Volume 10, Chapter 707 – Who Gave Them Such Courage

“How else could it be? I was someone who failed at Spirit Gathering, so I could only return to my hometown’s county and eke out a difficult living. Fortunately, I later had some fortuitous encounters, so I was lucky enough to step onto the path of cultivation.”

Huang Tian spoke vaguely, for the details were indeed inconvenient to reveal.

Hu Bing was a perceptive man. He could tell his disciple had unspoken difficulties, so he did not press further but changed the subject instead: “Do you know? To see you become a cultivator, as your teacher, I can finally breathe a long sigh of relief. Do you know why you failed at Spirit Gathering back then?”

“I heard… was it Elder He who secretly poisoned me?”

Huang Tian pretended to ask as though half in doubt, half certain.

“If it wasn’t that old bastard, who else could it be?”

Hu Bing then explained the course of events in detail, before speaking with guilt: “That he could poison you, I as your master bear inescapable responsibility. If you had forever missed the path of cultivation because of this, I fear my conscience would never rest in this lifetime.”

“Master, you overstate it. This matter has nothing to do with you. It was my own carelessness.”

Huang Tian quickly reassured him, then continued: “It is rather you, who suffered so many years of hardship outside for my sake, and even lost an arm… that leaves me truly uneasy.”

“It doesn’t matter. Investigating the truth for a disciple is the duty of a master.”

Hu Bing gave a carefree smile.

“Master, this time I came to celebrate your birthday mainly because I wanted to give you something.”

Huang Tian seized the opportunity and placed the Heaven-Mending Crystal on the table. The reason he hadn’t mentioned it earlier in the day was because this item had caught the eyes of the Immortal Alliance, better to remain discreet whenever possible.

Of course, this was deliberately arranged by Qi Huang.

“What is this?”

Hu Bing picked up the Heaven-Mending Crystal and examined it curiously.

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“This is called the Heaven-Mending Crystal. It is an extremely rare and precious holy medicine, capable of repairing damaged bodies. As long as you drink water infused with it, even if you’ve lost limbs, they can grow back again.”

Huang Tian introduced it carefully.

“What? Even lost limbs can grow back?”

Hu Bing’s eyes went wide, and the hand holding the crystal trembled violently.

“Yes. As long as you drink its infused water, your arm will be restored in at most half a year. By then, you will once again be able to cultivate like a normal cultivator.”

Huang Tian said with certainty.

“Such a treasure exists in this world? How did you obtain it?”

Hu Bing asked in shock. His first thought was not for his arm, but for the origin of this item, fearing his disciple might have provoked some calamity for his sake.

“Don’t worry. I once inadvertently saved a father and daughter of distinguished background. This was their reward to me.”

Huang Tian spoke as truthfully as he could.

“Then I am relieved.”

Hu Bing let out a long breath.

“There’s no time to lose. I’ll fetch a bowl of water now, and you can dissolve part of it to drink.”

Huang Tian stood up at once to pour water.

As Hu Bing watched him, admiration deepened in his eyes. He then asked: “With your current cultivation, you’re more than qualified to return to the Honghua Sect. Have you ever considered coming back?”

Huang Tian froze, not knowing how to respond for the moment, since he was but a doppelgänger.

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Qi Huang, listening in at home, immediately sent a mental transmission: “Tell Master that you must protect your family and truly cannot travel far.”

Huang Tian thus answered as his true body instructed. In truth, he thought the same: though he did wish to return, he valued staying by his parents and family even more.

“You could bring your family to the Honghua Sect. With your strength, you certainly wouldn’t remain just an ordinary disciple.”

Hu Bing earnestly suggested, for he truly wished to have this outstanding disciple by his side.

“Better not. My parents and family have long been accustomed to life at home. They truly do not want to leave their homeland.”

Huang Tian explained, and it was indeed the truth.

“In that case, I won’t force you.”

A faint trace of disappointment showed on Hu Bing’s face.

“Don’t worry, Master. Though I am no longer of the Honghua Sect, I will forever remain your disciple. I will come visit you often in the future.”

Huang Tian hastened to reassure him, while at the same time placing the Heaven-Mending Crystal into the bowl of water.

