Chapter 68 Let’s Walk This Path Together [Seeking Monthly Votes!]
2025-08-18 Author: Kindergarten Master
Chapter 68 Let’s Walk This Path Together [Seeking Monthly Votes!]
On the first floor of the Scripture Pavilion, everyone’s gaze converged on the young man and woman.
Previously, an anomaly had occurred at the bottom of the cold pond, drawing a large number of outer disciples to gather around it. Steward Liu had also reported that three people remained in the secret realm at the bottom of the pond. Thus, the onlookers remembered these three names. To the outer disciples, Chu Huaixu and Han Shuangjiang were strangers, completely unheard of. However, Liu Chengqi, as the son of a steward, and the damage to his Spiritual Embryo had been a significant event back then, making him very well-known. Although, many had heard that Liu Chengqi had recently gone mad. Therefore, no matter how foolish they seemed, everyone understood that the opportunity at the bottom of the cold pond had nothing to do with him! Thus, Chu Huaixu and Han Shuangjiang became the topics of everyone’s casual conversation.
“Did you hear they even alarmed the Sect Master?”
“The Tenth Elder personally appeared, and the Sect Master used a sound-blocking magic array on him. I heard he was almost pissed to death.”
“Almost? I heard he actually vomited?”
“Are you trying to spread rumors? It’s just… I wonder what kind of secret realm it was to cause such anomalies in the heavens and earth, with myriad swords trembling. No news has leaked out yet.”
However, Chu Huaixu and Han Shuangjiang knew very little about the various commotions that had occurred outside the cold pond that day. They didn’t know that many people had gathered there, nor did they know that Liu Tianfeng, that old fellow, had exposed their names.
But the intense gazes from everyone in the Scripture Pavilion made Chu Huaixu vaguely guess. “It’s over, I’ve become famous overnight,” he thought. The “ice block” with a cold demeanor felt even more uncomfortable at the moment. However, she soon felt relieved. Because she saw Chu Huaixu take a step forward, blocking her, covering half of her body. Adhering to the principle of “good deeds deserve acknowledgment,” Chu Huaixu immediately cupped his hands towards the startled Chen Jiye, “So it’s Senior Brother Chen Jiye. I’ve long admired you!” This was also his way of testing the waters. As expected, everyone continued to stare at him, with hardly anyone being attracted by the name Chen Jiye. All the outer disciples were curious: “Did he get the opportunity, or did the junior sister behind him get it?”
“Not to mention, he’s quite handsome.”
“This junior sister is also truly beautiful, captivating at first sight.”
The steward of the Scripture Pavilion, wearing a white robe, let out a light cough and began to take charge. The middle-aged man with a full beard glanced at the timer incense and said to the registered disciple who was attempting the challenge, “What are you dawdling for? Aren’t you going to break the formation?” “There’s only half an incense stick’s time left, and now only half remains.” he reminded sternly. “Young disciples nowadays are truly unruly. Are they all so incapable of distinguishing priorities? It’s one thing for others to spectate, but why are you, the challenger, spectating!” The registered disciple’s face instantly turned red. Clearly, he was thin-skinned. Being criticized under everyone’s gaze, he immediately turned his shame into strength and, with a burst of effort, broke through the second barrier, earning the qualification to choose a Xuan-grade Cultivation Technique. The white-robed steward nodded slightly after taking a look. He turned to Chu Huaixu and Han Shuangjiang and asked them, “Are you two also here to attempt the challenge?” “Indeed,” Chu Huaixu said loudly, unfazed by the crowd, his state only improving. He had, after all, been “ranked second on the must-eat list” before and had experience with high popularity.
Upon hearing this, the white-robed steward immediately waved them over, saying, “You two, come here, give me your registered disciple identity tokens, make a record first, and then join the queue.” “Yes,” the two replied. As they were filling out the forms, whispers continued to come from their surroundings. More and more people stopped on the first floor of the Scripture Pavilion, and these outer disciples were no longer in a hurry to go upstairs. Time passed quickly, and the timer incense soon burned out. The registered disciple who was attempting the challenge stopped at the Xuan-grade. This was not an outstanding performance because there were only a few disciples in the Daoist Sect who chose Yellow-grade Cultivation Techniques annually; Xuan-grade was basically the minimum. Fortunately, the atmosphere in the Daoist Sect seemed good, as some senior brothers and sisters offered words of encouragement.
“Not bad, don’t be discouraged. These are just First Realm cultivation techniques. There are still Second Realm, Third Realm, and plenty of opportunities.”
“Xuan-grade isn’t bad either. About half of the people each year get Xuan-grade.” Those words were not wrong. According to previous years’ proportions, among the four cultivation technique grades of Heaven, Earth, Xuan, and Yellow, the number of people obtaining them was approximately 1:3:5:1. The Daoist Sect was generous and did not hoard their treasures like some sects, only allowing a very small number of disciples to cultivate Heaven-grade and Earth-grade cultivation techniques. If it weren’t for insufficient talent or a shaky foundation in the Meridian-Opening Stage, cultivating too advanced a technique would be detrimental to progress. The Daoist Sect wished every disciple could practice a Heaven-grade cultivation technique. Of course, this was also due to the Daoist Sect’s thousand years of heritage, its comprehensive collection of cultivation techniques in the Scripture Pavilion, and its ample stock of various heavenly materials and earthly treasures, which it could afford.
