Chapter 49 The Scheming Disciple and the Charming Master 49

Chapter 49: The Scheming Disciple and His Beautiful Master 49

The tribulation for breaking through to the Spirit Transformation Stage consisted of sixty-four heavenly thunderbolts, during which absolutely no distraction was permitted.

Any momentary lapse in concentration would result in being struck into ashes by the tribulation lightning, meeting one's end then and there.

At the sight of the tribulation, the hundred immortal sects saw a glimmer of hope for victory. Mu Yunting was their only hope.

Some were happy, others were not. For the demon race, who were on the verge of triumph, Mu Yunting's breakthrough would deal them a devastating blow.

Qin Du and Xiao Sha had both been through this before, so they naturally understood that Mu Yunting, once he broke through, would be the key to this battle.

Therefore, they absolutely could not allow him to break through successfully.

The two demon cultivators exchanged a glance, instantly understanding each other's intentions.

Without another word, Qin Du flew straight toward Lingxiao Peak, while Lin Huaiqing reacted half a beat slower and fell behind.

Just as he was about to summon his sword to stop Qin Du, Xiao Sha blocked his path.

"Immortal Lord Lin, I've heard much about you."

Lin Huaiqing flicked his sleeve and cursed with a frown: "Move aside! Don't block my way!"

"Immortal Lord Lin, my master has ordered me not to harm you. Please, make your attack."

Unable to break free from Xiao Sha's relentless obstruction, Lin Huaiqing had no choice but to exchange a few moves with him. Their cultivation levels were similar, and for a time, neither could gain the upper hand.

While raising his sword to block Xiao Sha's attack, Lin Huaiqing's attention wavered for a brief moment.

After about the time it takes to burn half an incense stick, sensing no damage to the mountain guardian formation, Lin Huaiqing breathed a slight sigh of relief.

If Qin Du couldn't break the formation, he naturally couldn't interfere with Mu Yunting.

But soon, he realized a fatal oversight.

Back when Qin Du was still training at the Xuantian Sect, every time he secretly slipped down the mountain, he would cleverly avoid the scrutiny of the guarding disciples.

Once or twice might be understandable, but he did it flawlessly every time. This should have been impossible for a heavily guarded sect like the Xuantian Sect.

Could there be a secret passage on Lingxiao Peak leading straight down the mountain?!

Realizing this, Lin Huaiqing felt a chill run from the soles of his feet to the tips of his fingers.

No! He had to stop Qin Du at all costs!

"Look! Immortal Venerable Huaiqing has activated his spiritual energy burst!"

Cultivators at the Golden Core Stage and above were all too familiar with this technique. Spiritual energy burst was a technique that bordered on self-destruction.

By channeling all one's spiritual power into the divine sea, compressing the spiritual root, and unleashing it to its maximum, one could temporarily boost their cultivation level.

Though this allowed one to temporarily exceed their original cultivation level, it caused permanent damage to the cultivator's cultivation foundation.

Using spiritual energy burst too many times was essentially suicide. Most cultivators would never use it, unwilling to gamble with their lives.

But what others dared not do, Lin Huaiqing dared to do!

Risking it all, he would pull the Demon Lord down from his throne!

Anyone who stood in his way was his enemy.

Time was running out; he could not hesitate any longer.

After the spiritual energy burst, Lin Huaiqing's cultivation soared and nearly reached the Spirit Transformation Stage. In a few swift moves, he took down the obstructing Xiao Sha.

"Quick! Surround Lin Huaiqing! Don't let him foil the Lord's grand plan!"

Xiao Sha, sprawled on the ground, gave the order, and all the demon soldiers rushed toward Lin Huaiqing, encircling him.

But with his spiritual energy burst, Lin Huaiqing was not someone these ragtag soldiers could stop. In no time, he cut a bloody path through the demon army's ranks.

