Volume 4 Chapter 22

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Volume 4 Chapter 22: Bestowal of Rank

Thus, Xu Qingfan’s initiation was formally successful.

Although the Spirit Qi poured into Xu Qingfan’s body by Niu Hualian was sealed, so Xu Qingfan’s power didn’t improve after the initiation, his potential greatly increased.

For a period of time, Xu Qingfan’s power could grow at twice its original speed, and once it reached a certain level, he could unlock these ten seals one by one and rapidly refine the Spirit Qi Niu Hualian had infused into him.

Xu Qingfan estimated that once he completely refined the Spirit Qi sealed within his body, in terms of Spirit Qi quantity, he would be on par with the Real Golden Core Stage.

But saying it is one thing, achieving it is another, and Xu Qingfan estimated that to fully unlock these ten seals would take him several decades.

Even so, gaining so much Spirit Qi for free, Xu Qingfan felt as if he had struck a great bargain.

Just hearing the cries of Niu Hualian’s disciples inside the room did not excite Xu Qingfan in the slightest.

It seemed that the weight on his shoulders grew even heavier after this initiation.

Shaking his head, Xu Qingfan decided not to think about it any further. He guided the "Nimbus Cloud" towards the peak of Jiuhua Mountain, as if unwilling to hear those cries, or perhaps fearing it would stir up memories buried within him.

After witnessing so much life and death, even if one’s heart becomes calm, it never becomes numb, nor does one wish to see it again.

In the days that followed, Xu Qingfan diligently stayed atop Jiuhua Mountain, learning the ways of cultivation and life from Liu Huaxiang daily. As time passed, his knowledge grew, and with it, Xu Qingfan’s nature changed in subtle ways.

If these days continued, perhaps decades later, when Xu Qingfan suddenly looked back, he might find his former or current self quite unfamiliar. In just a few decades, his transformation would be profound.

By then, Liu Huaxiang, who had shaped a whole new Xu Qingfan, might not know what to think upon seeing a Xu Qingfan who learned to let go, to be cold-hearted and deceitful.

But could Liu Huaxiang really have decades to guide Xu Qingfan?

It seemed more than a coincidence—Xu Qingfan felt that Liu Huaxiang’s teachings had increased in intensity. He flooded Xu Qingfan’s mind with survival skills and secret cultivation methods, regardless of whether Xu Qingfan could absorb them, with a sense of urgency.

Combined with Liu Huaxiang’s increasingly aged appearance, Xu Qingfan suddenly had a terrifying premonition—the kind and gentle Liu Huaxiang, who had been half mentor, half friend to him for decades, might not have much time left.

But every time this thought emerged, Xu Qingfan forcibly buried it deep in his heart, as if he couldn’t believe it or couldn’t face it.

Or perhaps, it was only in the early mornings, when Xu Qingfan stepped outside and saw Liu Huaxiang already waiting with a carefree and cheerful smile, that his heart felt a bit more at peace.

…

On this day, the darkness in the sky gradually faded away, the first light of dawn rose from the east side of the mountains, and the sunlight slowly dispelled the darkness, spreading across the earth once more.

And it was at this moment that Xu Qingfan awoke from his meditation, slowly opening his eyes, a hint of a sigh passing across his face.

Since the last time Xu Qingfan understood the rule of ‘Wood and Fire Create Wind’ from the Heavenly Way and created the spell "Wind of Desolation," he spent his days deepening his understanding of the rule, expanding the power and applications of "Wind of Desolation," while also meditating, hoping to comprehend other rules of the Heavenly Way and create even more powerful spells.

But as Liu Huaxiang had said before, for a cultivator, the first understanding of a Heavenly Way rule is the easiest. With enough knowledge and skill, one might naturally come to an understanding someday after reaching a certain level of power.

But from then on, each new understanding of the Heavenly Way and creation of a unique spell becomes increasingly difficult. Not only does the required knowledge and understanding of the world increase, but a cultivator can also easily become lost in the rules of the Heavenly Way they had previously comprehended.

For example, lately, every time Xu Qingfan sat to meditate, it was as if he was compelled, and his mind would unconsciously get caught up in the rule of ‘Wood and Fire Create Wind,’ making it hard to focus. Even though in these three months Xu Qingfan had become more proficient with "Wind of Desolation" and its power had grown, he made no progress in understanding other rules of the Heavenly Way.

In this matter, even the all-powerful Liu Huaxiang had no choice but to admit that understanding the Heavenly Way relied not only on strength and experience but also on some luck; it couldn’t be rushed.

This time, as Xu Qingfan just finished his meditation, Liu Huaxiang’s voice suddenly sounded next to his ear.

"Kid Xu, you’ve finally finished meditating. Come out quickly; Gongsun Huasa has been waiting for you for quite some time."

Xu Qingfan was slightly taken aback, and after calculating the time, he realized that half a year had passed, and it was probably time for him to be appointed as Elder Jiuhua.

