Chapter 92: Xu Ziqing’s Repayment
2025-08-18 Author: Kindergarten Leader
Chapter 92: Xu Ziqing’s Repayment
It had to be said, Junior Brother Xu, who had taken the bronze sword from the mountain, was truly incredible.
He not only won the Eastern Continent Grand Competition but also completely dominated the number one contender from the Western Continent.
Although the sword possessed a Dao Ancestor’s seal, and the seal would only be released a little with each realm Xu Ziqing broke through, meaning he could only tap into a fraction of the demonic sword’s power, it was still more than enough for him to sweep through opponents of the same realm.
Many players believed that it wasn’t Xu Ziqing who was invincible in the same realm, but the sword itself!
Some players had witnessed firsthand the immense difference in his strength when he wielded the bronze sword compared to when he didn’t.
Without the sword, he was still very powerful, but likely couldn’t compare to the other three world protagonists.
Furthermore, as mentioned before, Xu Ziqing’s cultivation speed had always been slower than the other three world protagonists.
He was at least one major realm behind.
Against immensely talented individuals like Han Shuangjiang, whose progress was described as a thousand miles in a day, he had even fallen behind by two major realms at one point.
He seemed to be born for the Eastern and Western Continent Grand Competitions of the first two rounds.
Reason being, by the time the third realm Eastern and Western Continent Grand Competition began in Profound Era 1991, Han Shuangjiang, who had obtained two Dao Ancestor inheritances, had already leaped to the fourth realm and was surging towards becoming a great cultivator, thus disqualifying her from participating.
Whereas Xu Ziqing at that time was merely at the third realm cultivation, and only mid-third realm at that, not even having reached great perfection!
Yet, relying on that sword, he had managed to overcome numerous obstacles and secure the title of the best in the same realm within the Profound Yellow Realm.
Chu Huaixu hadn’t expected that he, who had taken Xu Ziqing’s script, would now be entrusted with such great expectations.
Why was it that I was the one being asked to fight now? he thought.
“But the problem is, I’m not sure if my current Junior Brother Xu, if he were to ascend Hidden Spirit Mountain, would still have a chance to obtain that sword?” he mused.
“If he was destinated to obtain it, then among my opponents in the Eastern Continent Grand Competition, there would still be Xu Ziqing wielding the foremost sword in the world!” His gaze sharpened slightly.
The unfolding of the story had become inexplicably complicated.
Even more bizarrely, the quest system seemed to have detected something on its own.
As Chu Huaixu stood within the purple bamboo forest, system notifications began to chime in his ears.
“[Ding! Upon detection, you have triggered the main storyline quest: Eastern and Western Continent Grand Competition!]”
His heartbeat quickened slightly as he secretly checked the quest rewards.
This was clearly a phased quest, with rewards awarded in stages that players had to unlock layer by layer.
The first stage required players to reach the top five hundred in the Eastern Continent to receive an experience point reward.
After that, the next stage would be unlocked.
Chu Huaixu personally guessed that the next stage would likely be to reach the top hundred.
“This means that if I can keep climbing up the ranks, I’ll continue to unlock more stages.”
He was well aware that the rewards for main storyline quests were always exceptionally generous, usually including not only experience points but also some special items and attribute points.
As for the ultimate reward, it was likely to be astonishing.
In an instant, Chu Huaixu was filled with motivation.
At this moment, the other elders also offered words of encouragement with expectant gazes.
Chu Huaixu gracefully cupped his hands, refraining from any words of self-deprecation. Despite being only in the early first realm, he exuded the same demeanor he had when he previously ascended Hidden Spirit Mountain!
“This disciple will strive with all his might and not bring shame to the mission!”
With this matter concluded, Chu Yinyin once again volunteered to personally escort Chu Huaixu back to the outer sect.
On their flight back, the wealthy young lady of the Daoist Sect remarked, “If you can secure first place in the Eastern Continent, or even first place in both the Eastern and Western Continents, the sect will certainly reward you.”
