Wang Zhi floated stiffly in the sky.

But he knew he had completely lost face.

The humiliation from Su Qing was overwhelming. When Wang Zhi faced him, that sense of powerlessness was still terrifying.

’Why is the disparity so great!’

’Why, Master!’

’He cultivates the Ten Thousand Tribulations Divine Body and defeated Bai Jiangxue, who was at a higher cultivation level. And me? I’m in the Foundation Establishment Realm and still can’t beat Bai Jiangxue, who is now also in the Foundation Establishment Realm.’

’Why!’

’Why!’

Resentful thoughts swirled in his mind.

The man was on the verge of succumbing to his inner demons.

"What are you thinking?" A hand slapped down from the void, instantly snapping Wang Zhi out of his stupor.

Wang Zhi knew it was his master. "Master, why can’t I defeat him?"

"Pathetic. I told you from the very beginning that the Ten Thousand Tribulations Divine Body isn’t invincible. There is always someone stronger."

"Ever since you mastered the Ten Thousand Tribulations Divine Body, you’ve been lost in your own foolish arrogance. It’s a good thing someone came along to knock some sense into you."

"Now, get back to Qinghe Hall."

"Yes, Master." Wang Zhi’s spirits sank. After acknowledging the order, he departed like a lone wolf that had failed in its challenge to become alpha.

—

「On Cold Extremity Peak.」

After dealing with the visitor, Su Qing turned to his junior sister and advised, "Junior Sister, if something like this happens again, don’t come over to watch the commotion."

"Understand?"

"Otherwise, you could easily get caught up in something dangerous, just like now."

Luo Lanxin nodded obediently. "Senior Brother, I’ll be more careful next time."

But in her heart, she was thinking: ’What a joke. The Ten Thousand Tribulations Divine Body is strong, not him. His Magic is terrible; it’s debatable if he could even defeat me.’

Just as Su Qing was about to close his door to enter seclusion and Luo Lanxin was preparing to leave, their master appeared.

Ouyang Mingming patted Su Qing on the shoulder, thoroughly pleased. "My disciple, I never expected your strength to grow so much in these past few years."

"Excellent, excellent." Ouyang Mingming took two items out of her Storage Ring.

A leaf and a drop of Essence Blood.

"These are your rewards from the Sect Lord. He said his disciple had gotten too arrogant, so he arranged for you to help knock some sense into him. You performed exactly as he expected!"

Su Qing’s eyes widened.

[Enlightenment Tea: A tea made from the newly sprouted leaves of the Enlightenment Tree. Consuming it increases one’s comprehension ability by fifty percent for one hour.]

[Fire Flood Dragon Essence Blood: Essence Blood from a Tier Three Fire Flood Dragon. It can improve the bloodline of any creature below Tier Three. Warning: The Flood Dragon’s lustful nature will also affect the user.]

"This is Enlightenment Tea and Fire Flood Dragon Essence Blood."

"The Sect Lord’s reward for you. Take it."

"I don’t need the Essence Blood. I’ll just take the Enlightenment Tea." Su Qing accepted the Enlightenment Tea.

’If he used this Fire Flood Dragon Essence Blood for synthesis, he had no idea what the result would be. More importantly, the Flood Dragon’s lustful nature would also affect the user.’

That was something Su Qing couldn’t accept.

’Besides, Su Qing felt his current bloodline was perfectly fine as it was.’

"Since you don’t want it, I’ll give it to your junior sister. Her Cultivation Technique seems to require absorbing Essence Blood. Fortunately, she also practices a Visualization Technique, so the risk of going berserk is much lower."

Ouyang Mingming gave the Fire Flood Dragon Essence Blood to Luo Lanxin, who was standing beside her.

Luo Lanxin’s eyes flew open.

’Tier Three Essence Blood... This... what a sudden stroke of fortune.’

"Thank you, Master. Thank you, Senior Brother," Luo Lanxin said gratefully as she accepted the Fire Flood Dragon Essence Blood.

"Sigh... To think I’d end up being used as a stepping stone." Su Qing sighed, realizing he’d been taken advantage of.

’He truly hadn’t expected to be drawn into a scheme despite being a homebody all year round. And by the Sect Lord of the Ten Thousand Tribulations Sect, no less. At least he got something good out of it.’

"Master, I’m going back to my Cultivation."

...

After this incident, Su Qing’s life of Cultivation returned to its peaceful routine.

Of course, a person who had been all but forgotten was now once again the subject of everyone’s discussions.

During his monthly supply runs, Su Qing kept hearing the story of how the "veteran" Ten Thousand Tribulations Divine Body had easily defeated the "new" one.

