By the ti Su Lingya finished her alchemy, evening had fallen and the sun had set.
Even so, she didn’t postpone her eting with Zhong Ming until the next day.
Sensing Zhong Ming’s true capabilities, she brought Lin Yuxuan and hurried toward his location.
The mont she saw Zhong Ming, she stopped in her tracks, her slender fingers subconsciously tightening around the silk sash at her waist.
She had reacted this way because she noticed that besides the sisters, Xie Yuzhu and Xie Yushuang, there was another elegant and noble young woman on intimate terms with Zhong Ming.
’So not two, but three. And that one doesn’t seem to be from the Xie Family. With that kind of air... the Golden Jade Tower?’
Su Lingya wasn’t particularly bothered by the number of girls surrounding Zhong Ming. In this age, it was common for the powerful to have several wives and concubines. What surprised her was sothing else.
’To be favored by so many noblewon, and from two different families at that... It seems I need to raise my estimation of Zhong Ming yet again.’
...
"Senior Sister Su, why are you here?!"
At Su Lingya’s arrival, Xie Yushuang covered her mouth with a slender hand, her eyes wide... She thought Su Lingya had co to reprimand her.
Fortunately, she was soon relieved.
Su Lingya didn’t reprimand her on moral grounds. Instead, her tone was gentle as she said, "I ca to congratulate you, Junior Sister, on finding a good match. I also hope our two peaks can cooperate sincerely in the upcoming Seven Peaks competition."
The first half of the sentence put Xie Yushuang at ease, but she didn’t dare respond to the second half, turning to look at Zhong Ming instead.
Sighing, Zhong Ming shook his head and said bluntly, "I’ve said it before. I have no intention of joining another peak."
Su Lingya chuckled lightly. "Junior Brother Zhong, you misunderstand. I didn’t co to recruit you, but to form an alliance."
"This sort of thing has happened before. Back then, your Longxi Peak provided the fighting power while we provided support..."
Now that she knew Zhong Ming’s strength was considerable, Su Lingya no longer treated him like a subordinate. She hoped they could support each other during the Seven Peaks competition.
Since it was a partnership of equals, she made it clear that any contributions Zhong Ming earned during the Seven Peaks competition would be his alone. Cuixiang Mountain wouldn’t take a single thing.
At these words, both Yi Yunya’s and Xie Yushuang’s eyes lit up.
They both thought it was an excellent proposal.
Then, before they could even try to persuade him, Zhong Ming rejected Su Lingya’s proposal for an alliance.
"..."
He wouldn’t even agree to a partnership of equals. This made it impossible for the usually gentle Su Lingya to maintain her smile.
"Why?"
Taking a deep breath, she voiced her confusion.
"The disciples of Molten Fire Peak have the advantage of their Magical Artifacts, and Dharma Seal Peak has the greatest numbers. Young Master Zhong, even if you’re confident in your own strength, you must understand that two fists can’t fight four hands."
"If we want to stand against them, our only path is cooperation... Or is it that your target is us?!"
Her tone grew cold as she spoke the last sentence.
Zhong Ming just shrugged.
"Senior Sister Su, don’t read too much into it. I’m not targeting Cuixiang Mountain. I just... prefer to fight alone."
This was a lie. Zhong Ming’s real thought was, ’I’m not targeting Cuixiang Mountain specifically. Everyone outside of Longxi Peak is my target.’
Of course, Zhong Ming understood social etiquette, so he kept these thoughts to himself.
However, he wasn’t particularly good at hiding his emotions, and Su Lingya seed to pick up on sothing.
It wasn’t just Su Lingya who disbelieved his words; Lin Yuxuan, who had co with her, didn’t buy it either.
"You won’t even cooperate as equals? Do you expect us to submit to you?"
As she said this, Lin Yuxuan’s eyes widened in realization.
"Arrogant! Conceited! Do you think this is still the old days when genius disciples flocked to Longxi Peak... Mmph!"
Su Lingya cried, "Yuxuan!"
In the end, Su Lingya managed to calm the fuming Lin Yuxuan.
However, now certain that Zhong Ming was unwilling to cooperate, her attitude toward him inevitably grew cooler.
"Since Junior Brother insists, I will say no more."
"However, my offer stands until the competition at the end of the month. If you change your mind about cooperating, Junior Brother, you can co find ."
Zhong Ming cupped his hands in a fist-and-palm salute. "Thank you for the high regard, Senior Sister."
After they bid farewell, a sowhat disappointed Su Lingya shook her head and departed.
However, she paused as she passed Xie Yushuang and said gently, "Junior Sister, even though our cooperation didn’t work out, it has nothing to do with you. Don’t feel burdened. Cuixiang Mountain is your ho, and you are always welco back."
...
The gentle and intellectual Su Lingya left a very good impression.
And what she’d said did make sense.
To face the threats from Molten Fire Peak and Dharma Seal Peak, cooperating with Cuixiang Mountain would have significantly reduced the pressure on Zhong Ming.
Because of this, both Yi Yunya and Xie Yushuang looked at Zhong Ming, seeming to want to say sothing but holding back.
Just as they were hesitating over whether to admonish him, Zhong Ming suddenly laughed. "You think I made the wrong choice?"
Hearing this, Yi Yunya imdiately replied, "That’s not what I ant. You must have your own reasons for doing this, Senior Brother. I just wanted to offer my humble opinion to give you another perspective to consider."
"Haha..." Yi Yunya’s careful words made Zhong Ming laugh. He nodded, first acknowledging Su Lingya’s proposal. "A win-win partnership. Her proposal was excellent. Unfortunately, she was one step too late."
Zhong Ming hadn’t forgotten sothing important: the competition at the end of the month wasn’t just a battle for resources among the Seven Peaks. It was also an assessnt for new disciples to prove themselves, to make the sect value and nurture them.
