Chapter 66: A Fusion of Four Chapters

Chapter 66: A Fusion of Four Chapters

This time leaving the Sealing Spirit Palace, He Qingxin didn’t attempt to tug at Xie Xuanran. As they prepared to sword-fly, Xie Xuanran took the lead, mounting his sword, and gestured with his wrist for He Qingxin to join him.

However, He Qingxin didn’t reach out. Ignoring him completely, she headed straight for the teleportation array.

Though she felt dizzy using teleportation arrays, the distance from Floating Cloud Island to Divine Crane Island was short, causing only a momentary discomfort. He Qingxin wasn’t that fussy.

Previously, she had used sword flying as an excuse to comfortably wrap her arms around Xie Xuanran’s waist. Now, lacking any interest, she naturally opted for the quickest way to reach the other side.

Stepping into the teleportation array, He Qingxin, unsure how to activate it, touched her sleeve, pinching He Jixiang and silently wished, “Take Mommy over there!”

He Jixiang emitted a burst of golden light, quickly activating the array. While Xie Xuanran still stood on his sword, hand suspended in mid-air, He Qingxin had already teleported away before he could follow.

Xie Xuanran, momentarily stunned outside the array, swiftly teleported after her. By the time he emerged, He Qingxin was sitting on a large rock, supporting her head with her hand, alleviating the discomfort from dizziness.

Xie Xuanran approached, intending to assist He Qingxin, but she naturally evaded him once again.

Although He Qingxin was lustful and lacked moral scruples,

She detested complications. If Xie Lan only sought a fleeting affair, she would have been very willing, especially given his true form.

But engaging in a torturous romance with her was out of the question.

Sorry, but she wasn’t playing that game.

No one could impose the female protagonist’s storyline onto her.

Dodging away, He Qingxin straightened up, smoothed her robe with a natural demeanor, and even smiled at Xie Xuanran, asking, “Where am I heading for class today?”

Xie Xuanran’s expression had changed, and he felt awkward all over, mainly because Xie Lan, who was controlling him, was now in the Crane Top Hall, furrowing his brows.

Still, he didn’t do anything and, frowning, walked ahead to lead He Qingxin.

This time, He Qingxin was heading to a class on the left high platform, blending into the group of advanced disciples.

He Qingxin didn’t ask questions or show curiosity. She arrived quite early today, not dawdling, thus avoiding being late.

Led to her seat by Xie Xuanran, He Qingxin laid her head down, ignoring the unusual glances around her, the pause in conversations, and the curious gazes scanning her.

He Qingxin was like the coldest, most aloof transfer student in every novel, lying there catching up on sleep, placing He Jixiang between her arms, her face against the fluffy creature, relaxing completely.

She actually fell asleep, only to be awakened by a young boy seated nearby.

Raising her eyes, He Qingxin's first sight was of the boy's antlers.

The two short antlers were adorable, and the boy himself looked innocent and pure, with eyes clear and guileless like a deer's.

He Qingxin's heart softened; she had a fondness for such harmless, cute things.

“The respected elder who will give the lecture will arrive soon,” said the boy with the antlers, his voice pleasant to hear.

However, He Qingxin never believed in unprovoked kindness, and this deer-boy... if she wasn’t mistaken, he had rushed to the forefront during the attack on her at yesterday’s class among the mid-to-low tier disciples.

Random acts of kindness from a stranger... either a villain or a thief.

No matter how attractive, it couldn't hide the fact that this was someone's disguise.

Narrowing her eyes, He Qingxin smiled, “Thank you, you’re a kind person and quite handsome, especially those antlers. Are you a hybrid of a human and a demon?”

He Qingxin was amiable, quickly engaging in conversation with the deer-boy. As they talked, several people around them cast glances in their direction, pretending to be casual.

They thought they were acting naturally, but to He Qingxin, these people seemed sly, even hostile towards the deer-boy, evidently disguised goons.

In disguise or not, He Qingxin could recognize them. That inherent air of superiority and a sleazy demeanor with an agenda were hard to disguise.

Soon, the lecturing immortal master arrived. He Qingxin glanced towards the stone platform at the front, surprised to see it was Hui Lan, the immortal master!

The class was about how to control beasts, how to contract with one's mount, and how to use them in battle. It also covered how to complement one's mount and keep them well-groomed and healthy.

Hui Lan himself was a very carefree individual. Even if He Qingxin only spoke to him via a communication jade token, she could tell he was a true exemplar of immortal elegance.