The Outer Disciples, in particular, were discussing it the most.

They would boast about how incredibly powerful the Ten Thousand Tribulations Divine Body was, their faces full of envy as they spoke.

It made Su Qing feel a little awkward.

After hastily buying his supplies, he had no desire to linger in the Marketplace.

’Listening to them was seriously cringey.’

During a delicious meal that day...

"My disciple, you need to be on your guard lately. It’s best to be extra careful whenever you leave the Ten Thousand Tribulations Sect."

"A lot of people have their eyes on you now."

"I understand." Su Qing was also annoyed. ’He clearly didn’t want to be famous and had kept a low profile for years, only to have it all undone in a single day.’

Suddenly, the door to Su Qing’s house was pushed open.

"Made it just in time! What a coincidence!"

"Nephew Su, quick, get your Martial Aunt a bowl and chopsticks," You Yanhan said, appearing in the doorway.

Liu Linlin was behind her.

"Long time no see, Martial Aunt, Senior Sister." Su Qing prepared bowls and chopsticks for them.

It was a good thing Su Qing always bought a lot of meat, just in case a situation like this arose and he’d have to make another trip.

Su Qing would rather eat a bit more in one sitting than make an extra trip to the Marketplace.

"Junior Brother Su," Liu Linlin called out, though her smile was somewhat stiff, as if she hadn’t smiled in so long she’d forgotten how.

"Senior Sister, please, have a seat."

Luo Lanxin was very excited to finally meet her senior sister and martial aunt.

’Her senior sister seemed cold at first, but once you got to know her, she was actually very gentle.’

’Her martial aunt, on the other hand, was different. Her mood was impossible to guess.’

"Hello, Senior Sister. Hello, Martial Aunt," Luo Lanxin immediately greeted them.

You Yanhan had already noticed the other Female Cultivator. "Well now, Senior Sister Ouyang, you’ve taken another disciple."

"It seems you have no intention of teaching her, Nephew Su? Why not let me have her?"

"I heard plenty about you on my way here, Nephew Su."

Ouyang Mingming laughed. "I’m afraid I won’t be able to teach him for much longer myself. Just look at his Cultivation."

"The aura of the Foundation Establishment High Tier... Nephew Su, you must have practiced a Concealing Breath technique, which is why I can’t get a precise reading. You brat, how do you cultivate so fast?"

Hearing her master’s words, Liu Linlin stared at her junior brother in disbelief. ’Is he really that much of a monster?’

’She had only just reached the Third-Layer Foundation Establishment.’

Luo Lanxin was equally astonished. She never imagined her senior brother had actually reached the Foundation Establishment High Tier. No wonder he hadn’t taken Wang Zhi seriously.

...

"This child... I barely have to teach him anything. He spends all day in Cultivation."

"He knows how to cultivate on his own. I’ve seen his rapid progress with my own eyes. At this rate, I, his master, am about to be surpassed," Ouyang Mingming said with a hint of mock complaint in her voice.

Su Qing finished setting out the bowls, chopsticks, and chairs. Hearing Ouyang Mingming’s words, he said, "It is only thanks to Master’s excellent teaching that I have my current Cultivation."

"Such a flatterer."

"Come now, eat, eat. With Linlin back, our Cold Extremity Peak is a bit more lively."

"So, where did your training take you?"

"Where else? I took my disciple to train in the Celestial Sea Realm, of course."

"You didn’t go to the Nether Sea?"

"You think my disciple can handle the Nether Sea? I only just recently started taking her there to fight some of its Demon Beasts."

...

Another round of gossip ensued.

From their conversation, Su Qing learned that beyond the Celestial Sea Realm, there was also a place called the Nether Sea.

Su Qing learned that the Nether Sea was home to many powerful beasts.

Among them were the territories of the Dragon Race and even the Kunpeng.

Only then did Su Qing realize just how vast the Celestial Sea Realm truly was.

The map he had bought from the Ten Thousand Tribulations Sect only covered a mere one-fiftieth of the entire realm.

It was even larger than the continent.

—

’This Enlightenment Tea... how exactly should I synthesize it?’

Su Qing pondered over the Enlightenment Tea.

The leaf was simply too important.

’If I had the Enlightenment Tree itself, I could just synthesize it with an ordinary tree. That would at least raise the Enlightenment Tree’s potential.’

’Let’s try it with a leaf.’

Leaves were common, and there were plenty on Cold Extremity Peak.

’Synthesize.’

[Synthesis Successful: Evolution Triggered]

[Unknown Leaf: Consuming it increases one’s comprehension ability fivefold for one hour.]

...