The white-robed steward turned to the nine-aperture disciple and said, “Step aside for now. You can choose your cultivation technique slowly without disturbing the subsequent challengers.” “Yes,” he replied. At this moment, the middle-aged man looked at Chu Huaixu and Han Shuangjiang and asked, “Who among you two will go first?” He was actually very curious about the two of them. The reason was simple: he was also a Sword Cultivator, and on that day, his lifebound sword had been trembling incessantly! No matter how patiently he tried to appease the Sword Spirit, it was useless. A secret realm that triggered such a large-scale anomaly clearly meant someone had obtained a great opportunity. At this moment, Chu Huaixu and Han Shuangjiang exchanged glances, and Chu Huaixu said, “Ladies first.” The “ice block” was already accustomed to the strange words that always came out of this guy’s mouth. She didn’t really care who went first, but what this damned fox said next was rather irritating. “If I go first, I’m afraid you’ll feel pressured later,” he said, shrugging. The cold look on the cold-faced girl’s face intensified. She snorted and ignored him. She was confident she could break through to Heaven-grade all the way. What pressure could she possibly feel?
The tall Han Shuangjiang walked to the first formation barrier, took a deep breath, and adjusted her state. Chu Huaixu watched her slender back from afar, eagerly anticipating the performance of the world’s protagonist. He had no worries about his “little housekeeper.” It would be ridiculous if the world’s protagonist couldn’t even obtain a Heaven-grade cultivation technique in the First Realm. At this moment, he just wanted to analyze the difficulty of each formation barrier through Han Shuangjiang’s performance. The white-robed steward lit the timer incense, and after three breaths, Han Shuangjiang moved. She raised her right hand and unleashed the [Roaming Dragons of the Eight Desolations] that Chu Huaixu had meticulously guided. The barrier of the Yellow-grade cultivation technique area seemed nonexistent before her, shattering instantly. The cold-faced girl pursed her lips, still expressionless, and with her long legs, she strode forward without stopping.
The disciple who was selecting formations in the Xuan-grade area couldn’t help but glance at her sideways, finding this junior sister so soul-stirringly beautiful that his heart skipped a beat. The moment she swung her palm, he even wished that the barrier she struck wasn’t the barrier, but his face. A senior brother had once told him, “Remember, when a palm strikes, the first scent that drifts over is fragrance.” The registered disciple watched Han Shuangjiang swing another palm, and the Xuan-grade barrier shattered with a clang. The girl didn’t stop, walking past him under his gaze, brushing past him in an instant. The surrounding crowd began to whisper again.
“Judging by this momentum, she’ll be at least Earth-grade! I feel Heaven-grade is also stable.”
“If she really reaches Heaven-grade, then the one who obtained the opportunity should be this junior sister.”
“She seems very relaxed. Has she digested the medicinal power of the Meridian-Opening Pill so perfectly?”
“Such a heaven-defying talent will likely be promoted to the inner sect before long.”
Under everyone’s gaze, Han Shuangjiang stood before the Earth-grade barrier and tentatively swung a palm. The barrier also shattered in one attempt. The surrounding outer disciples looked at each other, seeing her casual and graceful demeanor, they suspected that even the Heaven-grade barrier wouldn’t stop her. Many secretly envied her, as a Heaven-grade cultivation technique represented a higher starting point for one’s cultivation path.
The “ice block” stood before the Heaven-grade barrier, her surface as calm as a still pond, but her heart was gradually stirring. This was the first time she had formally tested her cultivation results. It was also the first time, under everyone’s gaze, that she realized more profoundly that she was truly a cultivation genius. She yearned for cultivation and to control her own life. Instead of being sold into prostitution by her parents and then gifted to the Joyous Sect like an object. Despite her icy exterior, a seed of fear had always resided in her heart since childhood. She knew she had no one behind her. But what about the path ahead? Would she be a courtesan of Hongxiu Zhao, or a saintess of the Joyous Sect? How could a young girl not be afraid?
“Even if this cultivation path is fraught with immense difficulties, I will walk it alone!” she vowed in her heart. “Break for me!” Han Shuangjiang raised her right hand and struck down with her palm! The Heaven-grade barrier shattered under her full-power attack. The “ice block” took another deep breath, took a step forward solemnly, and entered the Heaven-grade area. For some reason, standing there, her heart felt a moment of peace. The girl suddenly felt like crying, but it was only for an instant. After steadying herself, she slowly turned around. Strangely, her gaze instinctively searched for Chu Huaixu’s figure. In the vast crowd, many senior brothers and sisters were cheering for her. Yet, she was looking only for him.
Chu Huaixu had, at some point, moved from his previous position and was now standing before the Yellow-grade barrier. Han Shuangjiang’s gaze crossed the four barriers and locked onto him. The two, having experienced many trials together, looked at each other like this. The “damned fox” had a smile on his face that came from the heart, offering complete affirmation. The girl had just been thinking that no matter how difficult the path ahead, she would walk it alone. Yet, this damned fox was now smiling and telling her: “Don’t move, wait for me there.”
(PS: Third update, seeking monthly votes!)
(This chapter is finished)