He often appeared unkempt, sometimes even with stubble, and his clothes were always covered in animal fur from his daily interactions with the beasts.

Today, Hui Lan wore a light blue, wide robe. His slender figure slightly lifted by the breeze, embodied the very essence of a free and easy gentleman.

Hui Lan, evidently, also noticed He Qingxin. Living a carefree life in his blissful realm, indulging in taming beasts and savoring various immortal brews, he was unaware of He Qingxin's entanglements in the cultivation world.

Seeing He Qingxin attending a class among the advanced disciples, he smiled in her direction and playfully winked.

He Qingxin smiled back at Hui Lan like seeing a favorite teacher. Even if she didn’t understand much, she was serious in class.

And these advanced disciples, aside from those with ulterior motives, were earnestly engaged, captivated by Hui Lan’s humor and nonchalance, often laughing during the lesson.

The class was frequently amused by Hui Lan's humor and carefree demeanor, with everyone, except for the disguised disciples with hidden agendas, taking their studies seriously.

The questions were asked with great enthusiasm.

Hui Lan suggested, “If anyone wants to raise an impressive mount in the future, I recommend starting from its youth.”

Holding a disciplinary ruler in his hand, Hui Lan somehow managed to exude the air of a carefree, fan-wielding playboy.

Approaching He Qingxin, he used the ruler to gently lift her hand, revealing the little yellow chick in her palm, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.

“Is this… a chicken?” Hui Lan, a lover of animals, was immediately intrigued upon seeing He Jixiang.

He sensed this was no ordinary chicken, yet he had never seen its kind before, especially intrigued by the angelic halo-like feathers around He Jixiang's head, leaving Hui Lan, familiar with nearly all spiritual, demonic, and magical beasts of the cultivation world, scratching his head.

Due to Hui Lan's actions, everyone's attention turned towards He Qingxin, all eyes on the He Jixiang cradled in her palm.

He Qingxin confidently showed off her pet, unconcerned about the surrounding Immortal Masters discerning anything unusual. He Jixiang bore no resemblance to the mythical Earth Elemental Marrow Beast.

Furthermore, the novel’s plot never mentioned the Earth Elemental Marrow Beast’s ability to transform, so no one could guess He Jixiang’s true nature.

He Qingxin presented He Jixiang to Hui Lan, “Allow me to introduce my new pet, named He Jixiang.”

“What about your two Snowland Guards?” Hui Lan's first reaction was to think He Qingxin had lost interest in her previous pets.

He Qingxin replied with a smile, “I love them all. The Snowland Guards are also dear to me. This little one is smaller and easier to take care of, so I keep him close.”

Hui Lan nodded, tapping He Qingxin's desk with the ruler, “If you want your mount to assist you in battle, it’s best to keep it close and care for it day and night, just like she does…”

He Qingxin couldn’t help but find this amusing and a bit absurd; she really didn’t fancy the idea of riding a chicken in the future. Even if He Jixiang grew significantly larger, the image was too bizarre to contemplate.

Hui Lan continued to elaborate in detail on how to care for one's mount, including how to feed it with spirit stones, refine its meridians with immortal dew or herbs, ensuring the mount develops spiritual intelligence and a deep bond with its master.

The complexity of what was involved left everyone astonished, making them feel that compared to the resources required to raise a mount, it might be easier to just forge a personal sword and travel by sword flight.

The most important thing was that a sword remains just that, simple to maintain, especially since Hui Lan had emphasized respecting the individual will of the mounts.

For instance, if the mount didn’t want to be ridden, the master couldn’t ride it…

He Qingxin laughed upon hearing this; the initially enthusiastic disciples from the immortal sects lost all interest in raising mounts.

Hui Lan truly loved spiritual beasts, raising them with great reverence, which was fundamentally different from those cultivators who wanted to use mounts to aid in battle or even sacrifice them in critical moments.

Thus, by the end of the lesson, only He Qingxin was listening attentively.

Most others were either daydreaming or whispering among themselves, while Hui Lan, indifferent, continued with his lecture.

Some, however, were observing He Qingxin, or rather, greedily eyeing her.

This was their first opportunity to closely observe the vessel of the "Earth Elemental Marrow Beast." She seemed surprisingly amiable.

He Qingxin smiled warmly at everyone she made eye contact with, especially the young deer boy, Wuhu Bi's incarnation, who in such a short time had seemingly become quite close to her.

