Volume 4 Chapter 30

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Volume 4 Chapter 30: Untitled

Xu Qingfan suddenly thought that if the mutated Wither Qi, with its death-like properties, was repelled by the opposing nature of the Holy Spirit Qi, then what if he injected life-affirming Wood-type Spirit Qi into the Holy Spirit Stone? Would it also be repelled?

Or, perhaps just like before, when Wither Qi merged with the Death Qi, could the Wood-type Spirit Qi now absorb and merge with the Holy Spirit Qi? If so, would this merged Wood-type Spirit Qi then bring balance to the two qi of Wither and Flourish within the body?

This is what Xu Qingfan is thinking right now.

Although he is not sure and there might be great danger, if this idea comes true, the rewards would be significant. Not to mention how powerful the Wood-type Spirit Qi could become after merging with the Holy Spirit Qi, as long as it can contend with the mutated Wither Qi, it would be greatly beneficial for Xu Qingfan.

So despite the danger, Xu Qingfan cautiously releases a portion of his Wood-type Spirit Qi, carefully channeling it towards the "Holy Spirit Stone," while remaining extremely alert and ready to throw the stone away at any sign of trouble.

To Xu Qingfan’s surprise, the infusion of Wood-type Spirit Qi was very calm. After entering, the Holy Spirit Qi in the Holy Spirit Stone is perceptible, yet it does not react to the presence of the Wood-type Spirit Qi, allowing it to freely wander within the stone.

Noticing this, Xu Qingfan relaxes slightly but remains vigilant. He gently guides the Wood-type Spirit Qi into the Holy Spirit Qi, carefully surrounding a small portion, then begins to slowly refine it.

Things proceed more smoothly than expected, though the challenges are greater than Xu Qingfan had anticipated.

The massive amount of Holy Spirit Qi in the "Holy Spirit Stone," although much stronger than the Wood-type Spirit Qi Xu Qingfan introduced, is possibly due to similar natures, showing no resistance to the changes and allows the Wood-type Spirit Qi to gradually refine it.

However, while Xu Qingfan has experience refining Spirit Qi, those were always within his body, making them easier to handle. But now, due to the presence of the mutated Wither Qi inside him, Xu Qingfan does not dare bring any Holy Spirit Qi into his body. He has to slowly refine it within the "Holy Spirit Stone," which is extremely troublesome and mentally exhausting, far more than when refining Spirit Qi internally.

More importantly, perhaps because the level of Holy Spirit Qi is higher than that of Wood-type Spirit Qi, the refining process was extremely slow. By the time Xu Qingfan’s mind was exhausted, the Wood-type Spirit Qi had only absorbed a tiny trace of Holy Spirit Qi.

Finally, Xu Qingfan’s mind was spent, and he became utterly fatigued. Unable to endure any longer, he gently withdrew the Wood-type Spirit Qi he had been channeling into the Holy Spirit Stone back into his body.

Then, Xu Qingfan began to carefully observe the changes in the Wood-type Spirit Qi that had merged with the Holy Spirit Qi within him. To his delight, he discovered that after merging with the Holy Spirit Qi, the Wood-type Spirit Qi not only retained its original vibrant qualities but also acquired a faint sense of sacred purity. Although he was uncertain about its power, Xu Qingfan believed that once the Holy Spirit Qi merged with the Wood-type Spirit Qi reached saturation, it could balance the mutated Wither Qi again. By then, unless the mutated Wither Qi was used on a large scale continuously, it would no longer pose a threat to Xu Qingfan’s body.

However, when Xu Qingfan recalled the experience of refining and merging the Holy Spirit Qi earlier, a wry smile appeared on his lips. Although the Holy Spirit Qi could be refined, the efficiency was extremely low. To reach the point where the Wood-type Spirit Qi was saturated seemed a distant goal.

In fact, Xu Qingfan’s ability to merge the Wither Qi with death energy was also due to unique circumstances at the time, as the death energy was already present within him. Otherwise, it would be unclear how long it would take to fully integrate the death energy into the Wither Qi.

Regardless, Xu Qingfan finally found a way to balance the mutated Wither Qi, which had always worried him deeply. Even though the path was long, there was finally a direction to follow.

