Chapter 223 Cultivation Path A (Seventeen) Path A's combat power is maxed out...
Mu Qingdai's voice trembled as she stared intently at the blurry blue shadow in the spiritual light.
Back when he was testing his skills in the Cloud Wind Ridge Secret Realm, his opponent was only at the Foundation Establishment stage, but now, the spiritual energy surrounding him has reached a state of perfection. In just three years, he has achieved such great fortune... Damn it, the heavens are truly unfair!
Song Ce ignored Mu Qingdai's shock, instead conjuring a long cyan arrow in his palm and aiming it directly at her vital point.
"No...no...Song Ce, you can't kill me! If you kill me, Master will never let you go! His cultivation is extraordinary, and he's extremely protective of his own. You..."
Before she could finish speaking, Song Ce waved his hand, and the long arrow pierced through Mu Qingdai's forehead without hesitation!
puff--
The next instant, Mu Qingdai spat out a mouthful of black blood mist. Before she could even utter a single word, she collapsed to the ground with wide eyes and a look of hatred on her face, lifeless.
Song Ce concentrated and held his breath, using Mu Qingdai's heart's blood as a medium to gently recite the guiding incantation. In a short while, a slender golden thread meandered and coiled in the air like drifting smoke, eventually pointing towards the northern horizon.
With a swift movement, he followed the golden thread and soared through the air.
He didn't know how much time had passed, but the end of the golden thread gradually became visible. The mountain gate, faintly visible amidst the swirling clouds and mist, was a place he knew all too well—the Jade Balance Sect.
A sudden realization dawned on Song Ce. He concealed his aura and silently landed on the back mountain of the Jade Balance Sect. The disciples guarding the mountain did not notice anything amiss and continued to stare blankly at their surroundings.
The mountain fog was thick, and everything at the Jade Balance Sect seemed normal, showing no signs of abnormality. But the more it was like this, the stronger Song Ce's unease became.
As the golden thread became clearer, Song Ce followed it, only to find that it eventually stopped in front of Xuan Mengzi's Xizi Palace. He slowly exhaled and was about to raise his hand to knock on the door when, unexpectedly, the palace door slowly opened from the inside out.
A kind-faced, ethereal white-haired cultivator slowly emerged from the hall—it was none other than Xuan Mengzi, the sect leader of the Jade Balance Sect.
Xuan Mengzi was still surrounded by a faint spiritual light. He was taken aback for a moment when he saw someone visiting him late at night, and then a perfectly timed smile appeared on his face: "I remember you. You are that little genius with a single spiritual root back then - Song Ce, right?"
"Yes, Sect Leader has a good memory."
"Perfect timing." Xuan Mengzi withdrew his radiance into his body and said kindly, "I have something to see your master right now. If you'd like, you can come with me!"
Song Ce paused, Xuan Mengzi's words were too natural, as if she had expected him to appear at this moment... He followed Xuan Mengzi's footsteps without making a sound, and asked indifferently: "The sect leader seems to be no surprise at all that I was able to come out of the secret realm alive."
Xuan Mengzi dusted off his wide sleeves and said with a half-smile, "Why should I be surprised? It would be surprising if a cultivator didn't have one or two trump cards up his sleeve!"
Song Ce deliberately slowed his pace slightly and said gently, "It's already late at night, why does the sect leader insist on seeing Master?"
Xuan Mengzi continued walking, maintaining her gentle tone: "Speaking of which, this whole thing started because of you. He's worried about you a lot these past few years since you disappeared without a trace."
"Oh, I see."
The two walked up the mountain path of Cen Fengshan, and soon a delicate little courtyard appeared at the end of the path.
The disciples guarding outside the courtyard were all at least at the Golden Core stage, but their eyes lacked vitality, like empty shells with cultivation but no soul.
"Sect Leader, in the years since I left the mountain, it seems that the sect has gained many promising young talents."