The leaders of the immortal sects in the Crane Top Hall, seeing Wuhu Bi winning the favor of the female cultivator, were all eager to approach He Qingxin and make her acquaintance.

And Wuhu Bi was indeed very satisfied; his incarnation was crafted precisely to her preferences, and it seemed exceptionally effective.

In the latter part of the beast-taming class, Hui Lan had already taken out his wine flask, drinking while clarifying doubts for a few high-level cultivators near the stone platform.

These cultivators were not asking about raising mounts, but rather inquiring about the types of demonic beasts and how to kill them.

After all, when exorcising evil spirits outside, they often encountered demonic beasts causing trouble. Understanding their habits better would allow them to more effectively target and eliminate them swiftly.

Hui Lan, seemingly knowledgeable about everything, educated them about the various types of demonic beasts. However, he gently advised, “All beasts, if not coerced by others, simply follow their instinct to survive. They don’t inherently intend to harm anyone. If you ever have the chance to spare their lives, it's better to accrue good karma.”

The high-level cultivators didn't argue with Hui Lan, but with swords in hand and the power of life and death at their command, they might not consider whether a rampaging demonic or mystical beast acts of its own volition in a critical moment.

Although Hui Lan spoke and advised as such, he didn't force them to cherish all living beings. When asked about the weaknesses of troublesome beasts, he answered truthfully.

Meanwhile, the scene around He Qingxin was quite different, as she and the young deer boy beside her seemed to be getting along famously, even scooting her chair closer to his and chatting with a charming smile.

She even said playfully, “I can let you touch my little yellow chick. Can I touch your antlers?”

The young deer boy, a bit shy, nodded his head, and Wuhu Bi, controlling him, felt his ears heat up.

For beast clans like his, touching antlers is akin to courtship.

In the Crane Top Hall, Xie Lan watched He Qingxin through a magical formation, clenching his fists tightly.

He was acutely aware that jealousy had taken over his mind, feeling a metaphorical knife twisting in his chest.

Envy and anger, these base human emotions, were nearly consuming him.

How could she… so easily ignore him and become so close to someone else?!

At this moment, someone else by He Qingxin’s side couldn’t stand it any longer and left their seat to join them, striking up a forced conversation with her.

They pointed at He Jixiang in her palm and asked.

“What kind of spiritual beast is this? I can feel its strong spiritual energy, but I've never seen this species before.” He Qingxin turned to see the speaker was the broad-chested young man.

She knew without guessing: Zuo Xinyuan, the head of the Erbu Sect, who had lost a bet and agreed to call her 'grandmother' every time they met.

He Qingxin smiled at the broad-chested young man, her gaze briefly pausing on his chest. He immediately stood taller, puffing out his chest in a “look, everything you like is right here” manner.

He Qingxin gracefully engaged in conversation with him.

“I’m not sure of the species either, but it’s cute, right? My uncle brought it from down the mountain…”

"Do you want to take a look?" He Qingxin offered He Jixiang to the broad-chested young man.

He hesitated, not particularly keen to touch it, seeing it as just an ordinary chicken without any cute attributes.

It seemed easily crushable despite some sensed spiritual energy, likely just a mutated ordinary chicken.

But to win He Qingxin's favor, he still reached out to take it, feigning great interest.

As soon as he touched it, He Jixiang pecked him fiercely, leaving a visibly swollen and bruised area in his palm.

He Qingxin exclaimed in shock, quickly covering He Jixiang, “I'm so sorry, my little pet can be a bit fierce. Are you hurt? Should we call someone from the medicine hall?”

“It's nothing,” the young man said, wincing in pain but trying to play it down, “Just a chicken bite, it’s not like it’ll cripple my hand.”

Soon, he couldn’t maintain this facade as the chicken’s peck seemed venomous, dangerous even to cultivators.

His palm first swelled and turned purple, quickly spreading up his arm and shoulder.

Everyone watched Zuo Xinyuan’s incarnation with schadenfreude. He Qingxin laughed inwardly, but outwardly she showed only concern.

“This won't do, I’ll call someone from the medicine hall... I know someone there, they can use the best healing ointment.”

Then she called out to He Xi, “Someone is injured, bring some medicine to Shenhe Island.”

He Xi, unable to respond verbally and limited by the communication token, tapped it twice to acknowledge.

After making the call, He Qingxin apologized to the young man again, then turned away to chat with others.