With that in mind, Xu Qingfan didn’t hesitate any longer. He got out of bed, walked swiftly to the door, and opened it. Outside, he found Liu Huaxiang and Gongsun Huasa waiting for him. Gongsun Huasa was bent over, saying something to Liu Huaxiang.

When your position changes, your mindset should change too.

This was something Liu Huaxiang had once told Xu Qingfan, and Xu Qingfan had kept it in mind.

But now Xu Qingfan realized that this sentence was most appropriately applied to Gongsun Huasa.

Liu Huaxiang somewhat valued Xu Qingfan, so whenever there was something to discuss, he had Gongsun Huasa, who was already the Supreme Protector, inform Xu Qingfan instead of casually sending an elder or even a regular disciple. Thus, over the years, Xu Qingfan had quite a lot of interaction with Gongsun Huasa.

Gongsun Huasa had always been somewhat familiar with Xu Qingfan, usually being very low-key and with a face full of calm. But since becoming the Jiuhua Elder, in charge of the rewards, punishments, and training of the Jiuhua disciples, he changed greatly in just six months. The gentle calmness on his face gradually diminished, while his authority and seriousness increased. Now, seeing his stern, unsmiling demeanor, he resembles Zhou Huahai from before.

Thinking of this, Xu Qingfan smiled wryly. He wondered if he were to truly become the Deacon Elder of the Jiuhua branch, overseeing the daily affairs, how might he change over time?

What puzzled Xu Qingfan was why Gongsun Huasa, as the Supreme Protector of Jiuhua Mountain with a status only second to sect leader Zhang Hualing, still showed such respect to Liu Huaxiang. Was it merely because his level of power was not as high?

But before Xu Qingfan could ponder further, Gongsun Huasa, having already seen Xu Qingfan come out the door, turned to him after bowing to Liu Huaxiang again, and said, "Xu Qingfan, today the Sect Master plans to appoint you as Jiuhua Elder. He has been waiting for you in ‘Linghua Hall’ for some time now. Let’s hurry."

Xu Qingfan apologized, "I lost track of time while meditating and became unaware of time. Please, Supreme Protector, forgive me."

Gongsun Huasa merely nodded expressionlessly and said, "Meditation is natural for a cultivator. It’s good that you practice diligently; no one will blame you. Let’s go."

With that, Gongsun Huasa flew ahead towards the location of ‘Linghua Hall’ on the mountainside.

After bidding farewell to Liu Huaxiang and Ting’er, Xu Qingfan quickly caught up with Gongsun Huasa.

…

The journey was silent, and when Xu Qingfan entered the "Linghua Hall," he found that all the elders of Jiuhua, except those who were in long-term seclusion, were already quietly waiting inside. Among them, Zhang Hualing sat at the head seat, while the elders sat on either side.

In the hall, a row of Jiuhua disciples stood quietly, these were the seventeen disciples who had reached the Condensed Core Stage after twice cultivating in the "Jiuji Cave." Along with Xu Qingfan, all the outstanding disciples from the "Qing" generation of Jiuhua Mountain had appeared in Linghua Hall without exception.

Seeing this scene, Xu Qingfan knew he was the last to arrive and guessed everyone was probably waiting for him. He smiled apologetically at the group, then bowed respectfully to Zhang Hualing and the elders before quickly joining the young disciples like Jin Qinghan and Lv Qingshang.

Meanwhile, Gongsun Huasa was already seated beside Zhang Hualing, quietly observing everyone.

After everyone had arrived, Zhang Hualing nodded silently, then stood up and surveyed the assembled disciples, pausing slightly on Xu Qingfan before moving his gaze away.

Suddenly, Zhang Hualing began to speak.

"Jin Qinghan, Feng Qingtian, Lv Qingshang, Dongfang Qingling, Wang Qingfeng…" After calling out each name, Zhang Hualing asked, "Are you willing to remain forever loyal to our Jiuhua lineage and exert every ounce of your strength to ensure its survival, prosperity, continuation, and legacy?"

His powerful voice echoed throughout every corner of Jiuhua Mountain. All the ordinary disciples stepped out of their houses, looking towards "Linghua Hall" with unwavering gaze, as if it held the future hope of Jiuhua and themselves.

However, in the Jiuhua Hall, the disciples who were about to become elders and even the Jiuhua elders themselves were slightly surprised by Zhang Hualing’s words. Although he had called each disciple’s name, he had deliberately skipped Xu Qingfan’s name.

You must know, even among them, Xu Qingfan stood out as exceptional.

"We are willing."

At this moment, they couldn’t afford to hesitate. After a brief pause, they quickly responded.

It’s unknown what kind of magic has been cast on "Linghua Hall," but even though Jin Qinghan and the others spoke softly, their voice, like Zhang Hualing’s earlier, echoed throughout Jiuhua Mountain, carrying a hint of authority.

