Chapter 8: Chong Cang personally protected him as he advanced two ranks.

The pictures attached to the post include one of Shi Liuying picking flowers, one of her sitting on a rock with a basket on her back waiting, and one of her chasing after Chong Cang while Chong Cang quickly dodges.

[Chong Cang's Only Designated Dao Partner: How shameless! Didn't you see that the elder already dislikes her?]

[2L: I can't even catch up with the elders, yet you think you can? These new disciples are really naive.]

[3L: That's not surprising. So many people like Elder Chongcang; they could circle the cultivation world a hundred times over.]

[4L: Master Chongcang is performing consistently well again. Well, he's a male fox spirit, after all; he just likes to use bewitching magic.]

[5L: I heard Elder Chongcang has had several girlfriends. Junior Sister, don't get too caught up in their romance just because he's handsome!]

[6L: The person upstairs commented, this junior sister seems really naive, I'm worried about her.]

Shi Liuying saw these words.

Shi Liuying wasn't annoyed, but rather very puzzled. Why were these people so certain that she was pursuing Elder Chongcang? Just as they had all forgotten that Senior Sister Rongyan was actually a very powerful ghost cultivator, it seemed that no one cared about the facts.

Using the ID 【Shi Liuying】, she slowly replied to the post: 【I am not pursuing Elder Chongcang. I just want to cultivate under Elder Chongcang. He is the mentor elder assigned to me by the sect.】

Then she spoke up for Chong Cang: "Elder Chong Cang did not use any bewitching magic; he is a highly skilled and virtuous elder."

He just has a somewhat strange personality.

Since there are no facts, she will tell the facts.

After sending the message, Shi Liuying tossed the jade slip aside and put the trivial matter out of her mind.

Tomorrow will be the last day of free time for the new disciples.

I'm going to the Transmission Hall to learn the skills the day after tomorrow, and I hope to impress Elder Chongcang on this last day.

Shi Liuying didn't see that the original poster spoke again under her reply.

Stop trying to cover your tracks. Whether you're in love with the elder or not, we'll find out tomorrow. Who's coming with me to see him tomorrow?

-

Shi Liuying got up very early and prepared the original Nanhua cake.

If the training hall's workload is heavy, this is her last chance. She can only feel at ease if she brings out what she considers the most delicious food.

At this point, Tianji Peak no longer seemed steep or difficult to climb to her.

She could go up and down without even panting, and even found the mountain air refreshing and her breathing exercises easier.

Shi Liuying moved with light steps, carrying a small basket, climbing the steps one by one.

She was only at the early stage of Qi Refining and couldn't sense the group of powerful people following behind her.

The woman in the lead had an innocent face, but her eyes were sinister: "It's her, that ignorant little disciple who thinks she can win Elder Chongcang's heart after climbing the mountain for a few days."

Many people followed her, but no one echoed her.

"It seems she lacks the perseverance to break through the defenses of the new junior sister."

"I remember you also sent something to Elder Chongcang, and you only lasted for four days before you couldn't stand the cold treatment."

"I'm here today for no other reason than to worry that you might do something terrible to the new junior sister."

"The cultivation atmosphere in our Myriad Manifestations Sect is quite good. We can't let newcomers run into problems right after they start."

The large group of people concealed their presence and followed for a while.

Someone noticed something was amiss: "Is this junior sister really only at the early stage of Qi Refining?"

"You noticed it too, didn't you? A Qi Refining Stage 1 cultivator can climb Tianji Peak without even breaking a sweat."

"When I was a new disciple, around the mid-stage of Qi Refining, I almost died climbing the eighth peak."

"The younger generation is truly formidable."

Yi Ruoyun, who was being controlled by the Chongcang System, stomped her feet in anger.

What makes her so persistent? Can't she see Chong Cang's disgust?

She would definitely help get rid of the person Elder Chongcang disliked, as long as everyone could see the ugly state of Shi Liuying being rejected.

Perhaps Chong Cang's feelings for him will increase as a result.

If Elder Chongcang's favorability rating can reach 100%, then... then...

Yi Ruoyun shook her head.

What can you do when your favorability reaches 100?

Never mind, we're almost there.

When Shi Liuying arrived at the familiar crooked tree, she greeted the squirrels in the tree with familiarity: "Don't worry, there might still be some for you today."

The squirrels were chattering and hopping around, looking very happy.

Then Shi Liuying went to knock on the door again.

To her surprise, the door didn't open, and no bat-like figure appeared.

"You're leaving so early today?" Shi Liuying scratched her head.

"Never mind, let's cultivate first. Cultivating on Tianji Peak feels much better than in the disciples' quarters."

And so, a group of people who were considered big shots by Shi Liuying concealed their presence and were scattered in various corners, just watching Shi Liuying cultivate for a whole day.

"My eyes are getting sore, Junior Sister Yi. You saw it, she didn't even have any contact with the elder."