This time, she conversed with an immortal who looked extremely stern and aloof.

His features were nearly perfect, but that perfection made him seem more like a mannequin.

"Such intense toxicity, could it be some covert demonic phoenix?"

"I advise you not to keep such heavily malevolent creatures, lest you harm yourself."

He Qingxin barely suppressed a frown at his paternalistic tone.

Which celestial lord's incarnation was this, utterly lacking discernment?

He Qingxin offered He Jixiang, "Do you know what this is? Please examine it closely. If it's truly demonic, I won't keep it, but it's never harmed me."

The swelling and purple bruising had now spread to his face, half-swollen like a bizarre human-bee hybrid. Zuo Xinyuan's alter ego, in agony, warned the aloof young immortal, "Don't touch it, ah..."

But his caution came too late.

The aloof immortal, seizing the opportunity to show off, leaned in to scrutinize the chicken, planning to brand it demonic and persuade He Qingxin to dispose of it. Then he, too, was abruptly pecked on the face.

He clutched his face in agony, losing all semblance of his dignified, reserved demeanor, wailing in pain.

The pain was unbearable!

It was so intense that even his true self, Xu Heran in the Cranes' Summit Hall, involuntarily covered his own face.

"What sort of monster is this!"

"Oh my! I'm so sorry!" He Qingxin quickly retracted He Jixiang, having caused enough chaos for the day.

She hurriedly supported the pained young immortal, apologetically reaching for his face, but accidentally poked him, reducing him to tears.

His tears streamed down a face so swollen that one eye was now obscured.

He Qingxin struggled to contain her laughter, well aware of He Jixiang's toxic nature from her own prior experience.

However, the toxin didn't have time to fully affect He Xi, as He Qingxin had already told He Jixiang that He Xi was an ally. Once He Jixiang was in He Xi's arms, he recovered naturally.

But before departing that day, He Qingxin had instructed He Jixiang to fiercely peck anyone who tried to touch him.

He Jixiang always obeyed He Qingxin implicitly, unleashing its potent toxin to the fullest extent, so much so that it even affected the origins of these avatars.

“What should we do? What to do!” He Qingxin spun around anxiously, turning to the young deer boy for help.

As expected, the young deer boy stepped forward, subtly shielding He Qingxin, reassuring the pecked individuals, “Don’t worry, they’ll be fine. Once the medicine hall staff arrive, everything will be alright.”

“Stop playing the good guy here!” Zuo Xinyuan couldn’t say much as his mouth was too swollen to speak.

But Xu Heran's avatar, which had taken considerable effort to create, couldn't be easily replicated like Xie Lan’s multiple avatars.

These avatars, as precious as their own children, cost Xu Heran nearly everything he had, given his modest cultivation level.

Now, having just made an appearance, the avatar was attacked, fueling Xu Heran's rage and desire to annihilate He Qingxin’s little chicken.

If not for He Qingxin tucking away the chick, Xu Heran would surely have used her avatar to cleave the little bird in two.

What a malicious thing!

Xu Heran, in excruciating pain, bore no good expression towards Wu Hebi, especially since Wu Hebi had won He Qingxin's favor, effectively becoming everyone's enemy.

Others who hadn't had the chance to approach earlier now slowly gathered around, and inexplicably, they began to quarrel amongst themselves.

The initial target should have been He Qingxin. It's like someone being bitten by their own dog; naturally, the owner is to blame.

But this quarrel was different; they all sided with He Qingxin, directing their anger at each other, vying to appear generous, fair, and unique in her eyes.

Then, as the crowd began to argue, He Qingxin quietly stepped back, holding He Jixiang in her sleeve, her heart blossoming with laughter.

It's not that these people were foolish, but in their eagerness for something, and with numerous competitors around, they tended to reveal their ugliest faces.

"Especially before the competition even started, Xie Lan once knelt before everyone to put shoes on He Qingxin."

"Unknowingly, he set an impossibly high bar for this rivalry."

"Soon, He Xi and her fellow apprentice arrived at Shenhe Island, shocked to find the injured pair almost unrecognizable."

"They insisted, 'This can't just be treated with medicine; please come back to the medical hall for my master to examine.'"

"We're...fine..." Zuo Xinyuan's speech was as unclear as if he had two walnuts in his mouth.

"Yet, he stubbornly sought He Qingxin's sympathy, his eyes pleading."

"For her future amusement, He Qingxin promptly supported Zuo Xinyuan and turned to the swollen-faced, cool young celestial."

