Chapter 72 - 65: Supreme Heart-Clearing Soul-Stabilizing Skill

’It’s over, it’s over, I couldn’t hold it in...’

Left with no choice, Su Ling’er could only feign even greater indignation.

"Junior Sister, you look unwell... You must be outraged on the sect’s behalf!

It’s because someone dares to threaten our Guixi Immortal Sect!

Don’t you worry, Eldest Brother. Even if I have to give my life, I will protect the sect and ensure those vile crooks have nowhere to hide!

I’m just... I’m just... so furious at these scoundrels for coveting our righteous and profound sect!"

Watching his Junior Sister act so devotedly toward the sect, her Eldest Brother was deeply moved, even if he felt it was a bit over the top.

’Look at that. Just this tiny hidden danger in the sect has gotten our little Junior Sister this worked up!’

’She has such a temper, though. I just hope she doesn’t get so angry she makes herself sick when all the red-named monsters from the event show up.’

’Still, Junior Sister is truly a pillar of our sect!’

’In the future, I can entrust the task of welcoming new disciples entirely to her. That would be a huge relief!’

’It’s just that with her current strength, I’m afraid the new disciples won’t respect her authority.’

TSK TSK.

’However, the grace period for Junior Sister is almost over.’

’When the time comes, I’ll have to tie her up and drag her away to practice the Sword Refining Skill and complete her Foundation Establishment if I must!’

"Good! Good! I’ll take you back to answer more questions right now!"

He happily pulled his Junior Sister along and returned to the pavilion.

Meanwhile, the little person in Su Ling’er’s heart was already foaming at the mouth and seeing stars.

’I’m going to die...’

’Why...’

’Just as I thought, infiltrating the Guixi Sect is a mission with no chance of survival...’

’This is too hard!’

’Sect Leader!’

’When are you going to bring me home?!’

’I can’t hold on much longer...’

...

When the two returned to the pavilion for the Inquiry Golden Autumn Spirit Gathering, the scene before her once again made her freeze.

Mr. Qian, on the stage, had already announced the next question, but none of the disciples had submitted their answers.

It wasn’t until they saw Su Ling’er return that they immediately began to scratch their heads and act like they were deep in thought.

"How is this question so difficult!"

"It’s too hard! Without Junior Sister to pave the way for us, we really can’t figure it out!"

"How can there be such an impossible question in this world!"

Watching this scene unfold, their Junior Sister was at a complete loss.

’Wait... are you guys really waiting for me to get back before you answer?!’

’And that act of yours, scratching your heads and all—could you at least make it a little more convincing?!’

’Aren’t you embarrassed???’

’Why do you have to wait until I’m back to start acting like you don’t know this or that?’

’Please, can’t you just do this when I’m not looking?’

’You guys seem so fake, you know?!’

Although she didn’t understand their motive, she knew one thing...

’I still have to get my hands on the rewards here!’

And so, for the ninth question, Su Ling’er once again inexplicably secured the spot for the first to submit her answer.

The result, as before, was a wrong answer.

Urged on by the crowd, she once again put on a tearful performance of a "shattered Dao heart."

Next was the tenth question.

The result, unsurprisingly, was wrong again.

This time, without anyone even having to prompt her, Su Ling’er took the initiative to stand up. Hiding half her face with her landscape-painted folding fan, like a shy musician with her pipa, she began her performance.

"SOB SOB SOB... The heavens wish to destroy me!

Why is my Dao heart so fragile!

Oh, cruel heavens!

I have failed the sect’s teachings! I have failed Eldest Brother’s teachings... "

Her performance was so insincere and half-hearted that it made everyone watching and listening feel awkward.

But the little person in her heart had already crossed its legs and was leisurely cracking melon seeds:

’Hurry up!’

’Bring on another two bags of Spirit Stones!’

’Two hundred pieces just for a little crying? This deal is an absolute steal!’

However, just as she was in the middle of her "crying scene," ready to collect her final performance fee, Mr. Qian on the stage made a new move.

He slowly rose to his feet, walked through the crowd, and appeared directly in front of Su Ling’er!

Su Ling’er’s pupils constricted abruptly.

’What’s going on?!’

Before she could react, Mr. Qian’s hand was already gently resting on the top of her head!

"AH—!"

She had just started to cry out when a massive torrent of information once again flooded into her sea of consciousness!

The lantern-lit pavilion, her Eldest Brother’s face, and the jeering voices of the disciples around her all dissolved into nothingness!

’It’s over!’

’Is the demon mastermind controlling Mr. Qian finally making a move on me?!’

After an unknown amount of time, she opened her eyes again to an endless expanse of darkness and cold.

She found herself on a lone boat, drifting on a boundless sea of consciousness.

’Could it be... another spiritual infusion?’

Countless ancient and profound runes lit up in the air, eventually converging into an ancient Technique—

The Supreme Heart-Clearing Soul-Stabilizing Skill!