"Let's go, Junior Sister Yi. Don't even think about harming Junior Sister."

"It's amazing how this little thing called 'emotion' is still developing. It reminds me of my younger days."

Chong Cang did not go out today. He stood in the shadows inside the door, looking at Shi Liuying, who was growing vigorously like a sunflower in the sunlight outside, with a gloomy gaze.

He had heard about the gossip among the sect disciples about them, but why did this disciple, despite being so maliciously speculated about and even targeted, still go up the mountain to deliver gifts without fail?

With such a resolute character, is he truly just a beginner, an ordinary disciple?

The more Chong Cang looked at Shi Liuying, the more he felt that she was not a mindless conqueror arranged by the system. Except for the first day when she was blushing and soaking wet, her eyes were always sincere and open when she looked at him.

Now that things have come to this point, Chongcang doesn't know why he doesn't go out and verify it himself.

Were you scared off by the guides? Or did you just want to see how long this resilient little plant could survive in a hopeless environment?

A fleeting look of bewilderment, which even he himself was unaware of, crossed Chong Cang's gloomy eyes.

The sun rises in the east and sets in the west, its afterglow painting half the sky red and bathing the girl sitting cross-legged on the stone in a glow.

But the aura emanating from her seemed to grow stronger and stronger, so strong that it was blinding, even surpassing the sun itself.

Chong Cang's pupils contracted: She's actually... about to break through?!

Also shocked were Yi Ruoyun, who was planning to leave, and a group of onlookers.

"Huh?? Just sitting there, he broke through?"

"It took me a whole year to go from the early stage of Qi Refining to the middle stage. My master even praised me for my talent."

"This junior sister is so persistent, it's only a matter of time before she breaks through."

"This can't be described as just 'the younger generation is to be feared,' can it? Could she be some kind of monster who has reversed aging, failed the tribulation during the Heavenly Decline stage, and started cultivating again?"

With Chong Cang's cultivation level, he had already sensed the vaguely familiar faces of the disciples on Tianji Peak.

Since they didn't do anything, he didn't drive them away.

But things are different now.

Shi Liuying broke through, and their voices grew louder and louder, even becoming noisy.

No mature cultivator would choose to break through that barrier at this time and in this environment.

With such courage and confidence, could it be...?

The figure sitting cross-legged in the halo was extremely calm. She seemed unable to hear the voices of those around her and indifferent to everything except herself.

She is like a Buddhist monk who has attained enlightenment, only one step away from ascending to immortality.

Chong Cang pushed open the door, exposing himself to a crowd of onlookers for the first time.

He didn't like being talked about and hated being the center of attention, but he still went out.

This advancement is extremely important, whether for a novice cultivator or a powerful being who has failed their tribulation.

He did indeed hate all women in the world, but...

Before Chong Cang could figure it out, he was already standing next to Shi Liuying, sitting cross-legged, and setting up a large array around her to protect her as she advanced.

Shi Liuying was not as calm as she appeared.

She felt like she was trapped in a cocoon, unable to break free or escape.

The surroundings were getting hotter and hotter, and there was even some inaudible noise, making it impossible for her to concentrate on fighting against the cocoon around her.

Suddenly, a cool breeze blew by, dispelling the heat in her heart, and the surrounding sounds disappeared instantly.

A voice guided her to look up: "Break through it!"

Shi Liuying looked up and saw a transparent, barrier-like thing. The other end of the barrier was like a golden ocean, dazzling and dreamlike.

She began to gather her strength, concentrating all her power as she charged forward again and again, trying to tear through the barrier.

When she rushed forward for the first time, she was violently pushed away.

Shi Liuying had no time to worry about her aching bottom. She wiped the sweat from the corner of her eyes and rushed forward again.

If once doesn't work, then twice; if twice doesn't work, then three times. This barrier will become thinner and thinner, and as long as she is not exhausted, she will keep doing it until she succeeds.

Gradually, the noisy sounds of the surrounding grass truly disappeared.

There was no need for Chongcang's formation, and no one spoke.

Their strength was all higher than Shi Liuying's, so they could all sense that her current power had reached the mid-stage of Qi Refining.

But she hadn't opened her eyes yet; she continued.

Is she going to advance two levels in a row?

"Goodness... So what she said on the forum, about cultivating, really meant cultivating."

One of the disciples sighed softly.

Everyone thought of Shi Liuying's earnest yet almost rigid reply to that malicious post on the forum.

I'm not pursuing Elder Chongcang; I simply want to cultivate under his guidance.

In the world of cultivation, where transmigrators abound and plots are everywhere, all she really wanted was to focus on cultivation.

The moment the last rays of sunset disappeared, a dazzling light burst forth from Shi Liuying's body.

With a "thud," Shi Liuying opened her eyes.

A note from the author:

----------------------