"'Please go to the medical hall. I feel terrible about this, it's all because I didn’t take good care of my little pet…'"

"'But what can I do? I really love it. Please don't blame it...'"

"He Qingxin looked down, feigning distress, gripping her sleeve as if fearing someone might snatch her chicken."

"Her vulnerable act provided the perfect opportunity for the celestial elders trying to impress her."

"Someone quickly said, 'It’s just a bite! No need to act like it’s life-threatening! Apply some medicine, and it's fine. How can we blame a little chicken? It's their own lack of strength...'"

"'Exactly, I find the chicken quite cute too. This fellow cultivator really has good taste.'"

"Approaching He Qingxin, a handsome young face spoke confidently, 'They won’t die. But carrying around whatever that thing is, does seem dangerous.'"

"'If you like such creatures, I can gift you a pair of Emerald Beak Birds, with green beaks and lake-blue bodies, quite beautiful and obedient...'"

"He Qingxin, looking at the young man, shook her head, 'I prefer my golden chicken, it has a certain elegance.'"

"The young man, a split image of Huang Yuxuan, was stunned. He resembled Huang Yuxuan closely, with some minor adjustments to his eyes and mouth."

"Huang Yuxuan's youthful incarnation reflected his lively and playful nature from his younger days."

"He probably didn't expect me to remember him, so this avatar wasn't made with much effort."

"But when I first saw him, I recognized him immediately... he was the Dao Sect Celestial I conversed with during the internal door competition at Yunqi Palace."

"I smiled brightly and, catching Huang Yuxuan off guard, offered He Jixiang to him, 'Don’t you think the golden color is beautiful?'"

"Huang Yuxuan reacted swiftly, dodging backwards, unlike the previous two who were bitten by He Jixiang."

"A bit disappointed, I quickly put He Jixiang away, apologizing, 'Sorry, sorry! I forgot it bites!'"

"'You're not hurt, right? That scared me. It usually doesn't bite me, it's very cute.'"

"Huang Yuxuan's avatar twitched his mouth, clearly not seeing any cuteness."

"Reading his expression, I shook my head, almost wanting to tell them."

"This is the great Earth Power you're all vying for."

"'I’ll certainly discipline it when I get back,' I assured. 'But since you have Emerald Beak Birds, you must like such creatures too, right?'"

"Offering an olive branch, I said, 'I like them too. We share a common interest then. We could exchange tips on caring for them!'"

"Huang Yuxuan eagerly agreed, 'Yes, I have many such... little creatures at home.'"

"Although Huang Yuxuan never liked these things; it was his brother Huang Hai who did."

"And right then, Huang Hai’s avatar, a plain-looking, somewhat naive middle-aged cultivator, stood not far behind Huang Yuxuan."

"Such middle-aged cultivators were rare among the high realm cultivators, as most with great talents attained youthful longevity early."

"Reaching high realms only after middle-age suggested limited prospects for breakthroughs, the impression Huang Hai aimed to create for me."

"He portrayed himself as ordinary, not interested in competing, but seeking an opportunity to take me as his disciple."

"Soon, the avatars of Xu Heran and Zuo Xinyuan were taken to the medical hall. Despite their reluctance, the toxin had spread throughout their bodies."

"Swollen and purple, they looked as if they had been deep-fried, their skin nearly bursting but their flesh underneath seemingly cooked."

The sight was unbearable, forcing a retreat from the scene.

He Qingxin continued her classes in the afternoon, which were about the energies of heaven and earth, taught by an immortal He Qingxin didn't recognize.

He Qingxin had planned to just get through the time, but then the practical exercises began.

This meant everyone had to demonstrate how to channel the Qi from within their bodies, through their meridians, and then materialize it into weapons mid-air.

For high-level cultivators, this wasn't difficult. These exceptional celestial beings could easily manipulate their internal Qi to form a sword in mid-air, its fierce sword energy quickly sweeping across the room.

Or materialize dual blades enveloped in blazing flames, looking incredibly cool, with everyone feeling the heat scorching their cheeks.

Others channeled their Qi into animals that could be nurtured, with varying colors of Qi among the group.

The differentiation is based on the forces of the Five Elements: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth.

Metal is represented by gold, Wood by green, Fire by red, Water by blue, and Earth by brown.

For a moment, the entire spacious lecture hall turned into a circus. He Qingxin wouldn't have been surprised if someone suddenly started swallowing fire swords.