"Senior Brother! Be careful!" Shen Qiuyue called out amid the fighting. Watching Lin Huaiqing's figure fly away on his sword, she seemed to see the former glory of the world's number one swordsman once more.

Lin Huaiqing, clad in white, was now splattered with the blood of the demon army. Silhouetted against the tribulation lightning, he looked like a war god descending from the heavens.

Flying across the peaks, Lin Huaiqing arrived at the place he knew best—Lingxiao Peak.

When he arrived, he found Qin Du furiously destroying the barrier Mu Yunting had set up outside.

The barrier was already nearly destroyed, one final strike away from crumbling into dust.

Fortunately, Lin Huaiqing arrived in time. Had he been even a moment later, everything would have been lost.

"Qin Du, stop!"

Qin Du turned around abruptly and was shocked to see Lin Huaiqing drenched in blood.

"Master, what happened?"

Seeing Lin Huaiqing in such a miserable state, Qin Du instinctively stepped forward, wanting to wipe the blood from his face.

But Lin Huaiqing, furious beyond measure, slapped away his outstretched hand. "Don't touch me!"

Qin Du let out a derisive laugh, as if mocking his own stupidity.

"Master is truly heartless. Then don't blame your disciple for being overly devoted!"

He naturally knew why Lin Huaiqing had chased after him—to protect his beloved disciple's successful ascension.

Unfortunately, he refused to let Lin Huaiqing get what he wanted.

With a flick of his wrist, he shattered the barrier.

The pale golden fragments of the barrier scattered across the ground, then vanished into thin air.

Watching this scene, Lin Huaiqing wished he could slap his stubborn former self.

If Qin Du wanted to touch him, he should have just let him! Anything but the barrier!

"Qin Du! Stop right there!"

Seeing that shouting was useless, Lin Huaiqing immediately set up a formation on the spot, trapping Qin Du inside.

This formation was called the Heavenly Thunder Formation. As long as one didn't touch the formation's edge, those inside would remain safe.

But if one touched the boundary, they would feel as if struck by heavenly thunder.

He didn't want to do this—Qin Du had been forcing his hand all along.

Trapped inside the barrier, Qin Du's fingers blackened the moment they touched its edge, though the demon race's formidable regenerative abilities made the damage negligible.

He never expected Lin Huaiqing to go so far as to pour all his spiritual power into such a vicious barrier just to stop him.

"Master, you really do favor that disciple of yours in there. To protect him, aren't you afraid I might get hurt?"

In response to Qin Du's accusation, Lin Huaiqing could only say reluctantly, "As long as you don't touch the barrier, you'll be fine."

"So aren't you afraid that once Mu Yunting gets through his tribulation, he'll come out and kill me?" Resentment burned in Qin Du's eyes. "At this point, it's either him or me—one of us is going to die!"

Seeing Lin Huaiqing still as cold and indifferent as ever, he finally realized he couldn't just rely on Lin Huaiqing's pity to get by.

If he kept hesitating, he'd lose everything again in this life.

Seeing Qin Du about to break free from the barrier, Lin Huaiqing made up his mind and poured his soul power into it.

Once soul power was infused, the barrier became bound to his very soul. Should it shatter, his soul would suffer severe damage as well.

"Lin Huaiqing! You..."

Qin Du witnessed it all—Lin Huaiqing risking harm to his own soul to ensure Mu Yunting's successful breakthrough.

What a touching display of master-disciple devotion, yet he himself was nothing but an outsider in their bond.

Or rather, he was their common enemy. Why else would they join forces against him?

Demonic energy swirled everywhere, and Lin Huaiqing was already at the end of his rope. A deafening explosion followed, and the barrier disintegrated into nothing.

Even Lin Huaiqing's soul power suffered unprecedented backlash. His internal organs churned violently, and blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

Qin Du forced his way through the shattered barrier, a metallic taste rising in his throat as he too coughed up blood.

The two took in each other's ragged state, hatred and love tangled together, finally blending into something deep and overwhelming.