Chapter 073: First Display of Ability

Xu Xuan’s expression changed slightly as he gauged the distance between himself and the sheer cliff where the Blood Ink Flower grew—some twenty meters separated them, with a terrifying abyss yawning in between.

“Even if we don’t compete for it, you won’t get the Blood Ink Flower either,” Senior Brother Jia said coldly.

What!

Senior Brother Lin’s gaze swept toward the cliff, his face shifting as well. The abyss between them, neither near nor far, was as insurmountable as a heavenly moat, causing all three to hesitate. Even if one managed to leap across and pluck the Blood Ink Flower, returning safely would be no easy task.

Though cultivators at the Qi Refining stage possessed some simple immortal techniques, without reaching the fourth realm, they could not fly or control objects in the air.

“None of you can fly or control objects, so discovering the Blood Ink Flower is pointless. It seems this flower is fated to belong to us,” Yang Xiaoqian’s bright eyes sparkled, her smile as radiant as a blossom. She swept her gaze over the three, lingering briefly on Xu Xuan’s face.

Her meaning was clear: since you cannot claim it, it naturally belongs to us—it was practically a matter of course.

Senior Brother Lin’s expression flickered between gloom and hesitation, his eyes locked on the Blood Ink Flower clinging to the cliff. He seemed tempted, yet lacked confidence.

Among Yu Qin’s trio, the highest cultivation belonged to Senior Brother Lin, but even he was only at the third stage of Qi Refining.

“Why risk yourself, Senior Brother Lin?” Le Feng smiled faintly. “How about this: we retrieve the Blood Ink Flower for you, and when we return to the mountain, we divide the gains equally.”

Upon hearing this, Senior Brother Lin’s eyes brightened, his attitude immediately changing. After a brief pause, he smiled and agreed, “You’re fair-minded, Junior Brother Le. If you do the work, sharing half the benefits is only right—”

“Wait!” Xu Xuan interrupted him.

“What do you mean by this, Junior Brother Xu?” Senior Brother Lin said unhappily, his cold gaze sweeping over Xu Xuan with deep disdain—what right did Xu Xuan have to speak here?

“Don’t forget your place, Senior Brother Lin. Among the three of us, who is the true disciple? Yu Qin hasn’t spoken yet—what right do you have to agree?” Xu Xuan’s expression was calm, but his voice was firm and justified.

“You—” Senior Brother Lin was momentarily speechless, anger flooding his face, but he could not refute. Among the three, Yu Qin was the true disciple; Xu Xuan and Senior Brother Lin were merely protectors accompanying her.

“Indeed, it’s up to Sister Yu’s decision,” Le Feng nodded with a smile, somewhat surprised by Xu Xuan’s assertiveness.

“Sister Yu, what’s there to consider?” Senior Brother Lin suppressed his anger, turning his gaze to Yu Qin.

Yu Qin seemed flustered, lowering her snowy head and stealing a glance at Xu Xuan, as if seeking his opinion.

“Sister Yu, you must decide quickly. If we delay any longer and the Sword Sect discovers us, then…” Le Feng smiled gently.

“I…” Yu Qin hesitated.

Suddenly—

A tremor shook the ground, and a silhouette darted upward like a great bird, soaring to the cliff top opposite them.

The five felt a rush of wind; Xu Xuan’s figure vanished. In the next instant, he was already above the cliff, crossing five or six meters in a flash, gliding as lightly as a swallow.

What!

Shock gripped them all; Yu Qin and Yang Xiaoqian were terrified by Xu Xuan’s sudden movement.

That graceful figure soared to the summit, momentum slowing abruptly—he was still some distance from the cliff, his body about to fall.

“Suicidal!” Senior Brother Lin’s shock gave way to a cold sneer.

But Xu Xuan’s limbs pulsed in midair like a bird flapping its wings, his vital energy surging and erupting in a deafening roar. Using a second force in the void, he lunged forward several meters, his palm filled with internal strength and stabbed into the iron-hard cliff.

Simultaneously, Xu Xuan used his other hand to extract the Blood Ink Flower with skill, removing it along with the surrounding rock.

“How could a mere Body Refiner accomplish such a feat…” Senior Brother Lin was aghast.

“What exquisite lightness technique, and the internal energy just displayed is close to the ninth stage of Body Refining,” Senior Brother Jia’s eyes flashed with surprise.

“To think he possesses such strength…” Le Feng murmured, momentarily stunned, though a smile soon returned to his lips. “But returning safely will be even harder.”

Yu Qin and Yang Xiaoqian remained pale and breathless, their hearts pounding.

Le Feng and Senior Brother Fei watched Xu Xuan intently, barely daring to breathe.