She saw someone channel their water-based spiritual root, creating a miniature rain shower.

There was no malice among them; the displays were merely for showcasing strength. These powers, if applied in combat, would be formidable.

The forces of nature are always the strongest. For instance, a water-based spiritual root, if near water, can maximize its potential.

The same applies to the other elements, especially the rare metal spiritual root, usually associated with weapons. Practitioners of this root are often adept in various arms.

They can even manipulate metal, refining weapons with their talents, tampering with an opponent's arms during combat.

He Qingxin was dazzled by the display, especially by those who hovered around her all afternoon, creating grand scenes to impress her.

One even took out a pill furnace, intending to concoct a pill on the spot for He Qingxin, but was stopped by the lecturing immortal.

It was this behavior that drew the lecturer's attention to He Qingxin.

He was an immortal from a second-tier sect, overseeing disciple punishments, and had a slight acquaintance with Elder Liuming.

He wouldn't normally intervene for Elder Liuming, but he had heard of He Qingxin, even seeing her once in a wedding dress in a disciple's correspondence.

The cultivators' eyes are sharp; he quickly recognized He Qingxin as the woman who troubled Elder Liuming, the wife of the Yunqi Palace Sect Master.

She was now surrounded by disciples, each vying for her favor, her laughter as radiant as spring blossoms, unwittingly irking the lecturing immortal.

This immortal was of a rank deemed unworthy of knowing about the terrestrial golden marrow beast's emergence. Thus, he was unaware that He Qingxin's presence was merely to assist the celestial chiefs' avatars in their strategies, playing along in their game.

So, he approached He Qingxin ungraciously with a cold face, demanding that she demonstrate her Qi.

He Qingxin did indeed make an effort, having watched others and finding it quite interesting.

She didn't yet feel that the lecturing immortal was deliberately making things difficult for her.

She smiled at him amicably and then started to clumsily form hand seals... but naturally, nothing happened.

He Qingxin never practiced cultivation; she couldn't suddenly know how to form seals just by watching others, not even mastering basic cleansing spells yet.

Before she could try a second time, the lecturing immortal erupted, "With such poor skills, how did you manage to infiltrate the ranks of high-level cultivators!"

"You're from Yunqi Palace. Though this Taoist exchange meeting is held here, Yunqi Palace shouldn't break the rules by carelessly admitting a low-level cultivator like you! Isn’t that hindering everyone's cultivation and insulting the lecturing immortals?!"

His righteous outcry was so loud that all the high-level cultivators, previously whispering, turned their attention to He Qingxin.

People around He Qingxin tried to speak up for her, but they too were just wearing disguises, not of high cultivation either.

And obviously, this immortal's cultivation was not enough to discern these disguised celestial chiefs.

As soon as someone attempted to speak, she harshly rebuked, “Whoever speaks for her, leave my lecture hall along with her!”

When had those surrounding He Qingxin ever faced such humiliation? They were all top-tier individuals, and thus became furiously incensed.

He Qingxin only slightly flinched when the lecturing immortal began to assert his authority, using her as a means to establish his dominance.

Quickly, her face regained that smile brimming with amiability.

After the lecturing immortal demanded that He Qingxin leave his lecture hall, even saying anyone who speaks for her should leave too,

He Qingxin was the first to hold back the impulsive masked followers behind her, starting with a young deer boy at her side.

He Qingxin slowly shook her head, then looked up at the lecturing immortal with a smile that was exceedingly amiable, even somewhat ingratiating.

"Immortal, please don’t be angry. I was sent here because I have potential. That last attempt doesn’t count; let me try again, and this time I'm sure I can channel the Qi within me!"

"He Qingshen's attempt at ingratiating herself was futile; the lecturer harbored deep-seated disdain for her."

"His resentment stemmed from a dispute between his sect and Yunqi Palace, where his disciples faced unfair resource distribution but couldn't contest the more powerful Yunqi Palace."

"Although a superficial resolution had been reached, he nursed a grudge, eagerly awaiting an opportunity to disgrace Yunqi Palace publicly."

"Humiliating the wife of Yunqi Palace's sect leader seemed like the perfect revenge, and he fantasized about boasting of this conquest to his peers."

"Such attitudes are not uncommon, even among celestial beings and nobility. A slight edge over others often breeds an illusion of superiority."

"Over time, this illusion festers into arrogance so ingrained that they lose sight of its origin."