Xu Qingfan understood that he might be receiving the position of Jiuhua Deacon Elder separately, so he wasn’t very surprised.

What caught Xu Qingfan’s attention more was that as Zhang Hualing asked the question, a surge of complex and intense emotions suddenly arose within him, a mix of struggle, resentment, and a touch of unwillingness.

Xu Qingfan knew these were Feng Qingtian’s emotions. He couldn’t help but turn to look at Feng Qingtian, only to find Feng Qingtian’s expression still calm, answering Zhang Hualing’s question along with the other disciples without showing any signs of anomaly.

"Could it be that I misjudged?"

Xu Qingfan thought to himself.

But Zhang Hualing paid no attention to the surprise of the disciples and elders and continued to ask, "Are you willing to train the next generation for Jiuhua Mountain after your cultivation, sharing all your knowledge and cultivation methods openly, with no reservations, so that our Jiuhua Sect becomes stronger with each generation?"

"We are willing."

Jin Qinghan and the others replied.

Zhang Hualing then asked a few more questions, and after the disciples all answered affirmatively, he nodded in satisfaction and announced loudly, "I now officially declare that Jin Qinghan, Feng Qingtian, Lv Qingshang, Dongfang Qingling, Wang Qingfeng, and seventeen others will become elders of Jiuhua Mountain. They will gain more authority and will join me and the other elders in striving for the revival of Jiuhua Mountain."

As Zhang Hualing’s declaration concluded, cheers erupted outside Linghua Hall.

The new Jiuhua elders were all outstanding talents from the "Qing" generation of Jiuhua Mountain, well-respected among the young disciples, and some were even idols to them. Therefore, when they became Jiuhua elders, the disciples were very happy.

More importantly, the appointment of Jin Qinghan and others as Jiuhua elders not only signifies a significant increase in the number of elders and a restored strength in appearance, but also heralds the arrival of a new era for the younger generation at Jiuhua Mountain.

Among these cheering disciples, some might also become Jiuhua elders in the future.

For them, Jin Qinghan and others are not only the future hope of Jiuhua Mountain but also a reflection of their own hopes and goals for the future.

After making the announcement, Zhang Hualing turned to the newly appointed elders and said, "Elders, please take your seats."

After Jin Qinghan and others became elders, Zhang Hualing spoke to them more politely.

The new elders bowed in agreement and then took their seats below the senior elders, officially becoming part of Jiuhua’s leadership, eligible to participate in future decisions for Jiuhua Mountain.

Once everyone was seated, they were all surprised to find Jin Qinghan still standing at the center of Linghua Hall beside Xu Qingfan, not having sat down with the others.

Seeing this, Zhang Hualing was also surprised and asked, "Elder Jin, why are you not seated?"

Jin Qinghan looked at Xu Qingfan beside him and then boldly asked Zhang Hualing, "Sect Master, I am curious about what crime my Senior Brother Xu has committed to not be granted the position of Jiuhua elder. Regarding contributions, his efforts in the calamity over twenty years ago are evident to all. As for strength, he was the first among us to master divine abilities. Why then is he not among the newly appointed elders?"

Upon hearing Jin Qinghan’s words, before Zhang Hualing could respond, Gongsun Huasa abruptly stood up, shouting, "Elder Jin, even though you are now an elder, it is very recent. How dare you question the Sect Master’s decisions?"

Jin Qinghan replied with calm dignity, "I do not question the Sect Master’s decisions; I am merely curious and would like clarification from the Sect Master."

Gongsun Huasa was about to say more when Zhang Hualing interrupted him. Zhang Hualing said, "Elder Jin, please sit down for now. I have other plans for Xu Qingfan, which you’ll understand shortly."

Hearing Zhang Hualing’s words, Jin Qinghan was momentarily taken aback. But seeing Xu Qingfan constantly winking at him, he became even more puzzled, vaguely feeling he might have been rash. So he bowed to Zhang Hualing and returned to his seat.

Zhang Hualing suddenly turned to Xu Qingfan, his expression extremely serious, and asked in a booming voice, "Xu Qingfan, are you willing to dedicate your life to protect my Jiuhua Mountain, without regret or hesitation?"

Xu Qingfan knew his moment had come; his question was different from the others’. Yet he remained solemn and replied, "I am willing, Master."

Zhang Hualing asked again, "Are you willing to put our Jiuhua lineage first and devote yourself to safeguarding it?"

"I am willing, Master."

…

After all the questions ended, Zhang Hualing paused for a moment, then announced in a louder voice, "Now, I declare that Xu Qingfan will become the thirty-first Deacon Elder of our Jiuhua lineage, in charge of all our daily affairs."

As his powerful voice echoed throughout Jiuhua Mountain, all the Jiuhua cultivators were utterly stunned. In the "Linghua Hall," some elders even stood up in surprise.