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Chapter 192: Chapter 192: He has given it his all, and I...
Hearing the calm tone of Luo Cheng, Chen Lingyu was somewhat surprised.
Matters of life and death like this would have left most people in perpetual unrest, unable to eat or sleep, yet Luo Cheng seemed entirely unaffected.
"Junior Brother, are you not the least bit afraid?"
Chen Lingyu couldn’t help but ask.
"What good would fear do?"
Luo Cheng shook his head, lifting his gaze toward the distance. "From the moment I first picked up a sword, I never entertained the thought of fleeing from battle."
The verdant mountains stretched endlessly into the horizon.
At the far end lay the direction of the Ji Family!
If even such obstacles could not be surmounted, how could he even speak of going to the Ji Family?
Chen Lingyu’s eyes reflected a brief moment of shock.
In that instant, she sensed an unyielding resolve to face death emanating from Luo Cheng!
At this moment, Chen Lingyu finally understood why Luo Cheng could achieve Sword Heart Perfection in the Transcendence Realm.
For a swordsman, the most crucial cultivation lies in one’s heart.
Without firm resolve, how could one ever bear the sharpness of the sword?
"Just what kind of experiences has this Junior Brother endured..."
Chen Lingyu stared at Luo Cheng, deep in thought, before sliding her finger over her Storage Spirit Ring, retrieving a wooden box, and handing it to Luo Cheng.
Luo Cheng looked somewhat surprised. "Senior Sister, what is this?"
Chen Lingyu smiled faintly, her beauty dazzling. "Inside are seven thousand Essence Energy Pills. Master mentioned that the more Spiritual Medicine and Spirit Pills you prepare when breaking into the Golden Body Realm and attempting to enter the Tongxuan Realm, the better."
"This..."
Luo Cheng was visibly taken aback.
Seven thousand Essence Energy Pills were no small amount, likely representing her entire fortune!
Chen Lingyu playfully raised her eyebrows, her smile enchanting. "These Essence Energy Pills aren’t a gift without strings attached. Think of them as my investment. Once you break into the Tongxuan Realm and defeat Yan Qi, you must repay me double in the future. How about that?"
Luo Cheng felt a warmth in his heart and bowed deeply to Chen Lingyu.
"Thank you, Senior Sister! Someday, I shall repay you triple!"
Though most discerning individuals believed Luo Cheng’s duel against Yan Qi would be a guaranteed loss,
Chen Lingyu had entrusted such a significant fortune to him at this time, demonstrating her trust in him.
Stowing the wooden box away, Luo Cheng said, "Senior Sister, do you think there will be trouble with Ren Qian?"
Chen Lingyu shook her head. "Don’t worry. In the Outer Sect, as long as you don’t cross too many lines, Master can protect you. Besides, in this matter, the fault doesn’t lie with you. You only need to focus on preparing for the duel in three days."
Luo Cheng nodded. "I’ll go check on Gu Lingfeng."
"Let’s go. I’ll come with you."
Inside a modest courtyard.
Gu Lingfeng lay on the bed, his entire body wrapped in bandages, though he had already regained consciousness.
"Gu Lingfeng, how are you feeling?"
Seeing Gu Lingfeng’s pale face, Luo Cheng asked worriedly.
Gu Lingfeng’s lips moved. "It’s not too serious. With a month of rest, I should make a full recovery."
Luo Cheng was silent. This was a critical period for cultivation, and being delayed by one or two months meant falling behind others.
Seeing the somber mood, Chen Lingyu smiled. "Luo Cheng has already avenged you. The fate of those people was far worse than yours!"
Hearing this, Gu Lingfeng’s eyes lit up, though he seemed a bit surprised. Upon seeing Chen Lingyu, he then understood, assuming it was her who had defeated Ren Qian.
"Thank you!"
Luo Cheng shook his head. "What are you thanking me for? This incident arose because of me; you were merely caught in the crossfire."
As he spoke, Luo Cheng produced a porcelain bottle and a wooden box.
"Here’s a Two-star Healing Spirit Pill to speed up your recovery. And this wooden box contains one thousand Essence Energy Pills. Split it equally with Yuan Zhilan—five hundred each. Use it to buy some Spiritual Medicine to aid your cultivation and strive to break into the Tongxuan Realm as soon as possible."
Gu Lingfeng was astounded. "A thousand Essence Energy Pills! That’s far too valuable! And besides, your duel with Yan Qi is in half a month, and you’re about to attempt the Tongxuan Realm. You need these pills more than anyone else..."
"Enough. What I give cannot be taken back. If you refuse, it means you don’t see me as a friend."