Yet, what would be the power of the Wood-type Spirit Qi once it reached saturation with the Holy Spirit Qi in the future? And what changes would occur in "The Formula of Wither and Flourish" when the balance with mutated Wither Qi was restored? Ever since the mutated Wither Qi had completely suppressed the Wood-type Spirit Qi within Xu Qingfan, he had been unable to use "The Formula of Wither and Flourish."

After observing and familiarizing himself with the Holy Spirit Qi-infused Wood-type Spirit Qi for a long time, Xu Qingfan finally awoke from his meditation.

Slowly opening his eyes, he noticed that it was already dark outside, indicating that Jiuhua Mountain had entered the late hours of the night, yet he had no idea how much time had passed during his unexpected retreat.

In the nearby wooden cabin, Xu Qingfan sensed the unique and familiar Spirit Qi fluctuations that appeared when Ting’er was practicing her mystical arts. It was clear that Ting’er had already refined the two magical items he had given her. This meant that Xu Qingfan had likely been in seclusion for nearly two years this time.

Thinking of this, Xu Qingfan shook his head slightly. As the Deacon Elder of Jiuhua Mountain, he shouldn’t have secluded himself for such a long time without leaving any notice.

Feeling the strange Spirit Qi within him, Xu Qingfan suddenly smiled because he realized that, although he had always commented on how peculiar Ting’er’s Spirit Qi was, the two qi of Wither and Flourish that he practiced might be even stranger.

"Withered Qi" and "Flourish Qi" were what Xu Qingfan called the two new streams of qi within him. However, compared to "Withered Qi," the "Flourish Qi" he was cultivating was still far from forming any substantial presence.

After a self-mocking smile, Xu Qingfan stepped out of the cabin and saw Little Green sleeping outside Ting’er’s room. Upon hearing Xu Qingfan open the door, Little Green lifted its head warily. Seeing it was Xu Qingfan, it bared its fangs unkindly and then went back to sleep.

Seeing this, Xu Qingfan smiled slightly. When did this fearsome demon beast, once dreaded in the Southern Wasteland, become like a household pet to him? Was it due to familiarity, or was it because the Blue-eyed Cloud-foot Beast no longer posed a threat after his power increased significantly?

Strangely, Little Green had never acknowledged Ting’er as its master, and Ting’er hadn’t personally hatched it. Yet, even after evolving and gaining power far beyond Ting’er’s, it remained closely reliant on her, seldom leaving her side. When Ting’er retreated indoors for quiet cultivation, it would loyally stay outside, resembling a faithful pet, not much different.

Sometimes Xu Qingfan maliciously speculated that if time could turn back, Little Green might not have eaten the Spiritual Herbs given by Liu Huaxiang. By doing so, the inseparable Little Green could always stay with Ting’er, instead of waiting outside, even capable of being held in her arms again.

Discarding his idle thoughts, Xu Qingfan stepped towards Ting’er’s room.

However, Ting’er truly had an unusual body compared to ordinary people, especially with her heightened senses. She and Little Green outside the house both noticed Xu Qingfan’s arrival at the same time. Just as Xu Qingfan reached Ting’er’s door, Ting’er had already opened it and was silently watching him, as usual.

Although only two years had passed, Xu Qingfan felt that Ting’er’s skills had noticeably improved. With a mix of emotions in his heart, he smiled and asked, "Ting’er, have you finished refining those two magical artifacts?"

Ting’er nodded obediently.

Xu Qingfan smiled again and said, "I am not as wealthy as Martial Uncle Liu, so I can only give you these two magical artifacts for now. You still lack an offensive magical artifact, and I’ll help you search for one in the future. Although I have an attack artifact, the Ruler of Wither and Flourish, it’s not suitable for you. Yet, with the power of your black flames, I doubt you’ll be much affected even without an attack artifact."

Ting’er nodded once more.

Suddenly, Xu Qingfan was slightly taken aback because he noticed faint and strange fluctuations of Spirit Qi outside his cave’s defense array. Sensing this, he opened a small gap in the defense array, and through the mist formed by the array, a few spiritual lights quickly flew towards him.

