing maid and it’d still be an honor for her!”

Shi Yuqi snapped out of her daze, her lips trembling from excitement. She pulled out a piece of paper from her sleeve. “This records her cultivation speed during the Incarnation Realm.”

“You actually went and asked the Sect Master?”

Qi Huang was shocked.

“Of course! As your master, how could I not have even a little faith in my disciple?”

Shi Yuqi grinned proudly.

Cheng Hongling took the paper and scanned it. It detailed the time Hua Yu had spent breaking through each minor layer in the Incarnation Realm. Just as she had expected, even for the first layer, the woman had taken four months. From entering the Incarnation Realm to advancing to the Divine Ability Realm, she had spent a full fifteen years.

“Four months just for the first layer, and fifteen whole years to go from Incarnation to Divine Ability Realm, and she dares call herself a monster?”

Qi Huang sneered.

Hearing this, Shi Yuqi’s lips twitched even more violently.

“Master, does this mean we don’t have to leave now?”

Cheng Hongling put away the note.

“Of course not!”

Shi Yuqi declared firmly, then grabbed Cheng Hongling’s hand and dragged her outside. “Come with me to see the Sect Master. Until Biyu Peak sheds its title as the worst peak in Huarong Sect, no one is leaving!”

And so, the master and disciples went to find Hua Ruyi.

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“Sect Master, has Hua Yu had a change of heart yet?”

Shi Yuqi asked instinctively.

“No. It seems she’s truly made up her mind this time. Who knows what kind of bewitching spell Cao Yang cast on her.”

Hua Ruyi sighed wearily. The recent turmoil with the disciples had left her utterly drained.

“It’s fine. If she wants to marry, let her. Just strip her of her Holy Maiden title, that’ll minimize the fallout.”

Shi Yuqi suggested nonchalantly.

“I’ve considered that. But once she’s no longer the Holy Maiden, it’ll be like cutting ties with her entirely. What about Huarong Sect’s future? During the last meeting, you heard her say it yourself, if she’s no longer the Holy Maiden, she won’t lift a finger for the sect.”

Hua Ruyi shook her head helplessly.

“No problem. The future? We have her!”

Shi Yuqi pushed Cheng Hongling forward without hesitation.

Hua Ruyi scrutinized Cheng Hongling again before sighing. “She’s indeed a promising seedling. But compared to Hua Yu, she’s still far inferior. She can’t shoulder the responsibility of elevating the sect.”

“Don’t be so sure. This girl advanced from the second to the third layer of the Incarnation Realm in a single night. Then, in just one day, she cultivated one-sixth of the Qi needed for the third layer. With such terrifying speed, can she not carry Huarong Sect’s future?”

Shi Yuqi pressed firmly.

“What? Disciple Shi, you can’t be serious! Such cultivation speed, even those with nine or ten points of immortal bloodline have never achieved this!”

Hua Ruyi’s first reaction, naturally, was disbelief.

“Disciple, show the Sect Master what you can do.”

Shi Yuqi gave Cheng Hongling a meaningful look.