And what could be more eye-catching than single-handedly propping up the declining Longxi Peak?
Thus, if he had accepted Su Lingya’s proposal, the competition at the end of the month might have been easier for him.
But then, even if he won, Cuixiang Mountain would get a share of the credit.
Considering Cuixiang Mountain’s considerable strength, a victory with their help wouldn’t be nearly as shocking to the sect. Their win might even be seen as a matter of course.
If that happened, the sect certainly wouldn’t pour all its resources into nurturing him.
’Only in desperate straits can a prodigy’s talent truly shine.’
For this very reason, Zhong Ming had rejected Su Lingya’s proposal. He wanted to lead Longxi Peak to first place by his own strength alone.
Of course, Zhong Ming also knew that to showcase his ability, the most important thing was... to win.
He had to win the Seven Peaks competition at the end of the month. Otherwise, if he lost, his refusal today would make him look foolish, arrogant, and conceited.
’Confidence and arrogance are two sides of the sa coin.’
This was the very thing Yi Yunya had been worried about, which was why she’d wanted to speak up.
And when Zhong Ming had lanted that Su Lingya was a step too late, this was part of the reason.
’Su Lingya, if you had co at noon today, I would have most likely agreed to your proposal.’
’If you had co in the morning, I would have agreed even if your proposal ca with so conditions.’
’But alas, you ca in the evening.’
In the morning and at noon, Zhong Ming wasn’t completely confident he could win the Seven Peaks competition.
Back then, his first priority wasn’t showing off his abilities, but ensuring Longxi Peak’s victory.
Under those circumstances, cooperating with Cuixiang Mountain would have been the optimal choice.
But at noon, his breakthrough in the Longxi Breathing thod had given him a major boost.
And by evening, his progress was even more frightening.
Thinking this, he focused his gaze on the Longxi Sword-Drawing Technique on his status panel. The progress bar for his Longxi Sword-Drawing Technique had reached Third Realm Refinent (13600/13600).
That’s right. In a single afternoon, his progress with this Cultivation Technique had reached the peak of the Third Realm.
If he weren’t aiming to break through under the Divine Sound of the Clear Sound Spring Stone, this Cultivation Technique would have already advanced to the Fourth Realm.
Such progress was terrifyingly fast.
’But when I was free to choose any Cultivation Technique, wasn’t this the exact reason I picked it? With Heaven Rewards Diligence, cultivating it is the simplest and quickest path to rapid improvent!’
Advancing the Longxi Sword-Drawing Technique, strictly speaking, just required over ten thousand Iaido Slashes.
Previously, the drain on his Magical Power had slowed his progress. But with the Longxi Breathing thod reaching the Third Realm and gaining the Qi Circulation trait, Magical Power was no longer an obstacle to his cultivation.
This allowed the true power of Heaven Rewards Diligence to be fully unleashed.
More importantly, this training session made Zhong Ming feel that advancing his other Cultivation Techniques to the Fourth Realm wouldn’t be too difficult either.
And if all his Cultivation Techniques reached the Fourth Realm, he was absolutely confident he could carry Longxi Peak to glory on his own.
’So what if Molten Fire Peak has the advantage of Magical Artifacts? I have comprehended the Rhythm of Life. Even if I have to carry Longxi Peak with one hand while fighting the other six peaks, I, Zhong Ming, will still be the final victor!’
’At the Immortal Peak, I stand proud above the world... Ahem, better not get ahead of myself. Can’t be careless.’
After suppressing so of his joy and offering a brief explanation to Yi Yunya, Zhong Ming began using his Magical Power to refine the Heavy Abyss Water Pearl and the Thunder Shock Flying Sword while he waited for the Clear Sound Spring Stone’s Divine Sound to drip.
...
SHHH...
Ti flowed on, and soon it was midnight.
The moonlight, like a bolt of silk, washed over the entire bamboo forest, its silvery glow lending the area a profound tranquility.
In the stream beside the bamboo forest, Zhong Ming knelt in the formal seiza position on a mossy green stone in the water. His eyes were tightly shut, his breathing long and steady, as if he had rged with the bamboo forest, the stream, and the moonlight.
At a certain mont, he sensed sothing. His eyes snapped open as he drew his sword.
SHING!
Amid the clear ring, Zhong Ming drew the long, cold-gleaming sword partway from its scabbard.
At the sa ti, with a resonant DING, the clear chi of a spring echoed in his mind.
[Clear Sound Spring Stone: Divine Sound]
But unlike before, this ti the cry of the sword and the chi of the spring rged, causing a special power to infuse Zhong Ming’s Heart Soul.
This strange power made Zhong Ming feel that within his Sea of Consciousness, the sound of the clear spring-drip on the stone was exceptionally drawn-out.
It was so prolonged that he felt as if the myriad scenes of the mortal world had paused, frozen in ti.
VMMMM...
In this frozen mont, Zhong Ming ’saw’ his drawn sword carve a beautiful arc, reflecting the cold moonlight.
He also seed to see the special, clear sound transform into ripples, expanding outward circle by circle.
Beyond that, he saw the stream’s current slow to a crawl, saw the dewdrops on the nightti leaves fall toward the earth, fra by painstaking fra.
BOOM...
Amidst the stillness of all things, countless insights and ssages about ’life’ surged forth—so from the world around him, others from the depths of his own consciousness—and he understood them all.
To Zhong Ming’s surprise, the ’life’ he comprehended this ti wasn’t what he had anticipated—it wasn’t drawing his sword and having his Sword Qi transform into roaming dragons or flying birds that would attack his enemies like living creatures.
The ’life’ he comprehended was growth, was nurturing. It was an extrely faint, almost invisible sliver... of ti itself!
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