Xuan Mengzi paused slightly, then smiled broadly and said, "The path of cultivation is long; some leave, and others naturally come. In recent years, your master has gained several junior brothers, all of whom are exceptionally talented. Unfortunately, they went to the polar ice fields for training three months ago and haven't returned yet. As for you..."
"How is the disciple?"
"You've been training outside these past few years, yet your cultivation has improved so quickly. You must have suffered a lot, right?"
Song Ce smiled faintly, and instead of answering, asked, "I wonder how my master has been lately?"
Upon hearing this, Xuan Mengzi sighed, "You don't know, Cong Yun has been restless lately and has trouble sleeping at night. Although he is gentle, he often dwells on the past. It's pitiful, so pitiful."
As they spoke, the two had already arrived at the gate of the small courtyard.
This small courtyard, shrouded in mist year-round, is situated on a very high elevation. Although it offers panoramic views of the four seasons, it is secluded and exudes a somber and desolate atmosphere.
Xuan Mengzi stepped forward and knocked on the courtyard gate, but no one answered for a long time. He paused, then knocked harder, "Cong Yun, it's me, Xuan Mengzi."
The courtyard remained quiet.
Song Ce remained expressionless, and with a slight movement of spiritual energy at his fingertips, he slowly opened the seemingly sturdy wooden door.
“Let’s go in and take a look.” Xuan Mengzi stepped forward and entered the courtyard first.
On the star-gazing platform directly opposite the courtyard gate sat a composed figure. Cong Yun had his back to them, his black hair neatly cascading over his shoulders, and his robes were spotless. The moonlight shone brightly, as if he were about to ascend to immortality at any moment.
With just one glance, Song Ce sensed an unusual aura.
“Cong Yun, look who’s back?” Xuan Mengzi called softly.
For a long time, Cong Yun did not turn around, nor did she move her body at all; her whole body exuded an eerie stiffness.
"Song Ce, why don't you go forward and pay your respects to your master? Cong Yunruo will surely be overjoyed to see you back," Xuan Mengzi said with a smile, her eyes narrowed.
"yes."
The moment Song Ce's hand touched Cong Yun's robe, Cong Yun's body suddenly swayed and fell straight to the side. Song Ce reacted quickly and used his spiritual power to catch him.
He looked down and saw that Cong Yun's eyes were wide open, but there was no light in them. He checked her pulse and found that she hadn't been breathing for several days.
"Master!"
Xuan Mengzi stood to the side, her smile unwavering, but her tone carried an almost eerie regret: "It seems that a villain has infiltrated our Jade Balance Sect and maliciously plotted to murder Elder Cong Yun!"
Song Ce remained expressionless as he stared intently at Xuan Mengzi: "Sect Leader, did you do this?"
"Me?" Xuan Mengzi slowly took half a step back, and smiled meaningfully, "Why do you ask that?"
"Mu Qingdai—this name is probably familiar to the sect leader, isn't it?"
Upon hearing this, Xuan Mengzi turned around abruptly, his friendly expression vanishing completely. He stared coldly at Song Ce and demanded angrily, "Where is she?"
"She was once a disciple of the Jade Balance Sect, but she stubbornly betrayed the sect. A few days ago, I encountered her by chance in a small mortal town and killed her with an arrow. However, before she died, she said something to me."
Xuan Mengzi stared intently at Song Ce, gritting her teeth as she asked, "What did you say?"
Song Ce smiled faintly and said leisurely, "She said that her master's cultivation was extraordinary and she was very protective of her own. If she knew that I killed her, she would definitely avenge her."
After a long while, Xuan Mengzi slowly calmed down and smiled again: "Is that so? However, Mu Qingdai has already betrayed the sect, so her words cannot be taken seriously. Don't be bewitched by her."
Song Ce's gaze sharpened, and he was about to say something when his mind suddenly faltered. He steadied himself by holding onto the observatory, and exclaimed in surprise, "My...my spiritual power..."