“Good.”

Hu Bing smiled once again at these words.

Moments later, as Huang Tian saw the crystal dissolve halfway, he used chopsticks to retrieve it and then reminded: “Master, please drink this. With your body’s inconvenience, you must have suffered plenty these past two years. It’s time to end that.”

Hu Bing did not hesitate at all, raising the bowl and draining it in one go.

“Be patient. I guarantee that in less than half a year, your arm will be fully restored.”

Huang Tian reaffirmed.

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“You are thoughtful.”

Hu Bing wiped his mouth, gratified.

With a thought, Huang Tian made countless spiritual herbs and a few top-grade swords appear on the table: “Master, these are my gifts to you!”

Hu Bing was startled at the dazzling array of treasures, so much so that he hurriedly stood and said: “What are you doing? You’ve already given me too much!”

“What have I given you? My cultivation is my own, healing your arm is my responsibility. For your sixtieth birthday, surely I cannot give nothing?”

Huang Tian spoke with clarity, and it was indeed the truth.

“What need is there for such distinctions between us as master and disciple?”

Hu Bing said a little embarrassedly.

“Exactly because I don’t wish for things to be so clear-cut, I didn’t take these out in the day to list them in the gift registry. Please understand my filial heart.”

Huang Tian deflected the topic, and before his master could reply, he added: “Once your body recovers, you’ll continue cultivating. These things are essential. Take them. Otherwise, you treat me as an outsider!”

Hu Bing was helpless. After much hesitation, he finally gritted his teeth and said: “Very well, then your master will shamelessly accept.”

After that, the master and disciple simply reminisced together. Qi Huang withdrew her Divine Sense, she hadn’t forgotten the sword hanging above her head.

That night, as always, Qi Huang took her sleeping medicine, hoping to see Lu Yao’s memories, for it had already been several months since last time. Without the support of her true body, she might already have fully transformed into a woman. Even now, she could fall into Feminine Descent at any moment.

This time, Qi Huang finally saw Cheng Ling’s memories again. That one’s Divine Sense was feeble, her body no more than a strip of human skin, incapable of cultivation, nor like a malevolent spirit that could absorb yin energy. She could only hide in a cave every day.

Days passed one by one, and Cheng Ling no longer “dreamed”.

Qi Huang grew anxious. What she truly sought were Lu Yao’s memories. If Cheng Ling did not “dream”, she would gain nothing.

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Qi Huang prayed for heavenly favor. But the truth proved the Heavenly Dao was unreliable. By the time she woke naturally, Cheng Ling still had not “dreamed”.

“Sigh!”

Qi Huang shook her head helplessly. Her mood now was like that of an angler who, after finally finding time to fish at the river, found himself going home empty-handed after a whole day. The feeling was indescribably frustrating.

“Forget it. As long as I haven’t fully succumbed to Feminine Descent, I still have a chance!”

Qi Huang consoled herself, then collected her mood and set out again. Since she had planted Golden Fate Blossom seeds, if she wanted to avoid trouble, she had to make some effort to cover her tracks.

She began roaming about the cultivation world, seeking to buy several Golden Fate Blossom seeds. After all, everyone knew she did not own any. Without openly acquiring a few, if they sprouted at home, she would not be able to explain it.

Soon, she arrived in the Central Continent, the most prosperous region of the cultivation world. But at this time, the storm was already looming. Following her advice, those bait and family members had spread the Immortal Alliance’s scandal as soon as they returned. Since it implicated four or five nations and dozens of sects, it immediately caused an uproar.

The entire cultivation world was stunned. No one had expected that the Immortal Alliance, reputed as the government office of cultivators, would commit such atrocities. Even more unexpected was that the victims dared to expose them, wasn’t this a blatant provocation?

“The Immortal Alliance definitely won’t let those nations and sects go. A great war is unavoidable.”

This was everyone’s thought, so all scrambled to hoard supplies, ready to flee the flames of war at any moment.

Crack!

In the council hall of the Immortal Alliance’s headquarters, the true leader instantly crushed the armrest of the grand chair and thundered at the subordinates below: “Who gave them the courage? How dare they openly provoke the Immortal Alliance?”