Luo Cheng interrupted him.
"Alright then..."
Gu Lingfeng knew Luo Cheng’s temperament. To insist further would seem overly formal.
Luo Cheng turned to Chen Lingyu. "Senior Sister, may I let others stay in my Xuan Yi Residence?"
Chen Lingyu replied, "Xuan Yi Residence was a gift from Master. Naturally, you can decide what to do with it."
Luo Cheng nodded and addressed Gu Lingfeng and Yuan Zhilan:
"From now on, both of you should stay in Xuan Yi Residence."
Once something happens, more problems could follow. Considering he had severely injured Ren Qian and his companions, Luo Cheng worried the Crown Prince Hall’s members might retaliate against Gu Lingfeng and Yuan Zhilan.
Since Xuan Yi Residence still had three unused courtyards, it seemed wasteful for him to occupy it alone.
The group then exchanged stories about their experiences in recent times and events that had transpired during the Green Cloud Trial.
In just a few months, they felt as though years had passed.
Especially Gu Lingfeng and Yuan Zhilan.
Having entered the Outer Sect at the same time, neither could have imagined that within just over four months, Luo Cheng would far surpass them, even reaching the Golden Body Realm—a feat not achieved in the Great Yue Dynasty for a century!
As Luo Cheng visited Gu Lingfeng,
a piece of news spread like wildfire, sweeping through the Outer Sect.
"Did you hear? In three days, Luo Cheng will battle Yan Qi early at the Martial Arts Square!"
"That can’t be true! Luo Cheng should be dodging this battle, not advancing it!"
"It’s absolutely true. Luo Cheng personally confirmed it, and many were there to witness it!"
"He’s gone mad! Completely insane! Senior Brother Yan Qi is a Peak First Layer Tongxuan Realm Martial Artist. He could crush Luo Cheng into a bloody pulp with just one hand!"
"It must be arrogance clouding his judgment. After reaching the Golden Body Realm, he probably thinks he’s invincible. But in the end, he won’t even know how he died!"
Soon, most of the Outer Disciples heard of this matter.
The consensus was that Luo Cheng had lost his mind, overconfident beyond reason, and was inviting his own destruction!
Within a luxurious courtyard.
Ren Qian lay on a bed, his body tightly wrapped in blood-stained bandages, teetering on the edge of life and death.
In the room stood several young men and women, all emanating extraordinary auras and powerful Essence Energy fluctuations—every one of them a Tongxuan Realm Martial Artist!
Bam!
A tall and imposing young man, whose features bore some resemblance to Ren Qian, slammed a solid wooden tea table into splinters and roared:
"I’m going to kill that brat!"
The towering young man was none other than Ren Qian’s older brother, Ren Xiaoguang!
"Senior Brother Ren, calm yourself!"
A peach-eyed woman stepped forward to block Ren Xiaoguang, urging, "Don’t forget, Luo Cheng is Elder Chen Xuan’s Direct Disciple. If you take action against him, you’ll face punishment and gossip. Moreover, that girl Chen Lingyu is by his side."
"Chen Lingyu? She’s just a defeated opponent!"
Ren Xiaoguang let out a heavy snort before reluctantly sitting back down.
The peach-eyed woman sighed. "We underestimated him. Though he hasn’t broken into the Tongxuan Realm, he managed to defeat Ren Qian! It’s simply inconceivable. Yan Qi, this duel is no longer only about your victory but also about preserving the honor of the Crown Prince Hall. Are you confident?"
Everyone turned their gaze to Yan Qi.
Faced with their stares, Yan Qi smiled confidently. "You’re overthinking it. He merely managed to scrape a victory against Ren Qian. Judging by the result, he must have used everything in his arsenal. His strength at best is equivalent to a Late Stage First Layer Tongxuan Realm. And I..."
As he spoke, Yan Qi flicked his finger, and a burst of Qi Force shot out, piercing a hole through the wall.
"Essence Energy externalization!"
Everyone’s eyes lit up in astonishment.
Ren Xiaoguang frowned. "You haven’t ignited your Life Spirit Light or broken into the Second Layer of the Tongxuan Realm yet, have you?"
Yan Qi replied, "Not yet. But defeating Luo Cheng—that piece of trash—is more than within my grasp."
"And what if Luo Cheng ascends to the Tongxuan Realm?"
Before Yan Qi could respond, a clear and strong voice rang out.
Hearing this, everyone in the room stood up instantly.
A youthful figure walked into the room.
It was as if an invisible forcefield had formed, drawing everyone’s gaze unerringly to this person.
