Chapter 1175 - 646: The Importance of Yun Qian (Double) (Part 2)

Xu Chang’an looked at his clenched fist and then raised his head.

"That’s it?"

"That’s it."

"What about the Qi Refining Realm?" Xu Chang’an asked.

"That’s just part of the meridian-opening process; it doesn’t even count as a cultivation realm," Li Zhibai replied.

"Only five realms?" Xu Chang’an pondered, "I thought... the cultivation realms would be very complex."

"Only?" Li Zhibai glanced at him and then said, "Five fingers, you know what Tong Jun calls this?"

"What?"

"One hand covers the sky."

Li Zhibai spoke calmly.

Interesting.

Humans have two hands, thus the Human Race has only two Qiankun Realms. I wonder if this is some sort of rule.

Tong Jun’s way of putting it is quite adorable.

"Anyway, it doesn’t matter if you don’t understand. You just need to know that without sufficient mental realm, you can’t control your cultivation," Li Zhibai gave an example. "You must have seen the inner realm of the Muyu Peak girls while they cultivate their mental realms."

The women experience the seven emotions and six desires, feelings of love and hate, greed and anger. Therefore, life requires cultivation, requires continuously refining oneself through experiences. Only with sufficient mental fortitude can they control that ever-changing, extremely dangerous inner realm.

"Inner realm? I’ve seen it," Xu Chang’an nodded. "When Senior Meng was playing chess with me... she fell into an inner realm and then coughed up blood."

Li Zhibai blinked rapidly, regretting not being present. Otherwise, Chang’an’s shocked expression would have been very amusing. She couldn’t help but ask, "Did she throw up all over you?"

"Yes."

"That’s really..." Li Zhibai spoke, paused, and reproached herself.

Almost got led astray by this kid.

Back to business.

"In short, if your mental state is unstable, it’s easy for heart demons to appear... If you can’t overcome a Heart Demon Tribulation, you’re ruined," Li Zhibai stared at Xu Chang’an, "Now, you should understand."

"Heart demon?" Xu Chang’an understood immediately and nodded, "Now I get it."

"You don’t need to worry about heart demons; you’ll never have any," Li Zhibai looked at Xu Chang’an, thinking that his completely indifferent Spirit Platform, unbothered by various inner realms, made even celestial demons seem like mere nightmares in comparison.

Xu Chang’an, however, shook his head, "Heart demons? I’ll probably have them. My mental realm isn’t as stable as you think."

"Is that so." Li Zhibai tapped her fingers somewhat irritably on the armrest, looking down at Xu Chang’an from the stairs, "Chang’an, if you say Ms. Yun is your heart demon... do you want to see the ruler I recently found?"

Flirting is one thing; heart demons are another.

Because Yun Qian absolutely wouldn’t want to become a stumbling block on his path forward, even such a statement would ’hurt’ Yun Qian’s feelings.

As an elder sister, she really disliked such ideas.

"Teacher, I... didn’t say anything," Xu Chang’an conceded quickly.

"Don’t speak like that in the future, even if your sister... maybe she’s the key to opening your Spirit Platform," Li Zhibai said, gently rubbing her temples with her fingers.

She suddenly realized something.

Chang’an was always concerned about Yun Qian, afraid she might encounter danger or lack cultivation resources... But had he ever considered what his own value might bring to Yun Qian?

This matter is very strange and interesting. If reported, undoubtedly, ’Yun Qian’s status in the Chaoyun Sect would rise dramatically.

Even for Xu Chang’an’s mental realm, Yun Qian cannot be harmed. Even if Yun Qian can’t cultivate... they’d have to treat Yun Qian well just to tie Xu Chang’an to Chaoyun Sect’s cause.

Then, a question arises.

What if someone kidnaps Yun Qian?

Using Yun Qian to control Chang’an is not an impossible scenario.

Would Chang’an compromise?

If he couldn’t rescue Yun Qian, he would definitely compromise.

"Chang’an... hypothetically speaking, if someone were to use Ms. Yun to force you into doing something..."

"It’s best if you don’t ask about such things, Teacher," Xu Chang’an said with a bitter smile.

"...Indeed."