With a wave of his hand, Xu Qingfan captured these spiritual lights. As they dispersed, several spiritual talismans appeared in his hand.

Xu Qingfan examined the symbols on these spiritual talismans. They were message charms, designed to deliver the owner’s messages over long distances. It seemed some people had sent these talismans to Xu Qingfan, but they were blocked by the defense array outside his cave. Judging by the weakened state of their Spirit Qi, they had likely been delayed for a long time.

Seeing this, Xu Qingfan didn’t hesitate and infused Spirit Qi into the talismans, whereupon multiple messages emerged in his mind instantly.

"Senior Brother Xu, since Martial Uncle Liu passed away, you haven’t appeared. Are you overwhelmed by grief and unable to control your emotions? Cultivators must keep their minds calm to avoid Qi deviation. It’s not easy to reach the stage you’re at, so please take care of yourself."

The tone was concerned yet filled with reproach, and it was Jin Qinghan who sent it.

"I haven’t heard from you for a long time; is it because of Martial Uncle Liu? It’s good to be loyal and sentimental, but don’t let it harm yourself. Even Martial Uncle Liu in heaven wouldn’t be at peace. Please think it over carefully."

The concern was gentle, and it was written by Dongfang Qingling.

"Martial Uncle Xu, while you’ve been away, the Sect Master asked me to manage the affairs of the three academies, but there are decisions I genuinely don’t dare to make on my own. I hope you can come out soon to take charge."

The tone had a formality and steadiness reminiscent of Xu Qingfan, and it was Li Yuhan who sent it.

"Junior Brother Xu, surely you’re not that fragile? Haven’t you experienced partings before? As cultivators, we should be ready for such things. Are you doing justice to Martial Uncle Liu in heaven by acting this way? Come out quickly; as the Deacon Elder now, you have many duties. Delaying isn’t a solution."

There was a slight gravity in the teasing tone, and it was Lv Qingshang who sent it.

Additionally, there were messages from several other people, whether familiar or not, all expressing concern. Regardless of their sincerity, reading them warmed Xu Qingfan’s heart.

No matter what happens in the future, at least for now, someone still thinks about and cares for him.

Honestly, this feeling, Xu Qingfan really liked it.

However, this accidental retreat was misunderstood by everyone as a result of his heartache over Liu Huaxiang’s passing, which made him smile bitterly.

Suddenly feeling a slight stir in his heart, Xu Qingfan turned to Ting’er and asked, "Ting’er, how long has Uncle been in seclusion this time?"

After asking, he suddenly remembered that Ting’er rarely spoke, and this question might make her uncomfortable or embarrass himself, causing him some regret.

But to Xu Qingfan’s surprise, Ting’er fixed her big eyes on him and then softly said, "It’s been three years."

Has Ting’er been speaking more in recent years?

Xu Qingfan secretly wondered, feeling a bit happy inside, thinking that his efforts to help Ting’er change over the years had paid off.

The continuous care and concern, along with Ting’er’s change, allowed Xu Qingfan to temporarily put aside the shadow of Liu Huaxiang’s death and finally smile sincerely.

In a fleeting moment, Xu Qingfan noticed that Ting’er seemed to show a hint of relief in her eyes.

Xu Qingfan smiled and said, "Ting’er, I’m going to the front mountain. You continue with your practice."

After seeing Ting’er nod, Xu Qingfan didn’t hesitate any longer and rode the clouds toward the front mountain of Jiuhua.

…

Upon reaching the front mountain of Jiuhua, Xu Qingfan first found the sect leader Zhang Hualing to explain his years of seclusion. Then, he sought out the relevant elders to handle the tasks a Deacon Elder should do, like distributing offerings and recording changes at Jiuhua Mountain. He also collaborated with the disciples to manage some of Jiuhua Mountain’s trivial matters, thus completing his duties as the Deacon Elder of Jiuhua Mountain.

Actually, the Deacon Elder is responsible for all the daily affairs of Jiuhua Mountain, which sounds busy, but in reality, as a sect focused on the path of cultivation, there aren’t that many daily trivial matters. Especially since Jiuhua has shut down, there are even fewer tasks.