This was not a technique for cultivating Spiritual Power, nor for tempering the physical body, but a supreme Secret Technique that directly targeted the very source of the soul!

Practicing this technique could make one’s soul as solid as a rock.

No matter the pain inflicted by the outside world, one would remain steadfast, their soul clear and their true spirit indestructible!

A phantom figure bearing a strong resemblance to Mr. Qian appeared once more in her sea of consciousness to demonstrate the technique for her personally.

At the initial stage of mastery, one could maintain a sliver of clarity amidst great pain, preventing them from fainting.

At the minor stage of mastery, the soul would be stable. Though ordinary pain could still be felt, it would not shake one’s foundation.

At the major stage of mastery, even if heavenly fire burned one’s body, the astral winds of the Nine Netherworld scoured one’s bones, celestial demons roared in one’s ears day and night, and a thousand evil thoughts coiled around them like chains...

...it would all be nothing more than a gentle breeze passing over a mountain, leaving not a single trace.

This was the ultimate state of the Supreme Heart-Clearing Soul-Stabilizing Skill!

A soul like glazed glass, unshaken even if the heavens were to collapse!

Su Ling’er was deeply stunned by the profundity and power of this Cultivation Technique.

She never expected that, after only a few days, before she had even reached the minor stage of mastery with her True Understanding of Ten Thousand Transformations Returning to the Origin, she would obtain another supreme Cultivation Technique that led directly to the Great Dao!

’I’ve received such a great gift of instruction from Mr. Qian again. I don’t know how I could ever repay him!’

Inside her sea of consciousness, she immediately gave a deep, respectful bow to the Mr. Qian before her.

’If I ever have the chance to ascend to immortality, I will definitely help you, Senior, escape this sea of suffering. I will help your soul return to the Nine Netherworld so you may rest in peace!’

...

Meanwhile, outside in the pavilion.

Lin Qingfeng looked at the reward notification that popped up on his game panel and was so happy he almost laughed out loud.

[Special Event Reward (Tenth Speed-Answer): Soul Cultivation Technique "Supreme Heart-Clearing Soul-Stabilizing Skill"]

’Isn’t this made specifically for people practicing the Sword Refining Skill?!’

’The True Understanding of Ten Thousand Transformations Returning to the Origin dulls physical pain, and this Supreme Heart-Clearing Soul-Stabilizing Skill allows a Cultivator to keep their true spirit from being obscured even in the most extreme agony!’

’It’s practically tailor-made for Junior Sister!’

With this, when Junior Sister is being forged and refined, at least she won’t faint halfway through from the pain and interrupt her cultivation.

Otherwise, if she fainted from the pain of being hammered at the critical moment of breaking through to Foundation Establishment, causing the breakthrough to fail, she’d have to start all over again.

’That would be too much torture for my own Junior Sister!’

Besides, this reward was free. It was directly infused, making Junior Sister learn it passively.

Soul cultivation techniques are all notoriously difficult to practice. Having it taught via infusion will at least let her reach the entry-level stage, so she can withstand any mishaps.

He glanced at Su Ling’er, who was still immersed in her sea of consciousness. Seeing that she was fine and would wake up soon, he thought...

’No, I can’t wait any longer!’

’There’s still an event boss to fight later in the Golden Autumn Harvest Festival. I have to take this chance to complete all the event quests that give high contribution points!’

So, he flashed to Su Ling’er’s side.

But he also knew that if he waited for Su Ling’er to wake up and see him carrying her away, she would inevitably start shrieking about what he was doing to her, an ear-splitting demonic noise.

So, instead of carrying her, he directly grabbed the red sash around her waist and gave it a sharp tug!

Su Ling’er’s petite body was lifted up as easily as if he were picking up a briefcase.

The red corners of her robes and the hem of her skirt instantly hung downward. Her not-so-long hair also dangled toward the ground, hovering just three inches above it as Lin Qingfeng strode away.

He glanced at the disciples who were preparing to continue playing and instructed them.

"You all keep playing. I’m taking Junior Sister to grind something else!"

"Oh, right! Don’t forget the thing we prepared for Junior Sister for the event boss fight!"

"Don’t worry! Senior Brother Shi Gandang forged it himself!"

Then, without a backward glance, Lin Qingfeng rushed to the next event location, still carrying the "enlightened" Su Ling’er.

[Immortal Path Spirit Travel].

...

After their Eldest Brother left, the disciples in the pavilion looked at each other in bewilderment.

"My god, you can even get a soul cultivation technique!"

"Should we team up and have everyone try to speed-answer ten times?"

"Yeah, yeah! I wonder if it’s a random reward or if it’s a guaranteed soul cultivation technique. I hope it’s guaranteed!"

"Will they still give it to us if we’ve already answered more than ten times?"

"I don’t know. Let’s give it a try."