From Five Animal Exercises to being hailed as a saint and ancestor

The Xuanhuang Boat flew steadily above the sea of ​​clouds, leaving the bloodshed and turmoil of Baiwei City far behind.

Inside the cabin, most of the disciples chose to sit quietly and regulate their breathing, digesting the insights and gains they had made from the life-and-death battles of the past few days.

A calm and slightly oppressive atmosphere permeated the air.

But beneath this calm, some subtle changes are quietly taking place.

Inside Zhou Tiancan's room, Mu Qingqing was carefully applying ointment to the last, deeper wound on his shoulder.

The wound was gruesome, with the skin and flesh torn open, but given Zhou Tianshen's constitution, it was only a matter of time before it healed.

"Ouch—Qingqing, be gentle."

Zhou Tiancan grinned, but his eyes no longer held the pure, simple-minded look they usually did.

Instead, it carries a clear, expressive quality that conveys pain.

Mu Qingqing rolled her eyes at him, but her movements became even gentler.

"Now you know it hurts? Why didn't you think about that when you were rushing forward?"

Her tone was reproachful, but the heartache in her eyes was undeniable.

Zhou Tiancan scratched his still shiny bald head and chuckled.

"But the situation was urgent. What if those men in black rushed over and hurt you if I didn't hold the line?"

He spoke fluently and naturally, no longer the naive and instinctive simpleton he used to be.

Instead, it carries a clear sense of protectiveness and logic.

Mu Qingqing paused slightly as she applied the ointment, then looked up at Zhou Tianshen with some surprise.

She noticed that the big, clumsy man's eyes were much clearer than before, and he spoke more coherently.

Was it because of the stimulation of this life-or-death experience?

"You..."

A surge of indescribable joy welled up in Mu Qingqing's heart, and the corners of her mouth unconsciously turned up, revealing a gentle smile.

"It seems like... I've gotten a little smarter."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Tiancan became even more smug and patted his chest.

"Of course! I'll be smarter and better able to protect you from now on!"

Although he remains honest and simple, this honesty and simpleness has been tempered with a maturity that comes with a sense of responsibility.

Seeing his "seeking praise" look, Mu Qingqing's joy was almost overflowing.

She leaned gently against his uninjured arm and whispered:

"Yes, I believe you."

The simple interaction was filled with warmth and tacit understanding.

The once naive and simple-minded boy is growing up rapidly, and this growth makes the bond between the two even stronger and more touching.

Xuanyuan Po left the room, intending to go to the deck to see the scenery outside the ship.

But at the very front of the ship, a figure stood leaning against the railing.

He stood tall and straight like a pine tree, exuding a calm and imposing aura.

The vast starry sky and the boundless earth seemed to become mere background before him.

Instead of engulfing him, it highlighted his unique and independent presence.

That's Yao Mengkang.

Xuanyuan Po paused for a moment, took a deep breath of the crisp air, and then walked over.

His footsteps landed on the solid deck, making a soft sound that was particularly clear in the quiet of the pre-dawn hour.

He walked a step behind Yao Mengkang and looked together at the boundless horizon where the sky and earth met.

"Senior Brother Yao," Xuan Yuanpo said, his voice not loud, but clear enough.

After a moment of silence, his voice carried a complex mix of emotions.

"After this trip to Baiwei City, I, Xuanyuan Po, am completely convinced of your superiority."

He wasn't just referring to Yao Mengkang's breakthrough to the Spirit Sea Realm on the eve of battle.

It is also the sense of responsibility, wisdom, and unfathomable potential that it has demonstrated in times of crisis.

Yao Mengkang opened his eyes and smiled slightly.

"Junior Brother Xuanyuan, you flatter me. Junior Brother's swordsmanship is profound, and his will is unwavering. He is a genius I have never seen before, and his future achievements are limitless."

His words were sincere and encouraging.

However, in Yao Mengkang's heart, there was a calm confidence.

But my strength is greater than you realize.

Recalling last night, Vice Dean Shangguan Hong quietly came to his room, set up a soundproof barrier, and asked him with an extremely solemn expression about the size of his spiritual sea after the breakthrough.

When Yao Mengkang uttered the number "ten thousand zhang".

Shangguan Hong's pupils shrank sharply, and his face showed an unprecedented look of shock.

She even grabbed his shoulder in a moment of panic, her voice trembling.

"Ten thousand feet?! An immeasurable spiritual sea?"

After the initial shock, Shangguan Hong immediately regained his seriousness and solemnly explained.

"Meng Kang, this matter concerns your life and fortune! Remember, only tell others that Ling Hai Wan Zhang is at stake!"

"Ten thousand feet is already astonishing, enough to make you the most dazzling new star in the Eastern Region and even the entire continent."