The return was far more difficult: first, Xu Xuan hung from the cliff by one hand, unable to find proper leverage; second, his other hand held the Blood Ink Flower, making it hard to maneuver.

With a shout, Xu Xuan’s eyes flashed with fierce light, his internal energy burst forth, enveloping him in a powerful, howling aura. He floated upward like a feather.

His feet stamped three times on the rock in quick succession, and with a final push, his body shot out like a cannonball, soaring to a height of twenty meters.

Then, his limbs splayed like a bird, gliding from the sky, the wind roaring around him, his robes and hair streaming.

Below, the five’s pupils contracted as the figure, cloaked in powerful energy and gusts, grew larger in their vision, swooping down like a celestial being.

With a thunderous crash, the ground shook, dust billowed, and fierce winds swept out in all directions.

The five’s robes fluttered, their ears ringing. Yang Xiaoqian, the weakest among them, swayed slightly, her face pale with shock and disbelief.

Amidst the dust, Xu Xuan stood tall and steady, his vital energy and fierce aura pressing down with suffocating force, only to vanish in an instant, returning to calm.

“Sister Yu, you should keep the Blood Ink Flower for now. Don’t remove it from the soil, and water it with some spiritual liquid if possible…” Xu Xuan handed the flower to Yu Qin.

Only then did the others recover from their astonishment.

Senior Brother Lin stared blankly, his gaze slowly shifting to Xu Xuan, unable to hide his shock.

Le Feng and Senior Brother Jia showed surprise, but quickly concealed it, secretly appraising Xu Xuan.

Yet Xu Xuan’s aura soon returned to normal; he appeared no more than an ordinary mortal, hard to imagine he had just unleashed such terrifying power.

“No wonder Junior Brother Xu is rarely seen in the inner sect—he must be a devoted cultivator, having reached at least the eighth stage of Body Refining,” Le Feng exclaimed with genuine admiration.

Eighth stage of Body Refining!

Yang Xiaoqian and the others were overwhelmed by waves of astonishment.

After the seventh stage, each advancement in Body Refining was incredibly arduous; only those with immense perseverance could succeed.

“Judging by his performance, Junior Brother Xu is not just at the eighth stage—he may be nearing the ninth stage,” Senior Brother Jia added, still surprised.

Upon hearing this, Senior Brother Lin was even more astonished. No wonder their master allowed Xu Xuan to enter the secret realm with them.

Yang Xiaoqian, standing beside Le Feng, felt a tinge of bitterness and self-mockery amid her shock.

She had believed that, having entered the Qi Refining stage first and allied herself with true disciple Le Feng, she would always look down on Xu Xuan and leave him far behind.

But reality revealed another truth, filling her heart with loss and bitterness.

In background and talent, she surpassed Xu Xuan, and had even used her beauty to gain more advantages, yet ultimately she could not outshine him.

The difficulty of reaching the eighth stage of Body Refining exceeded even the bottleneck before the fourth stage of Qi Refining—and Xu Xuan’s cultivation was nearly at the ninth stage.

“You flatter me, seniors. It’s only basic body refinement, not worth mentioning beside Qi Refining cultivators,” Xu Xuan replied humbly, his internal aura settling into calm with the breathing technique.

His leap just now revealed his mastery of the “Drifting” technique, which had grown ever more refined; combined with the “Howling” technique’s wild power and his near-ninth-stage internal strength, he moved with effortless ease. Even most body refiners at the ninth stage would struggle to achieve such feats.

“Thank you!” Yu Qin’s cheeks flushed with joy and delight as she carefully arranged the Blood Ink Flower and whispered, “You earned this—you’ll get it back when we return.”

Amid the others’ astonishment, only she seemed truly happy for Xu Xuan.

“We’re a small team, so we’ll divide it equally when we return,” Xu Xuan said calmly, unfazed by praise or blame.

“Yes, yes, equal shares,” Senior Brother Lin agreed repeatedly, his shock slowly fading. He thought to himself: So what if Xu Xuan is at the eighth stage of Body Refining? Compared to my third stage of Qi Refining, we’re not on the same level.

“Well then, let’s split up again. Sister Yu, if you encounter any danger, don’t forget to use your spiritual talisman to notify us,” Le Feng, feeling somewhat embarrassed, smiled and prepared to leave.

Yu Qin was about to speak when—

In the distance, several miles away, dazzling blue, red, and purple fireworks suddenly erupted, shooting straight into the sky and visible from afar.

“This is bad—a distress signal from the sect,” Le Feng and Senior Brother Jia’s expressions changed instantly.

(First update, tireless in pursuit—please recommend!)