Dual cultivation makes you stronger, everyone else is a prodigy, and I'm the only one slacking

"Sect Master, shouldn't you give me an explanation?"

Cheng Min remained silent for a long time before speaking, "It was my oversight. However, everything is within my expectations. With that person here, you will be fine." He spoke with certainty.

Yu Luoning was slightly taken aback; the entire sequence of events instantly became clear in her mind.

In an instant, a layer of frost settled on Yu Luoning's beautiful brows and eyes, and a surge of anger exploded in her chest.

She thought she was being schemed against, but in reality, it was Cui Xiu who was being schemed against.

30 contribution points, supreme sword intent, Elder Pan—it's all too much of a coincidence.

After Cui Xiu snatched her into Zhexue Peak, the entire Dongbao Upper Sect knew that the master of Zhexue Peak was standing behind her.

That's probably why the sect leader dared to take the gamble.

He bet that Elder Pan wouldn't dare to really kill him, and he bet that even if something unexpected happened, someone would be able to protect him.

Thinking of this, Yu Luoning almost laughed in anger; what she hated most was being used by others.

What's even more infuriating is that people use her to threaten those she cares about.

"Did you know he went into seclusion? If he hadn't left me something to save my life beforehand, I would be dead inside."

Cheng Min's expression finally changed. He really didn't know about this. He originally thought that Cui Xiuyuan had come down from Zhexue Peak to personally take on a disciple because he had different feelings for Yu Luoning.

Then we absolutely will not let anything happen to her.

But he didn't expect that the other party was in seclusion.

At that moment, Cheng Min felt a sense of lingering fear for the first time.

Yu Luoning didn't know what he was thinking, but she was furious. She snorted coldly, "This matter will not end here. I will definitely report this to Master."

Yu Luoning ignored him and turned to leave.

Cheng Min remained standing in the same spot, gazing at the snow-capped Zhexue Peak in the distance, remaining silent for a long time.

All the disciples of Dongbao Shangzong thought that the one on Zhexue Peak was the ancestor of Dongbao Shangzong, an unspeakable existence of Dongbao Shangzong. However, only a very few people knew that the one on Zhexue Peak had never been a member of Dongbao Shangzong.

It can be said that the Dongbao Upper Sect exists solely because of him.

He guarded this realm for hundreds of years, never vying for power, never seizing profits, never accepting disciples, and never interfering in the affairs of the sect.

Over the years, factions have sprung up within the sect, and the elders are deeply entrenched in their own power struggles. Even as the sect leader, he has been unable to cleanse the filth hidden in the shadows, because no one is willing to join him in offending those old guys who have been entrenched for hundreds or thousands of years and the forces behind them.

The only person with the ability to break the deadlock is Cui Xiu. This is solely because he possesses extraordinary cultivation.

All the conspiracies and schemes in the cultivation world are insignificant in the face of a powerful being who can crush everything.

But that person, he never wanted to get involved in these matters; he seemed uninterested in everything.

Until this female cultivator appeared, she was the first person in hundreds of years to set foot on Zhexue Peak, and also the first person to pique that person's interest.

Thus, he went with the flow, using her as a pawn to force that other person to come out of seclusion and stir up this stagnant pool.

And indeed, that was the case. Elder Pan died, and no one dared to pursue the matter. The library would return to normal; it was the sect's library, not just one family's.

Cheng Min slowly closed her eyes and gently exhaled a breath of stale air.

Yu Luoning returned to Zhexue Peak in a huff.

The wind and snow on the peak were still blowing, bringing a chill to my face.

The door to the secret chamber deep within the ice palace remained tightly shut, indicating that Cui Xiu would not be emerging from seclusion anytime soon.

Yu Luoning walked alone to a snowy cliff platform. Braving the howling wind, she meditated and focused on familiarizing herself with the unbridled, supreme sword intent of the Primordial Wilderness in her sea of ​​consciousness.

The anger of being schemed against did not dissipate, even though he had benefited from it.

You old fox, you're using me, aren't you?

I'll settle the score with you once my Xiuxiu comes out of quarantine.

Yu Luoning gritted her teeth and muttered under her breath, frantically circulating her spiritual energy.

As the sword intent circulated through her body, her mid-Foundation Establishment cultivation was completely consolidated, and there was even a faint tendency to break through to the late stage.

After an unknown amount of time, Yu Luoning opened her eyes from her meditation.

All around was a vast expanse of white, and the world was eerily quiet.

With Cui Xiu absent and Shi Shangxu having gone to the secret realm for training, the vast Zhexue Peak appeared deserted.

Even the mouse wasn't there. This guy wanted to go back to the library to continue his studies, and Yu Luoning agreed.

There's an old saying that goes, "If a child is willing to study, you'll sell your pots and pans to support them." Now that Shushu is diligent and eager to learn, she's naturally happy to see it succeed.

Everyone has their own choices and pursuits; the world doesn't revolve around her alone.

"So boring, there's no one to talk to..."

Yu Luoning sighed, feeling utterly bored, when her gaze suddenly fell on the rocks covered in ice and snow at the edge of the cliff.

She possessed the Water Escape Technique, and immediately formed hand seals, using the Water Escape Technique to cover the ice and snow, forcibly compressing the wind and snow here. In a short while, a ten-zhang-high, crystal-clear, flawless giant ice block was formed on the rock.

On a whim, she drew her black sword and began creating art on the iceberg.

At first, Yu Luoning only wanted to use this opportunity to hone her subtle control over sword intent. Unbeknownst to her, as ice shards fell in a flurry, a human-shaped outline suddenly appeared in the iceberg.

Suddenly, the image of Cui Xiu's cold, aloof, and extremely alluring face before her seclusion flashed into her mind.

The old artist was extremely focused on carving, and after an unknown amount of time, a lifelike sculpture appeared before our eyes.

Just then, a muffled, loud noise suddenly came from the depths of the ice palace, which had been silent for many days.

Yu Luoning sheathed his black sword, then vanished into thin air and arrived in front of the Ice Palace.

At that moment, a tall, cold figure emerged from the secret room door.

Those deep purple eyes were even more profound than before they went into seclusion.

Cui Xiu spotted Yu Luoning standing outside the hall at a glance.

Her eyes were sparkling as she ran towards him.

Cui Xiu stood still, just staring at her, his eyes unconsciously carrying a hint of resentment that he himself didn't even realize.

This is the person who caused him to have a Dao embryo within his body that he could not refine no matter what.

These days, he has searched through almost every ancient book that everyone could find, and even went to Yue Qi's lair in person, just to find a way to dissolve the Dao Embryo.

In the end, all I got were four words: helpless.

Thinking of this, Cui Xiu's forehead twitched. In all his years of life, this was the first time he had felt so powerless.

The culprit was happily skipping and hopping towards him.