“As your future second master, I will also give you a personal reward.”
The thought of her future disciple becoming the top contender in the Profound Yellow Realm filled her with delight.
This ageless maiden was already preening with pride simply from these imaginings.
Upon hearing this, Chu Huaixu promptly and tactfully replied, “Then this disciple thanks Second Master in advance.”
“Oh my, I already told you I’m not your second master yet. You’ll have to work hard to enter the inner sect first.” The mature young lady waved her hands repeatedly, her face alight with an irrepressible smile, almost turning into a bloom.
The two soon flew back to the bamboo dwelling in the outer sect. As they parted, Chu Huaixu bid her farewell with a look of respect.
Chu Yinyin secretly exulted. She stood with her hands behind her back, leaving him with her retreating figure, her flat chest held high, as she floated away.
It was a cloudy day, the sky a dull gray, as if rain might fall at any moment.
Han Shuangjiang, residing next door, heard the commotion. She opened her bamboo door and saw Chu Huaixu had returned, and couldn’t help but remind him, “Don’t forget, you still need to pick up Junior Brother Xu today.”
“I remember, I remember!” he replied. “I don’t even have a clean outer robe, how could I forget?”
The “ice block” rolled her eyes internally.
But then she thought, “If Junior Brother Xu goes home, I guess I won’t have to buy groceries or do the dishes anymore.”
With this thought, her mood brightened considerably.
Chu Huaixu waved goodbye to her, saying, “I’ll go right now.”
The little busybody glanced at the overcast sky, sensing an impending heavy rain, and asked, “Do you have an umbrella in your Storage Token?”
“No need, no need! It’s just a short distance, I’ll be quick,” he said, already running out. “Besides, we’re cultivators, we won’t get hurt by the rain.”
The girl with a cold expression watched his retreating back and couldn’t help but murmur softly:
“You won’t get hurt, but you’ll come back soaked, and your robes will still need to be cleaned by Junior Brother Xu, who will likely have to boil water for your bath as well.”
At this, Han Shuangjiang couldn’t help but envy those with profound cultivation.
When Li Chunsong had gone to the foot of Wumeng Mountain to pick them up, he had intentionally shown off his skills.
Not only did the rain around them not touch them, but he had even momentarily halted the raindrops in the air!
By the time Chu Huaixu reached the vicinity of the cold pool, the sky had grown even more gloomy.
He stood by the edge of the cold pool, feeling the biting cold air rush towards him, and muttered, “It’s a good thing I came. If I had waited a few more days, as the cold energy at the bottom of the pool continued to increase, not only would Junior Brother Xu be unable to get out, but I might not even be able to endure going in!”
“By then, I might have to ask someone with higher cultivation to go in and fetch him.”
Chu Huaixu then took out the water-repelling beads and the jade token fragments, and leaped down.
Upon entering the cold pool, he even chuckled, “That ice block is really forgetful. I have water-repelling beads, and I could use them to block the rain.”
Entering the Secret Realm, Chu Huaixu skillfully made his way to the seventh cave and, relying on the small sword in his sea of consciousness, broke through the illusion of the second trial.
After opening the stone door, he saw Xu Ziqing sitting cross-legged by the pool, meditating with his eyes closed.
Beside him were a few sheets of paper, weighted down by a calligraphy brush and the brocade pouch he had given the young man.
Chu Huaixu did not disturb him, nor did he peek at the contents of the papers, respecting the young man’s privacy. He directly cast an [Information Probe] at him.
“Six acupoints opened?” he gritted his teeth with envy.
He had gained substantial experience points from this trial, but it certainly wasn’t enough for him to level up from 0 to 6.
“Even though so many days have passed, for a normal False Spiritual Embryo to refine their body and open six acupoints takes a very, very long time.”
“And it feels like he’s even trying to break through the seventh acupoint.”