Li Zhibai understood Xu Chang’an’s intentions.

The answer to this question is like an open book, needing no inquiry, because that answer is not pleasant.

And the reason it’s unpleasant... is simple.

If the Demon Sect captured Yun Qian and then threatened Xu Chang’an to take Li Zhibai and Zhu Pingniang’s lives...

Or if the Demon Race used Yun Qian to force Xu Chang’an to break Qingzhou’s barrier, allowing external demons to invade...

What would the outcome be?

Unthinkable.

"..."

Li Zhibai’s mind became a chaotic mess.

Overall, it’s just a very unpleasant matter.

"This really reminded me of something," Li Zhibai frowned, seeming like she needed to inform the Sect Leader about Ms. Yun’s situation as soon as possible.

Because the extraordinary nature around Xu Chang’an was becoming more visible by the day... once he actually makes a name for himself, Yun Qian, as the ’key’, would be truly in danger.

After all, Chaoyun Sect is not absolutely safe, with the nearest threat being that Demon Sect Lady.

If she learned about Yun Qian and Xu Chang’an and set her sights on Yun Qian, one careless moment and she might actually succeed... so starting today, they must guard against that Demon Sect Lady.

And to protect Yun Qian under such circumstances, only the Sect Leader could...

But would the Sect Leader personally protect Ms. Yun? Would she agree...?

Wait.

Li Zhibai suddenly froze.

Did the Sect Leader come to listen to music today... possibly to protect Yun Qian?

Perhaps...

Very likely?

Li Zhibai knew very well that the Sect Leader understood Xu Chang’an’s uniqueness even before she did because she was present at that thunder tribulation, and from these recent observations, she must have realized Yun Qian’s importance to Xu Chang’an.

"Makes sense," Li Zhibai thought more and more that this was indeed very reasonable.

What kind of person is the Sect Leader? Ensuring that she can anticipate potential risks, the Sect Leader could certainly do so... and usually, Yun Qian was just under the Sect Leader’s watch at Chaoyun Sect.

Now suddenly, Yun Qian arrives in Beisang City.

In this situation, if the Demon Sect Lady was already waiting in Beisang City, wanting to capture Yun Qian... the Sect Leader from above the nine heavens of Chaoyun might not be able to compete with her.

So the Sect Leader followed Yun Qian down.

Thus, this time the Sect Leader came not because of the old acquaintance ’Ah Qing’, nor for Tong Jun, not even for the array... but because of...

Chang’an?

Li Zhibai: "..."

At this moment, this speculation overturned all her previous assumptions, becoming the sole answer.

It really made sense.

Why would a Sect Leader who knows Xu Chang’an so well leave Xu Chang’an’s greatest vulnerability exposed?

As for whether the Demon Sect Lady knows about Xu Chang’an’s uniqueness, Li Zhibai couldn’t say, but pondering events critical potentially to Qingzhou Human Race’s survival with the worst-case scenario is never wrong.

Yun Qian’s safety concerns all of Qingzhou’s fate...

Is it exaggerated to say so?

Sounds exaggerated, but it’s actually not at all.

On the surface, Yun Qian seems like a delicate girl; using her to threaten Xu Chang’an to break the Qingzhou Barrier is entirely possible.

If not looking from the surface...

Supposing someone really captured Miss Yun; it might not just be a matter of this race or that race anymore.

"So, capturing you is useless; only Ms. Yun can make you compliant," Li Zhibai stared at Xu Chang’an with a strange face.

"???"

Xu Chang’an appeared completely confused.

"Teacher, you... what are you talking about?"

"Nothing." Li Zhibai lightly shook her head, albeit realizing too late... but conservatively, Li Zhibai immediately invoked a message for Shi Qingjun, sharing her conjecture.

Even knowing the Sect Leader knew, she still had to say it, and... it was too important a matter to delay.

"...?"

Watching Li Zhibai start drawing a talisman in the void left Xu Chang’an even more befuddled. He was curious yet refrained from questioning further.

Li Zhibai’s gaze...

Was rather terrifying.

After confirming the Sect Leader got the message, Li Zhibai finally breathed a sigh of relief, giving Chang’an a complicated look.

"Chang’an."