"The lecturer's disdain was so entrenched, he couldn't fathom He Qingshen summoning any significant energy."

"He knew well that Yunqi Palace's sect leader married a low-level cultivator from a mundane sect, a fact not hidden in the cultivation world."

"When He Qingshen asked for another chance, he agreed, intending to use her inevitable failure as a pretext for ejection."

"So, with a feigned air of gravity, he watched He Qingshen's second attempt."

"As expected, her efforts yielded nothing, prompting a sneer from the lecturer, who was about to dismiss her."

"But suddenly, He Qingshen exclaimed with feigned excitement, 'Look, I did it! I summoned it!'"

"Her hands were empty, baffling everyone around her."

"The lecturer's momentary surprise quickly turned to mockery, seeing through He Qingshen's ruse."

"Her claim, clearly a desperate bluff, only deepened the lecturer's resolve to humiliate her further."

He Qingxin couldn't actually summon any Qi, but she urgently said to the immortal, "Look, look!"

"Where? Stop talking nonsense!"

"Bend down a bit," He Qingxin urged, "come closer, closer! You'll see it if you come closer!"

Urged by He Qingxin and having no guard against her – as one wouldn't against an ant – the lecturing immortal indeed leaned in, curious to see what the Yunqi Palace's mistress was up to.

As he leaned in, He Qingxin, still forming hand seals, suddenly released a burst of flames from her palms!

The flames enveloped the bending immortal, climbing up his hanging hair as if alive, quickly covering his entire body.

In the blink of an eye, the fierce fire forced everyone around He Qingxin to step back, for the flames were too pure and intense, beyond what even the purest fire spiritual root could summon.

Indeed, He Qingxin hadn't summoned the fire herself; she had asked her eldest son to release it.

"Aaah!" The immortal, being of a wood spiritual root and naturally fearing fire, started to scream.

With his cultivation, ordinary fire couldn't harm him, let alone engulf him like this, burning ever more fiercely as if fueled by oil.

He tried to extinguish the flames while running wildly around the hall, screaming.

Meanwhile, the celestial chiefs in the Crane Top Hall, noticing this foolhardy lecturing immortal picking on He Qingxin, all rushed down.

Leading them was Xie Lan.

But when they arrived, what they saw was He Qingxin frantically following the wildly rampaging, fiery immortal, looking guilt-ridden, exclaiming, "Oh no, what do we do now!"

"Don't just watch, come and help put out the fire! What should we do!"

"Everyone, come together and..."

"Quickly, all of us need to..."

The immortal who had troubled He Qingxin was now rolling on the ground desperately trying to extinguish the flames.

The scene was indescribable, with everyone around He Qingxin rushing to help put out the fire. But for some reason, the flames grew more intense, and the lecturing immortal's long hair was burned to the point he resembled a tailless quail.

The onlookers’ gazes towards her subtly shifted. Some, unaware of the truth, looked at He Qingxin with a mix of caution and admiration.

In the world of cultivation, strength is revered. Seeing such pure spirit fire burning an immortal like this, they naturally admired her.

Others, aware of the true nature of He Qingxin’s fire, showed either wariness or greed in their eyes.

How could they not be envious or desirous of such formidable power in the hands of a female cultivator?

At this moment, Xie Lan opened the barrier of the lecture hall and approached the fiery immortal, dousing him with water.

The flames slowly extinguished, revealing the burnt robes that no longer covered the immortal’s body, his hair almost completely gone.

Strangely, he had no burns on his body... He had felt pain earlier, but after wiping off the soot, there were only a few minor red and swollen spots.

Xie Lan glanced over the crowd at He Qingxin, who, upon seeing the fire extinguished, continued her act, clutching her chest and saying, “Finally, it's out. That was terrifying…”

Then, she casually glanced at Xie Lan without making eye contact.

Instead, she turned to the young deer boy, feigning lingering fear, “My spiritual power seemed out of control just now. It was really scary.”

The deer boy's true self, Wu Hebi, stood not far behind Xie Lan, looking at him with a hint of apprehension.

Yet, he controlled his avatar to step forward, patting He Qingxin's shoulder to comfort her, “It’s okay, we’ve all lost control of our spiritual power at times…”

As if fearing He Qingxin might suspect him of possessing extraordinary abilities or harboring a rare beast.

“It’s normal, don’t worry,” Wu Hebi added.

“Yes!” He Qingxin nodded.

Thinking to herself: What a thrilling and wonderful day.