“World protagonists are truly different.”
Chu Huaixu, who had already obtained the [Medicine Cauldron: Dao Sheng Yi], suddenly thought, “Then if I refine more pills for him to consume in the future, with his innate physique that’s a holy body for medicine, wouldn’t he also be able to progress rapidly?”
Damn it, this is the kind of nurture-type boy that alchemists love!
Chu Huaixu couldn’t help but suspect that Xu Ziqing’s cultivation in his playthrough of “Sword Borrowing Art” was likely achieved mainly through consuming pills.
If he relied on his own slow cultivation, it would take him ages.
After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the refined young man slowly opened his eyes.
Upon seeing Chu Huaixu standing before him, his face immediately lit up with excitement.
Then, he quickly rose and said respectfully, “Brother.”
Chu Huaixu looked at him with a calm expression and said in a very nonchalant tone, “Not bad, sixth acupoint.”
Xu Ziqing heard this and recognized that it wasn’t exactly praise, but his heart was filled with joy nonetheless.
“This at least means that while I haven’t surprised Brother, I haven’t disappointed him either?”
He knew that his own cultivation aptitude was dull, incomparable to his brother and Sister Han.
To achieve this much was already satisfying for him.
“Junior Brother Xu.”
“Yes! Brother!”
“Are the Body Tempering elixirs still useful for you?” Chu Huaixu asked.
“From yesterday onwards, they’ve had almost no effect,” Xu Ziqing replied truthfully.
“Then my arrival is quite timely,” Chu Huaixu stated calmly.
My piled-up dirty clothes seem to align with heavenly will.
He asked with some curiosity, “What have you been doing these past few days, besides cultivating?”
Xu Ziqing honestly replied, “Occasionally practicing my family’s sword techniques.”
He added, “Brother, you might not know this, but I come from a prominent sword-wielding family in the martial world. I learned swordsmanship from my parents since childhood.”
Chu Huaixu heard this and thought to himself, “I know.”
But he merely nodded slightly, saying nothing more.
After a moment, he looked at the refined young man and said, “Let’s go. This Secret Realm is no longer useful for you. The cold pool outside is accumulating more cold energy, and in a few more days, you might not be able to get out.”
“Yes, Brother,” Xu Ziqing replied respectfully, and then began packing his belongings.
In truth, even if Chu Huaixu hadn’t come today, he had planned to leave tomorrow.
Because the dry rations that the former had sent him would be finished by tonight, even if he ate sparingly.
“Brother might have been keeping track of the days, knowing I’m out of food, and that’s why he came to fetch me today?” the young man guessed in his heart, feeling a touch of emotion.
While organizing his things, Xu Ziqing quickly spotted the papers, weighted down by the calligraphy brush and brocade pouch.
Within the Storage Token of a registered disciple, the Daoist Sect provided basic daily necessities, including writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones.
The refined young man crouched down and solemnly put the brocade pouch, inscribed with “Water does not compete for the first wave, but for the endless flow,” into his Storage Token.
Then, he picked up the papers, took a deep breath, and walked towards Chu Huaixu.
“Brother, here you go.” He handed the papers to him with both hands.
“What’s this?” Chu Huaixu asked, taking them with curiosity.
As the papers were facing away from him, he could only vaguely make out the handwriting.
Chu Huaixu immediately flipped them over to read the text.
“Sixfold Rift Spell?” he read the four characters at the top, finding them somewhat awkward.
But he roughly understood their meaning.
“Sixfold refers to an elegant term for snow.”
“Rift, on the other hand, is another name for lightning.”
A system notification immediately rang in his ears.
“[Ding! Congratulations, you have obtained the Spell—Sixfold Rift Spell.]”
“[Type: Sword technique.]”
“[Grade: Earth.]”
“[Status: Incomplete, can be upgraded.]”
(Ps: Second update, requesting monthly votes~)
(End of this chapter)
