Apocalypse: Why did you provoke her? She's a cultivator.

Chapter 146 Parting
Despite the large number of people, everything proceeded smoothly under the orderly guidance of the soldiers.

The numbness and fear on those people's faces were no longer there, but rather a greater sense of anticipation for the future.

Shops on the street gradually opened, and the sounds of vendors hawking their wares and conversations gradually increased.

Under Mu Zhenzhong's iron-fisted control, Xin'an City regained order and vitality at a visible speed.

Unlike the hustle and bustle of the city, the atmosphere in that quiet little building in the western part of District C was somewhat special.

In the afternoon, the sun's rays were unusually intense, and sunlight streamed down through the sparse clouds.

In the courtyard, Ye Qiumian sat cross-legged, her breathing steady.

Chu Qingyang stood not far in front of her, his expression focused. He slowly raised his hands, and faint blue arcs of electricity crackled between his palms. A faint smell of burning filled the air.

"Sister Ye, it's ready," Chu Qingyang said in a deep voice.

Ye Qiu Mian opened her eyes, a golden glint flashing in them, and nodded gently: "Let's begin."

Chu Qingyang took a deep breath and activated his lightning-based supernatural power at full capacity.

He suddenly raised both arms into the air and let out a low shout.

In an instant, the clouds above the courtyard seemed to be stirred up, and a purple lightning bolt as thick as a bowl tore through the air with terrifying power, striking straight at Ye Qiu Mian!

This was not lightning from nature, but energy guided and condensed by Chu Qingyang's special ability.

While its power is not as great as a real lightning strike, it is still enough to make high-level superpowered individuals wary.

In the past, such lightning strikes had a significant effect on Ye Qiumian's body tempering.

However, at this moment, facing the lightning striking down from above, Ye Qiumian sat still, without even mobilizing her spiritual energy to protect herself.

Lightning struck her with a deafening roar, unleashing blinding light and deafening crackling sounds.

The light faded, and the dust settled.

Ye Qiumian remained seated, her clothes undamaged, and not even a strand of her hair fluttered.

Her fair skin glowed with a healthy luster in the sunlight; the lightning bolt that had struck just moments before, powerful enough to split rocks, hadn't even left a faint white mark on her skin.

Chu Qingyang stared in disbelief, and subconsciously summoned an even thicker bolt of lightning.

The result remained the same.

The lightning struck Ye Qiu Mian like a pebble thrown into a lake, creating only a few ripples before disappearing without a trace, unable to even breach her defenses.

"Stop," Ye Qiumian said, her voice calm and even.

Chu Qingyang stopped what he was doing, his face full of confusion and helplessness. "Sister Ye, what... what's going on? My lightning seems to be... completely useless."

Ye Qiumian stood up, stretched her limbs, and felt the surging spiritual energy and resilient physical body within her.

She could clearly feel that since her cultivation broke through to the early stage of the Golden Core realm and her body tempering also entered the sixth level, her physical strength had undergone a qualitative leap.

“It’s not your problem,” Ye Qiumian explained. “It’s because my cultivation and body tempering level have improved. The lightning you’re summoning now can no longer keep up with the strength of my body.”

She stretched out her finger and gently ran it across her arm; the skin was as hard as iron, leaving not a single mark.

Although Chu Qingyang's lightning-based superpower is unique, it is ultimately a superpower rather than spiritual energy.

Her energy intensity began to wane after she broke through to the Golden Core stage and her physical body was tempered to the sixth level.

"It seems I'll have to find another way to temper my body in the future."

Ye Qiumian gazed at the sky, a thoughtful look flashing in her eyes. Chu Qingyang's lightning could no longer effectively temper her, meaning she needed to find a stronger energy source to temper her body.

This also foreshadows that the path of spiritual practice will be even more difficult in the future.

The order in Xin'an City gradually stabilized, and the streets regained their long-lost vibrancy.

But Ye Qiumian's sense of urgency did not diminish at all.

Chu Qingyang's lightning-based superpowers used to be her weapon for tempering her body, but now, as her cultivation level has increased, they have lost their effectiveness.

That day, Chu Qingyang tried one last time in the courtyard. The lightning he summoned with all his might struck her, but only produced a few tiny sparks, not even scorching a single strand of her hair.

Fortunately, when she survived the Golden Core Tribulation, the violent lightning not only failed to destroy her, but also unexpectedly repaired the old injuries on her meridians.

Now, when I look into my meridians, those faint cracks from before have long since disappeared. The spiritual energy flows freely through the meridians without any obstruction.

With the biggest obstacle to her cultivation gone, she was even more eager to seize this opportunity to find a place where her cultivation could advance rapidly.

The first thing that came to mind was the cave at the bottom of the cliff where the spiritual vein was hidden.

Last time I briefly cultivated there, I felt that I absorbed spiritual energy very quickly. If I continue to cultivate diligently there, my cultivation level will definitely break through quickly.

Having made up her mind, Ye Qiumian called Chu Qingyang, Nan Shaohua, Shen Yujie, and Fang Jun to the courtyard one evening.

The golden rays of the setting sun slanted in through the window lattice, casting long shadows on the ground.

"I plan to leave Xin'an City." Ye Qiumian got straight to the point, her gaze sweeping over the four people in front of her. "Chu Qingyang's lightning has no effect on my body tempering. I need to find a more suitable place to cultivate."

"Leave?" Chu Qingyang spoke first, his brows furrowed tightly. "Sister Ye, is there something we did wrong? Or are you uncomfortable staying in Xin'an City?"

Nan Shaohua also said in a deep voice, "Although things are more stable outside now, it's still not as safe as the city. Where do you want to go? We'll go with you."

"No need." Ye Qiumian gently shook her head. "The place I'm going to isn't suitable for you to come along."

"How long will you be gone?" Nan Shaohua pressed.

Ye Qiumian paused, her tone softening slightly: "The return date is uncertain, perhaps a few months, perhaps longer. You are all quite capable; you can arrange your own future paths."

Shen Yujie, usually a calm and collected man, couldn't help but speak up: "Sister Ye, we've followed you for so long, and now you're suddenly leaving..."

"All good things must come to an end." Ye Qiumian looked at them, a hint of warmth flashing in her eyes. "You've all grown a lot and no longer need my protection. I believe you can live well."

The four fell silent.

They knew Ye Qiumian's personality; she rarely changed her mind once she made a decision.

She's like a gust of wind, never stopping for anyone; all they can do is watch her go to higher and farther places.

"Then... Sister Ye, you must take good care of yourself." Fang Jun said softly after holding back for a long time, his fists clenched tightly.

Nan Shaohua turned his face away, wiped his eyes with his sleeve, and said in a slightly choked voice, "Sister Ye, if you ever come back, remember to come find us..."

Chu Qingyang took a deep breath, turned around and went back into the house, carrying out two boxes. "These contain some edible supplies. I'll go get a few more boxes."

"I'm going too." The others followed Chu Qingyang and ran into the living room.

The four quickly brought out eight more boxes of supplies, containing instant noodles, biscuits, freeze-dried vegetables, and other ready-to-eat foods.

Ye Qiumian felt a slight warmth in her heart and put the supplies into her spatial storage.

She didn't say anything more, turned around and pushed open the courtyard gate.