Moreover, if the Deacon Elder were truly that busy, as a cultivator, one would likely avoid it at all costs.

However, Xu Qingfan is somewhat special. He not only has to fulfill the duties of the Deacon Elder but also manages the affairs of the three academies on Jiuhua Mountain. Previously, Xu Qingfan had already set up the three academies and arranged the disciples and the teaching elders, but even so, the affairs of the three academies remain incessantly busy.

Various training and sparring plans, the occasional teaching sessions of senior elders, and the rewards for outstanding disciples all require Xu Qingfan’s decisions. Thankfully, Li Yuhan assists Xu Qingfan in handling some tasks, otherwise, facing so many issues at once, even Xu Qingfan would find it overwhelming.

After completing the tasks of Deacon Elder, Xu Qingfan first found Li Yuhan to discuss creating a set of procedures for future actions, which reduced his troubles considerably.

After discussing with Li Yuhan, Xu Qingfan visited his friends who had sent him messages to thank them for their concern and explained that his three-year disappearance was due to an unexpected retreat, not because he was heartbroken over Liu Huaxiang.

Only heaven knows how many people, apart from the rigid Jin Qinghan, would believe Xu Qingfan’s words.

After reaching the Core Formation, Dongfang Qingling had already established her own abode without her mentor, who resented all men, watching over her. Nonetheless, Xu Qingfan felt uneasy under her intense gaze and hurriedly excused himself.

By the time all this was done, an entire day had passed.

Only then did Xu Qingfan remember that concerning Liu Huaxiang, although he had collected three magical materials from the second vault, he hadn’t registered them. Also, he hadn’t collected this cycle’s offerings due to his rush. Therefore, he went back to the Jiuhua vault to collect his offerings, which included two thousand high-grade spirit stones, fifty bottles of various elixirs, and some potentially useful materials. He then registered what he had collected and asked Zhang Hualing for leave before flying to the back mountain.

He decided to enter a secluded retreat again after resting for a while. Firstly, the "Rainbow Ruler," "Earth Mirror," and the "Five Spirit Bell" he obtained from the vault had yet to be refined. Secondly, his "Flourish Qi" was far from being developed. Most importantly, the vast Spirit Qi within him, acquired from Niu Hualian, needed refining.

…

Since this retreat was expected to be lengthy, Xu Qingfan started carefully teaching Ting’er about cultivation upon returning to the Jiuhua back mountain. He not only answered all her current questions but also wrote down potential future issues based on his experience, so she could refer to them when needed.

In fact, Xu Qingfan guessed that Ting’er would soon need to retreat as well because she was only a step away from the Lingji Stage.

After recovering his mind and finding peace, he informed those concerned about him outside the mountain, like Jin Qinghan, Lv Qingshang, and Dongfang Qingling, so they wouldn’t think Xu Qingfan had disappeared without a trace because of distress. Then, he made some arrangements with Ting’er and set up a protective barrier outside his room before going into seclusion.

But the first thing Xu Qingfan did after beginning his retreat was not to sit and meditate or check his internal condition; instead, he took out a dark demon beast egg and began to worry over it.

This dark demon beast egg was exactly the "Dark Crow" egg Xu Qingfan had obtained earlier.

Previously, Xu Qingfan was confident with Liu Huaxiang’s constant support, thinking he could easily raise a high-level demon beast, feeling a slight sense of pride among the conflicted young elders. However, unforeseen events unfolded, and shortly after he got the "Dark Crow" egg, Liu Huaxiang passed away.

Xu Qingfan had been overwhelmed with grief over Liu Huaxiang’s passing, but now he realized a practical issue: without Liu Huaxiang’s steady supply, how should he raise the "Dark Crow"?

After hesitating for a while, Xu Qingfan decided to hatch the "Dark Crow" egg. Even if he couldn’t make the Dark Crow mature quickly, it was better than wasting high-level spirit stones annually to maintain the egg. Moreover, Xu Qingfan could take the opportunity to study this mysterious demon beast.

With that thought, Xu Qingfan sat cross-legged, holding the "Dark Crow" egg in his hands, entering a state of clear-mindedness.