Seeing this, Xuan Mengzi laughed heartily, a hint of excitement creeping into his voice: "Do you feel your spiritual energy is stagnant, unable to gather or disperse, or mobilize it?"
"What did you do?" Song Ce looked up at Xuan Mengzi, his voice devoid of emotion.
Xuan Mengzi paced back and forth a couple of steps, a strange smile playing on her lips: "Song Ce, why don't you take a guess?"
Looking at his reddened eyes, Song Ce said calmly, "Is it the Seven Deadly Spirit-Slaying Array? If I'm not mistaken, there probably wouldn't be any survivors in the entire Jade Balance Sect by now, would there?"
Xuan Mengzi smiled sinisterly, feigning reluctance, and said, "Indeed! You are so intelligent and talented, and at such a young age you have already reached the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment. I really don't want to commit any more killings. In my opinion, you might as well kneel down on the spot, kowtow and call me Master, what do you say?"
"You think you're worthy?" Song Ce faced him directly, a cold glint in his eyes.
Upon hearing this, Xuan Mengzi's face turned cold. He stared intently at Song Ce and said fiercely, "If that's the case, then I'll gladly accept 'your' body! A single spiritual root is a creation of heaven and earth, and it should belong to the capable! On your way to the Yellow Springs, don't forget to give my regards to Elder Yun."
"I've known him for many years. If he hadn't discovered my identity as a demonic cultivator, I would have spared his life. It's just a pity..."
"As long as I possess your body with its single spiritual root, I can break through to the Nascent Soul stage and successfully transform into a Deity! At that time, who in the entire cultivation world can do anything to me?"
As soon as he finished speaking, a wisp of gray-black mist rose from Xuan Mengzi's palm, which he then conjured into a giant black hand with his will: "Die!"
At this critical moment, Song Ce suddenly moved. He slowly raised his hand and casually pointed to Xuan Mengzi's brow.
In an instant, a sharp blue light rose from his fingertips, striking him squarely in the center without mercy.
Xuan Mengzi screamed in pain, clutching his forehead and staggering backward. He stared at Song Ce in disbelief, stammering, "You, what exactly are you...?"
The next second, Song Ce's cultivation level began to rise steadily right before his eyes—
"No, impossible! Your bone age doesn't lie! Even if you started cultivating right after birth, you couldn't improve this quickly!"
Xuan Mengzi was clearly taken aback by Song Ce's cultivation level. His Adam's apple bobbed as he muttered with a ferocious expression, "How... how could he be at the Integration Stage?! No... no!"
Seeing Xuan Mengzi's disheveled and distraught appearance, Song Ce gave him no chance to catch his breath. Instead, he used purified spiritual energy to create a cage, trapping Xuan Mengzi inside.
No...it's impossible...
Xuan Mengzi suddenly looked up, his eyes bloodshot and his gaze blazing with fury. "I have cultivated for over three hundred years, and yet I have been so easily defeated by a mere brat like you! Why should such a gift from heaven and earth, a single spiritual root, fall into the hands of an ignorant child like you? Why? Do you know how much I have paid to get to where I am today? Huh?"
"Injustice! Injustice! How unjust is God!"
Song Ce glanced at him indifferently and said calmly, "On the path of cultivation, the most taboo thing is to take shortcuts. Only by guarding one's true nature can one achieve the Great Dao."
"Bullshit! It's all bullshit! I planned everything, but I completely overlooked you, this variable! I'm not reconciled, I'm not reconciled!!"
Hearing Xuan Mengzi's mournful roar, Song Ce lowered his eyes, his fingertips condensed spiritual energy, and he slowly tightened the huge cage in front of him until the person inside was lifeless.
After an unknown amount of time, the eastern sky began to lighten with the first hint of dawn. The first rays of sunlight slowly pierced through the clouds and gently settled on the summit of Cenfeng Mountain.
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Author's Note: [Peeking while covering face]
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