"But having just entered the Spirit Sea Realm, he has already reached the Boundless Spirit Sea. This potential is even greater than that of the Dao Ancestor."

"If this news leaks out, it could attract the covetous eyes of ancient monsters who have surpassed the Nascent Soul realm, or even the Throne realm!"

"Possessing a treasure is a crime; you must conceal it until you have sufficient power to protect yourself!"

"No one can tell, not even the most trusted person within the academy!"

Therefore, faced with Xuan Yuanpo's recognition, Yao Mengkang could only deeply conceal his true abilities.

Xuanyuan Po did not linger; after expressing his respect, he left.

Yao Mengkang knew that he was proud and arrogant, and it was already difficult for him to say such things. He kept this recognition in his heart.

After seeing Xuan Yuanpo off, Yao Mengkang went to Xu Ziyi's room.

The girl remained lying quietly on the bed.

Her eyes were closed, and her long eyelashes cast faint shadows on her pale cheeks.

His breathing was steady and long, as if he had simply fallen into a deep sleep.

Yao Mengkang sat on the edge of the bed, quietly watching her.

Her former charming and lively appearance involuntarily surfaced in my mind, forming a stark contrast with her lifeless sleeping state before me.

It made his heart clench.

On the other side, Xu Zijian finished his meditation, but his worry for his sister remained unabated.

He got up and walked towards Xu Ziyi's room.

Upon reaching the door, he discovered that it was not fully closed, leaving a small gap.

He was about to push the door open when he saw Yao Mengkang's back as he sat by the bed through the crack.

I heard extremely faint whispers coming from inside.

He stopped what he was doing and did not disturb him.

Inside the room, Yao Mengkang was so focused on the girl on the bed that he didn't notice anyone outside the door.

He gently took Xu Ziyi's slightly cool hand and pressed it against his cheek, as if trying to warm her with his own body heat.

He lowered his head, his voice low and slow, filled with endless regret and deep affection, and began his soliloquy:

"Ziyi...do you still remember the first time I saw you in front of the martial arts tower at the academy?"

"Your smile is like a little sun, so sweet and well-behaved."

"Back then, I thought this junior sister was really pretty, and I couldn't help but want to tease you and flirt with you a bit."

"Later, in the Meteorite Secret Realm, I met you and Junior Sister Mu teaming up."

Seeing Junior Brother Zhou's bewildered expression, I thought I just wanted to watch the show.

But in reality, he might just be looking for an excuse to walk a little further with you.

"And when we first arrived at Baiwei City, I saw you standing there alone, hesitating about whether or not to go out and have fun... I really wanted to go over and say to you, 'Let's go together.'"

His voice was choked with emotion as he gripped Xu Ziyi's hand even tighter.

"The last... the last mission is to pretend to go shopping with you and lure those bastards out."

"Actually, the expression on my face when I told you not to go out wasn't an act!"

"But I was too foolish to see my own heart clearly, and I only thought it was just a senior brother taking care of his junior sister."

"But when you stood in front of me, blood gushed out."

"Ziyi, I feel like my world is collapsing."

"Watching your life slip away before my eyes, I finally realized that I was already deeply entangled and couldn't live without you."

"I was just too stupid, I realized it too late..."

Hot tears finally streamed uncontrollably down Yao Mengkang's cheeks and dripped onto Xu Ziyi's hand.

He suppressed all his regrets, all his lingering fears, and all the emotions he had kept hidden deep in his heart.

At this moment, he poured out his love without reservation to the sleeping girl.

Xu Zijian, who was outside the door, heard everything.

His previously tense face slowly relaxed, and a complex emotion flashed in his eyes, but it ultimately turned into deep relief and blessings.

He could tell that every word Yao Mengkang spoke at that moment came from the bottom of his heart and was sincere and heartfelt.

My sister's unwavering devotion was ultimately not in vain.

With such a strong man who truly loves and cares for her protecting her, he, as her older brother, can feel much more at ease.

He didn't go in to disturb them; he silently turned around and quietly left.

Shortly after Xu Zijian left, Yao Mengkang, who was immersed in grief and pouring out his heart, seemed to sense something and slightly turned his head to look in the direction of the door, but did not find anything.

However, he didn't notice as he turned his head to continue staring at Xu Ziyi's pale face.

The index finger of the other hand, which was naturally placed at its side, twitched very slightly, almost imperceptibly.

It was as if a sleeping soul had heard the call from the deepest part of its heart, and in the endless darkness, it had seen a glimmer of light.

Yao Mengkang continued speaking in a low voice, unaware of this subtle change.

But the gears of fate seem to have already turned slightly because of this.