“I’m about to break through.”
Xuanya spoke softly, her amber eyes fixed on Lu Qiancha as she said, “The Celestial Ascension Tribulation is coming.”
“Congratulations, Master, on your path to becoming an immortal!”
Lu Qiancha hurriedly responded.
Hearing this, Xuanya chuckled quietly, her voice gentle. “Sixty years ago when I found you on the mountain, you already had this sharp spirit.”
“But…,” Xuanya’s gaze darkened slightly as she sighed, “I’m afraid I won’t be able to survive the Heavenly Tribulation.”
“Master, don’t say that,” Lu Qiancha smiled.
“You will definitely pass through the Heavenly Tribulation. Didn’t you always say that if you don’t even have this bit of confidence, how can you face the trials and tribulations the Dao bestows?”
“You little rascal, now you’re preaching to your Master.”
Xuanya scolded with a stern face, then sighed again. “Qiancha, if I can’t withstand the Heavenly Tribulation, then Tianquanfeng will be in your hands.”
“If the sect wants to reclaim Tianquanfeng, don’t resist.”
“Follow their arrangements. I have already asked a few familiar disciples; they will take you and Gantang to other peaks to continue your cultivation.”
“Master, don’t say such nonsense. You will definitely overcome the Heavenly Tribulation.”
Lu Qiancha said solemnly.
Xuanya said nothing further upon hearing this, only smiling gently before addressing Lu Qiancha softly, “Alright, go back now. It’s getting late. Since there’s still time, focus on your cultivation.”
“Yes, Master.”
Lu Qiancha responded, then stood up and opened the door of the thatched hut behind him.
Halfway out, he glanced back at Xuanya’s humble cottage and sighed softly.
Years ago, Master suffered an injury that left a chronic affliction on her soul. Facing the Heavenly Tribulation in her current state is a death sentence.
But Master is still so desperate to undergo the tribulation and ascend to immortality…
Before becoming the peak leader, Xuanya was one of the disciples of Tianxufeng.
Other disciples who joined the sect at the same time have long since attained immortality; some have even reached the Golden Immortal stage.
Actually, Xuanya still has over a thousand years of lifespan left, but Lu Qiancha knows she no longer wishes to suppress her cultivation level, nor does she want to gamble on whether she can become immortal when her lifespan is nearly gone.
This is why Lu Qiancha plans to refine a Rebirth Pill to save Master’s life.
The key ingredient for the Rebirth Pill… only shows traces deep within Bei Juluzhou.
Coincidentally, one of the teams at tomorrow’s Experience Conference is heading to Bei Juluzhou, so he’ll just follow along.
With his heart heavy, Lu Qiancha slowly returned to her own small hut, not even noticing that his spiritual energy had completely drained, no longer able to sustain the Myriad Forms Mirage Technique.
“Senior Brother, you’re back!”
Inside the hut, Gantang sat at the table, still munching on the sweet cakes Lu Qiancha had bought for her.
“Hm? Why haven’t you gone back to cultivate yet?”
Before Lu Qiancha could answer, Gantang’s pupils suddenly constricted as she shouted, “Monster!”
Her delicate hand trembled, and a long sword glowing with green light appeared in her grasp. “Who are you? Why are you in my Senior Brother’s room, and wearing his clothes?!”
“Ah?”
Lu Qiancha froze at the accusation, hastily raising her hands. As expected, fuzzy little paws appeared instead.
Gantang furrowed her elegant brows and examined the wolf tribe girl dressed in Senior Brother’s clothes from head to toe with a scrutinizing gaze.
Slowly, suspicion turned into sudden realization. “I get it now—you’re Senior Brother’s demon slave!”
“Ah?”
Lu Qiancha’s mind went blank, her tongue tangled, and her thoughts grew more chaotic.
“Hmph, that stinky Senior Brother! Clearly there’s a lively and adorable little junior sister at home, yet he’s still raising a demon slave outside! How outrageous!”
Gantang’s face puffed with indignation as she continued to scrutinize Lu Qiancha.
“You have nothing! No curves upfront, no curves behind! How could you be better than me?”
Gantang’s eyes paused on the furry ears atop Lu Qiancha’s head and her jade-glowing little face. “…Well, I admit you are kind of cute…”
Lu Qiancha shivered under Gantang’s gaze.
Just as she was about to explain, Gantang suddenly exclaimed as if uncovering a great secret, “Oh~~~ I understand now! Senior Brother actually… likes this kind of thing! No wonder after living together all these years, he never showed any interest in me!”
“I’m not that kind of person!”
Lu Qiancha finally snapped, standing up abruptly and shouting in embarrassment and anger, her fluffy tail flaring out in agitation.
“Hm?” Gantang blinked her big eyes in confusion.
“So you’re not Senior Brother’s demon slave?” She tilted her head, her imagination running wild—“Then… are you secretly Senior Brother’s childhood bride?!”
“I am your Senior Brother!”
Lu Qiancha couldn’t help but shout at Gantang.
All excuses and explanations be damned!
If this little girl kept imagining things like this, Lu Qiancha’s lifelong reputation would be utterly shattered!
Right now, Lu Qiancha wanted nothing more than to pry open Gantang’s mind to see what strange ideas were stored inside.
“Pfft! Then I guess I’m your senior sister.”
Gantang chuckled lightly, looking at the wolf tribe girl with the rosy cheeks flushed from anger.
Taking a deep breath, Lu Qiancha began, “Last year during the Spring Festival, you got drunk and wandered into the woods by the lake.”
“You were caught by a recently awakened tree demon for three hours. When I saved you, you kept calling my name.”
Gantang’s eyes widened. Her Senior Brother even told this to this little girl?
Seeing no reaction, Lu Qiancha frowned and continued, “Not only that, there was a puddle of water on the ground at the time…”
“Wait, wait, stop!”
Gantang’s face instantly flushed red as she rushed forward and covered Lu Qiancha’s mouth.
“Mmm mmm mmm…”
Lu Qiancha tried hard to push Gantang away, but the other’s body was unyielding.
“I believe you! I believe you! Senior Brother, please don’t say anymore!”
Gantang shouted loudly, making Lu Qiancha’s ears ring.
“I won’t say anymore, just let me go!”
Lu Qiancha used the last bit of spiritual power she could muster to send a voice transmission to Gantang.
“Oh, oh, oh.”
Gantang quickly released Lu Qiancha and stepped back to the table, lowering her head to look at the wolf tribe girl claiming to be her Senior Brother.
“Ahem.”
Lu Qiancha took out two spirit stones from her storage ring. After breathing in the energy, she felt slightly relieved from the spiritual exhaustion.
“You really are my Senior Brother?”
“Mm… Gantang, I really am your Senior Brother.” Lu Qiancha’s voice stretched out softly, sighing helplessly.
Gantang circled around, examining Lu Qiancha carefully, disbelief in her eyes. After just a few days apart, her Senior Brother had become a smaller, even cuter little sister.
“Senior Brother… how did you end up like this?” Gantang hesitated, then asked quietly.
“That’s a long story…”
Lu Qiancha sighed again and then told Gantang about taking the Demon King Blood.
She omitted the part about the Yin Soul Sect, not wanting her junior sister to worry.